2025 NFL Free Agency Tracker: Signings, Analysis, Rumors & News

NFL free agency is upon us. As deals roll in, the Sharp Football staff will break them down with analysis for every major move.

This page will be updated throughout the first wave of free agency, so be sure to check back often.

Click here for a full list of available free agents and signings

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Statistics from TruMedia unless noted otherwise. Salary information from Over The Cap.

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Cooper Kupp Lands With Division Rival Seahawks

The Seahawks continued their offensive redesign by signing Cooper Kupp to a three-year, $45 million contract.

Kupp stays in the division, getting to play the Rams at least twice a year, and is joining a depth chart that has serious questions behind Jaxon Smith–Njigba.

Raymond Summerlin dove into Kupp's recent decline and what his signing might mean for the fantasy outlook in Seattle.

Evan Engram Headed to Broncos

Released by the Jaguars ahead of free agency, Evan Engram did not have to wait long to find a new team, signing with the Broncos on a two-year, $23 million contract.

Despite their overall offensive success last season, the Broncos struggled to get production from the tight end position.

Broncos tight ends ranked:

30th in targets
29th in receptions
30th in yards
25th in yards per target

Engram was limited to 9 games last season, but he commanded targets when he was on the field, seeing one on 26.6% of his routes.

He was targeted on 22.2% of his routes during his three seasons with the Jaguars, eighth among qualifying tight ends over that span.

Engram has never been a big-time touchdown scorer — he has not topped 4 in a season since his rookie season — but he could soak up targets for an offense that was searching for a second option behind Courtland Sutton last season.

Russell Wilson Meeting With Browns, Giants

With the NFL world seemingly waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers — linked with the Giants, Steelers, and still the Vikings — Russell Wilson will go out on the recruiting trail this week.

Wilson will reportedly meet with the Browns and then the Giants if Rodgers has not decided to join New York before then.

Wilson's former team in Pittsburgh also still needs a quarterback, but there might be some bad blood there after the Steelers seemingly decided to bring back Justin Fields before he left for the Jets.

As it stands now, the Steelers do not have a quarterback under contract for 2025.

DeAndre Hopkins Joins Ravens

Heading into his age-33 season, DeAndre Hopkins will once again be playing for a new team in 2025 after signing a one-year, $6 million contract with the Ravens.

Traded to the Chiefs midway through last season, Hopkins did not make a big impact during his time in Kansas City.

He ran a route on just 36.1% of the Chiefs' dropbacks in the playoffs, and it is fair to wonder if the Ravens will also use him as more of a part-time player.

To be fair, Hopkins did at least earn targets when he was on the field last season.

He had a solid enough 22.5% target rate per route, which ranked 32nd among 104 qualified receivers, and he led the Chiefs in throws into the end zone despite playing just 10 games with the team.

Furthermore, Hopkins is just a year removed from being the clear No. 1 option in Tennessee, commanding a target on 27.1% of his routes.

Somewhere between those two usage extremes could make sense for the Ravens, especially with Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely also earning targets.

Daniel Jones Signs with Colts

While we still wait to see where Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers land, the Colts made their quarterback move on Tuesday morning by signing Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract.

Indy was always expected to bring in competition for Anthony Richardson, who very simply needs to show more ability as a passer to compete for the starting job.

As Warren Sharp lays out, though, Jones has concerns of his own that were overlooked following the 2022 season.

Yes, the Giants won double digit games and made the playoffs in 2022, but it was NOT because of Jones.

He started 16 games and threw 15 touchdown passes.

He averaged 6.8 YPA. That ranked 30th in the NFL.

On one of the easiest downs to pass the ball, first downs, he averaged -0.06 EPA/att.

That ranked 38th out of 47 QBs. His 45% success rate on first down was a career low.

One of the most important times to be efficient is on 3rd or 4th down.

On 3rd down:

– Jones averaged career lows in EPA/att and success rate
– His YPA ranked #42 out of 47 QBs
– His completion rate of 56% ranked 39th, and was a career low by 5 full percentage points
– He ranked 33rd in first down conversion rate

The team scored more points in 2022 and made the playoffs because they had Jones scramble more between the 20s, and when they got to the red zone, they ran their RBs a lot more and had Jones throw the ball extremely short so that he could complete passes (3.9 air yards per att, #31).

When Joe Schoen decided to pay Jones like a franchise QB, Brian Daboll tried to take off the handcuffs and it failed miserably.

Jones essentially played 1 full season by starting 16 games in total over the last two years.

The Giants went 3-13.

Jones' performance, ranked out of 45 qualifying QBs:

#43 in YPA (5.9)
#41 in EPA/att (-0.18)
#37 in success rate (38%)
#42 in sack + INT rate (13%)
#45 in TD:INT ratio (0.8:1)
#45 in explosive gain rate (6%)
#41 in sack rate per pressure (27%)

Anthony Richardson hasn't looked pretty so far in his career.

But, I listed off 7 stats above.

Richardson was better than Jones in six of those seven stats.

One of the biggest differences with Richardson is his target depth.

Look at the juxtaposition between he and Jones in these stats:

Air Yards:

Richardson: #1 (11.2)
Jones: #32 (7.2)

Rate of passes traveling beyond the sticks:

Richardson: #1 (45%)
Jones: #42 (28%)

Shane Steichen calls the offense very different for Richardson than Daboll called it for Jones.

Jones does have the ability to run with the ball, but not nearly as well as Richardson, and Jones is significantly less slippery inside the pocket and takes too many sacks.

Will Steichen dial back the offense to the limitations of Jones like Daboll did in 2022?

If he does, there is a real chance that Jones will look better than Richardson and get on the field in a starting capacity.

That doesn't mean he's a good quarterback. He simply could be the best of two bad options.

Vikings Spend Big on Tuesday Morning

With the quarterback market passing them by and J.J. McCarthy seemingly locked into the starting job, the Vikings turned their attention to building around him on Tuesday morning.

Minnesota added both Jonathan Allen (three years, $51 million) and Javon Hargrave to the defensive line and signed OG Will Fries (five years, $88 million).

Fries only played five games in 2024 because of a leg injury, but he played well before going down.

The Vikings also added former Colt Ryan Kelly earlier in the free agency period, so that pair will actually have some continuity despite the new team.

Both Allen and Hargrave are older and coming off injury-shortened seasons, but both also have Pro Bowl level play on their resumes.

Juwan Johnson Returns to Saints

Despite being in cap hell, the Saints found a way (as always) to re-sign some of their biggest free agents including Juwan Johnson, who is back on a three-year, $30.75 million contract.

Johnson first broke out for the Saints in 2022, catching 42 passes for 508 yards and 7 touchdowns, but he has not really built on that over the last two seasons, finishing with lines of 37-368-4 and 50-548-3.

Johnson was actually second on the Saints in targets last season as the offense dealt with injury after injury in the receiving corps, but even so, his 12.8% team target share ranked 21st among qualifying tight ends.

He has been targeted on 16.7% of his career routes, a number that would have ranked 23rd among qualified tight ends last season.

The Saints have a new coaching staff led by former Eagles OC Kellen Moore, and it is promising they wanted to bring Johnson back.

Still, we do not have a strong history of him commanding targets, and it is concerning from a fantasy perspective that we did not see that change last season given the state of the receiving corps.

Jevon Holland Lands With Giants

While several safeties signed big-money deals early in free agency, Jevon Holland remained on the board heading into Tuesday morning.

That changed quickly with the Giants bringing him in on a three-year, $45.3 million contract.

The $15.1 million average value put Holland second in this class behind Tre'von Moehrig, who signed with the big-spending Panthers.

Holland is coming off a down season that perhaps can be explained away by injury.

The Giants will hope he can return to form now playing in New York.

Najee Harris Lands With Chargers

The Chargers' rumored chase of Najee Harris became fact on Monday evening with the running back signing a one-year deal worth “up to” $9.5 million.

This contract almost certainly means the Chargers will be moving on from free agent J.K. Dobbins, who had a resurgent season for them after years of struggling with injuries.

Perhaps Dobbins' injury history had something to do with the move, but despite public perception, Dobbins was not markedly better than Harris last season outside of explosive runs.

Interestingly, 2024 was Harris' best season for explosive runs — 11.4%, 21st among qualified running backs — and he did a better job avoiding negative plays than Dobbins did a season ago.

Ultimately, the Chargers could be trading some explosive ability for reliability, a decision that would seemingly fit well with Jim Harbaugh‘s philosophy.

From a fantasy perspective, this looks like a good spot for Harris to stack touches as the depth chart currently stands.

Gus Edwards is gone with only Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal on the depth chart behind Harris.

As needs to be noted for every running back signing, though, this is an exceptional class of rookie backs, so things could change dramatically by the end of April.

Byron Murphy Lands Big Extension With Vikings

The Vikings have a lot of free agent questions in the secondary, but they will retain CB Byron Murphy on a three-year, $66 million contract.

Murphy did not have the best first season with Minnesota, but he showed out as a playmaker in 2024, recording 6 interceptions on his way to the Pro Bowl.

He also has 27 passes defensed in the last two seasons.

The Vikings still have some holes to fill on the back end, but Murphy should be a steady presence.

Chase Young Re-Signs With Saints

After signing a one-year, prove it deal last offseason, EDGE Chase Young got his big payday from the Saints this time around, landing a three-year, $51 million extension.

Young only had 5.5 sacks last season, but his 14.6% pressure rate ranked 14th among qualified pass rushers and was right on par with what he did for the 49ers and Commanders in 2023.

Entering his age-26 season, Young is headed into the prime of his career, and pressure rates like that are likely to lead to higher sack numbers in the future.

Cooper Kupp Will Be Released Barring a Trade

In other words, Cooper Kupp will be released ahead of the new league year.

In the month since it was announced he was on the trade block, the Rams have yet to find someone willing to take on Kupp's $12.5 million base salary and the $7.5 million roster bonus he is owed on March 16 ($5 million of that is already guaranteed).

Any leverage the Rams might have had in negotiations went out the window when they signed Davante Adams ahead of free agency.

As of now, it looks like Kupp will hit the open market, and it will be interesting to see how his market develops given the seeming lack of interest in a trade.

Recapping Panthers Spending Spree

The Panthers were one of the busiest teams in the early hours of free agency, making four fairly big money signings on Monday in addition to bringing back some of their own.

Tershawn Wharton, DT: Three years, $54 million
Tre'von Moehrig, S: Three years, $51 million
Patrick Jones II, EDGE: Two years, $20 million
Bobby Brown III, DL: Three years, $21 million

The biggest deal of the bunch was a four-year, $100 million extension for CB Jaycee Horn, and they also re-signed CB Michael Jackson Sr. to a two-year, $14.5 million contract.

The Panthers clearly set out to improve their defense in this free agency period, which conveniently was the strength of this free agent class.

Carolina ranked dead last in yards per play allowed and points per drive allowed last season.

Broncos Targeting 49ers Defensive Free Agents

After signing former 49ers S Talanoa Hufanga earlier in the day, the Broncos went back to the 49ers well with a three-year, $35 million contract for LB Dre Greenlaw.

Greenlaw was limited to just two games last season due to the unfortunate Achilles injury he suffered in Super Bowl 58.

Before that, though, Greenlaw had established himself as one of the best linebackers in the league.

In 2023, he finished seventh among qualified linebackers in yards per target allowed in coverage while playing well against the run.

If the Broncos get that version of Greenlaw back, this will be a good signing.

Javonte Williams Signs With Cowboys

Coming off two disappointing seasons in a row, Javonte Williams is getting a fresh start with the Cowboys, signing a one-year, $3 million contract.

The size of the deal reflects the recent level of play from Williams.

Among 54 qualified running backs in the last two seasons, Williams ranks 50th in yards per touch, 49th in yards per carry, 38th in explosive run rate, 42nd in negative run rate, and 51st in yards after contact per carry.

Despite leading the backfield in touches, Williams was clearly the worst runner in Denver last season.

He averaged 3.7 yards per carry with an explosive run on 9.4% of his carries.

The rest of the backs combined averaged 4.3 yards per carry with an explosive run on 10.9% of their carries.

While Williams was much better before his injury in 2022, we have now seen two years of him just not getting it done on the ground.

Of course, he will not cost the Cowboys much this year, and the incoming draft class is flush with backs who could start right out of the gate.

If Williams ends up being Dallas' only veteran addition in the backfield, it would be shocking if they did not draft a back in the first three rounds come April.

Darius Slayton Returning to Giants

It seemed likely Darius Slayton would be playing elsewhere in 2025, but he re-signed with the Giants on a three-year, $36 million contract.

Slayton has quietly been a steady presence in the Giants receiver room, averaging 650 yards and 4 touchdowns over his six seasons.

He understandably took a step back with Malik Nabers establishing himself as the No. 1 last season, but Slayton still commanded 71 targets and was New York's primary threat down the field.

That kind of usage will not make Slayton a reliable fantasy option, but he should pop up for some big games while everyone is healthy.

He has also shown in the past he can produce when the targets find him including an 8-122-1 line on 11 targets against the Seahawks last year.

Running Back Rumors

With Javonte Williams landing in Dallas, the Dallas Morning News' David Moore reports Rico Dowdle is not expected back with the team.

Dowdle was the clear lead option last season, seeing 67.9% of the Cowboys' running back carries.

He was also by far the most effective back on the roster.

Dowdle averaged 4.6 yards per carry and an explosive run on 11.1% of his attempts.

The rest of the running back group combined for 3.2 yards per carry and a 2.7% explosive run rate with Ezekiel Elliott dragging down that average.

The Cowboys will hope Williams (or perhaps a rookie) can provide similar production to Dowdle.

As for Najee Harris, he was linked with a move to the Chargers by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Chargers have already released Gus Edwards, and J.K. Dobbins remains a free agent.

Dobbins was more effective than Harris last season, but he did really struggle with negative runs.

Super Bowl Champion Kenny Pickett Traded to Browns

In arguably the most consequential trade of our time, the Eagles sent Super Bowl Champion Kenneth Pickett (his official title) to the Browns in exchange for Dorian Thompson–Robinson and a fifth-round pick.

In all seriousness, though, Pickett represents an upgrade over what Cleveland's quarterback room looked like before the deal.

Deshaun Watson is not going to play next season and is unlikely to ever play for the Browns again, Jameis Winston is a free agent, and Bailey Zappe is a restricted free agent.

Pickett at least gives them someone with starting experience as they try to build the top of the depth chart, whether that is via trade, signing, or (most likely) the draft.

Owed just $2.6 million on the final year of his deal (assuming the Browns do not pick up his fifth-year option), Pickett is a low-cost bridge for a roster that already has a lot of money wasted at the quarterback spot.

Commanders Land Laremy Tunsil in Blockbuster Trade

The Texans continue to tear down their 2024 offensive line, cutting Shaq Mason last week before sending Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders in a blockbuster trade.

Tunsil started all 17 games for Houston last season, earning his fifth Pro Bowl bid in his six-season Texans career.

The Texans struggled to protect C.J. Stroud last season (24th in pressure rate allowed), but Tunsil finished 10th among offensive tackles in ESPN's pass block win rate.

In fact, he has been excellent in each of the last three seasons.

Among left tackles with at least 75 pass blocking snaps, he ranked:

2024: #2 of 56 (2.9%)
2023: #4 of 54 (3.9%)
2022: #2 of 51 (2.6%)

Heading into his age-31 season, it is fair to expect at least a couple more quality seasons out of the left tackle, making this a good deal for the Commanders as they try to take advantage of Jayden Daniels‘ rookie contract window.

As for the Texans, they have a lot of work to do on the offensive line, and it is not clear where that help will come from.

Russell Wilson & Aaron Rodgers Rumors

While quarterback dominos are starting to fall, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers remain available.

The Steelers are still looking for a starter after Justin Fields left for the Jets, but the latest rumor is connecting Wilson with a move to Tennessee via SNY's Connor Hughes.

The Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick, but it remains to be seen if they think any of the available quarterbacks are worth that pick.

Tennessee could also be interested in trading down.

The Steelers, on the other hand, have been linked with Rodgers, who is starting to run out of possible landing spots.

Hughes also reports the Giants want Rodgers, but are “waiting to find out if he wants them.”

Been there, Giants. Been there.

Josh Sweat Lands With Cardinals

Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, Josh Sweat was expected to get paid this offseason, and that's exactly what happened.

Sweat is signing a four-year, $76.1 million contract with the Cardinals, reuniting with former DC Jonathan Gannon.

Arizona has struggled to get pressure, finishing 25th in pressure rate and 28th in ESPN's pass rush win rate last season.

Sweat posted a respectable 14.1% pressure rate last season (20th among qualified pass rushers) and finished with 8 sacks.

He might not be among the elite at the position, but Sweat gives the Cardinals a better option on the edge than they have had in recent seasons.

Bears Load Up in the Trenches

After focusing on the offensive front with trades for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson as well as a big deal for Drew Dalman, the Bears turned their attention to the defensive line on Monday afternoon.

First, they added pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo on a three-year, $48 million contract.

Next, they signed former Falcons DL Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $43.5 million contract.

Heading into his age-32 season, Jarrett is the veteran of this duo.

He is coming off a lackluster year in which he pressured the quarterback on 7.8% of his pass rush snaps, the second season in a row he has slipped in that metric.

The Bears will need him to bounce back to live up to this contract.

As for Odeyingbo, he is coming off the best season of his career despite slipping to 3 sacks.

Odeyingbo got more pressure in 2024 than in 2023 when he recorded 8 sacks, and he finished 24th among defensive linemen in run stuffs.

Defensive Back Market Gets Moving

We have already hit on Carlton Davis joining the Patriots and D.J. Reed replacing him in Detroit, but there were several more big defensive back deals on Monday.

At corner:

Charvarius Ward (Signed with Colts: Three-year, $60 million contract)
Darius Slay (Signed with Steelers)
Paulson Adebo (Signed with Giants: Three-year, $54 million contract)
Brandon Stephen (Signed with Jets: Three-year $36 million contract)
Jourdan Lewis (Signed with Jaguars: Three-year, $30 million contract)
Nate Hobbs (Signed with Packers: Four-year, $48 million contract)

The Colts spent big to upgrade their secondary for new DC Lou Anarumo.

They first added S Camryn Bynum on a four-year, $60 million deal.

Then, they signed CB Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $60 million deal.

The Colts ranked 27th in yards per attempt allowed last season, so both Ward and Bynum will be welcome additions.

Paulson Adebo fills a big need for a Giants defense that allowed 7.7 yards per pass attempt last season, ranked 29th in the NFL.

They allowed 8.8 yards per target to boundary receivers (25th) and 8.5 yards per target to receivers overall (27th).

Adebo is not coming off a great season, struggling in just 7 games, but he allowed just 6.7 yards per target in 2023 while finishing fifth in PFF's forced incompletion rate.

He will need to play more to that level to live up to this deal.

At safety:

Tre'von Moehrig (Signed with Panthers; Three-year, $51 million contract)
Camryn Bynum (Signed with Colts: Four-year, $60 million contract)
Talanoa Hufanga (Signed with Broncos: Three-year, $45 million contract)
Eric Murray (Signed with Jaguars: Three-year, $22.5 million contract)

While we are still waiting on Jevon Holland among others, the safety market picked up on Monday afternoon.

Talanoa Hufanga might be the most interesting signing of the group.

Hufanga was always impactful for the 49ers when on the field, but he has struggled to stay healthy, playing just 17 games total in the last two seasons.

If he can stay on the field, the Broncos might have gotten a bargain here, but that is a big if.

Aaron Banks Signs Big Deal With Packers

The Packers were already one of the stronger teams in pass protection last season, finishing seventh in ESPN pass block win rate, but they likely found an upgrade on the free agent market.

Green Bay signed Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract on Monday.

While Banks has missed a handful of games each of the last two seasons, he allowed just 1 sacks for the 49ers over that span.

That is good news for Jordan Love, who wants to stand in the pocket and make throws.

Love ranked 26th out of 36 qualified quarterbacks in scramble rate a season ago, and he scrambled just 4.5% of the time when under pressure.

Banks should help give Love the time he wants in the pocket.

Josh Palmer Joins Bills, Dyami Brown Signs With Jaguars

The receiver market is not strong, especially with Tee Higgins getting another franchise tag and Chris Godwin returning to the Bucs.

We did see some interesting signings on Monday including Josh Palmer getting three years and $36 million from the Bills and Dyami Brown getting $10 million on a one-year deal from the Jaguars.

Palmer never forced the issue during his four years with the Chargers, only falling into a big role when injuries at the top of the depth chart forced him into the limelight.

Playing with Ladd McConkey last season, Palmer finished 53rd among qualifying receivers in yards per route run (1.5) and 66th in target rate per route (16.7%).

He has averaged 9.5 and 9.0 yards per target over the last two seasons, which are solid numbers, but it is something of a red flag he has not consistently earned targets thus far in his career.

That is also a concern for Dyami Brown, who ran a route on just 26.8% of Washington's dropbacks over his four-year rookie contract and earned a target on just 14.3% of those routes.

He showed up big for the Commanders in the playoffs, though, totaling 14 catches for 229 yards and a touchdown with a 70.5% route rate over three games.

Brown was also used a bit more down the field in those games, which had been the primary part of his game through his first three seasons.

Ultimately, this is a low-cost, short-term deal for the Jaguars, who need someone to command targets behind Brian Thomas Jr.

Perhaps what we saw from Brown late last season means he can be that guy in 2025.

Justin Fields Heads to Jets

Reports over the last few weeks suggested Justin Fields would head back to the Steelers, but recent rumors linked him with several other teams.

One of those teams was the Jets, and that is exactly who Fields will play for in 2025 after signing a two-year, $40 million contract.

Fields started the first six games for the Steelers last season, throwing for 1,106 yards (184 per game), 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception while rushing for 231 yards and another 5 touchdowns.

The Steelers seemingly tried to hide Fields over those six games, finishing 25th in natural dropback rate over that span before slightly increasing once Russell Wilson took over.

Whether Pittsburgh did not want Fields back after spending big to bring in DK Metcalf or Fields did not feel comfortable returning to a team that benched him when the team was 4-2, the end result is Fields will be a Jet in 2025.

New Jets OC Tanner Engstrand has spent the last couple of years working under Ben Johnson in Detroit, but he was already on staff when Johnson showed up in 2022.

He also spent time with Jim Harbaugh at two different stops in the college coaching ranks, though both were short.

So, it is tough to know what to expect from the first-year NFL play caller.

With a defensive-minded head coach and Fields at quarterback, it is fair to expect more of a run-heavy approach for New York this season.

For fantasy purposes, that means Fields could look similar to what we saw last season with the Steelers.

While he did get 5 rushing touchdowns and should provide a nice rushing floor whenever he starts, Fields will need decent passing production to really hit his fantasy ceiling, and we just did not see a lot of that last year.

On the other hand, Fields will reunite with college teammate Garrett Wilson, who is now the clear No. 1 receiver for the Jets.

Seahawks Get Their Guy, Sign Sam Darnold

In the immediate aftermath of the Seahawks trading Geno Smith to the Raiders, the conventional wisdom was they would land Sam Darnold in free agency.

Well, that ended up happening, and Darnold is signing a three-year, $100.5 million contract with $55 million guaranteed.

The way Darnold ended last season lives large in our collective memory, but he performed like a top quarterback for much of the year.

He was sixth among qualified quarterbacks in yards per attempt, 16th in EPA per play, and eighth in off-target rate.

Darnold was especially good using play action in Minnesota, finishing fifth among qualified quarterbacks in yards per attempt and second in touchdown rate.

While new Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak does not come from the same coaching tree as Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, he comes from a similar system that should fully utilize play action and work into Darnold's strengths in that area.

Kubiak also worked with Darnold when the pair were with the 49ers in 2023.

Moving forward, the Seahawks have to improve the situation around Darnold if they want him to succeed.

Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are gone.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a step forward in his second season, but they need at least one more receiver.

More importantly, the Seahawks have to get better on the offensive line.

The Seahawks finished 21st in ESPN's pass block win rate last season and 30th in pressure rate allowed.

Even in the best season of his career, Darnold was 20th among qualified quarterbacks in yards per attempt under pressure last season, 30th in EPA per play, and 13th in off-target rate.

In fact, 29% of his incompletions were because he was being pressured.

That was the fifth highest rate in the league.

As we saw late in the season, the Seahawks need to protect Darnold to get the most out of him moving forward.

Lions Replace Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed

After losing Carlton Davis to the Patriots, the Lions worked quickly to bolster their secondary with former Jet D.J. Reed.

Reed is signing a three-year, $48 million contract with Detroit.

Reed has been one of the more underrated corners in the league, and he finished inside the top 30 among qualified cornerbacks in yards per coverage snap a season ago.

He was 10th in forced incompletion rate according to PFF.

The Lions might have gotten an upgrade here at a lower price.

Titans Get Offensive Line Help, Sign Dan Moore

After finishing 27th in ESPN's pass block win rate and 23rd in pressure rate allowed in 2024, the Titans had to get better on the offensive line this offseason.

They are starting that rebuild with a four-year, $82 million contract for former Steelers LT Dan Moore.

Moore finished 11th in ESPN's pass block win rate among offensive tackles last season.

JC Latham, the No. 7 overall pick last year, will likely move to right tackle in the wake of this deal, which is where he played in college.

Overall, the Titans just got a lot better at tackle for whoever ends up at quarterback this season.

Patriots Add Veteran OT Morgan Moses

After building the defense early in free agency, the Patriots moved their focus to the offensive line with a three-year, $24 million contract for Morgan Moses.

Now 34, Moses might not be the long-term answer in New England, but he gives them a reliable option on the right side.

Moses finished 14th among qualified tackles in pressure rate allowed last season, and he finished 23rd among that same group in hurries allowed.

The Patriots were 31st in ESPN's pass block win rate last season.

Chiefs Add Running Back Help, Sign Elijah Mitchell

We will not highlight many one-year deals worth “up to” $3.5 million, but the Chiefs adding Elijah Mitchell is interesting.

Mitchell sat out all of last season and has struggled to stay on the field to this point in his career, but he was productive when given opportunities in San Francisco.

For his career, Mitchell has averaged 4.7 yards per carry (would have ranked 12th among qualified backs last season), 3.47 yards after contact per rush (7th), and an explosive run on 13.5% of his carries (8th).

Kareem Hunt is a free agent and did not offer more than replacement-level play for much of last year.

Isiah Pacheco struggled in his return from injury last season, but we have seen players struggle in their return from a broken ankle/fibula in the past.

It is possible if not likely Pacheco returns to form next season, but if he doesn't, we have seen Mitchell be a reliable and explosive runner in his career.

Bears Keep Building Offensive Line, Sign Drew Dalman

The Bears have been clear in their offseason priority: Improve the offensive line.

After trading for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to play the guard spots, the Bears signed C Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million contract on the first day of free agency.

Not only is Chicago helping their young quarterback, but these signings should help the running backs, as well.

Last year, the running game was particularly terrible when running backs ran between the guards:

#30 in YPC (3.1)
#30 in EPA/rush (-0.20)
#29 in success rate (29%)
#31 in explosive run rate (3%)

This offensive line now can be a weapon to keep the offense on the field and ensure their young quarterback feels confident and plays efficiently.

Commanders Add Javon Kinlaw to Defensive Line

After parting ways with Jonathan Allen ahead of free agency, the Commanders brought in Javon Kinlaw on a three-year, $45 million contract on the first day of free agency.

Kinlaw spent last year with the Jets, but he was with now Commanders GM Adam Peters in San Francisco.

A former first-round pick, Kinlaw has never really lived up to this level of deal, but he does have 8 sacks and a decent 9.2% pressure rate over the last two seasons.

Patriots Add More Defense, Sign Carlton Davis, Milton Williams, Robert Spillane

After adding EDGE Harold Landry before the start of the negotiating window, the Patriots added more defensive help with CB Carlton Davis, DL Milton Williams, and LB Robert Spillane.

Davis gets a three-year, $60 million contract, Spillane got a three-year deal, and Williams is reportedly going to make $26 million per year on his new deal.

Williams was arguably the top defensive lineman available in free agency and was a key member of the Eagles' Super Bowl winning defense.

Williams really picked up his game as a pass rusher last year, logging a 14.2% pressure rate and nabbing 5 sacks.

He had never been at that level before last season, which is something of a concern, but that is elite pressure from the inside.

Davis has struggled to stay on the field throughout his career, never topping 14 games in a season, but he has consistently been a quality corner when healthy.

The linebacker market was thinned out considerably ahead of free agency with a slew of contract extensions, but Spillane is a good get for New England.

Spillane finished 17th in run stuffs among linebackers last season and 11th in yards allowed per coverage snap.

New England still has work to do on offense, but they are unsurprisingly building through the defense under new coach Mike Vrabel.

Chris Godwin Staying With Bucs

Chris Godwin appeared set to hit the market, but he signed a three-year, $66 million extension with the Bucs just before the start of the negotiation window.

There is not much to talk about with this re-signing because we know what the Bucs offense looks like with both Godwin and Mike Evans healthy.

Through the first seven weeks of last season, Godwin and Evans had accounted for 45.9% of Tampa's targets, with Godwin leading Evans 62 to 45 in the target column.

In 2023, the duo combined for 48.3% of Tampa Bay's targets, though Evans held a slight edge that season.

The Bucs do have yet another offensive coordinator, and figuring out the split between Evans and Godwin could be a headache as a result.

Still, we have a long history of these two guys being the clear main options in the passing game when they are healthy.

That, of course, is bad news for both Cade Otton and Jalen McMillan, the latter of whom might have fallen into a quality target share if Godwin left in free agency.

Now McMillan looks like he will need an injury to get a fantasy-viable target share in 2025.

Jaylen Warren Gets Second-Round Tender

It appears the Steelers have chosen their back of the future, giving Jaylen Warren a second-round tender worth $5.3 million in 2025.

Warren is still free to negotiate with other teams, but the Steelers will have the chance to match any offer sheet he receives.

If he does end up leaving, the team that signs Warren will owe Pittsburgh a second-round pick, making it unlikely Warren will play elsewhere next season.

Warren has consistently outperformed Harris on a per-carry basis over the last couple of years and still had a top-20 explosive run rate among qualified backs last season despite some lackluster blocking in front of him — 37th in yards before contact created.

That was almost always in a secondary role, however, and it remains to be seen if the Steelers want Warren to touch the ball 300 times a season or if they will add a real threat to his workload.

As it stands — assuming Harris does not return — Warren would be set up for that workhorse role, but the draft is full of talented options that could provide a real push.

Ultimately, fantasy players should hope to see what Warren can do with more work, but we are still in something of a holding pattern until the Steelers offense fully settles.

Panthers Extend Jaycee Horn, Four Years, $100 million

While he still had a year remaining on his deal, the Panthers got a contract done early with Jaycee Horn, signing the young corner to a four-year, $100 million extension.

Horn has struggled to stay on the field to this point in his career, but he was able to play in 15 games and earn a Pro Bowl nod last season.

He finished 16th among qualified corners in yards allowed per coverage snap and was 13th in passes defensed.

Horn has the talent to live up to this deal. He just needs to stay on the field.

Steelers Land DK Metcalf in Blockbuster Trade

The Seahawks' roster teardown continued on Sunday night with the team sending DK Metcalf to the Steelers in exchange for a second-round pick.

As part of the deal, Metcalf got a five-year, $150 million contract from Pittsburgh.

There is still plenty of uncertainty with the Steelers and their quarterback situation, but they now have two quality options at receiver assuming George Pickens sticks on the roster and is in a good place this season.

As for the Seahawks, their offense has now lost Metcalf, Geno Smith, and Tyler Lockett over the last week.

Click here for Rich Hribar's in-depth look at both situations.

Bills sign Josh Allen to Record Setting Extension

Despite the quarterback having four years left on his old deal, the Bills rewarded Josh Allen with a six-year, $330 million contract on Sunday night.

The contract includes $250 million guaranteed, a record setting number for the 2024 MVP that resets the quarterback market.

Heading into his age-29 season, Allen is now under contract through 2030.

Davante Adams Joining the Rams

Despite crashing out with the Jets last season, Davante Adams did not have to wait long on the open market, signing a two-year, $46 million contract with the Rams.

Adams will presumably be the replacement for Cooper Kupp, who is expected to be traded or released in the near future.

If that is the case, that will position Adams as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind Puka Nacua, who cemented himself as one of the top receivers in the game with another stellar performance as a sophomore.

Adams, on the other hand, has shown signs of decline over the last two seasons.

Despite maintaining a high target rate per route, Adams' efficiency on a per-route basis has slipped, though he still ranked 25th among qualified receivers in yards per route run a season ago.

Likely looking at a No. 2 role, the fantasy questions for Adams will revolve around overall target volume and his involvement near the end zone.

On 243 pass plays with both Nacua and Kupp on the field last season, Nacua dominated with a 40.7% target share and 3.57 yards per route run.

Because the passing game has been so concentrated, though, Kupp still was targeted on a respectable 24.2% of his routes.

Kupp also saw one more target than Nacua in goal-to-go situations during those snaps and two more throws into the end zone.

Overall, Kupp scored 3 touchdowns to 2 for Nacua on those plays.

Despite playing just 11 games for the Jets last season, Adams led the team in both targets in the end zone and targets in goal-to-go situations.

While it is unlikely Adams is an alpha target hog like he has been in the past barring an injury to Nacua, there should be opportunities for him to deliver value assuming the Rams keep their target tree concentrated and continue to have success through the air.

If Adams is replacing Kupp, we could see him play more in the slot than he traditionally has thus far in his career, but he already toyed with that idea in New York.

In his 11 games with the Jets, Adams played 51% of his snaps from the slot, and he was the WR18 in yards per route run from the slot over that span.

Aaron Jones Re-Signs With Vikings

Aaron Jones is set to return to Minnesota after signing a two-year, $20 million extension the day before the negotiating window opened.

Jones had a successful first season with the Vikings, rushing for 1,138 yards and 5 touchdowns while adding a 51-408-2 line through the air.

While he still averaged a respectable 5.1 yards per touch, he ranked 20th among qualified running backs in runs of five or more yards and 36th in runs of 10 or more yards.

Those explosive run numbers look very similar to where Jones was his last season with the Packers.

That is not surprising given where Jones is in his career, but it does mean he will need to rely more on volume to score fantasy points moving forward.

While Cam Akers (a free agent) did see an annoying number of touches at points down the stretch, Jones handled 67.1% (RB11) of the Minnesota running back attempts in 2024.

Overall, Jones finished as the RB20 in half-PPR points per game, rising to the RB16 in overall half-PPR points thanks to playing 17 games.

Can we expect the 30-year-old back to once again play a mostly full season? Will the Vikings look to get him more rest in the regular season?

The good news is Jones is currently going as the RB28 in early best ball drafts, making it a little easier to take on that risk but also putting Jones in the area of fantasy drafts where it usually makes sense to take a shot on upside depending on roster construction.

Harold Landry Signs With Patriots

Just a couple of days after being released by the Titans, Harold Landry reunited with his former coach Mike Vrabel, signing a three year deal worth $43.5 million.

Landry recorded 9 sacks a season ago, the 18th most in the league, but he was credited with a lower-tier 7.6% pressure rate.

He was much better in 2023 even coming off a torn ACL, though, and recorded 12 sacks the season before hurting his knee.

Set to turn 29 in June, Landry should still have a few good years left in front of him, and Vrabel obviously knows what he is getting from the pass rusher.

The Patriots finished 23rd in ESPN's pass rush win rate last season.

Myles Garrett Decides to Stay

Reports earlier in the week suggested Myles Garrett was entrenched in his desire to be traded, so the Sunday news he was signing a four-year, $160 million extension came as something of a surprise.

Unsurprisingly, the deal makes Garrett the highest paid non quarterback in the league, besting the deal signed by Maxx Crosby earlier in the offseason.

After recording 7 sacks as a rookie, Garrett has notched double-digit takedowns in each of the seven seasons since including at least 14 sacks in each of the last four seasons.

Garrett is fourth among all qualified pass rushers in pressure rate over those four years, and he led that group in pressure rate last season.

Giving Garrett this deal instead of moving him suggests the Browns are not interested in a full rebuild, and they still have a lot of talent on defense.

Of course, quarterback remains the problem area, and how Cleveland decides to answer that question this offseason will dictate how well they can compete in 2025.

Zach Ertz Returning to Washington

The Commanders had a lot of their primary pass catchers from a season ago headed to free agency, but they got back the main one with a one-year, $6.25 million deal with Zach Ertz.

Ertz was the secondary option in the passing game in 2024, earning 18.1% of the team targets on his way to a 66-654-7 line.

He was not particularly efficient with his work, finishing 23rd among qualifying tight ends in yards per route run (1.3) and 25th in yards per target (7.2).

Ertz also struggled to create after the catch, finishing dead last among that same group in yards after catch per reception.

None of those things are surprising given where Ertz is in his career, and perhaps more importantly, he offered Jayden Daniels a safe and reliable option underneath.

Moving forward, though, it is fair to wonder how many targets the veteran will see.

The Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel earlier this offseason, and he works in similar areas of the field as Ertz.

2024 Ertz: 7.5 air yards per target, 20.6% target rate per route against zone, 67.0% targets between the numbers
2024 Samuel: 6.8 air yards per target, 19.2% target rate per route against zone, 70.3% targets between the numbers

While Ertz is unlikely to disappear from the offense as long as he is healthy, Samuel does present a strong challenge to those types of targets.

Ronnie Stanley Staying in Baltimore

The Ravens have faced upheaval along their offensive line each of the last two offseasons, but they will keep their left tackle spot intact by re-signing Ronnie Stanley to a three-year, $60 million extension.

Stanley will be 31 when Week 1 rolls around, but he is coming off the first full season of his career.

He was not elite despite playing every game, but he finished a respectable 12th among tackles in ESPN's pass block win rate.

Stanley has been at worst a solid tackle when healthy over the last several seasons, so how well this deal works out will likely come down to health.

Before playing in 17 games last season, Stanley played:

2023: 13 games
2022: 11 games
2021: 1 game
2020: 6 games

The Ravens will need him to stay healthy in 2025.

Chiefs Bring Back Marquise Brown

Despite spending a second-round pick and a first-round pick on receivers in each of the last two drafts, the Chiefs face some uncertainty at the position thanks to a serious knee injury for Rashee Rice in addition to his off-field concerns from last offseason.

The good news is Xavier Worthy‘s arrest the Friday before free agency appears to be nothing.

Perhaps not coincidentally given the timing of the Worthy news, the Chiefs brought back Marquise Brown on a one-year, $11 million contract the Saturday before free agency opened.

Brown only played five games for Kansas City including the playoffs last season thanks to a pre-season shoulder injury.

Despite earning quite a few targets — targeted on 24.8% of his routes — Brown never seemed to be in sync with Patrick Mahomes, catching just 50% of those targets.

He hauled in just 5 of 13 targets in the playoffs, averaging an anemic 3.8 yards per target.

Of course, he was coming off a long-term injury with a new team late in the season, so it is fair to give Brown something of a pass for those missteps.

Coming back to the Chiefs for another season, the upside case for Brown is similar to what it was when he joined Kansas City at this time last year.

21.6% of Brown’s targets during his two seasons in Arizona were deemed inaccurate per TruMedia.

No wide receiver with as many overall targets over that span has a higher inaccurate target rate.

The Chiefs have struggled to push the ball downfield since trading Tyreek Hill.

While Brown is not exclusively a downfield threat, 21.7% of his career targets have been 20 air yards or more.

The NFL average last season among qualifying receivers was 16.5%.

Worthy obviously has the speed to stretch the field, as well, but he was not used that way as a rookie.

Even if Worthy and Rice are available at the start of the season, that deeper role could be there for Brown in 2025.

Mike Gesicki Returns to the Bengals

While we still wait on potential long-term extensions for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals did get one deal done in their pass catching corps, bringing back Mike Gesicki on a three-year, $25.5 million contract.

Gesicki's overall counting stats last season were not awe inspiring.

He finished with 665 yards and 2 touchdowns on 65 receptions, though some of that can be explained by him not being a full-time player.

Gesicki ran a route on just 58% of Cincinnati's dropbacks, ranked 18th among qualified tight ends, despite playing all 17 games.

On a per-route basis, Gesicki was the TE11 in yards per route run and TE13 in target rate per route despite playing with two elite receivers.

Gesicki really showed his value when Higgins was not on the field, earning a target on 26.1% of his routes (slightly higher than Chase on those snaps) and averaging 2.05 yards per route run.

That YPRR number would have ranked third among qualified tight ends a season ago.

Moving forward, Gesicki's role might depend on what the Bengals decide to do with Higgins.

If Higgins sticks around, Gesciki will likely be a lightly-used at best No. 3 option who is only on the field in specific situations.

If Higgins moves on and the Bengals do not find a replacement at the same level, perhaps Gesicki will get a nice bump in opportunities for 2025.

Raiders Trade For Geno Smith

There were rumors Pete Carroll would reunite with Russell Wilson in the immediate aftermath of Carroll taking the Raiders job, but a different one of his former signal callers will be leading the charge in Las Vegas this season.

Days before the start of the free agency period, the Raiders acquired Geno Smith from the Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick.

The deal leaves Sam Howell atop the depth chart in Seattle, but the Seahawks are rumored to be in the mix for Sam Darnold.

Raymond Summerlin examines the fantasy ramifications of this trade for both the Raiders and the Seahawks.

Jaguars Trade Christian Kirk, Release Evan Engram

Jacksonville made a flurry of moves on March 6 including trading Christian Kirk and releasing Evan Engram.

Rich Hribar laid out Kirk's fantasy value following his trade to the Texans, so we will focus on Engram here.

Engram was a focal point of Jacksonville's offense over the last three seasons, averaging just over 7 targets per game.

The touchdowns were never really there for him, but Engram was still the TE8 in PPR points per game over those three years.

A 2023 second-round pick, Brenton Strange was the primary beneficiary when Engram missed time last year, running a route on 68% of Jacksonville's dropbacks and seeing 39 targets in eight games.

12 of those targets came in one game, and Strange's usage was up and down in the other weeks.

Of course, the offense will be changing under new coach Liam Coen, but we did see his Bucs offense heavily utilize Cade Otton at times last year.

There is a lot of offseason left, the rookie tight end class looks good, and the Jaguars will likely add some more receiving help after moving on from Kirk.

Still, Strange appears to be in a good spot to take a step forward as a fantasy asset in 2025.

Deebo Samuel Traded to Commanders

The first major domino of the 2025 offseason fell during the Combine with news the 49ers are trading Deebo Samuel to the Commanders.

Things were always expected to move quickly after the 49ers granted Samuel permission to seek a trade in early February, and rumblings of an impending deal picked up during the Combine.

Samuel’s trade will affect the fantasy value of several 49ers – changes that could be magnified if Brandon Aiyuk is also moved this offseason – and perhaps how fantasy players view Terry McLaurin.

Raymond Summerlin looked at the fantasy outlook for Samuel, McLaurin, and everyone else in the aftermath of the deal.

Tee Higgins & Trey Smith Franchise Tagged

2025 featured the slowest franchise tag deadline in recent memory.

The Bengals did franchise Tee Higgins for the second year in a row, setting him up to earn $26.2 million if the two sides can't agree to a deal, and the Chiefs tagged RG Trey Smith to the tune of $23.4 million.

That was it, though, a sharp departure from the nine players who received some kind of tag in 2024 — Patriots S Kyle Dugger was given the transition tag instead of the franchise tag.

Two is the fewest franchise tags used in an offseason since the 1990s.

It will be interesting to see if this is the start of a trend or (more likely) a one-year blip given the lackluster nature of the free agent class.

Notable Signings Before Free Agency

As will be the case throughout much of free agency, defensive players dominated the deals in early March.

It appeared as if there would be a host of quality linebackers available on the open market, but several were locked up to extensions before the start of the negotiating window:

Zack Baun, Eagles: Three years, $51 million
Nick Bolton, Chiefs: Three years, $45 million
Jamien Sherwood, Jets: Three years, $45 million
Ernest Jones, Seahawks: Three years, $33 million
Bobby Wanger, Commanders: One year, $9.5 million
Derrick Barnes, Lions: Three years, $25.5 million

Elsewhere on the defensive die, Cowboys DL Osa Odighizuwa signed a four-year, $80 million extension, Chargers S Elijah Molden earned three years, $18.75 million, Cardinals EDGE Baron Browning signed a two-year, $15 million extension, Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack is back on a one-year, $18 million deal, Broncos DL D.J. Jones got three years, $39 million, Bengals DL B.J. Hill signed a three-year, $33 million deal, and Seahawks DL Jarran Reed earned three years and $25 million.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Rams re-signed LT Alaric Jackson to a three-year, $57 million contract.

Sean McVay expects Rob Havenstein to return on the right side in 2025, but given his age and recent missed games, the Rams still might want to bolster the tackle position this offseason.