A few teams had better starts to free agency than others. Let’s talk about which teams crushed free agency, and which team still hasn’t woken up!
NFL free agents were allowed to start talking to teams around the league as of Monday, March 11 at noon Eastern Standard Time ahead of the new league year that began on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 PM. Every year there were teams that “win the offseason” with the trades and key additions, they make during this period while others fall flat.
THE WINNERS
1. Atlanta Falcons
- QB Kirk Cousins (4 Years $180 Million)
- WR/KR Ray-Ray McCloud (2 Years $6 Million)
- WR Darnell Mooney (3 Years $39 Million)
- TE Charlie Woerner (3 Years $12 Million)
- WR KhaDarel Hodge (Re-signed)
- LB Nate Landon (Re-signed)
- OL Ryan Neuzil (Re-signed)
- LS Liam McCullough (Re-signed)
TRADE: QB Desmond Ridder for WR Rondale Moore
After another disappointing season in which the Atlanta Falcons ended with a record of seven wins and 10 losses, head coach Arthur Smith was fired. It was clear that once new head coach Raheem Morris was hired, major changes were coming. Atlanta Falcons started off free agency with a bang by signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year $180 million deal. Cousins is coming off an Achilles injury but if he is able to return to his 2022-2023 self the Falcons could reap the rewards of having a talented young offense that features WR Drake London, RB Bijan Robinson, and TE Kyle Pitts, who many believe have been underutilized.
Atlanta then secured Cousins another offensive weapon by signing former Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney to a three-year deal. with an already stout defense led by Jessie Bates and AJ Terrell, the Falcons, could look to make a real run at not only the NFC South but the playoffs.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QB Baker Mayfield (3 Years $100 Million)
- WR Mike Evans (2 Years $41 Million)
- LB Lavonte David (1 Year $8.5 Million)
- S Antoine Winfield Jr (Franchise Tag)
- K Chase McLaughlin ($3 Years $12 Million)
- T Justin Skule
- QB John Wolford
- S Jordan Whitehead (2 Years $10 Million)
- G/C Ben Bredeson
- OG Sua Opeta
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht is a wizard. Not only did he navigate the loss of Tom Brady by bringing in Baker Mayfield for $6 million in 2023 only to win the NFC South again while Baker turned in a career season, but has now managed to bring back all of Tampa‘s biggest In-house free agents. Mike Evans was sent to test for agency before a change of heart after a conversation with his wife Ashli Evans that locks up the future Hall of Famer in Tampa for the next two seasons.
Next was getting Baker Mayfield back on a great deal of three years $100 million preventing any outside noise from QB needy teams such as the Patriots and Falcons, who were said to have major interest.
Defensive leader Lavonte David is back on a one-year deal after making it known he would only come back to the Buccaneers or retire and rounded up the defense with franchise tagging pro bowl Safety Antoine Winfield Junior as they continue to work on a long-term deal. That in itself makes this off-season a win for the Buccaneers. However, Jason Licht wasn’t finished yet bringing back Safety Jordan Whitehead who Tampa drafted in 2018 and has spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets.
Safety was one of the biggest holes coming into the off-season as their replacement last year Ryan Neal struggled mightily and provides the Buccaneers with a lethal one-two punch. Add in offensive linemen Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta who have starter experience to plug into the remaining needs on the OL and the Bucs are primed for a shot at a 4th straight NFC South title.
3. Houston Texans
- K Ka’imi Fairbairn
- TE Dalton Schultz
- CB Desmond King
- WR Noah Brown
- EDGE Danielle Hunter (2 Years $49 Million)
- DE Denico Autry (2 Years $20 Million)
- LB Azeez Al-Shaair ( 3 Year $34 Million)
- P Tommy Townsend (2 Year $6 Million)
- CB Jeff Okudah (1 Year $4.25 Million)
- DT Folorunso Fatukasi (1 Year Vet Minimum)
- CB Lonnie Johnson Jr (1 Year 2 Million)
TRADE: Joe Mixon for 7th round pick
The Texans have struck gold with quarterback C.J. Stroud. In his rookie campaign, Stroud racked up 4,100 yards 25 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions en route to a 10-7 record and a playoff win against the Cleveland Browns. Houston found budding stars in wide receivers Tank Dell and Nico Collins on offense and defensive rookie of the year Will Anderson Junior who will only get better in their second year under Demico Ryan.
The Texans have been one of, if not the most, active players in free agency having brought in argue, be the best edge rusher, and Danielle Hunter, who had 16 sacks for the Minnesota Vikings last season and will now be the opposite side of Anderson Junior. Not to mention two new corners, a linebacker, and another defensive end to bolster the defense that ranked 2nd in the league against the rush with only 3.4 YPC to opposing running backs. Adding a second elite pass rusher and banking on the likely development of the next step from Young star C.J. Stroud rockets the potential for the Texans in 2024.
THE BIGGEST LOSER
Dallas Cowboys
- LS Trent Sieg (Re-signed)
- CB Jourdan Lewis (Re-signed)
- CB CJ Goodwin (Re-signed)
- LB Eric Kendricks
Yes. That’s all the Cowboys have done in free agency thus far after Jerry Jones made a public statement that the Cowboys would be going “all in” this off-season to maximize the potential playoff window with quarterback Dak Prescott. Not only have there been rumors of them not wanting to sign running back Zack Moss or running back Derrick Henry because their prices were too high, but they have already lost their starting Center Tyler Biadasz, running back Tony Pollard, and All-Pro Tackle Tyron Smith.
It’s possible that the starting running back for the Dallas Cowboys going into the draft will be 5’6 Deuce Vaughn. They’ve also had to release LB Leighton Vander-Esch and WR Michael Gallup due to cap restrictions and still have to find a way to pay Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in the near future. Dallas is substantially worse and with nearly all the top free agents off the board, will need to hit on their draft picks to avoid a full collapse due to the continued incompetence of the front office.
I hope you enjoyed my article on how a few teams did in free agency! If you like my content, please check out my writer’s page for more from me! Follow @IDP_Plus to keep up to date with all the latest fantasy news!
