The floodgates have opened. While the official start of NFL free agency wasn’t as interesting as the previous two-day legal tampering period, some teams got better, and others got worse on Wednesday.
NFL Free Agency Losers: Day 3
The first official day of free agency was a bit of a snore for the NFL. With dozens of deals already in place, the movement was minor compared to the several reports of the legal tampering period. But while the market opened at a slow pace, some folks couldn’t stop themselves from tripping at the starting line.
Baker Mayfield
On Tuesday night, Baker Mayfield sent out a message to Cleveland on his Twitter account. The former first overall pick stated how grateful he was to have played in Cleveland and that he gave the team his everything. Mayfield said he didn’t know what was next, but he would essentially go with the flow.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that the Browns are “breaking up” with Mayfield regardless of if they land controversial Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson or not. Mortensen said the Browns wanted an “adult” in the QB room.
That’s a pretty wild thing to say when the team is pursuing a player with 22 active civil lawsuits that stem from allegations of sexual misconduct. Still, there’s a clear disconnect between Mayfield and the Browns, and the lame-duck QB is probably better off going elsewhere. Either way, the optics aren’t great for the young QB.
Julio Jones
The Tennessee Titans cut Julio Jones on Wednesday. While he will still receive $2 million from Tennessee this year, his time as one of the top talents in the game has clearly come to an end. While he is likely to latch on with another squad between now and training camp, there’s no way a team will view him as a top target on the wrong side of 30.
Jones’ tenure in Tennessee lasted just one season, and now he will need to look for work elsewhere on a free agent market.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks officially traded former franchise QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos on Wednesday. Seattle’s brass then threw Wilson under the bus with their goodbye statements and trade press conference.
The entire public display came off tacky and petty and reeked of sour grapes. The Seahawks pointed at Wilson for the divorce without him being able to defend himself, as he was introduced in Denver.
Later, head coach Pete Carroll awkwardly acknowledged that Colin Kaepernick had reached out to him. Carroll said Kaepernick deserved a second chance, but it might not be the Seahawks. Way to pass the buck, Pete.
J.D. McKissic
Shortly after changing his mind on a contract agreement with the Buffalo Bills, running back J.D. McKissic returned to the Washington Commanders on a similar contract.
A few hours later, the Bills improved their Super Bowl outlook by signing former All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller and former first-round pick O.J. Howard.
The Bills have done an excellent job of adding to their roster during the first three days of free agency, and now McKissic will make the same money with the Commanders, a team that is cutting veterans left and right.
On Wednesday, Washington dropped guard Ereck Flowers, defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis, and safety Landon Collins.
Tyrann Mathieu
Another day, another listless news cycle for the Honey Badger.
The top safety on the market has created little buzz as he enters free agency just shy of 30. A versatile defensive back, Tyrann Mathieu can play free safety and nickel corner. He would figure to be an excellent fit for the Philadelphia Eagles, but so far, it seems like the NFC East squad doesn’t want to pay Mathieu’s price.
With Quandre Diggs headed back to Seattle and Marcus Williams cashing in with the Baltimore Ravens, Mathieu has been forced to sit and watch the rest of the slow market.
Looking for our free agent winners?
NFL free agency is fun to think about in terms of winners and losers. We have absolutely no idea how the moves made in March will look in September, let alone two or three years down the road. All we can do is trust the process. A few teams crushed the first two days of the “legal tampering period.” Here’s our story on the 2022 NFL Free Agency Day 3 winners.