2026 NFL free agency team grades: Rams, Jets at top of class, Chargers leave much to be desired

NFL free agency got off to a flying start with the two-day negotiating period -- sometimes colloquially known as the legal tampering period -- and ahead of the league calendar officially flipping over, nearly every team brought in at least one outside free agent. Several teams brought in way more than one, with the Raiders and Titans leading the charge. Those two teams are also in line to pick first and second, respectively, in next month's NFL Draft.

Sussing out who's done well and who hasn't is an ever-moving target, one that won't finalize for years. But hindsight is 20/20, and we're in the business of forecasts. As such, grades are to every team through the first two (unofficial) days of free agency, listed in alphabetical order below. If your favorite team's mark isn't to your liking, remember, there's a long way to go. And if you do like how we've evaluated your team's proceedings ... remember, there's a long way to go.

For as much as the offseason is about what teams do, the Cardinals deserve praise for what they didn't do -- or at least haven't done yet. With a new regime entering and Kyler Murray exiting, the Cardinals didn't go get an expensive quarterback. Instead, they got tone setters such as Seumalo and Allgeier, both of whom add some physicality. Lopez does the same on defense. Bourne continues to be productive wherever he goes. In Mike LaFleur's first season in charge, he needs reliable veterans who can help an otherwise young team -- think of Marvin Harrison Jr., Walter Nolen III, Paris Johnson Jr., Will Johnson -- as he tries to move a middling franchise in the right direction.

We'd like to see some reinforcements in both trenches and perhaps some defensive backs as well. Remember, the Cardinals own the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft, where offensive line and edge rusher are popular mock picks.

• Key additions: QB Tua Tagovailoa (read more), WR Jahan Dotson, TE Austin Hooper, K Nick Folk
• Key re-signings: TE Kyle Pitts (franchise tag)
• Key departures: RB Tyler Allgeier, DL David Onyemata, CB Dee Alford

The Falcons signing Tagovailoa is ... fine. He's almost certainly not the answer long-term given his recent level of play, plus his injury history. Then again, Michael Penix Jr. likely isn't the answer, either, and for the same reasons. Interestingly, though, they're very different players: Penix wants to push the ball downfield; Tagovailoa wants to throw quickly. Kevin Stefanski has an interesting but ultimately uninspiring quarterback battle. Atlanta, which does not have a first-round pick, lost an underrated player in Onyemata as well as a quality backup in Allgeier. It's simply hard to see how this team is better than a middling team, and "middling" is exactly what they've been for a long time: five straight seasons of seven or eight wins.

I was very much a fan of the Maxx Crosby trade for Baltimore, which desperately needed a game-changing star on the defensive front. Then the trade shockingly fell through due to medical issues.

Even before the Crosby trade fell through, I had a C+ for the Ravens. Now, this offseason is off to an abjectly disastrous start. Linderbaum is off to Las Vegas, a massive loss for a team that already has significant interior offensive line questions. For all his inconsistency, Likely brought some dynamic ability downfield and standout speed for his position, two things Baltimore lacks among its pass catchers. Jones and Gilman were key contributors after coming over in midseason trades.

The Ravens saw their roster exposed for several holes in 2025. More holes are popping up -- and quickly -- early in free agency, but there's still time to get things back on track. The biggest thing will be extending Lamar Jackson to free up significant cap space. GM Eric DeCosta said he'd like to have it done as early as possible so he could know what he'd be working with in free agency, but that hasn't happened yet. Baltimore is a mess.

• Key additions: WR DJ Moore (via trade), CB Dee Alford
• Key departures: G David Edwards, CB Taron Johnson (via trade), FB Reggie Gilliam

The Bills were never likely to keep both McGovern and Moore, but keeping one of them is a win. McGovern is a stud, and replacing a guard can often be easier than replacing a center. The Moore addition was a likely overpay, but Buffalo had really backed itself into a corner at wide receiver, and he is a significant upgrade. The Bills have had to navigate treacherous waters financially, but getting Alford was a solid bit of business.

• Key additions: EDGE Jaelan Phillips, LB Devin Lloyd, QB Kenny Pickett
• Key departures: RB Rico Dowdle, C Cade Mays

The Panthers haven't been shy, doling out $120 million to Phillips and another $45 million to Lloyd. Phillips was arguably the best EDGE on the market, and Lloyd was clearly the top off-ball linebacker. Carolina now has legit Pro Bowl talents, all in their 20s, at all three levels: Derrick Brown and Phillips up front, Lloyd at linebacker and Jaycee Horn in the secondary. There's some other young talent there, too. Carolina needs to fill the holes Dowdle's and Mays' departures created, and some more juice on offense would be nice, but this is a strong start.

• Key additions: S Coby Bryant, LB Devin Bush, C Garrett Bradbury (via trade), DL Neville Gallimore, WR Kalif Raymond, DB Cam Lewis
• Key re-signings: QB Case Keenum, OT Braxton Jones
• Key departures: WR DJ Moore (via trade), LB Tremaine Edmunds, C Drew Dalman (via retirement)

Dalman's retirement put the Bears in a tough spot, but they moved quickly to fill that spot with Bradbury. He's not as good as Dalman, but he's serviceable. Bryant is an excellent signing with positional versatility and an impressive skill set. Jones, if healthy, could get back to being the promising left tackle he looked like a few seasons ago. Losing Moore hurts -- he's the closest thing to a true downfield threat the Bears had, and he made some big plays -- but Ben Johnson will reconfigure his passing offense around Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland. Swapping Edmunds for Bush saves money, but we'll see if Bush can replace him on the field. He had the advantage of playing behind an excellent defensive line in Cleveland; he won't have that in Chicago.

• Key additions: S Bryan Cook, EDGE Boye Mafe
• Key departures: EDGE Joseph Ossai, TE Noah Fant, G Cordell Volson

The Bengals deserve credit for spending legitimate money at two positions of major need. Cook is a steady presence at safety, one who helps against both the run and the pass. Mafe's been a rotational player the last few years, so his jump to full-time player -- and a team's top pass rusher, in fact -- will be key. Still, his flashes are really impressive. The Bengals still need defensive reinforcements (especially at linebacker) and perhaps some depth up front on offense, but it's so far, so good.

• Key additions: OL Elgton Jenkins, OL Tytus Howard (via trade), G Zion Johnson, LB Quincy Williams
• Key re-signings: G Teven Jenkins, S Ronnie Hickman

The Browns were set to lose their entire starting offensive line, so that was a clear need, but Cleveland addressed it more with quantity than quality. Howard has generally been a fine offensive lineman, more credited for his versatility than his standout play. Trading for him was a decent enough move; giving him a three-year, $63 million extension felt superfluous. Johnson has struggled. I do like the Jenkins addition, but he's 30, and the Packers released him with a failed physical designation. As for the departures, Bush played very well in 2025. Williams' fresh start may make him a worthy replacement, but he had a tough 2025. The Browns still need wide receivers, more offensive linemen and defensive depth.

• Key additions: EDGE Rashan Gary (via trade), S Jalen Thompson, S PJ Locke
• Key re-signings: WR George Pickens (franchise tag), OT Terence Steele, RB Javonte Williams (read more), K Brandon Aubrey

Jared Dubin gave the Gary trade -- in which Dallas gave up a fourth-round pick -- a C+ for the Cowboys. Add in the Thompson and Locke additions and a bevy of retentions, and the Cowboys' work has been generally fine this offseason. The Pickens franchise tag situation seems like one that could linger, and unfortunately, Jerry Jones doesn't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to extending his stars in a timely fashion. Still, this was an elite offense that brings mostly everything back. The upgrades on defense aren't earth-shattering, but they are legitimate.

• Key re-signings: LB Alex Singleton, LB Justin Strnad, RB J.K. Dobbins, CB Ja'Quan McMillian
• Key departures: DL John Franklin-Myers, S PJ Locke

Let's not go too crazy over the grade yet. It's still very early. The Broncos losing Franklin-Myers -- an underrated, versatile guy up front -- was always likely, considering how his market developed. Retaining Singleton and Strnad gives Denver its starting linebacker group. Dobbins looked terrific before his season-ending injury. That's been the story of his career, but he's back again. McMillian would be a top-two cornerback for a lot of teams. Denver still has work to do, most notably at wide receiver, but it has plenty of time.

• Key additions: C Cade Mays, RB Isiah Pacheco, OT Larry Borom, OL Juice Scruggs (via trade)
• Key re-signings: DL Levi Onwuzurike, CB Rock Ya-Sin
• Key departures: RB David Montgomery (via trade), LB Alex Anzalone, CB Amik Robertson, DL Roy Lopez

The Lions have had to tread lightly regarding the cap, and that's included trading away Montgomery and being unable to figure out a deal with longtime left tackle Taylor Decker. They've made decent progress on rebuilding the offensive line, with Mays and Borom looking like players who could immediately step into starting roles. Still, going from Montgomery to Pacheco is a downgrade; losing Anzalone and Robertson hurts the coverage, and losing Lopez hurts the run defense. Can Detroit eke out another needle-moving addition on the defense, perhaps to augment the pass rush?

• Key additions: LB Zaire Franklin (via trade), CB Benjamin St-Juste
• Key departures: EDGE Rashan Gary (via trade), LB Quay Walker, QB Malik Willis, DL Colby Wooden (via trade), EDGE Kingsley Enagbare

The Packers getting anything for Gary -- who, before being traded, posted and deleted a goodbye Instagram post and then claimed he was hacked -- is a win. That it was a fourth-round pick makes it a steal. Gary simply had not been very good of late. St-Juste had a remarkable season with the Chargers after a difficult start to his career; his length and physicality could translate well to a Green Bay defense that needs to create more turnovers. Replacing Walker's speed could be tough, but it feels like Edgerrin Cooper is about to be a breakout star.

• Key additions: RB David Montgomery (via trade), OT Braden Smith, S Reed Blankenship
• Key re-signings: DL Sheldon Rankins, S M.J. Stewart, OT Trent Brown, G Ed Ingram
• Key departures: OL Tytus Howard (via trade), DL Tim Settle

Once again, the Texans traded away a top offensive lineman despite the group as a whole struggling. It's a questionable strategy, but Houston is hoping Smith's arrival improves the group. He's been good when on the field, but he also hasn't played more than 13 games in any of the last three seasons. Montgomery is a significant upgrade: a well-rounded back who can shoulder a big load and earn the tough yards. Given the Texans' offensive line outlook, lots of the yards are going to be tough.

• Key additions: EDGE Arden Key, DL Colby Wooden (via trade)
• Key re-signings: QB Daniel Jones (transition tag), WR Alec Pierce (read more)
• Key departures: WR Michael Pittman Jr. (via trade), LB Zaire Franklin (via trade), OT Braden Smith, EDGE Kwity Paye, DL Neville Gallimore

Is Pierce really worth $116 million? On one hand, he's a big play machine in a league constantly looking for them, leading the NFL in yards per catch each of the past two seasons. On the other hand, he's never had more than 47 catches or 1,003 yards in a season (he hit both last year). He's the first player to hit 1,000 yards on 20+ yards per catch since 2019, when both A.J. Brown and Mike Williams both did it. Is he closer to Brown or Williams? With a top-10 per-year contract at the position, Indianapolis had better hope it's the former. And we have to factor in that keeping Pierce cost Pittman, a reliable, tough pass catcher.

Then there's the Jones issue. He looked very good. Then he tore his Achilles. Then he got the transition tag. Do we really believe in a team that 1.) has its quarterback -- who's been inconsistent throughout his career -- coming off another major injury and 2.) lost a top wide receiver, a starting linebacker, a starting offensive lineman and a starting defensive lineman? The Colts could use several defensive upgrades, and they likely need to replace Pittman, too. Remember, they don't have a first-round pick due to the Sauce Gardner trade.

• Key re-signings: CB Montaric Brown, EDGE Dennis Gardeck
• Key departures: LB Devin Lloyd, RB Travis Etienne Jr., CB Greg Newsome II

The Jaguars closed last season so strong that it looked like running things back could have been an option. But now they're down an All-Pro linebacker and a workhorse running back who has had at least 1,399 yards from scrimmage three of the last four seasons. There have been zero outside improvements of note. The Jaguars need to fortify their secondary and add a running back. Travis Hunter's return in 2026 will be crucial regardless.

• Key additions: RB Kenneth Walker III (read more), DL Khyiris Tonga, S Alohi Gilman
• Key re-signings: TE Travis Kelce (read more)
• Key departures: CB Trent McDuffie (via trade), CB Jaylen Watson, S Bryan Cook, RB Isiah Pacheco

The Chiefs' additions so far are very strong. Walker represents a gigantic upgrade from what had been the least explosive running back group for two straight years. Only De'Von Achane showcased a higher explosive rush rate than Walker last year. Tonga can be a big help against the run, and Gilman brings lots of versatility to the secondary. The Chiefs also got phenomenal value -- a 2026 first-round pick and several other picks -- for McDuffie.

Replacing McDuffie, Watson and Cook is a monumental task. Kansas City's in a bit of a strange spot, at once a win-now team but also in a bit of a gap year given Patrick Mahomes' injury, several defensive departures and a rough cap situation. This offseason can't be fully evaluated until we see how the Chiefs use their two first-round picks. For now, they've done a good job navigating a strange spot and taking care of the intermediate- and long-term health of the roster

• Key additions: C Tyler Linderbaum (read more), EDGE Kwity Paye, LB Nakobe Dean, LB Quay Walker, CB Taron Johnson (via trade), WR Jalen Nailor
• Key re-signings: EDGE Malcolm Koonce, CB Eric Stokes, DL Thomas Booker, OL Jordan Meredith

I had an A- for the Raiders considering the tremendous return -- two first-round picks, including No. 14 overall in 2026 -- for Crosby. It made sense for both. Now, it's unclear where Las Vegas goes, especially considering it is now backed into a corner.

The Raiders blew the previous record for a center contract out of the water. Linderbaum's $27 million per year is $9 million higher than the previous record holder, Creed Humphrey. It's worth it, though; getting a standout center for a young quarterback is smart, and Fernando Mendoza will be very grateful. The Raiders' other huge move was trading away Crosby, and getting two firsts is excellent, excellent business.