2021 Free Agent Wide Receivers

[AmishlandRavenFan]

I know there’s already a 2021 offseason thread and a draft thread, but I thought I’d get a bit more granular and get a WR-specific FA thread started for a more focused conversation. Also, while perhaps a hair premature since we don’t know who will be tagged or re-signed, this is a message board, and conjecture can be fun.

So, here are my thoughts:

Godwin and Golladay both get tagged or re-signed, driving up the market for Robinson, Samuel, and Smith-Schuster. Of those 3, I think we’ll “be in” on both Robinson and Samuel but will miss-out on both.

I know we are in better cap shape then we’ve been in years, but it’s not our MO to spend like drunken sailors and there are several organizations that will (Jets, Jax, Bengals, WFT, and Miami). In addition, the Colts and Patriots will probably be active as well, especially if they move-on from Hilton and Edelman respectively.

The Consolation Prize
Marvin Jones Jr. - he’s 30, but that’s never stopped us before. Also, while he wouldn’t be the sexiest signing given the other names to potentially hit FA, he’s darn consistent (>60 receptions in 3 out of the last 5 years with 9 TDs in 3 out of the last 5 years as well) and is still bringing a combination of big plays and physicality (44 plays over 15 yards combined with 32 contested catches in 2020) going into his 10th season.

The Mixed Emotions Category
Corey Davis - former fifth overall pick who is still young and coming off his best season as a pro, but played opposite an absolute beast/elite #1 on a team that could play-action at will, and he absolutely disappeared down the stretch. He didn’t record a catch in two of his final three appearances and had just five receptions for 39 yards in the other.

Guys for whom we’d sarcastically declare “Championship” upon signing but come to appreciate by Week 2

Tim Patrick: K.J. Hamler, Jerry Jeudy, and Courtland Sutton are all under contract; he’s the odd man out.

Kendrick Bourne: they have Aiyuk and Samuel, and their cap situation is a mess.

As an aside, I wonder if a collection of #2 WRs would be our best approach, especially considering cap management, and guys like Lamar, Dobbins, Bus, Andrews, and Hollywood already in-place, and knowing that we’re never going to “ignore” the defensive side of the ball.

Regardless, looking forward to hearing other thoughts and opinions...

[s.r.genovese]

We have plenty of money to spend it'll just mean not spending on other positions (like EDGE). The other X factor is whether receivers will want to come play in the offense if Roman returns and they don't plan on changing much.

They can also work out a trade if they can't get someone in FA.

[Kyle Cactus]

This is going to be a tough offseason for a lot of teams cap-wise. I wonder if a decent receiver or two might get cut. That's how we got Steve Smith. I think this would be the preferred path for EDC, but it's a lot harder to speculate who might get cut.

According to OTC's 'Effective Cap Space' metric the Saints, Eagles, Falcons, Steelers, Packers, Rams, and Chiefs will all have to clear more than $20M in cap space! The Saints basically nead to clear $100M, which is crazy. They can't cut Michael Thomas, but they could cut Emmanuel Sanders. My mostly uninformed guess is that Sanders gets cut.

If there was ever an offseason to make some moves in FA this is it. We're better positioned than most teams cap wise, and the market will be depressed, meaning that the deals should be cheaper.

[Kyle Cactus]

I played with the Eagles cap calculator. I would almost be surprised not to see DeSean Jackson and/or Marquise Goodwin cut. I'm not sure how that team enters 2021 under the cap. Clearly they're going to have to do a restructure or two, but I can't recall seeing a cap situation this desperate. Most of their big contracts would cost them cap space to terminate.

EDIT:
I didn't consider post June 1 releases, but they are screwed either way. The Eagles and Saints are going to be rolling out a lot of minimum salary guys the next season or two.

[jonboy79]

I played with the Eagles cap calculator. I would almost be surprised not to see DeSean Jackson and/or Marquise Goodwin cut. I'm not sure how that team enters 2021 under the cap. Clearly they're going to have to do a restructure or two, but I can't recall seeing a cap situation this desperate. Most of their big contracts would cost them cap space to terminate.

EDIT:
I didn't consider post June 1 releases, but they are screwed either way. The Eagles and Saints are going to be rolling out a lot of minimum salary guys the next season or two.

The hiccup with June first releases is that the savings doesn’t come until June first either, which is too late to get under the cap.


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[WrongBaldy]

ONLY OPTIONS THAT ARE ACCEPTAbLE:

AROB
GOLLODAY
GODWIN

[Mark]

We have plenty of money to spend it'll just mean not spending on other positions (like EDGE). The other X factor is whether receivers will want to come play in the offense if Roman returns and they don't plan on changing much.

They can also work out a trade if they can't get someone in FA.

What top level WR is going to come to a team that throws the ball 20 times a game? Only possibility is one who is an LJ buddy like Hollywood or AB,

[wickedsolo]

ONLY OPTIONS THAT ARE ACCEPTAbLE:

AROB
GOLLODAY
GODWIN

Allen Robinson would be my top choice. Love Golladay, but he gets hurt a lot it seems.


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[Bhcforlife]

If you are going to sign one Robinson is the one that makes sense. Productive playing with erratic QBs, catches contested balls, tough, doesn't drop passes. I am skeptical they can or will pay market value for him, but that's the guy. Nobody else fits like him.

[Laxdad24]

Doesn’t matter if TO , Steve Largent and Jerry Rice are available as FA Wrs. Why would ANY of the top WRs wanna play here? We don’t throw enough. These dudes are Divas. Numbers is where they live.

In a thread here somewhere Ed or Ann Arbor posted the production of our receivers this year. You’d have to add some of our guys numbers together to equal what one of these top guys expect. These guys don’t “wanna play with Lamar “ cause he’s cool. They def don’t wanna run block all day.

Until this team shows marked improvement in the pass game ...we better keep drafting Wrs in the top 3 rounds of every draft.


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[Bawlamer]

Ju Ju, Golladay, Watkins

[Bawlamer]

I know he's a center but Alex Mack is available. Wrong thread I know. I'm still suffering from Saturday night.