NFL already seeing major shakeup up one week ahead of free agency
With the NFL’s free agency legal tampering period set to begin on Monday, March 10 at noon ET, teams from across the league are positioning themselves to build their rosters for the future. The past few days have seen several player get released, traded, and receive contract extensions. Let’s dive into some of the notable moves that were made.
DK Metcalf wants out: The Seahawks’ star wide receiver has requested to be traded out of Seattle after negotiations for a contract extension broke down over the last few weeks. It appears that the Seahawks are willing to deal Metcalf, even after releasing long time veteran WR Tyler Lockett. Seattle still has Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a breakout season in 2024, but not a lot of quality depth behind him. Our A to Z Sports writers for the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs all made cases for their teams to acquire Metcalf.
Saquon Barkley gets paid: The Philadelphia Eagles gave Barkley a massive two-year, $41.2 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. It’s incredible to think about the dire state that the RB market was in just a couple of years ago. Barkley was among those at the forefront of reviving the quality of the position, as he recorded one of the best seasons by a RB in NFL history in 2024. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, also tacking on 33 receptions for 278 yards and two more TDs.
Maxx Crosby also receives a huge payday: The Las Vegas Raiders dished out a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension with $91.5 million guaranteed to Crosby, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. It’s well-deserved for the six-year veteran, as Crosby is a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection. He is now under contract with Las Vegas through the 2029 season. The first thing Crosby did after receiving his extension was post a heartfelt message to Raiders fans.
Joey Bosa out in Los Angeles: The Chargers are releasing five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Bosa after nine years. The move will save L.A. a whopping $25 million in salary cap space. The Charges are now sitting very pretty at about $95 million in available cap space. With Bosa gone and linebacker Khalil Mack likely behind him on the way out, L.A. will seek to get younger within its front seven. As for Bosa, he could join his brother Nick with the San Francisco 49ers.
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Cowboys retain cornerstone defensive player: Dallas signed defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to a four-year contract extension worth $80 million, including a $20 million signing bonus. The Cowboys actually saved money by giving Odighizuwa a long-term deal instead of using the franchise tag on him. After signing, Odighizuwa took to social media to pat himself on the back for a job well done. His deal could pave the way for a future extension for star linebacker Micah Parsons.
Chiefs to trade Joe Thuney: Kansas City has agreed to trade their All-Pro left guard to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. The move saves the Chiefs $16 million in salary cap space, and gives Chicago some much-needed help along its offensive line. Second year man Kingsley Suamataia is expected to convert from left tackle to LG and take over for Thuney.
Rams trade versatile O-lineman: Los Angeles traded guard Jonah Jackson to the Bears for a 2025 sixth-round pick. Jackson played both guard and center for the Rams in 2024, but had an injury plagued season. Chicago continues to bulk up their O-line, as the 28-year-old Jackson is one of the better guards in the league when healthy.
Jets release Davante Adams: The multi-time All-Pro WR is free to sign anywhere he wants. Will he continue to follow his long time QB and buddy Aaron Rogers? Adams is still playing at a high level at 32-years-old, catching 85 passes for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. Our A to Z Sports writers for the Packers, Chargers, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Denver Broncos all made cases for their teams to acquire Adams.
Cincinnati slaps the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, again: They claim that they are still working toward a long-term deal, but in the meantime the Bengals have hit Higgins with the tag for the second consecutive year. Opposing teams who were interested in acquiring Higgins are trying their best to convince Cincinnati not to lock up Higgins long-term.
Top available free agents at every offensive position
With free agency just around the corner, our guy Wendell Ferreira has identified his top five free agents for each position group. Today, we’ll go over the offensive side of the ball, then examine the defensive guys on Monday.
Quarterback Sam Darnold: “Darnold resurrected his career under Kevin O’Connell on the Vikings. The question now is how sustainable it is, because the quarterback had had multiple failed experiences (New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and in a smaller sample size with the San Francisco 49ers). So it wasn’t an accident that he played poorly. He started last season playing almost at an MVP level, and somewhat regressed down the stretch, which can be buyer beware ahead of free agency. He finished the season with a 102.5 passer rating, 14th in EPA/play, and ninth in success rate. The magic behind the Vikings’ process was getting that production with a low cost, so it’s hard to replicate the collective performance paying him much more. A franchise tag is on the table, but more as a tool to trade him and get some compensation.” Nos. 2-5: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Jameis Winston, Daniel Jones. Read more here…
Running back Aaron Jones: “It’s important to be careful about what production really means in the NFL. It’s easy to see total yards, and Aaron Jones had a career year with the Minnesota Vikings (1,138 rushing yards and five touchdowns). But especially with running backs, you have to dig deeper. While the Green Bay Packers used to preserve Jones and limit his touches, the Vikings wanted to use him as much as possible, so he had a career high in carries and total touches. In terms of efficiency, though, he showed some signs of regression—a concerning factor for a 30-year-old player.” Nos. 2-5: JK Dobbins, Najee Harris, Nick Chubb, Rico Dowdle. Read more here…
Wide receiver Chris Godwin: “The Bucs are inclined not to franchise tag Godwin again going into his third NFL contract. He is coming off an ankle dislocation, but otherwise has been an impressively productive receiver. Between 2019 and 2023, he had four 1,000-yard receiving seasons, plus a big playoff campaign in 2020 when the Bucs won the Super Bowl. If he’s fully healthy, Godwin is clearly the best option in free agency at 29.” Nos. 2-5: Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper, Marquise Brown, Darius Slayton. Read more here…
Tight end Austin Hooper: “Hooper is a great value and a solid all-around player, a set of skills that he showed in his season with the Patriots. Last year, he was eighth amongst tight ends in yards per route run and 16th in PFF pass block grade. You might not have a start if you sign him, but you will certainly have a highly useful piece without big injuries in his history, even though he is already 30 years old.” Nos. 2-5: Tyler Conklin, Zach Ertz, Juwan Johnson, Mike Gesicki. Read more here…
Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley: “Stanley had suffered with injuries over the past few seasons, but 2024 was a recovery year to show what he can still do. Last season, he was a passable run blocker, but his calling card is his ability to pass block. With a 96.5% pass block efficiency, he allowed 35 pressures and two sacks.” Nos. 2-5: Cam Robinson, Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, Cornelius Lucas. Read more here…
Interior offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler: “Zeitler was a top 5 guard in PFF grade in 2024, and top 3 in run blocking. It’s rare for offensive linemen this good to hit free agency, but Zeitler has played for five teams throughout his NFL career—Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, and Detroit Lions. He’s had 197 starts. Last year, he allowed five sacks, which is more than the other top guards in football, but his 97.9% efficiency shows that it was more of an outlier.” Nos. 2-5: Teven Jenkins, Brandon Scherff, Drew Dalman, Mekhi Becton. Read more here…
