NFL free agency's biggest trend in its first day: Big money for decent offensive linemen
It is a very good time to be an offensive lineman somewhere between good and serviceable as we hit NFL free agency.
In the first day of “legal tampering,” the NFL saw a string of multiyear deals for offensive linemen hit the news wires.
NFL offensive linemen getting paid in free agency
Among those deals are:
Tennessee Titans tackle Jack Conklin to the Cleveland Browns on a three-year, $42 million deal with $30 million guaranteed.
Philadelphia Eagles tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai to the Detroit Lions on a five-year, $50 million deal.
Detroit Lions guard Graham Glasgow to the Denver Broncos on a four-year, $44 million deal with $26 million guaranteed.
Washington Redskins guard Ereck Flowers to the Miami Dolphins on a three-year, $30 million deal with nearly $20 million guaranteed.
Seattle Seahawks tackle George Fant to the New York Jets on a three-year, $30 million deal with $13.7 million guaranteed
Detroit Lions tackle Rick Wagner to the Green Bay Packers on a two-year, $11 million deal.
Tennessee Titans tackle Dennis Kelly re-signing on a three-year, $21 million deal with $8.75 million guaranteed.
Atlanta Falcons guard Wes Schweitzer to the Washington Redskins on a three-year, $13.5 million deal.
In that entire group, you will not find a single Pro Bowl selection. Conklin did make first-team All-Pro in his rookie year in 2016, but injuries have since sapped his value to the point that the Titans didn’t pick up his fifth-year option.
Instead of Pro Bowlers, all of those linemen are merely ... good at best, though there are some New York Giants fans still howling at the idea of giving Flowers a $30 million deal.
That kind of money for players who are definitely solid additions is simply a reflection of the market as a premium is placed on winning in the trenches.
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