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    NFL Free Agency: Biggest winners and losers of day 3
    Oct 13, 2019; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
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    NFL Free Agency: Biggest winners and losers of day 3

    PFN's Cole Thompson goes in for a deep dive for the big winners and losers at the start of free agency.

    By Cole Thompson

    Free agency officially kicked off Wednesday afternoon. All of the agreed-upon deals throughout the NFL tampering period become official (pending physicals, due to the unique situation this year) once the league year started at 4 pm ET.

    And now, we have a clearer picture of what teams are going to thrive in 2020 and which could already be gearing up for the draft in 2021 to fix their needs. Some moves will take time to get used to seeing in action, for example, Tom Brady in a Buccaneers uniform. Others could change a franchise forever, such as Teddy Bridgewater to Carolina or Philip Rivers saddling up under center with the Colts.

    Then, of course, you have DeAndre Hopkins in Arizona for literally nothing, and Texans fans are furious at the thought of Bill O’Brien still being allowed to walk around NRG Stadium. Literally, I saw two people this week rip off their license plates because of the news.

    Day three of free agency had several moves, but a majority of the top deals are done. Not every signing will break the franchise, but some teams are in a better spot than they were on St.Patrick’s Day.

    Here are Wednesday’s winners and losers of free agency.

    Winner: Los Angeles Chargers

    The Chargers filled two primary needs and found two veterans who could make their defense a standout unit. Despite losing Rivers and believing they can win with Tyrod Taylor, perhaps Tom Telesco could sleep knowing it will be the other side of the ball, helping the team stay afloat in the AFC West.

    Even at 30-years-old, Chris Harris Jr. has been a premier corner for both on the outside and the slot. He’ll face his former team in Denver now twice a season after inking a two-year, $20.5 million deal. The four-time Pro Bowler will now join a secondary that features Casey Hayward, Desmond King, Nasir Adderley, Rayshawn Jenkins, and the superstar Derwin James.

    Los Angeles wasn’t done there in the free agency window. Recently cut Linval Joseph will also head west on a two-year contract worth $17 million. The former Vikings defensive tackle will turn 32 this season and is coming off a 44 tackle, three-sack season. He’ll also be a mentor to young talent such as Jerry Tillery while being a quality run-stopper in a defensive front that has the potential to be the best in the division.

    The Chargers will now have Joseph, Joey Bosa, and Melvin Ingram attacking the pass. Should the quarterback find a way to become free, he’ll have to get past Harris, King, and James in coverage. Los Angeles might not be a contender this season due to their offense, but their defense is going to be a formidable force even the likes of Super-Man would have trouble blowing down.

    Loser: Chicago Bears

    I’m literally losing my mind at the face I called Ryan Pace, one of the rising general managers last offseason. Like Cole, you call yourself smart?

    The leash is tightening on Mitchell Trubisky’s time in Chicago. With the hope that the team could create competition at quarterback, Pace could have traded for the likes of Cam Newton or signed Jameis Winston. Either of those would have been decent free agency moves that could have changed the franchise for the better.

    Instead, here we go again with Nick Foles super love.

    Chicago sent Jacksonville compensatory fourth-round draft pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, for the Super Bowl LII MVP. And at $15.1 million a season, Foles isn’t there to ride the pine – he’ll fight for the starting role. Plus, with the history of Nagy and the new quarterback in Kansas City, perhaps the team looks immediately at naming him the starter and letting things fly.

    But here’s the question; is he going to be better? Trubisky is on life support, but what does Foles offer that the younger quarterback doesn’t have. Outside of two playoff runs and a 2013 season that made him a Pro Bowler, Foles has been an inconsistent quarterback that is better holding the clipboard than out there on the field.

    Throw on the massive salary target they just acquired from Duval County, and this is a laundry list of issues.

    Winner: Pass rushers not named Jadeveon Clowney

    When the smoke officially clears, Jadeveon Clowney will be the highest-paid pass rusher who hit the market this offseason. For now, he will wait to decide on where he plans to suit up for his new deal.

    Other pass rushers needed to find their free agency deals quickly, and boy will some teams be happy. Dante Fowler Jr. will hopefully keep up his 11.5-sack season as a building block for his future in Atlanta. After a career year right before negotiations, the Falcons inked Vic Beasley’s replacement on a three-year, $48 million contract, per ESPN’s Josina Anderson.

    Beasley, who outside of his 15.5 sack season in 2016, has done nothing, will head to the Music City as the news member of the Titans. The former Falcon will play on a one-year, $9.5 million deal that could go as high as $12 million with incentives, hoping to prove he’s still effective off the edge. That’s a ton of money for a player who’s tallied 18 sacks in three seasons and offers little outside of attacking the quarterback.

    Leonard Floyd, who recently was released by the Bears (because why not), will head out west to become Fowler’s replacement in Los Angeles. The Rams inked him to a one-year, $10 million deal. Hopefully, he can see a similar resurgence as a pass rusher for Sean McVay’s defense and become the player that Chicago never saw.

    The pass rush is essential to a defense and is a position that will be heftily paid. Even those who are below-average blitzers will earn a nice pay during this free agency window just because teams will need someone to affect the opposing quarterbacks. Maybe every franchise shouldn’t be looked at as winner, but these three certainly are.

    Oh, and shoutout to Tony Pauline for calling the Fowler move way back in February.

    Loser: Cam Newton and Jameis Winston

    Whether you like it or not, neither player deserves this type of hate. With the Chargers announcing they would be sticking with Tyrod Taylor for another season, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston could be out of a starting role for a while.

    Newton, who has dealt with health concerns for the past two seasons, still is a valuable quarterback that would make any offense better when on the field. Four years removed from an MVP season, the former No.1 pick has stated that he is healthy and would be able to contribute early next season after missing almost all of 2019.

    Winston’s biggest problem could be corrected this offseason with time in the field. The league-leading passer excelled downfield with over 5,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also created the greatest documentary of all-time by throwing 30 interceptions and becoming a legit “30 for 30”. All that could be changed with his recent LASIK surgery, and his turnover rate could go down.

    One will likely land in New England but outside of the Patriots, who are going to looking for a long-term starter. It’s clear the Bengals, Chargers, and Dolphins will be turning to the draft for answers under. Indianapolis and Carolina nabbed their guys for at least the 2020 season. Would Pittsburgh or Las Vegas maybe want to bring one of them in for a chance at replacing the guy in place?

    Two actually talented quarterbacks could be sitting on the bench next season, and that is a problem in itself that shouldn’t be happening.

    Winner: Dallas Cowboys

    And yet still, Jerry Jones is going to mess this up.

    The team was able to franchise tag Dak Prescott while signing Amari Cooper to a 5-year, $100 million deal. On Wednesday, it became official that Gerald McCoy, who recently played in Carolina, would be joining the staff on a three-year contract. The six-time Pro Bowler fits the need at defensive tackle following the departure of Maliek Collins, and at $20.25 million, he could be a bargain after another solid season in the trenches.

    Dallas also brought back cornerback Anthony Brown, the team’s versatile cornerback, on a three-year deal, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The former sixth-round pick has played reps both in the slot and on the outside, allowing him to thrive depending on the coverage. The Cowboys finished last season inside the top 10 in pass defense, partially due to Brown’s success inside against slot receivers.

    The Cowboys will return the likes of Sean Lee to pair in the front seven with McCoy, Jaylon Smith, and DeMarcus Lawrence. Maurice Canady, who also signed a one-year deal with the team, could be a decent player on the edge to pair with Brown. Dallas will need to kill it in the draft defensively, but the moves they made are actually going to help them contend in the NFC East this year.

    Loser: Detroit Lions

    When a top player quotes tweets the fact he’s ready to be traded, you know it’s a rough offseason.

    The Lions are trying to contend with the likes of Minnesota, Chicago, and Green Bay in the NFC North. Instead, they’re gearing up for the No.1 pick in 2021. After the team paid $50 million for Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s services, Matt Patrica followed suit of Brian Flores by trying to rebuild the magic of New England in the Motor City by signing Danny Shelton. The former top-15 selection is coming off his best season and will be there for $4 million a season.

    Following the team’s signing of Desmond Trufant, Daris Slay Jr. came out to address his desire to leave the room. Trufant is a quality cornerback who had a decent season in Atlanta last year, so pairing the two could help the secondary, which ranked dead last in passing defense, could be smart. Instead, Slay hopes to leave Detroit and never come back, showing the world move on from a team where he’s always been under-appreciated.

    Outside of the Jamie Collins signing, the Lions have been one of the weirder teams this offseason. Sure, they have several talented players, but the roster is getting weaker by the minute. Patrica better be in for proving the doubters wrong because there are plenty out there.

    Winner: New Orleans Saints

    A reunion when things are better sometimes is the case that helps a team win. For Malcom Jenkins, he’ll get a second shot to prove he was the right pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2009.

    Jenkins thrived after leaving the Saints, who used the 14th overall pick to select him out of Ohio State. Once transitioned to safety, he became a superstar that excelled around the ball and making plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. During his five years out east, Jenkins tallied career-best in tackles, interceptions, forced fumbles, and sacks.

    Signing a four-year, $32 million contract, Jenkins will likely close out his career where it started. Both Von Bell and PJ Williams hit the market, leading to the 32-year-old likely guaranteed the starter somewhere on the field even if one were to return. Although a veteran, Jenkins is still a shutdown safety who will bring New Orleans a solid member in their secondary.

    Earlier last year, Sean Payton commented on letting Jenkins walk in free agency. Now, he’ll have the chance to keep him here permanently and shine for a team that has a closing Super Bowl window.

    Cole Thompson is a lead NFL writer for PFN. You can follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson  and follow PFN @PFN365. 

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