Free Agency Review: Top 10 Bargains (so far)

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Can you believe we're already two weeks into free agency? Two weeks ago, we were panicking over the possibility of losing Aqib Talib. Freaking out at the prospects of entering the season with Logan Ryan, Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington as our top three cornerback. Remember that?

Those were different times. Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner are now Patriots, rendering Talib a fond but distant memory. Those were just two of the many players switching teams in a wild free agency that saw NFL teams dole out $1 billion in guarantees to players over it's first three days.

There are still some significant names who could change teams this offseason, but two weeks in seems like a good point to stop and take stock of the offseason's frenetic beginning. We'll start by looking at some of the biggest bargains so far.

Alterraun Verner, Tampa Bay Bucaneers: Four years, $25.5 million

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While plenty of teams gave out big money to corners like Sam Shields ($9.75 million a year), Vontae Davis ($9 million a year), Aqib Talib ($9.5 million a year) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ($7 million a year), the Bucs quietly found a perfect fit to fill the void left by Darrelle Revis for significantly less. At 25 and without a missed game in his career, Verner had the best combination of youth and durability on the market, and his ball skills and range should make him a ideal fit in Lovie Smith's zone-heavy Cover 2 scheme.

Best of all, Verner's front-loaded contract has no guaranteed money beyond this year. After paying Verner $8.25 million this year, the Bucs have him for the next three years for very reasonable costs ($4.25 million next year, $6.75 million in 2016, $6.5 mill in 2017), and can cut him at any time with no cap-clogging dead money. 

James Jones, Oakland Raiders: Three years, $10 million

I know it was a soft market for receivers, but the only way to explain the complete lack of a market for Jones is that teams attributed his success entirely to Aaron Rodgers. Jones was never a number one receiver in Green Bay, but he's been a steady, productive cog in the Packers aerial attack. The 29 year old will bring size (6'1", 208) and big play speed to a Raiders team that was thin at receiver. Jones has averaged 13.9 yards per reception in his career, and continued to make big plays in 2013, gaining a career high 817 receiving yards while making four plays of 40+ yards and 12 of 20+ in just 14 games. He's also a big red zone threat, with four seasons of five or more touchdowns to his name (including a career high 14 in 2012).

Despite that proven track record of success, Jones found very little interest on the market before settling on a three year deal with Oakland that averages only $3.3 million a year. Again, this is a guy only one year removed from a 14 touchdown season, and he wound up signing for Brandon LeFell level money. Great bargain.

TJ Ward, Denver Broncos: Four years, $22.5 million

Many Patriots fans already disliked Ward for that hit on Rob Gronkowski even before he signed with the enemy Broncos, but those people need to put their biases to the side for a second to recognize how much of a steal Denver got here. His relatively low signing bonus ($5 million) will allow Denver to keep him for the remainder of his prime (he's 27) for reasonable costs of $3.25 million this year, $7.75 million next year and $5.75 for each of the following two seasons.

Compare that to the money Cleveland spent to replace Ward with an older and more inconsistent player, Donte Whitner (4 years, $28 million, $9 million signing bonus) or the four years, $21 million San Francisco used to replace Whitner with the 29 year old Antoine Bethea. Denver easily got the youngest, most durable and best player of those three options for comparable or less money. You might want to accuse Denver of trying to buy a championship, but they spent wisely with this deal.

Eric Decker, New York Jets: Five years, $36.25 million

Decker was considered the best receiver on the market and he did get paid, but he didn't end up getting the number one money some thought he'd undeservedly get. In fact Decker's deal, which averages out at $7.25 million per year, is probably just about right for a receiver with his track record. You can try to write off Decker's big numbers as a byproduct of Peyton Manning, and you're right that he probably doesn't average 86 catches for 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two years with Manning under center.

However, this is also a guy who managed 44 catches for 612 yards and 8 touchdowns in only his second year with Tim Tebow starting 11 games (and only completing 46.5% of his passes). Manning's accuracy surely helps to pump up his numbers, but Decker has the physical talent to succeed in most situations (just keep Richard Sherman away from him). At 27, he's still relatively young and he brings a nice combination of precise route running and athleticism to a Jets team in desperate need of playmakers in the passing game.

That number looks even more reasonable when you look at some of the other numbers spent on receivers. Decker's deal is only worth $1.05 million more per year than the five years, $31 million Detroit gave Golden Tate, a player whose never even come close to approaching Decker's level of production. It's only $2.25 million more per year than Riley Cooper which...yeah. Not a bad deal at all, even before considering the frontloaded guaranteed money in the deal will give the Jets good flexibility if they want out of this contract from 2016 on.

Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles: two years, $7 million

With LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown already in tow, the Eagles didn't even particularly need to add
Sproles, but it was a no-brainer given the low cost associated with the move. It only took a fifth round pick (actually the pick the Pats sent to Philly for Isaac Sopoaga earlier this year) for the Eagles to pry Sproles from the cash-strapped Saints. Once they had him, the Eagles were able to negotiate a nice little two year extension with the 30 year old back, containing $7 million in new money with $5.5 million guaranteed.

The result? Philly has Sproles for merely $2 million in 2014, with that number jumping up only to $4 and $4.5 million over the next few years. It's a reasonable price to add a player whose dynamic receiving skills out of the backfield should be deadly in Chip Kelly's offense Oh, and he's also an accomplished return man, just in case a certain talented but pain-in-the-ass receiver/returner gets shipped out of town.

Evan Dietrich-Smith, Tampa Bay Bucaneers: Four years, $14.25 million

Dietrich-Smith was considered by many to be the best center on the market not named Alex Mack, but the former Packer wound up settling for just over $3.5 million annually from Tampa. Teams simply aren't going to pay big money to a center in this day in age.

Tampa's contract for Dietrich-Smith is very similar to their deal with Verner and several other free agent signings in that it contains no signing bonus, giving the team maximum flexibility to cut the player down the road with no cap consequences. There is no guaranteed money in the deal after the $3.5 million he makes in 2014, essentially turning the final three years of the deal into three separate reasonably priced one year team options. If Dietrich-Smith can continue the form he showed once moving to center in Green Bay, this will be a hell of a value.

Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots: Two years, $32 million

Those numbers certainly don't scream bargain, but they are grossly inflated by a $20 million team option for 2015 that simply wont be picked up. Revis' deal realistically is for one year, $12 million (as was originally reported), but the two year structure allows the Patriots to split his $10 million signing bonus into two separate cap charges.

This was important because of the Patriots cap situation, as pushing $5 million of that dead money onto next years cap allows the team to keep his cap number down to $7 million in 2014. The absolute worst case scenario is that Revis only plays one year in New England and leaves the team a $5 million dead money charge in 2015, a small price to pay for adding the league's best cornerback. It's a tremendous steal even before factoring in the strong possibility that this signing leads to a long-term extension keeping Revis in New England for the remainder of his prime.

Geoff Schwartz, New York Giants: Four years, $16.8 million

The 27 year old Schwartz was considered by many, including Profootballfocus, to be the best guard available in free agency. However, Schwartz wound up landing in New York for a solid but not unreasonable $4.25 million a year (average). It's a number that looks like a downright bargain compared to the deals given to Zane Beadles (5 years, $30 million from Jacksonville) and former Kansas City teammate Jon Asomoah (5 years, $22.5 million from Atlanta).

This contract is especially good because of it's relatively low signing bonus of $3.2 million. The Giants can save decent money but cutting him any year after this, leaving no possibility of this deal becoming an albatross. It's a low risk move that could have very big rewards, as the 6'6", 340 pound Schwartz is expected to bring a jolt to the Giants stagnant rushing attack.

Daryl Smith, Baltimore Ravens: Four years, $16.1 million

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All Smith did in 2013 was step seamlessly into the void left by Ray Lewis' retirement, emerging as a playmaker and leader for the Ravens. While he had an uncharacteristic down year against the run, Smith remained a huge asset in the passing game, both in coverage and as a pass rusher. The only knock on Smith is that he's no spring chicken at 31 years old, but he's shown little sign of slowing down.

Despite his consistent track record of excellent play, Smith's four year extension won't have a cap hit exceeding $3.87 million. It's far less than the four year, $24 million Cleveland gave Karlos Dansby, an older player, less than the three years, $16.8 million Jon Beason got to stay with the Giants, less than the four years, $22 million Indy gave to comparable player D'Qwell Jackson, and nearly equivalent to Wesley Woodyard's four year, $16 million deal, a guy many viewed as strictly a subpackage defender. The value is obvious for Baltimore, who got the player they like and are familiar with on an excellent deal.

Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks: Four years, $28.5 million

It's good to be the champs. Bennett could have commanded big money as one of the top defensive ends on the market, but he ultimately decided to come back to Seattle for an average of just about $7.1 million a year.

Again, the value to this signing becomes more clear when comparing it to some of the other deals signed in this market. Michael Johnson got five years, $43.75 million from Tampa. Lamarr Houston got five years, $35 million in Chicago, a move that came after Chicago almost managed to pry Bennett from Seattle. Arthur Jones got five years, $33 million from Indy. Julius Peppers, who at 34 isn't nearly the player as the 28 year old Bennett, got three years, $30 million. Minnesota gave Everson Griffen, a guy who hasn't been a starter yet in his career, $42.5 million.

Bennett is better or at least comparable to all of those players, but came with a lower price tag for Seattle. $7.1 million a year may not be a Costco price, but it's still a huge value considering the normal cost for a star defensive end.