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The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.
NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.
We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.
So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Green Bay Packers running back, A.J. Dillon.
A.J. Dillon 2024 Contract Projection
When AJ Dillon broke out in 2021, Green Bay appeared to have as menacing of a two-headed rushing attack as the Browns’ duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Dillon and Aaron Jones had excellent years in 2021 and 2022, but the wheels came off the bus for the big bruiser Dillon last season. In limited usage in his rookie year, AJ averaged 5.3 yards per carry, and leveled out his average to 4.3 and 4.2 yards per carry in 2021 and 2022 when he received over 175 carries each season. That average dropped to 3.4 in 2023, and his yards after first contact average dropped from 3.18 in 2021 to 2.69 in 2023.
Dillon is a respectable talent, but the grim reality of the nonexistent market for Tier 2 or 3 running backs basically wipes his immediate earning potential. AJ is young enough to not risk getting suckered into a low-number, two-year deal before turning 26; recognizing his limited market in 2024 and accepting a slight discount to play for the right organization could give Dillion a chance to shine once again and set himself up for a more lucrative offseason in 2025.
- Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
- Projected Contract: 1 Year, $3M, $3M APY, $2M GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $1.8M
Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.
More must-reads:
- How Giants' Malik Nabers has grown while working with Russell Wilson
- 'Clearly separated himself': Why one QB is winning Browns' competition
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video of Jordan Love’s Insane 55-Yard TD Bomb to Romeo Doubs Goes Viral
Much has been said about the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver room in the offseason, but there is also still a lot to discover about the group. For one, rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden, for all the hype he’s been getting, has yet to show what he can do downfield in an official NFL game. He will get his chances soon, though, with the NFL preseason coming up for the Packers and the 2025 NFL regular season just around the corner. Meanwhile, other wide receivers like Romeo Doubs are a known factor for the Packers, as he enters his fourth season in the NFL. Still, he must be motivated to have a big season ahead, considering that he has no contract beyond the 2025 campaign. Selected in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2022 NFL draft by the Packers, the former Nevada football star is hard at work in the offseason, improving his chemistry with his teammates, most importantly with star quarterback Jordan Love. Jordan Love, Romeo Doubs connect for spectacular touchdown at Green Bay Packers training camp During a recent training camp session, Doubs beat defensive backs Javon Bullard and Evan Williams downfield and caught a pass from Love for a huge 55-yard touchdown. A slo-mo video of that play was posted by the Packers on social media, particularly on X, leaving Green Bay and football fans buzzing. Last season, Doubs finished fourth on the team with 601 receiving yards to go along with four touchdowns on 46 receptions and 72 targets. He only played in 13 games, as he missed four games due to a concussion he suffered in a Week 12 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Sophie Cunningham, Sparks HC react to third incident of object tossed onto court
Over the past couple of years, the WNBA has seen a major uptick in ratings and overall fan engagement. Unfortunately, that has also come with negative attention. It may have reached a new low, as there have now been three separate incidents in which a fan has thrown a sex toy on the court. This time, it nearly hit Indiana Fever veteran Sophie Cunningham during a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. Cunningham had already joked about it on social media, and given her outspoken nature and reputation as a bit of an instigator, she didn't shy away from it: She also laughed it up on her Instagram story: Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, however, didn't think it was a laughing matter. Following the game, she put the fans on blast for their "stupid" behavior. "It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Roberts said, per Yahoo Sports. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid." There's no place for any of this in sports, much less in women's sports. The league needs to crack down on this and take the necessary measures to prevent it from happening ever again. The WNBA is finally thriving after years of surviving, and while the fans will eventually grow to respect the product, not all publicity is good publicity.
NFL Hall of Famer reveals why he chose to join Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching staff
Why Red Sox may regret extending rookie Roman Anthony
To say that the Boston Red Sox are keeping MLB fans and analysts on their toes this season is an understatement. Almost two months after trading the face of their franchise, Boston signed MLB’s No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony, to an eight-year, $130 million extension. Between trading Rafael Devers and locking Anthony up through 2034, the Red Sox have been the boldest MLB team this season by far. But will this move pay off? Fans expected Sox owner John Henry to spend money on the team during the offseason, but no one anticipated a massive mid-year pact with a rookie would occur. Anthony has only played 46 MLB games, during which he has slashed .283/.400/.428 with 19 RBIs and two home runs. While his rapid ascent through the minor league and hot start to his professional baseball career are beyond what fans could’ve asked for, Anthony’s extension is still premature from a financial perspective. With a $16.25 million AAV on his contract, the Sox have piled high expectations onto a player who recently turned 21 years old. For Anthony’s sizable and long-term commitment to be worth the investment, he should produce an annual 2.0 WAR at least and earn at least three or four All-Star, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger Awards by the end of his contract. For reference, Marcell Ozuna and Kyle Tucker received contracts within $250,000 AAV of Anthony’s contract AAV, according to Spotrac. All three achieved this criterion before they were rewarded with lucrative agreements. Weighing these standards against Anthony’s newness to MLB, it’s nearly impossible to say Boston’s decision-making was backed by more than just impulse. Somehow, Anthony isn’t the first rookie the Red Sox extended this year. With five games of baseball under his belt, Boston closed an eight-year, $60 million deal with Kristian Campbell, who was MLB’s No. 6 prospect at the time. While Campbell’s $7.5 million AAV is drastically different from Anthony’s, the Sox’s strategy to hoard young players before they’ve had enough time to prove themselves isn’t logical. Keeping Anthony off the free-agent market for the next decade may be the best risk the Sox have ever taken, or it may be one of the most expensive decisions made. Anthony must deliver the high-performance projections his contract sets for his early extension to pay off, but odds are, Boston is putting the cart before the horse.
Giants have a quarterback conundrum pop up for the preseason
A delicate balancing act is required for the four quarterbacks on the New York Giants' preseason roster. Veteran Russell Wilson will be the Giants' Week 1 starter against the Washington Commanders. Per the depth chart released this week, Jameis Winston is QB2 and rookie Jaxson Dart is QB3. Tommy DeVito is QB4. Per Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the Giants have to juggle Dart's development with the ego of Winston during the preseason. Because New York prefers not to have Winston or Dart behind the third-team offensive line, DeVito is taking extra snaps from Dart at training camp so he can play mop-up duty during the preseason. "It stands to reason the Giants will want to get Dart as much playing time as possible in the preseason since they’re committed to riding Wilson as the starter once the season starts," Duggan wrote. "But the Giants also won’t want to expose Dart to getting pulverized behind the third-team offensive line, so there will be a fine line to walk with his playing time. "That has to be the only reason No. 4 quarterback Tommy DeVito remains on the roster. If the Giants are reluctant to expose Dart behind third-string linemen, and it could be viewed as insulting to make Winston play the fourth quarter of preseason games, someone needs to take those snaps." Per Duggan, Dart has taken 149 reps in training camp to Wilson's 110. The disparity in reps was why it was a surprise to see the first-round pick behind Winston on the initial depth chart. DeVito has taken 64 reps in camp that could have otherwise gone to Dart or Winston. Keeping DeVito around for the preseason serves another purpose. Keeping him on the field more during games keeps Winston healthy, something the Giants might need if their 36-year-old quarterback has an issue in the regular season.
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