The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Die Hard]

If you trade the 2nd for Hendrickson… and use the first on Henderson (Ohio St RB)… this team is set.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Hendrickson is 30, but good lord, he's had at least 13.5 sacks per season for 4 out of the last 5 seasons - and that's his LOW. 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024. 4 straight Pro Bowl elections.

For a 2nd round pick, you are running to the phone to make that trade. We should never forget that a draft pick is a *potential resource*. A proven vet is exactly that.

I agree but it also comes with a $35m AAV price tag on a new contract for a player who’s 30.

Would I probably do it anyway? Yes. But would have to think about the long term cap implications? Also yes.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Go to 1:40 to watch Hendrickson against Andrew Thomas.

 

[Hail Raiser]

If we keep trading draft picks, when we have to resign Daniels there will be no money to sign FA on a roster devoid of talent.

 

[Chris 44]

Go to 1:40 to watch Hendrickson against Andrew Thomas.

If the team thought you could get a "in prime" Hendrickson for the next 3 years...I'd be all for it. Even considering a 2nd rounder and the $ cost. Like Tunsil, Hendrickson will raise the level of play around him. Next years off season does not seem to be a "must sign" free agency type of off season for needs like this one. I think the team will be better suited not to chase free agents just to field a decent team (Ron's cupboard left bare) and greater emphasis on the draft can become more the norm going forward. The past 2 off-season's we did not have much of a choice but to bring in free agents due to the dearth of talent AP had to start with. Not saying we wont continue to bring in the mid tier guys but we wont have to chase them and use draft capital like we did the past couple years.

 

[DWinzit]

If we keep trading draft picks, when we have to resign Daniels there will be no money to sign FA on a roster devoid of talent.

Absolutely!
As much as I'd love adding Hendrickson, that top pick is our best opportunity to add more picks. We need more than just a stud Edge and RB. Trading for him on a new contract would take up much of our cap space and our best remaining draft capital. We need AP to be able to walk out of this draft filling a number of need positions, including many backup roles for this year. The hope for them moving into more prominent roles later. We need a lot of these type players on the roster to keep cap numbers down and hopes for the future. Darn you Rivera!

 

[Hail Raiser]

Absolutely!
As much as I'd love adding Hendrickson, that top pick is our best opportunity to add more picks. We need more than just a stud Edge and RB. Trading for him on a new contract would take up much of our cap space and our best remaining draft capital. We need AP to be able to walk out of this draft filling a number of need positions, including many backup roles for this year. The hope for them moving into more prominent roles later. We need a lot of these type players on the roster to keep cap numbers down and hopes for the future. Darn you Rivera!

We're already at a point that we're going to need to rely heavily on FA the next two years, even if it;;s one year rentals again.

I know Ron left us a terrible roster, but if we don't keep and wisely use our draft picks, that's not going to change.

 

[Riggo44]

We should never forget that a draft pick is a *potential resource*. A proven vet is exactly that.

How many times have we said this in the last few years?

I get everything has changed from the top down here, but Lattimore struggled really badly here to the point some people were calling for his release. Everyone said the same things about Russell Wilson too.

 

[Boone]

And the folks freaking out about an injured Lattimore getting thrown into a brand new D against some of the best WRs in the NFL and not immediately dominating may end up looking pretty dumb this year. We’ll see.

‘I get everything has changed from top to bottom’ is kind of a major factor.

You’re right that there are no guarantees - but that applies to draft pick choices as well, right? Compared to a proven NFL star a draft pick is a much greater unknown and risk. Doesn’t mean you don’t want to keep as many of them as possible so you can continue swinging, but we have a tendency to undervalue known quantities vs. ‘potential’ in a draft pick.

 

[Boone]

How many times have we said this in the last few years?

I get everything has changed from the top down here, but Lattimore struggled really badly here to the point some people were calling for his release. Everyone said the same things about Russell Wilson too.

I do get your point. I guess what I would say is that the devil is in the details. I think a guy coming off back to back seasons of 17.5 sacks is probably a pretty good bet. Whether he is worth the cost at his age, that’s debatable. But I don’t think it would represent a ton of risk.

 

[Riggo44]

You’re right that there are no guarantees - but that applies to draft pick choices as well, right? Compared to a proven NFL star a draft pick is a much greater unknown and risk. Doesn’t mean you don’t want to keep as many of them as possible so you can continue swinging, but we have a tendency to undervalue known quantities vs. ‘potential’ in a draft pick.

No, however, being successful in the draft is more important than getting a 30-yr old DE who will be good for 3-4 years more? That cheap, successful labor is vital to a team's long term success.

 

[Riggo44]

I do get your point. I guess what I would say is that the devil is in the details. I think a guy coming off back to back seasons of 17.5 sacks is probably a pretty good bet. Whether he is worth the cost at his age, that’s debatable. But I don’t think it would represent a ton of risk.

In a vacuum sure--but we've already traded for Tunsil, Lattimore, and Samuel. I don't think another trade for a 30+ veteran is prudent, especially if it's multiple picks.

 

[Boone]

No, however, being successful in the draft is more important than getting a 30-yr old DE who will be good for 3-4 years more? That cheap, successful labor is vital to a team's long term success.

I agree in principle. But ‘successful’ isn’t a given, that’s my primary point.

 

[Boone]

In a vacuum sure--but we've already traded for Tunsil, Lattimore, and Samuel. I don't think another trade for a 30+ veteran is prudent, especially if it's multiple picks.

Depends. If they are full on in ‘win now’ mode, and you have a chance to add a dominating edge rusher, you do it. I don’t think their mindset having already made some big trades would be ‘we have to hold onto our remaining picks because we’ve already traded a lot of them away’. They made big trades because they are going for it - right now.

I don’t know how we can look at this offseason and not conclude they are in win now mode. We were a win away from a Super Bowl appearance.

 

[Hail Raiser]

And the folks freaking out about an injured Lattimore getting thrown into a brand new D against some of the best WRs in the NFL and not immediately dominating may end up looking pretty dumb this year. We’ll see.

‘I get everything has changed from top to bottom’ is kind of a major factor.

You’re right that there are no guarantees - but that applies to draft pick choices as well, right? Compared to a proven NFL star a draft pick is a much greater unknown and risk. Doesn’t mean you don’t want to keep as many of them as possible so you can continue swinging, but we have a tendency to undervalue known quantities vs. ‘potential’ in a draft pick.

I'd agree with you completely if we were trading premium picks for premium players. It's great that we added 3 blue chippers in Lattimore, Deebo and Tunsil, but we're pushing a quality roster down the road. Those mid round picks contribute right away and the fay 3 guys are who fill out the roster. If we're not drafting heavily now, we won't be able to back fill our roster with any one year cast offs, after paying Daniels. I get we want to win now, but we're selling our future.

I am all about spending every dime we have on high priced FAs. The draft picks are what will cost us.

 

[Anselmheifer]

I wonder if we can get some really good FA value, after the draft, if teams let some guys go.

Also, I don't think we trade for Hendrickson. If we do, I hope it's after the draft.

 

[Anselmheifer]

I'd agree with you completely if we were trading premium picks for premium players. It's great that we added 3 blue chippers in Lattimore, Deebo and Tunsil, but we're pushing a quality roster down the road. Those mid round picks contribute right away and the fay 3 guys are who fill out the roster. If we're not drafting heavily now, we won't be able to back fill our roster with any one year cast offs, after paying Daniels. I get we want to win now, but we're selling our future.

I am all about spending every dime we have on high priced FAs. The draft picks are what will cost us.

I don't entirely disagree here, but we do have plenty of time to add draft pics before we are paying Daniels, and after. I think the difference to me is that, with Hendrickson, the rest of the draft picks, and FA, I think we'd be legitimate SB contenders without Jayden really having to be any better than last year. Without that move, I think we'd have to kind of catch fire like last year and have more things break our way. And maybe it's not worth the contract cost or the cost in draft picks.

But, it sure would leave us a roster without a lot of holes.

 

[Boone]

If we win a Super Bowl in the next 2 seasons no one is going to bitch about having to reload. It’s what the Rams did. I’m not saying it’s the way to go. But winning a championship is the entire point. They seem to be in ‘win now’ mode so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they go after a proven edge whether he’s 30 or not if they feel that’s one of the missing pieces of the puzzle (and we all k is it is).

 

[Hail Raiser]

If we win a Super Bowl in the next 2 seasons no one is going to bitch about having to reload. It’s what the Rams did. I’m not saying it’s the way to go. But winning a championship is the entire point. They seem to be in ‘win now’ mode so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they go after a proven edge whether he’s 30 or not if they feel that’s one of the missing pieces of the puzzle (and we all k is it is).

That would be awesome. There's a higher chance we end up like the 49ers, who are about to have another losing season and are watching all of their talent leave, because of questionable contracts and drafting. Then there's the Lions, who are on the cusp of a SB with no end to it in sight, just like the Eagles.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

The Rams actually didn't have a first round pick for something like 6 or 7 seasons.

There are multiple ways to skin a potato. What I think is clear by the moves we made is Peters is not being reckless. They needed a starting CB, he looked at the CBs who would be available in FA this season and probably took a peak at the draft, determined they needed a guy, and went and got him.

They needed a LT, the guy in Baltimore never hit FA, he was really the only top guy available, so they went and got a guy.

Deebo is a nothing burger. It's a 5th round pick. Doesn't even register. 80% of 5th round picks play ST and are competing for their job in year 2.

The issue is Ron left us a roster devoid of starters AND depth pieces. They have to come from somewhere. They drafted 9 guys last year, all made the roster, and most contributed. I'm pretty sure they had 2 UDFAs make the team also. They get 3 or 4 to contribute from this class, and 3 or 4 from next year, that's basically best you can hope for in the draft over a 3 year span.

If you look back over the first 3 off-seasons and have drafted 16 contributors who are in years 1-3, that's a massive success no matter how you play your cards.