What is considered a bad 2017 draft for quarterbacks and offensive linemen has led to stunning jumps in salaries at those positions in free agency. Mike Glennon was the headliner at quarterback, getting a $45 million deal from the Chicago Bears. The Carolina Panthers gave left tackle Matt Kalil $31 million guaranteed, despite his playing only 118 snaps last season.
The 2018 free-agency class should prove to be better for talent, depth and salaries, and it could possibly take the total payouts of unrestricted free-agent contracts to $2 billion. This year's class has already exceeded $1.8 billion in total contracts.
There will be more of a fantasy football feel to 2018 free agency, as teams will have better quarterback options, and the first set of players from what was considered one of the best receiving draft classes -- 2014 -- will hit the market.
In fact, offense should dominate next year's free-agency landscape. Defensive options might prove to be a little tricky. We're still waiting on a first-round defender from the 2014 draft to make a Pro Bowl. This year, guards received better salaries than wide receivers, and undrafted defensive backs such as A.J. Bouye and Tony Jefferson got better deals than most of the players from the 2013 draft class who hit the market.
Next year's market will feature veteran players with expiring contracts, 2017 free agents on one-year, prove-it deals and fifth-year-option defenders who didn't get their tenders exercised or couldn't land long-term deals with their teams.
Here are the trendsetters for 2018:
