Free agency moved at a faster pace this year than last year.
That was apparent from even before the start of free agency, when several major deals were reported as done before the free agency period officially started. But an Associated Press analysis says it goes beyond just those high-profile deals and has been a more active free agency period league-wide than a year ago.
NFL teams have signed 148 players to contracts worth a total of $2.227 billion, with $1.116 billion guaranteed, according to the AP, with information from the players’ union. That’s an increase over the 120 signings for $1.836 billion and $965 million guaranteed at this point last year.
However, while the total number of contracts is up, the average value of those contracts is down, from $15.3 million last year to $15.0 million this year. And the percentage of that money that is guaranteed is down as well, according to the union, although Kirk Cousins’ fully guaranteed contract with the Vikings last year skews those numbers enough that if you remove Cousins’ contract, the guaranteed percentage is up this year.
Our Free Agent Top 100 shows slim pickings at the top, with No. 23 Ndamukong Suh and No. 27 Ezekiel Ansash the only players remaining in the Top 30.
