NFL Free Agency 2017: Winners and Losers of Day 2

The sequel is almost never better than the original. 

Of course, there are obvious exceptions like The Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2 or The Dark Knight. NFL free agency doesn't fall into that category.

Instead, day two of the new league year felt more like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with its huge buildup yet little payoff.

The change of pace made sense considering those free agents, who didn't originally agree to contracts during the legal-tampering period, are now allowed to visit teams and make informed decisions.

Also, the biggest contracts have already been handed out to those deemed worthy. The second wave of free agency hit much sooner than expected.

A handful of notable names are still available, yet more than a few teams concentrated on internal decisions once the initial activity subsided.

Friday's free-agency winners and losers are highlighted by a pair of teams with quarterbacks on their minds, another blockbuster trade and a future Hall of Fame inductee who decided there's no place like home.

The Washington Redskins' first day of free agency can't be described as anything other than disastrous.

After all, the organization fired general manager Scot McCloughan on the day he should have led the team through major free-agent decisions. Both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon left for greener pastures when they signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, respectively.

Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport tabbed Washington as one of Thursday's biggest losers. However, the team received good news Friday when Kirk Cousins decided to sign his franchise tender.

For better or worse, Cousins and Washington are tied at the hip. It's a bittersweet arrangement, with the quarterback unlikely to sign a long-term contract, per CSN Mid-Atlantic's J.P. Finlay.

Washington retains its franchise player at a hefty $23.9 million price tag, though Cousins is coming off another stellar season with 4,917 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

Washington does have options. Cousins is the team's best option behind center and the most logical choice. Although, he can now be traded after signing the deal.

This level of flexibility at quarterback makes Washington much better off than multiple teams still searching for a signal-caller of Cousins' caliber.

The Washington Redskins have every right to be excited. They lost both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon in free agency yet still managed to sign the top wide receiver on the market in Terrelle Pryor.

If the organization keeps Kirk Cousins as its quarterback, he'll have plenty of weapons in Pryor, Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis and last year's first-round pick, Josh Doctson.

This isn't about the team, though.

Pryor overplayed his hand in free agency and ended up with a one-year contract worth $8 million, and it's not even fully guaranteed.

The Cleveland Browns offered a multiple-year deal at a similar price, but Pryor declined. When his contract is compared to other top targets on the market, the quarterback-turned-wide receiver failed to maximize his value.

Alshon Jeffery signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. DeSean Jackson agreed to a three-year, $35 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even Pryor's replacement in Cleveland, Kenny Britt, signed a more lucrative deal (four years, $32.5 million).

Free agency is about being in the right place at the right time. Pryor wasn't.

Finally, Julius Peppers has come back to the Carolina Panthers.

Peppers left the team that selected him with the second overall pick in the 2002 draft after eight seasons, 81 sacks and five Pro Bowl appearances. During his time between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, Peppers accumulated 62.5 more sacks on his way to become the NFL's active leader.

This won't be a reunion tour for the 37-year-old North Carolina native, though.

Peppers comes into a situation where he'll be asked to serve a large role in the team's defensive line rotation. He'll join fellow veteran Charles Johnson along with the recently re-signed Mario Addison and Wes Horton.

The Panthers are now loaded along their defensive front even after the team traded Kony Ealy to the New England Patriots. Defensive tackle Kawann Short will return under the franchise tag or a long-term agreement. Star Lotulelei and last year's first-round pick, Vernon Butler, add to the interior.

This is a big and talented group that can create pressure in waves.

It's important the front makes quarterbacks uncomfortable in order to mask a weak secondary. The Panthers finished second overall during the 2016 campaign with 47 sacks, and they're even better with Peppers added to the group.

The Cleveland Browns announced Robert Griffin III's release Friday.

Just over four years ago, he was named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. His first season with the Washington Redskins was as good as anything the NFL ever experienced. He threw for 3,200 yards, ran for 815 more and scored 27 total touchdowns on his way to a playoff appearance.

In his fifth season and first with the Browns, RG3 only started five games due to a shoulder injury he suffered early in the year. Even in the lineup, Griffin never looked comfortable and displayed terrible pocket presence. He completed a career-low 59.2 percent of his passes for 886 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

When the Browns worked out the quarterback last offseason, Hue Jackson said "it felt like the Earth moved beneath my feet" based on Griffin's freakish performance, per NFL.com's Jeff Darlington.

The Earth's rotation doesn't stop for anyone, and a team must move on if an individual continues to regress. Griffin's options will be limited on the open market, and a third chance to become a starting quarterback is unlikely.

The Green Bay Packers don't delve into the free-agent waters too often. When the organization does, it's noteworthy.

Julius Peppers and Jared Cook were two of the team's biggest signings over the last three years. Neither will be with the team in 2017.

Peppers was expected to leave, but negotiations broke down between Cook and the team, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Green Bay reacted quickly and targeted the top available tight end, Martellus Bennett.

Within hours, the team announced it had signed Bennett.

Cook played well down the stretch, but Bennett is a better all-around tight end. Last season, he caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Texas A&M product finished second in reception percentage among tight ends last season.

More importantly, Bennett is reliable. Availability is one of the NFL's most important traits. He played at least 945 snaps in four of the last five seasons, per Pro Football Focus. Cook, meanwhile, dealt with injuries throughout his career and never played more than 733 snaps in any season.

For Bennett, a move from Tom Brady to Aaron Rodgers isn't too shabby.

Even before the 2013 draft started, it built a reputation as the weakest in the past decade or more. Four years later, this perception turned out to be true.

Five of the first 12 picks didn't receive their fifth-year options from their respective teams. At the start of the new year, none of them signed anything more than prove-it deals.

On Thursday, former 10th overall pick Chance Warmack signed a one-year, $1.51 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Former sixth overall pick Barkevious Mingo followed when he agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts.

D.J. Hayden's turn came Friday. The 12th overall pick came to terms with the Detroit Lions on a one-year, $5.25 million deal.

With fellow first-rounders D.J. Fluker, EJ Manuel, Jarvis Jones, Datone Jones, Sylvester Williams, Cordarrelle Patterson and Matt Elam still available in free agency, the 2013 draft couldn't have been much worse.

Under previous general manager Ryan Grigson, the Indianapolis Colts signed older, overpriced veterans. Those acquisitions rarely lived up to expectations.

The organization is taking a different approach under Chris Ballard.

Last season, the Colts pass rush started with veterans Erik Walden, Robert Mathis and Trent Cole. Walden and Cole are at least 31 years old and free agents, while Mathis retired after the 2016 campaign.

Indianapolis desperately needed an infusion of youth and talent to its edge defenders. The franchise added both Friday. Jabaal Sheard agreed to a three-year, $25.5 million deal, while John Simon signed a three-year $13.5 million contract.

Neither is considered a premier pass-rusher; however, both are stout edge defenders who can provide flexibility within the defensive scheme.

The New England Patriots liked to move Sheard around, and he capitalized with 83 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons, per Pro Football Focus. Simon is strong at the point of attack and improved in each of his three seasons with the Houston Texans.

Sheard and Simon, along with former sixth overall pick Barkevious Mingo, have the potential to develop into a formidable group as the Colts' defensive bookends.

For those who can protect the quarterback as either a left or right tackle, stand up and get paid. The offensive tackle market is outrageous, and it didn't slow down during day two of free agency.

After Thursday's blockbuster signings of Matt Kalil—yes, you read that right—Ricky Wagner, Russell Okung and Andrew Whitworth, teams turned to the next tier of edge blockers.

The Minnesota Vikings revamped their porous offensive line with the acquisitions of Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers. Reiff signed a massive five-year, $58.75 million contract, while Remmers got a five-year, $30 million pact.

Quarterback Sam Bradford probably won't stop smiling for a few days.

A primary reason behind these hefty contracts is the perception surrounding this year's offensive line class. None of the top prospects are expected to be selected in the top half of the first round.

Plus, there are growing concerns about their readiness due to the preponderance of spread offenses. They're nowhere near as technically sound as they once were.

Instead of spending valuable draft capital along the offensive line, teams are finding it more prudent to invest in proven commodities.

The echo of Bill Belichick's "no days off" chant during the New England Patriots' latest championship parade can still be heard throughout Boston.

At the time, it seemed to be a funny reply to all of the fans who took the day off to attend the event. For Belichick, it's a way of life.

The Patriots organization isn't willing to rest on its laurels. Friday's transactions proved the Patriots are still the team to beat after reworking their roster.

First, the team sent a second-round pick to acquire defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-rounder. Ealy showed up on the biggest stage when he sacked Peyton Manning three times in Super Bowl 50. For a team like New England, this is important.

Second, Tom Brady received another weapon when the team flipped it's first- and third-round picks to the New Orleans Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Cooks adds to an already-dynamic wide receiver corps, but he's also a long-term fix. Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola will be at least 31 years old this year.

These moves came a day after New England acquired tight end Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts and signed top free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

New England continues to prove it's the NFL's best-run organization.

As the New England Patriots continue to rework and reload their roster for another Super Bowl run, the AFC East couldn't keep pace. The Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets all made moves within the past day, but they pale in comparison.

Let's compare:

Bill Belichick acquired 1,000-yard wide receiver Brandin Cooks, 25-year-old defensive end Kony Ealy, a complete tight end in Dwayne Allen and former Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Buffalo proved to be one of the most active teams in the first couple of days, but a pair of fullbacks and Micah Hyde to replace Gilmore isn't the route to beating New England.

Miami added two pieces Friday. The Dolphins agreed on a two-year, $12 million deal with linebacker Lawrence Timmons. The team also announced it reached a deal with safety Nate Allen. Both are solid, but they will be at least 30 this season.

Left tackle Kelvin Beachum announced he signed with the New York Jets. He is coming off his worst season, but he's now two years removed from his left ACL tear. If healthy, he upgrades the Jets offensive line, but the team is in a rebuild.

New England's last season without a division crown came nine years ago. The trend isn't likely to change this fall.