NFL Free Agency is just 72 hours old and we've already had 3 (at-one-time) All-Pro tackles move cities via trades.  Per Jay Glazer at FoxSports, the Jaguars have traded Marcus Stroud to Buffalo for for 3rd and 5th round draft picks.  Stroud is probably excited, seeing as Buffalo is a hotbed for steroids (I made that up).

On Friday, the Panthers traded Kris Jenkins to the Jets for 3rd and 5th round selections and Detroit sent Shaun Rogers packing to Cleveland for a 3rd round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden - apparently Bodden is no better than a 5th round selection. 

On the surface, the trades seem to work well for all involved.  Not working well, however, are 4 signings that seem waaay overpriced - at least in this man's opinion. 



4.) Jeff Faine - A "quality" center gets $37.5 million over 6 years for agreeing to play in Tampa Bay.  Yes, I realize teams have more cap room again this off-season, but an average of 6 million per seems a bit drastic even in this year's context. 

3.) Justin Smith - Reports indicate he signed a 6 year $45 million deal with $20 million guaranteed to play in San Francisco.  Smith had just 2.5 sacks last year, and he'll get $32.5 million over the first 4 years of the deal.  For what it's worth, the 49ers confirmed he will play right defensive end and would slide inside to tackle on passing downs.  To Smith's credit, he's played in 170 straight games and since he's white, he's lauded for "working hard" and playing with a "motor that never stops".  But he ain't worth $45 million. 

2.) Asante Samuel - 6 years $57 million, with $20 million guaranteed in signing bonuses.  Don't get me wrong, Samuel is a great cornerback with a knack for making big plays, but like Nate Clements last year, he's the beneficiary of an inflated market.  The deal is even more bizarre in that Philadelphia has Samuel overtaking Lito Sheppard's spot at LCB. 

1.) Gibril Wilson - Who else but the Raiders would win the award for most overpaid free agent within the first 40 hours?  I guess that's what it takes to get people to play in Oakland.  Like Dexter Jackson and Larry Brown before him, Wilson is a moderately good defensive back from a Super Bowl winning team.  Henceforth, he's getting paid like a Hall of Famer.  He's now the 3rd highest paid safety in the league, having inked a 6 year $39 million deal, that includes guaranteed bonuses of $16 million.   Congratulations Raiders!

Anyone who belives our economy is in steep decline clearly doesn't work in or follow the NFL.