NFL free agency is still rolling, but there’s already seen some massive moves and big-time storylines across the league.
One of the wildest moments this offseason so far came when a blockbuster trade involving star edge rusher Maxx Crosby fell apart. Crosby was reportedly heading to Baltimore, but after failing his physical, the deal was voided and he returned to the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s rare to see a deal collapse like that, and it immediately became one of the biggest headlines of free agency.
Starting in the NFC West, teams were aggressive early. The Los Angeles Rams made a splash by trading for Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks took a hit, losing several key players, including Kenneth Walker, Tariq Woolen, Boye Mafe and Coby Bryant.
They did bring back Shaheed and added Emanuel Wilson, but overall, Seattle lost more than they gained. The Arizona Cardinals made a shocking move by releasing Kyler Murray, while the San Francisco 49ers loaded up offensively, adding both Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.
In the NFC North, there were plenty of changes as well. The Green Bay Packers lost Romeo Doubs and Malik Willis but added Skyy Moore. The Detroit Lions made moves to improve their offense, bringing in Isiah Pacheco to pair with Jahmyr Gibbs while also signing Tyler Conklin.
The Chicago Bears reshaped their roster, losing Tremaine Edmunds and Kevin Byard but added Bryant and traded DJ Moore to Buffalo. The Minnesota Vikings now have Kyler Murray at quarterback after just one year of J.J. McCarthy, setting up a potential quarterback competition.
Over in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers were big spenders, signing Jaelen Phillips to a massive four-year, $120 million deal and adding Devin Lloyd. The Atlanta Falcons brought in Tua Tagovailoa and franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts while also hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach.
The New Orleans Saints added Travis Etienne and Noah Fant to boost their offense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on the other hand, lost major talent, including Evans and Jamel Dean, though they did bring in Alex Anzalone.
The NFC East has been very active, especially when it comes to the New York Giants. They hired John Harbaugh and brought in several former Ravens, including Isaiah Likely and Pat Ricard.
The Dallas Cowboys tagged George Pickens, re-signed Javonte Williams and traded for Rashan Gary. The Philadelphia Eagles stayed relatively quiet, adding Tariq Woolen and keeping Dallas Goedert. Washington focused on defense, signing Leo Chenal and Odafe Oweh.
Switching to the AFC, the AFC West saw major moves. The Raiders made a huge investment in their offensive line, signing Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal.
The Chiefs added Walker from Seattle, but traded away McDuffie. The Denver Broncos made a late splash by acquiring Jaylen Waddle, while the Los Angeles Chargers stayed active, re-signing Khalil Mack and adding multiple offensive pieces.
In the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens pivoted after missing out on Crosby and signed Trey Hendrickson instead. The Cincinnati Bengals strengthened their defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made several moves, including signing Rico Dowdle and Jamel Dean while trading for Michael Pittman Jr. The Cleveland Browns focused on rebuilding their offensive line, adding Elgton Jenkins and Quincy Williams defensively.
The AFC East had plenty of movement as well. The Buffalo Bills made headlines by adding DJ Moore and Bradley Chubb. The New York Jets were aggressive, trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith while also adding Demario Davis.
The Miami Dolphins went through a major reset, moving on from Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Waddle. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots added Alijah Vera-Tucker and brought in Doubs.
Finally, in the AFC South, the Tennessee Titans made major coaching and roster changes, bringing in Brian Daboll and Robert Saleh while adding multiple former Giants and Jets players.
The Houston Texans focused on protecting C.J. Stroud, adding Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith. The Indianapolis Colts brought back Daniel Jones and re-signed Alec Pierce, while the Jacksonville Jaguars stayed relatively quiet but lost Devin Lloyd.
There are still plenty of big-name free agents available, including Stefon Diggs, Aaron Rodgers, Joey Bosa, and Bobby Wagner, so this offseason is far from over. With the draft coming up in less than a month in Pittsburgh, it’ll be interesting to see what teams get up to between now and then.