BLOCK BUSTER: Campbell has Reportedly Signed Lion EVER Richest CONTRACT…
The most lucrative contracts from each year of NFL free agency
Free agency continues to create monster deals, with multiple position-record contracts awarded since the roster-building avenue was established in 1993. Many teams have also made huge market missteps. As the NFL enters its 30th year of full-fledged free agency, here are the largest contracts from the previous 29. Only deals offered to players who changed teams are eligible here.
The Raiders’ three-year, $121.5 million contract agreement featured a team escape hatch, which Josh McDaniels and Co. used. By cutting Carr before February 15, Las Vegas avoided a $40 million guarantee. Carr ended up getting a $60 million guarantee from the Saints. The Saints and Jets also brought Carr in for visits, but New Orleans was the only team to make a trade offer to Vegas. After being released by the Raiders, Carr joins an NFC South devoid of established quarterback commodities. The longest-tenured quarterback in Raiders history agreed to a four-year, $150 million contract with a realistic guarantee of $100 million. Not bad for a player the McDaniels regime immediately dropped.
2022: Von Miller, Buffalo Bills.
As the Rams and Cowboys fought for Miller, the Bills quietly won this battle. Miller was drawn to Buffalo by the promise of following in Matt Millen’s footsteps and winning a Super Bowl with a third team, as well as the Bills guaranteeing money in Year 3, a term the Rams and Cowboys rejected. The Bills signed the edge rusher to a six-year, $120 million contract, with $45 million guaranteed at signing. Miller, who dominated in Denver and helped Los Angeles win the Super Bowl, has started strong in Buffalo. However, an ACL tear cut his 2022 season short. With his second ACL tear, will the Canton-bound defender recover?
3 of 312021: Kenny Golladay, New York Giants.
The Giants moved aggressively during Dave Gettleman’s final years as GM, but their biggest free agent swing resulted in one of the worst signings in free agency history. Despite the fact that the COVID-19 epidemic resulted in the second-largest salary cap drop in history, Gettleman approved a four-year, $72 million contract for Golladay, with $40 million guaranteed. This happened after Golladay missed 11 games during his previous Lions season. Golladay finished with 521 receiving yards in 14 games in 2021, but despite the Giants’ need for receivers in 2022, the ex-Lions Pro Bowler saw little playing time. He caught six passes for 81 yards and cost the Giants $14.7 million in dead money when he was released in March.
4 of 312020: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Byron Jones signed for more money overall, but the Buccaneers won the Brady sweepstakes in part because to a fully guaranteed two-year deal for $50 million. Brady’s annual compensation of $25 million dwarfs Jones’, while the latter raised the cornerback bar slightly. Signing a 43-year-old quarterback paid off for the Bucs, who broke a 12-year playoff drought and won three road playoffs games (although in mostly empty venues) on their way to a home Super Bowl championship. Brady oversaw other flashy upgrades, transforming Tampa into a destination. The wheels came off in 2022, following an unretirement, and the dead money from Brady’s blank years smacked the Bucs hard when the star re-retired.
5 of 31/2019: Trey Flowers, Detroit Lions