Re-Grading Major 2025 NFL Free Agency Signings

Now that most of the dust has settled on the 2026 free agency frenzy, let's take a moment to reflect on how things have panned out thus far for the teams that took big swings during said period one year ago. 

There's still time for some of these signings to either gain or lose points, but there's already a lot to be gleaned from the 2025 campaign. 

Let's issue report cards for every 2025 offseason signing that resulted in a contract worth more than $17 million per season. 

Financials courtesy of Spotrac

QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks: A+

AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File

Sam Darnold

Terms: 3 years, $100.5 million ($55 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: Well, with Darnold at the helm, the Seahawks won the Super Bowl following a 14-3 regular season. It was one of the most successful campaigns for a team in NFL history. 

The Pitfalls: Amazingly, the Seahawks had all of that success despite the fact that Darnold led the league with 20 turnovers in the regular season. 

The Outlook: No matter what happens now, this was worth it. But the beautiful thing is Darnold is just the 17th-highest-paid quarterback in the league and should be smack dab in the midst of his prime at age 28.

DT Milton Williams, New England Patriots: A-

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Milton Williams

Terms: 4 years, $104 million ($63 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The Patriots' defense improved significantly with Williams playing a central role in a surprise Super Bowl season, and he was at his best with three sacks and four tackles for loss in the playoffs. 

The Pitfalls: The third-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the sport missed a handful of games and was very rarely a game-changing presence in his first campaign with the Pats. 

The Outlook: It's certainly looking like at least a modest overpay for a good-not-great player, but the 27-year-old still has room to grow and there's no denying that he contributed substantially to the NFL's fourth-ranked scoring defense.

WR Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams: A

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Davante Adams

Terms: 2 years, $44 million ($26 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The veteran's job was to complement Puka Nacua, and he did just that with a league-high 14 touchdown grabs and nearly 800 yards in 14 games as a 33-year-old. 

The Pitfalls: Adams missed some time late while catching just 53 percent of the passes thrown his way. 

The Outlook: He's no longer a top-10 NFL receiver, but he's no longer being paid that way, and the commitment is essentially year-to-year at this point. The Rams are in a great spot here. 

WR Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots: B-

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Stefon Diggs

Terms: 3 years, $63.5 million ($22.6 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The 32-year-old went over 1,000 yards and contributed to an AFC Championship-winning Patriots team, but he scored just four times and wasn't a huge factor in the playoffs. 

The Pitfalls: The team obviously felt Diggs was far from invaluable when it released him as a cost-cutting measure earlier this month. It's also worth noting that he's facing felony strangulation and suffocation charges. 

The Outlook: It ultimately wasn't a bad short-term rental at a key position that is rather scarce on the open market, but it's over now. 

OT Dan Moore Jr., Tennessee Titans: D+

AP Photo/John Amis

Dan Moore Jr.

Terms: 4 years, $82 million ($50 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The 27-year-old was a 16-game starter on Cam Ward's blind side, and consistency and continuity are critical with a young quarterback. 

The Pitfalls: Per Pro Football Focus, only three offensive tackles surrendered more quarterback pressures than Moore (48) in 2025. 

The Outlook: We're now talking about a five-year veteran who has never come close to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro honor. And yet only 20 NFL offensive linemen make more than Moore. He is grossly overpaid, and he's unlikely to stick beyond 2026 if he can't step up his game this season.

QB Justin Fields, New York Jets: F

AP Photo/Ella Hall, File

Justin Fields

Terms: 2 years, $40 million ($30 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: His 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio was strong!

The Pitfalls: He's already off the roster following a bust of a campaign in which the Jets won just two of the nine games he started. 

The Outlook: Fields just turned 27 and could still become something, but it's not a good sign that he's on his fourth roster in as many years.

OL Aaron Banks, Green Bay Packers: C-

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Aaron Banks

Terms: 4 years, $77 million ($27 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The 28-year-old was usually steady when healthy, especially as his initial season in Green Bay wore on. 

The Pitfalls: He struggled out of the gate and finished the year ranked 44th among 57 qualified guards at PFF. Injuries were also a factor, with Banks missing a couple of games due to groin and knee problems.

The Outlook: Like Moore, he's done very little in five years to indicate he should be one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league. I'm somewhat surprised the team hasn't already bailed to save money by releasing Banks with a post-June 1 designation, but he's on thin ice.

Edge Josh Sweat, Arizona Cardinals: B-

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Josh Sweat

Terms: 4 years, $76.4 million ($38 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: Sweat registered a career-high 12 sacks and four forced fumbles as a 17-game starter in his first season with the Cards. 

The Pitfalls: The former Eagle produced strong individual numbers, although it didn't do much to help a defense that ranked 29th in points allowed on a team that lost 14 games. And despite being the 17th-highest-paid edge defender in the league, he was not ranked in the top 25 among qualifiers at that position by PFF.

The Outlook: Sweat was signed in part with the hope that he would make progress under his former defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, Jonathan Gannon, but that era is now over. Nick Rallis remains the DC, but Sweat is under extra pressure in his age-29 season. 

CB Byron Murphy Jr., Minnesota Vikings: B

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Byron Murphy Jr.

Terms: 3 years, $54 million ($34.8 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: Murphy was a solid 17-game starter for the second consecutive year, with opposing quarterbacks posting a weak 78.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage. Without him, the Vikings likely don't rank seventh in the NFL in points allowed. 

The Pitfalls: The advanced stats told a different story, with Murphy's coverage PFF grade of 59.8 ranking 49th among 67 qualified corners. His interception total also dropped from six in 2024 to two in 2025. 

The Outlook: Regardless, Murphy is a reliable veteran starter in his prime. He's making big money, but 13 cornerbacks have higher AAVs. This was a good decision to re-sign. It should continue to pay dividends. 

CB Charvarius Ward, Indianapolis Colts: D

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Charvarius Ward

Terms: 3 years, $54 million ($35 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The 29-year-old vet allowed completions on just 56.3 percent of the passes into his coverage in his first season with Indianapolis. 

The Pitfalls: That comes from a small sample, as Ward played just seven games in 2025 while dealing with concussion issues. He is contemplating retirement after a troubling year. It's worth noting that the team felt the need to trade two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner at the deadline. 

The Outlook: This may just be bad luck. Ward was a star a couple of years ago in San Francisco, but injuries have been a problem ever since. We wish him well because the lingering effects of head injuries are quite scary. Regardless, this doesn't look like money well spent for the Colts. 

CB Carlton Davis III, New England Patriots: A

AP Photo/Steve Luciano

Carlton Davis III

Terms: 3 years, $54 million ($34.5 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: Davis started all 17 games for the first time in his career. He really thrived while surrendering a passer rating of just 22.3 during New England's playoff run. He was PFF's 11th-highest-graded qualified cornerback. 

The Pitfalls: The 29-year-old failed to intercept a pass in the regular season. 

The Outlook: The pitfall is a hell of a nitpick, considering that Davis picked off C.J. Stroud twice in the playoffs. He was worth every penny for the AFC champions in 2025 and should have plenty of gas in the tank. The only remaining question is whether he can continue to stay healthy. 

CB Paulson Adebo, New York Giants: D-

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Paulson Adebo

Terms: 3 years, $54 million ($38.5 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: He was a solid tackler and not a complete liability in the 12 games he played.

The Pitfalls: Everything else. Adebo missed significant time due to injury for the second consecutive season (he broke his leg midway through the 2024 campaign in New Orleans and was sidelined five games with a knee injury in '25). But he struggled in coverage and didn't make a lot of plays when healthy anyway. 

The Outlook: Considering that he's carrying a $24.2 million salary-cap hit into 2026, it's safe to say this is a make-or-break season for the 26-year-old. 

OL Will Fries, Minnesota Vikings: C+

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Will Fries

Terms: 5 years, $87.7 million ($44 million guaranteed)

The Payoff: The 27-year-old started every game and played nearly every snap, giving the Vikings line a much-needed morsel of stability and continuity. 

The Pitfalls: His week-to-week performances fluctuated quite a bit. He finished the year ranked just 34th among qualified guards at PFF. Fries was rarely dominant despite being the 11th-highest-paid guard in the sport. 

The Outlook: Five years into his career, Fries has not become a standout interior offensive lineman. He's locked in for years to come, but the Vikes have to be hoping that he'll step up his game in 2026 and beyond.