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The NFL 2024 NFL draft is quickly approaching and teams are quickly adding and waiving players for the upcoming draft. After 1 Day, talented players on both sides of the ball have already found new homes. Offensive weapons like Saquon Barkley, Kirk Cousins, Gabe Davis, and Tony Pollard have already signed new contracts. The defensive side of the ball has also made some key changes, with players like Brian Burns, and Christian Wilkins finding new homes. Below is a list of key players and their new teams.
Falcons:
The Falcons add key veteran Kirk Cousins to an already stacked roster. They will be bringing in new coach Zac Robinson and believe this Cousins addition can take them to the playoffs. Overall, this move makes them have the best quarterback in the division (Mayfield, Young, and Carr), however, the key question is how will the 36-year-old bounce back from his Achilles injury. Will this move-out end up getting the Falcons to the Super Bowl? Who knows, but they will be shelling out 180 million dollars over the next 4 years.
Raiders:
Additions: Christian Wilkins: 4 Years 110 Million
Losses: Josh Jacobs
Wilkins was one of the most sought-after defensive tackles in the game. This is a huge addition to a defense that has struggled for years. This will also take defensive double teams off of All-Pro Defensive End Maxx Crosby.
The one negative is Wilkins took a huge hit to their cap space. This allowed Josh Jacobs (All-Pro Running Back) to walk and go to the Green Bay Packers. Ultimately, in today’s game a star defensive tackle is much more valuable than an All-Pro RB, so let’s see if this deal works out in their favor.
Steelers Get Russell Wilson:
WOW, the Steelers just made a splash. Sure, Wilson is now 35 years old and is with his 3rd team in the last 4 years, however, they picked him up for close to the league minimum. This play has no real downfall. Worst case, they move on from Russ and lose a million or two, best case he shows splashes of his old self and pairs well with one of the best pass rushes in the league.
New York Giants:
Key Addition: Brian Burns
Key Losses: Saquon Barkley
The Giants let Saquon walk to save approximately 12 million in cap space, however, they were able to make a trade with the Carolina Panthers (giving up a 2nd & 5th rounder) for elite pass rusher Brian Burns. Burn looks to add structure to a defense one year removed from being top 10 in the league. They signed Burns to a 5 year 150 MILLION dollar deal. On the contrary, letting Saquon walk may not have been a mistake, however, he ended up going to division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. It’s only March and the NFL is already heating up. After today, We are one step closer to another exciting season.