The frenzy of NFL free agency has finally begun to calm down on Day 4, with some already-reported moves becoming official. Darius Slayton has decided to re-sign with the New York Giants, while the Chicago Bears have made a couple of under-the-radar signings. However, the action is far from over, and there are still winners and losers to be determined in the league. In this article, we will take a closer look at who came out on top and who fell short on Thursday, as well as some notable developments in the world of football.
Important Details about Giants sign two receivers, while NFL takes backseat for the day –
– Day 4 of NFL free agency saw previously reported moves become official
– Darius Slayton re-signed with the New York Giants
– The Chicago Bears signed tight end Robert Tonyan and running back D’Onta Foreman, their third former Panther to join the team this offseason
– Winner: Eagles and Darius Slay, who signed a two-year extension worth $42 million
– Loser: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, whose market value may not be as high as expected
– Winner: Giants, who signed former Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell and re-signed Darius Slayton
– Loser: NFL free agency, as March Madness dominated the headlines
– Winner: Desmond Ridder, who is likely to be the Falcons’ starting quarterback in 2023.
NFL Free Agency Day 4: Winners and Losers
The fourth day of NFL free agency saw a flurry of already-reported moves becoming official. While big names weren’t flying off the board like earlier in the week, there were still some interesting developments worth noting. Darius Slayton re-upped with the New York Giants, and the Chicago Bears made a couple of sneaky signings with tight end Robert Tonyan and running back D’Onta Foreman. However, there were also some clear winners and losers on Day 4 of NFL free agency, as we shall discuss in this article.
Winner: Eagles, Darius Slay
The Philadelphia Eagles pulled off a coup by retaining cornerback Darius Slay in the eleventh hour. Slay was expected to move on from the Eagles after three successful seasons. However, after a weird Wednesday night full of cryptic tweets and reports, Slay agreed to a two-year extension on Thursday. He reportedly gets a three-year, $42 million deal that includes $23 million fully guaranteed.
Retaining Slay is significant for the Eagles’ defense as they had already inked James Bradberry to a three-year contract earlier in the week. With the retention of Slay, the Eagles now retain their top two cornerbacks, which is good news for the team.
Loser: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (CJGJ) is NFL Senior Writer Pete Prisco’s No. 18 free agent in this class. He’s coming off a career year with the Eagles after being traded from the New Orleans Saints, recording 67 combined tackles, eight passes defensed, and six interceptions, which were tied for the league high. He accomplished all this in just 12 games played. However, there are concerns over his future in the NFL as he reportedly tweeted and then deleted, “The disrespect is real!”
The Eagles have already lost several starters on defense, but they retained Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay. While they would like to keep Gardner-Johnson, it remains to be seen how possible that is, particularly given the market competition for his services.
Winner: Giants
The Giants made a sneaky good signing by adding former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell. Though Campbell has struggled with injuries throughout his first few NFL seasons, he rebounded in 2022 by finally playing in all 17 games and putting up a career stat line of 63 catches, 623 yards, and three touchdowns.
The Giants have signed Campbell for a two-year deal which includes a $1.5 million signing bonus, a $1.4 million fully guaranteed base salary, a $100k workout bonus, and $100k for each game active (up to $1.7 million in total). Campbell also has incentives that reach up to $1.9 million. Alongside this, the Giants re-signed Darius Slayton on a two-year deal with a max value of $16.5 million. Slayton was New York’s leading receiver last year.
Loser: NFL free agency
March Madness lived up to its billing on Thursday, with close games and upsets dominating the headlines. In contrast, NFL free agency seemed to have taken a backseat, with even the NFL’s most fervent fans’ attention divided between the NFL and the NCAA Tournament. However, this does not suggest that NFL free agency has dipped in relevance or significance. NFL free agency still has a long way to go, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming days.
Winner: Desmond Ridder
The Atlanta Falcons made it clear last week they weren’t interested in pursuing Lamar Jackson. They followed that up this week by signing former Washington Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke. The fan favorite has started 25 career regular-season games but said on Thursday he’s in Atlanta to be, “the best backup I can be to Desmond,” per The Athletic.
Thus, it appears that Desmond Ridder is set to be the Falcons’ starter in 2023. This will be a major development for the team, and fans are excited to see what he can bring to the team.
Conclusion
The fourth day of NFL free agency saw a mix of winners and losers. The important thing to note is that the NFL free agency still has some way to go, and it will be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming days and weeks. Fans of the NFL and NCAA alike can expect some exciting developments, both on and off the field.