Happy new league year to you and yours! At 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the NFL rung in the new league year, which means all the deals that were agreed in principle over the course of the last few days during the legal negotiating period can now become official. It also means trades — such as DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers — can be finalized. So, there’s a lot of action that is being buttoned up across football.
While those prior deals are now coming back to the forefront, it’s also technically Day 3 of free agency. In the early goings, it was a rather quiet day leading up to the new year, but there was still some action that unfolded. That includes the New York Jets set to release quarterback Aaron Rodgers, further freeing him to land with a new team. The Denver Broncos also addressed a glaring need on its roster.
Below, we’ll dive into the winners and losers from the new action that went down on Day 3 of free agency and the start of the new league year.
The Denver Broncos filled a massive need on the first day of the new league year, reaching a two-year deal with veteran tight end Evan Engram. The production from the tight end position for Denver last season was nonexistent, and now it injects a player who has 100-catch upside into the offense. This is also great for Engram as he is poised to take over a central role within Sean Payton’s offense, which he called the “joker.” In the past, that’s been manned by the likes of Jimmy Graham and Jeremy Shockey. That sets up what could be a career year for the 30-year-old.
Loser: Pittsburgh Steelers
Another day has passed and, so far, crickets are coming out of the Aaron Rodgers camp. While the New York Jets are reportedly releasing the four-time NFL MVP after the start of the new league year, it doesn’t seem like a decision on where he’ll play next is coming in any hurry. That’s bad news for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants — two of the most notable suitors for Rodgers — as their quarterback situations remain in flux. However, it’s especially bad for the Steelers as the options outside of Rodgers are dwindling. They already lost Justin Fields to the Jets and Russell Wilson — their starter for most of the season in 2024 — is scheduled to visit the Browns and Giants this week. If Wilson comes off the board, it’s Rodgers or bust for Pittsburgh, which is a scary position to be in.
Loser: Russell Wilson
Continuing off the Rodgers point above, Wilson’s market is being limited a bit due to the uncertainty around Rodgers. The veteran quarterback is set to visit the Browns and Giants this week, but Pittsburgh is likely his top option given his familiarity with the team after starting there last season along with the arrival of former Seahawks teammate DK Metcalf. However, the Steelers seem to have put Rodgers as the priority, as have the Giants. With Rodgers still mulling his future, that leaves Pittsburgh and New York wishy-washy, which has Wilson kicking the tires on Cleveland. Ideally, he would probably like to land with a team sooner rather than later but is being held up by external forces.
Look at Demarcus Lawrence still getting paid as he enters his age-33 season! The former Cowboys pass rusher leaves Dallas after a decade with the organization, but lands a three-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth up to $42 million and includes $18 million guaranteed. That’s a particularly impressive haul considering that Lawrence is coming off a 2024 season that was limited to four games due to a foot injury. While a potentially risky move for Seattle to sign an aging player coming off injury, it’s quite the opportunity for Lawrence to cash in.
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