NFL Free Agents 2013: Biggest Winners of Day 2

After the NFL's free-agency period kicked off with a bang on Tuesday, some huge signings highlighted Day 2.

Not only did a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback's favorite receiver depart to join another future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, a couple of teams that struggled in 2012 made some noteworthy moves.

Here's a look at my biggest winners on Day 2 of the NFL's free-agency period.

Denver Broncos

Two words, one name: Wes Welker.

The Denver Broncos made waves on Day 2 by signing former New England Patriots slot receiver Wes Welker to a two-year, $12 million deal (h/t Adam Schefter of ESPN). 

It was widely expected that the Patriots would find a way to keep Tom Brady's favorite receiver in Foxborough, but the Broncos were able to steal the five-time Pro Bowler away for just $6 million per year. That's bogus.

The Patriots took Welker for granted and they got burned. Welker may have been a great fit with Brady and Co., but I'm sure he won't mind catching passes from Peyton Manning in Denver.

Manning now has all the weapons he could want in the receiving corps to make another run at a ring.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It was widely assumed that the San Francisco 49ers would lose starting free safety Dashon Goldson in free agency. That came to fruition on Wednesday.

The Buccaneers inked the 28-year-old to a lucrative, five-year deal worth $41.25 million, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. The two-time Pro Bowler ranked second among free-agent safeties this year, according to ProFootballFocus.com. Among those safeties, he was ranked eighth by PFF in 2012.

At his best, Goldson is a complete safety. We all know about his tackling ability. When he's not overzealous going for the tackle (he also missed a few tackles in 2012) he can absolutely plant people. He also improved by leaps and bounds in coverage from 2011 to 2012.

Goldson could form a formidable tandem with young strong safety Mark Barron. Both are big hitters, and Barron could learn from the veteran.

Detroit Lions

The signing of former Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (h/t Pro Football Talk) was a necessary move for the Detroit Lions, given the likely retirement of Jahvid Best and the general ineffectiveness of Mikel LeShoure in 2012.

But the signings of former Houston Texans safety Glover Quin (h/t Adam Schefter of ESPN) and former Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Jason Jones (h/t Seattle Times) were the biggest moves for the Lions on Wednesday, in my opinion.

Quin's versatility is what stands out the most. He has experience covering the slot and he ranked fifth among the top-40 slot cornerbacks in 2012, according to ProFootballFocus.com. He also has experience covering tight ends and defends the run well (including his marquee performance against Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings last season, per PFF's Day 2 free agency blog).

Detroit ranked 24th in the league in yards per carry allowed last season—Quin should certainly help there.

There's also Jones. A second-round pick in 2008, he really came to life in 2010 as a defensive tackle (3.5 sacks, 39 tackles), but a move to defensive end in 2011 with the Tennessee Titans saw him take a step backward. In 2012, he played in just 12 games due to injury.

The reality is, Jones is a very talented player who is still just 26 years old. As a backup to Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley, he's a perfect fit for the Lions.