Agent's Take: Notable free agency contract tidbits for all 32 NFL teams

A majority of the NFL front office executives I spoke to prior to the start of free agency, most of whom negotiate contracts for their respective teams, were skeptical about the Dallas Cowboys tightening purse strings with player contracts. The expectation was the Cowboys would take the same credit card approach to the salary cap as in the past to keep the team largely intact by restructuring contracts to create cap room. That's because owner Jerry Jones desperately wants to win a Super Bowl without Jimmy Johnson’s fingerprints on it.

The Cowboys have stuck to their guns and have been prudent with the salary cap. This is a result of Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice-President/Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones’ growing influence on the decisions the franchise makes.

The departures have outweighed the arrivals in free agency. Most notably, a target price was set for 2014 Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray. There was a little flexibility with price for the All-Pro running back, but the team refused to get into a bidding war and let him sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, an NFC East rival. Darren McFadden was signed to a two-year, $3 million deal (worth a maximum of $6.6 million with incentives) to help fill the void left by Murray’s departure. 

Wednesday, Dallas signed All-Pro defensive end Greg Hardy, who was eligible to sign a contract in free agency while he remained on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List because of his domestic violence incident. It remains to be seen whether any discipline falls under the old or new personal conduct guidelines. He provides a tremendous boost to the team’s underwhelming pass rush. Dallas ranked 28th in the NFL with 28 sacks in 2014.

With the signing frenzy during the first wave of free agency over, here's a contract-related tidbit for every NFL team since the unofficial opening of free agency on March 7.

Arizona Cardinals

Typically, left tackle is the highest-paid position on a team's offensive line. That isn't the case with the Cardinals. Right guard Mike Iupati leads the way after receiving a five-year, $40 million contract with $22.5 million in guarantees. Left tackle Jared Veldheer signed a five-year, $35 million deal (which includes $17 million in guarantees and worth up to $37.5 million through salary escalators) in free agency last year.

Atlanta Falcons

What a difference a year makes for O'Brien Schofield. The outside linebacker was set to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the New York Giants as a free agent in 2014 before team doctors nixed the deal over concerns about his left knee. Instead, he returned to the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year deal worth $795,000. Schofield got a one-year, $1.7 million deal to continuing playing for new head coach Dan Quinn, who was his defensive coordinator with the Seahawks for the past two seasons.

Baltimore Ravens

Running back Justin Forsett's three-year, $9 million contract (worth a maximum of $10.5 million through incentives) seems appropriate considering Ray Rice was scheduled to make $6 million over the last two years of his deal, which ran through 2016, before he was released in 2014 because of a domestic violence incident.

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy gained more security and better cash flow because the Bills reworked his deal after trading for him. He had three unguaranteed years remaining on his contract for $25.25 million. The five-year, $40 million deal the Bills gave him contains $26.55 million in guarantees, of which $15.75 million is fully guaranteed at signing. Instead of making $10.25 million in 2015, McCoy is receiving $16 million this year under the new deal. There's $27.3 million in the first three years. The Bills are getting a break on McCoy's 2015 cap number. It goes from $10.25 million to $5.5 million with the new deal.

Carolina Panthers

One team's trash is another team's treasure could be the case with offensive tackle Michael Oher. The Tennessee Titans released Oher one year into a four-year, $20 million contract in February. The Panthers gave Oher a two-year, $7 million deal (with an additional $500,000 in incentives). Oher is making $3.75 million in the first year of his new contract, which is $250,000 less than his 2015 compensation in the Titans deal.

Chicago Bears

Outside linebacker/defensive end Pernell McPhee's five-year, $38.75 million contract (with $15.5 million in guarantees) has $23.125 million in the first three years. Jared Allen, who the team signed last year in free agency to shore up the pass rush, will make $875,000 more than McPhee has in his first three years if he completes his three-year, $24 million contract.

Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive end Michael Johnson returns to the fold on a four-year, $20 million deal (worth up to $23 million through salary escalators and incentives) after seeking greener pastures with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency last year. Tampa Bay cut Johnson one year after giving him a five-year, $43.75 million contract even though $7 million of his $9 million 2015 salary was fully guaranteed without an offset. Johnson's new deal with Cincinnati has $11 million in the first two years, which is $175,000 less than he made in 2013 as the team's franchise player.

Cleveland Browns

Cornerback Tramon Williams, at 32, received a three-year, $21 million deal with $10 million fully guaranteed at signing. This acquisition seems like an overreaction to losing Buster Skrine, who turns in 26 in April, in free agency. Skrine got a four-year, $26 million deal with $13 million fully guaranteed at signing from the New York Jets.

Dallas Cowboys

Right tackle Doug Free was re-signed to a three-year, $15 million deal while Jermey Parnell, Free's backup, received a five-year, $32 million contract from the Jaguars. $14.5 million of Parnell's deal is fully guaranteed, which is almost as much as Free's entire contract. Parnell is two and half years younger than Free.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are being much more judicious in free agency after making a splash last year. The tight end position is a prime example of this approach. Owen Daniels' and Virgil Green's three-year deals are worth $20.65 million collectively. Julius Thomas, who the Broncos lost in free agency, is making $21.2 million in the first two years of the five-year, $46 million contract he received from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Detroit Lions

Obtaining defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and a 2015 seventh-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens for 2015 fourth and fifth round picks was probably Detroit's best option after losing Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins. Ngata's $8.5 million 2015 salary is less than the $9,737,500 cap charge the Lions have for Suh in 2015 because of the bonus proration attributed to his 2015 contract year, which voided on February 6.

Green Bay Packers

Wide receiver Randall Cobb could have made more elsewhere but remained in Green Bay on a four-year, $40 million contract containing a $13 million signing bonus, which is the deal's only guaranteed money. The Packers kept Cobb's deal in line with the four-year, $39.05 million extension Jordy Nelson signed during the initial days of training camp last season. The Packers are the only the team that have two wide receivers with deals averaging over $9 million per year. Cobb is the NFL's highest-paid slot wide receiver.

Houston Texans

The Texans retained Ryan Mallett and signed Brian Hoyer to compete for the starting quarterback job. Their contracts suggest that Hoyer is the favorite. Hoyer signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal with $4.75 million fully guaranteed while Mallett got a two-year, $7 million deal with $1.75 million fully guaranteed.

Indianapolis Colts

Wide receiver Andre Johnson getting a three-year, $21 million deal at 33 with a $143.28 million salary cap is consistent with the three-year, $17.5 million deal wide receiver Reggie Wayne signed at 33 under a $120.6 million salary cap. Wayne's deal equates to slightly under $20.8 million with the current salary cap.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Owner Shad Khan kept his pledge about being active in free agency. He made Julius Thomas the NFL's second highest-paid tight end with a five-year, $46 million deal containing $24 million in guarantees. Thomas sets a new standard for guarantees in tight end deals with the $24 million. $21 million of the $24 million was fully guaranteed at signing.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs signed wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to a contract similar to the one they gave recently released wide receiver Dwayne Bowe in 2013. Maclin's five-year deal is for $55 million with $22.5 million fully guaranteed. Bowe got a five-year, $56 million contract with $26 million guaranteed. Bowe had better cash flow with $16 million in the first year and $36 million in the first three years. Maclin's deal has $13 million in 2015 and $33 million over the first three years.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins made defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback with a six-year, $114.375 million contract containing $59.955 million fully guaranteed. The previous standard was the six-year, $100 million contract extension (averages $16,666,667 per year) that J.J. Watt received from the Houston Texans last September. Suh's $59.955 million sets a new benchmark for guaranteed money with non-quarterbacks. It eclipses the $53.25 million of guaranteed money in the seven-year, $113.45 million contract extension Calvin Johnson received from the Detroit Lions in 2012.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota's biggest offseason move has been finding a new primary receiving threat by acquiring Mike Wallace in a trade with the Dolphins and subsequently releasing Greg Jennings. The change adds $4.9 million to Minnesota's 2015 salary cap. There is $6 million in dead money, which is a cap charge for a player no longer on the roster, for Jennings and Wallace has a $9.9 million salary in 2015. Jennings was scheduled to make $9 million on an $11 million cap number in 2015.

New England Patriots

Devin McCourty became the NFL's second highest-paid safety while giving the Patriots a hometown discount. He left money on the table by rejecting bigger offers from other teams. He signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract containing $28.5 million in guarantees, which is the most ever in guarantees for a safety.

New Orleans Saints

Declining the fifth-year option with running back Mark Ingram at $5.211 million worked out for the Saints. His four year, $16 million deal has $4.7 million in 2015 with a $2 million cap number.

New York Giants

Wide receiver Dwayne Harris' five-year, $17.5 million contract (with $7.1 million fully guaranteed) makes him the highest-paid player whose primary role is returning kicks. Harris will be New York's fourth receiver at best if Victor Cruz recovers from the torn patellar tendon in his right knee. To put Harris' deal in better perspective, Cole Beasley, who was ahead of Harris on the depth chart with the Dallas Cowboys last season as the team's third wide receiver, recently re-upped on a four-year, $13.606 million contract with $5 million fully guaranteed.

New York Jets

Darrelle Revis became the NFL's highest-paid cornerback by returning to the Jets on a five-year contract averaging $14,024,212 per year. He has also the top cornerback deal with $39 million fully guaranteed at signing and $48 million in the first three years, which are more important contract metrics.

Oakland Raiders

Oakland made Rodney Hudson the NFL's highest-paid center with a five-year, $44.5 million contract. It could be as little as a one-year commitment for $13 million if Hudson doesn't pan out because it's a true pay-as-you-go deal. Hudson's cash and salary cap numbers are the same in each contract year because he is receiving salary guarantees instead of a signing bonus. His $7.35 million 2016 base salary was guaranteed for injury at signing. Since it doesn't become fully guaranteed until the third day of the 2016 league year (mid-March), the Raiders have a window to get out of the deal after the 2015 season without any cap consequences.

Philadelphia Eagles

DeMarco Murray's five-year, $40 million contract (with $21 million in guarantees and worth a maximum of $42 million through salary escalators) makes him the first running back to switch teams in free agency with a deal over $5 million per year since Michael Turner left the San Diego Chargers for the Atlanta Falcons in 2008.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the NFL's second-highest paid player with his four-year, $87.4 million contract extension. His $21.85 million average per year narrowly trails Aaron Rodgers, who is at $22 million per year. Roethlisberger has the NFL's best three-year cash flow of $65 million. His deal also sets a new mark for overall contract guarantees at $64 million. $34.25 million was fully guaranteed at signing, which includes a $31 million signing bonus.

St. Louis Rams

A deep defensive line is even stronger with the addition of defensive tackle Nick Fairley. The base value of Fairley's one-year deal is $5 million. $500,000 of Fairley's salary is a workout bonus, which is smart considering he has been plagued by weight and conditioning issues throughout his four-year NFL career. Fairley has also an incentive package worth a maximum of $2.5 million for playtime, sacks and making the Pro Bowl.

San Diego Chargers

Cornerback Brandon Flowers capitalized on the one-year, $3 million deal (worth up to $5 million through incentives) he got after the Chiefs released him last June with a bounce-back season in 2014. He signed a four-year, $36.4 million contract containing $20.5 million in guarantees. Flowers' $10.25 million 2015 salary is almost triple the $3.55 million he made last season.

San Francisco 49ers

Torrey Smith's five-year, $40 million deal contains an unusual provision relating to the $8.75 million in base salary guarantees in his 2017 and 2018 contract years. His 2017 and 2018 contract guarantees will reduce by the amount of the $4.25 million in workout and per-game roster bonuses he earns in 2015 through 2017.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have more financial flexibility by trading for Jimmy Graham than they would have had signing Julius Thomas. There is $27 million in the final three years of Graham's contract (2015 through 2017) while Thomas has $28.3 million in the first three years of his deal. Since Graham's cap numbers are only salary, the Seahawks will have leverage to ask for a pay cut or they could release him if he doesn't produce after the 2015 season. This wouldn't have been the case with Thomas because his deal would have contained a signing bonus and base salary guarantees.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay has taken a more measured approach to free agency after last year's spending spree was a failure. Defensive tackle Henry Melton is reuniting with Lovie Smith, his former head coach during his first four years with the Bears, on a one-year, $3.75 million deal (with an additional $1.25 million in incentives).

Tennessee Titans

Having pass-rushing linebackers for Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense was a priority. In addition to re-signing Derrick Morgan to a four-year, $27 million contract (worth up to $30 million with salary escalators), Brian Orakpo received a four-year, $31 million deal (with an additional $4 million in salary escalators and incentives).

Washington Redskins

The best value among Washington's free agency signings is defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. He took a one-year deal worth $4 million, which includes a $2 million signing bonus.

Joel Corry is a former sports agent who helped found Premier Sports & Entertainment, a sports management firm that represents professional athletes and coaches. Before his tenure at Premier, Joel worked for Management Plus Enterprises, which represented Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ronnie Lott. You can follow him on Twitter: @corryjoel | You can email him at jccorry@gmail.com