Avoidance Meter on recent NFL Free Agent signings
Patrick Stoddard
March 24, 2022
Von Miller
Buffalo Bills
6 years- $120 Million
Avoidance Meter 5 out of 10
Defensive NFL players get no hobby love, sadly. Miller is a surefire NFL Hall of Famer when he hangs up his cleats. I see no need for people other than Von Miller's collectors to buy Millers' cards. If sports card collectors want to buy Miller's cards, go for it. However, don't expect to see any jump in prices anytime soon; if anything, his recent signing with the Buffalo Bills has brought false hype around his card market.
Christian Kirk
Jacksonville Jaguars
4 years- $72 Million
Avoidance Meter 7 out 10
Kirk is a top-20 WR in the NFL at his very ceiling. Kirk is a fine, albeit overpaid WR. Kirk may develop incredible chemistry with Trevor Lawrence, bringing some early NFL season hype around him. Potential buyers should keep in mind two things. Kirk plays in Jacksonville, who figures to an irrelevant NFL team this season. Two, Kirk's ceiling is somewhere around the top-20 WRs in the NFL. Kirk realistically falls somewhere between the top 30-40 WRs in the NFL. How many WRs outside the top 10-15 maintain sports card hobby relevance? The answer is very few; I would avoid Kirk.
Allen Robinson
Los Angeles Rams
3 years- $46.5 Million
Avoidance Meter 3 out 10
Robinson will be the new shiny toy of the reigning Super Bowl champions. Robinson will also be 29 years old when the NFL season begins. I can see Robinson putting up great numbers this NFL season, regaining some of his lost hype in the sports card hobby. If Robinson puts up great early season numbers, I would try to buy low on Robinson after his free agency hype dies off. Then sell high after he puts up some tremendous statistical games early in the NFL season. Robinson receives a three out ten on the avoidance meter, but only if buyers are trying to flip their Robinson cards. I would not hold Robinson past the mid-way point of this NFL season. Remember that Robinson has been injury-prone throughout his career and could burn potential flippers.
Russel Gage
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3 years- $30 Million
Avoidance Meter 9 out of 10
Gage is a slightly above-average NFL WR. Who will have to compete for targets from Tom Brady with NFL Pro Bowl WRs Chris Goodwin and Mike Evans. Then there is future NFL Hall of Fame TE Robert Gronkowski and the Tampa Bay RBs out of the backfield. At best, Gage will be the 4th to 5th option for Tom Brady. Avoid the hype around Gage; having Tom Brady throw him the ball can entice some sports card buyers. But I would avoid Gage for the above-listed reasons; being the 4th to 5th option is not ideal for gaining sports card hobby relevance.
DJ Chark
Detroit Lions
1 year- $10 Million
Avoidance Meter 8 out 10
Chark is 25 years old and has shown flashes of greatness with his previous Jacksonville team. Buyers should not buy into a potential Chark "breakout" season. This NFL season, Chark will probably overperform his expectations with the Detroit Lions and begin to gain some hobby hype. Chark will be competing with Amon Ra St-Brown, TJ Hockenson, and a likely to be drafted highly rookie WR from the NFL Draft. Jared Goff will also be the QB throwing the ball to Chark, which should give potential buyers of Chark's card hesitation. The Detroit Lions figure to be a bad NFL team again. Chark may become their new number one WR, and with the Lions projected to lose many games. The Lions will be playing from behind a lot, meaning Chark has the potential to put up some great late game or garbage time stats. Avoid Chark; his ceiling is a questionable number one WR on a bad NFL team with Goff as his QB.
Chase Edmonds
Maimi Dolphins
2 years- $12.1 Million
Avoidance Meter 10 out 10
Edmons joins the Maimi Dolphins from the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphin's new head coach, Mike McDaniel, will orchestrate a high-powered NFL offense. That will feature speed as the dolphins try to turn their offense into a track team. Edmonds will be one back in a rotation of Miami RBs who will begin to gain NFL Fantasy Football hype. Fantasy Football success does not translate to sports cards prices increasing. Edmonds may run for multiple 100-yard games and catch many passes out of the Miami backfield. Buyers, keep in mind Edmonds is just one RB in a rotation of RBs. Edmonds may do well this upcoming NFL season. But how many RBs gained relevance in Fantasy Football only to disappear from the NFL entirely in three to five years? The answer is too many to count; avoid the hype around Edmonds, mainly because his cards are cheap and enticing.
Contract details via spotrac.com
Disclaimer: I'm a paying customer of Card Ladder. This content is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, investment, financial, or other advice.
