Early March marks the beginning of the new league year in the NFL and, with it, free agency. This year’s free agency period saw star players move from team to team, creating intrigue for some fans and bitter feelings for others.
A central theme of free agency this year was the movement of running backs. The biggest fish, Derrick Henry, signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, bolstering a team that already made it to the conference championship game last season. Henry, who had spent the previous eight years with the Tennessee Titans, rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and collected over 2,000 rushing yards in 2020.
Another prolific running back to change teams was Saquon Barkley, who left the New York Giants for one of their division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley inked a three-year, $37.5 million contract to play in his home state of Pennsylvania, but his departure has left some Giants fans and alums bitter.
Former Giants running back Tiki Barber took to X and said Barkley was “dead to him.” Barkley’s exit from New York comes after years of unsuccessful contract negotiations and a season where he played on the franchise tag. The Giants had their opportunity to keep Saquon Barkley, and now they have to play against him twice a year.
The quarterback position also saw movement, as Kirk Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins is coming off of a season cut short due to a torn Achilles he suffered in a game against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 29, 2023. Despite missing most of the season, the veteran quarterback threw 18 touchdowns in just eight games. Cousins is a welcome sight for the Falcons, who have not reached the postseason since 2017 and have had instability at quarterback in recent years. Conversely, his departure leaves questions at quarterback for the Vikings, who roll into the new season under new arrival Sam Darnold.
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson also found a new home with the Pittsburgh Steelers, signing a one-year, $1.2 million contract. The dollar amount on this deal represents the veteran minimum because Wilson’s former team, the Denver Broncos, released him and is paying him $38 million from the contract he signed in 2022. This deal is a massive bargain for the Steelers, who can now take the rest of their money and invest it in other parts of the roster.
The Steelers also acquired another quarterback after a trade for former first-round pick Justin Fields. Pittsburgh gave the Chicago Bears a conditional sixth-round draft pick to acquire Fields. This answers one of the largest looming questions of the NFL offseason, as many were wondering whether the Bears would keep Fields or draft a new quarterback with the number one overall pick. Fields’ departure means the Bears have decided to keep the first pick, where they will likely take University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams.
Free agency is one step of many in the NFL offseason, but it is one of the most notable ways for teams to improve. No one knows how college players will translate to the NFL, making the draft an unreliable way to add talent. When teams sign free agents, they sign known commodities. Teams know high-profile free agents have already produced at a high level in the NFL, eliminating most of the mystery that comes when a new player is brought in. This way, teams know they are getting better, and it is exciting to see.
