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NFL free agency, trades: Grades for Calvin Ridley, Danielle Hunter, Joe Mixon and more

Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY
·11 min read
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The two-day legal tampering period of the 2024 NFL offseason has come and gone with many high-profile free agents agreeing to big deals to change teams. Hundreds of millions of dollars in guarantees have been given out since noon ET Monday with multiple NFL teams getting key upgrades at specific positions.

Some of the signings stand out for their price, impact, or both. Here are grades for some of the biggest moves with contract information provided by Over the Cap:

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Danielle Hunter, DE, Houston Texans

Contract: Two years, $49 million, $48 million total guarantees

Hunter is arguably the best non-quarterback free agent this offseason. Despite having eight years of experience, Hunter is still just 29 years old and is coming off arguably his best season in the NFL. In 2023, he set career-highs with 16.5 sacks (fifth-most in the league) and 23 tackles for loss (tied for the league-high). The four-time Pro Bowler has missed just 10 games since becoming a full-time starter in 2017.

He will turn 30 during the season but gives the Texans a veteran presence at a key spot. Houston's defense will face Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Aaron Rodgers this upcoming season so stocking up on reliable pass rushers is a solid move.

Grades:

Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons

Contract: Four years, $180 million, $100 million total guarantees

The biggest domino to fall in free agency this year saw the four-time Pro Bowler Cousins head from Minnesota to Atlanta. Cousins is recovering from Achilles surgery but still managed to sign the biggest contract of free agency so far. He stays in the NFC and sees a familiar face at head coach. Raheem Morris and Cousins were in Washington together during Cousins' first three seasons in the league. New Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will likely run a similar system to what Cousins knew in Minnesota.

It's a lot of guarantees for a soon-to-be 36-year-old quarterback coming off significant surgery but Cousins will be the best signal-caller Atlanta's had since prime Matt Ryan.

Grades:

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Chris Jones, DL, Kansas City Chiefs

Contract: Five years, $158.75 million, $95 million total guarantees

Jones stays in Kansas City with one of the biggest non-quarterback contracts in NFL history. He's only behind San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa as the highest-paid defenders in the league in average per year (APY). Importantly, he'll be earning a higher APY than Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald by just under $100,000.

Yet Bosa turns 27 this coming season and Donald is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. This is a big deal for a player turning 30 but Jones is arguably the most important player on a championship-winning defense.

Grades:

Christian Wilkins, DT, Las Vegas Raiders

Contract: Four years, $110 million, $82.75 million total guarantees

When it comes to free agency, there's typically a key reason why players make it to the market instead of re-signing with their teams. Those reasons include injuries, age, drop off production, etc. That is not the case with Wilkins. Per Sports Information Solutions (SIS) Data rankings, Wilkins was the second-best defensive tackle in the NFL last season. He's played more than 1,700 snaps over the last two years and turns 28 this upcoming season. He notched career-highs in sacks (9.0) and quarterback hits (23) in 2023. He'll bring help at a key position for Raiders second-team All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Grades:

  • USA Today: A

  • Pro Football Focus: A+ (fit/need); B (value)

  • CBS Sports: A

  • Bleacher Report: A-

Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans

Contract (reported): Four years, $92 million, $50 million fully guaranteed

After Mike Evans re-signed with Tampa Bay and Tee Higgins was given the franchise tag by Cincinnati, Ridley became the top wideout on the market this offseason. His combination of size (6-foot-1, 190 lbs.), speed, and production set him apart from other wide receivers in the class. He showed out in 2023 against the Titans more than any other team with a combined 13 catches, 209 yards, and three touchdowns against the AFC South foe. Now, he'll suit up for them and bring help to a positional group lacking depth behind DeAndre Hopkins.

Ridley turns 30 by the end of the season and, per the figures reported, he will be the ninth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL by APY. He'll have the second-most guaranteed money at the position behind only Tyreek Hill. That is a lot of money for a player who finished in the bottom quarter of the league among wide receivers and tight ends by SIS Data in 2023.

Grades:

  • USA Today: C+

  • Pro Football Focus: A (fit/need); C+ (value)

  • Bleacher Report: B+

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Contract: Three years, $37.75 million, $26 million total guarantees

Philadelphia's depth chart was thin at running back with three of the Eagles' top four running backs from 2023 all hitting the open market this offseason. They didn't need to look outside their division for an answer, though, and signed the two-time Pro Bowler Barkley. He missed three games in 2023 but totaled 1,242 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

If he stays healthy - Barkley's played 43 of 51 regular season games the last three years - he'll likely become the Eagles' best running back since LeSean McCoy. But this contract makes him the fourth-highest paid running back in the league when, among running backs with at least 150 carries, SIS Data ranked him sixth-worst in the NFL in 2023.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B

  • Pro Football Focus: A (fit/need); B (value)

  • CBS Sports: A

  • Bleacher Report: D+

Jonathan Greenard, DE, Minnesota Vikings

Contract: Four years, $76 million, $42 million total guarantees

The fourth-year edge rusher had a breakout season in 2023 with the Texans, posting career-highs in sacks (12.5), quarterback hits (22), and tackles for loss (15). He was the top-rated defensive lineman on the Texans per SIS Data and will make it easier for Minnesota to handle losing their top edge rusher from last year (Danielle Hunter) in free agency this offseason. He's solid against the run and the pass and could be an exciting fit in Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' aggressive system.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B+

  • Pro Football Focus: A+ (fit/need); A- (value)

  • CBS Sports: B-

  • Bleacher Report: A-

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Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

Contract: Four years, $48 million, $12.5 million total guarantees

Jacobs moves from the Raiders to another storied NFL franchise in Green Bay. He's just one season removed from leading the NFL in rushing yards and earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2022. He played just 13 games in 2023 - tied for the fewest in his five-year career - but still commanded the second-biggest contract among free agent running backs so far. He's the youngest of the top group of running backs on the market this year and will replace Aaron Jones in Green Bay, who signed with the Vikings.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B

  • Pro Football Focus: A (fit/need); B (value)

  • CBS Sports: B+

  • Bleacher Report: B+

Patrick Queen, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Contract: Three years, $41 million, $13.84 million total guarantees

Queen earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens after the best season of his four-year career. SIS Data rated him as one of the best inside linebackers in the league last season. The biggest question is how much his career year was powered by Ravens teammate Roquan Smith, who Baltimore made the highest-paid linebacker in the league in 2022.

Queen stays in the AFC North and goes to division rival Pittsburgh. The Steelers' outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are a formidable duo and Pittsburgh solidifies that position group even more with Queen, the top inside linebacker on the market.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B-

  • Pro Football Focus: B+ (fit/need); A+ (value)

  • CBS Sports: A

  • ESPN: C+

Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Contract: Two years, $16 million, $9 million total guarantees

This is the shortest and smallest contract on this list but is one of the most impactful signings on offense so far in free agency. The 30-year-old Henry led the NFL in carries in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023 and led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns twice (2019 and 2020). But the four-time Pro Bowl running back won't have to carry the ground game in Baltimore like he did in Tennessee. Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell showed lots of speed in his rookie season last year and Lamar Jackson is one of the most dynamic runners in the league. Baltimore tried to get Henry at the trade deadline and instead get him now.

Grades:

  • USA Today: A-

  • Pro Football Focus: A+++ (fit/need); A (value)

  • CBS Sports: A

  • ESPN: A-

Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers

Contract: Four years, $68 million, $25 million total guarantees

McKinney had a career year in 2023 with the New York Giants by totaling 116 tackles, three interceptions, 11 passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. He turns 25 during the offseason and his mix of youth, athleticism, and coverage skills made him the top safety in the class. This contract makes him the fourth-highest paid safety in the league by APY.

Green Bay hired former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley this offseason to be their new defensive coordinator. His systems in college relied on standout play from the safety position and could use McKinney in multiple ways.

Grades:

  • USA Today: A

  • Pro Football Focus: A+ (fit/need); B+ (value)

  • CBS Sports: A

  • Bleacher Report: A-

Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Contract: One year, $10 million, $8.75 million total guarantees

The Vikings couldn't bring back Cousins and ended up signing Darnold, who will turn 27 before the start of the season. Darnold hasn't been a full-time starter since 2021 when he started 11 games for a 5-12 Carolina Panthers squad. In one start last season in Week 18 for the 49ers, Darnold went 16-for-26 passing with 189 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). Minnesota has likely the best infrastructure on offense that Darnold's seen as a (presumed) starter.

This move doesn't stop Minnesota from trading up for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. At $10 million, Darnold is much less expensive than Cousins would have been and can be a bridge while a rookie develops in 2024.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B

  • Pro Football Focus: A (fit/need); TBD (value)

  • CBS Sports: C

  • ESPN: B

Trade: Brian Burns, OLB, Carolina Panthers to New York Giants

New York receives: Burns

Carolina receives: Second round pick (39th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft, fifth round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

Contract extension: Five years, $141 million, $87.5 million total guarantees

New York made the move after Carolina listened to offers for their best defensive player. The Giants then gave Burns a contract making him the second-highest paid edge rusher in the NFL behind Bosa. New defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will now have the duo of Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, at edge rusher.

In return, Carolina replenishes some draft capital after trading away top picks last offseason to eventually select Bryce Young first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Some fans were dismayed by the return, including award-winning country artist Luke Combs.

Grades:

  • USA Today: A (Giants), D (Panthers)

  • ESPN: A (Giants), F (Panthers)

  • CBS Sports: A (Giants), C+ (Panthers)

  • Bleacher Report: A (Giants), D- (Panthers)

Trade: Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals to Houston Texans

Houston receives: Mixon

Cincinnati receives: Seventh round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

The biggest trade between AFC contenders sees Cincinnati's leading rusher for the last seven seasons move to defending AFC South champion Houston. Mixon had 1,034 yards rushing and 376 yards receiving with 12 total touchdowns last year to lead the Bengals' ground game. He finished 12th among running backs with at least 150 carries in SIS Data rankings. Houston has had just one 1,000-yard rusher in the last seven seasons (Carlos Hyde in 2019). Mixon will fit in with an offense led by defending Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud at quarterback.

Bengals pivot, trade RB Joe Mixon: What are the grades for the Texans move?

Cincinnati signed former Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss to shore up the position with Mixon gone. The 26-year-old Moss joins second-year running back Chase Brown in the backfield.

Grades:

  • USA Today: B (Texans), B+ (Bengals)

  • For The Win: B (Texans), B (Bengals)

  • Sporting News: B (Texans), A (Bengals)

  • Stripe Hype: B+ (Texans), C+ (Bengals)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL free agency, trades: Grades for the biggest moves so far