Bleacher Report Expert Consensus 2022 Free-Agency Awards

We're about a fortnight into the 2022 free-agency period.

And it has been unlike any we have ever seen.

It's not just a matter of the big-money signings, although there have been plenty of those. Edge-rusher Von Miller got $20 million per season from the Buffalo Bills. Wide receiver Christian Kirk received $18 million per year from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tackle Terron Armstead's deal with the Miami Dolphins averages $15 million.

Then there are the trades. My oh my, the trades.

Arguably the two best wideouts in the NFL were both sent packing. A handful of starting quarterbacks swapped teams, including a three-time Pro Bowler, a former MVP and a signal-caller with a Super Bowl win on his professional resume.

It was an unprecedented flurry of wheeling and dealing.

There are still plenty of players still looking for homes, but given all the activity that has already taken place we have a pretty good idea of which teams have improved, which players have benefitted the most from a change in scenery and which clubs wish they could turn back the clock and get a do-over.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski and NFL editors Ian Kenyon and Wesley O'Donnell have gathered to offer their takes on the best (and worst) of free agency in 2022.

Best Signing

John Bazemore/Associated Press

CB J.C. Jackson to Los Angeles Chargers (3 votes)

Given how many impact signings have happened over the past couple of weeks, it can be difficult to spotlight the best one. Sure enough, three different deals received at least one vote from our writers.

Two went to offensive linemen, with the Cincinnati Bengals' signing of Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Alex Cappa and the Miami Dolphins' signing of New Orleans Saints tackle Terron Armstead each garnering a vote. Both of those signings are sizable upgrades for teams that struggled along the offensive front in 2021.

But it was a deal in the secondary that won here. The Los Angeles Chargers were a respectable 12th in pass defense last year, but the cornerback position was an area of need for the team.

Per Sobleski, the team filled that need in a big way by agreeing to terms on a five-year, $82.5 million contract with former Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson:

"J.C. Jackson to the Chargers works in favor of the team on multiple levels. 

"First, the 26-year-old Jackson was clearly the best cornerback on the market, thus addressing a premium position with high-level talent. Second, Brandon Staley's defensive approach demands light boxes while dropping more bodies into coverage to confuse opposing quarterbacks. Jackson makes signal-callers pay for their mistakes as the game's premier ballhawk with 25 interceptions through his first four seasons. Finally, the actual price tag is somewhat of a surprise. Despite being the best available cornerback on the market and entering his prime, Jackson's average annual salary of $16.5 million ranks sixth behind Jalen Ramsey, Marshon Lattimore, Marlon Humphrey, Tre'Davious White and Darius Slay. 

"Talent, plus system fit, plus relative value equals the runaway favorite for the offseason's best signing."

Others Receiving Votes: OG Alex Cappa to Bengals (1 vote); OT Terron Armstead to Dolphins (1 vote)

Best Trade

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

QB Russell Wilson to Denver Broncos (3 votes)

Most years, this wouldn't be that difficult an "award" to hand out. Most years, the NFL isn't like the NBA or Major League Baseball. Big trades are more exception than rule.

2022 has not been most years.

Arguably the two best wide receivers in the league (Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill) were both sent packing, with Adams' move to Las Vegas getting one vote as the top trade of the offseason.

You can barely count the number of starting quarterbacks who swapped teams on one hand. Deshaun Watson is in Cleveland now. One year after being traded to the Indianapolis Colts, Carson Wentz is in Washington. He has been replaced in Indy by Matt Ryan, whom the Colts obtained via a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. That trade also earned one vote.

But as Moton wrote, it's hard to look at any of the trades made this offseason as having had a bigger impact than the mega-deal that landed Russell Wilson in Denver:

"The Broncos had been connected to Aaron Rodgers as he contemplated his NFL future, but when he decided to stay with the Green Bay Packers, Denver pulled off a deal with the Seattle Seahawks for Russell Wilson.

"With this move, the Broncos took the elevator from mediocrity to Super Bowl contenders in the tiers of the NFL hierarchy. In a quarterback-driven league, a team either has its franchise guy, or the general manager must find him. Denver brought in a nine-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl champion to balance a good roster that ranked third in defensive scoring last season."

Others receiving votes: QB Matt Ryan to Indianapolis Colts (1 vote); WR Davante Adams to Las Vegas Raiders (1 vote)

Best Bargain

Jeffrey Phelps/Associated Press

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to Chiefs (3 votes)

Making an impact signing in free agency can be a huge boost for a team. Doing so at a reasonable price can be an even bigger one.

When it comes to the biggest free-agency bargain of 2022, the panelists here at Bleacher Report were torn. One pundit (Moton) pointed to Mitchell Trubisky, who provides the Pittsburgh Steelers with at least a short-term solution at quarterback for pennies on the dollar relative to some other deals. Another (O'Donnell), pointed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers retaining No. 1 cornerback Carlton Davis for less than $15 million per season.

But three voters looked to the Kansas City Chiefs and a player who appears slated to be the team's new go-to receiver after Tyreek Hill was traded to Miami.

"Odds are pretty good that we aren't ever going to see JuJu Smith-Schuster match his gonzo second season (111 receptions, 1,426 yards) again," Davenport said. "Smith-Schuster has missed at least four games in two of the past three seasons, including 11 games in 2021. But he's still just 25 years old, and as recently as 2020 he caught 97 passes and found the end zone nine times.

"Is Smith-Schuster the vertical threat that Hill is? Of course not," he continued. "But so long as he's healthy, Smith-Schuster should be a reliable underneath target—a chain-mover that Patrick Mahomes can rely on. He and Travis Kelce should also help keep defenses from giving corners safety help against Marquez Valdes-Scantling over the top. Given the ridiculous contracts given to some wideouts this offseason, Smith-Schuster's one-year, $10.75 million pact is a bargain.

Others receiving votes: Mitchell Trubisky to Pittsburgh Steelers (one vote); Carlton Davis to Tampa Bay Buccaneers (one vote)

Best Extension

Zach Bolinger/Associated Press

Edge Maxx Crosby with Las Vegas Raiders (2 votes)

Bringing in new players is only part of free agency. Bringing back a team's own stars is also important.

As is the case with so many of the categories in this piece, the votes for best extension were all over the place. One person singled out the three-year, $60 million extension Chris Godwin landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another pointed to the five-year, $87.5 million pact edge-rusher Harold Landry signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Another still looked to Matthew Stafford's four-year, $160 million extension with the Los Angeles Rams, although not for the reason you might think.

"By the time Stafford's current deal runs out," Davenport said, "his career earnings will be an NFL-record $422 million. That, my friends, is a lot of cash."

But the only player to receive multiple votes was edge-rusher Maxx Crosby, who landed a four-year, $99 million extension with the Las Vegas Raiders. Kenyon was among those impressed with the deal:

"Maxx Crosby was a good NFL defender heading into 2021, but he transformed into one of the best pass-rushers in the league last season. His sack numbers may look similar to previous years (10 in 2019, seven in 2020, eight in 2021) but his productivity under the surface could not be more different, as Crosby led the NFL in quarterback pressures. The second-team All-Pro is only 24 years old and the Raiders locked into his prime years at a rate that did not reset the pass-rusher market and is arguably below market value.

"Crosby got $53 million in guaranteed money for a contract that extends into his prime years. Compare that to Khalil Mack, who signed a six-year, $141 million ($90 million guaranteed) contract extension four years ago when he was already 27 years old.

"If the Raiders would have waited until 2023 to get this deal done, there's a chance Crosby repeats his 2021 season and gets a market-resetting contract. Instead, they locked in early and got themselves a steal."

Others receiving votes: Matthew Stafford with the Los Angeles Rams (1 vote); Harold Landry with the Tennessee Titans (1 vote); Chris Godwin with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 vote)

Worst Signing

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

QB Deshaun Watson to Cleveland Browns (5 votes)

This call shouldn't be especially surprising. The blockbuster trade that brought Deshaun Watson to Cleveland (and the fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract that followed) may well be the most polarizing acquisition in NFL history.

In a vacuum, it's not hard to see why so many teams were interested in Watson. He's a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback just entering the prime of his career. When he last played, in 2020, Watson led the league with 4,823 passing yards.

The Browns paid a staggering price in terms of draft capital, but quarterbacks of Watson's caliber just don't come along every day on the trade market. Or ever. That $46 million average annual salary isn't unusual for a (potential) top-five quarterback. Neither is his $1 million base salary in 2022—a common part of massive contracts.

But as Davenport points out, this deal wasn't done in a vacuum:

"Yes, two Texas grand juries declined to indict Watson on sexual assault charges. But the fact remains that Watson faces 22 separate civil suits alleging sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments. Watson has maintained his innocence, but the NFL is also investigating the allegations against Watson and it remains entirely possible (if not probable) that he will face a lengthy suspension for violating the personal conduct policy.

"And yet the Browns traded for Watson, gave him the most guaranteed money in NFL history and structured the deal in a manner in which it appears the organization is complicit in attempting to help Watson avoid financial penalties.

"The move has been blasted by beat writers. Prominent fans are canceling their season tickets. And the fanbase is deeply divided over the Watson trade."

Best Offseason

Matt Patterson/Associated Press

Los Angeles Chargers (4 votes)

Before we go any further here, a disclaimer.

For every time that a team "wins" the offseason, there are two years where that amounts to jack squat once games start to count. Sure, filling holes on paper looks good, but it doesn't guarantee success in the regular season.

The 2011 "Dream Team" Eagles stand out as a glaring example of a free-agent spending spree that blew up in the team's face.

However, as O'Donnell wrote, it's hard not to be impressed by what the Los Angeles Chargers have accomplished in recent weeks:

"The Los Angeles Chargers entered this offseason on a mission. With Justin Herbert still on his rookie contract, taking advantage of the opportunity to spend money in support of the budding superstar on both sides of the ball was not only accomplished, but exceeded expectations. Re-signing wide receiver Mike Williams off a career year was a great move and keeps continuity for Herbert and an offense that was top-five in scoring this past season.

"But the biggest gains came on defense. They landed arguably the best defensive player on the market in cornerback J.C. Jackson and somehow pried Khalil Mack away from the Chicago Bears for second- and sixth-round picks. Defensive tackle additions Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day both have starting potential and should work well in a D-line rotation that is bookended now by Mack and Joey Bosa off the edge.

"They could already score with the best teams in the league, and now they have a defense that can back them up. After having to watch the other Los Angeles team win the Super Bowl in their shared stadium, the Chargers look like a team that could make a super leap of its own in 2022 and stay there for the next couple of years."

With one exception, our voters agree with him.

Others receiving votes: Cincinnati Bengals (1 vote)

Worst Offseason

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons (2 votes)

To say it has been a rough offseason for the Atlanta Falcons is an understatement.

First, star wide receiver Calvin Ridley received an indefinite suspension from the NFL after it was discovered he wagered on football last year. If that wasn't bad enough, the team's leading receiver a season ago (Russell Gage) bolted for the rival Buccaneers.

However, as Sobleski wrote, it was the team's failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson that really sent things off the rails.

"The Falcons have gone from a team capable of winning seven games to arguably the worst roster in professional football.

Unlike the Cleveland Browns, who ultimately landed Deshaun Watson, the Falcons' pursuit of the quarterback created problems with their incumbent starter yet didn't result in an upgrade at the game's most important position. Matt Ryan is now a member of the Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta only received a third-round pick in return. Furthermore, the organization incurred a $40.525 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac—the largest in NFL history—by making the move.

"To be fair, Atlanta did re-sign Cordarrelle Patterson and brought in Casey Hayward Jr. to play opposite A.J. Terrell. But they're not enough. Marcus Mariota is merely a stopgap behind center. The team's wide receivers are counted among the league's worst. Atlanta doesn't feature a real threat among its edge-rushers. In most ways, the team went from being somewhat competitive to the frontrunner for next year's No. 1 overall pick."

The Falcons have a mediocre (at best) quarterback, one of the weakest assemblages of skill-position talent in the NFL and have made minimal improvements to the league's seventh-worst defense in total yards allowed.

It's going to be a long year.

Others receiving votes: Jacksonville Jaguars (1 vote); Dallas Cowboys (1 vote); New England Patriots (1 vote)

Biggest Winner

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins (3 votes)

It has become clear that the AFC has become a gauntlet. The conference is loaded with quality quarterbacks. Each and every week is going to be a battle.

Given that, it's not surprising that all the votes for the biggest winner of the offseason went to AFC quarterbacks.

One vote went to Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. The three veteran O-linemen (Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and La'El Collins) the team signed in the offseason should be of great help to a quarterback who was sacked 70 times last year (counting the playoffs)—third-most in NFL history.

Another vote went to Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders, who got a reunion of sorts when the Raiders traded for his former San Jose State teammate in wide receiver Davante Adams.

However, the leading vote-getter was Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who received three.

"Dolphins brass went to great lengths to put Tua Tagovailoa in a position for a significant third-year leap," Moton said. "The front office bolstered his pass protection, signing three-time Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead and guard Connor Williams, who allowed just one sack through 948 offensive snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus.

"With a better offensive line, Tagovailoa can comfortably scan the field to find Jaylen Waddle and his new receiving weapons in explosive wideout Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson Jr. If he needs to dump off some passes, running back Chase Edmonds can extend plays after the catch out of the backfield. Tagovailoa is a clear breakout candidate for 2022."

This much is clear. If Tagovailoa doesn't take a big step forward in 2022, he'll have no one to blame but himself.

Others receiving votes: Joe Borrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (1 vote); Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders (1 vote)