Eagles Find Their Quez Watkins Replacement in DeVante Parker

A 3rd WR was an underrated need for the Eagles going into the offseason. They had more pressing needs, especially on the defensive side of the ball. But Quez Watkins was a massive disappointment as their slot WR for the past couple of years. His speed is elite, but the production is near nonexistent. Nick Sirianni can say all he wants about how his speed helps his teammates, but at some point, you need to catch balls, rack up yards, and score TDs. Quez was doing none of that. Enter DeVante Parker, who the Eagles just signed to a 1-year deal.

Devante Parker was the Dolphins 1st round pick back in 2015. He never quite lived up to the hype of being the 14th overall pick. Parker was solid. He did eclipse 1000 yards once. But when you go off the board that early, you expect him to be a star. He never quite reached those heights. In 2022 they traded him to the Patriots for a 5th-round pick. He gained 933 yards for them in two seasons. Now he joins the Eagles.

Is he a star? No. But the Eagles didn't need a star WR. They already have AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Saquon Barkley on offense. Another star wouldn't really fit. They just need someone who can be dependable, and maybe fill in if someone gets hurt. The offense has struggled to adapt when Dallas Goedert got injured in each of the past two seasons because there just was not a 4th option on the roster.

They get him for cheap too. The Patriots are on the hook for most of it. As Schefter pointed out, he will only cost them $1.2 million. Meaning it is very low risk. Does it move the needle? No. But they had their needle-moving signing on offense. This just helps them round out what is already one of the best offensive rosters, at least on paper.

They can, and should, still look to improve there late in the draft. But it's a cheap camp body who is more productive than what they had. Cant be mad at the move.

This year's NFL free agency is in full swing. There are always surprises and big bucks moving around during the free agency period, but this year is off the charts. Now, announcements are being made and players are being swapped, but nothing becomes official until 4 p.m. Wednesday. That's when the new league year officially starts. So, this is a pretty exciting week, if you're a sports fan. We get both the official start of the NFL season and March Madness kicking off.

This year's NFL free agency started early late Sunday night. That's when longtime quarterback Russell Wilson took to social media to announce that he was signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Denver Broncos benched him earlier this year, so him leaving that franchise isn't a surprise. Also, he was allowed to negotiate early with teams, because the Denver Broncos told him the week prior they they would be releasing him from his huge contract. That said, it's a bit surprising that the Steelers picked him up so quickly. League sources say it's only a one-year deal, so maybe they're looking at him to get them over the hump until they can sign a long-term quarterback.

Wilson was just one of the big moves during the 2024 NFL Free Agency. I've been tracking the action and looking at the massive list of top 150 free agents this year to see where they land. As a Detroit Lions fan, I'm getting a little nervous looking at the big moves our rivals in the NFC North are making. We haven't made any of those huge moves. But, I have to trust the process and trust in Brad Holmes. Read on for some of the latest and biggest surprises from the 2024 NFL free agency period, aside from Wilson, which I already discussed. Are you happy with this year's big moves? Reach out to us and let us know.

Kirk Cousins was the No. 1 free agent this year, and for good reason. He was hitting the prime of his career until he was out last season with an Achilles injury. He is inking a four-year, $180 million contract with a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed. That's with Atlanta. I'm surprised that they signed him for four years, because of his age, but I'm a huge Cousins fan and can't wait to see him perform over the next four years.

Former Giants star Saquon Barkley is going to Philadelphia. Barkley signed a three-year deal that could pay him up to a whopping $46.75 million. It also includes $26 million guaranteed. The Eagles wanted to upgrade from newcomer D'Andre Swift last season.

This move makes sense. The Cleveland Browns wanted to keep Smith, who has a good thing going with pass rusher Myles Garrett. Cleveland and Smith agreed to a two-year deal worth an impressive $23.5 million.

The Vikings are making some moves to craft a team without Kirk Cousins. They will probably lose pass rusher Danielle Hunter to free agency, so they're adding Greenard. At 27 years old, he recorded 12 1/2 sacks and 48 pressures for the Houston Texans last season. He gets $42 million in guaranteed money.

The Green Bay Packers were already looking strong going into the new season, and now they're going to be stronger. They added RB Josh Jacobs. He was considered one of the best running backs up for grabs, alongside Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler. They also added safety Xavier McKinney. Upgrade!

The Philadelphia Eagles have added edge rusher Bryce Huff, and it's a great pick. They need some good edge rushers, and Huff is one. They're paying him $51.1 million over three seasons.

The Hawks brought on Williams, a star defensive lineman, last season, and they're sticking with him. They've inked a three-year, $64.5 million deal with Williams. In his 10 games with the Hawks last season, he recorded four sacks, 41 tackles and 11 quarterback hits. This is a good move, but that's a lot of dough.

The Detroit Lions are putting their faith in edge rusher Marcus Davenport, even though an ankle injury cut his season with the Vikings short. I'm not super hot on this pick. The Lions haven't made many moves yet, and this is one of them? But, I trust that Brad Holmes knows what he's doing. It's only a one-year contract, too.

The New York Giants are now without star running back Saquon Barkley. They're also having obvious quarterback issues. But, they're trying to add help where they can, and they've added Jon Runyan to their roster. Runyan was last in Green Bay, where he was an impressive interior lineman.

So much money is already being flown around with these free agents. I'm excited to see how these guys shake up the NFL in the coming season. Of course, the draft will have a lot to do with the chemistry and viability of teams, too. But, the excitement always starts with free agency, and I'm here for it. Reach out to me with your thoughts here.