The NFL’s new league year begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. Eastern time, which is when the free agent market officially opens. But players eligible for unrestricted free agency began negotiating with other teams Monday, exclusively through their agents. Deals can’t be formalized until Wednesday. We’re tracking the most important moves. (See also our Washington Commanders free agency tracker.)
Daniel Jones is headed to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency, a move that has implications for the quarterback situations of both the Colts and the Minnesota Vikings.
Jones is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Colts once that can be officially done Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the situation.
He finished last season with the Vikings after being benched and then released by the New York Giants.
Jones presumably will vie with young quarterback Anthony Richardson for the starting job in Indianapolis. Richardson is yet to establish himself as a franchise quarterback two seasons into his NFL career, and the Colts are coming off a season in which they went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Veteran Joe Flacco made six starts for the Colts last season, while Richardson started the team’s other 11 games. Flacco is a free agent.
The Vikings, meanwhile, could turn to J.J. McCarthy as their starter after losing both Sam Darnold and Jones in free agency.
The Vikings chose McCarthy in the opening round of last year’s NFL draft but he missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgery for a knee injury suffered in a preseason game. McCarthy’s injury cleared the way for Darnold to be the team’s unquestioned starter last season. But the Vikings declined to use their franchise-player tag to limit Darnold’s mobility in free agency, and he agreed Monday to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks that includes $55 million in guaranteed money.
The Vikings went 14-3 during the regular season but lost to the Los Angeles Rams in a first-round playoff game.
Jones initially was signed to the Vikings’ practice squad but was promoted to their roster for the playoff game. He did not play in any games for Minnesota last season. Jones spent five seasons plus 10 games of last season with the Giants, making 69 starts over that span.
The decisions of quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are pending as the second day of the NFL’s free agent negotiating period begins Tuesday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants seemingly are in play for both.
The NFL’s quarterback reshuffling intensified Monday when Darnold agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks that includes $55 million in guaranteed money. Justin Fields agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract with the New York Jets that includes $30 million guaranteed. The Cleveland Browns agreed to a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to get Kenny Pickett. The Seahawks previously had agreed to trade Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now the focus is on Rodgers and Wilson. Rodgers, the four-time league MVP for the Green Bay Packers, was told last month by the Jets that they would not retain him. He could fill the quarterback void in Pittsburgh, with Fields gone and Wilson still available in free agency. Or he could simply jump to the other team that plays in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as the successor to Daniel Jones.
Wilson could end up with whichever team does not sign Rodgers. The Steelers expressed interest in re-signing either Wilson or Fields, and that’s no longer an option with Fields. Wilson visited the Giants last offseason before signing with the Steelers. The Steelers are a playoff team seeking to become a Super Bowl contender after agreeing to trade for Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf. The Giants are trying to become winners again after they retained Brian Daboll as their coach and Joe Schoen as their general manager but made it clear that much more is expected very soon.
The Tennessee Titans still need a quarterback but possess the top overall choice in the April’s NFL draft. The Minnesota Vikings, after losing Darnold, failed to re-sign Jones to go with J.J. McCarthy, their first-round pick from last year who missed his entire rookie season because of a knee injury. It’s unclear if they will consider Rodgers, now that Jones has lined up a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Rodgers going to Minnesota would allow him to precisely follow Brett Favre’s career path from the Packers to the Jets to the Vikings.
Rodgers, 41, could opt to retire instead but has seemed interested in playing on.
It also remains to be seen whether the Atlanta Falcons will trade or release Kirk Cousins.
The Giants agreed to a free agent deal Tuesday with safety Jevon Holland reportedly worth $45.3 million over three years, including $30.3 million in guaranteed money. Holland spent his first four NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
The Giants already had attempted to bolster their defense by agreeing to deals with cornerback Paulson Adebo, linebacker Chris Board, pass rusher Chauncey Golston and defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris.
On offense, they re-signed wide receiver Darius Slayton and added offensive tackle James Hudson.
The Chicago Bears and Vikings have focused on fortifying their offensive and defensive lines. The Vikings agreed to a free agent deal Tuesday with guard Will Fries, who spent the past four seasons with the Colts, reportedly worth $88 million over five seasons. That’s after they agreed to a deal Monday with center Ryan Kelly, a four-time Pro Bowl selection over nine seasons with the Colts.
On defense, the Vikings struck a deal Tuesday with tackle Jonathan Allen, who was released by the Washington Commanders. They reportedly also have lined up a deal with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who has been informed of his pending release by the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bears are taking a similar approach under their new coach, Ben Johnson. They agreed to a free agent deal with center Drew Dalman and have lined up trades for two guards, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Joe Thuney and the Los Angeles Rams’ Jonah Jackson. On defense, the Bears have agreed to deals with tackle Grady Jarrett, who was released by the Falcons, and free agent pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo.
Sam Darnold turned his career-revitalizing season with the Minnesota Vikings into a significant free agent payday and a starting-quarterback job with the Seattle Seahawks.
Darnold, one of the top quarterbacks available on the NFL’s unrestricted free agent market, agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks that includes $55 million in guaranteed money, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. The move came as the league’s two-day negotiating period for free agents got underway Monday. The deal cannot be official until Wednesday.
He leaves the Vikings, who declined to use their franchise-player tag to limit his free agent mobility, and replaces Geno Smith in Seattle. The Seahawks previously agreed to trade Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round draft pick. They also released wide receiver Tyler Lockett and agreed to trade wideout DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round choice and an exchange of late-round selections.
Darnold thrived last season with the Vikings after becoming their unquestioned starter when rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game. Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns during a regular season in which the Vikings went 14-3. He was selected to his first career Pro Bowl and finished third in NFL comeback player of the year balloting. He received three fifth-place votes for the league MVP award, and the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell was named the NFL’s coach of the year.
But the Vikings were outscored by a combined 58-18 as they lost road games to the Detroit Lions to close the NFL regular season, with the NFC North title and the conference’s No. 1 playoff seed up for grabs, and to the Los Angeles Rams in an opening-round playoff game that the NFL moved to Arizona because of the wildfires in Los Angeles. Darnold completed only 18 of 41 passes against the Lions. He threw an interception, lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and was sacked nine times against the Rams.
Darnold spent his first three NFL seasons with the New York Jets after being selected third overall in the 2018 draft. He did not develop into a franchise quarterback as projected by the Jets, then spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and one season as Brock Purdy’s backup with the San Francisco 49ers. Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings in free agency last offseason after the team lost starter Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent.
Darnold’s exit could leave the Vikings turning to McCarthy as their starter for next season.
Justin Fields is headed to the New York Jets, as the NFL’s quarterback reshuffling continues.
Fields agreed to a two-year deal with the Jets, a person familiar with the situation confirmed. The move came as the league’s negotiating period for unrestricted free agents began Monday. The deal cannot be official until Wednesday, when the free agent market formally opens. Fields’s contract reportedly will be worth $40 million over two seasons, with $30 million guaranteed.
He leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers after one season and becomes the Jets’ replacement for Aaron Rodgers.
Fields, 26, will move on to his third NFL team. He began his career with three seasons with the Chicago Bears after being chosen 11th overall in the 2021 draft. The Bears traded him to the Steelers last offseason, ahead of selecting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft.
Fields started the first six games of last season as another Steelers newcomer, Russell Wilson, was plagued by a calf injury. The Steelers won four of those six games. Even so, Coach Mike Tomlin benched Fields in favor of Wilson. The Steelers reached the playoffs but faltered down the stretch and lost an opening-round playoff game on the road to the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers had expressed interest in re-signing either Fields or Wilson. Instead, Fields joins the Jets as part of their retooling under their new coach, Aaron Glenn, and new general manager, Darren Mougey. They informed Rodgers last month that they would move on from him at quarterback following his two-year stay with the team. The Jets went 5-12 last season and missed the playoffs for a 14th straight year. They possess the seventh pick in this year’s draft.
The Cleveland Browns took at least a first step toward addressing their quarterback situation.
They agreed to a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to obtain quarterback Kenny Pickett, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.
The Eagles are getting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick in the trade. It cannot be official until Wednesday.
Pickett spent last season with the Eagles as Jalen Hurts’s backup. He started their Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in which they clinched the NFC East title, with Hurts sidelined after suffering a concussion. He made 24 starts for the Steelers over his first two NFL seasons after being selected in the first round of the 2022 draft. The Steelers traded him to the Eagles last offseason.
The Browns need a starter, with Deshaun Watson expected to miss much or all of the 2025 season after suffering a second rupture of the Achilles’ tendon in his right leg. They have the No. 2 pick in the draft and could take a quarterback then. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are considered the top quarterbacks available.
But even if the Browns have a prized rookie, Pickett might be in position to vie to be the season-opening starter.
In Philadelphia, Tanner McKee could take over for Pickett as Hurts’s primary backup. He started the regular season finale after Pickett suffered a rib injury and Coach Nick Sirianni opted to rest many starters, with the Eagles locked into the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed.
Free agent quarterback Zach Wilson is expected to sign with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, a person with knowledge of the matter confirmed.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft by the New York Jets is leaving the Denver Broncos to become Tua Tagovailoa’s prospective backup in Miami.
Wilson spent three seasons with the Jets after being drafted in 2021. He made 33 starts but failed to become the franchise quarterback the Jets had envisioned. They traded for Aaron Rodgers before the 2023 season to replace Wilson as the starter. But Wilson ended up making 11 starts that season after Rodgers suffered a season-ending torn Achilles’ tendon in his left leg on opening night.
Wilson did not play at all last season for the Broncos as a reserve behind their rookie starter, Bo Nix.
Quarterback Josh Dobbs agreed to a two-year deal with the New England Patriots in free agency.
He is in line to back up Drake Maye in New England. Dobbs’s agent, Mike McCartney, announced the agreement on social media.
Dobbs was with the San Francisco 49ers last season. He has made 15 starts during an NFL career that also has included stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings, among other teams.
The Philadelphia Eagles had one of the NFL’s deepest and most talented rosters last season, which they used to win the second Super Bowl title in franchise history. General Manager Howie Roseman has been particularly adept at fortifying the team’s offensive and defensive fronts, a roster-construction approach that he says he learned from former Eagles coach Andy Reid.
Two free agents from the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team cashed in Monday by agreeing to lucrative deals with other teams in free agency.
Pass rusher Josh Sweat agreed to a four-year, $76.4 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals that includes $41 million in guaranteed money. Sweat leaves the Eagles after seven seasons in which he totaled 43 sacks. He had 2.5 sacks during their Super Bowl victory last month over Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Defensive tackle Milton Williams agreed to a four-year deal with the New England Patriots reportedly worth $104 million, with $63 million guaranteed. He leaves the Eagles after four seasons. He had two sacks in the Super Bowl.
The Los Angeles Chargers parted with one prominent pass rusher but are keeping another. They have agreed to a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $18 million to re-sign Khalil Mack, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The agreement Monday takes Mack, a former NFL defensive player of the year, off the free agent market.
The Chargers previously released five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Bosa. But they are retaining Mack ahead of Coach Jim Harbaugh’s second season with the franchise. Mack had six sacks last season and was selected to his ninth Pro Bowl as the Chargers went 11-6 and reached the AFC playoffs in Harbaugh’s return to the NFL.
Mack, 34, has 107.5 sacks over 11 NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears and Chargers. He was named the league’s defensive player of the year for the 2016 season while with the Raiders.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were active in the early moments of free agency.
They agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract with pass rusher Haason Reddick, according to a person familiar with the terms. The deal includes $12 million in guaranteed money. Reddick and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, moved quickly after the NFL’s free agent negotiating period began Monday.
Reddick leaves the New York Jets after one season. He had one sack in 10 games after holding out into the regular season in a contract dispute. He has been selected to two Pro Bowls and has 59 sacks in eight NFL seasons for the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and Jets.
The Buccaneers also agreed to a deal, reportedly worth $66 million over three seasons, to re-sign wide receiver Chris Godwin. The former Pro Bowler has spent his entire eight-year career with the Buccaneers. He had 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns over seven games in an injury-shortened 2024 season.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is staying with the Los Angeles Rams as Matthew Stafford’s backup.
Garoppolo agreed to a one-year deal to re-sign with the team, a person familiar with the deliberations confirmed.
It will be Garoppolo’s second season with the Rams following stints with the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders.
The Tennessee Titans landed one of the top offensive tackles available in free agency.
They agreed to a four-year, $82 million deal with left tackle Dan Moore, according to a person with knowledge of the deliberations. It includes $50 million in guaranteed money.
Moore leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers after four seasons in which he made 66 starts. The deal with the Titans cannot be official until Wednesday.
The Titans are in the market for a quarterback. They possess the top selection in the draft in April.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have another standout wide receiver, and DK Metcalf has his new team.
The Seattle Seahawks agreed to trade Metcalf to the Steelers for a second-round draft pick, a person familiar with the deliberations confirmed Sunday night. The deal also is expected to involve an exchange of late-round picks.
Metcalf had requested to be traded by the Seahawks. The deal comes after a season in which he had 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns.
He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in six seasons with the Seahawks. He had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons and totaled 438 catches for 6,324 yards and 48 touchdowns. He’s expected to sign a new contract with the Steelers in conjunction with the trade, reportedly worth $150 million over five seasons.
The deal comes after the Seahawks released wide receiver Tyler Lockett and agreed to trade quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick.
The Steelers spent much of last year attempting to add a wideout to pair with George Pickens. They tried but failed to trade for the San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk. But it’s not clear yet which quarterback will be throwing passes to Pickens and Metcalf next season.
The Buffalo Bills rewarded quarterback Josh Allen for his NFL MVP season with a record-setting new contract.
Allen and the Bills agreed to a six-year deal worth $330 million, a person familiar with the contract terms confirmed Sunday night. It contains $250 million in guaranteed money, the most ever in an NFL contract.
The Bills announced the agreement with Allen without specifying the financial terms. The deal means Allen is under contract through the 2030 season, the team said. He had four seasons remaining on his previous contract.
The $55 million average annual value of Allen’s new contract does not surpass the record $60 million average of quarterback Dak Prescott’s four-year, $240 million extension with the Dallas Cowboys struck in September. But the amount of guaranteed money surpasses the $230 million in quarterback Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed five-year contract with the Cleveland Browns.
The $55 million average matches the averages of the contract extensions previously signed by quarterbacks Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers.
Allen won his first MVP award last month, edging Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
That followed a season in which Allen threw 28 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. He also ran for 12 touchdowns and was credited with a touchdown catch. He led the Bills to their fifth straight AFC East title in the season after they traded their top wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, to the Houston Texans. They reached the AFC championship game before losing at Kansas City. It was the fourth time in the past five seasons that the Bills had been eliminated from the postseason by the Chiefs.
Allen, 28, has spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Bills and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Wide receiver Davante Adams has a new team, and this time he won’t have Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
Adams agreed Sunday to a two-year, $44 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams. The deal includes an additional $2 million in possible incentives. Adams, after being released by the New York Jets, did not have to wait for the NFL’s negotiating period for players eligible for unrestricted free agency to begin Monday.
Adams is a six-time Pro Bowl selection over 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jets. He totaled 85 catches for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games last season for the Raiders and the Jets.
