The new league year for the National Football League (NFL) began on Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m. EST. After this point, teams were free to officially trade players and enter contracts with free agents. With front offices across the league reshaping rosters through trades and free agent signings, here is a rundown of some of the most notable deals of this offseason to date.
Some of the most notable roster shifts have been occurring at the quarterback position. After being released by the Arizona Cardinals, Kyler Murray signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings—a team looking for improvements in its quarterback room following an underwhelming performance this past season from previous starter J.J. McCarthy. Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the Miami Dolphins, though Miami is left with nearly $100 million in dead money to be paid out to him, given he was released before his Dolphins contract was up. In Tagovailoa’s place, the Dolphins signed Malik Willis, a move viewed as both high-upside and somewhat risky given his uneven development to date.
Meanwhile, Justin Fields was traded from the New York Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Taking Fields’ place in the Jets’ QB room is Geno Smith following a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders—a move that reunites Smith with the team that originally drafted him. That being said, neither he nor the Jets may benefit from this trade, given Smith’s lackluster performance with the Raiders and the Jets’ notorious organizational issues.
In one of the more consequential signings of the offseason, the Raiders landed former Baltimore Ravens All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum on a three-year, $81 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in his position. The move signals an active effort by the Raiders to rebuild their roster in anticipation of having the number-one pick in this year’s draft, which they are all but confirmed to use to draft Indiana University star QB Fernando Mendoza.
As for the running back market, one of the most notable free agent signings is that of Travis Etienne Jr. with the New Orleans Saints in a four-year deal worth $52 million. And off the heels of a Super Bowl run with the Seattle Seahawks that earned him the game’s MVP title, Kenneth Walker III signed a deal with the Chiefs, a team looking to bounce back after a down year that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.
More activity is also to be seen with wide receivers. One of the biggest splashes was made by the Buffalo Bills as they acquired DJ Moore and a sixth-round draft pick from the Chicago Bears in exchange for Buffalo’s second-round pick. Michael Pittman Jr. was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Pittsburgh Steelers as the latter looks to beef up its roster in a crowded AFC field, the Denver Broncos acquired Jayden Waddle from the Dolphins, and Christian Kirk was traded to the San Francisco 49ers following a stint with the Houston Texans. As for free agency moves, one notable deal came by way of the 49ers as they signed veteran Mike Evans to a three-year contract as the team looks to address weak spots and its notoriety for widespread injuries throughout the roster every season.
On the defensive side of things, several teams have been making moves—though the most profile move may be one that didn’t even go through. The Ravens cancelled their trade for Raiders’ defensive end Maxx Crosby after he failed his physical examination, adding a shocking twist to a trade that some weren’t expecting. The Ravens were quick to pivot, however, signing Trey Hendrickson to a lucrative four-year deal after he was placed on injured reserve by his previous team, the Cincinnati Bengals.
As for other pass rushers, the Bills continued to bolster their roster by signing Bradley Chubb after his release from the Dolphins, while the Steelers signed safety Jaquan Brisker from the Bears. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers after spending time this past season with both the Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles, while the New York Giants added tight end Isaiah Likely following the conclusion of his contract with the Ravens, reuniting him with head coach John Harbaugh. History was made by the Los Angeles Rams as they acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs and agreed to a $124 million contract with him, making McDuffie the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. Accompanying McDuffie in Los Angeles is his former Chiefs teammate and fellow cornerback Jaylen Watson in a $51 million deal of his own.
As trades and free agency signings continue on, several strategies across different teams can be noticed. Some teams, such as the Rams, Bills and Ravens are emphasizing a win-now strategy in their signings and trades. Others, such as the Dolphins, Jets and Raiders look to be focusing on specific strategies as they attempt to rebuild their roster following lackluster seasons (or, in the case of the Jets, attempt to secure the number-one pick in next year’s draft). Whether or not these different strategies pay off will be seen when the 2026 NFL season kicks off in September.