NFL · 2 months ago

ESPN Ranks the 28 NFL Free Agency Deals from Worst to Best

John Canady

Host · Writer

28) Dolphins Sign QB Malik Willis
Grade: A

"Even with that guarantee, this is an incredible result relative to the alternatives. There is only one Fernando Mendoza in the draft, and the Dolphins are not going to get him. Instead of trotting out a veteran bridge quarterback, it makes sense to play for the upside. And Willis has tons of it." - Walder
ESPN Ranks the Worst 28 NFL Free Agency Deals
The NFL offseason always delivers its share of surprises, and this year has been no different. From a former Super Bowl MVP finding a new home to blockbuster trades, key re-signings, and a handful of under-the-radar additions, teams across the league have been aggressive in reshaping their rosters.

ESPN analyst Seth Walder has broken down the biggest moves from NFL Free Agency so far, grading 28 of the most notable transactions. Here’s a look at Walder’s rankings, going from the worst deals to the best moves made during the opening wave of free agency.
1) Raiders Sign EDGE Kwity Paye
Grade: D-

"I knew I was going to be down on Paye's signing no matter what -- and that was before I found out it was going to be at $16 million per year. Paye ranked last in pass rush win rate among all qualifiers at edge, at just 4.5%. That's a brutal number, especially when combined with a 12th percentile pressure rate. And he performed poorly in both numbers in 2024, too." - Walder
3) Texans Trade G Juice Scruggs, 2026 4th, 2027 7th for RB Davis Montgomery
Grade: D

"An aging (29 years old in June), early-down back whose prior team had been phasing him out is not worth spending real resources on." - Walder
4) Cowboys Trade 2027 4th For EDGE Rashan Gary
Grade: D+

"The cost for Dallas is steep relative to the player they are getting. Gary was once viewed as a very promising young pass rusher. And in 2022, he looked like a player who was ready to fulfill that potential, delivering a 23% pass rush win rate at edge and 6.0 sacks in nine games before tearing his ACL. His numbers since then have never reached the same pace." - Walder
5) Browns Trade 2026 5th for OT Tytus Howard
Grade: D+

"So the Browns are likely getting a below-average starter. And he isn't cheap. Howard is slated to make $17.5 million in 2026 (the final year of his deal) and is now signing a two-year, $45 million extension, per ESPN's Adam Schefter." - Walder
6) Titans Sign CB Cor'Dale Flott
Grade: C-

"The outside perception that Flott wasn't worth this much does matter a little bit. He got real cornerback money, in the neighborhood of Jaylen Watson -- who was considered one of the best corners in the class and got $17 million per year from the Rams. And Flott ended up well ahead of Jamel Dean, who earned $12.25 million per year from the Steelers." - Walder
7) Titans Sign CB Alontae Taylor
Grade: C-

"At $20 million per year, this contract is not only more than I expected but also $2 million per year more than Jaylen Watson received from the Rams. It is too expensive for a player who does not have a long track record of reliability." - Walder
8) Saints Sign RB Travis Etienne Jr.
Grade: C-

"With the Chiefs' signing of Kenneth Walker III, there is a hidden silver lining. This should take the Saints out of the Jeremiyah Love sweepstakes, and that can only be a good thing considering how much of a value mistake it is to draft a running back in the top 10." - Walder
9) Titans Trade DT T'Vondre Sweat for EDGE Jermaine Johnson
Grade: C-

"Sweat is also younger and, in my view, has a better chance to be a plus contributor than Johnson. " - Walder
10) Raiders Sign C Tyler Linderbaum
Grade: C

"Is Linderbaum worth $27 million per year? It's hard to say yes, given past precedent and the relative lack of importance of the position. On the other hand, the Raiders really needed to improve their line and there was a huge drop-off in alternatives." - Walder
11) Ravens Trade 2026 1st & 2027 1st for EDGE Maxx Crosby
Grade: C

"Las Vegas handed out a lot of money Monday, and this was one spot where it could have put it to better use." - Walder
12) Chiefs Sign RB Kenneth Walker III
Grade: C+

"He clearly fills a need for Kansas City, and you can easily understand why they want him. I do think there are some drawbacks. First, the regular-season numbers were good but not exceptional, and I'm wary of over-indexing on the playoffs." - Walder
13) Browns Sign G Zion Johnson
Grade: C+

"This price point -- $16.5 million per year -- is not that bad, especially compared to last year, when worse players (such as Will Fries or Aaron Banks) made more money. This is right on the C+/B- fringe for me." - Walder
14) Dolphins Trade S Minkah Fitzpatrick for 2026 7th
Grade: C+

"For the Dolphins, it makes sense to trade Fitzpatrick, but I'm dinging them for not dealing him sooner. Given his contract, I think at the deadline they could have earned more draft compensation than what they got now, and they functionally gained nothing from holding on to him." - Walder
15) Rams Trade 2026 1st, 2026 5th, 2026 6th and 2026 3rd for CB Trent McDuffie
Grade: C+

"The surplus value going back to Kansas City is large. Draft picks are never a guarantee, but when teams hit on them, they end up with players on undervalued contracts with four (or five) years of team control." - Walder
16) Panthers Sign LB Devin Lloyd
Grade: B-

"Second, Lloyd wasn't an every-down player in Jacksonville last season. He played on just 73% of snaps, including just 54% of third and fourth downs. That last part is absolutely worrying. If the Jaguars weren't willing to keep him on the field all the time, can he really be worth $15 million per year?" - Walder
17) Seahawks Sign WR Rashid Shaheed
Grade: B-

"I'm torn. The fact that the contract came in a hair lower than I was expecting makes this slightly more palatable. Ultimately, I would have looked elsewhere -- perhaps Romeo Doubs? -- but I can understand why Seattle opted to keep Shaheed around." - Walder
18) Panthers Sign EDGE Jaelan Phillips
Grade: B-

"The Panthers needed edge help and decided to pay up to get it. They landed Phillips to improve a unit that ranked 24th in pass rush win rate and 32nd in run stop win rate last season." - Walder
19) Colts Re-Sign WR Alec Pierce
Grade: B-

"I thought the Colts made a mistake using the transition tag on Jones instead of the franchise tag on Pierce. I have a hard time believing any team would have been excited to throw a ton of money at Jones, knowing he will likely miss a fair bit of time and/or be less effective in 2026, while Pierce clearly had a commanding market. Had the Colts kept control of him via the franchise tag, however, I believe they would have saved money on both him and Jones while retaining both." - Walder
20) Commanders Sign EDGE Odafe Oweh
Grade: B

"The Commanders needed to add pass rush juice at EDGE. And they ideally needed to do it with a player in his prime, rather than an aging veteran like Von Miller a year ago. Oweh checks both boxes. The former Ravens and Chargers edge rusher was one of the top free agents in this year's class -- and he got paid like it." - Walder
21) Giants Sign TE Isaiah Likely
Grade: B+

"Likely should become the Giants' starter and be an upgrade over incumbent Theo Johnson, who recorded the worst overall score among tight ends in ESPN's receiver scores and led tight ends with a 9.5% drop rate." - Walder
22) Titans Sign WR Wan'Dale Robinson
Grade: B+

"The contract price might strike some as high, but it was almost perfectly with my projection for Robinson, and I think it is plenty fair given what he showed last season and the fact that he's in the prime of his career at 25 years old." - Walder
23) Titans Sign DT John Franklin-Myers
Grade: B+

"Franklin-Myers was always going to get a haul given the limitations of the rest of the free agent defensive tackle market. But I think he could have cost even more. If we compare to past defensive tackle contracts and adjust those to the 2026 cap environment, Franklin-Myers comes in well behind Kenny Clark's deal with the Packers in 2024 ($25.2 million per year in 2026 dollars) or Milton Williams' contract last year with the Patriots ($28 million). I think it's worth it. He and Simmons could be an elite tandem." - Walder
24) Rams Sign CB Jaylen Watson
Grade: B+

"Watson doesn't have to be a star to pay off. And the Rams -- who actually are among the teams with the most 2027 cap space right now, per OverTheCap.com -- are trying to maximize their Super Bowl window before Matthew Stafford retires. I also don't love a lot of the alternatives in the free agent market, so locking in the second part of the former Chiefs tandem makes sense to me." - Walder
25) 49ers Sign WR Mike Evans
Grade: A-

"After seemingly being flush with wide receiver talent not too long ago, the 49ers entered this offseason needing a wideout. They got a good one." - Walder
26) Saints Sign G David Edwards
Grade: A-

"The Saints had a hole at guard and filled it with arguably the best one to hit free agency this year -- and at a reasonable contract." - Walder
27) Bengals Sign EDGE Boye Mafe
Grade: A-

"I think Mafe will go a long way to helping the Bengals get their defense back on track ... and on a decent contract, too." - Walder
28) Dolphins Sign QB Malik Willis
Grade: A

"Even with that guarantee, this is an incredible result relative to the alternatives. There is only one Fernando Mendoza in the draft, and the Dolphins are not going to get him. Instead of trotting out a veteran bridge quarterback, it makes sense to play for the upside. And Willis has tons of it." - Walder
ESPN Ranks the Worst 28 NFL Free Agency Deals
The NFL offseason always delivers its share of surprises, and this year has been no different. From a former Super Bowl MVP finding a new home to blockbuster trades, key re-signings, and a handful of under-the-radar additions, teams across the league have been aggressive in reshaping their rosters.

ESPN analyst Seth Walder has broken down the biggest moves from NFL Free Agency so far, grading 28 of the most notable transactions. Here’s a look at Walder’s rankings, going from the worst deals to the best moves made during the opening wave of free agency.