The NFL’s legal tampering period opened on Monday, March 10, while the new league year and free agency officially started on March 12. And yet, many of the top free agents were already off the board before the official start of the 2025 league year.
Reviewing the transactions through the first week of free agency, which ones made the smartest moves, and which clubs might come to regret their contract agreements and trades? Let’s run through every team and make assessments with our 2025 NFL free agency grades.
Arizona Cardinals
Notable Signings: EDGE Josh Sweat, QB Jacoby Brissett, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE L.J. Collier (re-sign), EDGE Baron Browning (re-sign)
Notable Departures: None
Early on, the Arizona Cardinals addressed their biggest need by reuniting edge rusher Josh Sweat with his former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Sweat provides an important boost to a pass rush that has ranked in the bottom 10 in each of Gannon’s first two seasons as head coach.
Otherwise, there are still plenty of shoes to drop for Arizona. None of the Cardinals’ major free agents agreed to deals during the two-day negotiating period. Linebacker Kyzir White and guard Will Hernandez are among the starters who could depart.
Grade: B
Atlanta Falcons
Notable Signings: LB Divine Deablo, DE Leonard Floyd, CB Mike Hughes (re-sign)
Notable Departures: C Drew Dalman, DT Grady Jarrett
The Atlanta Falcons won’t have much room to add this offseason. The Falcons entered right up against the cap, and won’t save any money by releasing or trading Kirk Cousins even if they designate him as a post-June 1 release.
As such, it was no surprise to see Atlanta let Drew Dalman walk on a lucrative three-year deal, while franchise stalwart Grady Jarrett was released to save cap room. Dalman’s departure leaves a hole at center, though the Falcons can retain restricted free agent Ryan Neuzil (who started eight games in place of an injured Dalman in 2024).
Leonard Floyd on a one-year, $10 million deal after the 49ers cut him was a nice get. Floyd has had at least 8.5 sacks each of the last five seasons. No Falcons player has reached that mark since 2017, when Adrian Clayborn did so.
Grade: C
Baltimore Ravens
Notable Signings: LT Ronnie Stanley (re-signed), WR DeAndre Hopkins
Notable Departures: G Patrick Mekari, CB Brandon Stephens, CB Arthur Maulet, S Marcus Williams, DT Michael Pierce
The Baltimore Ravens made their biggest offseason move by re-signing left tackle Ronnie Stanley before the start of the legal negotiating period. That kept the best available left tackle off the open market and ensured the Ravens didn’t lose multiple starters from their offensive line.
Of course, it made it virtually impossible to keep Patrick Mekari, who left for Jacksonville on the opening day of the negotiating period. Brandon Stephens was an expected departure after he struggled in 2024, but the Ravens will need to add competition for their third corner behind Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins.
Getting DeAndre Hopkins on a near-minimum deal was a nice way to round out a receiver room led by Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
Grade: B+
Buffalo Bills
Notable Signings: WR Joshua Palmer, EDGE Joey Bosa, EDGE Michael Hoecht, DT Larry Ogunjobi, CB Dane Jackson, RB Ty Johnson (re-signed), S Damar Hamlin (re-signed)
Notable Departures: EDGE Von Miller, WR Mack Hollins, CB Kaiir Elam (trade), DE Casey Toohill
The Buffalo Bills’ biggest move was tearing up the final four years of Josh Allen’s deal and paying him $55 million per year, with a record-setting $250 million in guaranteed money. Of course, Allen isn’t an addition, but getting him for less than the top quarterback contract is a win.
Otherwise, the Bills were able to find nice value on a one-year deal for Joey Bosa, who helps replace Von Miller. His fellow former Chargers teammate Joshua Palmer will add some competition to the receiver room after Mack Hollins’ departure. The Bills don’t have the budget to do anything flashy, but that’s not necessary for a team that still looks like one of the Super Bowl favorites.
Grade: B-
Carolina Panthers
Notable Signings: S Tre’von Moehrig, DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Bobby Brown III, EDGE Patrick Jones II, RB Rico Dowdle
Notable Departures: LB Shaq Thompson, S Jordan Fuller, S Xavier Woods, RB Miles Sanders
Safety Tre’von Moehrig is a nice get to help revamp the NFL’s worst defense from 2024. Moehrig has been a steady deep safety for the Raiders during his four-year career and should add stability to a safety room that tried to get by with cheaper veterans like Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller, and Xavier Woods last season.
However, Patrick Jones II and Tershawn Wharton are underwhelming consolation prizes on the defensive line. Some reports had the Carolina Panthers agreeing to deal with defensive tackle Milton Williams only to have the Patriots beat them out. While the massive $26 million per year for Williams is a lot, Carolina does badly need more pass-rushing talent. Until that happens, this remains a defense in rough shape.
Grade: C-
Chicago Bears
Notable Signings: G Joe Thuney (trade), G Jonah Jackson (trade), C Drew Dalman, DT Grady Jarrett, DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Notable Departures: DE DeMarcus Walker, C Coleman Shelton
The Chicago Bears had the third-lowest cash spending on their offensive line in 2024 at just over $14 million. Ryan Poles made absolutely sure the unit would not go neglected in 2025. The Bears will have an entirely new interior offensive line after trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and agreeing to sign center Drew Dalman on the first day of the negotiating period.
The Bears’ interior line needed a revamp, so this should help both Caleb Williams and a run game that struggled mightily in 2024. The defensive additions were a little more questionable, with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo combining to receive $60.5 million in guaranteed money. That feels rich for a duo that combined for 5.5 sacks in 2024, with neither ever recording more than 8.0 sacks in a season.
Still, the most important factor for the Bears in 2025 is ensuring that Williams and the offense take a step forward under Ben Johnson. With the offensive line upgrades, the Bears are an early winner, even if they had to pay handsomely for those players.
Grade: B+
Cincinnati Bengals
Notable Signings: DT Tedarrell Slaton, RB Samaje Perine, WR Tee Higgins (re-sign), TE Mike Gesicki (re-sign)
Notable Departures: DT Sheldon Rankins, G Alex Cappa
Easily the biggest move of the Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason came when they locked in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to four-year mega extensions. Along with Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ Big Three is now locked in long-term at a combined average annual salary of $124 million per year.
A commitment to keep Higgins could cost Cincinnati Trey Hendrickson, though the Bengals are now seeking to extend the reigning sack champion. Giving a similar contract length to a 30-year-old edge rusher is likely out of the question, though, and it’s unclear if Cincinnati is willing to further break their contract precedent by using void years to keep Hendrickson’s cap hits manageable.
Keeping the Burrow-Chase-Higgins triumvirate in place is the best outcome for the Bengals’ 2025 hopes, and it’s promising that they’re changing their stubborn insistence on not paying guaranteed money past the first year. This grade is subject to change depending on what happens with Hendrickson, but locking in a likely top-five offense is far from a bad outcome.
Grade: C+
Cleveland Browns
Notable Signings: QB Kenny Pickett (trade), OT Cornelius Lucas, DT Maliek Collins, LB Devin Bush (re-signed)
Notable Departures: S Juan Thornhill, DT Dalvin Tomlinson
The Cleveland Browns have seen very little free agent activity to date. They have a difficult decision to make on whether to retain franchise stalwart Nick Chubb, as Deshaun Watson’s contract leaves the franchise in an impossible situation.
The grade below is entirely reflective of the Myles Garrett extension, which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback ever at $40 million per year. While it’s usually a positive when a franchise retains a superstar who demanded a trade, it’s hard to give Cleveland too much praise considering how fully mortgaged out this team is.
Keeping Garrett suggests the Browns see themselves as contenders, which could lead to more long-term pain on the cap.
Grade: C
Dallas Cowboys
Notable Signings: RB Javonte Williams, DT Solomon Thomas, DE Payton Turner, DE Dante Fowler Jr., DT Osa Odighizuwa (re-sign), CB Kaiir Elam (trade), LB Kenneth Murray (trade)
Notable Departures: CB Jourdan Lewis, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, OT Chuma Edoga, RB Rico Dowdle
Dallas restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to create almost $57 million in cap space.
Last offseason, Dallas was slow to extend Prescott and Lamb, allowing other players at their positions to sign extensions that raised the price for the two Cowboys stars. Micah Parsons is in line for an extension, and his price has already gone up after Myles Garrett signed a new deal with the Browns.
The Cowboys signed DT Osa Odighizuwa to a four-year extension before free agency started. Odighizuwa has been a critical part of the Cowboys’ defensive line, starting 63 games in his four seasons, including every game for three straight years. The Cowboys also re-signed three key special teams players, including long snapper Trent Sieg.
The Cowboys have been more active compared to last offseason (especially on the trade market), but are mostly adding around the margins. Dallas signed running back Javonte Williams to a one-year deal to replace Rico Dowdle, who left for the Panthers in free agency.
Grade: C-
Denver Broncos
Notable Signings: S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, TE Evan Engram, DT D.J. Jones (re-sign)
Notable Departures: LB Cody Barton, RB Javonte Williams
It’s mostly been status quo for the Denver Broncos early on. Losing Cody Barton, the team’s leader in defensive snaps in 2024, could hurt. However, the Broncos made up for that by signing Dre Greenlaw. While Greenlaw’s durability is far more questionable than Barton’s, he also brings a higher ceiling.
His fellow ex-49ers teammate Talanoa Hufanga is an interesting gamble on a three-year deal, though the contract structure and guaranteed money will matter more. Hufanga’s physicality can add a different element that allows Denver to play more three-safety packages, but he’s also missed half the games the last two seasons with injuries.
Denver also got Evan Engram, easily the top available free agent after he was released by the Jaguars. That addresses a position that didn’t contribute much to the passing game in 2024, as Engram fulfills Sean Payton’s desire for a moveable matchup weapon.
Grade: B
Detroit Lions
Notable Signings: CB D.J. Reed, DT Levi Onwuzurike (re-sign)
Notable Departures: CB Carlton Davis III, EDGE Za’Darius Smith, S Will Harris, G Kevin Zeitler
Swapping out Carlton Davis III for D.J. Reed is roughly a wash in a vacuum, but Reed came at a cheaper cost than Davis. That makes him a better value, particularly given Davis’ more checkered injury history in comparison.
While Detroit did well in its cornerback swap, cutting Za’Darius Smith to save $5.7 million in cap space is a curious move for a team in need of more pass-rushing depth. Aidan Hutchinson will return from his broken leg, but Alim McNeil is a question mark after a mid-December torn ACL. Until the Lions beef up the pass rush support around Hutchinson, this can’t be considered a truly successful offseason.
Losing Kevin Zeitler hurts as well, as the Lions don’t have an obvious replacement. Last year’s No. 6 offensive line in PFSN’s rankings is still a very strong unit, but has an important hole to fill unless second-year pro Christian Mahogany is ready.
Grade: B-
Green Bay Packers
Notable Signings: CB Nate Hobbs, G Aaron Banks
Notable Departures: DT Tedarrell Slaton, CB Eric Stokes, C Josh Myers
The Green Bay Packers spent fairly big on the first day of the negotiating period, which is unusual for them. The Packers handed out a pair of four-year deals to Nate Hobbs and Aaron Banks, both of whom have been nice starters but far from stars.
Availability has also been a question mark for both. Hobbs has missed 16 games the last three seasons, while Banks has missed seven in that same span. Green Bay didn’t hand out much in guarantees, which should enable them to move on if needed, but these were curious players to aggressively pursue so quickly.
Grade: C-
Houston Texans
Notable Signings: WR Christian Kirk (trade), S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (trade), G Ed Ingram (trade), LT Cam Robinson, DT Sheldon Rankins, WR Braxton Berrios, G Laken Tomlinson, DT Mario Edwards Jr. (re-sign), DE Casey Toohill
Notable Departures: LT Laremy Tunsil (trade), G Kenyon Green (trade), S Eric Murray
The offensive line was the Houston Texans’ Achilles heel last season. Houston had the 31st-ranked offensive line by PFSN’s rankings in 2024, ahead of only the Patriots, which played a major role in C.J. Stroud’s sophomore slump.
Naturally, the Texans responded by trading away left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who allowed the second-lowest pressure rate at the position behind Tristan Wirfs. Tunsil isn’t without his flaws, as he committed a league-leading 17 penalties last year.
But while a second plus a third is decent value, current starting left tackle Cam Robinson would be a big downgrade. The Texans also swapped guard Kenyon Green for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, though they signed veteran Laken Tomlinson and made a minor trade with the Vikings for Ed Ingram. Houston probably got the better player in the trade with the Eagles, but again subtracted from their O-line.
The Texans got a useful slot receiver in Christian Kirk for almost nothing, which was a nice way to begin the offseason. But until Houston addresses its biggest weakness, their offseason will not grade out well.
Grade: C-
Indianapolis Colts
Notable Signings: S Camryn Bynum, QB Daniel Jones
Notable Departures: C Ryan Kelly, G Will Fries, DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Camryn Bynum is a nice addition to a defense that was one of the worst at defending deep passes last season. Bynum isn’t necessarily a value at $15 million per year, but he’ll only be 27 at the start of next season and could easily fulfill this deal given how durable he’s been in starting 17 games the last three seasons.
In the short-term, the loss of long-time center Ryan Kelly hurts worse. Indianapolis planned for this succession by drafting Tanor Bortolini last year, but there’s a significant element of the unknown in removing Kelly from the equation. Guard Will Fries also got paid by the Vikings on the second day of the negotiating period, removing another starter from the equation.
In a make-or-break year for Anthony Richardson and Shane Steichen, it’s a little surprising the Colts didn’t try to keep most of the offensive line infrastructure in place. Indy brought in Daniel Jones on a one-year, $14 million deal as ostensible competition for Richardson, though that seems like a competition set up for Richardson to win.
Grade: C-
Jacksonville Jaguars
Notable Signings: G Patrick Mekari, CB Jourdan Lewis, S Eric Murray, WR Dyami Brown
Notable Departures: WR Christian Kirk (trade), TE Evan Engram, CB Ronald Darby, S Andre Cisco
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a familiar position as big free agent spenders, as they were among the busiest teams on the first day of the legal negotiation period. That free agent spending hasn’t worked for the Jags in the past, but Jacksonville mostly avoided massive deals so far.
The largest contract the Jags handed out was the versatile offensive lineman Patrick Mekari. The former Ravens guard is getting a three-year deal worth $12.5 million per year, a reasonable deal for a 27-year-old with experience playing all five offensive line spots.
The Jaguars need to re-stock Trevor Lawrence’s weapons after trading away Christian Kirk and releasing Evan Engram. However, both free agency and the draft are filled with slot options who could replicate some of the underneath targets Kirk and Engram provided, so there should be options to fill out their depth chart.
Grade: C+
Kansas City Chiefs
Notable Signings: OT Jaylon Moore, CB Kristian Fulton, DT Jerry Tillery, WR Hollywood Brown (re-signed), DE Charles Omenihu (re-sign)
Notable Departures: G Joe Thuney (trade), S Justin Reid, DT Tershawn Wharton, WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Kansas City Chiefs did their main work on Day 1 of free agency early, locking up Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal to be their left tackle. It was an intriguing move for a player who has flashed his ability but has not been a full-time starter in his career. Across four years in San Francisco, Moore started just 12 games, but five of those did come in 2024. The Chiefs addressed their biggest need, but the jury is out on whether they did it well.
A lot of the Chiefs’ moves came before the negotiation window opened in terms of retaining their own free agents. Franchise tagging Trey Smith was a solid decision, but they have put all of their eggs in that basket by then trading away Joe Thuney. Trading one of the most reliable interior offensive linemen in the league is a major risk, even if he is likely entering the twilight of his career.
Re-signing Marquise Brown and Nick Bolton are both smart moves. Bolton has been the heartbeat of the defense, while Brown looked good in limited time last year.
Despite those moves, trading away Thuney and signing an unproven left tackle to be their starter leaves this offseason with a negative feeling overall, as does losing starting safety Justin Reid. Signing Smith to a long-term extension will mitigate some of that negativity.
Grade: D+
Las Vegas Raiders
Notable Signings: QB Geno Smith (trade), G Alex Cappa, S Jeremy Chinn, CB Eric Stokes, RB Raheem Mostert
Notable Departures: LB Robert Spillane, LB Divine Deablo, CB Nate Hobbs, S Tre’von Moehrig, G Andre James, RB Alexander Mattison, QB Gardner Minshew II
It has been an intriguing offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders since they hired Pete Carroll as head coach. They then reunited him with his former quarterback Geno Smith via a trade. Smith is a solid quarterback and is certainly an upgrade on last year, but his QB+ grades have not been higher than a C+ in his time in Seattle, demonstrating his ceiling.
Adding Alex Cappa gives them a starting guard option after they released Andre James, but at best, that feels like a neutral pair of moves rather than an upgrade on an offensive line that ranked 22nd last year. Jeremy Chinn was another nice addition, but against the backdrop of losing Tre’von Moehrig, Robert Spillane, and Nate Hobbs, it is another move that is a net negative and does not improve a defense that ranked 21st last year.
Securing Maxx Crosby’s future should not be underestimated, but the overall trend of this offseason is not a positive one. The head coach change mitigates some of the personnel decisions, and there are a lot of free agents remaining, but it is hard to make a case that the Raiders roster has gotten better since the end of the 2024 NFL season.
Grade: D+
Los Angeles Chargers
Notable Signings: CB Donte Jackson, RB Najee Harris, CB Benjamin St-Juste, C Bradley Bozeman (re-sign), LB Denzel Perryman (re-sign), WR Mike Williams, G Mekhi Becton
Notable Departures: DE Joey Bosa, WR Joshua Palmer, DL Poona Ford, DL Morgan Fox, CB Kristian Fulton
The Los Angeles Chargers could see significant turnover on their defense after the unit finished fourth in PFSN’s rankings. Some of the pieces began to fall in place early on, with the Chargers retaining Khalil Mack but releasing Joey Bosa. Los Angeles kept Teair Tart on a strong one-year value deal, but lost Poona Ford to the Rams.
And in the secondary, cornerback Donte Jackson’s arrival likely spells the end of Asante Samuel Jr.’s time with the team, given their similarities in body types and play style. These either/or choices are keeping some of the bones of last year’s playoff team in place, but they haven’t really resulted in any meaningful upgrades just yet. Late in the day they got some depth to their RB room by signing former Steelers back Najee Harris.
Mike Williams returns to LA, where he spent the first 7 seasons of his career. However, he’s a few years removed from that last time he was a highly-productive receiver. Still, considering the loss of Joshua Palmer in free agency and Quentin Johnston’s inconsistency, the Chargers needed to add depth to their WR room.
Grade: C+
Los Angeles Rams
Notable Signings: WR Davante Adams, QB Matthew Stafford (extended), DL Poona Ford, C Coleman Shelton
Notable Departures: G Jonah Jackson (trade), WR Cooper Kupp, WR Demarcus Robinson, EDGE Michael Hoecht, DT Bobby Brown III
The Los Angeles Rams elected to bring back Matthew Stafford, thus sending a win-now message to their roster and to the rest of the league. They backed up that messaging by bringing in Davante Adams to replace Cooper Kupp, a move that gives this offense more upside than it showed a season ago.
Poona Ford coming over from the Chargers may not be a highlight move, but he’s entering his age-29 season and gives this defense a chance to perform better against the run in this post-Aaron Donald world. The Rams allowed the ninth-most yards per carry to opposing running backs last season, a flaw that should be rectified with the addition of Ford and the potential for this offense to put more pressure on opponents to score.
Grade: A-
Miami Dolphins
Notable Signings: QB Zach Wilson, G James Daniels, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, S Ifeatu Melifonwu, S Ashtyn Davis, LB K.J. Britt, RB Alexander Mattison, LB Tyrell Dodson (re-sign)
Notable Departures: S Jevon Holland, WR Braxton Berrios, CB Kendall Fuller, RB Raheem Mostert, LB Anthony Walker
There is not much to talk about in terms of the Miami Dolphins in free agency so far. With a difficult cap situation ($4 million over the salary cap), the Dolphins do not have a lot of wiggle room.
They have multiple starters entertaining other teams, with Jevon Holland leaving for the Giants on the second day of the legal negotiating period. Miami already cut RB Raheem Mostert and CB Kendall Fuller, so there are holes to fill that have not been acted on just yet. On the bright side, they signed Tua Tagovailoa’s new backup, restructured LB Bradley Chubb’s contract and added WR depth with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Grade: D
Minnesota Vikings
Notable Signings: DT Jonathan Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, C Ryan Kelly, G Will Fries, RB Aaron Jones (re-signed), CB Byron Murphy (re-sign), S Harrison Smith (re-sign)
Notable Departures: QB Sam Darnold, EDGE Patrick Jones II, QB Daniel Jones, OT Cam Robinson, C Garrett Bradbury, G Ed Ingram (trade)
The reported signings of former Colts linemen Ryan Kelly and Will Fries paired with the departure of Sam Darnold points to the fact that this team is looking at a more grounded offense in 2025. That could prove savvy with a quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who has yet to take an NFL snap scheduled to start, but they are betting big on Kelly turning around the efficiency of this ground attack.
In 2024, Aaron Jones saw his 10+ yard carry rate decline in a significant way for a second straight season (9.8%, down from 10.6% in 2023 and 14.6% in 2022) due to his fewest yards per carry gained after contact since 2018. There’s some natural decline to expect for a RB entering his age-30 season, but an improvement on the offensive line gives this team the potential to run more effectively and thus support their young signal caller.
The Vikings then kept CB Byron Murphy in house, re-signing him to a 3-year, $66M deal to end the first night. Minnesota appears to be bolstering its interior defensive line depth as well, signing Jonathan Allen to a three-year deal and scooping up Javon Hargrave after he was released by the 49ers.
Grade: B+
New England Patriots
Notable Signings: CB Carlton Davis III, DT Milton Williams, EDGE Harold Landry III, EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, OT Morgan Moses, C Garrett Bradbury, LB Robert Spillane, WR Mack Hollins
Notable Departures: DT Davon Godchaux, CB Jonathan Jones, DE Deatrich Wise Jr., C David Andrews
The New England Patriots have been one of the most active teams at the start of free agency. They kicked things off by adding Harold Landry III on Sunday and then backed that up by adding talent at all three levels of their defense. The combination of Landry, Milton Williams, Robert Spillane, and Carlton Davis III gives this defense a very different look from what we saw in 2024.
Davis and Christian Gonzalez are now one of the strongest cornerback duos in the NFL. Adding Williams and Landry to a defensive line with Christian Barmore means the Patriots have assembled a very talented group across their front. Williams, at $26 million per year, may end up looking like an overpay. Still, the Patriots have cap space to spend, and Williams has proven himself capable of causing havoc in opposing passing games.
Offensively, there is still more work to do, but adding the veteran stability and reliability of Morgan Moses at tackle is a shrewd move. They still need to add more talent at wide receiver to give Drake Maye more reliable weapons, and left tackle remains one of the biggest needs league-wide.
Grade: A-
New Orleans Saints
Notable Signings: S Justin Reid, DT Davon Godchaux (trade), DE Chase Young (re-signed), TE Juwan Johnson (re-signed)
Notable Departures: CB Paulson Adebo, DE Payton Turner, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Saints got on the board by trading with the Patriots for DT Davon Godchaux to shore up the interior line. New Orleans continues to borrow against its long-term future in three-years deals for Chase Young and Justin Reid, though both are solid contributors on reasonable deals.
Losing Paulson Adebo hurts after Marshon Lattimore was traded away at the trade deadline, leaving the cornerback room thin. However, the Saints appear to be going for it again in 2025, putting off the rebuild for yet another year.
Grade: C+
New York Giants
Notable Signings: CB Paulson Adebo, S Jevon Holland, WR Darius Slayton, DT Roy Robertson-Harris, DL Chauncey Golston, P Jamie Gillan (re-signed), QB Tommy DeVito (re-signed), G Greg Van Roten (re-signed)
Notable Departures: None
The New York Giants have actively addressed the defensive side of the ball in free agency so far. The unit struggled in 2024, and they needed to get better across the board. Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland give them young high-upside defensive backs who should start in 2025. Roy Robertson-Harris should be a decent rotational piece for a run defense that was porous last season.
Bringing back Darius Slayton was somewhat unexpected — not because the Giants shouldn’t want him but because he could’ve easily wanted out of a rough offensive situation. The future at quarterback is uncertain, but Slayton decided to return. The Giants also got him back on a good deal. New York still has a lot of work to do, but they’re off to a decent start.
Grade: B+
New York Jets
Notable Signings: QB Justin Fields, LB Jamien Sherwood (re-signed), CB Brandon Stephens, S Andre Cisco, OT Chukwuma Okorafor, C Josh Myers, LB Jamin Davis
Notable Departures:QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams, DE Haason Reddick, CB D.J. Reed, DT Javon Kinlaw, OT Morgan Moses, LB C.J. Mosley
It’s a completely new era in New York Jets land (again) as they hired a new coach in Aaron Glenn and said goodbye to the Aaron Rodgers-Davante Adams experiment. They also lost Haason Reddick and saw CB D.J. Reed, DT Javon Kinlaw, and OT Morgan Moses sign for big dollars elsewhere.
What will make or break this offseason for the Jets is the gamble on Justin Fields as the new QB1 for $40 million over two years. After a season of playing backup to Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh and previously failing in Chicago, Fields gets the chance to restart his career in East Rutherford, N.J..
Grade: C+
Philadelphia Eagles
Notable Signings: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (trade), G Kenyon Green (trade), RB A.J. Dillon, DE Azeez Ojulari, DE Josh Uche
Notable Departures: EDGE Josh Sweat, DT Milton Williams, CB Darius Slay Jr., CB Isaiah Rodgers, RB Kenneth Gainwell, QB Kenny Pickett (trade), S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (trade)
The Super Bowl champions have lost some impact pieces off of their defense, but that is status quo for teams following a championship season. While their team is certainly weaker today than it was at the end of Super Bowl 59, this team remains a well-balanced machine that is as dangerous as anyone.
The addition of Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn’t going to turn heads and, in a perfect world for Eagles fans, he wouldn’t play a snap for them, but backing up an athletic quarterback with an athletic quarterback is a logical move as it allows the offense to hold its shape should an injury occur.
The Eagles also continued their secondary exodus by trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson away for guard Kenyon Green. Green is a former first-round pick who went bust in Houston, but could step in at right guard for free agent Mekhi Becton. After all, Becton was also a first-round bust before Philly turned him into a capable starter.
One positive move the Eagles made before free agency started was to re-sign Zack Baun and keep the status quo at linebacker. However, losing Darius Slay Jr., Milton Williams, and Josh Sweat far outweighs any positive impact of re-signing Baun.
Grade: D+
Pittsburgh Steelers
Notable Signings: WR DK Metcalf (trade), RB Kenneth Gainwell, CB Darius Slay Jr., QB Mason Rudolph
Notable Departures: QB Justin Fields, RB Najee Harris, G James Daniels, DT Larry Ogunjobi, CB Donte Jackson, WR Mike Williams
There is no shortage of moving pieces in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense, but this offseason is, thus far, a step in the right direction. DK Metcalf has 13 more end-zone targets than any other player since he was drafted, giving this team a scary downfield tandem. George Pickens projects to benefit greatly from some divided attention from the defense.
It remains to be seen who will be responsible for getting these two the football with Justin Fields leaving for the Jets, but this team’s win-now nature points to a veteran pocket passer. They also tendered Jaylen Warren, an important move with Najee Harris leaving for the Chargers. That keeps them in the mix for the versatile running back who averages 5.4 yards per touch for his career.
The defense was their strong suit a season ago, and with the addition of upside on the offensive side of the ball, this team is in position to repeat the success they had early last season rather than struggle the way they did down the stretch.
Grade: B
San Francisco 49ers
Notable Signings: WR Demarcus Robinson, QB Mac Jones, TE Luke Farrell
Notable Departures: WR Deebo Samuel Sr. (trade), OT Jaylon Moore, G Aaron Banks, S Talanoa Hufanga, CB Charvarius Ward, LB Dre Greenlaw, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Maliek Collins, DE Leonard Floyd
It is hard to offer much praise for the moves that the San Francisco 49ers have made so far this offseason. They have allowed a lot of veteran talent to leave, some through free agency and others through either releasing players or trades.
There is a case to be made that this is addition by subtraction for the 49ers. Deebo Samuel Sr.’s play has not been the same as it was a couple of years ago, while Aaron Banks and Jaylon Moore were both far from proven at the prices they commanded in free agency. The same could be said for Charvarius Ward and potentially Javon Hargrave, who both had their struggles in 2024.
The 49ers have the cap space to start making moves, but they may want to let the market settle and then add some starters or depth options when the prices begin to fall toward the end of the first wave of free agency and into the second wave. There is time to turn this offseason around, but the transaction table makes for a tough read if you are a 49ers fan so far.
Grade: D
Seattle Seahawks
Notable Signings: QB Sam Darnold, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, DE DeMarcus Lawrence
Notable Departures: QB Geno Smith (trade), WR DK Metcalf (trade), WR Tyler Lockett, DE Dre’Mont Jones, S Rayshawn Jenkins, DL Dre’Mont Jones
Seattle Seahawks fans are likely to be nervous about what they have seen during the first portion of this offseason. Sam Darnold is technically a slight upgrade on Geno Smith in terms of QB+ from last season, having ranked 12th compared to 15th for Smith. However, Darnold comes with a lot more risk than Smith, and that is scary, but he also comes with a higher ceiling if they put the right pieces around him.
The issue for the Seahawks is that they have allowed both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to depart, signing Cooper Kupp to pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba is talented, but asking him to be the No. 1 is a big step, while Kupp’s injury history and potential redundancy in the slot with JSN make him far from a slam dunk add.
The Seahawks retained some key pieces on defense in Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed, but then signed Demarcus Lawrence to a puzzling $14 million per year deal for three years. The 33-year-old Lawrence only projects as a rotational edge rusher at this stage of his career, but the Seahawks are paying him to be far more than that.
Grade: D+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notable Signings: WR Chris Godwin, EDGE Haason Reddick, LB Anthony Walker, G Ben Bredeson (re-sign), QB Kyle Trask (re-sign)
Notable Departures: LB K.J. Britt
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers elected to re-sign 29-year-old Chris Godwin to a three-year deal in an effort to post another top-five offensive season. Of course, the dislocated ankle that ended his 2024 season early looms, but he’s an established receiver who pairs nicely alongside Mike Evans and should make for a dangerous trio, assuming that Jalen McMillan continues to develop.
Haason Reddick has struggled to live up to expectations since being the 13th overall pick in 2017, but an offensive-oriented team taking a one-year flier, even at $14 million, is a logical move with much more potential reward than risk. Tampa Bay has posted a winning record in four of the past five seasons and is positioned to do so again in 2025 as part of a weak NFC South.
Re-signing Ben Bredeson is a move that will fly under the radar but should not be underestimated, given the way the offensive line played last year. A top-five unit, the Buccaneers line should continue to be a top-tier group in 2025, so keeping it together as a cohesive unit is good.
Grade: B
Tennessee Titans
Notable Signings: OT Dan Moore Jr., G Kevin Zeitler, LB Cody Barton, S Xavier Woods, WR Van Jefferson, DL Dre’Mont Jones
Notable Departures: EDGE Harold Landry III, LB Kenneth Murray (trade)
The Tennessee Titans have been relatively quiet so far in free agency. They cut Harold Landry III and saw him join their former head coach in New England. Cutting a talented player is naturally never ideal, and the Titans will have a hard time replacing Landry’s production potential in 2025.
Their biggest moves have been on the offensive line, where the Titans have signed Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler. Moore’s arrival allows JC Latham to play his more natural right tackle position, while Zeitler should form a strong guard tandem with Peter Skoronski. Suddenly, last year’s 28th-ranked offensive line by PFSN’s rankings looks like a potential strength.
With around $60 million in cap space, there has to be more to come in terms of their offseason. There is a chance they are waiting to see how the quarterback market falls to determine their next set of moves. If they add a veteran quarterback, they could then push for some win-now type options, but if they have to start again with a rookie quarterback, they may look to carry over as much cap space as possible into 2026.
The improvement offered by the Moore-Latham bookends is mitigated by losing a player as talented as Landry. The Moore signing is exciting, and a step in the right direction, but the rest of the offseason has been uninspiring. Dre’Mont Jones was solid in Denver but failed to live up to expectations in Seattle. Production has been a concern, but he should be a rotational piece for a unit that needs depth up front.
Grade: B-
Washington Commanders
Notable Signings: WR Deebo Samuel Sr. (trade), LT Laremy Tunsil (trade), DT Javon Kinlaw, DE Deatrich Wise Jr., CB Jonathan Jones, S Will Harris, LB Bobby Wagner (re-sign), TE Zach Ertz (re-sign), WR Noah Brown (re-sign), CB Noah Igbinoghene (re-sign)
Notable Departures: DT Jonathan Allen, WR Dyami Brown, S Jeremy Chinn, OT Cornelius Lucas, CB Benjamin St-Juste, DE Dante Fowler Jr.
The Washington Commanders are in win-now mode as they look to make the most of having an explosive quarterback on his rookie deal and they showed us that with their roster construction this offseason. Bringing in Deebo Samuel Sr. showed creativity in playing to the strengths of Jayden Daniels while the retention of Zach Ertz was a move in the name of continuity.
Laremy Tunsil gives them yet another way to ensure that Year 2 of Daniels is as effective, if not more so, than Year 1. Bobby Wagner and Tress Way were inked to single-year deals and that is exactly how you’d expect this team to function around the fringes — attempt to find short-term value in areas of need to support a team that is betting the farm on their ability to score.
Washington won eight more games in 2024 than in 2023 and appears motivated to prove that its success was not a flash in the pan.
Grade: B+