NFL free agency: How top signees have fared on their new teams this season
The 2023 NFL season is past the three-quarter mark with more than half of the league fighting for playoff positions. Only a few fan bases are turning their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft and the headline prospects involved in it.
With just a few games left to go in the season, it's a good time to take a look back at some of the biggest free agent signings of 2023 and see how they've helped their new teams. These were the top eight biggest deals by total value signed this offseason:
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QB Derek Carr
Carr signed the biggest deal of the off-season for four years and $150 million to go from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New Orleans Saints. He's started 13 games for New Orleans in his first season outside of the Raiders franchise.
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He's been about league-average in most passing categories in 2023. He's 17th in passer rating (89.4), 20th in yards per game (221.5), and 13th in completion percentage (66.4). Carr's thrown 13 touchdowns to seven interceptions. The Saints are one of three NFC South teams at 6-7 heading into the final four games. With the 10th-best scoring defense, Carr could help New Orleans make the playoffs.
RT Mike McGlinchey
McGlinchey wrapped up a fifth year with the San Francisco 49ers and signed with the Denver Broncos in the 2023 off-season on a five-year, $87.5 million deal.
Though he's played in all 13 games of the season so far, McGlinchey's had a career-high 5.3% blown block percentage, per Sports Info Solutions (SIS) data. He's also had a career-high six false start penalties. He's near the bottom of the league in run and pass blocking ratings among starting tackles in 2023, per SIS data. The Broncos are pushing for the playoffs but McGlinchey hasn't been a rock as hoped in 2023.
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DT Javon Hargrave
Hargrave signed a four-year, $84 million deal with the 49ers after a career-high 11 sacks with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.
Through 13 games this season, he's totaled 13 quarterback hits, six sacks, and seven tackles for a loss. Hargrave's on pace for his best statistical season since making the Pro Bowl in 2021. Despite this, he's been the fourth-rated interior defender for the 49ers in 2023, per PFF player grades, and helped San Francisco be the top scoring defense this season.
RT Jawaan Taylor
Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million deal to move from Jacksonville to Kansas City.
Per SIS data, Taylor's blown 25 pass blocks in 2023, second-highest of his career. He's notched a career-high 16 penalties this season and the bulk of them came in Week 2, when he had five against the Jaguars. He's been the third- or fourth-best starter on the Chiefs' offensive line this year by SIS pass and run blocking numbers.
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QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.7 million deal with the Raiders after six seasons with the 49ers. He and Carr were the top quarterbacks signed in the 2023 offseason.
Garoppolo started just six games this season before being benched in Week 9 against the New York Giants by interim coach Antonio Pierce. His passer rating in this season (78.1) is the worst of his career. Rookie Aidan O'Connell's started the rest of the season and led the team to a 2-5 record.
LB Tremaine Edmunds
Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million deal to go from the Buffalo Bills to the Chicago Bears. He edged out Hargrave for the most guaranteed money handed out to a defensive player in free agency.
He's set a career high in interceptions (three) including a game-sealing pick against the Detroit Lions. He sits second behind T.J. Edwards on the Bears in total tackles as Chicago's defense is improving over the second half of the season. That unit's caused 11 turnovers and allowed just 272.2 yards per game in the last five matchups.
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LT Orlando Brown Jr.
Brown Jr. signed a four-year, $64 million deal to join the Cincinnati Bengals away from the Chiefs as the top left tackle in the 2023 free agent class.
Like Taylor and McGlinchey, Brown Jr. is in the midst of a down season in 2023. He's had a career-high 4.5% blown block percentage, per SIS data. Per the latest numbers, he's been the worst starter in pass and run blocking on the Bengals' offensive line this season.
FS Jessie Bates III
Bates III signed a four-year, $64 million deal to go from Cincinnati to the Atlanta Falcons. The highest-paid defensive back of the 2023 free agency class has been a star in 2023.
PFF grades Bates III as the third-best safety in the league in 2023. SIS data is even more generous, making him the top defensive back by the site's total points saved metric. He's been targeted just 17 times in coverage and allowed just 155 yards through 13 games.
