By John Towey, Staff Writer
It was a busy week in the NFL as free agency opened at noon on Monday, March 10. Some teams offloaded costly stars and veterans while others took risks by giving players second chances.
Eagles Lose Stars
The reigning Super Bowl champions were unafraid to let some of their top talent walk. The New England Patriots signed star defensive tackle Milton Williams on a four-year, $104 million contract. Edge rusher Josh Sweat signed with the Arizona Cardinals for a four-year contract worth up to $76.4 million.
The biggest losses for the Birds came in the DB room. They cut aging cornerback Darius Slay, who later signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They then traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in exchange for struggling guard Kenyon Green.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles lost guard Mekhi Becton to the Los Angeles Chargers on a two-year, $20 million contract. Backup QB Kenny Pickett signed with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal.
Philadelphia made some menial additions. They signed injury-prone Giants edge Azeez Ojulari to a one-year deal worth four million dollars. They also continued their trend of signing mediocre Giants cornerbacks by signing Adoree’ Jackson to follow in the steps of James Bradberry. Jackson went to the Eagles on a one-year contract.
Giants Upgrade Defensive Back Room
The New York Giants took some swings to address one of their biggest weaknesses last season: their defensive backs. They signed New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo to a three-year, $54 million contract. Adebo had consistently been a strong player for the Saints but broke his femur midway through last season. By all accounts, he has made a full recovery and is eager to play again.
The Giants also signed Miami Dolphins Safety Jevon Holland. Holland was one of the top available free agents this season, and his presence immediately improves the skill level of the Giants defense.
The Giants also signed some backup-level offensive tackles to improve depth at the position, which was an issue when Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor both went down last season.
Seahawks Revamp Offense
The Seattle Seahawks stunned the NFL when they traded QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. This opened up the QB position on the team, which they quickly filled Monday afternoon by signing Vikings QB Sam Darnold. Darnold signed for three years and $100.5 million.
The Seahawks also traded star wideout D.K. Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a second-round draft pick this year.
The Seahawks subsequently signed aging star WR Cooper Kupp after the Los Angeles Rams released him. This was an interesting signing because Kupp primarily plays out of the slot, just like top-ranked Seahawks receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
Niners Begin Rebuild
The San Francisco 49ers were another team not afraid to let their big-name players go. Before free agency began, they traded WR Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round draft pick.
Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore signed with rival Kansas City Chiefs, who desperately needed an upgrade at left tackle, on a two-year $30 million deal.
The Niners also lost three of their best defensive players; LB Dre Greenlaw went to the Denver Broncos, CB Charvarius Ward signed with the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings signed DT Javon Hargrave. The 2025 49ers will be very different from the team that went to the NFC Championship four times in five years.
Loose Ends + The Decision (Aaron Rodgers Edition)
Star Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson was given permission to seek a trade, but new reports suggest that the Bengals may be open to extending him. They also re-signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to big contracts, so it remains to be seen if they can afford Hendrickson.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants are awaiting New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers’s choice of whether he will retire or sign with a team. Russell Wilson also has a vested interest because many believe the Giants will make him an offer if Rodgers rejects them. Wilson reportedly prefers the Giants to other QB-needy teams like the Cleveland Browns.
Other notable remaining free agents include QB Jameis Winston, WR Amari Cooper, WR Stefon Diggs and OT Cam Robinson.
