The 10 Most Surprising Moves of the First Days of Free Agency

From the moment the NFL's "legal tampering" began on Tuesday to the official start of free agency at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, the free-agency moves have been building to a crescendo as teams wheel and deal their way to their visions of a perfect roster. 

Not all the deals so far have involved insane money or complicated trades. 

But some moves have raised more than a few eyebrows. 

Let's break down 10 of the most surprising moves of the first few days of free agency or, as it's more affectionately known, "silly season."

Texans Trade Brock Osweiler to Browns

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In perhaps the most shocking move to go down since the NFL's legal tampering period began on Tuesday, the Houston Texans, desperate to unload the weight of quarterback Brock Osweiler's contract from their books, shipped him to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2018 second-round draft pick, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday. 

The Browns, who have some of the most available cap space at their disposal this offseason, are collecting picks like they're going out of style. So even if Cleveland turns around and releases Osweiler, it still got what it wanted out of this deal. 

General manager Sashi Brown made that abundantly clear when he spoke about the deal Thursday. "We’re really excited to acquire," Brown began, "...a second round draft choice in this trade," he finished, via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. 

Ouch. Sorry, Brock. 

Of course, Houston got what it wanted, too. The Texans are now only on the hook for a $10 million cap hit for Osweiler, rather than the $25 million it would have cost to cut him outright. 

Kyle Juszczyk Becomes League's Highest-Paid Fullback

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The fullback position is alive and well in the NFL. 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport broke the news on Wednesday that the San Francisco 49ers and former Baltimore Ravens fullback Kyle Juszczyk had agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth $21 million. 

Sure, the 49ers had some of the most cap space available to play with to open up free agency, but still. That's a lot of money for a fullback. 

Juszczyk, who had 37 receptions for 266 yards and five carries for 22 yards and a touchdown in 2016, now makes twice as much as any other fullback in the league, per Spotrac. He also has $10.5 million in practical guarantees. 

Given the deal that they offered him, it's clear that the 49ers have bigger plans in store than the role a fullback typically plays in the NFL. Expect Juszczyk to go out for lots of passing routes and help the offense create mismatches using varied personnel packages. 

Washington Lets WRs DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon Walk

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Washington had one of the most productive receiving corps in the league in 2016, being one of the only teams to have two separate receivers notch more than 1,000 receiving yards. 

But on the first day of free agency, Washington lost both those receivers, as DeSean Jackson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Pierre Garcon went to the San Francisco 49ers. 

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Washington is now the first NFL team ever to lose two 1,000-yard receivers from the previous season. 

Yikes. 

The two also combined for seven touchdowns. 

Needless to say, the team hopes to see last year's first-round pick, Josh Doctson, bounce back from injury in 2017 and take on a much bigger role in the offense. 

But Also, Washington Manages to Land Terrelle Pryor

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Though Washington's wide-receiver situation might have looked worrisome on Thursday, on Friday, the team pulled off a coup. 

Despite a highly publicized split with general manager Scot McCloughan, as reported by NFL Network's Rapoport on Thursday evening, Washington still managed to turn around on Friday and sign wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, one of the best pass-catchers still available in free agency. 

As Rapoport reported, Pryor's deal is for one year and worth $8 million. The former quarterback only has one season under his belt as a wideout, notching 77 receptions and 1,007 yards with four touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns in 2016. 

The kicker here is that Pryor reportedly had a bigger offer on the table from Cleveland, but he turned it down to sign with Washington, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. Washington's deal allows Pryor to re-enter free agency next year, after he has more production as a wideout under his belt and can likely cash in more on a long-term deal. 

Browns Give LG Joel Bitonio Monster Extension

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The guard market went haywire once the Cleveland Browns brought their seemingly limitless cap space to the table. 

First, the Browns made history by making free-agent Kevin Zeitler, a former Cincinnati Bengal, the highest-paid guard in NFL history with a five-year contract worth $60 million, per Spotrac. 

But Cleveland wasn't done bolstering its interior. The Browns then went ahead and extended left guard Joel Bitonio for six years worth $51.2 million overall, with $23.7 million guaranteed, as NFL Network's Rapoport reported. 

As Bleacher Report's Matt Miller opined, "That's tackle money."

It was obvious that, as arguably the premier guard on the open market (barring maybe T.J. Lang), Zeitler would command top dollar. But it was more surprising that Cleveland had to throw so much money at Bitonio to get him locked down, as well.

It's not clear who will be starting at quarterback for the Browns in September. But, needless to say, whoever it is will have a pretty solid offensive line protecting him.  

Bengals Lose RG Kevin Zeitler and LT Andrew Whitworth

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It seemed pretty obvious that the Cincinnati Bengals weren't going to be able to afford to re-sign right guard Zeitler, whom the Cleveland Browns ended up making the highest-paid guard in NFL history. 

As ESPN's Schefter reported Thursday, Cleveland offered Zeitler a five-year deal worth $60 million, with $31.5 million guaranteed. 

But the Bengals aren't completely bereft of cap space, with $35.9 million to spare as of Saturday, per Spotrac. So it was a surprise when Cincinnati also lost starting left guard Andrew Whitworth to the Los Angeles Rams, as Schefter reported Thursday. 

In shifting both Zeitler and Whitworth, the Bengals lose more than 2/5 of the bodies on their offensive line. In Whitworth, they lose an undisputed locker-room leader. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton may have taken 41 sacks in 2016, but only four were surrendered by Whitworth, per Pro Football Focus.

In Zeitler, Cincinnati loses a consistent player who was also one of the team's best run-blockers. 

WR Alshon Jeffery Only Signs for One Year

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There's no question that former Chicago Bears wideout Alshon Jeffery was the premier wide receiver available in free agency this year—and to that end, he should have been able to lock down a long-term deal in the neighborhood of $50 million or more. 

But, curiously, as NFL Network's Rapoport reported Thursday, Jeffery signed a one-year deal worth $14 million with the Philadelphia Eagles—a team that does not seem to be one year away from a Super Bowl. 

Jeffery almost instantly becomes the Eagles' best wideout without having played a snap for them. But if this is a prove-it deal, what does the reward contract hereafter look like? Only three receivers in the league—Atlanta's Julio Jones, Dallas' Dez Bryant and Denver's Demaryius Thomas—average $14 million annually. 

If it's a rental, the Eagles, who went 7-9 in 2016 under raw but promising rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, sure do seem confident about their chances of contending. 

Either way, it's surprising that Jeffery didn't take this opportunity to get some long-term stability, a la the five-year deals to which the previously mentioned receivers are currently signed.

Patriots Make Trades!

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Everyone knows how much Bill Belichick likes to hoard his draft picks, so it's always a surprise when the New England Patriots coach gives them up in exchange for players. 

But, of course, this is Belichick we're talking about, as so far his player-for-pick deals have been killing it in free agency. 

On Friday, ESPN's Schefter reported that the Patriots traded a second-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-round pick. 

That's an obvious steal. Essentially, New England just swapped the No. 64 pick for No. 72 and also acquired a defensive end who posted 10 sacks over the last two seasons. 

But Belichick isn't done. The Patriots also sent their No. 32 and No. 103 picks to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and the No. 188 pick, per ESPN's Dianna Russini. And they didn't even have to include Malcolm Butler in the deal. 

This is Belichick's world, and we're just observing with barely disguised awe.

49ers Double Down on Bears QBs

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New San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch must have liked what he saw from the Chicago Bears' 3-13 2016 season. 

After signing former Bears backup quarterback Brian Hoyer on Thursday, the 49ers went ahead and added the other passer who filled in for an injured Jay Cutler in 2016, Matt Barkley, as NFL Network's Rapoport reported. 

Hoyer is one thing; the signing marks a reunion for the quarterback and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who was Hoyer's offensive coordinator on the Cleveland Browns in 2014.

For all intents and purposes, Hoyer appeared to be a stopgap as the 49ers figured out how to add their quarterback of the future, presumably through the draft. That's why the Barkley signing is more puzzling.

Barkley managed to throw 10 interceptions in three games with the Bears filling in for an injured Hoyer, which is no small feat. Given that the 49ers had no quarterbacks on the roster before signing these two, it's possible they're just filling up their depth chart and planning to draft for the future.

But it's a strange pairing of players to bring in under a blank slate. 

Green Bay's Ted Thompson Signs an Outside Free Agent!

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And finally, the news that shocked the NFL on Friday: Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson, who has made a career of being almost comically averse to spending on outside free agents, made a splash in a big way. 

First, Friday afternoon, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported that talks had all but broken off between the Packers and free-agent tight end Jared Cook, whom Thompson brought in during the 2016 offseason. 

But even Cook was a street free agent, as are many of Thompson's acquisitions. The last time the general manager signed a true unrestricted free agent was in 2012. 

Stalling with Cook seemed like a head-scratcher for a team whose offense so obviously benefited from having an athletic tight end to threaten the seam in 2016. 

Then, it became clear exactly why Cook was no longer in the picture; the Packers brought in free-agent tight end Martellus Bennett, as ESPN's Schefter broke on Friday. 

If you thought Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense looked improved with Cook lining up, just wait and see what Bennett can do with that group.