2021 NFL free agency winners and losers: Which teams got it right after 1st week of signings?

A year after missing the playoffs and watching Tom Brady win a Super Bowl without him, Bill Belichick was not going to let nearly $70 million in cap space go to waste.

New England, after bring back Cam Newton trading for offensive tackle Trent Brown, spent big by adding the top two tight ends on the market — both Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry — which has many thinking back to the Rob Gronkowski/Aaron Hernandez days.

In addition to re-investing in the two-tight end set, the Patriots also signed two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Matthew Judon to bolster a weak pass rush. They also brought back linebacker Kyle Van Noy and added safety Jalen Mills, who was an integral part of the Eagles championship defense that beat the Patriots in 2017.

Belichick aimed to bring in some bargain receivers in Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne after having one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL last year.

The Jets had the second-most cap space of any team to spend in free agency and were quick to address their concerns. Their two big moves came in the form of wide receiver Corey Davis and pass rusher Carl Lawson. Neither were the top players at their position in the market, but both have upside, especially Lawson, who had the fourth-most pressures in the NFL last season with 44.

Because those players were not at the top of their respective positions, the Jets were also able to spend on adding depth, signing linebacker Jarrad Davis, wide receiver Keelan Cole, safety JaMarcus Joyner and offensive lineman Dan Feeney to one-year deals.

All we heard leading up the free agency was how GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy were in desperation mode and willing to do whatever it takes to land Russell Wilson. They reportedly did make an offer to the Seahawks, but Seattle did not want to part with the Pro Bowl quarterback.

Instead, the Bears opted for Plan B, which was to sign Andy Dalton to a one-year deal. Dalton started last season as a backup with the Cowboys before replacing an injured Dak Prescott and put together a fairly decent season — one that was no better than Mitchel Trubisky, the Bears’ former quarterback, though. It was a bit of a head-scratching move and one that has drawn ire from a fanbase starving for that franchise QB.

The Giants made some minor moves in the early days of the free agency period — signing running back Devontae Booker and wide receiver John Ross — but if they failed to sign one of the top receivers on the market there would have been an uproar in New York.

Instead, GM Dave Gettleman got himself a big target for Daniel Jones in wide receiver Kenny Golladay — arguably the top free-agent receiver. Golladay gives the Giants size and a true No. 1 target to complement Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton, while also giving Jones a viable deep-ball threat that ought to boost offensive production.

Kenny Golladay inked himself a nice $72 million contract with $40 million guaranteed. Curtis Smauel signed a three-year, $34 million deal with Washington, but the other top two receivers on the market cannot say the same.

Smith-Schuster and Fuller both had to settle for one-year deals — Smith-Schuster at $8 million and Fuller at $10 million with an additional $3 million in incentives. Security and guaranteed money is the name of the game in the NFL, and both Smith-Schuster and Fuller will need to wait another year or work out an extension in order to receive those things.

The Chiefs had one big concern to address this offseason and that was to bolster the line in front of Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City did just that after it signed left guard Joe Thuney to a four-year deal. Thuney has been among the best offensive linemen in the league in recent years and has allowed just three sacks since 2018, per Pro Football Focus.

In a year where the NFL lowered its salary cap, Williams and the 49ers were both able to get what they want in each other. The left tackle signed a six-year, $138.06 million deal to stay in San Francisco, which includes $55.1 million guaranteed — making him the highest-paid left tackle in the league.

Whether the 49ers’ quarterback is Jimmy Garropolo or somebody else, they can rest easy knowing they have one of the best blindside protectors in the league.

As the Russell Wilson drama continues, the Seahawks have hardly done anything to address the offensive line concerns that linger in Seattle. If the Seahawks’ line does not improve, Wilson’s frustrations will only continue to grow.