Mid-Week Free Agency Notes

Times, they are changing, and rapidly. Nobody really knows what tomorrow will bring with the Covid-19 outbreak currently ravaging the globe. That hasn’t stopped NFL free agency. At least we have something in the sports world to day dream about and project. 

The cancellation of the Olympics is the beginning of the realization that Covid-19 could affect the 2020 NFL season. I’m not a science expert and I’m rarely considered a fantasy football expert for that matter, but I do believe that there is a solid possibility that football could fall victim to a postponement. 

I’m not embracing full blown panic that football will be cancelled in it’s entirety for the 2020 season, but if I had a guess, proper precautions will be taken by any means necessary. That’s enough for the subject that nobody can get away from. Fantasy football is our escape after all, so let’s keep try and find a light at the end of the tunnel. There are roster changes happening daily which of course means shake ups in fantasy football value for players across the league.

Cam Newton – He was released from the Panthers on Tuesday. We already knew that Cam wasn’t going to be back in Carolina in 2020 but now we also know that there wasn’t a trade market for him. I think Las Vegas would be the perfect landing spot for him. Well really anything is a better fit than Derek Carr. He seems like he would be right in Jon Gruden’s wheel house as far as a personality and physicality fit. The Raiders need weapons, but Cam has done well with less. The Raiders brought in Nelson Agholor, but they also need a receiver who catches the ball so I could see them addressing this in the draft that holds a really deep wide receiver class.

Robby Anderson – He signed with the Carolina Panthers for two years and 20 million dollars. The Panthers are clearly not planning for a rebuilding season and want to surround Bridgewater with as many weapons as possible. When you add up Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Curtis Samuel (this is his year, promise!). 

Jordan Howard – His career in Philly was short-lived but he found a home with the rebuilding Dolphins. Jordan Howard has a chance to be bell cow back in Miami, but he will have to do it behind the worst offensive line in the NFL. This has a Peyton Barber in Tampa feel to it. I can imagine he will be bouncing on and off of the waiver wire in 12-team leagues in 2020. 

Miles Sanders – With the exit of Howard, Sanders is cementing himself in my top 10 RBs for 2020. I am a big believer in Sanders’ talent as a runner and a pass catcher. The only thing that can get in his way is Doug Pederson putting him in a committee. We’ve seen it before. 

Emmanuel Sanders – Manny signed a deal with the New Orleans Saints giving them a 3rd receiving threat. This feels great for all parties involved. This gives Drew Brees someone else who can stretch the field and it puts Emmanuel with a legend who still has something left in the tank. Things are never closed for Michael Thomas, but this could open things up for him even more for another historic season. 

Breshad Perriman – Just when it was getting started for Perriman, it could be coming to an end. Perriman came on strong at the end of 2019 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a Bruce Arians offense and now he joins an offense with a 3rd year quarterback who was seeing ghost. I hope to see Perriman continue to shine in New York, but we’ll see what Adam Gase has to say about that. 

Tyler Eifert – I hope the Jaguars saved a spot on the PUP list for this signing. This doesn’t move the needle for me at all. 

Devin Funchess – The Packers reached a deal with a cheap receiving option on Tuesday. I think at this point, Allen Lazard is the WR2 in Green Bay and you also have MVS. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Packers draft a wide receiver pretty high as well. Will Devin Funchess even make this roster come September? I have my doubts.

Dion Lewis – Lewis signed with the New York Giants and gets the chance to collect more paychecks cheering on an elite starting running back. 

Jameis Winston Watch – Sadly, we won’t be blessed with watching the TD/Int ratio legend Jameis Winston under center as a week 1 starter for any team in 2020. The Patriots signed Brian Hoyer, Kyle Allen will back up the Dwayne Haskins, and the Chargers reportedly aren’t interested. The Steelers and the Jaguars have been brought up as fits. If he ends up in Pittsburgh, that’s a lot of sexual assaults in one quarterback room. Probably a record. 

-The free agency running back movement has made RB NFL draft needs a bit more unclear. Ronald Jones can’t handle a backfield by himself and with the departure of Peyton Barber, I could see them taking a running back early. The Falcons could still draft a running back for depth and the Bills could draft a running back to compete with Devin Singletary for touches. I hope that the Dolphins spare a young man’s career, but I’m sure that they won’t. The Chargers could be in the market for a running back as well in the middle rounds, but hopefully that is totally Austin Ekeler’s backfield.