Welcome to the new league year! Joey Bosa is a Bill, Geno Smith is a Raider, and Joe Thuney is a Bear -- what a time we live in. Now that all of the free agency dust has settled -- sorry, now that all of the free agency dust outside of Aaron Rodgers' control has settled -- I'm ranking all 32 teams by their offseason process.
I didn't want to just rank their incoming free agent classes, because that would simply be a ranking of which teams spent the most money. I tried to consider everything: Not just free agent acquisitions and departures, but trades and extensions and restructures. I knocked teams that signed great players but probably overspent or had poor priorities; I rewarded teams that spent little, but did so wisely and attacked the right positions. What could have been was also considered: The Browns don't get points for signing Myles Garrett to the same contract everyone would have, when they're the only team that could have gotten picks by giving that contract to someone else.
Of course, the same is true for other teams -- why didn't the Bengals trade Tee Higgins? Or the Rams trade Matthew Stafford? But those are teams with legitimate shots at contention, whose moves I grade differently than those of spiraling franchises like the Browns.
Think of these as NFL Power Rankings, but only grading the five weeks and ignoring everything that came before. (For Bills fans, hopefully you'll be at the top of the real Power Rankings by February.) As such, they're highly subjective, and splitting hairs within tiers can be challenging. I waffled on the order while writing this, and I waffle still as I read it.
With that vote of supreme confidence cast, here are my offseason rankings:
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
1. Buffalo Bills
Key acquisitions and returning players: WR Khalil Shakir, Edge Joey Bosa, LB Terrel Bernard, LB Greg Rousseau, Edge Michael Hoecht, WR Joshua Palmer
I loved: How the Bills retained their own talent before markets got set. The Shakir extension is only $15 million per year. Rousseau got $20 million per year. Bernard is at $12.5 million per year. Those are three young cornerstones of a perennial contender, and they're staying in Buffalo for remarkably less than their open market number. The Bills were right to retain the players who helped get them to the AFC Championship Game, even if they haven't yet slayed the dragon that is the Chiefs.
I didn't love: How expensive Palmer was. Palmer is going to fill the Mack Hollins role, but I'm not sure he's going to elevate it much -- certainly not for double the price tag. He is a good dirty work receiver and should be considered a glue guy on a healthy offense, but if he was a truly dangerous pass catcher, he would have already broken out in Los Angeles. Still, this is a small complaint in an otherwise great class.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Key acquisitions and returning players: QB Matthew Stafford, WR Davante Adams, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, OT Alaric Jackson, DT Poona Ford
I loved: Just about everything. Extending Jackson before the tackle market was set saved them millions. Upgrading at nose tackle, with Ford in place of Bobby Brown III, should further elevate second-year players Braden Fiske and Jared Verse. Upgrading at receiver with Adams, who is aging much better than Cooper Kupp, fills a nicer role opposite Puka Nacua. And of course, retaining Stafford after an open flirtation with the trade market.
The Rams lost a solid amount of depth and must continue to reload through the draft, but they've retained the franchise cornerstones necessary to continue contending in the NFC.
I didn't love: Retaining Tutu Atwell over Demarcus Robinson. I understand Atwell has a trump-card trait -- speed -- that Robinson doesn't have. But if I'm filling the WR3 speedster role on an offense funneling most targets to Nacua and Adams, I'd prefer to do it in the draft or in the bargain bin of free agency. Atwell has never had more than 600 receiving yards or scored more than three touchdowns in his four pro seasons. He might create bigger plays in theory, but he averaged fewer yards per reception last season (13.4) than Robinson did (16.3). I understand the argument for Atwell's upside, but it is my least favorite part of an otherwise impressive class.
3. Minnesota Vikings
Key acquisitions and returning players: G Will Fries, C Ryan Kelly, CB Byron Murphy Jr., RB Aaron Jones
I loved: The investment in the offensive line. Fries was one of my top free agent gems -- he's one of the best players nobody knows about, and he should make a big push for a Pro Bowl spot at guard if he fully recovers from his tibia injury. The need at guard was obvious; the need at center was far more subtle. I thought the Vikings would happily play out another year with Garrett Bradbury at the pivot, surrendering his pass protection issues for his running game value. Instead, they did what true contenders do and tried to upgrade not just at the needy positions, but also the average ones. I'm not sure it will work -- Kelly (31) is older than Bradbury (29) -- but it's a good risk to take.
I didn't love: Just how much Jonathan Allen cost. In general, double-dipping at 3-technique opposite Harrison Phillips is a shrewd approach, and both Allen and Javon Hargrave can provide an immediate impact. I did not, however, expect Allen to tip the financial scales at $17 million per year. The entire defensive tackle market came in above my expectation, so perhaps this was just the cost of doing business.
Allen is now the league's 15th-highest-paid defensive tackle, and Hargrave ($15 million per year) is the 18th. While Allen might have been more expensive than I expected (and Hargrave too, for that matter), the theory behind the approach is sound. I just wish it came at a smaller price tag.
4. Detroit Lions
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Derrick Barnes, CB D.J. Reed, DT Levi Onwuzurike, Edge Marcus Davenport, DT Roy Lopez
I loved: The retentions. The Lions' lone big-ticket free agent addition was Reed, who replaces the outgoing Carlton Davis III at a $4 million yearly discount. That's a solid swap. Otherwise, they kept Barnes on a cheap deal relative to other linebackers; Onwuzurike, an ascending pass-rushing defensive tackle who had to moonlight as a defensive end last season; and Davenport, who is a good scheme fit but missed almost the entire season with injury. Offensive tackle Dan Skipper is back, too! And wideout Tim Patrick! Sometimes, Super Bowl contenders unnecessarily shuffle the deck. The Lions were wise to keep the band together and continue trusting in their process.
I didn't love: The implications behind the Kyle Allen signing. There's nothing wrong with the signing -- everyone loves a veteran quarterback at QB2. But the Lions are making it clear they do not trust Hendon Hooker. They replaced him at QB2 with Teddy Bridgewater last season once Bridgewater was done coaching his way to a high school championship, and Hooker will now battle with Allen for the same job. At this point, I'd be surprised if the 2023 third-round pick becomes a reliable backup anywhere. The Lions probably need a new developmental QB of the future.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Key acquisitions and returning players: WR Chris Godwin, G Ben Bredeson, Edge Haason Reddick, LB Lavonte David
I loved: The continuity. You won't find the Buccaneers on many winners/losers lists, but they grade very highly for me given how well they spent their money. In retaining Bredeson, they got a starting guard for $11 million per year -- a huge discount relative to the market for Will Fries and Aaron Banks. In retaining Godwin, they got a high-end WR2 for $22 million per year -- an impossible discount relative to what other teams would have spent on him as a low-end WR1.
The best news? The Buccaneers know how Godwin and Bredeson work in their system, so a lot of the uncertainty inherent to free agency is avoided. All 11 starters from their offense last season are back on the roster. That's great business.
I didn't love: The Kyle Trask extension. It might feel like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, as Trask is also a retention. But I prefer my contending teams to take QB2 a little more seriously. Trask has attempted exactly 11 passes in NFL action (and completed four of them, for as much as that matters). What happens if Baker Mayfield goes down for a month while the 7-4 Buccaneers are in the thick of the NFC South race? Do they really trust Trask to go 2-2 and keep them on a playoff pace?
They'd know better than me, as I have only 11 Trask passes to consider. Far more experienced QB2s were available, though, and I hope the Bucs don't find themselves wishing they looked elsewhere to bolster the position.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Key acquisitions and returning players: WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, DT B.J. Hill, TE Mike Gesicki
I loved: Signing Chase and Higgins. One year ago, I would have told you it was fiscally impossible for the Bengals to get it done -- and if not fiscally impossible, then still extremely unlikely, given how evidently frustrated both Chase and Higgins were with the franchise. Over the past couple of years, the Bengals have built up the cash to pay their star receivers, and quarterback Joe Burrow helped with some strong internal recruiting. An offensive trio of Burrow, Higgins and Chase cements auto-contender status in Cincinnati.
I didn't love: The Bengals did well to pepper a thin defensive depth chart with good dice rolls -- Oren Burks, T.J. Slaton, the return of Hill -- but I was surprised they wanted Joseph Ossai back that badly. He had a 7.6% pressure rate last season -- 72nd in the league among all defensive linemen -- despite rushing opposite Trey Hendrickson, who was drawing disproportionate attention. It's a cheap one-year deal, so I can't get too upset about it.
The same is true with the Gesicki extension. The Bengals would be better with a tight end who can block, but I'm not too upset about his new deal given how he produced. This is a good class overall.
7. Denver Broncos
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Dre Greenlaw, S Talanoa Hufanga, DT D.J. Jones, QB Jarrett Stidham, TE Evan Engram
I loved: The continued building on the defense. By any metric, Denver's defense was one of the best in football last season. Understandably, the Broncos extended Jones, a key player with his perennially underappreciated play at the nose. After that retention, they could have basically rolled the same defense back in 2025, with only some musical chairs at linebacker with Alex Singleton back from injured reserve to replace the departed Cody Barton.
Instead, they got aggressive, adding both Hufanga and Greenlaw from San Francisco for an additional bite of physicality and speed. Both players carry injury histories, but we know this defense can work without them. With either or both on the field, blitz packages become even more dangerous, and tackling improves from sideline to sideline. Good on the Broncos for trying to bolster a strength.
I didn't love: The Engram signing. I know Broncos fans are pumped about it, and that the pass-catching tight end role is important for Sean Payton's offense. I'm confident Engram will have productive days as a high-volume pass catcher when the matchup demands it. But that's the tricky thing about him: He adds the most value when he's a high-volume underneath receiver. On days in which Courtland Sutton demands high volume, or on which the Broncos want to be a run-heavy team ... Engram could be obsolete. He doesn't create big plays downfield or after the catch, and he isn't an impactful blocker. It's not a bad deal since the financial commitment isn't huge. I'm just less enthusiastic about it than most are.
8. Las Vegas Raiders
Key acquisitions and returning players: QB Geno Smith, G Alex Cappa, Edge Malcolm Koonce, S Jeremy Chinn, CB Eric Stokes
I loved: The Smith trade. Without this acquisition, the Raiders would have gotten an average grade from me. They had some good moves (the Maxx Crosby extension, the one-year deal for Koonce and gambles on Chinn and linebacker Elandon Roberts) and some tough departures on defense (linebacker Robert Spillane, corner Nate Hobbs and safety Tre'von Moehrig were all impactful).
But in Smith, the Raiders -- who were potentially not in position to get a top quarterback with the sixth overall pick in the draft -- do more than solve their dilemma. They added a quarterback who couldn't reach his highest potential due to bad offensive lines and questionable playcalling in Seattle. Trading away a third-round pick to pay Smith $47 million a year on an upcoming extension is good business.
I didn't love: The amount of defensive snaps lost. I can talk myself into a lot of the Raiders' defensive personnel shifts in a vacuum. I like Roberts as a cheap replacement for Spillane. Moehrig is a solid player, but they didn't need to pay him $17 million per year like the Panthers will. The light bulb might be coming on for Chinn. It's the total weight of the lost snaps that worries me.
In the departures of Spillane, Hobbs, Moehrig, pass rusher K'Lavon Chaisson and linebacker Divine Deablo, the Raiders lost 3,949 defensive snaps from last season. Throw in the departure of safety Marcus Epps, who missed almost all of 2024 with an injury, and they're losing another 1,031 snaps from 2023. It's just really hard to lose that many reps and keep a defense afloat, even if they made shrewd moves and drafted well behind the departures. The newness leads to communication errors and uncertainty.
9. New England Patriots
Key acquisitions and returning players: DT Milton Williams, WR Stefon Diggs, CB Carlton Davis III, OT Morgan Moses, Edge Harold Landry III, C Garrett Bradbury
I loved: The Moses signing. While I'm usually unwilling to give the team with the deepest purse flowers for spending big in free agency, I actually like most of the Patriots' deals. The best of the bunch was the three-year, $24 million deal for Moses -- $8 million a year for a starting tackle is a great rate, and he is above average when healthy. While the Patriots were not huge spenders on offense (see below), Moses secures one of the tackle spots, and offensive line improvement must be the first priority for the Patriots.
I didn't love: The continuing gaps on offense. The objective in free agency for most teams is to plug enough gaps before the draft -- that way, teams can draft for value on the board and not reach for need. The Patriots walked into free agency with glaring needs along the offensive line and at receiver, and they still have the same glare in those slots.
The offensive line was patched up with Moses, Bradbury and Wes Schweitzer, but only Moses is a clear starter of those three, and left tackle remains an enormous question mark. At receiver, they added Diggs on a three-year, $69 million deal after missing out on Chris Godwin, who took only $22 million per year to stay in Tampa Bay instead of joining the Patriots for more cash. The Diggs deal isn't a bad one -- it includes low guarantees, and he has more juice than Cooper Kupp or Amari Cooper do at this stage of their careers. But he is neither a WR1 nor does his presence finish solving the depth issue. More work is needed.
10. Philadelphia Eagles
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Zack Baun, OT Lane Johnson, OT Kenyon Green, LB Azeez Ojulari, LB Joshua Uche
I loved: The dart throws. It was never going to be a big year for free agent acquisition, as the Eagles needed to retain Baun and take their lumps elsewhere. To account for the departure of pass rusher Josh Sweat, both Uche and Ojulari were signed. Each has had splashy seasons recently and could shine in a star-studded rotation. Tight end Dallas Goedert might be traded, so the Eagles signed Harrison Bryant and Kylen Granson. Return man Britain Covey and cornerback Darius Slay are gone, but Adoree' Jackson (a veteran corner and return man) represents a two-for-one swing. This is how a team without much cash wins in free agency -- by investing in the margins and filling needs before draft time.
I didn't love: The Green for C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade. Green has been one of the league's worst starting guards since the Texans drafted him in 2022. Of course, there are plenty of reasons to believe he'll improve in Philadelphia, where offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland rehabilitated Mekhi Becton just last season. Green is still very young, quite athletic and was in a bad offensive line environment in Houston. He is just another dart throw for Philadelphia to replace Becton, but unlike the other darts, it's tough to find the good play hidden in his game.
Sending Gardner-Johnson as part of the trade makes it doubly worrisome, especially because the Eagles added no free agent safeties to account for his departure. Gardner-Johnson didn't always see eye to eye with his teammates or Philadelphia's fans, but the quality of his play cannot be denied.
11. Los Angeles Chargers
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Khalil Mack, C Andre James, OT Mekhi Becton, RB Najee Harris, CB Elijah Molden
I loved: The way the offensive line was addressed. Becton wasn't a perfect fit for every team -- he had an accordingly quieter market than other interior offensive linemen -- but he's an excellent fit for the Chargers' rushing attack. They were smart to re-sign Bradley Bozeman in a quiet center class (both in free agency and the draft) and then leaped at the opportunity to improve at the spot when James hit the open market. Bozeman has played left guard in the past and will now have some positional flexibility in L.A. The interior of the Chargers' line, which was a quiet weakness for the team last season, got the treatment it needed.
I didn't love: The neglect at wide receiver. The Chargers probably know they need another impactful pass catcher alongside Ladd McConkey, and their inactivity in that market might reflect more on the available players than anything else. With that said: Losing Joshua Palmer to add Mike Williams is a downgrade at a position that needed to be upgraded. The fact that Williams returned and Jalen Reagor was re-signed has me worried they think their depth is acceptable -- it absolutely isn't. If McConkey misses even a single game, this passing game is up a creek without a paddle. They need a rookie to be impactful not just in Year 1, but in Week 1.
12. Baltimore Ravens
Key acquisitions and returning players: OT Ronnie Stanley, G Ben Cleveland, WR DeAndre Hopkins, CB Ar'Darius Washington
I loved: The Stanley extension. It was a very quiet free agency period overall for Baltimore -- not a lot of money to spend, not a lot of starters with contracts expiring. The most important item on the agenda was retaining Stanley, who bounced back from worrisome 2023 play with an excellent 2024 season. The Ravens signed Stanley before the legal tampering period began, securing his services for $20 million per year before a cash-rich team such as the Patriots could offer 125% of that. So long as Stanley stays healthy, he's a set-it-and-forget-it blindside protector.
I didn't love: The Cooper Rush deal. It's not usually a big deal if the QB2 is very different stylistically than the QB1, but it feels meaningful in this case. No NFL offensive scheme is nearly as heliocentric as the Ravens', and putting an immobile quarterback behind Jackson dramatically changes the playbook. Rush is a solid backup, and it's not like a mobile QB2 could imitate Jackson. Nevertheless, this was weird to me.
13. Arizona Cardinals
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Josh Sweat, C Evan Brown, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Baron Browning
I loved: The Sweat signing. He is just a winning player through and through. Sweat is a high-effort run defender with impactful play at the point of attack -- a rarer and rarer trait as edge rushers have become increasingly lighter and smaller over the years. He's a high-ceiling pass rusher who can win as the primary sack artist or as the pocket-pushing complement on the opposite side of a blitz or stunt.
Sweat's familiarity with coach (and former Eagles DC) Jonathon Gannon, for whom he had his career-best 11 sacks in 2022, should help smooth the onboarding process. He might not be a yearly 12-plus-sack player, but it's hard to imagine this contract utterly failing given his fit and familiarity.
I didn't love: The exodus at defensive tackle. As Roy Lopez, Khyiris Tonga and Naquan Jones all signed elsewhere, the Cardinals lost 467, 261 and 229 snaps from last season, respectively. Dante Stills and Darius Robinson are the remaining incumbent tackles, and the signing of Tomlinson was smart. But their depth along the defensive line will now be tested, as both Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones are returning from injury. There's a lot of newness at that position, which isn't bad news -- the group might improve as a whole! -- but it will be a big question mark to track entering the 2025 season.
14. Miami Dolphins
Key acquisitions and returning players: G James Daniels, LB Tyrel Dodson, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, RB Alexander Mattison, S Ifeatu Melifonwu
I loved: The Daniels signing. This was one of my favorite moves of the entire free agency period. He is a perfect scheme fit in Miami -- a fleet-footed guard who makes impactful plays in space -- and has a higher floor in pass protection than some of the other Dolphins interior offensive linemen. Daniels is a risk coming off a torn Achilles, but this is the sort of low-floor, high-ceiling gamble they needed because of their limited cap room. The Melifonwu and K.J. Britt signings qualify as exactly the same: smart gambles to plug gaps on the roster.
I didn't love: Letting Jevon Holland out of the building. It probably had to happen since he was great before his injury-riddled 2023 season, and his 2024 play didn't return to form. But he was a homegrown defensive talent and a leader in the locker room, and those are the players most teams like to retain when they can. I also thought his price would clear that of fellow free agent Tre'von Moehrig, who signed for $17 million per year with the Panthers -- more than Holland's $15.1 million average with the Giants. The Dolphins could have gotten that number under the cap and might regret that they didn't.
15. Chicago Bears
Key acquisitions and returning players: G Joe Thuney, G Jonah Jackson, C Drew Dalman, Edge Dayo Odeyingbo, DT Grady Jarrett
I loved: The Thuney trade. Anyone can tell you he is one of the best guards in football and adding him to a Bears team that bled interior pressures is a no-brainer. Look at how much top-of-the-market guards have cost in free agency over the past few years, and the deal looks even better. Look at how young and unproven the Bears offensive locker room is and consider how renowned Thuney is for his professionalism and culture-setting, and the deal looks even better.
I'm curious to see how the Bears handle his remaining contract, as the 32-year-old could have a few great years of football left -- but for now, it's a great move.
I didn't love: Just how much the defensive line renovation cost. I highlighted the Bears as my classic overpay team of the offseason, which is less of a criticism than it sounds. The nature of being a bad team with lots of money is that it ends up overpaying in free agency (see: every Patriots, Panthers and Jaguars deal this free agency). The problem is that big contract numbers set expectations that exceed the capacity of the additions.
While the offensive line certainly elevates from incompetence to competency with the Dalman/Jackson/Thuney triumvirate, I'm not as convinced the defensive line made as enormous a jump with Jarrett and Odeyingbo. Jarrett's best football is behind him; Odeyingbo is a good rotational player. Both got paid like impactful starters, and I'll believe that level of impact once I see it.
16. Indianapolis Colts
Key acquisitions and returning players: CB Charvarius Ward, S Cam Bynum, CB Corey Ballentine, QB Daniel Jones, OT Braden Smith
I loved: The willingness to spend. When general manager Chris Ballard signed Ward to a three-year, $54 million deal with a $20 million signing bonus, it represented one of the biggest free agency contracts of his time in Indianapolis; right behind the $15 million per year Ballard gave to Bynum. The Colts have been one of the league's most committed draft-and-develop teams, but they have also been an underperforming team that has struggled against playoff teams. Ward might be a true CB1 on the outside -- something they haven't had in years. That raises their ceiling.
I didn't love: The implications of the Jones signing. A one-year, $14 million deal is totally fine value for the player. And adding a veteran quarterback to "compete" with Anthony Richardson for the starting job is wise, as there are now two crapshoots at quarterback instead of just one.
Let's be very clear, however: If signing Jones to a one-year bridge deal is good news for your team, that's a poor reflection on the roster. The Colts were clearly desperate for Jones to give them another escape hatch from their bad quarterback situation, and putting that many eggs in the Jones basket reveals just how desperate Ballard is for consistent quarterbacking. It's not a good place to be.
17. Washington Commanders
Key acquisitions and returning players: OT Laremy Tunsil, WR Deebo Samuel Sr., DT Javon Kinlaw, LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz
I loved: The return of cornerback Noah Igbinoghene. The headline moves are all fine. They sent the right amount of draft capital for Samuel and the risk/reward of an aging receiver with a unique skill set. The same is true of Tunsil, a high-ceiling but oft-penalized blindside protector who took a step back last season. But the quiet moves often have the bigger impact in the season.
Igbinoghene settled in as a solid starting nickel over the course of 2024, and his return allows coach Dan Quinn to be flexible with the alignment and usage of second-year star corner Mike Sainristil. I similarly appreciate the retentions of wideout Noah Brown and tight end John Bates -- two quiet, useful players who are integral as connective tissue for a contender.
I didn't love: The Kinlaw deal. Any team that makes as many transactions as the Commanders did will make a few questionable ones, but I simply cannot square this deal. Kinlaw maxed out as a rotational defensive tackle who didn't work for the 49ers, a team that has a high success rate in developing defensive linemen. He also didn't work with the Jets and Robert Saleh, who brought his 49ers magic to New York. Signing him to a deal worth $15 million per year implies he'll be a consistent starter on all three downs, so even if the pass rush has finally crystallized -- which is an extremely dubious claim -- Kinlaw will remain a mark in the running game.
18. Dallas Cowboys
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Dante Fowler Jr., DT Osa Odighizuwa, LB Kenneth Murray, RB Miles Sanders, RB Javonte Williams
I loved: The participation! The Cowboys did what teams should do when they have franchise cornerstones already in hand: They added on the margins with low-risk, high-reward moves. The RB tandem of Sanders and Williams shouldn't preclude them from drafting a back early next month, but it does give them enough of a floor that they don't need to chase the position in the first round. The signing of Fowler clears the bar for a functional rusher who can take advantage of the havoc created by Micah Parsons from the edge and Odighizuwa from the interior.
The Cowboys didn't make any big additions in the free agency period, but they never do. At least they made some small ones this year.
I didn't love: The silence on a Parsons extension. It's tough to complain about anything when you have zero expectations for a team, and then they actually sign a contract or two. The biggest move the Cowboys made -- extending Odighizuwa -- ended up being a team-friendly deal relative to the free agent defensive tackle market. So what is there to complain about?
Well, it sure would be nice if the Cowboys would just do the obvious thing and hand Parsons a massive extension. He already deserves it, he's going to deserve it even more after this upcoming season and -- as is always the case in the NFL -- he isn't going to get any cheaper next offseason. Let's just get this done already.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars
Key acquisitions and returning players: G Patrick Mekari, CB Jourdan Lewis, WR Dyami Brown, S Eric Murray, C Robert Hainsey
I loved: The return to competency. The best thing bad teams can do in free agency is get veteran starters who will plug immediate gaps and raise the floor of the team. Both Mekari and Hainsey can be starters, though neither of them signed a big-enough deal to be handed the job if draft picks are suddenly outperforming them. Both Brown and Lewis were signed to deals large enough that they should be impactful starters, but not so large that they'll debilitate the cap if they underperform. This is exactly how a new front office should reload a roster.
I didn't love: The priorities. The Jaguars double-dipped at tight end, replacing the departed Luke Farrell and Evan Engram with Hunter Long and Johnny Mundt -- but Brenton Strange is still presumably the starter. With the Lewis signing, they secured the slot corner position ... but that's where Jarrian Jones was strong last season. Now, Jones will have to transition to the outside to find the starting reps he clearly deserves.
The Jaguars certainly needed to add a receiver, but Brown's skill set is quite redundant to that of star receiver Brian Thomas Jr., a bigger speedster with great downfield reps. I don't mind the spending; it's just not where they already have talent.
20. New Orleans Saints
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Chase Young, S Justin Reid, TE Juwan Johnson, S Tyrann Mathieu, DT Davon Godchaux
I loved: Signing internal players. Both Young and Johnson had existing void years on their contracts, with dead money ready to accelerate onto the 2025 cap if they walked in free agency. By extending Young and backloading his deal, the Saints actually saved money against the 2025 cap. The same was true of Johnson: The savings were less, but the extension kept void money stuck in future cap years.
It takes some grotesque salary cap chicanery to get to this stage of team-building, but the Saints were right to extend their already-voided players and get some cap relief.
I didn't love: Signing external players! Why are they giving Reid a three-year deal? He is a good player and the contract is fine, but stop signing new deals! Give all of Reid's snaps to a third-rounder and see if they can hit on him! If so, it would help them get out of this dreadful, terrible, debilitating cap hell that made them restructure Derek Carr's deal.
It's no longer impressive or interesting that New Orleans keeps on spinning the carousel of "contending" by borrowing from future cap years. It's just mismanagement, and it continues to hurt the team.
21. Kansas City Chiefs
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Nick Bolton, WR Hollywood Brown, G Trey Smith, CB Kristian Fulton, OT Jaylon Moore
I loved: The re-signing of Brown. He has often been cast as a WR1 and has struggled to live up to that billing. He's more impactful as a WR2 or WR3, which is what he'll be for Kansas City. As Xavier Worthy emerged in Brown's absence, and Rashee Rice returns from his injury to reestablish himself as the top guy, Brown can be a field-stretcher and get some of the designed touches behind the line of scrimmage that Worthy doesn't. When Dyami Brown and Tutu Atwell cost $10 million each, Brown's $7 million deal is good business.
I didn't love: The big swings. The Chiefs signed four deals of $10 million or greater. In Fulton, they have a much better CB2 option on the outside for only $10 million per season -- that's fine. Moore cost $15 million per year, which will look great if he hits as their franchise left tackle, but the "sign a backup to become a starter" move rarely works in free agency. Bolton also cost $15 million per year, and while he's a great culture player for this defense, I've watched too many offenses pick on him in coverage to feel great about that signing. And I imagine the market-setting extension for Smith will eventually look just fine, but he's currently sitting on a $23.4 million franchise tag, which is more than any guard is making per year.
Every move is defensible, but I didn't love a single one.
22. New York Jets
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Jamien Sherwood, QB Justin Fields, CB Brandon Stephens, S Andre Cisco, C Josh Myers
I loved: The Fields gamble. If there is a good candidate for a Sam Darnold/Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield-esque recovery, it is Fields, who simply has not enjoyed a good offensive environment in his NFL career. As the Jets reconstruct the offensive depth chart post-Aaron Rodgers, Fields will have at least one, maybe two seasons to prove he is at least capable of bridging the team into the future with acceptable play. And potentially, he can prove more.
It's the right gamble for a team looking for a slower, more methodical rebuild than the previous regime's panicked dash for Rodgers.
I didn't love: The secondary approach. I don't know who the Jets were competing with when they gave Stephens $12 million per year. He was one of the most targeted cornerbacks last season, and he gave up more expected points added (EPA) as the nearest defender in coverage than all but one other defensive back. The $8.5 million for Cisco also exceeded my expectations, though that's a smaller commitment and therefore less worrisome. The secondary was a strength for the Jets for the past few seasons, and I'm worried a step back is inevitable as the new staff reconfigures the group and installs new schemes.
23. Green Bay Packers
Key acquisitions and returning players: G Aaron Banks, CB Nate Hobbs, LB Isaiah McDuffie, K Brandon McManus
I loved: The headliner additions. When Banks is rolling, he's a fearsome run blocker who can pull and be the featured piece of a dynamic rushing game. The Packers have four plus starters along the offensive line now, and if they can secure the fifth spot, they can make an already excellent running game dominant in the way Philadelphia's was during their NFC run.
Hobbs has been one of the NFL's best slot corners the past few seasons and is an impactful run defender, which has been a theme of the Packers' recent secondary acquisitions. Banks and Hobbs were two of the best players available, and Green Bay got them both -- that's good news.
I didn't love: The number required to get both of them. Both Banks and Hobbs were players I would have been interested in signing, but I would've tapped out at the $19.25 million per year for Banks and $12 million per year for Hobbs. Banks' best ball was in the beginning of the 2023 season -- quite a while ago. Reportedly, the Packers are moving Hobbs to the outside, which is a challenging transition.
If both become additive players for the Packers' playoff push, nobody will care much about a small overpay. But neither player is perfect, and there's substantial risk.
24. New York Giants
Key acquisitions and returning players: S Jevon Holland, QB Russell Wilson, CB Paulson Adebo, WR Darius Slayton, OT James Hudson III, DL Chauncey Golston
I loved: That they invested in the secondary. The Giants' defensive backfield was a tough watch by the end of the season, and floor-raising veterans were a must-have for 2025. Holland and Adebo are a bit more up and down than you might like, but the Giants are swinging for the fences. Adebo could be a CB1 out of Marshon Lattimore's shadow in New Orleans, and Holland was set to become one of the league's best safeties before his injuries in 2023.
A lot has been invested in the Giants' defense over the past few years, and the unit should be ready to deliver.
I didn't love: Just about every deal. I thought Adebo would get a one-year contract to prove he was healthy following major leg injury, not nearly a market-setting extension. Instead, he got as much money as Byron Murphy Jr. and Charvarius Ward got on their deals, and more than D.J. Reed got on his. I'm surprised they valued Slayton's play at $12 million per year when they haven't been dedicated to increasing his role each season. Neither Golston nor Hudson for $6 million apiece is a big deal, but if either player is seeing substantial snaps in 2025, that's bad news for the state of the roster.
The Giants spent more guaranteed money in this free agent cycle than all but two teams, and beyond the Holland deal, which I thought was fine at $15.1 million, they overpaid for the impact they'll likely receive. At least the quarterback deals look cheap!
25. Carolina Panthers
Key acquisitions and returning players: S Tre'von Moehrig, CB Jaycee Horn, DT Tershawn Wharton, Edge Pat Jones II, DT Bobby Brown III
I loved: Some of the smaller moves. Christian Rozeboom is a great special-teamer who had some good film on defense for the Rams last season; running back Rico Dowdle broke out over the past six weeks of the season for the Cowboys; Brady Christensen, Cade Mays and Austin Corbett are good offensive line depth pieces to keep in the building. Even the slightly more expensive but minor signings of tight end Tommy Tremble and backup quarterback Andy Dalton strike me as good business. The Panthers rewarded internal competency and took stabs at young players who have flashed potential.
I didn't love: Any of the big deals. Horn certainly looked like he was healthy and back to full form, but I didn't see making him "the highest-paid cornerback in football" as a reasonable response to his career arc. I like Moehrig, but he isn't the league's fifth-best safety, as his contract implies. I thought the Wharton deal was one of the biggest overpays of the entire cycle, and while neither Jones nor Brown signed for sizable deals, I'm not sure either will deliver more than rotational depth value.
I would have liked for the Panthers to get more impact with their cap space, but it just wasn't the class for it.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
Key acquisitions and returning players: WR DK Metcalf, RB Jaylen Warren, QB Mason Rudolph, LB Malik Harrison, CB Brandin Echols
I loved: Getting Metcalf. He's far from a perfect player, and his fit with George Pickens isn't crystal clear. But the Steelers desperately need more offensive firepower, and Metcalf is exactly that. The size of the extension is pretty shocking, but the trade value -- Pittsburgh gave up the No. 52 overall pick -- is great if Metcalf becomes a WR1, which is clearly the plan. He should help alleviate the pressure on Pickens and ... whoever ends up playing quarterback.
I didn't love: Spending all this time waiting for Aaron Rodgers to sign, as I'd describe him as a rather mercurial fellow. What happens if he takes his game elsewhere, and the Steelers are left starting Rudolph in 2025? Or what if he joins and they're hanging their playoff hopes on a 41-year-old quarterback who refuses to update his game? All of the Steelers' eggs are in the Metcalf and Rodgers baskets, and that doesn't sit right with me.
The lack of additional deals besides Metcalf is glaring -- the second-biggest Pittsburgh deal this offseason was a $5.346 million tender on Warren.
27. Tennessee Titans
Key acquisitions and returning players: OT Dan Moore Jr., Edge Dre'Mont Jones, G Kevin Zeitler, LB Cody Barton, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day
I loved: How serious the Titans are about their offensive line. They signed Moore to ensure JC Latham gets to play his natural position on the right side, while Zeitler will serve as a stopgap option at right guard. They added Blake Hance -- who has familiarity with line coach Bill Callahan -- as a swing guard and tackle, and Corey Levin as continued depth at center. Four of the five projected starters will have been acquired in the past two offseasons, which tells me the face-lift is complete and quality offensive line play should be the expectation moving forward.
A good offensive line is a floor-raiser for any quarterback -- Will Levis, a veteran or a rookie selected with the No. 1 overall pick.
I didn't love: The impact of the money. Moore is likely to be a fine starter at left tackle, and I can talk myself into Zeitler retaining his level of play despite being 35. But for $84.6 million in guaranteed money spent -- seventh-most among all teams this offseason -- there's a worrying lack of punch in the Titans' additions. Jones and Barton are replacement-level starters at their positions; Joseph-Day adds good depth, but he's not a starter behind T'Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons.
If Moore and Zeitler plug up the remaining gaps on the offensive line, perhaps the rising tide of that five-strong unit will equal the value spent on them, but that feels like a reach.
28. Houston Texans
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Danielle Hunter, CB Derek Stingley Jr., S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, WR Christian Kirk, DT Sheldon Rankins
I loved: The first half of the offensive line plan. Count me among the few who like the Laremy Tunsil deal for the Texans. Even if he returned to his 2023 form, he was not saving their offensive line problems on his own. Getting a third-rounder this year and a second-rounder next year is a good deal for a 30-year-old tackle on a megadeal -- especially considering how many flags he draws. That, plus shipping Kenyon Green off for Gardner-Johnson, was a good offloading on an offensive line that desperately needed a culture reset.
I didn't love: The second half of the offensive line plan. To buttress their now-depleted offensive line, the Texans signed Trent Brown and Cam Robinson at tackle and Laken Tomlinson at guard, and traded for another guard in Ed Ingram. All four of these players have been liabilities on their recent teams. Whether for mental lapses, diminished play in old age or just a low level of talent, these are not the players I'd like taking snaps along my offensive line. Ideally, Ingram and Tomlinson are only ever depth for Houston, but still.
I was hoping to feel at least cautiously optimistic about the revamped offensive line for third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, and I simply cannot get there with this group.
29. Cleveland Browns
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Myles Garrett, QB Kenny Pickett, Edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, OT Cornelius Lucas
I loved: It's tough to love anything the Browns did. Keeping Garrett, who had requested a trade, in the building was objectively a success -- I'll never fault a team for retaining an elite player -- but the wiser team-building move would have been to trade him for a preposterous purse of draft capital. With Garrett extended for $40 million per year and Deshaun Watson's albatross of a contract consuming all sorts of future cap space, the Browns couldn't really do much else.
I like both Lucas and Tryon-Shoyinka as depth players, so I'll give them their relatively small flowers there.
I didn't love: It's tough to knock anything the Browns did either (see: aforementioned paralysis of cap space), but the most meaningful thing they did was take a swing on a quarterback. The only thing that can save this team's short-term prospects is finding a starting quarterback in the rough, and they've been linked to many veteran free agents. However, the questionable swing they took was via trade, sending a fifth-round pick to the Eagles for Pickett. He is near the bottom of the list of players I'd give any shot to resurrect their career at quarterback -- he simply has not shown anything in his career that implies a QB1 is hiding somewhere in there.
30. San Francisco 49ers
Key acquisitions and returning players: TE Luke Farrell, FB Kyle Juszczyk, WR Demarcus Robinson, QB Mac Jones, DT Kevin Givens
I loved: The Robinson signing. He is a great WR3/4, as he has the requisite size, athleticism and ball skills to make downfield grabs. He also brings some utility as a blocker. That's all.
I didn't love: The fact that the biggest deal the team signed was for Farrell. As evidenced by how much talent left the building this offseason, the 49ers were taking their financial lumps this year and didn't sign any big deals accordingly. There are a couple of low-risk moves I like -- cornerback Tre Brown for $1.7 million from the Seahawks feels like a steal, and Jason Pinnock is also a handy player in the secondary. But they were always going to be a cellar-dwelling team in any free agent rankings -- it's just inevitable that teams endure a cycle like this after a failed push to Super Bowl contention.
31. Seattle Seahawks
Key acquisitions and returning players: QB Sam Darnold, Edge DeMarcus Lawrence, WR Cooper Kupp, LB Uchenna Nwosu, DT Jarran Reed, LB Ernest Jones IV
I loved: This class ... if we had a time machine and it was 2020. Kupp is a dominant WR1, Lawrence still has legs as a pass rusher, Reed has just emerged as a solid starting defensive tackle, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling is still a dangerous field stretcher. (No, the Darnold contract doesn't make any sense in this hypothetical world, but stick with me.)
Seattle's approach of downgrading at quarterback while loading the roster with aging veterans simply does not jibe. There are a couple of deals that seem solid -- if Jones is healthy, he'll deliver -- but overall, this team spent tons of money on players with substantial risk factors.
I didn't love: The inexcusable neglect along the offensive line. As the free agency dust settles, the worst unit leaguewide is the Seahawks' offensive line. The projected interior of Christian Haynes, Olu Oluwatimi and potentially Sataoa Laumea cannot stand up against good interior pass rushes; the tackle position is only better when Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are both healthy, which isn't a guarantee. Even if every move general manager John Schneider made this offseason works, the ceiling of this Seattle squad will be capped by its inability to pass protect.
32. Atlanta Falcons
Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Leonard Floyd, CB Mike Hughes, LB Divine Deablo, Edge Morgan Fox, S Jordan Fuller
I loved: Pretty much nothing.
I didn't love: Pretty much everything. The Falcons walked into this cycle with a preposterously little amount of cap space for a team that hasn't appeared in the playoffs for the past seven seasons. But what they spent on doesn't move the needle. Floyd is a Raheem Morris retread and lacks the pass-rush juice to save an anemic front four in Atlanta. Fox was once a handy player, but is a few years beyond his prime. Deablo probably will not break the starting lineup behind Troy Andersen and Kaden Elliss. Fuller, another Morris retread, will have the same athletic limitations Justin Simmons did in 2024.
Almost all of the Falcons' money was spent on defense, and they did nothing but tread water.