Day 1 of NFL free agency has come and gone and boy, it was a busy one.

Yet, there are still plenty of moves to be made.

Regardless, while Monday’s deals aren’t finalized just yet, they’re already shaping up part of the 2026 season. Names like Mike Evans, Jalean Phillips, Maxx Crosby, and plenty of others all have new homes that put their respective teams into a different light after the additions.

With all that being said, part of the free agency fun is stepping back and grading out each move based on what it means. So, let’s take a look at our staff grades from some of yesterday’s biggest moves.

Grading the biggest moves from Day 1 of NFL free agency

Atlanta Falcons

• QB Tua Tagovailoa: One year deal (likely vet minimum)
  • The skinny: This is a no-brainer for the Falcons, whose new regime in Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham have no ties to former eighth overall pick, Michael Penix Jr.
    
    Tagovailoa will likely earn the vet minimum of $1.345 million this year, which is nothing for a quarterback of his caliber. He’ll come in and challenge Penix Jr. for the starting job and/or provide quality insurance in case he gets hurt, again.
    
    Stefanski’s offense is also a perfect fit, as it’s a timing-based system and Tagovailoa excels in those. Plus, the domed stadium helps, as well.
  • Grade: A+

Baltimore Ravens

• DE Maxx Crosby: TRADE (Baltimore sends 2026 first round pick and 2027 first round pick)
  • The skinny: This is obviously wasn’t on Day 1, but it bears mentioning due to the fact it’s easily the biggest move of free agency and it’s a pricey one for the Ravens. The ROI comes in the form of the hope is Baltimore can get the pass rush back up to snuff under new head coach Jesse Minter with Crosby terrorizing opposing offenses on a weekly basis.
    
    The only down side is 2026 will be his age-29 season. Still, it’s hard to envision Crosby’s game falling off anytime soon when considering how dedicated and maniacal he is at giving his all. Still, Father Time is undefeated for a reason.
  • Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

• CB Dee Alford: Three years, $21 million
  • The skinny: Alford is coming off a career-high in interceptions (3) and passes defensed (13) in a 2025 season where he played in 16 games and also added two sacks and 67 combined tackles.
    
    The four-year cornerback has played for Atlanta his entire career and has been on the field for over 2,000 total snaps. He earned a 52.8 grade for his overall defense, a 34.8 for his run defense, a 54.1 for his tackling, a 60.4 for his pass rush, and 56.5 in coverage according to Pro Football Focus. He played 366 of his 581 defensive snaps in the slot with Atlanta, maybe indicating the Bills have found a replacement for former nickel cornerback Taron Johnson.
  • Grade: B

Carolina Panthers

• EDGE Jaelan Phillips: Four years, $120 million
  • The skinny: Phillips was quite impressive for the Eagles last season once joining the roster via trade. He immediately had an impact on the team’s pass rush and stayed healthy down the stretch. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons with the Dolphins, staying on the field was a win in itself in 2025. Phillips is an athletic mover off the edge and can contribute for multiple schemes. The pass rusher managed just five sacks last year, but he had several sacks slip through his fingers that prevented his numbers from reflecting his pressure numbers.
    
    If you believe he’ll finish those plays this year and stay healthy again, he’s a top pass rush option.
  • Grade: B
• LB Devin Lloyd: Three years, $45 million
  • The skinny: Typically, when you sign one of the top players in free agency, there’s at least some blowback due to the acquiring team overpaying. That’s not the case here with the Panthers and Devin Lloyd. A three-year $45 million contract for arguably the best linebacker in football last season feels like a steal for Carolina.
    
    At $15 million a year, Lloyd is now tied for the fourth-highest-paid linebacker with Nick Bolton and Jamien Sherwood. And I think it’s safe to say no one in the league would take either of those players over Lloyd right now. This is a massive addition for the Panthers defense and a major loss for the Jaguars.
  • Grade: A+

Chicago Bears

• S Coby Bryant: Three years, $40 million
  • The skinny: In coverage, Bryant is coming off the best season of his career. He allowed the second-lowest passer rating among safeties in 2025 with four interceptions, according to Next Gen Stats. Playing in the role that allowed Byard to lead the NFL with seven interceptions in 2025, Bryant should see his coverage abilities take off once defensive backs coach Al Harris starts working with him.
    
    There’s a lot to love in Bryant’s game. It sucks potentially losing Byard and his leadership, but the Bears are getting a much more exciting player to work with deep in the secondary.
  • Grade: B+
• DL Neville Gallimore: Two years, $12 million
  • The skinny: Gallimore is coming off a 3.5 sack season with the Colts and had the third-highest pass rush grade (70.2) on the team, so he fits best as a rotational pass rusher on the inside. However, Gallimore had a concerning 45.8 run defense grade in 2025. The upside is that this guy’s only missed four games in four years, so he’s dependable in that aspect. It felt like there were certainly better options to consider and $6 million a year seems pretty rich for a DT3 at best.
  • Grade: C-
• LB Devin Bush Jr.: Three years, $30 million
  • The skinny: This past season was easily the best of Bush’s career after totaling 125 tackles, three interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and seven tackles for a loss. Bush took his playmaking abilities to another level in 2025 and his speed was evident on the tape, something the Bears were desperately missing from the position.
    
    I think Bush can be a really good player for this defense and he brings a nice edge to his game that will fit right in with the rest of the locker room. The downside is that we’ve only seen him play at that kind of level in 2025 and it’s up to Allen to keep him at that level in Chicago.
  • Grade: B

Cincinnati Bengals

• S Bryan Cook: Three years, $42.5 million
  • The skinny: To land a top option in the prime of his career at a huge position of need is already a fantastic outcome, but Cook is also signing a reasonable deal compared to what other safeties have signed so far. Kamren Curl netted $12 million per year in an extension last week with the Los Angeles Rams, and Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cook’s former college teammate Coby Bryant each got $13.33 million per year in their new deals.
  • Grade: A+
• EDGE Boye Mafe: Three years, $60 million
  • The skinny: Mafe is an ascending player who’s production doesn’t quite match his impact. He only had two sacks last year for the eventual Super Bowl champions, but his pass rush win rate was comparable to some of the best options on the free agent market this year. His win rate against true pass sets was a solid 17.4% ranked 29th out of 60 qualifying EDGEs according to Pro Football Focus, and Next Gen Stats held him in even higher regard.
    
    It’s not quite an A-level signing due to the slight overpay, but that’s the nature of positional markets such as defensive line. You need to offer a little bit more for a promising solution, and Mafe is indeed that.
  • Grade: B+

Cleveland Browns

• LB Quincy Williams: Two years, $17 million
  • The skinny: Cleveland has gotten strong linebacker play for the most part under linebackers coach Jason Tarver who has been able to get the most out of the position. Williams plugging in as a starter at 29 years old in season No. 8 should be no different. 
    
    Cleveland gets a proven player to replace Bush at a cheaper price point than the $30 million that Chicago gave Bush over three years. The coverage has to be better for Williams in 2026, and he’ll be surrounded by the makings of an elite defense to help make it happen.  
  • Grade: A-

• G Zion Johnson: Three years, $49.5 million
  • The skinny: Good free agent offensive line options are scarce and the Browns undoubtedly just signed one of the best available. The pass blocking ability is a real worry, but his ability to be a strong run blocker is needed with Quinton Judkins entering Year 2. It’s no secret that new head coach Todd Monken is going to want to pound the rock. 
    
    The Browns could come out as real winners with this signing if Johnson takes a step forward as a pass blocker, but that’s wishful thinking more than anything, until it isn’t. 
  • Grade: C-

Dallas Cowboys

• EDGE Rashan Gary: TRADE (Dallas receives 2027 4th for Gary)
  • The skinny: Yes, Gary is not the superstar Cowboys fans were likely dreaming of, but he is an upgrade and starting-caliber edge rusher that fits Parker’s scheme. If the downside is giving up a late-round pick more than one year from now, it’s something I can live with.
    
    Beggars can’t be choosers and with roster holes at defensive every position except for defensive tackle, this is a good move for the Cowboys.
  • Grade: B

• S Jalen Thompson: Three years, $36 million
  • The skinny: While Thompson may not be a full-time nickel, his versatility should prove very helpful to keep offenses guessing on a defense expected to show a ton of two-high safety shells pre-snap.
    
    The Cowboys are getting a starting safety with position versatility for a very good price. Thompson is set to land outside the Top 15 highest-paid safeties around the NFL. He happens to be a perfect fit for Parker’s defense, and he’s reuniting with DB coach Ryan Smith, who coached him at Arizona.
  • Grade: A

Denver Broncos

• RB J.K. Dobbins: Two years, $16 million, max $20 million
  • The skinny: The powerful back has all the potential in the world and he was en route to a career year in 2025 before yet another injury derailed his season. That’s Dobbins’ only problem – he can’t stay healthy.
    
    And that’s why this move gets a C+: Dobbins has clearly shown over the course of his career that he’s unreliable when it comes to availablity. Therefore, $8 million per year is simply way too much. The Broncos are clearly rolling the dice and while I respect the swagger, this is a bad bet. Let’s see if it works out.
  • Grade: C+

Detroit Lions

• C Cade Mays: Three years, $25 million
  • The skinny: Mays is a very good pass blocker. In fact, he might be a better pass blocker than Tyler Linderbaum, who got three times the money that Mays got. He graded out higher and allowed fewer pressures and sacks in this area.
    
    The run-blocking needs work for sure. Mays took a step back in that area in 2025, and seeing as though the Lions are primarily a run-first team and want to continue to be a run-first team, he needs to make sure he gets back on the right track in that area, and he needs to do it immediately.
  • Grade: B+

Green Bay Packers

• CB Benjamin St-Juste: Two years, $10 million
  • The skinny: St-Juste helps solve a huge depth issue at cornerback, joining a room that has Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Nate Hobbs. He’s a lower-level signing in terms of cost, which fits what the Packers can afford cap-wise.
    
    St-Juste is 28 and will be 29 by September, but general manager Brian Gutekunst had already indicated an openness to sign older pieces.
    
    The Packers are finding a mid-term solution for a mid-level cost. And if he can extrapolate his production in a higher number of snaps, Green Bay will have found great value.
  • Grade: B+

Indianapolis Colts

• EDGE Arden Key: Two years, $20 million
  • The skinny: Key had a lackluster 2025 showing. He played in just 12 games thanks to some injury issues. That led to his fewest sacks, tackles, and QB hits in five years. Entering his year 30 season, his role as a designated pass rusher feels like it’s shrinking. But he can still play in a rotation as long as you aren’t relying on him as an impact player.
    
    That makes this deal essentially a two-year, for $11 million contract, which would be $5.5 million a year. This is by no means a signing by the Colts to find a potential starter in 2026, but rather a move to replace Kwity Paye, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Samson Ebukam, who is also expected to sign elsewhere this offseason.
  • Grade: C+
• WR Alec Pierce: Four years, $116 million
  • The skinny: People will call this an overpay, and I get it. Pierce has only had one 1,000-yard season in his career, and it came last year. But the reality is that for Daniel Jones to be successful in Indianapolis, he was a must-have signing.
    
    Jones’ deep ball was a major weakness for the team this past year. Pierce’s ability to win 50/50 valls on underthrown passes helped to hide that weakness as much as possible. Without him in the fold, I honestly don’t think Jones would be a viable QB option for the Colts for next season and going forward.
  • Grade: A

Jacksonville Jaguars

TBD

Kansas City Chiefs

• RB Kenneth Walker III: Three years, $43 million
  • The skinny: Explosive plays were the biggest problem for the Chiefs’ running game in 2025, and Walker certainly knows how to get some of those. He’s an underrated asset as a pass-catcher, too. That’s something the running game has lacked in recent years in Kansas City, once Jerick McKinnon left.
    
    At the end of the day, Walker making some big plays in the running game can force teams out of the two-high coverage shells they love to use against the Chiefs and open up the passing game in a way they just haven’t been able to. This isn’t just a fix for the running game, but also a fix for the offense’s overall identity.
  • Grade: A

Las Vegas Raiders

• C Tyler Linderbaum: Three years, $81 million
  • The skinny: This is an A- grade simply because of the price. The Raiders had to overpay, and this move resets the market, something most teams don’t want to have to do, but will if they have to. The Raiders are a bad team with many unknowns over the last few years, so overpaying was always going to be what they had to do. $27 million per year for a center is a lot of money. However, this is still a high grade because it’s a valuable position they desperately needed.
    
    In short, with this signing, Vegas has its center of the future.
  • Grade: A-
• EDGE Kwity Paye: Three years, $48 million
  • The skinny: Paye had a down year last season, but he has been very good before that. He’s still young, and there’s time to tap into some untapped potential. However, he won’t be a game wrecker on the edge for you in Year 1.
    
    Las Vegas is getting an excellent run defender who sets the edge impressively. He’s also better suited to be the second fiddle as a pass rusher and should have more success in that regard, with him not expected to be the top pass rusher with the Raiders.
  • Grade: C+
• CB Eric Stokes: Three years, $30 million
  • The skinny: This is an easy grade for so many reasons. One, it’s a cheap deal to a guy they love, who may be better than what he showed last season. And, they bring back someone who’s familiar with the new defensive coordinator, Rob Leonard.
    
    Stokes finished 2025 with a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 73.5, the 21st-best coverage grade of 114 CBs graded. His overall grade of 73.6 ranked 18th in the NFL. Right now, Stokes is the CB1 for the Raiders, and, as we already stated, he has the potential to be better with a better team. However, more importantly, he’s providing leadership in what’s set to be a very young CB room after the 2026 NFL Draft, while also providing some continuity.
  • Grade: A
• WR Jalen Nailor: Three years, $35 million
  • The skinny: As a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Nailor became the WR3 in 2025, earning J.J. McCarthy’s trust in key situations. Over the past two seasons, he’s demonstrated reliability with his speed and route-running, while his blocking ability fits perfectly with Shanahan- and McVay-style offenses, which also means it could fit well in the Kubiak offense.
  • Grade: B+
• LB Nakobe Dean: Three years, $36 million
  • The skinny: The price is great when you think about what he can be at his best. However, Dean has struggled with injuries throughout his career. Then again, the Raiders are bringing in a Super Bowl winner to teach this defense what it takes not only to be elite, but to win. Dean will be a great MIKE linebacker in Rob Leonard’s 3-4 defense.
  • Grade B+
• LB Quay Walker: Three years, $40.5 million
  • The skinny: As we already stated, the position group was horrible, with players like Devin White and Elandon Roberts as the best two LBs on the roster last season. At one point, Vegas even moved Jamal Adams, the former safety, into the position. Walker still has a lot of untapped potential, especially as an off-ball linebacker in this 3-4 defense. He was often not played in a way that best suited his skill set. The Raiders will rely on him in a big way, and he could certainly deliver. No matter what, he is miles better than what Vegas already had.
  • Grade: A-

Los Angeles Rams

• CB Jaylen Watson: Three years, $51 million
  • The skinny: Watson is a tall, lengthy corner who uses his length and physicality well to jam receivers and stay in phase. Long strider who offers plenty of range on the back end and has been a strong run defender at cornerback in Kansas City. His ball skills are below-average and he won’t make a lot of plays on the ball, which makes his 17M APY deal a bit surprising.
    
    However, if there is one thing this signing tells me, it’s that the Rams are aiming to shift gears in the secondary and are aiming to run more press and man coverage looks this season. I
    
    It’s slightly more than I would pay, but he’s a solid, proven option that fills a crucial need for the Rams at cornerback. They needed someone with size and physicality at cornerback, and Watson will bring that.
  • Grade: B+

Miami Dolphins

• QB Malik Willis: Three years, $67.5 million
  • The skinny: Sure, the sample size is small and there’s obvious risk. But the bad evidence in Tennessee is even smaller. A former third-round pick who was mostly perceived as a first-round talent ahead of the 2022 draft, Malik Willis is still 26 years old and has all the physical tools a quarterback needs to thrive in the NFL. His athletic ability is impressive, and that helped Matt LaFleur build an offense on short notice when Jordan Love got hurt early in the 2024 season.
    
    The worst part about this deal is it includes $45 million in cash guarantees. In today’s NFL, that’s one year of Myles Garrett or Ja’Marr Chase. The best part about this deal is the physical ability and untapped potential of Willis for just $45 million in cash guarantees across two seasons.
    
    I’m not going to guarantee you this works. I’m just going to guarantee you it’s worth paying this cost to find out.
  • Grade: A-
• S Minkah Fitzpatrick: TRADE (Dolphins receive 2026 7th round pick)
  • The skinny: Putting a grade on this is tough, because we are prone to be focused on the quality of the player versus the price of the compensation. My sense is that Miami’s core focus right now is on cashing out on talent for cap flexibility and alleviating their cash budget for the 2026 season.
    
    Miami, when adding up the savings from Tyreek Hill, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Bradley Chubb, James Daniels, Alec Ingold, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Jason Sanders, is set to save over $90 million in payroll this upcoming season. They’ll need that for their cap reset. Doubling down on that approach helps to see the vision at work. But Minkah staying in the AFC East for a 7th-round pick simply feels like too light of a haul for me to grade it favorably.
  • Grade: D+

Minnesota Vikings

• LB Eric Wilson: Three years, $22.5 million
  • The skinny: When you look at the overall value of contracts for linebackers, Wilson’s average annual value is tied for 22nd in the NFL, which is average LB1 money, also the same as Cashman. That is not a bad dollar amount, even if it feels like it’s a lot of money.
    
    The biggest factor here is the public perception of the contract. Players who are thinking about signing a cheap contract in Minnesota could be more likely to do so. That could come in huge this offseason with the Vikings having minimal capital to bring in talent, as they may be more willing to give the Vikings a chance because of Wilson’s success.
    
    Overall, it’s a mixed bag to give him the contract, but it’s not a bad move, as the public relations aspect is a bigger deal.
  • Grade: B
• CB James Pierre: Two years, $8.5 million
  • The skinny: This signing may not move the needle in the eyes of a lot of Vikings fans, but it should. Pierre was a late bloomer in Pittsburgh, moving up and down from practice squads and having multiple tenures with the Steelers before something clicked in 2025. He was the second-best corner on the team at the end of the season and played quality football down the stretch. He’s versatile with the length and foot speed to play man coverage, but he has the eye discipline and route recognition to play zone coverage as well.
  • Grade: A-

New England Patriots

• DL Dre’Mont Jones: Three years, $39.5 million
  • The skinny: departing free agent K’Lavon Chaisson accounted for nearly 1/4th of the Patriots’ sacks and over 16% of their total pressures, leaving a massive void at one outside linebacker spot.
    
    Jones can step right in to fill in that vacancy. He is a different player to Chaisson, as Chaisson was more of a finesse rusher, while Jones wins cleanly with power and speed-to-power rushes. Last season, Jones finished with a respectable 51 pressures and eight sacks, while his 15 QB hits tied DeMarcus Lawrence for 11th-most in the league.
  • Grade: B
• G Alijah Vera-Tucker: Three years, $42.5 million
  • The skinny: If the Vera-Tucker signing pays off for the Patriots, they will have added one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. He completely changes the math for their offensive line, and would be a boon next to Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. If he stays healthy this season, the Patriots might have pulled off a season-altering caliber of move. If he’s not, they can absorb the loss well and move on quickly. These are the kinds of moves elite front offices take.
  • Grade: B+
• FB Reggie Gilliam: Three years, $12 million
  • The skinny: Gilliam is one of the most-complete fullbacks in the league. In the run game, he is a fantastic mover, and is capable of executing any blocking assignment given to him. Gilliam was a key cog in James Cook’s ascendance and production as a rusher in Buffalo, and he’ll do so for Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson for the foreseeable future.
    
    Gilliam solves an underrated need for the Patriots’ offense, and his signing will allow the Patriots to evolve their offense on the ground next season. Add an extensive special teams history to that, and Gilliam could sneakily be one of the smartest additions of the offseason across the NFL.
  • Grade: A

New Orleans Saints

• RB Travis Etienne: Four years, $52 million
  • The skinny: Etienne might be one of the more underrated free agents in this class from a pure production standpoint. He’s hitting the open market because of a down 2024, but if you erase that season and compile his numbers from 2022, 2023, and 2025, Etienne has averaged 1,441 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns a season. He is a dual threat who would thrive in a wide zone scheme and as a reliable pass-catching option.
  • Grade: A-
• TE Noah Fant: Two years, money TBD
  • The skinny: For Fant, he has balanced his game out over the years as a pro and understands how he can be the most valuable for an offense. Many running backs proclaim in the NFL that “no block = no rock” as in players who don’t protect their teammates won’t get to touch the ball.
    
    The Saints will most likely use him in 12 personnel rather often and as a big body pass catching option in the red zone. He won’t fill up the stat sheet, but I wouldn’t be shocked if we looked up at the end of next season to see he had four or five touchdowns.
  • Grade: B-

New York Giants

• TE Isaiah Likely: Three years, $40 million
  • The skinny: Any move that gives young QB Jaxson Dart a legitmate weapon is a good move for the Giants. This is exactly that. Though Likely was the Ravens’ TE2 for a long time, it’s always been clear he can start for an NFL team.
    
    Likely can be a traditional tight end but his best football comes as a big slot receiver. Expect Giants OC Matt Nagy, who has coached and offense featuring Travis Kelce, to target him early and often.
    
    John Harbaugh reunites with one of the good Ravens.
  • Grade: B+

Pittsburgh Steelers

• WR Michael Pittman: TRADE (Steelers sent a sixth-rounder and received a seventh in return)
  • The skinny: Michael Pittman Jr. has been one of the most beloved players in the Colts locker room from the moment he was drafted by the team in 2020. He’s gone through the wringer in Indy, with no stability at QB and some really tough injuries over the past couple of years.
    
    He is a guy who is willing to get his nose dirty, and on top of being a reliable pass catcher, is a very strong run blocker at the WR position. I’m not sure how much I like the fit between Metcalf and Pittman Jr. together, but what I do know is that he will find whatever role he needs to have, and he will attack it with 110% effort.
  • Grade: A
• CB Jamel Dean: Three years, $36.75 million
  • The skinny: Dean is coming off the best year of his career after logging three picks and and quarterbacks averaged a league-worst 46.9 QB rating when targeting him (min. 443 coverage snaps). If he can stay healthy, the Steelers are getting a very good corner at probably a pretty decent price.
    
    This signing could also allow the Steelers to move off of Jalen Ramsey. He has a cap hit close to $20 million for 2026, and he’s not exactly a fit in Patrick Graham’s scheme. Either way, you can’t lose if you’re the Steelers. You keep Ramsey and have a solid trio of defensive backs, or you move on, save money, and find another safety/nickel hybrid via trade or the NFL Draft.
  • Grade: B+
• RB Rico Dowdle: Two years, $12.25 million
  • The skinny: At only 27 years old, with a hunger to prove he’s a true lead back and the experience and familiarity in Mike McCarthy’s scheme, Dowdle’s a low-risk, high-reward addition for the Steelers’ offense.
    
    He doesn’t offer the pass-catching upside that Gainwell did, but he brings a physical element to the run game. At 6-2 and 215 pounds wth a one-cut-and-go kind of running style, the Steelers can get Jaylen Warren back to some of those pass-catching duties and rely on Dowdle as their true bell cow, similar to the dynamic the offense had when Najee Harris was still in Pittsburgh.
  • Grade: A

San Francisco 49ers

• WR Mike Evans: Three years, $42.5 million with a max of $60.4 million
  • The skinny: The 49ers snagged themselves a top option to replace Brandon Aiyuk, giving Brock Purdy a No. 1 target in 2026 and beyond. Purdy now has a receiver who can win at all three levels of the field and provides an efficient downfield, red zone, and physical presence that is also an excellent teammate.
    
    The contract structure is affordable, protects the 49ers from injury, and gives Evans plenty of incentive to bring his A game every weekend, which he’s bound to do, regardless.
    
    It’s a total win for the 49ers and shows just how much Evans values the 49ers’ current position over the Buccaneers when it comes to contending for a Super Bowl.
  • Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks

• WR Rashid Shaheed: Three years, $51 million
  • The skinny: even though he had limited opportunities, Shaheed showed he can make plays downfield on a consistent basis: Per Pro Football Focus, he caught three of five targets consisting of 20+ air yards during his nine games with the Seahawks, posting an overall receiving grade of 92.4, which was second behind only JSN.
    
    He excels in the return game, as well, which is such a unique and effective advantage for teams. The Seahawks are clearly betting on the fact the flashes they saw last year will continue to grow now that he’s going into a full offseason (plus the previous time) with the franchise, which should help his development.
    
    Shaheed’s deal also ranks 29th at the time of this publication, which is super reasonable when considering today’s receiver market.
  • Grade: B+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• TE Cade Otton: Three years, $30 million
  • The skinny: The Buccaneers hold onto one of their most underrated playmakers in Otton, who is a traditional Y tight end that can also split out wide on occasion. He’s a fierce blocker in both the pass and run game and he’s as dependable as they come. The Bucs now have 10-of-11 starters set to return on offense in 2026.
  • Grade: A
• LB Alex Anzalone: Two years, $17 million
  • The skinny: Right off the bat, you have to know that the Lions didn’t part ways with one of their team captains because he got bad at football; they moved off of him because the young guys around him just kept getting better, and they wanted to get younger at the Will linebacker spot where Anzalone has been playing for the last five years.
    
    The Buccaneers are getting a linebacker who is proficient in coverage, has some good pass-rush ability, and is a leader. And, Anzalone reportedly took less money to play in Tampa Bay.
  • Grade: B+
• RB Kenneth Gainwell: Two years, $14 million
  • The skinny: I’m not thrilled with two years at $14 million with $10 million guaranteed for a player who should not be a starting running back in this offense, provided Irving can stay healthy. That feels like a bit of a heavy figure there.
    
    That said, finding a player who’s this good in the passing game can truly add an element to the Bucs’ offense, regardless. The Bucs found significant success in 2023 with White in the passing game, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will now have two versatile pieces to deploy at his design come September.
  • Grade: B

Tennessee Titans

• DL John Franklin-Myers: Three years, $63 million
  • The skinny: John Franklin-Myers may have taken some people by surprise when he came in at $21 million AAV, but nobody who was paying attention was surprised to see him land in Tennessee.
    
    The minus on this grade is merely for having so much money tied up in interior DL now, with Simmons currently sitting at 8th highest paid in the league (needing a reworked contract still) and JFM now coming it at tied for 15th. But this move turns a strength into a super strength, and Simmons paired with JFM is going to be a serious problem. There were eight defensive tackles to record a pressure rate of at least 10% and a stop rate of at least 5% in 2025: These were two of them.
  • Grade: A-
• WR Wan’Dale Robinson: Four years, $70 million
  • The skinny: I hadn’t really thought about it like this until I laid it all out in this article, but the Robinson signing ended up being technically my least favorite of the day. Do I hate the move? No. But I fundamentally think it’s usually the kind of move that proves to be a bad idea. I’d say that I simply understand the move. The Titans are betting on him being an exception to the rule that history has taught us when it comes to expensive receivers in free agency. 
  • Grade: C+
• CB Cor’Dale Flott: Three years, $45 million
  • The skinny: Connor Hughes of SNY in New York detailed online how Flott was a done deal to return to the Giants until the Titans sent a Hail Mary, having head coach Robert Saleh call Flott to describe his role in this defense. His sales pitch reportedly sealed the deal. It’s a bit of an overpay, but Flott is a proven good starter. That’s the nature of free agency!
  • Grade: B
• CB Alontae Taylor: Three years, $60 million
  • The skinny: Taylor can play both inside and out, which is a valuable trait to have in today’s NFL and should come in handy in Robert Saleh’s defense. And while Taylor was a top target for this team on the veteran free agent market his $20 AAV certainly raises eyebrows and creates a high standard of play for the versatile cornerback.
  • Grade: B-

Washington Commanders

• EDGE Odafe Oweh: Four years, $100 million
  • The skinny: The Commanders bringing in Oweh checks off a lot of boxes, and he showed so many flashes when he joined the Chargers. Eight sacks and 35 pressures in 12 games on a new defense isn’t something to just overlook. He also had the sixth-highest pressure rate in the NFL at 17.3% after he joined the Chargers in Week 6.
    
    Oweh also only missed two tackles in those 12 games with the Charges, which is insane when you think about it. He’s also very stout in the run game at 6-5, 260 pounds, and he’ll bring power and speed off the EDGE in Washington. This is a franchise player to build around, who is hitting his prime as he turned 27 two months ago. It’s impossible not to love this move, and it leaves options wide open with the No. 7 overall pick.
  • Grade: A
• CB Amik Robertson: Two years, $16 million
  • The skinny: The signing comes with concerns because of his size, but it could pay off with an experiences, yet a younger corner on the team after releasing Marshon Lattimore. There will be questions about where he plays and what this means for Mike Sainristil, so there’s still a lot to figure out. They needed help in the secondary, and Robertson can be a fiesty corner on the outside and in the slot.
    
    We don’t know if the Commanders will get the lockdown corner from 2024 or the struggling corner from 2025, who gave up six touchdowns, but had a lot on his plate. The Commanders desperately need a stout slot corner, but he’s also thrived on the outside against some of the best in the NFL. This move also doesn’t stop them from adding another top CB in free agency or the NFL Draft.
  • Grade: B-