News About NFC Teams
Arizona Cardinals News
The Cardinals signed RB Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta) to a two-year, $12.25 million deal. RB James Conner took a five-million-dollar pay cut to $2.35 million to stay with the team for 2026, and the team also re-signed RB Zonovan Knight to a one-year contract.
Why It Matters: Woe is Trey Benson, who was not able to return from a knee injury after having his practice window opened last season. The new regime in Arizona went to great lengths to build a backfield that didn't need to rely on any contributions from the 66th overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. Everyone involved here is a loser. Fantasy value will be tough to sustain as a member of a backfield committee on one of the worst teams in the league with one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league.
The Cardinals signed QB Gardner Minshew (Kansas City) to a one-year, $8.25 million deal. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reports, per a source, the Cardinals have not yet informed QB Jacoby Brissett that he will be the team's starting quarterback this season.
Why It Matters: Brissett produced some silly garbage-time numbers last year. If we knew that he was going to start 17 games for the Cardinals this season, maybe we could project a productive pass offense with some confidence, but all bets are off with a new coaching staff. The Cardinals were strongly linked to Malik Willis as a replacement for the released Kyler Murray, but Willis signed with Miami for a smaller number than expected, so the rumored interest was probably never serious. Just like the Cardinals' chances of winning games with Brissett or Minshew at quarterback.
Atlanta Falcons News
The Falcons signed QB Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal. Cameron Wolfe of ESPN reports his understanding is that there will be an "open competition" between Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback job once Penix has recovered from ACL surgery.
Why It Matters: Tagovailoa was once the quarterback of one of the most efficient and explosive pass offenses in the league. Former teammate Darren Waller indicated on Johnny Manziel's podcast that he thought Tagovailoa was still suffering from trauma associated with head injuries after seeing the quarterback turn hesitant in games despite "throwing darts" in practice. Waller said, “I think if there’s a way for him to find some healing in that regard, I think the skill set is still there." Tagovailoa will have the advantage of having worked in the new Kevin Stefanski offense while Penix is recovering from yet another knee injury. It's possible that Tagovailoa will be viewed as the Week 1 starter sooner rather than later. If he can regain his confidence, Tagovailoa may not give the job back to a quarterback the new regime in Atlanta has no investment in.
The Falcons signed WR Jahan Dotson (Philadelphia) to a two-year, $15 million deal.
Why It Matters: How bad is it in the Falcons' wide receiver corps? Dotson would be the undisputed #2 wide receiver if the season started today. He'll probably be the #2 receiver when the season starts, which just reinforces how concentrated targets will be for Drake London, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson in this new Kevin Stefanski offense.
Carolina Panthers News
The Panthers signed EDGE Jaelan Phillips (Philadelphia) to a four-year, $120 million deal and signed LB Devin Lloyd (Jacksonville) to a three-year, $45 million deal.
Why It Matters: The Panthers made strides last season, winning the division despite finishing with a losing record and coming this close to upsetting the Los Angeles Rams (who came this close to going to the Super Bowl) in the Wild Card round. Phillips was a top-end pass rusher in Philadelphia after a midseason trade, and the Panthers are securing his services for his age 27-30 seasons with this contract. Lloyd addresses another big sore spot for Ejiro Evero's defense last season. The team paid up for his age 28-30 seasons at the top of the (still depressed compared to other positions) off-ball linebacker market.
Chicago Bears News
The Bears traded a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots for C Garrett Bradbury and re-signed OT Braxton Jones to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million.
Why It Matters: The Bears lost starting center Drew Dalman to a surprise retirement and starting LT Ozzy Trapilo to a ruptured patellar tendon in the playoffs. These two moves give them options that increase the team's flexibility in the draft. This wasn't easy to pull off, given the team's defensive needs and lack of cap room, but Ryan Poles found a way.
The Bears released LB Tremaine Edmunds, signed LB Devin Bush (Cleveland) to a three-year, $30 million deal and re-signed LB D'Marco Jackson to a two-year, $7.5 million deal. They also signed S Coby Bryant (Seattle) to a three-year, $40 million deal.
Why It Matters: The Bears created an opening at linebacker by releasing Edmunds heading into the fourth year of a four-year deal signed in 2023, saving $15 million in the process. Edmunds ended up signing with the Giants for more money than the Bears paid Bush, a 2019 first-round pick who flopped with the Steelers, but found his game with the Browns last season. Jackson will be the primary backup behind Bush and T.J. Edwards after filling in for Edmunds and Edwards at times last season. Both of the teams' starting safeties are hitting free agency. Bryant has been a good playmaker against the run and pass, with the versatility to line up in the slot, but it's not yet clear how the team will fill the other spot in the back of the secondary.
Dallas Cowboys News
The Cowboys acquired EDGE Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 fourth-round pick and signed S Jalen Thompson (Arizona) to a three-year deal worth up to $36 million.
Why It Matters: One year after trading their elite pass rusher to Green Bay, the Cowboys acquired a player who was once considered one of the best pass rushers on the Packers roster. Gary was a solid contributor but never reached the next level in Green Bay. He's due $39 million over the next two seasons, which isn't steep in the strong edge-defender market, but many expected the Packers to release Gary if they couldn't find a trade partner. It's possible the Cowboys could have gotten Gary at no draft-pick cost if they were patient, as the Browns were when the Packers were shopping OL Elgton Jenkins before releasing him. Thompson will be an important player, hopefully representing a big upgrade over free-agent Donovan Wilson in the beleaguered Cowboys' pass defense.
Detroit Lions News
The Lions released OT Taylor Decker and signed C Cade Mays (Carolina) to a three-year, $25 million deal.
Why It Matters: Decker was banged up last season and is in the autumn of his career, turning 33 in August, so this wasn't a big surprise after he refused to take a pay cut. The Lions signed journeyman Larry Borom and have 2024 fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu behind their elite left tackle, Penei Sewell, so expect them to draft a tackle at #17 and pin their hopes on the youngster becoming an instant starter at right tackle. Mays is a great fit for the Lions' culture and mentality in the running game. He'll be an improvement over Graham Glasgow, who was released earlier this month after acting as the Frank Ragnow retirement stopgap at center last season.
The Lions signed RB Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City) to a one-year, $1.8 million deal.
Why It Matters: It's a minor deal, only half of the restricted free agent tender, but Pacheco is a kneecap biter and could have fantasy value if Jahmyr Gibbs misses time. We'll be monitoring the 2024 fourth-round pick and safety convert Sione Vaki to see if he can beat out Pacheco for snaps.
Green Bay Packers News
The Packers traded DT Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for LB Zaire Franklin.
Why It Matters: The Packers had a very quiet free agency period, with Vikings castoff DT Javon Hargrave their splashiest addition (two years, $23 million). Franklin was basically free, as the Colts were possibly going to release him. He will replace Quay Walker, who signed a three-year, $40.5 million deal with Las Vegas. Franklin is only due $16 million over the next two seasons.GM Brian Gutekunst has set up the Packers to recoup three compensatory picks in the 4th/5th round next year. He has already replaced one of the players lost (Walker), and the others were a backup quarterback (Malik Willis) and a utility wide receiver (Romeo Doubs).
Los Angeles Rams News
The Rams re-signed TE Tyler Higbee to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Why It Matters: We might have to delay the Terrance Ferguson breakout year, with Higbee likely taking up a lot of snaps again this season. Ferguson's role should increase in his second season, but the second-round pick is a less attractive sleeper in redraft leagues with Higbee returning.
The Rams signed CB Jaylen Watson (Kansas City) to a three-year, $51 million deal.
Why It Matters: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so the Chiefs should be flattered indeed by the Rams giving up a first, third, fifth, and sixth round pick for CB Trent McDuffie last week (and then signing him to a four-year, $124 million extension), and then signing their other starting cornerback in free agency. The Rams have addressed their biggest weakness with laser precision. The Chiefs are relying on their ability to find talent at corner, as they did with Watson, a 2022 seventh-round pick, who started 15 games for them last season. They could become much easier to pass on while they develop new talent to replace McDuffie and Watson.
Minnesota Vikings News
The Vikings re-signed LB Eric Wilson to a three-year, $22.5 million deal.
Why It Matters: The Vikings had to make moves to get under the cap in addition to having starting center Ryan Kelly retire, so it has been a rough offseason so far. Bringing back Wilson does represent some continuity on defense. He'll have value in IDP leagues, playing behind a defensive tackle group that lost two of its three primary players (Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen) in the cap-compliance bloodletting.
The Vikings agreed to a revised contract with RB Aaron Jones Sr. for $5.5 million in 2026.
Why It Matters: This is a significant pay cut from the $10 million he was due under the contract he signed last offseason, but it's still a big enough number to assume that Jones will be the primary running back with Jordan Mason as the 1A in Minnesota. The offense could be improved if the team lands Kyler Murray to upgrade from a green J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, so Jones should stay on our redraft radar.
New Orleans Saints News
The Saints signed RB Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year, $52 million deal. Adam Schefter reports that teams are wondering whether the Saints will release or trade RB Alvin Kamara after restructuring his contract earlier in the offseason.
Why It Matters: It's the end of an era in New Orleans, whether the team keeps Kamara for one last ride or not. Etienne's contract indicates that he'll be the lead back in any scenario. Kamara could retire, but he could also rejoin Sean Payton in Denver or Pete Carmichael in Buffalo. Etienne's value will remain at a solid RB2 level in fantasy leagues, with 2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal slated to be the backup if the team moves on from Kamara. This move indicates that the team either did not want to take blue-chip draft RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) with the #8 overall pick, or did not expect him to be there.
The Saints signed OG David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million deal.
Why It Matters: This move was not given much attention, but Edwards is exactly what the Saints' line needed. They now have their starting five set with a strong group, including two recent first-round tackles (Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga) and two entrenched starters on the interior line (Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz). New Orleans offense could take a big step forward after a promising second half of the season once Tyler Shough took over at quarterback. The Bills chose to keep starting center Connor McGovern over Edwards and have a hole to fill at guard.
The Saints signed LB Kaden Elliss (Atlanta) to a three-year, $33 million deal.
Why It Matters: Elliss returns to the team that drafted him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft. He'll take over in the middle of the defense for Demario Davis, who signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Jets. Elliss is seven years younger than Davis, so this was probably a wise move.
New York Giants News
The Giants restructured RB Devin Singletary's contract.
Why It Matters: This was really a pay cut to $1.3 million from the $5 million he was slated to make. We shouldn't assume he'll make the final 53, but Singletary obviously didn't expect to find a robust market for his services in free agency. The Giants were rumored to be going after Ken Walker III (who signed with Kansas City), and they should still be considered a possible landing spot for blue-chip Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at the Giants' #5 pick. We're waiting to hear more about Cam Skattebo's injury recovery, but it's clear that John Harbaugh and his offensive staff want to add to the current depth chart at running back, and this move doesn't change that.
The Giants signed LB Tremaine Edmunds (Chicago) to a three-year, $36 million deal.
Why It Matters: The team released Bobby Okereke and signed his replacement, who was released by the Bears. Edmunds will have value in IDP leagues, but he has been a disappointment in recent years. Okereke remained unsigned one day into free agency.
The Giants signed TE Isaiah Likely (Baltimore) to a three-year, $40 million deal.
Why It Matters: FB Patrick Ricard, P Jordan Stout, and S Ar'Darius Washington also followed John Harbaugh from Baltimore to the Giants, but this was the biggest signing in both NFL and fantasy terms. The Giants are going to focus more on running the ball in two-tight-end sets, with Likely and Theo Johnson on the field at the same time. Likely could take up some of the slack left by Wan'Dale Robinson reuniting with Brian Daboll in Tennessee, and could be much more valuable in fantasy leagues than he was with the Ravens, when he was playing in the shadow of Mark Andrews.
Philadelphia Eagles News
The Eagles signed CB Riq Woolen (Seattle) to a one-year, $15 million deal.
Why It Matters: Howie Roseman only made one big signing, and it's only a one-year commitment. Woolen's elite length and speed combination could be impactful with Quinyon Mitchell holding down the other outside corner spot, especially in the two matchups with Dallas and George Pickens. The Eagles are projected to recoup three compensatory picks next year, including a third for Jaelan Phillips, who they traded a third-round pick for at the deadline last season. Woolen could create another comp third for the Eagles if he is a hit this season and signs a big deal next offseason.
The Eagles and TE Dallas Goedert have agreed to push back the void date of his contract to Friday, March 13.
Why It Matters: This suggests that both sides want to reach a deal. Goedert would continue to have a large enough role to matter in fantasy leagues if he stays in Philadelphia, but could fall off the fantasy radar if he ends up elsewhere. Goedert could even increase in value if he remains with the Eagles and A.J. Brown ends up traded to New England.
San Francisco 49ers News
The 49ers signed WR Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) to a three-year deal worth up to $60.4 million.
The 49ers traded a 2026 third-round pick to the Cowboys for DT Osa Odighizuwa.
Why It Matters: The 49ers gave up a second-day pick to add a player who was signed to a top-of-the-market four-year, $80 million extension by Dallas last offseason. The Cowboys got away with devoting too much money to defensive tackle, acquiring Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams after giving Odighizuwa his new deal last spring. Odigihizuwa will become the elder statesman of the 49ers' young interior defensive line as the team gave up a pick to address a position that they spent four first-round picks on between 2015 and 2020.
The 49ers re-signed TE Jake Tonges to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Why It Matters: The deal is for more than the $3.5 million the 49ers would have had to pay Tonges to have the right to match any offer sheet he signed as a restricted free agent. Instead, they have their likely Week 1 starter, as George Kittle went down with a torn Achilles in the postseason. If Kittle isn't ready to play at the beginning of the season, Tonges will be a viable fantasy tight end after producing at a surprising level in place of an injured Kittle last season.
Seattle Seahawks News
The Seahawks re-signed WR Rashid Shaheed to a three-year, $51 million deal.
Why It Matters: One of the costs of winning the Super Bowl is seeing a lot of free agents leave when the whole roster gets the championship bump. The Seahawks' biggest signing was retaining Shaheed, who they gave up a fourth and fifth round for at the deadline last season. The value of the contract indicates that Shaheed, with a whole offseason to learn Klint Kubiak's offense, should be higher in the target pecking order than Cooper Kupp. Shaheed had three return touchdowns after he joined Seattle last season, so this contract isn't just for his offensive abilities. The Seahawks also kept CB Josh Jobe (who was cheaper than Tariq Woolen even though the team preferred Jobe to Woolen last season), and lost Woolen, S Coby Bryant (who can be replaced by solid backup Ty Okada), EDGE Boye Mafe (from a four-deep edge group) and RB Ken Walker III, which has them projected to gain four compensatory picks in 2027. That could help them acquire more picks this year to replace the ones they used to acquire Shaheed.]
The Seahawks signed RB Emanuel Wilson (Green Bay).
Why It Matters: Wilson should be considered the favorite to open the season as the starting running back for the Seahawks. He just got a huge short term speculative value spike, because if the Seahawks don't draft a running back on the second day, he'll only have to beat out George Holani to start. Wilson did a good impression of Josh Jacobs when Jacobs missed time last year and it was a bit of a shock when the Packers didn't even want to commit $3.5 million to have the right any offer sheet Wilson signed. Wilson the least expensive plauanswer to their running back problem that the Seahawks could have signed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers News
The Bucs signed LB Alex Anzalone (Detroit) to a two-year, $17 million deal.
Why It Matters: The Bucs went into last season with SirVocea Dennis as their starting middle linebacker, but Dennis was a disappointment. Anzalone will help immensely in pass coverage, which was a major weakness for Dennis. Franchise icon Lavonte David hit free agency and wasn't signed after the dust of the first day had settled. We'll see if the Bucs re-sign him or look elsewhere to replace David. The Lions brought back 2022 sixth-round pick Malcolm Rodriguez on a one-year deal, so he could replace Anzalone next to Jack Campbell.
The Bucs signed RB Kenneth Gainwell (Pittsburgh) to a two-year, $14 million deal and assigned restricted free agent RB Sean Tucker a $3.5 million tender that gives them the right to match any offer sheet he is signed to.
Why It Matters: Gainwell will assume the passing-down role that was vacated when Rachaad White became a free agent this offseason. Tucker will presumably resume as the #2 early down behind Bucky Irving. Tucker has posted a huge fantasy game in each of the last two seasons and should be on our redraft waiver wire speed dial list and deep dynasty league benches.
Washington Commanders News
The Commanders signed OT Laremy Tunsil to a two-year, $60.2 million extension.
Why It Matters: The extension will keep Tunsil as Jayden Daniels' blindside protector through 2028. It is the first offensive lineman contract to average over $30 million a season. That they feel good enough about Tunsil to do this after having him in the building for a year is a great sign after the Commanders gave up a second, third, fourth and seventh round pick to get Tunsil last season.
The Commanders signed EDGE Odafe Oweh (Los Angeles Chargers) to a four-year, $100 million deal, signed EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson (New England) to a one-year, $12 million deal, and LB Leo Chenal (Kansas City) to a three-year, $24.75 million deal.
Why It Matters: Dan Quinn's defense has not been the strength of the Commanders during his tenure. Oweh finally came alive after the Chargers traded a fifth-round pick for him last season. He had 7.5 sacks in 12 regular-season games with the Chargers, and then three in a command performance during a playoff loss to the Patriots. He picked the right time to get hot, as the edge market has been taking off since Micah Parsons signed a four-year, $188 million deal with Green Bay last year. Chaisson is a former first-round pick who found his game in New England last year, and he'll start opposite Oweh. Chenal is a very athletic and versatile linebacker who was a part-time player in Kansas City, but could be a full-time player in Washington with Bobby Wagner hitting free agency. He should be a priority add if he's not rostered in IDP leagues.
The Commanders signed TE Chig Okonkwo (Tennessee) to a three-year deal worth up to $30 million.
Why It Matters: We can probably declare 2024 second-round pick TE Ben Sinnott a bust with this signing. Okonkwo provides the rugged run after catch game that Sinnott was supposed to give Washington. Terry McLaurin is the only proven passcatcher on the Commanders roster, so Okonkwo's fantasy value is up in his new home.
The Commanders signed RB Rachaad White (Tampa Bay).
Why It Matters: White will help as a passing down back, but he won't improve a running game that will be a bigger part of the offense with more snaps under center coming for Jayden Daniels. This does give Jacory Croskey-Merritt a longer runway to take off with Chris Rodriguez gone and White not a big threat to his early down work, but the Commanders could still take Notre Dame blue chip RB prospect Jeremiyah Love at #7.
