The most exciting parts of NFL free agency are unfortunately over, and I do hope you had the time of your life. We saw the quarterback carousel spin in unanticipated directions, the Minnesota Vikings loaded up on talent for new starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the Carolina Panthers revamped their defense.
It was a defensive lineman that signed the largest contract in free agency this year, as former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams is headed to the New England Patriots on a four-year, $104 million deal. Sam Darnold’s $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks is the second-largest contract in total value that was not a re-signing, but how it’s structured is reportedly like a one-year deal. It would appear the former No. 3 overall pick did indeed cost himself money and long-term security with how the 2024 season ended.
Who has had the best offseason thus far, and who has had the worst? I’m glad you asked. Let’s grade each team through two weeks of free agency, beginning with Jonathan Gannon’s squad out in Glendale.
Josh Sweat joining Gannon in Arizona was a chalky prediction among analysts, but it came to fruition in the form of a $76.4 million deal. Bolstering the pass rush was a goal for the Cardinals this offseason, and they also kept Baron Browning in the fold — who was a trade-deadline addition. We’ll see if the Cards use the draft to adjust the offensive side of the ball. They have a need at wide receiver, but there weren’t too many intriguing options on the market.
Not much to be excited about with the Falcons in free agency, especially when you consider the fact that the Chicago Bears poached both Drew Dalman and Grady Jarrett. Maybe the Falcons’ lack of movement in free agency was to be expected since they had about $9.6 million available. In the draft, Atlanta should add to the defensive line and in the secondary.
The big storyline from Baltimore’s free agency was the re-signing of left tackle Ronnie Stanley, but the Ravens did lose Patrick Mekari to the Jags. DeAndre Hopkins is an intriguing addition, but he’s probably not some game-changing 1,000-yard Pro Bowl receiver anymore. At the same time, it doesn’t take a game-changing receiver to guarantee a Super Bowl for Lamar Jackson and Co. Maybe Hopkins is more of a “move-the-chains, possession” guy, but that’s big for this offense. Next up, the Ravens need to focus on pass-rush help and the secondary.
The Bills’ offseason was more about extending current players, like quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard and pass rusher Greg Rousseau. However, they did make some notable additions like the young wide receiver, Josh Palmer, and defensive linemen Michael Hoecht, Joey Bosa and Larry Ogunjobi. However, Hoecht and Ogunjobi will unfortunately have to miss six games due to PED suspensions. Buffalo also picked up a 2025 fifth-round with a late-pick exchange to ship off a cornerback it didn’t very much trust in Kaiir Elam. The Bills still have some needs in the secondary, but as far as the current additions go, Palmer’s best football may be ahead of him and Bosa could thrive with this change of scenery despite the high price tag.
Carolina Panthers: B+
The Panthers entered free agency needing to address the defensive side of the ball, and that’s exactly what they did with Tre’Von Moehrig, Patrick Jones II, Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. I view Moehrig and Brown as underrated players who should be immediate contributors to help the unit that gave up the most yards per play in the NFL last season (6.0). Dave Canales also scored arguably the best running back in free agency with Rico Dowdle to pair with Chuba Hubbard as Jonathon Brooks heals from another torn ACL. All in all, I like what Carolina has done.
Chicago Bears: A
The Bears have been aggressive in free agency in the Ryan Poles era, but it hasn’t exactly translated to wins. That may change in 2025. Chicago needed to improve the offensive line that surrendered 68 sacks last season, and the Bears did that by trading for Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney and then signed center Drew Dalman. This will give Caleb Williams a chance to develop. Dayo Odeyingbo also appeared to be a sought-after free agent, and the Bears landed him to rush the passer opposite of Montez Sweat.
The Bengals are riding high after signing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative multiyear extensions, but then there’s the issue of Trey Hendrickson. Chase and Higgins are great pass catchers, but this defense was the reason Joe Burrow missed the playoffs last year. Re-signing B.J. Hill was important and then the addition of Oren Burks is interesting, but this unit isn’t improved just yet.
The biggest move for Cleveland so far was retaining Myles Garrett by making him the highest-paid non-QB in the league. I wondered if trading him for draft capital and getting his contract off their books would be the best course of action since he doesn’t make the Browns a Super Bowl contender by himself, but I guess the front office chose to have two monster, historical contracts on their books while they search for their next quarterback and try to upgrade the other trouble spots on their roster. I can’t imagine the kind of season the Browns are in for if it’s Russell Wilson or Kenny Pickett behind a shaky offensive line.
- Key additions and re-signings: RB Javonte Williams, EDGE Dante Fowler Jr. EDGE Payton Turner, OG Robert Jones, DL Solomon Thomas, CB Kaiir Elam, LB Kenneth Murray, DT Osa Odighizuwa, RB Miles Sanders, WR KaVontae Turpin
- Key departures: CB Jourdan Lewis, EDGE Chauncey Golston, OT Chuma Edoga, EDGE DeMarcus Lawrence, RB Rico Dowdle
Re-signing Osa Odighizuwa to an extension was a priority, but so is signing Micah Parsons to what will surely be a historical extension. The longer the Cowboys wait, the more the price goes up. The Cowboys targeted some low-cost former first-round picks — and that’s not the worst thing in the world. Payton Turner and Kaiir Elam could find their footing with this change of scenery. However, Jourdan Lewis and DeMarcus Lawrence are legitimate losses, and Lawrence threw some salt in the wound on his way out. Really when it comes to this offseason, Cowboys fans are waiting on the Parsons extension. That hasn’t happened yet.
I’m a fan of what the Broncos have done in free agency with the additions of Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw on defense, plus the re-signing of D.J. Jones as well. Back in 2022, Hufanga was a first-team All-Pro with 97 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions, and Greenlaw is an upgrade from Cody Barton. The X-factor addition could be Evan Engram, since he’s the perfect fit for Sean Payton’s “joker” role. Denver still needs some more weapons to place around Bo Nix, but this 2024 postseason surprise should be even better in 2025.
The Lions lost Carlton Davis, but did score a top free agent in D.J. Reed. Detroit clearly values the defensive front, and the re-signings of Levi Onwuzurike and Marcus Davenport were worth it. That doesn’t mean the Lions should be done adding on the defensive line, and I wouldn’t mind another weapon added in the draft.
Green Bay splurged for one of the top offensive guards available, giving Aaron Banks $77 million over four years. It’s a lot of money, but protecting Jordan Love is important. Banks has surrendered just one sack over his last 897 pass-blocking snaps. Nate Hobbs is a starting defensive back who can play outside or in the slot, but the Packers need another cornerback. And pass rushers. And wide receivers. And the offensive line needs a look. Naturally you don’t have to account for all these positions in free agency, but Green Bay definitely has some needs to address.
The Laremy Tunsil trade was arguably the most shocking move of free agency, but if Houston wanted to go in a different direction with one of the best left tackles in the game, there was obviously a reason why. I don’t know if that was contract related or locker room related, but the Texans decided to sell as high as they could on this star. I think the biggest problem with this decision is that the offensive line was the most important area where the team wanted to upgrade this offseason. They lost their best player on the offensive front, and traded Kenyon Green to the Eagles. That move is a win for Houston, since CJGJ could fit in nicely under DeMeco Ryans, but are Cam Robinson and Ed Ingram upgrades over Tunsil and Green?
I’m actually a fan of what the Colts have done in free agency. The secondary absolutely had to be upgraded, and Camryn Bynum, plus Charvarius Ward do that immediately. Daniel Jones is an interesting addition to the quarterback room, but after watching Sam Darnold resurrect his career, let’s reserve judgment on Danny Dimes. The Colts’ losses of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries automatically make the offensive line a point of emphasis in the draft, and I’d like to see the Colts draft a tight end as well.
- Key additions and re-signings: OL Patrick Mekari, CB Jourdan Lewis, S Eric Murray, OL Robert Hainsey, WR Dyami Brown, OT Chuma Edoga
- Key departures: WR Christian Kirk, S Andre Cisco, TE Evan Engram
Patrick Mekari was a nice addition on the offensive line, then Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray are immediate starters in the secondary. I don’t know what James Gladstone sees in Dyami Brown, but an addition at wide receiver was needed (and still needed). Brown was overpaid, and you could say Jacksonville did the same with Murray and Hainsey. That’s why this grade is not as high as it could have been.
I like how the Chiefs have rebounded following their Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles. They placed the franchise tag on Trey Smith, quickly targeted Patrick Mahomes‘ new left tackle in Jaylon Moore, added a starting cornerback in Kristian Fulton, retained linebacker and defensive quarterback Nick Bolton and re-signed wide receivers Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. We’ll see if Moore is the long-term answer at left tackle and how left guard shakes out, but Kansas City has done a good job.
- Key additions and re-signings: QB Geno Smith, S Jeremy Chinn, OG Alex Cappa, LB Elandon Roberts, CB Eric Stokes, RB Raheem Mostert, EDGE Malcolm Koonce, DT Adam Butler, S Isaiah Pola-Mao
- Key departures: S Tre’Von Moehrig, CB Nate Hobbs, LB Robert Spillane, LB Divine Deablo
Pete Carroll went out and got his new quarterback in Geno Smith, but he needs a couple wide receivers to throw to. One move I really liked was re-signing Malcolm Koonce, who I thought could attract some interest on the open market. This could be the season where he explodes. I don’t love losing Tre’Von Moehrig, but Jeremy Chinn is a versatile defensive back Patrick Graham will love. You can see the groundwork coach Carroll/John Spytek/Tom Brady are trying to lay.
The Chargers losing Joey Bosa and Poona Ford is tough for the defensive line, but at least Khalil Mack is back. I’m excited to see Najee Harris run the ball for Greg Roman, but I don’t have enough reason to believe Mekhi Becton is going to have the same success he did with the Eagles last year. I’m fine letting Josh Palmer walk, but I don’t know if Mike Williams will be a good replacement. Yes, Williams had a 1,100-yard, nine-touchdown career season playing with Justin Herbert in 2021, but is he the same player? I want another receiver in L.A.
The two big moves the Rams made were keeping Matthew Stafford and signing Davante Adams — who still has some tread left on the tires. Re-signing Alaric Jackson was important for the offensive line, as was stealing Poona Ford from the Chargers. He’s coming off a career year, and will just add to the fun, young defensive front we watched last year that came oh so close to an NFC Championship appearance. The Tutu Atwell contract was jarring, but the Rams are set up for a run.
The Dolphins lost star safety Jevon Holland, which was expected if you paid attention to how Miami’s brass spoke about his upcoming free agency. James Daniels is a solid addition to an offensive line that needs several additions, and then Zach Wilson is the new Tua Tagovailoa backup. There are people who believe he will have a resurgence one day, and that could come in the AFC East.
Minnesota Vikings: A+
- Key additions and re-signings: OG Will Fries, CB Isaiah Rodgers, C Ryan Kelly, DT Jonathan Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, RB Jordan Mason, CB Byron Murphy, RB Aaron Jones, S Harrison Smith, WR Rondale Moore
- Key departures: QB Sam Darnold, S Camryn Bynum, EDGE Patrick Jones II
What’s interesting is that the Vikings left Day 1 of free agency with a “D” grade from CBS Sports, but they’ve been fantastic ever since that first day. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah kept cornerback Byron Murphy in house, then scored former Colts offensive linemen Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, and a couple of veterans in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the defensive side. I also love the trade for former San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason to pair with Aaron Jones. J.J. McCarthy better be ready to live up to expectations in his first season as a full-time starter.
New England Patriots: B+
The Patriots entered free agency with the most money to spend, and Mike Vrabel handed the biggest contract of this cycle to former Eagle Milton Williams, who received $104 million over four years. The addition of Carlton Davis to start opposite of Christian Gonzalez was a good one, as is Morgan Moses to hold down the right side of the offensive line. I’m not sure if Harold Landry or Robert Spillane will have big impacts, and you could argue they were overpaid as well. There’s still work to do on the offensive line and especially at wide receiver. I like, not love, what the Patriots have done so far.
I feel like I always have to grade the Saints on a curve because every year their financial situation is a disaster. No one was expecting them to sign a big-name free agent like Josh Sweat or Milton Williams, but New Orleans did swing a trade for Davon Godchaux and lure Justin Reid away from the Chiefs on a sizable contract. The Saints also made several notable re-signings, such as defensive end Chase Young, tight end Juwan Johnson and safety Tyrann Mathieu. Overall a solid free agency from a team no one expected anything from.
Paulson Adebo was one of my favorite free agents from this class, since he was playing like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL before his unfortunate injury last season. Not only did New York grab him, but also former Dolphins safety Jevon Holland — who is without a doubt one of the most versatile defensive backs in the NFL.
Now onto the quarterback situation. The Giants are still looking for their QB, which is why people will be hard on them in free agency. Who knows if Sam Darnold or Justin Fields are worth the contracts they got? I’m fine with the Giants brass passing on players they aren’t sold on. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson aren’t exciting, sure, but maybe Shedeur Sanders finds himself with the Giants and is a franchise quarterback.
New York Jets: B
- Key additions and re-signings: QB Justin Fields, CB Brandon Stephens, S Andre Cisco, LB Jamien Sherwood
- Key departures: QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams, EDGE Haason Reddick, CB D.J. Reed, DT Javon Kinlaw, OT Morgan Moses
I like the Justin Fields signing. He played the most efficient football of his career during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is just 26 years old, adds dual-threat ability and is now paired with former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson. I don’t love the Brandon Stephens contract given the rough season he had with the Ravens, but I’m excited about ballhawk Andre Cisco on a one-year deal. Losing D.J. Reed of course hurts, but overall not a bad offseason from New York. Now it just needs some wide receivers and support on the offensive line.
Philadelphia Eagles: B-
- Key additions and re-signings: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, OG Kenyon Green, RB A.J. Dillon, EDGE Azeez Ojulari, LB Josh Uche, LB Zack Baun, CB Adoree’ Jackson
- Key departures: EDGE Josh Sweat, DT Milton Williams, CB Isaiah Rodgers, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, CB Darius Slay, OG Mekhi Becton, LB Oren Burks
The Eagles couldn’t compete with the kind of money Milton Williams and Josh Sweat were going to command on the open market, but they did retain Defensive Player of the Year Finalist Zack Baun. Kenyon Green will probably resurrect his career under Jeff Stoutland much like Mekhi Becton did, and A.J. Dillon is an underrated addition in the backfield. Maybe the best addition Philly has made is former Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari — who probably took a pay cut to join the reigning Super Bowl champions. I didn’t expect the Eagles to trade C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but watch Lewis Cine turn into a legitimate starter now that he’s with NFL Georgia.
Pittsburgh Steelers: C
I can defend the Giants for not having a quarterback at this juncture, but not the Steelers. Their front office made it clear it wanted to get a deal done with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields before the start of free agency, and failed to do so. I imagine Omar Khan didn’t try very hard with Russ, but Fields clearly wanted to go in a different direction. I thought Sam Darnold would be a great fit in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers brass apparently didn’t agree. Swinging an aggressive trade for DK Metcalf is great and Darius Slay hopefully has some gas left in the tank. Next on the docket is the quarterback position and offensive line.
San Francisco 49ers: F
- Key additions and re-signings: TE Luke Farrell, FB Kyle Juszczyk
- Key departures: WR Deebo Samuel, LG Aaron Banks, LT Jaylon Moore, S Talanoa Hufanga, RB Elijah Mitchell, DE Leonard Floyd, LB Dre Greenlaw, RB Jordan Mason, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Maliek Collins, CB Charvarius Ward
The 49ers have had the worst offseason, and the list of talent they’ve lost over the past few weeks is incredibly long. As of now, Luke Farrell is the prized signing of this class. General manager John Lynch says the 49ers have a plan and that “big things are coming our way.” I guess that means the Brock Purdy extension?
Seattle Seahawks: C-
- Key additions and re-signings: QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, LB Ernest Jones IV, DT Jarran Reed, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Key departures: WR DK Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett, QB Geno Smith, OG Laken Tomlinson, DL Roy Robertson-Harris, DE Dre’Mont Jones
The Seahawks are truly beginning a new era that does not include the likes of Geno Smith, DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett. Sam Darnold was the “belle of the ball” this year as far as available quarterbacks go, but he had an incredibly favorable situation last year and flamed out when the most important football was being played. Even the most passionate Sam Darnold fan can’t say with certainty he’s a great long-term option. The Cooper Kupp addition was a curious one. Yes, Seattle needed a wide receiver, but it’s difficult to tell if he’s “washed” or was just frozen out of the Rams offense down the stretch last year. There were plenty of gambles made here by Seattle, which is why I’m not in love with its offseason.
Chris Godwin reportedly took a pay cut to return to the Bucs, which was a big-time win, as was bringing back veteran linebacker Lavonte David. Tampa Bay also worked quick to add pass rusher Haason Reddick. While the former Jet had just one sack in 2024, he recorded at least 11 sacks in four straight seasons with three different teams — including a career-high 16 sacks and five forced fumbles he notched in 2022. Reddick has recorded 50.5 sacks from 2020-23, which ranked fourth-most in that span.
- Key additions and re-signings: OT Dan Moore Jr., LB Cody Barton, S Xavier Woods, OG Kevin Zeitler, DE Dre’Mont Jones, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
- Key departures: EDGE Harold Landry, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, CB Chidobe Awuzie, LB Kenneth Murray
The Titans weren’t expected to be active in free agency after the 2024 spending spree resulted in them being the worst team in the NFL. The Dan Moore Jr. signing was not beloved by fans, but it does make the offensive line better. The only question I have is would JC Latham eventually (maybe as soon as this year) become a better left tackle than Moore? Even if you hated the Moore contract, landing Kevin Zeitler definitely made Titans fans feel better about the line as a whole.
It looks like Cam Ward is headed to Nashville, but he doesn’t have a ton around him. The Titans wide receiving corps is lacking, and then they don’t have pass-rush talent.
- Key additions and re-signing: WR Deebo Samuel, LT Laremy Tunsil, LB Bobby Wagner, DT Javon Kinlaw, S Will Harris, DB Jonathan Jones
- Key departures: S Jeremy Chinn, DT Jonathan Allen, WR Dyami Brown, OT Cornelius Lucas, EDGE Dante Fowler Jr., CB Benjamin St-Juste
My colleagues at CBS Sports gave Washington an “A+” earlier in free agency, but I skew a bit lower. For one, why is Javon Kinlaw getting $45 million? Two, are we sure Deebo Samuel is a nice fit in Washington? Upgrading Jayden Daniels‘ weaponry is definitely important, but Samuel averaged a career-low 53.7 yards from scrimmage last season. He fit perfectly in Kyle Shanahan’s system, but how will he fare with Kliff Kingsbury? The Commanders shouldn’t be done as far as weaponry goes.
The swing for Laremy Tunsil was a great one to keep Daniels upright, but I’m curious if this was a contract-related move and if he will be signing for more money in the near future. Bringing back Bobby Wagner, the quarterback of your defense and future Hall of Famer, is an awesome move, but Washington needs some serious pass-rush help.
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