Which teams are crushing it in the early waves of free agency? Who seems to be getting left behind?
Since the legal tampering window opened Monday morning, NFL teams have been reaching agreements on contract terms with in-house and external free agents across the league (deals with the latter can't be officially signed until 4 p.m. ET Wednesday). The outlook for several teams in 2025 has already begun to crystallize, though we won't know how these moves actually pan out until football is played.
FOX Sports' Carmen Vitali and Ben Arthur break down the early winners and losers of free agency ahead of the new league year.
Winners
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The Bears are infamous for "winning the offseason" in Chicago, and really, in the national storylines. Over the past few years, it's yielded very little on-field results. But something about this offseason feels different. They spent big to get the most sought-after head coaching candidate on the market in Ben Johnson, and they haven't closed their wallets.
They entered the offseason with the fourth-most projected cap space in the league, much of which they used in trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, and signing center Drew Dalman, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo, completely remaking the trenches in Chicago. They seem to be taking full advantage of the fact that Caleb Williams is on his rookie contract and Johnson is building from the inside out, with the help of Poles. Even better, the offensive linemen are locked into three-year deals, making it easy to move on if it doesn't work out. It also puts them in line with Williams' contract, who will be up for an extension three seasons from now. Every move they've made has been, at the very least, defensible — which isn't something that Chicago has been able to confidently say lately.
With all three of their division rivals loading up (have you seen what the Vikings did on their defensive front?), the Bears made all the right moves to hopefully keep pace with the NFC North. Now, winning the offseason just needs to translate to winning on the field. — Vitali
Sure, there's a chance that we look back on the quarter billion dollars-plus (!) in contract value that the Patriots have committed to external free agents this offseason as a cautionary tale. But when it comes to setting the foundation of the Mike Vrabel era, there's plenty to like.
Three of New England's four highest-paid free agents are players that Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams are intimately familiar with (Vrabel coached linebackers Harold Landry and Robert Spillane in Tennessee; Williams and cornerback Carlton Davis were both in Detroit last season). Offensive tackle Morgan Moses and defensive tackle Milton Williams, the latter of whom is New England's new highest-paid player, have strong track records of durability and come from winning organizations. So, the Patriots have spent big, but it doesn't feel super risky. And prioritizing defense in free agency frees up the team to focus on bolstering Drake Maye's supporting cast through the draft, where it has the No. 4 overall pick. — Arthur
I don't think Packers fans are happy, but I really like what Green Bay did. It was so… not Green Bay-like. They went out and signed guard Aaron Banks, previously with the 49ers, handing him a four-year $77 million deal. I get that the Packers usually build through the draft along the offensive front, but consider that they just made a hefty investment in quarterback Jordan Love last year. Insurance ain't cheap, y'all. That's what Banks gives you. It also hopefully solidifies every player's position in the starting five for the sake of continuity. Especially with how the positional value for interior linemen is steadily creeping up, no one will bat an eye at the price tag in a year.
Not satisfied with that, the Packers also went out and grabbed cornerback Nate Hobbs, formerly with the Raiders. They gave him a reported four-year, $48 million deal to shore up a position of need for Jeff Hafley's defense. There's more work to be done in the pass rush, but the unit's ability to force turnovers masked issues at every level. Perhaps Green Bay will keep Jaire Alexander, which along with Hobbs would make for a pretty good corner rotation provided all can stay healthy.
The Packers also re-signed linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and kicker Brandon McManus.
The moves were minimal, but the bottom line is Green Bay got better this week. — Vitali
The Broncos have maintained continuity for emerging quarterback Bo Nix by re-signing Jarrett Stidham, the primary backup quarterback last season who was a steadying influence on last year's No. 12 pick. But Denver has also retained D.J. Jones, keeping together a defensive line that was arguably the best in football in 2024 (the Broncos led the NFL in sacks, sack rate and pressures). So, two massive priorities have been accomplished.
Bringing aboard a pair of former 49ers standouts in linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga raises the upside of a defense that's already elite. When you also consider what the Broncos could do in the draft, Denver should have enough depth defensively that even if injuries are a problem for Greenlaw and Hufanga (as they were in San Francisco), the team's floor shouldn't be impacted too much. — Arthur
L-O-L. The league let Brian Flores and the Vikings go out and get Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave? I had a defensive assistant coach who isn't even in the NFC North anymore texting me about how scary that is. Allen has some tread on the tires, and while Hargrave didn't live up to expectations in San Francisco, they are both still excellent players that will be used creatively in Flores' ever-evolving scheme. It's going to create nightmares for offensive coordinators around the league.
The Vikings weren't done, adding both Will Fries and Ryan Kelly to solidify the interior of their offensive line. Yes, the price tag on Fries was especially high (a reported $88 million over five years), but again — that price tag is going to be more and more of a non-factor the further away from this signing we get.
The headlines are going to be how Minnesota let Sam Darnold walk after he threw 35 touchdowns for them last year — and how they weren't able to retain Daniel Jones as a high-end backup. All the eggs are in the J.J. McCarthy basket, currently. But this was always the plan for the Vikings. Draft and develop. Who do you trust more to do that than Kevin O'Connell and an offensive line that is now one of the best in the league? — Vitali
With mounting pressure on general manager Chris Ballard, it's not totally surprising to see him spend big on external free agents for the first time, a pivot from his traditional strategy. But his investments in the secondary look great on paper, supporting new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum have been underrated standouts at corner and safety, respectively, for multiple seasons and immediately slot in as Indianapolis' best options at both positions. Big commitments to outside defensive backs have worked well in the past for Ballard, too (see: Stephon Gilmore).
The terms of Daniel Jones' deal also feel favorable for the Colts. The financial commitment to Jones is palpable for a reclamation project who could end up starting in 2025, but also not too steep as to totally take away from Anthony Richardson's development, which Indy hasn't given up on. — Arthur
Davante Adams is a clear upgrade over the Cooper Kupp production and durability, despite being older than the former triple crown winner. He forms a dynamic receiving tandem for the short term with Puka Nacua for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who the Rams (smartly) agreed to terms with on a restructured deal. Getting Adams for just $26 million guaranteed in a two-year deal, below the going rate of elite receivers, is also a win for the franchise.
But don't let the agreement with Poona Ford slide under the radar. He was one of the highest-graded defensive tackles in the league last year, according to Pro Football Focus, and adds to a promising young defense led by reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse.
One play away from the NFC title game last season, Los Angeles has seemingly kept itself in the Super Bowl conversation for 2025 with its moves to this point, while preserving its flexibility for the long term. — Arthur
LOSERS
I'll begin by saying general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have earned the benefit of the doubt. I know San Francisco hasn't claimed that elusive championship, but only one team does each season. Year in and year out, the 49ers are contenders (when they're healthy). It's just tough to see that being the case in 2025 after losing so much talent this offseason, including starters Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave and Dre Greenlaw. There are rumors that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is once again on the trade block, and they need to figure out what to do about tight end George Kittle's $22 million cap hit while also striking a deal with quarterback Brock Purdy.
The 49ers obviously didn't get better in this legal tampering period, but I don't know that they got a whole lot worse either. Nailing the upcoming draft, in which they own 11 picks, and staying healthy might keep them in contention. — Vitali
There's a long time between now and September, but Houston is filled with question marks across an offensive line that couldn't protect C.J. Stroud last season.
Who will the blindside protector be after Laremy Tunsil's surprising trade to the Commanders? Will it be 2024 second-round pick Blake Fisher, who struggled at times as a rookie? What position will Tytus Howard, a right tackle who's also had to play guard, be at in 2025? Not only does it feel like the Texans need to take an offensive lineman in the first round at this point, they'll also need the player to be a Day 1 hit — a big ask, considering they're in the back half of Round 1 and many young offensive linemen need time to develop in the NFL.
On paper, Houston has made some smart moves on defense, trading for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and retaining some of its in-house free agents. But the defense wasn't the issue entering this offseason. The offense was. And now the Texans have more questions offensively than they entered the offseason with. — Arthur
Can we call the Cowboys losers if this is what they do every year in free agency? That is, nothing?
I still think it's a very inefficient way to do business, and Dallas' job of re-signing its own players has been affected tremendously by letting free agency pass them by. The Cowboys could have locked up Micah Parsons last offseason. Or, at any point during the season. Or, anytime this winter before Myles Garrett re-signed with the Browns for $40 million a year as an edge rusher. Sure, Parsons has said he doesn't care about being the highest-paid non-quarterback, but A) does he really mean that? And B) with Maxx Crosby also signing a deal that gives him $35 million a year and Nick Bosa at $34 million a year, if you sign Parsons for $33 million a year, he's still only the fourth-highest paid edge rusher. That's not including the wideouts making more than that when you're talking non-quarterbacks.
The point is, the Cowboys continually say they can't do anything in free agency because they don't have money. But they continue to cost themselves money by waiting to re-sign their own players. Jerry Jones is supposed to be the ultimate business man, but … how is this good business? — Vitali
The financial commitment to Dan Moore feels very steep.
Yes, he had a 92.5% pass block win rate last season, which ranked just outside the top 10, according to ESPN. That's good news. But he also allowed 12 sacks last season, most in the NFL among offensive linemen, and gave up 41 pressures, tied for ninth-most among offensive tackles, per PFF. That's not exactly welcoming ears for a team that has had one of the NFL's worst pass-protecting offensive lines for years.
Moore's best days could be ahead of him now that he's playing for Bill Callahan, one of the best offensive line coaches of all time. His presence allows Tennessee to move 2024 first-round pick JC Latham back to right tackle, which is believed to be his more natural position. But if Moore flops, it's another setback for a franchise that can't afford more. — Arthur
I'm not sure what the Seahawks are doing or what they even think of themselves right now. This is a team that was on the cusp of another playoff berth last season. They had some good pieces and what you thought was a pretty stable roster. Turns out, they held a mini fire sale, trading quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver D.K. Metcalf along with letting wide receiver Tyler Lockett walk.
I thought they signed Sam Darnold to a decent contract, reminiscent of the Baker Mayfield deal with Tampa Bay two years ago, but it's still a huge risk — especially behind an offensive line that surrendered 50 sacks last year. It's also a completely different system than Darnold thrived in under O'Connell in Minnesota. The Seahawks now have Klint Kubiak at the helm and Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Darnold's only established receiver.
The only other external free agent they've signed is offensive tackle Josh Jones. It's a good draft for the trenches, but the Seahawks haven't left themselves much flexibility, and they have a lot of work to do if they want to be a contender this year. Could they do it? Sure. But if that's GM John Schneider's plan, it doesn't compute with his initial moves this offseason. — Vitali
Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on X at @benyarthur.
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