NFL experts debate free agency deals: What are the best signings through one week?
NFL free agency has started to slow down nearly a week after officially opening. Teams have added impact playmakers across their depth charts, though free agents such as Xavien Howard and Mike Williams are still available for more moves. Notably, Kirk Cousins, Saquon Barkley, Calvin Ridley, Danielle Hunter, Arik Armstead, Robert Hunt and Russell Wilson have found new homes. Some teams made a lot of noise with top-dollar additions, while others focused on value signings.
What are the best signings so far? Our NFL experts are weighing in on what we’ve seen in this offseason’s free agency, starting with the top moves. (We will continue to update this file throughout the week, with insight on head-scratching deals, value contracts, teams that aced free agency and teams that didn’t.)
What was the best overall free agent signing?
Stephania Bell, fantasy football analyst: Ravens signing RB Derrick Henry to a two-year, $16 million deal. Yes, he is 30 years old, but Henry is built to steamroller opponents with size and power. And he has shown durability with only one season in his eight-year career in which he has played fewer than 15 games. Henry will continue to pose problems for defenses that now have to account for other offensive talent alongside him, including a quarterback (Lamar Jackson) who is even more nimble as a runner than Henry.
Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: Packers signing S Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $68 million deal. As a safety with multidimensional traits, McKinney tracks the ball well and has the coverage skills to match in the slot. That’s a fit for a Green Bay defense that will be much more aggressive with its coverage and pressure tendencies under new coordinator Jeff Hafley. McKinney, 25, has nine interceptions and 14 pass breakups in his four pro seasons.
Jeremy Fowler, national NFL writer: Steelers signing LB Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million contract. Pittsburgh gets a defensive cornerstone at a position that has long been depleted. Adding a fourth defensive star alongside T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward will pay off in the AFC North. And bonus points for stealing Queen from the rival Ravens. His contract is reasonable, as the Steelers can get out of it after one year and $13.84 million — though they won’t want to do that.
Eric Moody, fantasy football writer: Panthers signing G Robert Hunt to a five-year, $100 million contract. The Panthers made sure they secured one of the top offensive linemen in free agency to help protect quarterback Bryce Young. Hunt will improve an offensive line that ranked near the bottom of the league in pass block win rate last season (23rd at 54.3%).
Jason Reid, senior Andscape writer: Chiefs signing WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million. Kansas City GM Brett Veach addressed the team’s biggest offseason concern. The Chiefs led the league in dropped passes (38) last season. Veach needed to acquire a potential difference-maker at the receiver position, and Brown has elite speed and is an elusive runner after the catch. In his five NFL seasons, Brown has 3,644 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns. He gives the Chiefs their best deep threat since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins.
Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst: Chiefs signing Brown. It’s not a secret that, outside of Rashee Rice, the Chiefs’ receivers last season were underwhelming. A huge missing element of the scheme last season was the lack of downfield consistency. Brown brings that added dimension and immediately becomes the No. 1 target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst: Falcons signing QB Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. Quarterback is the most important position in the game, so additions at that position are going to move the needle a lot more than additions at other positions. Cousins is a major upgrade over Desmond Ridder. He doesn’t make the Falcons Super Bowl contenders but does make them division favorites, so Falcons fans will have a reason for optimism over the next couple of seasons.
Mike Tannenbaum, NFL front office insider: Eagles signing RB Saquon Barkley to a three-year, $37.7 million contract. Barkley will give Jalen Hurts a much better chance of getting through the season healthy. Over the past three seasons, Hurts has run the ball 491 times, which is the most by any quarterback in that span. Those numbers take a toll, and he didn’t look the same at the end of last season. With a true elite runner in the backfield, there won’t be as much pressure on Hurts to run, which will potentially keep him healthy down the stretch.
