It’s still early but these five players are proving they were worth the free agent signing. Kenneth Walker III was a massive win for the Kansas City Chiefs and his Week 1 debut was proof of that. But who are the other players that were signed this offseason that turned out to be bargains? Here’s a look at the biggest free agent steals of the offseason just a couple of games into the news season.
RB Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs were absolute geniuses in landing Kenneth Walker III this offseason. Not only did they get him on a bargain deal, but they got the Super Bowl 60 MVP locked down on a three-year deal before the running back market was reset by Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. The Chiefs needed an upgrade in the running back room badly. Their offense wasn’t the threat it had been because they didn’t have a reliable running back.Â
So what does Walker do in his first game as a Chief? He rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown. He also had a receiving touchdown in his first game. He now leads the NFL in rushing yards with 290 and averaged 145 yards per game through his first two. The Chiefs are scarier again and that’s largely because they have a running attack again. Walker is way more valuable to them than the $45 million deal he signed, which is why he’s such a steal.
LB Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos
Denver let Dre Greenlaw go after one disappointing season so they were quick to improve their linebacker room, which was one of the weak points on their elite defense last season. Though Singleton wasn't necessarily a new addition, they did bring him back as a free agent this ofseason. Singleton is one of the best tackling linebackers this season with the second-most tackles in the NFL (25) and has one pass defended. The Broncos needed this kind of reliability and that’s why adding Singleton was a big move and a bargain for what they signed him for.Â
Teams like the Dallas Cowboys could have used Singleton in their linebacker room. Especially now as DeMarvion Overshown is once again ailing with an injury this season. Good linebackers are invaluable and when you look at the top ones like Fred Warner, when you have one it changes your defenses identity. The Broncos were already good on defense so adding Singleton just makes them that much better.Â
EDGE Za’Darius Smith, Atlanta Falcons
Za’Darius Smith came out of retirement this season after personal reasons forced him to step away from football for a year. Within a short time frame, Smith lost his mother, father and grandmother. Now a year later, he’s one of the better pass rushers this season. He’s tied for sixth with the most sacks in the NFL this season with 2.5. He also has five tackles for loss. What makes him such a steal isn’t just that he came out of retirement and has played exceptionally well.Â
The Falcons desperately needed help in their pass rush with Jalon Walker on season-ending IR and James Pearce Jr. suspended for the first half of the season. This was a massive win for Atlanta because they got immediate help from a player they weren’t expecting to have this much of an impact. They just needed Smith to hold them over until Pearce got back. Now they have a reliable pass rusher that might be one of the better ones this season.
DT Kwity Paye, Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have turned things around unexpectedly this season and that’s largely due to Klint Kubiak rebuilding the culture in Vegas. The Raiders went on a spending spree this offseason with Kwity Paye being one of their big additions to the defensive line. He’s been worth every penny so far as one of the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL through the first two weeks. To start this season, Paye has two sacks, which is top 10 in the NFL, and has eight total tackles.Â
Interior defensive lineman always have an interesting role because they aren’t stat stuffers, but their contributions hardly ever show up in the box score. Paye is showing he can not only make the big plays, but he can show up in the box score too. The Raiders are 2-0 and they haven’t even turned to Fernando Mendoza yet. Their defense is a large reason why they are off to a hot start and Paye is a significant part of that.
LB Devin Lloyd, Carolina Panthers
When the Carolina Panthers lost Chris Brazzell II and Nic Scourton, it was easy to give up on them. They have one of the toughest schedules and didn’t quite look like a playoff team on paper. Well Jaelan Phillips has more than earned his contract, but Devin Lloyd is the unsung hero of this defense. He is tied for the most interceptions in the NFL with two and has returned one for a touchdown.Â
The Panthers look like a legitimate threat in the NFC South, even if they scored 37 points and still lost their season opener. They have the Cleveland Browns this week which is another tune up game for them, but also a chance for Lloyd to further disrupt an offense. The fact that the Panthers lost one of the better pass rushers, having Lloyd having a big season is exactly what they needed. If he keeps this up, they could very well be in a battle with the New Orleans Saints for the top of the NFC South.
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