NFC's Best Free Agency Moves: Dan Campbell and the Lions take a big step toward chasing down the Eagles and more
NFL Free Agency and the new league year are underway as more and more tampering period transactions are made official. Therefore, we figured it'd be a good idea to go ahead and run through the NFC's transactions and declare the best move for each team.It's not always going to be the big-name move that ends […]
NFL Free Agency and the new league year are underway as more and more tampering period transactions are made official. Therefore, we figured it'd be a good idea to go ahead and run through the NFC's transactions and declare the best move for each team.
It's not always going to be the big-name move that ends up as the best. Our selections are made through the process of player and position value, contract structure, and the other necessary factors that help us evaluate and analyze the decision.
So without further ado, let's dive into the NFC's best free agency move for each team.
NFC North
Chicago Bears – Fixing the offensive line
It was hard to settle on just one move that Ryan Poles has already pulled off as Chicago’s best, but when we look back on the 2025 offseason, the most notable improvements for the Bears will be at interior offensive line.
Nate Davis, Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, and others were detrimental to the Bears offense in 2024. With protecting Caleb Williams top of mind, Chicago managed to build what could be a Top 10 offensive line in the span of one week. Joe Thuney has been an All-Pro in back-to-back seasons and Drew Dalman is one of the better young centers in the game. Poles took care of business in the trenches.
Green Bay Packers – Signing Aaron Banks
The Packers have not done much worth celebrating thus far, but bringing in Aaron Banks on a four-year, $77 million deal makes Green Bay a lot better up front and less than half of the base value of the contract is guaranteed ($27 million).
Banks one of eight guards last season to play over 400 pass blocking snaps last season and allow zero or one sack.
Minnesota Vikings – Signing Jonathan Allen
Minnesota has already had a busy offseason and done a lot to improve for 2025, putting a priority on building the trenches. I think the best bang for your buck move is with defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who was released by the Commanders but is still a game-wrecking defensive tackle that can get after the passer when healthy.
Between Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, and Jonathan Greenard, the Vikings have a formidable defensive front in place.
Detroit Lions – Letting Carlton Davis walk
The Lions haven’t been doing much of note. Their only significant signing thus far has been CB D.J. Reed on a three-year deal worth $48 million. That’s a more team friendly contract that what former Lion Carlton Davis got with the New England Patriots (three-year, $60 million).
Letting Davis walk and bringing in Reed at a cheaper figure is the best move of free agency right now. Hopefully, for Detroit's sake, Brad Holmes has more cooking.
NFC East
New York Giants – Signing Paulson Adebo
Consider me a member of the Paulson Adebo fan club. If he’s healthy and on the field, he is the best cornerback that was available in free agency this offseason.
In just 22 games over the last two seasons, Adebo has forced 29 incompletions. That is the most of any defensive back in the NFL. He also has seven interceptions in those 22 games, which is tied for fourth most of any player over the last two years.
It’s a big swing by the Giants, but even at $54 million I think this is a really good value deal for New York that transforms their secondary.
Philadelphia Eagles – Re-signing Zack Baun
The Eagles have been gutted on the defensive side of the ball through the early stages of free agency, but the team’s best move thus far is securing a three-year contract extension for Zack Baun .
Baun was on a one-year deal in 2024 and broke out as a first-team All-Pro with 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Eagles defense. He was essential to the Philadelphia defense on their way to a Super Bowl LIX victory, and now he’s right back where he belongs.
Washington Commanders – Trading for Laremy Tunsil
The Commanders have been busy since free agency opened, but nothing is more essential for Washington than protecting Jayden Daniels at all costs. Rookie Brandon Coleman was a work in progress at left tackle last season and Adam Peters swung for the fences at improving the position, trading four draft picks to the Houston Texans in a deal for Laremy Tunsil.
Tunsil is an elite pass blocker that has made the Pro Bowl in each of his last five healthy seasons. It’s an immediate upgrade for Washington as they enter a contending window.
Dallas Cowboys – Signing Javonte Williams
The Cowboys needed a running back to replace Rico Dowdle and they landed Javonte Williams on a one-year deal for $3 million. I really like taking a flyer on Williams, who showed flashes of brilliance in Denver but battled some major injuries early in his career.
Williams averaged 4.4 yards per carry before his 2022 ACL tear. In 2023, Sean Payton arrived and the Broncos offensive scheme change drastically. I’m excited about Williams in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense with more touches. This is going to be a signing we look back on as one of the biggest bargains of the offseason.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Extending Ben Bredeson
Keeping Chris Godwin is probably the most popular pick, but I think the Ben Bredeson extension is the Bucs' best move, so far. That's because it goes beyond the individual player, although Bredeson is as solid as they come.
Think about it: The entire Bucs offensive line is back for 2025 and if Luke Goedeke gets extended as expected, the unit will be tied together through 2026, at minimum. NFL teams don't experience this often and it can go a long way in helping the Bucs win some big-time games.
Remember how much the offensive line's cohesion helped create a top 3-5 unit that played a key role in the Super Bowl run and record-setting 2021 season? Keeping Bredeson, especially at a good price, gives Tampa Bay a shot at getting back to those days.
Atlanta Falcons – Adding Leonard Floyd to boost a bad pass rush
Before 2023, Floyd's success was mostly seen as a byproduct of playing next to Aaron Donald, but with 19.0 sacks over the last two years on non-Donald-affiliated rosters, that's no longer on anyone's mind.
The Falcons got him after an 8.5 sack season and are actually paying him less than he made last year, which was $12.55 million with the 49ers. He also had a higher pressure rate (11.7%) in 2024 than he did 2023 (10.5%) and only recorded 1.5 less sacks than '23.
At a decent cost, he should help lift a Falcons pass rush that ranked second-to-last in sacks and produced the eighth-worst pressure rate in. 2024.
Carolina Panthers – Tre'Von Moehrig is an up-and-coming star
There are a lot of moves to choose from, as the Panthers have been one of the league's busiest teams. Of all of them, I think the Tre'Von Moehrig addition is the best one.
He's coming off the best two seasons of his career, where he not only played in all 34 games, but he also racked up five interceptions, 18 pass break-ups, 3.0 sacks, 187 total tackles, six TFLs, and five quarterback hits. He's only 25-years-old, so he's right in the middle of his prime and should be able to keep rolling in Carolina.
A defensive coordinator like Ejiro Evero will certainly know how to use him. The future is bright as ever for Moehrig.
New Orleans Saints – Justin Reid is a criminally underrated safety
Reid's game is one of the most complete out there at his position. He can do it all – cover, defend the run, tackle, and he can even fill in certain placekicking/field goal duties if needed. He's also a helluva leader and teammate.
With an aging Tyrann Mathieu on the roster, Reid will not only add physicality and playmaking ability to the Saints secondary, but at 28, he'll inject some youth, as well. For $10.5 million per year, that's a steal.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers – Demarcus Robinson provides good value
It feels like departures are the only scenarios that have happened so far in San Fran are departures and that's largely true. It's been a rather humbling offseason, so far.
But the addition of Demarcus Robinson helps lighten things up a bit. He caught seven touchdowns and reeled in a tad more than 500 yards while averaging 16.3 yards per reception. That's a pretty impressive stat line when looking at it in totality and in fact, only four other receivers recorded more than 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while averaging over 16.0 yards per catch: A.J. Brown, Jameson Williams, Rashod Bateman, and Alec Pierce.
Seattle Seahawks – The Sam Darnold signing is an easy choice
This one is easy and it's the addition of Sam Darnold. In a vacuum, it's a good deal and well-deserved after an incredible year, no matter how it ended.
Unfortunately, it's going to ultimately hinge on what the Seahawks put around him. D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are both gone and the offensive line is largely a question mark.
The deal is similar to Baker Mayfield's after similar seasons, but Mayfield had/has much better infrastructure in place around him. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the long run, but for now, it's a good move.
Los Angeles Rams – Alaric Jackson's extension goes beyond his play
Locking up a good, young left tackle for under $19 million per year is already a pretty solid deal. But when looking at Jackson's entire contract structure, it gets even better.
The Rams paid him $30 million guaranteed that includes his 2026 base salary of $18.425 million, but they can restructure that in 2026, if needed. That's the last of his guaranteed money, so heading into 2027, they can do one of two things based on how he plays.
If he plays well, they can extend him at 29-years-old and move his $15.975 million base salary around to lower the cap hit, or, they can release him and save over $19 million in cap room if he doesn't play well. Either way, the Rams have themselves in position to have an ascending player on their roster and they can pull the plug rather quickly if things backfire.
Arizona Cardinals – Josh Sweat can help the Cardinals take the next step
The Cardinals overpaid for Sweat, but they have the money to do so and plus, he knows the defensive scheme after playing under Jonathan Gannon in Philadelphia. It should be a seamless transition in terms of learning the playbook and his role.
The big question is how he "fares" as the No. 1 pass rusher on a defense. Baron Browning is back, which helps alleviate some pressure, but Sweat was on a defensive line with guys like Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Haason Reddick at points in his career. He's also never played more than 71% of defensive snaps in a single season.
It'll be interesting to see how it plays out in the long run, but things should work out when it's all said and done.
