Instant grades in the NFL content space can be controversial. Some people love them, some people hate them. Some people love to hate them. The most common critique is some variation of “how can you give this move a grade when we won’t know how this player will play for months?”

That’s part of the fun. I don’t have a crystal ball but free agency has been around for decades. We have tons of information about what kinds of moves tend to pay off for teams and which ones don’t. We don’t know the outcome but we can grade the process.

Free agency has been in full swing for about two weeks now. That means initial report cards are just about due. I’ve graded all 32 teams below based on some simple criteria — did they get better, and did they optimize the resources available to them? Every team’s situation is different; some had more cap space while others had a lot of pending free agents to juggle. But I think those two categories are the best broad brush to paint with.

Without further ado…

San Francisco 49ers

Signed WR Christian Kirk, one year $6 million
Signed P Corliss Waitman
Re-signed LB Luke Gifford, two years $5.3 million
Signed CB Nate Hobbs, one year $3.5 million
Signed LB Dre Greenlaw, one year $7.5 million
Traded 2026 3rd (No. 92) for Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa
Tendered DE Sam Okuayinonu, original round level, one year and $3.5 million
Re-signed TE Jake Tonges, two years $8 million
Signed OL Brett Toth
Signed OT Vederian Lowe, two years $9.5 million
Signed WR Mike Evans, three years $42.5 million
Re-signed K Eddy Pineiro, four years $17 million

Grade: B+

San Francisco secured one of my favorite signings of free agency with Evans, securing a potential No. 1 wideout at the cost of a No. 3. The full details aren’t available for Kirk yet but that’s also a solid move to shore up the depth in the room, with a high likelihood of another rookie being added in the draft. A reunion with Greenlaw is the best possible outcome for both parties.

The trade for Odighizuwa was also a coup. Pro Football Focus tracked him with 18 sacks the last four seasons (though the service doesn’t split out half sacks) and Odighizuwa has also finished inside the top 10 in ESPN’s pass rush win rate two out of the past three seasons. He adds some much-needed interior pass rush juice to the 49ers’ defensive line and is an outstanding fit in their attacking system. While a third-round pick seems like a lot to give up at face value, it’s later in the round and this is not the best interior defender class. He’s owed $16.75 million guaranteed this year, which is great value for a productive pass rusher, and two years at $20 million apiece with no guarantees after 2026.

The biggest thing holding San Francisco’s grade back is the situation at left tackle. If they can’t come to a compromise with Trent Williams, they’ll be in a bad spot. Lowe got a pretty solid deal to serve as an insurance policy but he’s a huge downgrade from Williams.

Chicago Bears

Signed LB Jack Sanborn
Re-signed CB Jaylon Jones
Signed OT Jedrick Wills
Signed DL Kentavius Street
Signed DB Cam Lewis, two years $6 million
Signed WR Kalif Raymond, one year $3.5 million
Re-signed LT Braxton Jones, one year $5 million
Re-signed QB Case Keenum, two years $5.5 million
Signed LB Devin Bush, three years $30 million
Signed S Coby Bryant, three years $40 million
Signed DT Neville Gallimore, two years $10.25 million
Re-signed LB D’Marco Jackson, two years $7.5 million
Re-signed DE Daniel Hardy, two years $5 million
Traded 2027 5th for Patriots C Garrett Bradbury
Traded WR D.J. Moore, 2026 5th (No. 164) for Bills 2026 2nd (No. 60)

Grade: B

The Bears look like they’ve been busy this offseason but they’ve had to do a lot just to tread water. Key starters from last year’s team who won’t be back include WR D.J. Moore (traded), C Drew Dalman (retired), LB Tremaine Edmunds (cut), LT Ozzy Trapilo (hurt), and defensive backs Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Nahshon Wright (left in free agency).

In some cases, the Bears got better. Bush is cheaper than Edmunds and outplayed him last year in Cleveland. Chicago cleared $49 million in salary over the next two years and got a second-round pick back for Moore, who had fallen down the pecking order on offense. Bryant comes over from the champion Seahawks as a younger option than Byard and a better fit than Brisker.

But left tackle remains a big question mark, with the Bears hoping there’s an answer somewhere between Wills, Jones and other youngsters on the roster. Dalman to Bradbury is a downgrade no matter how you slice it, with the Bears likely hoping to find a long-term center in the draft. They added Gallimore but their defensive line rotation has been hollowed out and the Bears haven’t been able to make a big move to address their need for a more dynamic pass rush so far.

Cincinnati Bengals

Signed QB Josh Johnson
Signed DT Jonathan Allen, two years $25 million
Extended LT Orlando Brown Jr., two years $32 million
Signed DE Boye Mafe, three years $60 million
Signed S Bryan Cook, three years $40.25 million
Re-signed G Dalton Risner, one year $3.7 million

Grade: C+

The Bengals got better but there’s a sense as free agency moves into the second wave stage that they could have been more aggressive to shore up their needs, especially on defense. The defensive line got a big boost with Mafe and Allen, both of whom should be starters and see significant snaps. Mafe is viewed as a potential ascending player, as while he’s had just 17 sacks the past three years, he’s consistently graded highly in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. Allen has more skins on the wall but is coming down the back nine of his career at 31 years old.

Cincinnati kept the offensive line in front of QB Joe Burrow stable with extensions for Risner and Brown, and addressed the secondary by signing Cook away from the Chiefs. But despite a plethora of free agent linebackers coming available this offseason, the Bengals elected to stand pat and run it back with last year’s rookie duo of Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. They have until September to add veteran insurance here, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to not add someone like Kaden Elliss or Leo Chenal, especially given their skill as blitzers.

Buffalo Bills

Signed S Geno Stone
Signed S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, one year up to $6 million
Signed OLB Bradley Chubb, three years $43.5 million
Tendered OT Ryan Van Demark, original round level, one year and $3.5 million
Extended TE Dawson Knox, three years $20 million
Signed CB Dee Alford, three years $15.75 million
Re-signed P Mitch Wishnowsky
Signed QB Kyle Allen, two years $4.1 million
Traded CB Taron Johnson, 2026 7th to Raiders for 2026 6th
Re-signed C Connor McGovern, four years $52 million
Traded 2026 2nd (No. 60) for Bears WR D.J. Moore, 2026 5th (No. 164)
Re-signed S Sam Franklin, three years $7 million
Re-signed OL Alec Anderson, one year $2.5 million

Grade: C

The trade for Moore smells a little bit like desperation from Bills GM Brandon Beane. He and former HC Sean McDermott arrived in Buffalo the same year, but McDermott got to wear the consequences of failing to reach the Super Bowl again with QB Josh Allen this past season. There’s no one else shielding Beane if the Bills come up short again, and his handling of the receiver position has drawn a lot of criticism in Buffalo.

Moore was productive for new HC Joe Brady in Carolina, so he’s a proven veteran at a premium position who’s a clean scheme fit. Yet his age (29) and contract ($49 million over the next two years, most of it guaranteed) should have put his value more as a fourth or fifth-round pick, not the second rounder the Bills gave up even if they got a fifth back. On top of that, the Bills guaranteed Moore another $15 million in the third year of his deal when he was already on an extremely player-friendly contract. This just doesn’t seem like a move that’s going to age well, and it could go really bad if Moore isn’t as productive as the Bills hope in 2026.

This was an expensive swing for a Bills team that already had financial limitations this offseason. They were able to keep McGovern after he took a slight team discount, but lost G David Edwards to a big deal in free agency. Anderson is the current next man up to replace him after serving as a jumbo package lineman last year. Buffalo’s other big swing was an eight-figure deal for Chubb, who’s almost 30 and had 8.5 sacks last year. The Bills have had mixed results signing aging edge rushers.

The other gamble to note here is in the secondary. The Bills traded Johnson, previously a mainstay as the slot corner, and replaced him with Alford and Gardner-Johnson, the latter of whom can also mix in at safety. They added Stone to a cheap contract to bolster safety even further those two players could seriously backfire on the Bills. Gardner-Johnson wears out his welcome fast and Buffalo will be his fifth team in the past three seasons. Stone was a tackling liability for the Bengals the last two years.

Denver Broncos

Signed S Tycen Anderson
Traded 2026 1st (No. 30), 2026 3rd (No. 94) and 2026 4th (No. 130) for Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle, 2026 4th (No. 111)
Re-signed RB Jaleel McLaughlin
Re-signed FB Adam Prentice
Re-signed LB Alex Singleton, two years $15 million
Re-signed RB J.K. Dobbins, two years $16 million
Re-signed QB Sam Ehlinger, one year $2 million
Re-signed TE Adam Trautman, three years $17 million
Re-signed LB Justin Strnad, three years $18 million
Re-signed OL Alex Palczewski, two years $9.5 million
Tendered RFA CB Ja’Quan McMillian, second round level, one year and $5.76 million

Grade: B

This would have looked a lot different before Tuesday’s blockbuster trade for Waddle. Denver was the only team not to add an external free agent so far this offseason, though they struck out on a couple of the big-name running backs. They allocated their money instead to bringing back several of their pending free agents. Dobbins was sorely missed when he was hurt last year, and linebacker would have been in a rough spot if both Strnad and Singleton had walked.

However, the Waddle trade is more reflective of the Broncos’ comments after the season about what their approach would be. Denver earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC off a 14-3 record, but their 9-2 record in one-score games (10-3 if the postseason is factored in) was not going to be sustainable. The offense finished top ten in yards but only 14th in scoring and 20th in success rate. Broncos HC Sean Payton was aware of those numbers and didn’t want the team to rest on its laurels this offseason.

The Waddle trade should help accomplish that, giving QB Bo Nix an explosive receiver who fits like a glove with what the offense likes to do. It was a hefty price to pay from a draft cost perspective, but understandable for a player of Waddle’s skill. The Broncos still have two picks in the top 111 selections and seven total to tinker with the rest of the roster. They might have a worse record in 2026 but as long as they stay reasonably healthy, they should have a better team.

Cleveland Browns

Signed DE A.J. Epenesa
Signed S Daniel Thomas, two years
Signed DT Kalia Davis
Re-signed P Corey Bojorquez, one year $2 million
Signed TE Jack Stoll
Signed OL Elgton Jenkins, two years $24 million
Re-signed OL Teven Jenkins
Signed LB Quincy Williams, two years $13 million
Signed G Zion Johnson, three years $49.5 million
Tendered RFA S Ronnie Hickman, original round level, one year and $3.5 million
Traded 2026 5th (No. 140, LV) for Texans RT Tytus Howard
Extended Howard for two years, $45 million

Grade: C+

Sometimes I feel like a broken record with the Browns because anything I write always seems to come back to the Deshaun Watson trade and contract disaster. I’m sure Cleveland fans got tired of the Watson discourse a long time ago. But it truly has been a dark cloud that’s impacted just about everything with the franchise over the last several years. The Browns have spent more aggressively than just about every other team in the 2020s, partially because they thought they were going to be contenders with Watson under center, partially because once his deal went sour, spending was how they created cap space to try and stay afloat with massive restructures.

Restructuring for NFL teams is a lot like using a credit card. Done responsibly, it enhances your buying power. However, the bill comes due with a kick if you don’t manage it correctly, and that’s what’s happening with the Browns now. The core of the team that made the playoffs twice this decade has finally aged out. They have $95 million in dead money on the books this year and could hit that same number next year depending on how they handle the expiration of Watson’s deal.

This is a long-winded way to get around to my point: grading the Browns’ free agency so far is tough because they are operating with constraints that most of the other teams in the league aren’t. Then again, the constraints are of their own making. They needed to replace the entire starting front five along the offensive line this year, which is an insane amount of turnover. It’s not easy to remember the last time a team had to do that.

(Joel Bitonio has not made a final decision about retirement but his deal has voided and he is currently a free agent)

So far, the Browns have done alright. They added three notable veterans in Howard, Johnson and Elgton Jenkins and re-signed Teven Jenkins, who was solid at guard last year in a small sample. There’s some position flexibility with that whole group to give the Browns’ options with more additions down the line, either in the draft or free agency. Cleveland got Howard for cheap in a trade because the Texans were looking to shed salary, while Jenkins was a cap cut by the Packers. The floor of the offensive line is definitely raised.

Still, the Browns probably had to pay Howard more than ideal with that extension in order to make the contract work on their books. They also gambled with Johnson, a former first-round pick the Chargers were willing to let walk because he hadn’t consistently played well. And while these moves make it less likely the Browns’ offensive line is a complete offense-killing disaster in 2026, they do not solve the long-term outlook for the unit. That’s not necessarily a realistic goal for one round of free agency, but it does speak to the tough situation the Browns have navigated themselves into.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Re-signed OL Dan Feeney
Signed DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, one year $5.25 million
Signed DT A’Shawn Robinson, one year $10 million
Signed QB Jake Browning
Tendered RB Sean Tucker, original round, one year and $3.5 million
Signed LB Alex Anzalone, two years $17 million
Signed RB Kenneth Gainwell, two years $14 million
Re-signed TE Cade Otton, three years $30 million

Grade: C

The defections so far for Tampa Bay are a lot more notable than the arrivals. The Bucs lost Evans, White, Dean, Reddick and Hall, while Lavonte David remains unsigned as he ponders whether to play or retire. The losses of White and Reddick aren’t unforeseen or even unwanted, but losing Evans was a blow even if the Bucs have plenty of depth at receiver.

The Buccaneers did work out a deal to keep Otton, and reversed course on Tucker after initially planning not to tender him. Robinson replaces Hall and should be better against the run, while Anzalone addresses a gaping need at inside linebacker. Gainwell is a fascinating addition to the backfield as well with an adept pass-catching skillset. However, Tampa Bay failed to address its biggest need at edge rusher with anything more than a low-cost flyer deal on Muhammad.

The team has drafted well the last few years and will likely look to the incoming class to find a long-term solution on the edge. But the Buccaneers got knocked off the top of the NFC South last year and it feels like the division continued to close the gap this offseason.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed LB Jack Gibbens, two years $7.5 million
Signed DT Andrew Billings, one year $2.4 million
Signed WR Devin Duvernay
Signed DL Jonah Williams
Signed OL Elijah Wilkinson, two years $6.25 million
Signed S Andrew Wingard, one year $3 million
Re-signed RB Zonovan Knight, CB Starling Thomas IV
Signed OL Matt Pryor
Signed WR Kendrick Bourne, two years $10 million
Signed DT Roy Lopez, two years $11.5 million
Signed G Isaac Seumalo, three years $31.5 million
Signed QB Gardner Minshew, one year $5.75 million
Signed RB Tyler Allgeier, two years $12.25 million
Re-signed P Blake Gillikin
Re-signed K Chad Ryland

Grade: D

I am not sure what exactly the master plan in Arizona is. Last year was supposed to be the big step forward in Year 3 under GM Monti Ossenfort and HC Jonathan Gannon. Instead, the Cardinals faceplanted, Gannon was fired and the team is resetting at quarterback after cutting Kyler Murray. With new HC Mike LaFleur coming aboard, the Rams were connected to Malik Willis and Jimmy Garoppolo — and instead signed Minshew on a contract that slots in as high-end backup money.

That’s led to a lot of speculation that the Cardinals are among the teams tanking for a 2027 draft class that at minimum has a lot more interesting quarterbacks than this year’s batch. I’m sure they’re not naive to it, but the rest of their moves don’t neatly align with a tanking team. Arizona was active in the middle-tier veteran market, signing Seumalo, Bourne and Allgeier to notable contracts. Ossenfort might not have the luxury of another bad season, but sitting on the fence isn’t usually a winning strategy.

How Arizona proceeds at quarterback will be telling. Their options are limited but not nonexistent. Veteran QB Kirk Cousins is still available and would be a good fit for LaFleur’s system. There’s not another surefire first-round prospect in the draft class outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, but there is some buzz linking the Cardinals to Alabama QB Ty Simpson, another strong scheme fit. If they stick with Minshew and veteran Jacoby Brissett, then 2026 is just a bridge year to the future and the regime has some assurances of patience from ownership.

Los Angeles Chargers

Re-signed S Tony Jefferson
Re-signed QB Trey Lance
Signed DT Dalvin Tomlinson, one year $6.2 million
Re-signed LB Denzel Perryman, one year 2.8 million
Signed RB Keaton Mitchell, two years $9.25 million
Re-signed LB Del’Shawn Phillips, two years $7.5 million
Re-signed OL Trey Pipkins, two years $10 million
Re-signed CB Deane Leonard, one year $2 million
Signed G Cole Strange, two years $13 million
Re-signed OT Trevor Penning, one year $3.5 million
Signed TE Charlie Kolar, three years $24 million
Signed FB Alec Ingold, two years $7.5 million
Re-signed OLB Khalil Mack, one year $18 million
Signed C Tyler Biadasz, three years $30 million
Re-signed DT Teair Tart, three years $30 million

Grade: C+

As you can see, the Chargers didn’t exactly sit on their hands during free agency. Los Angeles was active in terms of quantity. The quality is a lot more debatable.

The two biggest needs for the Chargers coming into the offseason were the interior offensive line and edge rusher. They kept Mack but lost Odafe Oweh to the Commanders on a deal worth $25 million a year. At guard, they let former first-rounder Zion Johnson walk and didn’t really make a comparable move to replace him, instead opting for cheaper deals for Strange and Penning. They were linked to Linderbaum but bowed out of that market early, signing Biadasz after he was cut by Washington.

With a league-leading $58 million in effective cap space, the Chargers didn’t have any monetary restrictions. They just didn’t think Oweh, Johnson or Linderbaum were worth spending on, and you can apply that same logic to any other player who inked a contract in the last couple weeks. Chargers GM Joe Hortiz, who was with the Ravens for years before landing in Los Angeles, is philosophically not big into team-building through free agency and prefers instead to maximize compensatory picks.

To a degree, that’s understandable. But just because overpays are common in free agency does not mean it’s not a viable team-building resource, especially for a team like the Chargers that had big needs at positions that went pretty deep in free agency. It puts more pressure on finding solutions in the draft and the Chargers have only five picks this year. There’s a middle ground between throwing money at anyone with a pulse in free agency and sitting it out entirely. To me, it feels like the Chargers didn’t make the best use of the avenues they had to get better this offseason.

I did like the deals for Ingold, Kolar and Mitchell — pieces who fit perfectly with new OC Mike McDaniel and should help the schematic transition on that side of the ball.

Kansas City Chiefs

Traded 2027 6th for Jets QB Justin Fields
Re-signed G Mike Caliendo
Signed RB Emari Demercado
Signed CB Kader Kohou
Re-signed WR Tyquan Thornton, two years $11 million
Signed S Alohi Gilman, three years $24.75 million
Signed DT Khyiris Tonga, three years $21 million
Signed RB Kenneth Walker Jr., three years $43.5 million
Re-signed TE Travis Kelce, one year $12 million
Traded CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams for 2026 1st (No. 29), 2026 5th (No. 168), 2026 6th (No. 210) and 2027 3rd

Grade: A-

Kansas City had to make a hard call with the McDuffie trade, but adding four draft picks, including a first this year and a third next year, is an outstanding haul. Factor in the savings from not paying him a market-resetting deal and the strong history DC Steve Spagnuolo has of getting starting-caliber corner play out of modest investments, and the Chiefs can come out way ahead here if they draft well.

Despite starting the offseason in a massive salary cap hole, the Chiefs had a pretty clear path with restructures, including for QB Patrick Mahomes, and some obvious cuts to create a healthy free agent budget. Walker was one of the best signings of free agency and has a chance to be the key that unlocks the rest of the Kansas City offense, which has been stuck in neutral the past couple of years. Gilman is a perfect fit on the back end to help steady things there with his communication skills.

The deals for Thornton and Kelce look pricey but both can still contribute in the right role. Kelce in particular has gas in the tank as long as he’s not asked to be the No. 1 option in the passing attack. Demercado is an interesting flyer with explosive ability to act as a handcuff for Walker. Kohou started 38 games for the Dolphins in his first three seasons before missing last year with a torn ACL. He’s exactly the kind of player the Chiefs have had a lot of success maximizing in the past.

And there’s the trade for Fields. Kansas City paid a slight premium to get him out of New York when odds are he would have been cut at some point before the start of the season. However, there’s value in having him in the building for OTAs to run the offense while Mahomes rehabs his torn ACL, and he could be called on to make a few starts. This is now the fourth team and fifth coaching staff that will be trying to turn Fields’ career around, so I’d temper expectations about him being the next Sam Darnold or anything. He is an outstanding athlete, though. If Chiefs HC Andy Reid hasn’t lost his fastball, Fields could give opponents problems in small doses.

Indianapolis Colts

Signed WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Signed LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
Signed CB Cam Taylor-Britt
Signed DT Jerry Tillery
Re-signed TE Mo Alie-Cox, one year $2.8 million
Signed S Juanyeh Thomas
Signed S Jonathan Owens
Signed DE Micheal Clemons, three years $17.5 million
Extended QB Daniel Jones, two years $88 million
Signed DE Arden Key, two years $20 million
Traded WR Michael Pittman Jr., 2026 7th to the Steelers for 2026 6th
Re-signed WR Alec Pierce, four years $116 million
Re-signed K Blake Grupe
Traded LB Zaire Franklin for Packers DT Colby Wooden
Transition tagged QB Daniel Jones, one year $37.8 million

Grade: C

Let’s re-center the premise of this article — grading teams on whether they got better and whether they optimized the resources at their disposal. I think the most charitable thing you can say about the Colts’ offseason is that they stayed about the same. One way to look at that is the heart of the team that started out last season 8-2 and was the No. 1 offense in football is back. But there were cracks showing even before Jones got hurt and the team skidded out of the playoff picture. No matter what, it’s a big year for GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen.

Keeping Jones and Pierce together was the top priority for Indy and there were some inherent challenges because they only had one franchise tag available between the two. Jones, as has been his history, drove a hard bargain and applied every ounce of his leverage. The Colts ended up using the transition tag on Jones, which let Pierce maximize his market even if he elected to stay in the end.

But there was still pressure to reach a long-term deal with Jones since the transition tag all hits the cap at once, and the end result was an incredibly player-friendly contract on multiple levels. The two-year deal guarantees Jones more than he would have gotten had the Colts franchised him a second time in 2027, plus effectively ensures they can’t tag him after it ends. If he has a decent season, the Colts will be right back at the bargaining table again without a whole lot of leverage next year. If he doesn’t, they’ll face the prospect of moving on after paying him $50 million for one year of work. For a player coming off a torn Achilles with an inconsistent overall body of work, this is a remarkable contract.

The only win was an extra $19 million in short-term cap flexibility, and it’s hard to say that was pivotal to how things have played out for the Colts so far with $27 million in cap space still available. They still had to trade Pittman to carve out room for the Pierce extension, and unlike some other teams, they weren’t able to maximize the return even though they were shedding salary. All of their other notable free agents like DE Kwity Paye, OT Braden Smith and S Nick Cross signed elsewhere.

I’m sure some of that was intentional by the Colts to get younger and cheaper, but as a result it’s hard to say they’ve improved. Pass rush was their biggest need and they did sign Key and Clemons to deals that equal the same APY Paye got from the Raiders. Paye had 30.5 sacks his first five years, Key has had 27.5 the last five. They each had four last year. Clemons is a run-stuffing specialist which is the best thing Paye did during his tenure. They might be about the same but without significant internal development, it’s hard to say the Colts have improved.

They’re banking on big steps forward from players already on the roster at right guard, right tackle and receiver. Linebacker and safety remain glaring holes, too. The Colts have seven draft picks but no first-rounder, either this year or in 2027. They are going to have to hit it big on prove-it deals to round out this roster, and for what it’s worth there are some promising candidates like Taylor-Britt and Thomas. It might not be nearly enough, though.

Washington Commanders

Signed RB Jerome Ford
Re-signed G Chris Paul
Signed WR Van Jefferson
Signed WR Dyami Brown, one year $3 million
Signed RB Rachaad White, one year $2 million
Re-signed OL Trenton Scott
Signed DE Charles Omenihu, one year $7 million
Signed S Nick Cross, two years $14 million
S Signed TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, three years $27 million
Signed DE K’Lavon Chaisson, one year $12 million
Signed LB Leo Chenal, three years $24.75 million
Signed DT Tim Settle, three years $24 million
Signed DE Odafe Oweh, four years $100 million
Re-signed QB Marcus Mariota, one year $7 million
Signed CB Amik Robertson, two years $15 million
Extended LT Laremy Tunsil, two years $60 million
Re-signed WR Treylon Burks, one year $2.3 million
Re-signed K Jake Moody
Re-signed DE Drake Jackson
Re-signed DL Deatrich Wise
Re-signed DT Shy Tuttle
Extended OL Nick Allegretti, two years $9 million
Re-signed OL Andrew Wylie, two years $7.5 million

Grade: B+

The Commanders have been the busiest of just about any team in free agency this year, which makes sense considering there were just a handful of teams that had more cap space coming into March. For the most part, Washington stayed away from the top of the market (though that includes striking out on some of the top wide receivers) and instead landed a bushel of mid-range targets. Most of their attention was focused on a defense that ranked last in yards allowed in 2025.

The big name here is Oweh and that is one place where the Commanders were willing to spend. They gave him one of the four $100 million deals that were signed in free agency, banking on HC Dan Quinn being able to unlock more consistency out of his elite athleticism. After five years in the same system with the Ravens and Chargers, Oweh might fit better under Quinn where he’ll be asked to just pin his ears back and go more often.

The additions of Settle, Chaisson and Omenihu helped round out a defensive line that had some pieces on the interior but was bare at edge rusher. Chenal helps with the pass rush too, and the Commanders might have the best blitzing linebacker duo in the league with him and Luvu. It’ll be interesting to see how they hold up in coverage, though. Cross and Robertson bring some much-needed stability to the secondary. Overall, the Commanders raised the floor, got younger and a lot more athletic. They shouldn’t finish last in defense again.

On offense, there was a little more focus on continuity up front, with the exception of the surprise release of Biadasz. The Commanders might have been targeting a run at Linderbaum to upgrade at center and got priced out. They were able to retain Paul, who looked like he was a candidate for a “he got how much?” contract before the bubble burst on the interior offensive line market. Okonkwo gives the team an interesting matchup weapon but that signing doesn’t bode well for former second-round TE Ben Sinnott, a similar player. Washington took some dart throws at receiver and running back to round out those rooms, with the chance for more impact players at those positions in the draft.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed CB Cobie Durant, one year $5.5 million
Signed OL Matt Hennessy
Traded DT Solomon Thomas, 2026 7th (No. 225) to Titans for 2026 7th (No. 218)
Traded DT Osa Odighizuwa to the 49ers for 2026 3rd (No. 92)
Signed QB Sam Howell, one year $2.5 million
Signed DT Otito Ogbonnia, one year $3 million
Signed S P.J. Locke, one year $5 million
Re-signed DE Sam Williams, one year $3 million
Signed S Jalen Thompson, three years $33 million
Traded 2027 4th for Packers OLB Rashan Gary
Tendered RFA K Brandon Aubrey, second round level, one year and $5.76 million
Franchised WR George Pickens, one year $27.3 million
Tendered RFA G T.J. Bass, second round level, one year and $5.76 million
Re-signed RB Javonte Williams, three years $24 million

Grade: C+

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was talking a big game again about being aggressive this offseason. Well, the results are above. Did the check he wrote with his mouth cash?

The first impression is that this is an underwhelming return. Dallas signed just one major contract in free agency, landing Thompson for the back end of the defense. Every other contract was off the clearance rack for one year, and they have not meaningfully addressed a glaring need at linebacker yet.

Dallas did trade for OLB Rashan Gary and inherited a big deal there after coming in second in trade talks for Maxx Crosby. But considering Green Bay was quite possibly going to cut Gary had no trade taker emerged, giving up the 2027 fourth stands out as a potential overpay. Perhaps the medical reasons validate not re-engaging in trade talks for Crosby, who would have been a major upgrade over Gary, albeit much pricier. Yet that looms as a potential major missed opportunity for Dallas.

The Cowboys’ biggest trade this offseason is actually shipping out probably the second-best pass rusher on the roster in Odighizuwa. A third-round pick back is a solid return and it did clear out some cash in the defensive tackle room, which had Odighizuwa, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark all at $20 million-plus. Yet Jones claimed last season that they could and would keep all three on the 2026 roster.

Some of this is just how the Cowboys do things. They don’t like to operate without leverage, as was explained eloquently by Bob Sturm recently, and there’s little opportunity to create leverage in the first week of free agency. They should also get some credit for how aggressively they restructured contracts allowing them to keep pieces like Pickens, Williams, Aubrey and even Bass. That counts as spending on the books even if it’s directed at retention. Finishing second in the initial Crosby talks counts for something, even if it’s not much.

The Cowboys did improve on defense, which was priority No. 1, it’s just debatable whether they improved as much as they needed to. Some of these deals at the margins, like adding Locke and Durant or bringing back Williams to the edge rusher group, have a chance to pay dividends. The draft looms large, though, for major needs the Cowboys haven’t addressed so far.

Miami Dolphins

Traded WR Jaylen Waddle, 2026 4th (No. 111) to Broncos for 2026 1st (No. 30), 2026 3rd (No. 94) and 2026 4th (No. 130)
Signed OT Charlie Heck
Signed OLB David Ojabo
Signed WR Jalen Tolbert
Signed OL Jamaree Salyer
Signed CB Marco Wilson
Signed WR Tutu Atwell
Signed DE Robert Beal Jr.
Re-signed K Riley Patterson
Signed S Zayne Anderson
Signed CB Alex Austin
Signed CB Darrell Baker
Signed S Lonnie Johnson
Signed OLB Joshua Uche
Re-signed LB Willie Gay Jr.
Signed K Zane Gonzalez
Re-signed TE Greg Dulcich
Signed QB Malik Willis, three years $67.5 million
Traded S Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets for 2026 7th (No. 238)

Grade: B-

Miami’s offseason so far has been defined more by who has left rather than who has been brought in. The Dolphins dumped most of their notable veterans, cutting WR Tyreek Hill and OLB Bradley Chubb while trading S Minkah Fitzpatrick. They ate an NFL-record dead money charge to move on from QB Tua Tagovailoa and will spread $99.1 million over two seasons. They just traded one of their few remaining building block pieces (Waddle) to the Broncos for a package of picks. Over half of Miami’s team salary cap this year will be dead money allocated to players no longer playing for the Dolphins.

If it looks like a tank, smells like a tank, waddles like a tank and quacks like a tank, it’s probably a tank — despite any quibbles or protestations by anyone in Miami.

The Dolphins kind of break the grading rubric for this article because they’re clearly not trying to be at their best in 2026. The strategy for new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley seems to be to take their medicine this season, clean up the books from years of bad deals, and focus on creating a cultural foundation with players hungry to prove they belong. Most of their signings have been for one year at or near the minimum.

The exception is the big deal for Willis, and that contract has been creating some confusion among observers because it doesn’t seem to fit neatly into the tanking narrative. Willis got $22.5 million a year, which is toward the bottom of the starting quarterback market, but $45 million guaranteed at signing is a major amount. His 2027 base salary was fully guaranteed at signing, making this a two-year commitment.

However, think about it this way: if Willis were a prospect in this year’s draft class instead of a free agent, with everything else about his profile remaining the same (age, traits, tape against NFL competition), where would he be selected? There would be a compelling case for the Jets at No. 2 overall, the Cardinals at No. 3 and the Browns at No. 6 given Willis’ upside. Those contracts are projected by Spotrac to range from $52 to $40 million in total value, pretty much fully guaranteed.

The Dolphins don’t have Willis under contract for that long but the guaranteed money is comparable and both Sullivan and Hafley have a lot more familiarity with Willis than they would with a rookie. In some ways, the Dolphins are buying an extra draft pick and time to evaluate a potential long-term option at quarterback. If it doesn’t go well, they still have all options in front of them in a 2027 draft class that’s projected to be much stronger when it comes to quarterbacks.

One potential hole in the plan is the Dolphins might be the odds-on favorite to earn the No. 1 pick next year, and a roster that thin might make evaluating Willis’ true potential a challenge, especially after trading away his No. 1 receiver Waddle. Still, taking multiple stabs at finding a potential franchise starter is worth the gamble.

Philadelphia Eagles

Traded 2027 7th for Panthers QB Andy Dalton
Signed WR Marquise Brown, one year up to $6.5 million
Re-signed TE Dallas Goedert, one year $7 million
Signed OLB Arnold Ebiketie, one year $4.3 million
Signed CB Jonathan Jones
Re-signed P Braden Mann, four years $14 million
Re-signed TE Grant Calcaterra, one year $2 million
Signed TE Johnny Mundt
Signed CB Riq Woolen, one year $12 million
Extended DT Jordan Davis, three years $78 million

Grade: B-

The Eagles had very little financial wiggle room this offseason and were always going to face a wave of departures. They had hoped to retain OLB Jaelan Phillips but when the Panthers overpaid, they didn’t have much recourse. The third-round compensatory pick in 2027 they’re slated to receive will ease his departure a little bit but edge rusher remains a major need for the Eagles.

There was some flexibility for one-year gambles and the Eagles have to like getting Woolen to shore up that second outside corner spot. A better secondary can help the pass rush as well. Philadelphia also liked Ebiketie enough to cancel out another compensatory pick. He had two seasons with six sacks in Atlanta and gives the Eagles a little bit of depth. More work at edge rusher is needed, though.

Brown was needed as depth for the No. 3 receiver even if the Eagles don’t ultimately trade WR A.J. Brown. Finding a way to keep him as the No. 3 should probably be the priority even if they do make a deal, but keeping Goedert lessens some of that pressure. Trading a pick to pay a third-string quarterback $4 million is a very un-Eagles moves, so there is probably another shoe or two to drop there, perhaps involving current backup QB Tanner McKee.

Atlanta Falcons

Signed DL Da’Shawn Hand, one year $3 million
Signed DE Samson Ebukam
Signed C Corey Levin
Signed OLB Azeez Ojulari
Signed DT Chris Williams
Signed LB Channing Tindall
Signed LB Christian Harris, one year $2.75 million
Signed QB Tua Tagovailoa
Signed DE Cameron Thomas, one year $3.25 million
Signed WR Jahan Dotson, two years $15 million
Signed P Jake Bailey, three years $9 million
Signed K Nick Folk, two years $9 million
Signed TE Austin Hooper, one year $3.25 million
Signed WR Olamide Zaccheaus
Franchised TE Kyle Pitts, one year $15 million

Grade: C

The new Falcons regime of president Matt Ryan and GM Ian Cunningham took a disciplined approach to free agency, letting most of their pending free agents walk and giving out just one deal to a non-specialist that was for more than one year. Dotson was the recipient of that, and the contract is more about his pedigree as a former first-round pick than anything he’s done on the field, especially the last two years. He got $10 million guaranteed. Atlanta guaranteed $1.3 million to Zaccheaus and there’s a solid chance he’s the better player.

The high-profile move here is obviously Tagovailoa, and on a one-year deal for the minimum, there’s not a whole lot of downside for the Falcons here. It sets up an interesting situation at quarterback with incumbent Michael Penix Jr. recovering from a torn ACL. He had surgery in early November, so the front end of the standard 9-12 month recovery puts him back sometime in August. At minimum, Tagovailoa has the offseason to run the show and his accuracy is a good fit for HC Kevin Stefanski’s offense. Penix has the higher physical ceiling but accuracy and consistency have held him back.

More than anything, it does not seem like Ryan, Cunningham and Stefanski are overly attached to many players and are coming in with a fresh perspective. Depending on how things go in 2026, the new regime could be making huge changes in 2027.

New York Giants

Re-signed OL Joshua Ezeudu
Signed WR Darnell Mooney, one year up to $10 million
Signed S Jason Pinnock
Signed WR Calvin Austin
Re-signed OL Aaron Stinnie
Re-signed OL Evan Neal
Re-signed LB Zaire Barnes
Signed FB Patrick Ricard, two years $7.6 million
Signed K Jason Sanders
Re-signed LB Micah McFadden, one year $3.75 million
Signed CB Greg Newsome II, one year $8 million
Signed S Ar’Darius Washington
Re-signed RT Jermaine Eluemunor, three years $39 million
Signed LB Tremaine Edmunds, three years $36 million
Signed P Jordan Stout, three years $12.3 million
Signed TE Isaiah Likely, three years $40 million

Grade: B

You knew the Harbaugh stamp was coming this offseason, and the Giants didn’t disappoint. They signed four former Ravens players in Likely, Stout, Ricard and Washington, all for roles (third safety, fullback, etc) that new HC John Harbaugh puts more of a premium on. The count is higher if you include Eluemunor, who started his career with the Ravens before finding his stride after leaving Baltimore, and Austin, who was held in high regard in the Ravens’ draft room before the Steelers sniped him in 2022.

There was buzz about the Giants being even more active, with high-profile targets at running back and interior offensive line. Those fizzled out, though. New York addressed a major need at linebacker, retained Eluemunor to keep the offensive line in a solid spot and took some interesting flyers at receiver and corner with Wan’Dale Robinson and Cor’Dale Flott leaving for more expensive deals elsewhere. Likely also probably takes a lot of Robinson’s vacated snaps and targets.

The rest of the impact in Harbaugh’s first year will have to come from either the draft or the new coaching staff getting more out of the current roster — both of which are right in line with what was expected when he was hired.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Signed RB Chris Rodriguez, two years $10 million
Re-signed OLB Dennis Gardeck, two years $6.5 million
Re-signed CB Montaric Brown, three years $33 million
Re-signed TE Quintin Morris

Grade: B

Jaguars GM James Gladstone admitted to reporters that the plan was to be pretty buttoned up in free agency this year, the natural boomerang from the spending spree he went on last year to put his stamp on the roster. Jacksonville was tight to the cap as a result and had to restructure a bunch of deals to get under. There was little chance they were going to be able to retain LB Devin Lloyd or RB Travis Etienne, and they’ll bank on a compensatory pick for them next year instead.

Their hands weren’t completely tied, though. The Jaguars kept Brown on a mid-range deal to ensure cornerback wouldn’t be a screaming need in the draft with no first-round pick. Between him, Jourdan Lewis, Jarrian Jones and Travis Hunter, the team has some options in the secondary. Rodriguez is also a nice under-the-radar signing to replace Etienne. He’s not nearly as explosive but he’s physical and steady and this reunites him with his college coach at Kentucky, Jaguars HC Liam Coen.

New York Jets

Traded QB Justin Fields to Chiefs for 2027 6th
Re-signed RB Kene Nwangwu
Re-signed S Andre Cisco, one year up to $5.25 million
Re-signed OT Chukwuma Okorafor
Re-signed OL Xavier Newman
Signed G Dylan Parham, two years $16 million
Re-signed OT Max Mitchell
Signed K Cade York
Signed CB Nahshon Wright, one year $5.5 million
Traded 2026 6th (No. 208) for Raiders QB Geno Smith, 2026 7th (No. 228)
Re-signed FB Andrew Beck
Signed S Dane Belton, one year $4 million
Signed DT David Onyemata, one year $10.5 million
Signed LB Demario Davis, two years $22 million
Signed DE Kingsley Enagbare, one year $10 million
Signed DE Joseph Ossai, three years $36 million
Extended Fitzpatrick, three years $40M
Traded 2026 7th (No. 238) for Dolphins S Minkah Fitzpatrick
Franchised RB Breece Hall, one year $14.3 million
Traded DE Jermaine Johnson for Titans DT T’Vondre Sweat

Grade: B

For Jets HC Aaron Glenn to return for a third season, the results need to be distinctly better in 2026 compared to his first year. It would be an especially tough look for the defensive-minded Glenn if New York remained as bad on that side of the ball as they were in 2025. That helps explain why Glenn is taking over the defensive play-calling, and why most of the team’s resources in free agency were dedicated to shoring up the unit. The Jets essentially just need to get through 2026 without being a disaster on either side of the ball, with plenty of cap space, three first-round picks and a much better quarterback class waiting if the current regime can survive that long.

To improve on defense, Glenn and GM Darren Mougey prioritized players who fit Glenn’s scheme and could help him instill a culture on defense. Ordinarily a 37-year-old linebacker would be a curious fit with a rebuilding team, but Davis’ leadership is invaluable for Glenn since he needs the players to buy in to what he’s saying. Onyemata was signed for a similar reason.

At other spots, the Jets tried to take smaller swings on athletes who fit what Glenn wants to do. Johnson had a rough first season and was dealt away for a burly nose tackle with two years left on his rookie contract. He was replaced by Ossai and Enagbare, with an edge rusher of some kind likely coming with the No. 2 pick.

The offense didn’t get as much attention, comparatively, but the Jets’ need at receiver would have been tough to address without overspending. They were in a tough spot at quarterback despite having the No. 2 pick, as there are no other surefire first-round prospects in this year’s class. It’s weird to see Smith back with the Jets given the history but a decade is a long time, enough to heal wounds for both sides. As far as bridge quarterbacks go, the Jets could have done worse.

Detroit Lions

Signed WR Greg Dortch
Signed LB Damone Clark
Signed DE D.J. Wonnum, one year up to $6 million
Signed CB Roger McCreary
Signed TE Tyler Conklin
Signed DB Christian Izien, one year $2 million
Signed QB Teddy Bridgewater
Re-signed CB Rock Ya-Sin, one year $3.2 million
Re-signed LB Malcolm Rodriguez
Signed RB Isiah Pacheco, one year $1.8 million
Signed OT Larry Borom, one year $5 million
Signed C Cade Mays, three years $25 million
Traded RB David Montgomery to Texans for 2026 4th (No. 128), 2027 7th, OL Juice Scruggs

Grade: C+

The Lions are saving most of their money for a wave of contract extensions that are coming due for players like RB Jahmyr Gibbs, TE Sam LaPorta, S Brian Branch and LB Jack Campbell. The goal is to keep them all, and it might be a challenge. That resulted in a measured approach to free agency and the Lions needing to pick and choose which needs they devoted resources to.

Center was the only one that got addressed with a notable contract, with Detroit landing Mays from Carolina. Bigger than most centers and a gritty run blocker, he’s a great fit. All the other needs got the one-year dart throw treatment. Ya-Sin, McCreary and Izien give the Lions some options at boundary corner, slot corner and safety/slot corner, respectively, buoying the depth in an area that has been decimated the past two years.

The situations at tackle, linebacker and edge rusher aren’t great for a team that fancies itself a Super Bowl contender. Borom is currently penciled in to start at tackle after the Lions released longtime LT Taylor Decker. Wonnum is the latest edge rusher the Lions have signed to try to find an answer across from DE Aidan Hutchinson. Rodriguez and Clark would be competing to replace LB Alex Anzalone’s snaps if the season started today.

The Lions need to nail the upcoming draft and the Montgomery trade was a good deal to get them more picks and prospects while shedding salary. Pacheco isn’t as good but Gibbs was taking a bigger role in the backfield anyway.

Green Bay Packers

Signed DT Javon Hargrave, two years $23 million
Re-signed DT Jonathan Ford
Re-signed OLB Brenton Cox Jr.
Signed WR Skyy Moore, one year $2.5 million
Signed CB Benjamin St-Juste, two years $10 million
Re-signed OL Darian Kinnard
Traded OLB Rashan Gary to the Cowboys for a 2027 4th
Re-signed C Sean Rhyan, three years $33 million
Traded DT Colby Wooden for Colts LB Zaire Franklin
Re-signed RB Chris Brooks, two years $4.8 million

Grade: C+

A decent chunk of our initial Top 100 free agents this year were Packers. Green Bay also started the offseason needing to clear cap room, so there was an understanding that the team would be losing more players than it added this offseason. Retaining Rhyan was a win and helped mitigate the turnover on the offensive line, where chemistry is an important factor. But the list of notable Packers who won’t be back in 2026 includes QB Malik Willis, WR Romeo Doubs, LB Quay Walker, Gary, OL Elgton Jenkins, LT Rasheed Walker and OLB Kingsley Enagbare.

The Packers didn’t find many replacements in free agency. They traded for Franklin to step in for Walker, then signed St-Juste and Hargrave to address needs at cornerback and defensive tackle. Cornerback continues to be a spot where the Packers seem higher than outsiders about their current options, though.

They’ll rely on recent draft picks already on the roster to step up at receiver and offensive line. They might be doing the same thing at edge rusher, but that room looms larger as a potential weakness, particularly if OLB Micah Parsons’ torn ACL rehab keeps him out for an extended period. Getting a fourth-round pick for Gary was a strong return considering they likely would have cut him but they didn’t do anything to replace the snaps and production he and Enagbare left behind.

The good news for Packers fans is that there’s still time to add to the room. Green Bay will likely wait until after the draft and when the qualifying free agent period ends to explore adding to the edge rusher room, as they won’t want to cancel out any of a projected four compensatory picks in 2027. That’s part of how they’ll offset being down a first-round pick in the trade for Parsons.

Carolina Panthers

Traded QB Andy Dalton to Eagles for 2027 7th
Signed RB AJ Dillon
Extended P Sam Martin, two years $5 million
Re-signed S Nick Scott
Signed LT Rasheed Walker, one year $4 million
Re-signed LB Claudin Cherelus
Signed WR John Metchie
Re-signed TE James Mitchell
Re-signed DE Trevis Gipson
Signed OT Stone Forsythe
Signed C Luke Fortner, one year $2.75 million
Re-signed LB Isaiah Simmons, DL LaBryan Ray, OLB Thomas Incoom, CB Akayleb Evans & CB Robert Rochell
Signed LB Devin Lloyd, three years $42 million
Signed QB Kenny Pickett, one year $4 million
Signed OLB Jaelan Phillips, four years $120 million

Grade: A-

If you had told me the Friday before the start of free agency that the Panthers would sign Phillips, Lloyd and Walker for less than $50 million combined average annual salary, I would have laughed in your face. All three players were targeting the $20 million per year mark, with Phillips and Walker expected to get way more considering they played premium positions.

Phillips did blow out his market, with the Panthers dropping an eye-watering $30 million per year to pry him out of Philadelphia. It’s a major gamble that Phillips can put his lengthy injury history behind him and reach another level of production. His career-best in sacks is just 8.5 all the way back in his rookie year in 2021, but the underlying metrics like pressures and pass rush win rate suggest there is more meat on the bone for Phillips if he stays healthy.

But the Panthers got great deals on Lloyd and Walker. Lloyd paced a deep group of free agent linebackers in salary but that might have helped Carolina keep his deal from getting too inflated. At $14 million per year, he’s outside the top five for the position. Walker’s market cratered unexpectedly despite the perpetual demand for even average tackle play, with teams wary of repeating last year’s Dan Moore deal ($20 million per year from the Titans). The two are pretty comparable players but Walker is going to be making a fraction of that amount, making him an absolute steal for a team that wasn’t sure how long it was going to be without LT Ikem Ekwonu in 2026.

The Phillips and Lloyd contracts soaked up most of Carolina’s cap space, but GM Dan Morgan found a way to keep active on the margins. Fortner gives them a replacement starting center at a basement-level price. They got younger and more dynamic at backup quarterback with Pickett and found a way to get a future pick by trading Dalton. Metchie was college teammates with QB Bryce Young. The Panthers enter the draft with no glaring needs and have the ability to truly go best player available — a place every single team wants to be.

New England Patriots

Signed S Mike Brown
Signed TE Julian Hill, three years $15 million
Signed S Kevin Byard, one year $9 million
Signed LB K.J. Britt
Signed WR Romeo Doubs, four years $68 million
Signed G Alijah Vera-Tucker, three years $42 million
Signed FB Reggie Gilliam, three years $10.5 million
Signed OLB Dre’Mont Jones, three years $39 million
Traded C Garrett Bradbury to Bears for 2027 5th
Re-signed QB Tommy DeVito, two years $4 million

Grade: B

New England had a little less money to spend than last year when the Patriots went on a big spending spree to try to raise the floor for new HC Mike Vrabel. That made them a little more disciplined than last year even coming off a Super Bowl appearance. Their biggest needs were at premium positions like wide receiver and edge rusher that are harder to fill in free agency, but they took stabs at it anyway, giving a combined $30 million annually to Doubs and Jones. Both are solid role players but that typifies pretty well a popular NFL belief about free agency — that you end up spending A-tier money for B-tier players.

The deal for Hill came out of left field but that can happen for blocking specialist tight ends that fans and analysts are less aware of. New England did far better with deals for Vera-Tucker and Byard. Vera-Tucker has Pro Bowl upside if he can stay healthy and the record-setting per game roster bonuses the Patriots included in his contract help shield them from the worst of the downside. Byard led the league in interceptions this past season and had some of his best seasons before that for Vrabel in Tennessee.

New England has been linked heavily to a trade for a certain star Eagles receiver, and if they pull that off it would dramatically change the complexion of the offseason. It might be a long wait, though, with the Eagles in no rush to part with Brown until after June 1. The Patriots also have 11 draft picks and it’s clear internally they think their biggest jump is going to come through developing young players, though it should be pointed out five of those 11 selections are in the sixth or later.

Las Vegas Raiders

Signed G Spencer Burford
Re-signed DT Thomas Booker IV
Signed FB Connor Heyward, two years up to $5.5 million
Traded Geno Smith, 2026 7th (No. 228) to Jets for 2026 6th (No. 208)
Signed K Matt Gay
Re-signed OLB Malcolm Koonce, one year $11 million
Signed LB Quay Walker, three years $40.5 million
Signed LB Nakobe Dean, three years $36 million
Signed DE Kwity Paye, three years $48 million
Signed WR Jalen Nailor, three years $35 million
Signed C Tyler Linderbaum, three years $81 million
Re-signed CB Eric Stokes, three years $30 million
Traded 2026 6th to Bills for CB Taron Johnson, 2026 7th

Grade: A-

When the Raiders agreed to trade Crosby to the Ravens, it left them with a staggering $128 million in cap space. They actually had to spend to reach the CBA-mandated floor that ensures players are receiving their share of revenues, and spend they did. The Raiders executed what you could argue is the biggest overpay in NFL history, going 50 percent above the previous top of the center market for Linderbaum in a contract that is, practically speaking, fully guaranteed. Linderbaum is one of the league’s best centers, though, and the Raiders have locked up a valuable protector for their eventual No. 1 pick at quarterback.

Las Vegas kept throwing cash around, adding Nailor to fortify a terrible receiving corps and making multiple additions to a defense that was essentially starting over without Crosby. Stokes and Koonce were starters last year and the Raiders added Paye, Walker, Dean and Johnson to help the overhaul. Now with Crosby back with the Raiders after all and looking like he might be content to remain in Las Vegas, the Raiders are starting to look a lot more interesting on defense.

The Raiders had enough cap space to afford all the players they signed even after the Crosby deal was canceled, but it’s probably not a coincidence that the pace of moves has slowed dramatically, although it also parallels with the free agent pool starting to run dry. There are still a ton of needs for the Raiders to fill and they don’t have quite the draft capital they thought they did. But they knocked out a big chunk, and they have 10 draft picks to keep on building.

Los Angeles Rams

Signed LB Grant Stuard, two years $4.5 million
Signed CB Jaylen Watson, three years $51 million
Extended McDuffie for four years, $124 million
Re-signed S Kamren Curl, three years $36 million
Re-signed TE Tyler Higbee, two years $6 million
Traded 2026 1st (No. 29), 2026 5th (No. 168), 2026 6th (No. 210) and 2027 3rd for Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie
Re-signed OT David Quessenberry

Grade: B+

This Rams team was a few bad breaks away from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, and given how the game played out, they probably would have notched a second ring if they had managed to get past the Seahawks. With QB Matthew Stafford back for another year, the Rams have shifted back into trying to maximize their window to contend. The biggest weakness was clearly the secondary and the Rams just fired an RPG at it, trading for McDuffie and then double-dipping in free agency with a major deal for his running mate in Kansas City, Watson.

Those two moves take a room that was a weakness last season and turn it into a strength for 2026. That makes it a little easier to overlook how much the Rams overpaid to get McDuffie, both in terms of draft capital and arguably the contract they signed him to after the trade. He’s a quality player as evidenced by his All-Pro selections in 2023 and 2024, but that kind of compensation for a cornerback who has limited ball production and is a tick undersized to be an outside corner feels extreme.

Still, if the Rams win the Super Bowl, it won’t matter. Any remaining budget will likely be earmarked for extensions with a huge wave of players coming up for new contracts due to how well the Rams have drafted. They have another seven picks to work with even after trading three this year for McDuffie, including the No. 13 overall pick they got from the Falcons.

One minor but maybe not so minor note: special teams was another massive weakness for the Rams in 2025 and contributed to multiple high profile losses. Rams HC Sean McVay made the first in-season firing of his career by letting go of former ST coordinator Chase Blackburn. So it’s notable to see a relatively sizable contract for Stuard, a career special teams aficionado.

Baltimore Ravens

Signed C Danny Pinter
Signed TE Durham Smythe, one year $3 million
Signed S Jaylinn Hawkins, two years $10 million
Re-signed CB Chidobe Awuzie, one year $5 million
Signed DE Trey Hendrickson, four years $112 million
Signed G John Simpson, three years $30 million
Re-signed QB Tyler Huntley, two years $11 million

Grade: C+

Regardless of whether the Ravens’ side of the story for the Crosby fiasco can be taken at 100 percent face value or not, the reality is that situation undercut their ability to retain many of their pending free agents. They were always going to lose players like Linderbaum and Likely who got huge deals or bigger roles. But tying up that much money in Crosby for the first two days of the negotiating window cost them any shot at retaining a few more middle class players. All told, at least 11 starters or key role players have walked out the door.

Pivoting to Hendrickson prevented this from being an absolute disaster for the Ravens. (Of course Hendrickson’s availability might have been a factor in why the Ravens were willing to cancel the Crosby trade). At any rate, he’s older and not as well-rounded of a player, but Hendrickson is as prolific a pass rusher as anyone else over the last several seasons. He might be the best edge rusher to put on the purple since Terrell Suggs.

Baltimore was able to get Simpson to help stabilize the interior offensive line, and bringing back Awuzie and adding Hawkins gives the secondary some depth. But they haven’t done anything to address a huge need at defensive tackle or replace Linderbaum at center, and there are other question marks at guard, wide receiver, tight end and corner.

To top it all off, there might be a brewing problem at quarterback. Despite the owner and GM saying an extension for Lamar Jackson before free agency was the ideal outcome, nothing was agreed to and the team restructured his deal instead. Given how enthusiastic the team brass sounded, it seems like the holdup in talks might have been from Jackson’s side. He was difficult to negotiate with the last time around, and in that deal he secured a no-tag clause that could pave the way for him to hit free agency when his current deal expires after the 2027 season. That’s a long ways off, but the longer the two sides go without a deal, the more of a possibility it becomes…

New Orleans Saints

Signed RB Ty Chandler
Re-signed OL Dillon Radunz, two years $6.9 million
Signed LB Kaden Elliss, three years $33 million
Traded P Kai Kroeger, 2028 7th to Texans for 2028 6th.
Signed TE Noah Fant, two years $8.75 million
Signed G David Edwards, four years $61 million
Signed RB Travis Etienne, four years $48 million
Signed P Ryan Wright, four years $14 million
Re-signed DT John Ridgeway, two years $5.7 million

Grade: B+

There wasn’t a lot of buzz around the Saints from a national perspective heading into free agency, yet New Orleans ended up being one of the more active teams. They did it despite a final year of constraints from years of aggressive salary cap management (No. 2 in the NFL with $114 million in dead money in 2026), and perhaps more impressively they did it without relying on void years. The Saints landed two of the bigger fish in the pool in Etienne and Edwards while also reuniting with Elliss on a notable contract.

The Etienne deal gives the Saints an explosive element in their backfield again, something that longtime RB Alvin Kamara wasn’t able to do even before he got injured. The Saints haven’t come right out and said as much, but actions speak louder than words and this suggests Kamara is done in New Orleans. Edwards will help pave the way for him up front and the Saints went to a remarkable third year of guarantees to poach him from the Bills.

New Orleans has been careful to modulate expectations for second-year QB Tyler Shough after his hard charge at Offensive Rookie of the Year in just half a season of work, but these moves are a sign they think they can be relevant in the NFC South sooner rather than later. There was a clear objective to take pressure off of Shough by improving the run game, and they also added another piece in Fant to the tight end room who can both block and catch.

Seattle Seahawks

Re-signed CB Noah Igbinoghene
Signed RB Emanuel Wilson, one year $2 million
Re-signed FB Brady Russell, two years
Tendered WR Jake Bobo, original round, one year and $3.5 million
Re-signed OL Josh Jones
Re-signed WR Rashid Shaheed, three years $51 million
Re-signed CB Josh Jobe, three years $24 million
Re-signed LB Drake Thomas, two years $8 million

Grade: C

I was a big doubter of Seahawks GM John Schneider’s approach last year, and he forced me and a lot of other folks in the media to eat a healthy serving of boiled crow. If anyone has earned some benefit of the doubt, especially when it comes to moving on from players, it’s Schneider.

Yet it’s a little startling to see a team that still has nearly $35 million in spending room (fourth in the league) voluntarily let so many key starters from a championship team head elsewhere. The most baffling one is Walker. Schneider had a number that he didn’t want to go past for Walker, and it was closer to $10 million per year than the $14 million-plus he got from the Chiefs. For a player as valuable to the team as Walker was last year, I don’t see how that becomes some sort of insurmountable gap. The current situation for the Seahawks at running back is bleak. Wilson is the only outside addition of the offseason so far and he would tag-team with former Boise State UDFA George Holani in Week 1 at this rate with RB Zach Charbonnet likely out with his ACL rehab until the second half of the season.

The Seahawks tried to keep S Coby Bryant and got outbid by the Bears. They did choose to pony up to keep Shaheed, whose speed impacted games beyond his modest box score numbers following his trade acquisition from the Saints. Re-signing Jobe also keeps cornerback from being a five-alarm fire the way running back is now. The Seahawks have just four picks in the draft, so it feels like they will be on the alert for free agent signings well into the summer.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Signed DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, two years $11 million
Signed S Jaquan Brisker, one year up to $5.5 million
Signed S Darnell Savage
Extended DT Cameron Heyward, one year $18 million
Signed P Cameron Johnston
Re-signed DT Esezi Otomewo
Signed RB Rico Dowdle, two years $12.25 million
Signed CB Jamel Dean, three years $36 million
Traded 2026 6th for Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr., 2026 7th
Re-signed LB Cole Holcomb, two years $5 million
Re-signed CB Asante Samuel Jr., one year $4 million

Grade: B+

Obviously a lot for the Steelers in 2026 is going to be determined by who is under center. It looks like that is going to be Aaron Rodgers, although once again he and the team are dragging out the process of making that commitment official. It’s not a great year to need a new starting quarterback but the Steelers would have some options if things fall through with Rodgers, including Cousins, Flacco or a rookie.

Outside of the quarterback position, it feels like the Steelers are once again setting up to be a solid team, with the true ceiling more in question. They lost some notable free agents but addressed their biggest need at wide receiver for a relative pittance. The Colts needed another team to take on Pittman’s salary, meaning the Steelers gave up practically nothing to get him in their building. He’s a hard-nosed possession receiver who fits perfectly in Pittsburgh.

He’s not the only player the Steelers added with a reputation for physicality. Dowdle runs hard and gives the Steelers a 1-2 punch with RB Jaylen Warren that is all thunder. Dean is a physical corner and the room is in a solid spot with him and Samuel coming back to join CB Joey Porter Jr. Brisker is a fresh face in the safety room who is a hard-hitting athlete and outstanding against the run. Joseph-Day is a true nose tackle who should let other linemen play more to their strengths.

The Steelers could still use an infusion of youth and speed in their receiving corps, and the left side of their offensive line is a question mark. But with 12 draft picks, they are set up for a major boost in the draft. If the Steelers can find some quality quarterback play, they could really take a step forward. That’s obviously way easier said than done.

Houston Texans

Signed G Wyatt Teller, two years $16 million
Signed OL Evan Brown, one year $3.5 million
Signed TE Foster Moreau, two years $6.3 million
Signed DT Logan Hall, two years $13.75 million
Traded 2028 6th for Saints P Kai Kroeger, 2028 7th
Signed LB Jake Hummel, two years $4.75 million
Signed OT Braden Smith, two years $20 million
Extended K Ka’imi Fairbairn, two years $13 million
Signed S Reed Blankenship, three years $24.75 million
Signed DE Dominique Robinson, one year $3 million
Re-signed DT Sheldon Rankins, two years $12 million
Re-signed G Ed Ingram, three years $37.5 million
Re-signed LB E.J. Speed, two years $10 million
Extended TE Dalton Schultz, one year $12.6 million
Extended DE Danielle Hunter, one year $40 million
Re-signed S M.J. Stewart
Re-signed RT Trent Brown, one year $7 million
Traded 2026 4th (No. 128), 2027 7th, OL Juice Scruggs for Lions RB David Montgomery
Traded RT Tytus Howard to Browns for 2026 5th (No. 140, LV)

Grade: B

This offseason has featured a lot of Texans GM Nick Caserio’s greatest hits: middle class deals, short extensions to retain players, plenty of trades and reshuffling the deck along the offensive line. The latter one is the most important by far as it will have a huge impact on the success of QB C.J. Stroud and the offense. Keeping Ingram was a win and the Texans will add Teller to the other side of him hoping he still has some juice left at 31. The same is true for Smith, who will get the first crack at right tackle in his age-30 season. Brown comes in to compete with starting C Jake Andrews, giving the Texans potentially three new starters.

Another theme for Caserio is a premium on veteran experience. He might be one of the only general managers who’s not afraid to trade for an aging running back. He gave up a premium for Montgomery but the back is a textbook fit for the smashmouth style Houston wants to play with. They could still use an explosive element.

Interestingly, Caserio paid a lot of attention to a defense that was one of the best in the league, signing a new starting safety in Blankenship and making multiple moves to bolster the interior defensive tackle rotation, which hasn’t been quite as strong as Houston’s elite edge rushers.

It feels like the Texans are setting themselves up to double-dip at a lot of these positions in the draft to add younger alternatives who can learn behind or even supplant some of the veterans who were added.

Tennessee Titans

Signed OT Austin Deculus
Signed S Tony Adams, one year $2 million
Signed OLB Jacob Martin, two years $11 million
Traded 2026 7th (No. 218) for Cowboys DT Solomon Thomas, 2026 7th (No. 225)
Re-signed K Joey Slye
Signed P Tommy Townsend, two years $5 million
Signed DT Jordan Elliott, two years $8 million
Signed CB Josh Williams, two years $10 million
Signed C Austin Schlottmann, two years $7 million
Signed G Cordell Volson
Signed CB Alontae Taylor, three years $60 million
Signed CB Cor’Dale Flott, three years $45 million
Signed DT John Franklin-Myers, three years $63 million
Signed WR Wan’Dale Robinson, four years $70 million
Signed TE Daniel Bellinger, three years $24 million
Signed QB Mitchell Trubisky, two years $10.5 million
Traded DT T’Vondre Sweat for Jets DE Jermaine Johnson

Grade: B

The Patriots last year were the latest example of what has become a solid rebuilding playbook for a few of the league’s bottomdwellers. Generally bad teams have lots of cap room because they don’t have as many good players who command bigger salaries. Often those teams have a young quarterback they’re trying to develop on a cheap contract as well. That gives the front office a chance to load up with veterans to raise the floor around the younger players, pile up some wins, build confidence and culture and eventually take another step.

That’s clearly what the Titans are trying to do in 2026. They threw around a ton of cash to get players that HC Robert Saleh and OC Brian Daboll were familiar with from their time in New York. Robinson is a slot receiver Daboll loved feeding the ball to underneath, and Bellinger is a blocking tight end to help open up the run game.

On defense, Johnson and Franklin-Myers had some of their best seasons with Saleh and are good fits for the attacking style he wants to run up front. Saleh’s teams have often gone with 10 defensive linemen on the final roster, so there were more rotational additions in free agency and the draft will likely bring in even more talent. The Titans needed to add almost an entirely brand-new cornerback room, and with three big signings they did just that.

Interestingly, it seems like more attention has been focused on the defense than the offense despite the need to raise the level around last year’s No. 1 pick, QB Cam Ward. However, that might be partially because it’s easier to find help on defense in free agency and the Titans could be focusing on the draft to add players who can develop alongside Ward. They do need to do more at receiver and offensive line.

If there’s a hesitancy here besides just the general bust rate with free agent signings, it’s that Saleh and Daboll are leaning a lot on players from their past who didn’t prevent them from getting fired. A change of scenery can often be crucial but it’s something to keep an eye on.

Minnesota Vikings

Signed QB Carson Wentz
Signed QB Kyler Murray
Re-signed CB Tavierre Thomas, two years $4.6 million
Signed CB James Pierre, two years $8.5 million
Tendered LB Ivan Pace Jr., original round, $3.5 million
Re-signed LB Eric Wilson, three years $22.5 million

Grade: B-

The Vikings made a ton of cuts due to their salary cap situation, and with the decision not to hire a new general manager until after the draft, it feels like the team has entered a little bit of a holding pattern. They’ve been quiet and have not really moved to replace players like DT Javon Hargrave, C Ryan Kelly, DT Jonathan Allen or WR Jalen Nailor, let alone most of their other needs. Their biggest outside addition was Murray and he was available for the veteran minimum salary.

This feels like a mini reset year for the Vikings to try and get out from the mistakes of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era, including bad contracts and poor drafting. Murray gives them an alternative to QB J.J. McCarthy, whose future with the team is very much an open question at this point. Depending on how this year goes, the Vikings will probably re-evaluate a lot of things ahead of 2027.

That said, Pierre is an interesting sleeper who signed a very similar contract to CB Isaiah Rodgers, a player DC Brian Flores pounded the table for last offseason. They also kept Wilson on a solid deal after his breakout season, plus a couple of other depth signings. Minnesota also held on to TE T.J. Hockenson and RB Aaron Jones with pay cuts, lessening the needs at those positions. If this is a reset, the Vikings would probably deem it a competitive reset.

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