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By Steven Van Tassell (@SteveVT33)
It’s the Dynasty Owner Free Agent Weekend Update! Unfortunately, your host isn’t Colin Jost or Michael Che. It’s not one of the great Saturday Night Live Weekend Update hosts from the past either like Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Dennis Miller, Norm McDonald, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Tina Fay or Amy Poehler. It’s just me, Steven Van Tassell, bringing you all of the weekend free agent signings and other transactions that will impact all of my fellow Dynasty Owners. As a bonus to make it better, I’m going to throw in some Monday morning transactions as well!
So much has happened since Matt the Jerk’s (@dynastyjerk) Free Agent Friday article that we needed another update to handle it all. If you want to know more about Aaron Rodgers’ new contract, the franchise tags given to a trio of top TEs (Mike Gesicki, David Njoku, Dalton Schultz) and two WRs (Davante Adams and Chris Godwin), the impact of the Russell Wilson trade to Denver, or Mike Williams’ new contract, then go back and read Matt’s article.
This is your place to catch up on what’s happened since then. If you were busy watching any of the NCAA men’s basketball conference tournaments (if so, check your email for a link to join Dynasty Owner NCAA bracket and win up to $500) or focused on the continuing NHL and NBA regular seasons, you may have missed these new transactions. If you were checking to see if the PGA Tour Players’ Championship was going to finish or when MLB spring training is going to start, you also may have missed some transactions and need to know what’s going on.
We are still a couple of days away from the official start of NFL free agent signings (Wednesday at 4 PM, which is the same time as the Dynasty Owner Livestream with me and Tim Peffer). It’s a few more days until the start of the 2022 Dynasty Owner league year when all of the new contracts will be live, and the $145.74 million salary cap will take effect. A helpful “Everything to Expect Next Week” email was sent to all Dynasty Owners on Saturday morning, so check your Inbox for that rundown of all sorts of important information too so you know what’s going on.
All stats cited are based on the Standard Dynasty Owner scoring system as outlined in the updated Dynasty Owner Constitution. Standard Dynasty Owner scoring gives you .1 points for every yard rushing or receiving, .1 point for every 2 yards passing, 1 point per reception, 6 points for a rushing, receiving or passing touchdown and 2 points for a successful 2-point conversion (rushing, receiving, or passing). Interceptions or fumbles lost cost you 3 points, while a fumble that is recovered by the player’s team is a loss of only 1 point. Bonus points are available for 100-199 yards rushing (2 points), 200 yards rushing or receiving (6 points), 300-399 yards passing (1 point) and 400 yards passing (4 points). There is also a 3 point bonus for clutch scoring, which is a score that results in a lead change in the final two minutes of the 4th quarter or overtime. Kickoff and punt return touchdowns are worth 6 points for the player and kickoff and punt returns are worth 1 point for every 40 yards.
For the purposes of this article, all statistics, roster percentages and 2021 position ranks were current as of the afternoon of March 14th. All 2021 salary information is the current salary listed on the Dynasty Owner platform All 2022 contract information (number of years and salaries) have been taken from Spotrac (https://www.spotrac.com/).
They’re Back
That last sentence was true when I wrote it at around 7 PM (Eastern) on Sunday night. In the next hour, there were two huge contract announcements (Michael Gallup and Zach Ertz). However, those re-signings were completely overshadowed by the news that the G.O.A.T. Tom Brady was unretiring and returning to play for his 23rd NFL season. He’ll play once again for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and likely keep earning $25 million per year, which was the amount of the extension he signed previously. If his contract changes, it’ll be updated on Dynasty Owner, but that’s what I’m expecting for now.
Dallas WR Michael Gallup signed the biggest contract over the weekend both in terms of overall amount and on an annual basis.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| WR84 | 100% | 26 | $880,995 | $12,500,000 | + $11,619,005 |
Gallup signed a 5-year, $62.5 million contract, or $12.5 million per year for Dynasty Owner salary purposes. Dynasty Owners with Gallup on their roster currently will have to pay him $11.62 million more in salary to keep him on their team. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Hold him
This is the same recommendation as from my High Salary WR article published a month ago. His market value was lower than $12.5 million, but only by around $630,000. He also got an extra year more than projected. Still, the salary difference isn’t too much to change the recommendation.
However, his value has actually increased with the trade of Amari Cooper to Cleveland as he was able to be productive when healthy with Cooper in the Cowboys’ lineup. He should see more targets from QB Dak Prescott without Cooper around, even with the return of TE Dalton Schultz.
If you don’t have Gallup on your Dynasty Owner roster, you’ll need to trade for him as he is rostered in every Dynasty Owner league. That percentage could go down starting Friday as new contracts become active and the new salary cap starts, but for now, those without Gallup need to make an offer to acquire him.
The second largest overall and annual salary contract was announced minutes before Gallup’s contract. It was for Arizona TE Zach Ertz.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| TE5 | 97.5% | 31 | $8,500,000 | $10,550,000 | + $2,050,000 |
Ertz signed a 3-year, $31.65 million contract, or $10.55 million per year for Dynasty Owner salary purposes. Dynasty Owners with Ertz on their roster currently will have to pay him $2.05 million more in salary to keep him on their team. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Hold if you plan on being a contender. Trade if you’re rebuilding.
Similar to Michael Gallup, the Ertz recommendation is the same as in my Lower Salary TE article from just two weeks ago. His market value was off by an extra year, and he received almost $2.94 million more than his projected market value. Even with that extra salary and going from an anticipated salary reduction to a $2.05 million salary increase, the recommendation stays the same.
Right now, he is expected to be the 10th highest paid TE in Dynasty Owner, just $381,000 less than the franchise tag values for Mike Gesicki, David Njoku and Dalton Schultz. His ranking could change, but his consistency over the past few years has remained the same, so I’d still want him on my Dynasty Owner team.
If you don’t have Ertz on your Dynasty Owner roster, you’ll likely need to trade for him as he is rostered almost every Dynasty Owner league. I expect that percentage to go down over the next couple of days in anticipation of the Friday start date for new contracts becoming active. However, a trade offer to the Dynasty Owner with Ertz may be the best way to acquire his services in case that drop doesn’t happen right away in your league.
Prior to the Gallup and Ertz contract news, the biggest contract signed over the weekend was Josh Reynolds with the Detroit Lions.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| WR100 | 67.3% | 27 | $1,750,000 | $3,000,000 | + $1,250,000 |
Reynolds signed a 2-year, $6 million contract, or $3 million per year for Dynasty Owner salary purposes. Dynasty Owners with Reynolds on their roster currently will have to pay him $1.25 million more in salary to keep him on their team. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Hold if you plan on being a contender. Trade if you’re rebuilding.
Josh Reynolds was mired well down on the Tennessee depth chart for the beginning of the 2021 season, but was released and picked up by Detroit. A reunion with Jared Goff, his former QB in Los Angeles, helped salvage his season. Overall, he was WR100 with 80.6 Dynasty Owner fantasy points in 12 games played (6.7 Dynasty Owner fantasy points per game). In his seven games with Detroit, he had 61.6 Dynasty Owner fantasy points for an average of 8.8 points per game. He had over 10.0 Dynasty Owner fantasy points in three out of his seven games with the Lions. Reynolds is a useful Bench or Practice Squad depth WR for a contender, but probably not worth the roster spot for a rebuilding team who should be trying to find younger, cheaper players who might blossom into greatness.
He is available in the Free Agent Auction in nearly one-third of Dynasty Owner leagues if you want him for your team. The increase in salary by $1.25 million might lead some Dynasty Owners to drop him for free when his contract changes, or increase their willingness to trade him.
The second biggest weekend contract was signed by Buffalo WR Isaiah McKenzie.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| WR111 | 49.1% | 26 | $1,127,500 | $2,200,000 | + $1,072,500 |
McKenzie signed a 2 year, $4.4 million contract, or $2.2 million per year for Dynasty Owner salary purposes. Dynasty Owners with McKenzie on their roster currently will have to pay him just over $1.07 million more in salary to keep him on their team. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Hold for now.
McKenzie feels like a Hold for now at his new $2.2 million salary (apparently not the $4 million per year salary originally reported by Adam Schefter). His value will depend on what other offensive players sign with Buffalo after free agency starts and if the Bills do in fact trade WR Cole Beasley. Without Beasley and with no significant additions at WR, McKenzie could slide into the WR3 role in Buffalo behind Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. He already has some value as a gadget player and returner, but adding WR3 responsibilities for a high-powered Bills offense makes him worth a roster spot at his new salary.
In Week 16, McKenzie had 29.4 Dynasty Owner fantasy points (11 receptions, 124 receiving yards, -1 rushing yard, 1 TD) against New England with Beasley and Davis out of the lineup. Of course, Buffalo could go out and sign two additional free agent WRs, or keep Beasley and leave McKenzie as the WR4 for the team. That could mean a similar overall season to 2021 when he had 68.9 Dynasty Owner fantasy points in 15 games played (4.6 Dynasty Owner fantasy points per game).
Regardless of what happens in a few days, his roster percentage is on the rise and if he’s available in the Free Agent Auction in your league, you may have to bid on him sooner rather than later to acquire his services.
Next on the list is restricted free agent (RFA) Jakobi Meyers who the Patriots assigned a one-year tender offer for $3.986 million.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| WR30 | 100% | 25 | $588,333 | $3,986,000 | + $3,397,667 |
Dynasty Owners with Meyers on their roster currently will have to pay him almost $3.4 million more in salary to keep him on their team for the 2022 season. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Keep him.
Jakobi Meyers is the latest slot receiver gem uncovered by the Patriots, following in the footsteps of Wes Welker and Julian Edelman. Meyers has been an extremely productive player in each of the past two seasons and should continue to do so in 2022. He finished 2020 as WR44 with 157.9 Dynasty Owner fantasy points and improved to WR30 with 186.0 Dynasty Owner fantasy points in 2021. He produced those stats for a mere $588,333 and now is receiving a nearly $3.4 million salary increase. He had double-digit Dynasty Owner fantasy points in nine out of 17 games in 2021 with three additional games with between 9.0 and 10.0 points. He is a solid Bench WR, potential FLEX option and bye week replacement.
If you don’t have Meyers on your Dynasty Owner roster, you’ll need to trade for him right now as he is rostered in every Dynasty Owner league. That percentage could go down starting Friday when his new contract become active, but more likely those without Meyers will need to make an offer to his current Dynasty Owner to acquire him.
Another RFA assigned a one-year tender offer by his team was D’Ernest Johnson of the Cleveland Browns. His contract is for $2.433 million.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| RB49 | 96.9% | 26 | $585,000 | $2,433,000 | + $1,848,000 |
Dynasty Owners with Johnson on their roster currently will have to pay him $1.848 million more in salary to keep him on their team for the 2022 season. What should his Dynasty Owners do?
Current Recommendation: Keep him. Only trade if the offer is too good to pass up.
The recommendation for Johnson is the same as from my Lower Salary RB article Lower Salary TE article in early February, but I could have updated it and removed the “only trade if the offer is too good to pass up” part. His potential is too great to trade away even with a salary that’s almost $1.85 million more than it was in 2021. The RB49 ranking is completely misleading. He only received significant snaps in three games in 2021 and had over 20.0 Dynasty Owner fantasy points in all three of those games.
If you want Johnson on your Dynasty Owner roster but don’t have him now, you’ll likely need to trade for him as he is rostered almost every Dynasty Owner league. You’ll probably have to overpaid to acquire his services if you think he’s worth it.
The remainder of the signings over the weekend and early Monday morning were almost all backup QBs (Tim Boyle, Jeff Driskel, Dwayne Haskins, Brian Hoyer, and Nate Sudfield). Two of them signed one-year deals for $2 million (Boyle and Sudfield), while Hoyer got an extra year at $2 million with a 2-year, $4 million contract. Haskins was a RFA and got a tender offer from Pittsburgh for one year at $2.54 million. Driskel got a veteran minimum salary contract for one year at $1,187,500 from the Texans.
The final three signings that I’ll mention were Chris Conley getting a one-year, $2 million contract to stay in Houston and two RFAs who signed tender offers for $895,000 for the 2022 season (WR Jalen Guyton of the Los Angeles Chargers and RB Ja’Mycal Hasty of the San Francisco 49ers). There may have been more on Monday afternoon after I finished writing, but this article needs to be published.
The Trading Post
Back on Friday, Matt handled the details of the Russell Wilson trade to Denver and its impact on Wilson, the two players traded to Seattle (Drew Lock and Noah Fant) and some other players on the current Broncos and Seahawks roster. There was a trade last week that he didn’t touch on as well as a big name, high salary player who was dealt on Saturday. Let’s briefly mention the two players involved in the other recent trades.
First, Carson Wentz was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Washington Commanders. The deal includes a bunch of draft picks as well, but the only player changing teams is Wentz.
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| QB12 | 11.95% | 29 | $32,000,000 | $32,000,000 | None |
Carson Wentz and his 4-year, $128 million contract through the 2024 season moves from Indianapolis to Washington. There is no change to his salary on Dynasty Owner and Dynasty Owners with Wentz on their roster will see no changes other than his team.
The second deal involved Amari Cooper getting traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns along with a 2022 sixth round pick (pick #202) for a 2022 fifth round pick (pick #155) and a 2022 sixth round pick (pick #192).
| 2021 Rank | Roster % | Age | 2021 Salary | 2022 Salary | Salary Change |
| WR28 | 98.1% | 27 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | None |
Amari Cooper and his 5-year, $100 million contract through the 2024 season moves from Dallas to Cleveland. There is no change to his salary on Dynasty Owner and Dynasty Owners with Cooper on their roster will see no changes other than his team.
Since there is no contract change for either Wentz or Cooper, Dynasty Owners will those players on their roster will not be able to drop either player for free. It’s still 25% of their remaining contract amounts, which is a large enough fee for both that you should use an Amnesty Provision, or buy one for $5 million Dynasty Dollars (if you can), in order to move Wentz or Cooper off your Dynasty Owner team.
Release the Kraken (aka Overpaid Players)
As NFL teams navigate their own 2022 salary cap, we have seen several players restructure their contracts to move around money to lower their salary cap number for the 2022 season. Those contract changes don’t impact their Dynasty Owner salary as Dynasty Owner uses the average annual salary for the entire contract. Sorry to everyone who has a prominent expensive player such as Aaron Jones, Alvin Kamara, Matt Ryan, or Michael Thomas who restructured as your Dynasty Owner team gets no benefit.
The other way to alleviate the salary cap crunch for a NFL team is to outright release players with a high salary cap figure. The following players (with their Dynasty Owner salaries listed) have been released or waived in recent days:
Blake Jarwin and Tarik Cohen had two years left on those contracts, while everyone else had just one year. All of those players will become Free Agents on Dynasty Owner soon and be eligible for a free drop ($0 Dynasty Dollars). If they sign a new contract once NFL free agency starts on Wednesday, Dynasty Owners can also choose to keep them on their roster at their new salary amount. That will also result in a contract change and if the new contract doesn’t work for your Dynasty Owner team, then you can drop the player for free as well.
Conclusion
This weekend (and Monday morning) was a busy one for NFL free agents and Dynasty Owners. It continues on even as I edit this article and send it to be published. There were so many more transactions that it wasn’t possible to wait until Friday for another update. By the time many of you have read this article, there will probably have been additional announcements of free agents staying with their current teams and maybe even some reports of contracts reached by free agents with a new team. None of those contracts can be officially signed by NFL players until Wednesday to take effect in Dynasty Owner on this Friday (March 18th).
The weekly Dynasty Owner livestream with myself and Tim Peffer will review all of these transactions (and more) on Wednesday at 4 PM (Eastern). That’s the same time as NFL free agency officially opens and free agents can sign with new teams. Set the timer on YouTube so you don’t miss it live, or make sure to watch it afterwards. Either way, don’t forget to smash the Like button. You can also listen to it afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.
Please read all of the off-season articles from our Dynasty Owner team as well. On Mondays, I write about players, salaries and contracts to help new and returning Dynasty Owners navigate how to play our unique game. Jay Pounds is writing about everything on rebuilding your Dynasty Owner roster on Tuesday. Nate Christian is back for 2022 and will do prospect previews every Thursday. Finally, Friday is Free Agent Friday with articles from Matt Morrison – The Jerk.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Steven Van Tassell is the Head of Content for Dynasty Owner
Follow us on Twitter: @SteveVT33 and @Dynasty_Owner