DI JAVON HARGRAVE, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Contract Projection: Three years, $55 million ($18.33M per year); $36 million total guaranteed Hargrave moved from western Pennsylvania over to the East Coast during 2020 free agency and has been a force in Philadelphia, blossoming into one of the elite interior pass-rushers in the NFL over the past few seasons. Since 2020, Hargrave’s 92.2 pass-rush grade trails only Aaron Donald and Chris Jones at the position, with his 18.8% pass-rush win rate also ranking third. Hargrave will be 30 years old for the 2023 season, but we’ve seen many interior defenders maintain longevity well into their 30s recently. Hargrave is also intriguing, as different responsibilities between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have led to interesting splits as a run defender or pass rusher. His run-defense grades were much better in his first stop, but it seems he can excel at whatever is asked of him, which is good to know for interested teams that likely don’t frequently deploy a five-man front and do a lot of the other exotic things Philadelphia does up front.
DI DARON PAYNE, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS Contract Projection: Four years, $80 million ($20M per year); $55 million total guaranteed Payne showed early in his NFL career that he could be a stout run defender from the nose tackle position, with his 86 defensive stops against the run the most in the NFL from 2018-20. And he has now continued to build on his pass-rush arsenal to the point where he’s a problem for interior offensive linemen trying to keep their quarterback upright. Payne has 95 quarterback pressures since the start of 2021, 10th most among interior defenders, with his 11.8% pass-rush win rate over the same span a very respectable figure on the inside. Payne still needs to put all his tools together for a complete season where he’s a positive factor in both facets, and he’s shown he has the talent to do just that.
DI ZACH ALLEN, ARIZONA CARDINALS Contract Projection: Three years, $37.5 million ($12.5M per year); $26 million total guaranteed Allen has taken advantage of mentorship from future first-ballot Hall of Famer J.J. Watt early in his career, and he took a big leap in 2022. Allen earned his first run-defense grade above 60.0 and first pass-rush grade above 70.0, with a career-best 35 quarterback pressures and 8.3% pressure rate. Allen could be a big benefactor of the pending market explosion among interior defenders, though he will land in the second or third tier of the position group.
7. WR JAKOBI MEYERS, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Contract Projection: Four years, $64 million ($16M per year); $40 million total guaranteed After every big-name wide receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft class who was set to hit free agency this offseason signed monster extensions before the year began, Meyers found himself as the top free agent at a position that is growing in importance (and value) every single week. Meyers was an undrafted free agent find of the Patriots in 2019 who has blossomed into a very good player, returning to New England in 2022 on a restricted free agent tender and comfortably outperforming all the other major investments the team made at the position over the past two offseasons. New England may certainly try to keep Meyers around, likely letting Nelson Agholor reach free agency at the least, but they’ve also made it a habit of letting players walk after their rookie contract value is gone, notably with another former undrafted free agent in cornerback J.C. Jackson last offseason. Meyers is predominantly a slot receiver but is certainly not just that, logging a little more than one-third of his snaps out wide. What he lacks in physical tools — his 4.63-second 40-yard dash ranks in the 14th percentile among wide receivers in PFF’s database — he more than makes up for with sharp route running and great hands. Over the past three seasons, his 3.1% drop rate ranks ninth among qualifying wide receivers, and at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he can use his frame to make contested catches. His 63.2% contested catch rate is a top-five mark among all wide receivers over the same span.
35. WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Contract Projection: Three years, $36 million ($12M per year); $24.5 million total guaranteed Smith-Schuster signed an incentive-laden, one-year deal for 2022 that paid him close to nothing in base value but included a ton of upside that he took major advantage of down the stretch. Smith-Schuster earned an additional $1.5 million with his 78 receptions, another $1.5 million with his 933 receiving yards and another $1.5 million for playing more than 65% of offensive snaps. His $3.25 million base value deal is already at $7.75 million with room for $2 million more if he’s a full participant in the AFC championship game and Super Bowl. Entering his seventh NFL season, Smith-Schuster will still be just 26 years old for the majority of the 2023 campaign. He’s tough over the middle of the field and takes a handful of big shots each season, which is certainly not ideal but never causes him to hear footsteps and alligator-arm tough catches with a defender bearing down on him. While he’s likely not going to get a huge multi-year deal, he could be the primary benefactor of a very weak free-agent class at wide receiver, representing one of the better options with a high floor.
38. WR ODELL BECKHAM JR., NO TEAM Contract Projection: Three years, $33 million ($11M per year); $21.5 million total guaranteed Beckham flirted with a return during the 2022 season as he recovered from his second torn ACL, but he ultimately decided to take the year off and get ready for the 2023 offseason, which could prove to be a wise decision. Beckham has expressed that he wants a multi-year deal so he can plant roots somewhere, which makes this projection very difficult because it creates such a wide range of possibilities. Beckham’s postseason run with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 was epic, even despite the fact he missed the second half of the Super Bowl, with his 84.7 receiving grade through the playoffs ranking fourth among wide receivers. Beckham’s four contested catches were tied for the most of any wide receiver, and his eight explosive receptions were tied for third most. When healthy, Beckham can still be one of the best separators at the position with his trademark elite skills at the catch point.
39. WR MICHAEL THOMAS, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Contract Projection: One year, $12.5 million; $10 million total guaranteed (if released by the Saints) Thomas has missed a ton of time over the past few seasons, but he showed over very limited action in 2022 that he can still be a top pass catcher. With how weak the wide receiver free-agent class is, Thomas may be worth the gamble. Even in another injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Thomas flashed his elite ability. His 77.4 receiving grade ranked 12th among wide receivers, his three touchdown receptions tied for second and his eight contested catches were the most in the NFL through the first three weeks.
55. WR D.J. CHARK JR., DETROIT LIONS Contract Projection: Three years, $35 million ($11.66M per year); $23.5 million total guaranteed Chark signed a one-year, $10 million flier last offseason and unfortunately missed Weeks 4-11 due to injury, but he finished the year quite strong as the Lions turned their season around down the stretch. From Week 12 through the end of the season, Chark earned a 72.5 receiving grade with three outings of 90-plus receiving yards over six games, 11 explosive receptions (tied for 13th) and an average of 17.6 yards per reception (11th). That’s Chark’s game, a field-stretcher with a 6-foot-4 frame and a 4.34 40-yard dash. He will always be near the top of the league in average depth of target and yards per reception, and there is always a market for those services.
62. WR ALLEN LAZARD, GREEN BAY PACKERS Contract Projection: Three years, $33 million ($11M per year); $21.5 million total guaranteed Lazard is a major beneficiary of a weak free-agent group at wide receiver, but his unique skill set makes him stand out in his own right. Lazard is built like a modern-day tight end, with his 6-foot-5, 227-pound frame helping him earn a 78.2 run-blocking grade from 2019-21, which ranked seventh among wide receivers. Lazard has proven he’s more than just a blocker, setting new career highs in targets (98), receptions (60) and receiving yards (788) in 2022, with his 73.9 receiving grade a new top mark despite the increase in receiving volume stepping up as the No. 1 receiver in Davante Adams’ absence.
82. WR PARRIS CAMPBELL, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Contract Projection: Three years, $23.25 million ($7.75M per year); $13.25 million total guaranteed Campbell was finally able to stay healthy over a full season, and it wasn’t just his availability that should inspire confidence going forward but also his consistent production over the year. The Ohio State product recorded at least 40 receiving yards in nine games and dropped just three of his 85 targets. The former second-rounder hauled in 74.1% of his targets in 2022, a top-20 mark among wide receivers, winning downfield on occasion in addition to working underneath as the slot option. While he was largely confined to the slot following the arrival of Alec Pierce in 2022, the Colts moved him around in years past, so a new team shouldn’t just pigeonhole him to the inside. Injuries may ultimately scare teams away, and a one-year flier may be more realistic than a multi-year projection, but Campbell could be a good low-risk bet if given a fresh start.
The WR free agent market is really poor this year. I'd rather we use the draft to acquire a WR or two. I don't think any of the free agents are what we would call "dependable" or significant upgrades. Lazard might be the guy, but he's probably going to get overpaid because the rest of the class is so weak.
Man, three straight years where he has played only a few games makes him really scary, especially w/the amount of money he will want. Great receiver when he was healthy, but 3 years worth of injuries is a lot.
And again..........the thread is being hijacked by you and Pit will help you in that quest. No one is telling you that you can't post your opinions. But please stop hijacking threads w/the same crap over and over. There is a Salary Cap thread. Why not post your thoughts in that one? We all know why.
I didn't post my opinion about the salary cap.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
The WR free agent market is really poor this year. I'd rather we use the draft to acquire a WR or two.
While that sounds great in theory this isn't rated a very strong draft at the WR position and the Browns don't even have a pick until the mid second round. I'm not sure that will provide viable options in finding a pick at WR that presents value or an immediate answer at the position.
I know it's early in the process and draft rankings will change, but in looking at PFF's draft grades at the current time in terms of WR's I just don't see much in the way of quality after the first five WR's they have ranked.
Omenihu and Houston are the two guys I'm most interested to be part of the rotation w/Wright and Thomas. They won't cost too much and both had pretty damn good years.
Yeah, this is a weaker WR class. Especially compared to the last couple of years. However, we will be picking later, so we wouldn't have a chance at a top guy anyway. We might find a guy or two in rounds 2-4.
Someone who I've been looking at as a possibility as an interior DL is a guy who has been playing for the Rams, Greg Gaines. He just completed the last year of his rookie deal. He's not a world beater but has done well against the run while getting pressure on the QB and some sacks in the process. What I see as a pretty good upgrade that may be able to be signed to a reasonable deal.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
The WR free agent market is really poor this year. I'd rather we use the draft to acquire a WR or two. I don't think any of the free agents are what we would call "dependable" or significant upgrades. Lazard might be the guy, but he's probably going to get overpaid because the rest of the class is so weak.
You said it all. It was almost exactly what I was going to say.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Before the season end review from Stefanski and Berry. Woods was fired. Clearly the defense was recognized as a problem.
Jim Schwartz will get to have input on defensive player evaluation. Berry will want to listen to what Schwartz feels about free agent players and possible draft targets.
Free agency will set the table for the draft.
What the final roster will look like is a mystery to me.
I certainly won't say I keep up with all of the players. I mean that would almost be a full time job in itself. But I will say that I watch a lot of NFL games. I love the sport! And I do usually tend to concentrate on the positions I know the Browns need or feel they may need. DT was on the top of the list during this season so that's most likely the only reason I watched this player as well as many others at the same position.
And what a lot of fans do, not naming you per say, is to focus on the big name, super high production FA names. As if one star player will fix everything at the DT or DE positions. I don't think many fans on this board feel that way. I believe most of us understand that the DL is a rotation that requires serviceable and above serviceable players not only as starters but also at depth. Not all of them can be paid top dollar. Not all of them will be household names. As it stands I believe Gaines would be a starter on the interior of the Browns DL.
This video won't show because it has NFL content. But if you click on where the video is underlined and says "watch on youtube" you can see it.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Good video. I noticed him making plays last year. Some say he benefits from playing beside Donald and that may be true, but he has a nice combination of speed and power.
I looked up his PFF numbers from this year.
Pass Rush: 59.3 Run D: 57.5 Overall: 59.1
That's disappointing, but I still think he could help us.
Yeah all highlight tapes are designed to show their strengths and tend to hide their weaknesses. I try to keep that in mind when watching all of them. Especially as the draft approaches. It's certainly not a balanced presentation of a players strengths and liabilities. Sadly I believe he could be a starter for the Browns at this point in time. Hopefully by the start of next season he would be solid roster depth in the rotation.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
