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Big Names in New Places: Which NFL Team Made the Best Offseason Move?
Some Big Names Around the League Have Found New Teams to Rep This Offseason
Watch Out for the Commanders!
It’s been almost two days since free agents around the league were officially allowed to sign with new teams. Even before the start of free agency, though, NFL rumors sites were wheeling and dealing at full force, keeping fans on their feet with every move each team has made to bolster its roster.
A perfect example is the Washington Commanders, who have wasted no time snagging up some big names, both on offense and defense, that could prove pivotal in a potential Super Bowl LX run next season.
Let Peters cook!
Traded for Laremy Tunsil
Traded for Deebo Samuel
Signed Javon Kinlaw
Re-signed Bobby Wagner
Re-signed Zach Ertz
Re-signed TE John BatesAnd the new league year just started! Everyone breathe and LET PETERS COOK! 🧑🍳 #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/WNWW0LXTet
— Commander Sean 🪖 (@DMVCommanders) March 10, 2025
Staying on offense, Washington’s front office has made it its mission to protect potential NFL MVP betting odds contender Jayden Daniels at all costs, all while finding him new weapons to work with at the wide receiver post.
The first big move made by the Commanders was the signing of star WR Deebo Samuel, seen as a play to help Washington close the gap on Philadelphia in the NFC East. Having Samuel line up across from WR1 Terry McLaurin and returning tight end Zach Ertz will give Daniels one of the best receiver corps in all of the NFC to work with.
New Deebo Samuel edit just dropped 🔥
pic.twitter.com/ulTVigp5gO— 🚀 DC Rising 🚀 (@DC__Rising) March 12, 2025
Understanding that protection is just as important as production, Washington went all in finding some grade-A protection for Daniels, landing former Houston Texans left tackle and perennial Pro-Bowler Laremy Tunsil.
TRADE: Texans trading LT Laremy Tunsil and a fourth-round pick to the Commanders for second, third and fourth-round picks. (via @Rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/eL6YaAZdCt
— NFL (@NFL) March 10, 2025
While the cost for bringing in Tunsil could be seen as substantial, to say the least (a third and seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft and second and fourth-round picks in the 2026 draft), the upside to a move like this cannot be denied.
Good moves from Washington.
Chicago Is All in for Protecting Caleb Williams
Staying in the NFC, another team that has made it a point to protect its QB at all costs have been the Chicago Bears. Following the signing of Ben Johnson as the team’s new head coach, Chicago’s next big move has been to bolster an offensive line that last season did anything but protect Caleb Williams.
After landing Pro-Bowl starting guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, the Bears weren’t quite done with their O-line shopping spree, signing former Atlanta Falcons center, and one of the most sought-after free agents this season, Drew Alman.
A message from your new O-Linemen: pic.twitter.com/CsUqXL4b9u
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 12, 2025
In short, the Bears went from having meager protection for Williams to having one of the best potential O-lines in the NFC with just three moves.
True or False?
The Chicago Bears have had the best Free Agency so far. pic.twitter.com/JcNmhY9pTz
— The Cowboy Regg ✭ (@Irish_Cowboy88) March 12, 2025
With proper protection for Williams, could we be in for a Bears run for the NFL playoffs? Not putting any pressure on Chicago but all signs point towards yes.
Smith Is a Raider, Darnold Is a Seahawk, Fields Is a Jet
Just as expected, as soon as the offseason got underway, a handful of teams have been hard at work trying to figure out how to fix their reeling QB problems. Three squads in particular, the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Jets, decided to tackle their passer problems head first and as early as possible, landing their new QB1 in the past few days.
Starting with Las Vegas, Geno Smith, formerly with Seattle, will be taking his up-and-down talents and touching league comeback story to the Raiders, where he’ll be joining another former Seahawk, new head coach Pete Carroll.
GENO SMITH IS A RAIDER 😱@GenoSmith3 | @Raiders pic.twitter.com/bHmBFAKIbP
— NFL (@NFL) March 8, 2025
Not letting the Smith news even hit the scene, Seattle wasted no time in bringing in another player who went through a magical comeback season of his own last year, allowing his stock to rise considerably: former Minnesota Vikings passer Sam Darnold.
BREAKING: Seahawks, QB Sam Darnold finalizing 3-year deal worth nearly $100M. (via @rapsheet, @tompelissero, @mikegarafolo) pic.twitter.com/TL9SMVAAIg
— NFL (@NFL) March 10, 2025
Darnold, who before his breakthrough year with Minnesota had been on the verge of becoming a bonafide bust in the league, will now get a chance to show what he can do after being paid big QB money.
Last but not least, over in New York, after pulling the plug on the Aaron Rodgers show, the Jets decided to hand the reigns of their offense over to a former college teammate of Garrett Wilson, Justin Fields, who decided to leave the Pittsburgh Steelers following the team’s reluctance to offer him the starting position next year.
Sources: Justin Fields reached agreement on a two-year, $40 million deal that includes $30 million guaranteed with the Jets. Deal negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First. pic.twitter.com/ykdxFY11Q5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2025
Will this work for New York? Come on, it’s the Jets we’re talking about here. Anything after Rodgers will do for now.
Patriots & Cardinals Pick Up Eagles Defensive Studs
It seems as if everybody was keeping tabs on what the Philadelphia Eagles would do about all of their impending free agents this offseason.
Even if Howie Roseman can be considered one of the league’s best general managers/deal makers, it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to keep all of his players happy and at home in Philly.
That’s exactly what the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals, two teams looking to gain some NFL picks and predictions relevance come next season, decided to tackle, by taking two of Philly’s most important defensive players from last season’s Super Bowl run.
Williams, who had five sacks, 11 solo tackles, 13 assisted tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble return last season for the Eagles, was lured to New England via a four-year, $104 million deal with a $24 million signing bonus and $51 million fully guaranteed at signing.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/98eAoQmOSF
— Milton Williams (@miltonw_12) March 12, 2025
Arizona, not to be outdone, saw an opening to strengthen their edge rusher position and wasted no time doing so, offering former Eagles edge Josh Sweat a four-year, $76 million deal with $41 million guaranteed, allowing Sweat to get a significant payday that was overdue, but potentially hard to come by if staying in Philadelphia.
Josh Sweat, Welcome To The Arizona Cardinals🏜️ pic.twitter.com/mKycKQKY1Y
— lxstsprod (@lxsts2k) March 11, 2025
Reuniting with former Eagles defensive coordinator Johathan Gannon, Arizona’s head coach, could end up paying huge dividends for Sweat, who played his best years in the league thus far under Gannon’s guidance.
Davante and DK Are Switching Conferences
Lastly, in pass-catcher news, two of the league’s most consistent wide-outs, Davante Adams and DK Metcalf, made headlines in the last few days after both finding new homes, Adams with the LA Rams in the NFC and Metcalf with the Steelers in the AFC, respectively.
For Adams, who was cut by the Jets following a lackluster one-and-done season where he played in 11 regular-season NFL games, moving to the Rams feels like the best career move to make right about now.
Davante Adams pic.twitter.com/bYf50ONpcc
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 9, 2025
Lining up next to Puka Nakua, taking over Cooper Kupp, who was cut by the team, and with a returning Matthew Stafford, I’d be taking an early look at LA’s Super Bowl LX odds, currently at +2500 with more intent.
As far as Metcalf goes, for a team like Pittsburgh, who had been set on finding a WR to pair next to George Pickens, snagging up DK via trade from Seattle feels like a well-thought-out move, even if it meant sending a second-round pick in this year’s draft to the Seahawks, and offering the receiver a five-year, $150 million deal off the bat.
TRADE: Seahawks trading DK Metcalf to the Steelers for a 2025 second-round pick.
Metcalf is signing a five-year, $150 million contract with Pittsburgh. (via @tompelissero, @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/fefRvz59Ud
— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2025
All that’s left for Steelers fans is to pray the team can find a decent passer to sling the ball to Pickens and Metcalf, and for both receivers to not want to kill themselves along the way.
