Cody Schoeler’s 2023 NFL West Free-Agent Deal Tracker

Day 1 Signings: March 13

Seahawks resign quarterback Geno Smith (3 years, $105 million)

Despite his re-signing about a week ago, I’m going to slip Smith in on this list because it’s such an impactful move. The Seahawks needed to bring Smith back and that’s exactly what they did.

The contract looks intimidating at first glance because it’s nine figures but it’s actually a reasonable deal.

The Seahawks structured it in a way that’s very team-friendly while also having $30 million of the deal tied up in incentives, which means Smith will be very worth it if he earns that extra money.

This deal only looks better when compared to what other quarterbacks such as Derek Carr and Daniel Jones got. This is one of those deals where it’s a win for both the team and the player.

Grade: A

Raiders sign quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (3 years, $72.25M)

Former Team: 49ers

NFL free agency can be very unpredictable but that wasn’t the case here. Garoppolo to the Raiders seemed like a great fit, and it turns out they both agreed with that.

The basis of this move has to be the connection between Garoppolo and Raiders’ head coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels must feel a certain level of comfortability with the quarterback that he knows from their time in New England. But Garoppolo is also landing in a pretty advantageous place.

He will get to throw to wide receiver Davante Adams, who will be the best weapon he’s ever had, and rely on running back Josh Jacobs coming off an All-Pro year.

If Garoppolo succeeds, then the Raiders will be getting a bargain at just about $24 million a year, which is basically chump change for a starting quarterback.

This isn’t necessarily an all-in, win-now move for the Raiders but it is clearly a move they made with the intention of competing in 2023.

Grade: B+

49ers sign defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (4 years, $84M)

Former Team: Eagles

The 49ers made one of the biggest splashes of early free agency, and certainly one of the most unexpected ones, when they inked Hargrave to a deal. There’s no doubt that he’s going to improve the San Francisco defensive line.

Hargrave is coming off a year in which he was an integral and productive piece of the Eagles’ dominant defensive line. Adding a player like Hargrave to a line that already features defensive end Nick Bosa is surely a terrifying thought for other teams in the NFC West.

But where things get interesting is the money. The $21 million a year average on Hargave’s contract is tied for the third-most for a defensive tackle.

That’s a lot of money to pay 30-year-old interior defensive linemen, especially with a new contract for Bosa coming soon.

The 49ers are at least saving money with their current duo of young quarterbacks so that may be a reason they feel they can afford Hargrave. But if it works out on the field, which it seems like it definitely will, then it will be a great signing for the 49ers.

Grade: B+

Chiefs sign tackle Jawaan Taylor (4 years, $80M)

Former Team: Jaguars

The Chiefs came into the offseason with question marks at both tackle spots since Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie are both free agents.

They addressed one of those spots by bringing in Taylor on a big deal. The Chiefs continued to spend big money in free agency to fill holes on the line, which makes sense because it’s important to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Taylor hasn’t necessarily lived up to his draft status as a second-rounder, but he has potential. He’s a big-bodied tackle that can adequately hold down the right side of the line if that is where he ends up playing in Kansas City.

The Chiefs don’t need Taylor to be an All-Pro in order for this signing to be a success. All they need is for Taylor to become a reliable and consistent starter for the addition to be smart, but the money is another story.

If Taylor does end up playing right tackle, which he appears to be much better suited for, he would become the highest-paid right tackle in the league.

It’s unlikely that he plays at that same level. Still, it’s a big swing by a team that has earned the privilege to take big swings and if Taylor can elevate his game in Kansas City then the contract may end up being a win after all.

Grade: C

Broncos sign tackle Mike McGlinchey (5 years, $87.5M)

Former Team: 49ers

For the second offseason in a row, the Broncos are being aggressive. Signing McGlinchey was a big move but it added a little more certainty to an offensive line that could use it at the moment.

It took a pretty penny to bring McGlinchey to Denver as he is now the fifth-highest-paid right tackle in the league, but he’s a solid starter at the position, which is an upgrade.

The issue comes from the fact that the Broncos are now paying around $34 million for two tackles (McGlinchey and left tackle Garrett Bolles) and may not have an elite guy at either spot.

Of course, the effectiveness of this move will come down to how well the Broncos’ offense can turn it around in 2023, which has a lot more to do with McGlinchey.

But, looking at this move in a vacuum, the Broncos addressed a need and targeted one of the best players on the market to fill it. That’s a pretty good strategy, even if they may be overpaid a little bit.

Grade: B-

Seahawks sign defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones (3 years, $51.5M)

Former Team: Broncos

If you usually pay attention to the Seahawks’ offseasons you know that you can usually check out for the first two days because they tend to sit out early free agency.

That wasn’t the case this time around. Not only did they make a move on Day One, they made one of the best moves of the day.

Jones was one of the most intriguing players on the market because he had been productive and is relatively young, just 26 years old. Seattle also did a great job addressing a huge need.

The Seahawks have needed help on the defensive line for a while and although they have done a good job of adding talent in recent years, they didn’t have a player like Jones.

He gives them a great player up front who has the positional versatility to play inside or outside, allowing them to still add more talent to the position.

And the cherry on top is that the Seahawks may end up getting him at a bargain since his contract is around the 10th most expensive at the position. This is unequivocally a win for the Seahawks and starts out their 2023 season with a win.

Grade: A

Broncos sign defensive end Zach Allen (3 years, $47.5M)

Former Team: Cardinals

The Broncos didn’t let their loss of Jones hurt them too much because they added Allen.

He’s another young, talented defensive lineman. Allen’s breakout season in 2022 demonstrated his ability to get to the passer (career-high 5.5 sacks) as well as disrupt the passing lanes (eight passes defended).

And he did all that on a relatively bad Cardinals defense, especially up front. Now, he is added to a Broncos defense that was fairly successful last year despite the lack of help from the offense.

Allen should step in and be a big piece of the Broncos’ core on that side of the ball and at just 25 years old, he fits well with other young players such as cornerback Patrick Surtain.

The price is a little high, especially for someone still unproven, but edge rushers cost a lot on the open market. There weren’t a ton of young pass rushers available so the Broncos being able to land one of them is a big win for them.

Grade: B+

Broncos sign guard Ben Powers (4 years, $51.5M)

Former Team: Ravens

Nobody can say that the Broncos aren’t doing everything they can to win this year. They were one of the most active teams of day one, so much so that a $51 million contract for a guard nearly went under the radar.

The Broncos knew they needed to address the offensive line and specifically the guard spot with Dalton Risner a free agent. Only time will tell if the Broncos have upgraded over Risner with Powers, or if they saved money by signing him instead.

Powers was a solid player in Baltimore, starting 29 games over the past two seasons. The offensive line market, especially on the interior, is always inflated in free agency.

Paying Powers as a top-10 guard in the league isn’t ideal for the Broncos, but if it helps them turn the offense around then it will be worth it.

Grade: C