NFL free agency continues, but with the major signings and trades complete, it’s time to check in with executives around the league for thoughts on all 32 teams’ moves to this point.
There is so much to discuss, from Kirk Cousins’ Minnesota exit to the New York Jets’ desperation, the Green Bay Packers’ big additions and even what’s next for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys as potentially tricky contract situations percolate.
Let’s get started.
Tracker: Where the top 150 players have landed
Best available: Who’s still out there?
Grades: Assessing all of the major deals
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NFL free-agency superlatives: The best and the most puzzling moves so far
For each team, I’ve noted the average per-year salary (APY) of players who were added from other teams and left to sign with other teams, along with the differential between the two. Contract information was gathered from a variety of sources, including Over the Cap, Spotrac, media reports, and league sources.
APY added: $55.3M (12th) | APY lost: $12.5M (32nd) | APY differential: $42.8M (2nd)
The Cardinals prioritized both lines and added cornerback help, with execs singling out the $15 million APY for former Bengals tackle Jonah Williams as good value.
“The guys they got — Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones, Mack Wilson, Jonah Williams — are not stars, but they are 26 to 27 years old and have started a lot of games,” an exec said. “Even in Desmond Ridder, you can see the logic. They had success with Josh Dobbs, and now they add another version of Dobbs in Ridder.”
The 10 players Arizona added from other teams averaged 27.1 years old, sixth-youngest in the league and youngest among teams with more than five additions. Receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was the highest-valued free agent to sign elsewhere.
“They know they are not going to win the Super Bowl now, so let’s not pay someone we are going to miss the window with,” the exec added. “Let’s get some younger guys, pay them middle-tier money and then we will build with draft picks.”
APY added: $66.7M (6th) | APY lost: $18.9M (30th) | APY differential: $47.8M (1st)
The Falcons are one of four teams riding a streak of six consecutive losing seasons. The other three — Broncos, Jets, and Panthers — have already taken desperate swings at the quarterback. Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins in that context.
Can Cousins bridge the gap between the Falcons’ winning percentage over the past six seasons (.394) and the Vikings’ win rate with Cousins (.574)?
“Internally, when you are Minnesota and have a guy that is winning you games but not winning you Super Bowls, you want to get better,” an exec said. “Externally, when you have been with a team like Atlanta that has not tasted the playoffs in so long, you go, ‘F—, if I had a guy like that!’ You think any coach in Atlanta is sitting there saying, ‘This guy is not going to help us’? They could not pass the ball last year.”
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Why the Falcons wanted Kirk Cousins and what the QB means for Raheem Morris’ team
The Falcons entered free agency needing a quarterback, a speed receiver, and a traditional tight end. They got all three in Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Charlie Woerner. Execs still cautioned against anointing Atlanta in the NFC South.
“I’d still go with Tampa right now,” one said. “I know the optics look good for Atlanta, but you have a new head coach, there will be a learning curve that comes along with that. The quarterback’s ability to get in the flow coming off an Achilles injury, we’ll see how that goes. It’s a calculated risk, but a risk nonetheless.”
APY added: $14.8M (28th) | APY lost: $58.3M (8th) | APY differential: -$43.5M (32nd)
The Ravens have proven they can overcome personnel losses through smart signings later in the offseason, but they lost way more than usual this time.
“They are paying a quarterback now, so they are living with that and they have been converting base salaries to bonuses, so they are taking their medicine,” one exec said.
Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, Geno Stone, Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson, Ronald Darby, Devin Duvernay, and Gus Edwards all signed elsewhere for deals worth at least $3 million per year.
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