The Purple brain trust has had a couple days to get ink on paper and for some of their free agents to take their talents elsewhere. It's been a crazy couple days of rumors & actual news. Some players departed, others have been permitted into the company & there will be more of both happening over the next days, weeks and months. First, a word about those who left.
The Departed
Audie Cole
Average linebacker who will be best be remembered for having Clay Matthews hair and a couple of pre season pick sixes a few years ago.
Charles Johnson
Either an under performer with talent or a guy who caught some well timed breaks but won't be any special when he retires. The answer will be known eventually, with Cam Newton throwing him the ball...good luck.
Rhett Ellison
Above average as a blocker with at least moderate receiving skills which weren't utilized too often. I'm skeptical that he'll recover to his previous level but at least he won't have any media scrutiny to deal with...🙄
Matt Kalil
Arguably the biggest loss of the group. I wouldn't make the argument but it could be made. His loss is lessened by the additions, but I'll get to that in a bit. He got overpaid and he gets to play with his brothers. Good for him and I bid him good riddance.
Jeff Locke
This may have been the most surprising of the group. It must have come down to a lot more then money for him but I haven't heard what those reasons may be. It creates another need to be filled but he only had one good season and in a contract year so I don't mind him getting paid elsewhere. Never pay contract year guys!
Captain Munnerlyn
Munnerlyn went AWOL. The NFL may be a business but I'm a fan. I don't see things with the CEO perspective. So while he has every right to do what he did, the timing and the hole that he created means I hope for a bad season for him and the Panthers as a whole.
The Arrivals
Jeremiah Sirles
This has been under reported and I get why. He's a depth guy and it's only a one year deal. Young, inexpensive with some talent at the position of most need. It's a nice a little deal.
Riley Reiff
Any time a team let's a dude walk while signing someone they don't know, it could a red flag but every year teams sign guys they aren't familiar with and let guys they know, go. So we get someone still very much in his physical prime to do a job that was done as poorly in Minnesota as anywhere in the league so improvement from that is nearly a certainty.
Mike Remmers
Same story on Remmers. Someone with years of experience but not old. He's been on a super bowl team and has proven he belongs. If the line play is worse in 17/18 then there may be no fixing it and the Vikings will once again be years away. They're trying and that's ultimately what Remmers & Reiff represent.
Five years of book ending tackle play should help a lot and make no mistake, improvement up front starts with those two. Whatever else happens, they added some guys who will help. Not as flashy as an Alshon Jeffrey signing would have been but plenty with which to be pleased already.
The guys who left and the guys who are yet to sign elsewhere but will create more needs for the draft but it will all work out...someday. For now, those are my reactions to free agency.