By Noah Curitti
As the NFL off-season takes hold to give way to playoff races in the NHL and NBA, football is still top of mind for those involved. NFL free agency is in full swing, with many of the top players finding new homes for the foreseeable future.
Although good players remain available and many teams have more work to do in the ## months until the 2025-26 season begins, it’s worth a glance at how teams fared in the first few weeks since signing season began on March 9. Here are my top 5 winners and losers of free agency, in no particular order.
Winners:
Chicago Bears:
Last season, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams endured a franchise-record 68 sacks. To address this, new head coach Ben Johnson made key moves, trading for high-calibre offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, alongside signing Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman to a three-year deal. These additions solidified the offensive line, but that wasn’t the only area of need for the Bears. On defence, the Bears boosted their front with signings of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. With these moves, the Bears are sending a strong message to the NFC North that they're a team to be reckoned with this season.
Minnesota Vikings:
The Vikings have made significant strides in free agency, especially after losing starting quarterback Sam Darnold to the Seattle Seahawks. They reinforced their defensive line by signing Washington's Jonathan Allen and San Francisco's Javon Hargrave. On offence, they added Colts guards Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, keeping a — blocking unit together. Additionally, the Vikings retained key players like running back Aaron Jones and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. With promising young quarterback JJ McCarthy likely to take the reins superstar wideout Justin Jefferson coming off of a 1,500-yard season, the Vikings are a team to watch out for.
Washington Commanders:
The Commanders' free agency focused on retaining key players from last season’s NFC Championship run, including linebacker Bobby Wagner and tight end Zach Ertz. Though they lost a few contributors, they made impactful additions with safety/cornerback Will Harris from the Saints along with defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw from the New York Jets. They traded for wide receiver Deebo Samuel and five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil as well, improving their offence with established names to support rookie of the year quarterback Jayden Daniels for another strong season.
New England Patriots:
With the most cap space in the league, the Patriots made a big splash in free agency, signing Stefon Diggs, Harold Landry III, Mack Hollins, Robert Spillane, Carlton Davis, Morgan Moses, and Super Bowl winner Milton Williams, whose four-year, $104 million deal makes him the highest-paid player in franchise history. Diggs especially has the potential to give Drake Maye a solidified wide receiver 1 which will help his development as a young quarterback. These investments, combined with a bright future under head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye, set the stage for sustained success. The Patriots also have nine draft picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft from April 24 to 26 to further bolster their roster.
Denver Broncos:
The Broncos began free agency by re-signing defensive tackle D.J. Jones, a key part of their strong run defence. They also added 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, adding more options for defending the passing game. On offence, the team bolstered their tight end position by signing Evan Engram from the Jacksonville Jaguars With a young quarterback in Bo Nix—who led the team to the playoffs last season—and one of the league's top defences, the Broncos are quietly building a competitive team poised for future success.
Honourable Mentions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills
Losers
San Francisco 49ers:
After a disappointing 2024 season, many expected the 49ers to strengthen their roster through free agency. However, they’ve seen a significant number of key players depart, including Deebo Samuel, Jaylon Moore, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd, Joey Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and Jordan Mason. In response, they signed Rams receiver Demarcus Robinson and Giants cornerback Jason Pinnock, but overall, the team appears to have weakened on both offence and defence. With a closing Super Bowl window, the 49ers now face the challenge of securing a big contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy and this free agency doesn’t seem too convincing.
Houston Texans/C.J. Stroud:
After a subpar performance from their offensive line last year that contributed to their playoff exit, the Texans traded their top lineman, Laremy Tunsil, to Washington. They have made some savvy moves in trading for C.J Gardner-Johnson from the Eagles, Cam Robinson from the Vikings and Christian Kirk from the Jaguars, but it falls flat compared to an expectation to rebuild their offensive line and get another star receiver for C.J Stroud. They are still able to address these needs in the draft and because they’re still the favourites to win the AFC South, they’re not massive losers, I just expected more from them.
Cincinnati Bengals:
The Bengals have focused their efforts on retaining star receiver Ja'Marr Chase and extending Tee Higgins, who was franchise-tagged. While these moves are crucial, and they achieved it by inking the receiver duo to four year deals, they’ve largely ignored adding new talent in free agency. They signed Oren Burks, TJ Slaton, and Samaje Perine to boost their defence and add another running back option behind Chase Brown. The team is also looking to find a solution for defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who may still be re-signed or traded. Although they’ve managed to keep key players, it’s surprising for a team coming off a 9-8 season to not pursue big-name free agents to bolster their Super Bowl aspirations.
Dallas Cowboys:
Jerry Jones' free agency strategy seems stuck in the past, making moves that lack long-term impact. The Cowboys added running back Javonte Williams, linebacker Kenneth Murray, and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, but these signings don’t move the needle significantly. They got Dante Fowler Jr. from Washington, which seems to be their best signing at the moment as he had 10.5 sacks last season. Before that signing, Jerry Jones has not spent over 6 million dollars a year on a player since 2015. With the retirement of offensive lineman Zack Martin, Dak Prescott will be under even more pressure to carry the offence, now under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. While the Cowboys still have playmakers, their lack of bold investments raises questions about their ability to make a serious Super Bowl run.
Miami Dolphins:
The Dolphins are coming off a tough season, and their free-agent moves haven’t instilled much hope for a bounce-back year. They committed $24 million to James Daniels, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, and signed running back Alexander Mattison from the Raiders. While there were other moves, none of them are likely to have a major impact on elevating the team within the AFC East, especially with the Buffalo Bills and New England having strong free agency periods. Additionally, the loss of safety Jevon Holland has yet to be addressed with a starting-calibre replacement.
Honourable Mentions: New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs
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