I get it – it’s the nature of the beast. If a team wants to improve its roster by adding a premier free agent in the offseason, then they’re going to have to overpay.
But there’s something seriously wrong with the fact that Antrel Rolle is now the highest-paid safety in the NFL after agreeing to a five-year, $37 million deal with the Giants. I never blame the player (or his agent) for going out and signing the biggest deal they possibly can. Football is a violent game and if a player is lucky, he’ll play eight years in the league and make as much money as he possibly can during that time. So, good for Rolle for cashing in on his first free agent contract.
That said, this was the same man that was once benched for Rod Hood in Arizona. Rolle is an excellent athlete with great speed and is solid when he can locate the ball and make a play on it. But he’s a poor tackler, is inconsistent in coverage and he definitely benefited from playing next to Adrian Wilson in Arizona. He will often get abused against top passing offenses, as the Packers proved last season in the playoffs. I realize the Packers will make a lot of defensive backfields look bad, but if the Giants want to be a Super Bowl contender again then they can’t be worried about Rolle getting toasted in the playoffs by teams that can throw.
The Giants needed safety help with the uncertainty of Kenny Phillips’ playing status for next season. So they went out and spent a ton of money on the best safety on the market in Rolle, who is slightly above average in his prime. In an uncapped year, I understand that they had to spend big (they’re not the only ones overpaying) in order to address a glaring need but just because I understand it, doesn’t mean I think the system makes sense. In fact, free agency in the NFL makes as much sense sometimes as the rookie salary structure.
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