Free Agency Frenzy is appropriately named, with deals being reported rapidly from the sound of the bell at 12:00 sharp on Monday. Although not every team made a splash signing, there were enough key moves made to create a whirlwind of thoughts. I will update this article throughout the week as teams make moves and their vision becomes clearer (or doesn’t).
Here are my team-by-team thoughts on the notable roster moves from Free Agency so far. For more, follow me on X @JLSports24
Teams will be added as they make more relevant moves.
Arizona Cardinals
- The signings appear underwhelming, but G Isaac Seumalo and RB Tyler Allgeier will bring toughness to the Cardinals‘ inside running game
- All eggs were in the Malik Willis basket. They will now have to shift their focus to lesser QBs. Gardner Minshew was brought in, seemingly on a backup QB deal. Jimmy Garoppolo is under consideration, but the Cardinals’ QB outlook isn’t great for 2026.
Carolina Panthers
- The Panthers are beefing up their defense with the highly sought-after Jaelen Phillips. One of the big-ticket free agents in this cycle.
Chicago Bears
- The Bears focus on defense early on, highlighted by Coby Bryant being brought in on a 3-year deal. They are still short one starting safety.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook are a few solid defensive starters the Bengals need desperately. How they worked that additional $100M into their budget is beyond me.
Indianapolis Colts
- The first splash of the day was made by the Colts, re-signing Alec Pierce to a monster 4-year, $114M deal with $84M guaranteed. Between that and the $37M+ transition tag placed on Daniel Jones, the Colts have taken a commanding lead in overpaying average players in 2026.
Kansas City Chiefs
- The Chiefs bring in the Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, but at a hefty price. A 3-year deal with $28.7M guaranteed is cringeworthy considering Walker has played a full season just once in his 4-year NFL career.
- The Walker addition fills a major need and also may eliminate them from the running for Jeremiyah Love
Las Vegas Raiders
- Tyler Linderbaum headlines the Raiders’ haul by blowing away the center market with a record $27M per year deal. One of the best centers in the league will help Fernando Mendoza day one, all while creating much needed toughness along the offensive line
- Jalen Nailor is a sneaky great addition. He’s a perfect fit for Klint Kubiak‘s tight formations and YAC-centric offense.
- A pair of LB and CB additions helps fortify the defense. The Raiders are building a team of toughness up the middle
Los Angeles Chargers
- The additions of FB Alec Ingold and C Tyler Biadasz show me that the offensive line will be built to the style of Mike McDaniel, favoring athletic, outside zone-type bodies rather than the traditional Jim Harbaugh maulers.
Los Angeles Rams
- After the blockbuster trade for Trent McDuffie, the Rams double down on Chiefs corners by signing Jaylen Watson. They’re in win-now mode and get a great tandem to shore up the secondary
- Safety is very much in play at pick #13 in the draft.
Miami Dolphins
- It was always the Dolphins or Cardinals for Malik Willis. It’s a no-brainer for big money as he’s already familiar with the GM and Head Coach from their time together with the Packers.
New York Jets
- The Jets were very active, adding 5 players to their defense on Monday. They signed veteran LB Demario Davis and traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, bringing leadership and experience to Aaron Glenn‘s unit. I fear they may have added a bit too much experience, as the average age of their five new additions is 30 years old. Glenn may need immediate results to hold his post beyond 2026.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- The Steelers did a great job filling immediate needs with productive veterans. Michael Pittman Jr., Jamel Dean, and Rico Dowdle will all be heavy contributors immediately for Mike McCarthy
San Francisco 49ers
- The 49ers go big with future Hall of Fame WR Mike Evans. Interesting decision considering they’re in compromising contract negotiations with their own Hall of Famer, Trent Williams. Either a deal is all but done, or he’s on his way out.
Tennessee Titans
- Wan’Dale Robinson agreed to a 4-year, $78M deal. It’s an underrated signing in that it gives Cam Ward a reliable, high-volume target. He’ll be essential for keeping Ward on-script, which will help his development. Robinson comes from the New York Giants with Brian Daboll, who is now the Titans’ offensive coordinator.
- Robert Saleh prioritized the defense, adding 3 new cornerbacks and an impact defensive lineman in John Franklin-Myers, who should make a lethal team up the middle with Jeffrey Simmons
Washington Commanders
- Odafe Oweh gets a major payday as the Commanders fill a massive need at edge.
- Still much more to come in Washington, I believe
