6 of the biggest contracts in NFL free-agency history
NFL free agency starts Monday morning when teams are permitted to contact or enter into contract negotiations with the agents of players, who will become unrestricted free agents when their 2023 contracts expire at 2 p.m. Phoenix time next on March 13.
That day also marks the beginning of the new league year.
Blockbuster signings are bound to happen with some big names and plenty of very good not-so-well-known players who are set to become free agents, including quarterback Kirk Cousins and edge rusher Danielle Hunter (Vikings), Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley, running backs Josh Jacobs (Raiders) and Saquon Barkley (Giants), DL Chris Jones (Chiefs) and DL Christian Wilkins (Dolphins).
Not to mention former Seahawks and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, whom the Broncos plan to release and who has been given permission to talk with other teams.
Here are some of the biggest free agent contracts of all time, signed around this time of year as teams spent big bucks to try to make a splash and produce results, from more wins to adding a piece to an already good team.
Some of those signings worked out well, some not so much, and the jury is still out on others.
QB Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
The Saints gave Carr a four-year, $150 million contract before the 2023 season, after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Carr got his contract restructured last month to give the Saints salary cap room.
By contrast, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray signed a five-year, $230 million extension two years ago, though not in free agency.
QB Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Cousins got a three-year, $84 million contract in 2018 from the Vikings, after the early part of his career with Washington. All of the money was guaranteed. After another three-year contract and a one-year extension with the Vikings, Cousins is now about to become a free agent again. He's been a Pro Bowler three times with Minnesota but only taken them to the playoffs twice.
CB Byron Jones, Miami Dolphins
Jones was a target of several teams in free agency in 2020, then got a five-year, $82.5 million contract from the Dallas Cowboys. He hasn't appeared in a game since 2021 and leg injuries cut his career short.
QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady is now retired, but back in 2020 signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Bucs after his long tenure with the New England Patriots came to an end. Signing Brady paid off, as the veteran led Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl LV championship in his first season with the team.
QB Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars
The former Arizona star led the Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LII (named MVP) then in 2019 free agency signed a four-year, $91 million contract with the Jaguars. He played in four games (all losses) and lost his starting job, moving on to the Chicago Bears after the 2019 season.
DE Von Miller, Buffalo Bills
A big winner in 2022 free agency, Miller got a six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills after having been part of Super Bowl-winning teams in Denver and Los Angeles (Rams). His salary cap number makes it hard for the Bills to let him go for nothing, and it appears Buffalo still believes in Miller, for at least one more season in 2024 if his ongoing legal matter is resolved.
The most recent big free agent signing for the Cardinals was defensive end J.J. Watt, who played out his two-year, $31 million contract he signed in 2021 and retired after the 2022 season. Watt signed prior to the start of free agency in 2021 because he was released by the Texans and free to seek a new team right away.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who will be the next NFL player to get a big contract in free agency?
