• The Green Bay Packers bolstered their secondary: The Packers neglected the safety position almost entirely last season, and now they reverse course and add Xavier McKinney in 2024 free agency. We’ve said this too often in recent years, but on paper, this Packers defense should be very good.
• Las Vegas Raiders add Christian Wilkins: Realistically, this should have been about the expected price once the Chris Jones deal got done and truly tethered an interior defender contract to the Aaron Donald outlier (an outlier no more). Wilkins bet on himself in 2023 despite seemingly his entire draft class around him cashing in, and boy, did that pay off. The duo of Maxx Crosby and Wilkins is going to take this ascending Raiders defense to even greater heights in 2024.
• Draft and trade for yourself: Try PFF's Mock Draft Simulator — trade picks and players and mock for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 12 mins
Click here for more draft tools:
2024 Mock Draft Simulator | 2024 Big Board | 2024 Draft Guide
2024 Player Profiles | 2024 Mock Drafts | NCAA Premium Stats
Day 1 of the 2024 NFL free agency frenzy saw teams across the league making bold moves to bolster their rosters for the upcoming season.
Among the standout deals were quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ lucrative four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons and Christian Wilkins‘ four-year, $110 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. However, many other big-name free agents — edge rusher Brian Burns, running back Saquon Barkley, safety Xavier McKinney and guard Robert Hunt, among others — also found new homes during a hectic opening day.
Here are the 10 best deals from Day 1, according to PFF's 2024 NFL free agency live grades. Miss the action? Click here to find a comprehensive list of all the key moves of the 2024 free-agency period.
S GENO STONE SIGNS WITH CINCINNATI BENGALS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 72.2 (25th/95)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.08 (43rd)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: A-
- Contract: Two years, $15 million ($7.5 million per year), $6 million guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Two years, $13 million ($6.5 million per year), $7.25 million total guaranteed
After a few strong deals for safeties came in to start the day, this is a strong signing for Cincinnati. Stone fits well alongside Jordan Battle and Dax Hill in potential three-safety looks. The Bengals gave up one of the highest explosive pass play rates in the NFL in 2023, and Stone has the range and ball skills to turn some of those chunk gains into takeaways.
S XAVIER MCKINNEY SIGNS WITH GREEN BAY PACKERS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 87.8 (4th/95)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.19 (7th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: B+
- Contract: Four years, $68 million ($17 million per year)
- PFF projected contract: Four years, $54 million ($13.5 million per year), $30 million guaranteed
McKinney was the best player available at safety this offseason and is a major beneficiary of the poor draft class at the position, as well. The Packers neglected the safety position almost entirely last season, and now they reverse course and make a big addition on the backend. We’ve said this too often in recent years, but on paper, this Packers defense should be very good.
DI BILAL NICHOLS SIGNS WITH ARIZONA CARDINALS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 51.6 (97th/130)
- 2023 PFF WAR: -0.03 (194th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: B+
- Contract: Three years, $21 million ($7 million per year), $14.4 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Two years, $10 million ($5 million per year), $6.75 million total guaranteed
Nichols is a rock-solid player on the interior who can contribute on all three downs, and he has some wiggle to get upfield as a pass rusher, with a low center of gravity that helps him weaponize his undersized frame. Arizona needs all the help it can get along the defensive line, and Nichols is a good start.
DI CHRISTIAN WILKINS SIGNS WITH LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 71.8 (29th/130)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.23 (12th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: B
- Contract: Four years, $110 million ($27.5 million per year), $84.75 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Four years, $100 million ($25 million per year), $70 million total guaranteed
Realistically, this should have been about the expected price once the Chris Jones deal got done and truly tethered an interior defender contract to the Aaron Donald outlier (an outlier no more). Wilkins bet on himself in 2023 despite seemingly his entire draft class around him cashing in, and boy, did that pay off. The duo of Maxx Crosby and Wilkins is going to take this ascending Raiders defense to even greater heights in 2024.
EDGE JONATHAN GREENARD SIGNS WITH MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 76.7 (30th/112)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.18 (24th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: A-
- Contract: Four years, $76 million ($19 million per year), $42 million guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Four years, $76 million ($19 million per year), $52.5 million total guaranteed
Minnesota could be set to lose both Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum on the edge, so getting younger with the talented Jonathan Greenard makes a lot of sense. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will surely love Greenard’s ability against the run, in addition to a still-developing arsenal of pass-rush moves, with his super long arms keeping him clean against tackles as he turns the corner.
DI CHRIS JONES SIGNS WITH KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 88.1 (5th/130)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.42 (2nd)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: B
- Contract: Five years, $158.75 million ($31.75 million per year), $95 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Four years, $120 million ($30 million per year), $80 million total guaranteed
Jones truly tethers his contract to the Aaron Donald deal, which had been seemingly treated as an outlier in recent extensions for top young interior defenders. This is a massive payday for one of the game’s best players, and Kansas City also had to do whatever it took to get this done.
TE DALTON SCHULTZ SIGNS WITH HOUSTON TEXANS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 71.5 (14th/72)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.4 (11th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: B+
- Contract: Three years, $36 million ($12 million per year), $23.5 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Three years, $33 million ($11 million per year), $20.625 million total guaranteed
Schultz’s decision to sign in Houston proved to be one of the smartest choices of last year’s free agency period. He developed an immediate connection with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and made himself indispensable to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik as a solid run blocker.
WR MIKE EVANS SIGNS WITH TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 81.5 (17th/128)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.35 (18th)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Contract: Two years, $41 million ($20.5 million per year), $35 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Three years, $69 million ($23 million per year), $52.5 million total guaranteed
Evans just keeps on rolling along and emphatically proved his worth in something of a prove-it year after the two sides were unable to agree on an early extension. The “win” from his perspective is that this could amount to a one-year, $29 million contract. The win from Tampa Bay’s side is keeping the total value in check.
WR KENDRICK BOURNE SIGNS WITH NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 67.2 (66th/128)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.09 (73rd)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: A-
- Contract: Three years, $19.5 million ($6.5 million per year), $5.25 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: Two years, $14 million ($7 million per year), $8.5 million total guaranteed
Bourne is recovering from a torn ACL and is reportedly on track to suit up in Week 1. He was in the midst of his best season when he went down. New England at least has a few reliable pass catchers in the fold, but they still need to go big-game hunting.
T CHUKWUMA OKORAFOR SIGNS WITH NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- 2023 PFF Grade: 60.4 (55th/81)
- 2023 PFF WAR: 0.05 (52nd)
- Fit/need grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Contract: One year, $4 million, $3.125 million total guaranteed
- PFF projected contract: One year, $5.25 million, $3 million total guaranteed
Okorafor is a capable starting right tackle, and there was enough trade interest after his release was announced that the Steelers held onto him for a few days to see if they could work something out with a new club. New England presumably was a part of those conversations but was able to add Okorafor for a base value of about half of what he was owed in the final year of his Pittsburgh contract, with incentives that push it up close to that number. With Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu set to hit free agency, this was a smart move to get done before the tampering period kicked off.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.