Los Angeles and San Francisco made savvy offseason moves, with the NFC West looking likely to repeat as the most competitive division in the league.
Spoiler alert: No team in the NFC got a failing grade for the moves it made in the first two weeks of free agency.But a few teams gave me plenty to think about when it came to handing out an F , WR Kendrick Bourne , DL Roy Lopez , QB Gardner Minshew II , G Isaac Seumalo , S Andrew Wingard The Cardinals drew criticism for not signing a better QB option than Minshew, but this move was more about adding depth at the position, knowing that Brissett is more than capable of holding down the position for a year.
Arizona is likely waiting until next year’s loaded QB class to select a long-term option. Also, expect the Cardinals to be a run-heavy team with a trio of Allgeier, James Conner and Trey Benson.Edge Azeez Ojulari , WR Jahan Dotson , edge Samson Ebukam , DT Da’Shawn Hand , TE Kyle Pitts , QB Tua Tagovailoa The Falcons must have concerns about Penix’s recovery from the torn ACL he sustained in November. Strangely, the team decided to make Tagovailoa the insurance plan, even though he, too, has an extensive injury history. However, I would like to see Tagovailoa get a true opportunity to compete for the job if both signal-callers are available in training camp. Penix, the 2024 first-round pick, drastically regressed in his second season.C Luke Fortner , LB Devin Lloyd , QB Kenny Pickett , edge Jaelan Phillips , OT Rasheed Walker For the first time in a long time, the Panthers could have a quality defense that doesn’t struggle to generate pressure and stop the run. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero finally has a legitimate No. 1 edge rusher in Phillips and a potential chess piece in Lloyd, who was named a second-team All-Pro last season. It won’t be just Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn handling the bulk of the work on defense.), S Coby Bryant , LB Devin Bush , DL Neville Gallimore , OT Braxton Jones The Bears adjusted well to Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement by executing the trade for Bradbury. He might not be as good as Dalman, but Bradbury provided stability for a young offensive line that advanced to the Super Bowl last season. However, Chicago is counting on its young pass catchers to make up for theThe Cowboys still have unfinished business with Pickens. It’s tough to see the team putting this off for another year and taking the massive cap hit that comes from having Pickens playing on the franchise tag. Either they work out a long-term extension in the offseason or expect another star player to leave Dallas due to a contract dispute. The Cowboys always seem to be in the news, which is strange for a team that constantly gets average results, and this free agency was no different. Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s contract with the Seahawks could impact George Pickens’s negotiations with the Cowboys. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesOT Larry Borom , C Cade Mays , RB Isiah Pacheco , LB Malcolm Rodriguez , G Juice Scruggs , DL Javon Hargrave , OL Sean Rhyan , CB Benjamin St-Juste Green Bay had somewhat of a quiet free agency after whiffing on Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs last season. Instead of splurging on contracts, the team traded for Franklin, who will essentially replace Quay Walker and be the new running mate for Edgerrin Cooper. Franklin isn’t Walker, but he was the cheaper option, and it wasn’t a given that Walker would replicate his breakout 2025 season. Also, the Packers shouldn’t be banking on Hargrave to play more than 50% of the defensive snaps with how poorly he played with the Vikings and 49ers.The Rams turned their weakest position into a strength after going all in for the cornerbacks from Kansas City, McDuffie and Watson. These additions could also benefit the safeties, who were constantly asked to help the struggling cornerbacks in coverage last season. Los Angeles is now in the mix to have the best roster in 2026.RB Aaron Jones , QB Kyler Murray , LB Eric Wilson The Vikings made two good moves at quarterback: convincing Murray to sign with them, and not promising him the starting job. If a motivated Murray can decisively beat J.J. McCarthy for the starting job, that could be the start of another productive QB partnership for coach Kevin O’Connell. Murray’s arrival could also keep Justin Jefferson happy after having to deal with McCarthy’s growing pains last season. This buy-low move could pay off in a big way in 2026.S Julian Blackmon , G David Edwards , LB Kaden Elliss , RB Travis Etienne Jr. Maybe GM Mickey Loomis shouldn’t get a ton of credit for finally repairing the salary cap and focusing on younger players after years of doing the opposite. But at least he’s gone all in after last year’s baby steps, which led to promising results from quarterback Tyler Shough. Suddenly, the Saints aren’t a boring team with players way past their prime. They have building blocks for a better future and players such as Etienne, Edwards and Elliss can help them get there faster.WR Calvin Austin III , LB Tremaine Edmunds , OT Jermaine Eluemunor , TE Isaiah Likely , WR Darnell Mooney , OT Evan Neal , CB Greg Newsome II Likely never truly reached his potential in Baltimore, which could explain why the team let him leave for New York. But it bodes well that coach John Harbaugh, who knows him well from their days together with the Ravens, thought it was a good idea to hand Likely a lucrative contract. Jaxson Dart now has a friendly target who can move the chains, which could also benefit Malik Nabers when it comes to setting up deep shots.WR Marquise Brown , DT Jordan Davis , edge Arnold Ebiketie , TE Dallas Goedert , CB Riq Woolen It hasn’t been an eventful offseason for GM Howie Roseman—unless he trades star receiver A.J. Brown later this year. But the boom-or-bust signing of Woolen offers plenty of intrigue. Perhaps he’ll become a high-end No. 2 corner playing in a secondary featuring Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Roseman will soon need to decide whether to pay Jalen Carter, and he’s going to cost a lot more than the new deal Davis just got.WR Mike Evans , LB Dre Greenlaw , CB Nate Hobbs , WR Christian Kirk , OT Vederian Lowe , DT Osa Odighizuwa , WR Rashid Shaheed , RB Emanuel Wilson , Jaxon Smith-Njigba The reigning Super Bowl champs were forced to let Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen and many other notable players join other teams in free agency. But they made the wise decision to retain Shaheed after how valuable he was on special teams and for Sam Darnold.LB Alex Anzalone , RB Kenneth Gainwell , edge Al-Quadin Muhammad , TE Cade Otton , DT A’Shawn Robinson The Buccaneers have plenty of depth at wide receiver to account for the loss of Evans. Still, they’re going to need their young playmakers to grow up in a hurry, remain available and play consistently throughout the season. On the other side of the ball, a subpar defensive front needed help. Robinson and Muhammad aren’t star players, but they’re dependable veterans who will provide plenty of flexibility for Todd Bowles’s defense.G Nick Allegretti , WR Dyami Brown , LB Leo Chenal , edge K’Lavon Chaisson , S Nick Cross , RB Jerome Ford , QB Marcus Mariota , TE Chigoziem Okonkwo , edge Odafe Oweh , CB Amik Robertson , DT Tim Settle Jr. , OT Laremy Tunsil , RB Rachaad White All these savvy signings are reminiscent of GM Adam Peters’s first free agency with the team. He’s again betting on underrated players with bargain contracts. But he had to splurge for Oweh after his dominant two months with the Chargers. Still, he was worth the gamble since coach Dan Quinn has a reputation for bringing out the best in talented edge rushers. It seems Peters learned his lesson after the mixed results of the Tunsil and Deebo Samuel trades.Gilberto Manzano is a staff writer covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated. After starting off as a breaking news writer at NFL.com in 2014, he worked as the Raiders beat reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and covered the Chargers and Rams for the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News. During his time as a combat sports reporter, he was awarded best sports spot story of 2018 by the Nevada Press Association for his coverage of the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov post-fight brawl. Manzano, a first-generation Mexican-American with parents from Nayarit, Mexico, is the cohost of Compas on the Beat, a sports and culture show featuring Mexican-American journalists. He has been a member of the Pro Football Writers of America since 2017.
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