The legal tampering period opened on Monday afternoon and so did the NFL free agency floodgates. As of this writing, over 50 free agents have already agreed to new contract terms. The moves won't be official for a couple more days, but these signings are basically written in Sharpie.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The first day of NFL free agency's tampering period featured some shocking contracts.
- Some contracts were better than others, but which $50 million gamble ranks as the best of NFL free agency?
- Malik Willis to the Dolphins is up there, but which other free-agent signings will be just as impactful?
A lot of money has exchaged hands already. So let's dive into the most lucrative deals — we'll set the range at $50 million-plus — to determine which contracts are worth their weight in gold, and which threaten to turn sour.
11. RB Travis Etienne Jr. to New Orleans Saints
Contract details: four years, $52 million
The Saints will hedge their bets with the guarantees, but this is still a lot for a running back. New Orleans restructured Alvin Kamara's contract to free up space, which means Etienne should assume primary duties in the Saints backfield. There's a nonzero chance Kamara just retires.
Etienne, an LSU product, put up a career-high 1,399 yards from scrimmage last season, averaging 4.3 yards per carry (up from 3.7 the year prior). The talent is undeniable; he has 1,000-plus yards rushing in three of four years. But we know how big running back contracts tend to age nowadays. The 27-year-old was trending in the wrong direction before Liam Coen arrived in Duval. He now joins Kellen Moore in New Orleans, which is probably a best-case scenario, but there's practically a zero percent chance he lasts all four years on his current deal.
10. WR Mike Evans to San Francisco 49ers
Contract details: three years, $60.4 million
Mike Evans is awesome. His track record is unassailable; he's a Super Bowl champ and one of the most consistently dominant receivers of his generation. All that said, he's aging into mid-30s and he's coming off his first injury-tainted season ever. It's hard to stare the facts in the face and believe wholeheartedly that Evans receiving $20 million annually for the next three years is a smart investment.
San Francisco needs the wide receiver help, and Evans is probably an upgrade over the options Brock Purdy and Mac Jones dealt with last season. But there's just such an obvious cliff on the horizon and Evans, for all his great achievements, won't be able to beat Father Time. Nobody can.
9. OL David Edwards to New Orleans Saints
Contract details: four years, $61 million
There's not much to say here other than: sure, good job. The Saints' cap sheet is always a mess, but David Edwards addresses a critical position of need on the left side of the offensive line. New Orleans needed to find better protection for Tyler Shough and newcomer Travis Etienne.
Edwards put together his best individual campaign to date for Buffalo in 2025. He's a stabilizing presence with a lot of winning experience; he won a Super Bowl with the Rams and spent the last three years blocking for Josh Allen in Buffalo. The Saints will hope his wisdom can rub off on a young locker room.
8. WR Alec Pierce to Indianapolis Colts
Contract details: four years, $114 million ($84 million guaranteed)
It's hard to complain about this deal. The Colts couldn't really afford to lose Alec Pierce's nuclear threat, especially with Daniel Jones expected to eventually ink a long-term deal. Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) last season, and the Colts were bidding against a competitive field. That said... it's fair to wonder if this was a slight overpay.
Pierce now becomes the ninth-most expensive wide receiver in the NFL. His contract was a positional record for a free agent. While the talent is undeniable — and explosive — Pierce does not have the track record nor the all-around skill set of most receivers in his tax bracket. The Colts did what needed to be done, essentially, but this contract could age in complicated ways, especially if the Danny Dimes era veers sideways.
7. EDGE Jaelan Phillips to Carolina Panthers
Contract details: four years, $120 million ($80 million guaranteed)
On the surface, this is a dream outcome for the Panthers, who desperately needed an elite presence on the edge. Phillips was electric over the second half of the season in Philadelphia. If we isolate that eight-game sample, he's worth every cent of this contract and then some.
But here's the rub: Phillips played 12 games total over 2023 and 2024. He has dealt with serious knee injuries and struggled to say on the field in years past. The talent is undeniable; when he's healthy, Phillips can generate double-digit sacks and a comically high pressure rate. It's just hard to trust him fully, especially when the team around Phillips in Carolina won't pick up the slack if (or when) he misses time.
6. WR Wan'Dale Robinson to Tennessee Titans
Contract details: four years, $78 million ($38 million guaranteed)
Wan'Dale Robinson has been teasing a breakout for years, but it finally happened in 2025. He stacked 92 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns; his 11.0 yards per catch was a career best. He stepped up in the face of injuries and struck an excellent rapport with Jaxson Dart. Now he will line up next to Dart's draft peer, reigning No. 1 pick Cam Ward.
It should be a quick learning curve for Robinson, who's reuniting with ex-Giants head coach and playcaller Brian Daboll. In fact, his presence could help ease the learning experience for others in Titans camp. Few teams needed receiver help more desperately than Tennessee and Robinson has youth, versatility and upside on his side. Good stuff.
5. DE John Franklin-Myers to Tennessee Titans
Contract details: three years, $63 million ($42 million guaranteed)
Tennessee beefs up its pass rush around foundational star Jeffrey Simmons. John Franklin-Myers spent years under Robert Saleh's command in New York. The 29-year-old set a new career high of 7.5 sacks last season, emerging as a critical cog in Denver's defensive juggernaut. His familiarity with Saleh's scheme should help not only him, but those in his orbit at Titans camp.
It's fair to wonder about Franklin-Myers' aging curve, but he's extremely durable and he knows the scheme he's stepping into. This should be an easy upgrade in the trenches, with Tennessee already expending significant resources to bolster the defense. If the Titans can start generating stops while Cam Ward takes a step forward in year two, the sky's the limit.
4. CB Jaylen Watson to Los Angeles Rams
Contract details: three years, $51 million ($34 million guaranteed)
This is an extremely sensible contract for the Rams, who reunite ex-Chiefs teammates Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie in the City of Angels — both on new long-term deals. That built-in chemistry should aid their transition to a new environment. It helps when guys already have a shorthand way to communicate on the field.
Watson put up two sacks and two interceptions last season, with a couple Super Bowl runs under his belt. He became a full-time starter in 2025 and handled his business. The Chiefs' defense was once again asked to prop up a failing offense, but Watson now moves closer to a potential third Super Bowl ring in L.A. He can celebrate with McDuffie all the way to the bank.
3. CB Alontae Taylor to Tennessee Titans
Contract details: three years, $60 million ($42 million guaranteed)
This signing lines up neatly with the aforementioned Watson move. Alontae Taylor put together a two-sack, two-INT campaign for New Orleans in 2025. He now joins a Titans DB room in desperate need. There are few sharper defensive minds in football than Robert Saleh and Tennessee was equipped with the most cap space of any team to begin the offseason. Smartly, the Titans are putting that money to good use.
There's a real chance Tennessee can start competing in a serious way next season. Taylor, 27, occupies a tough and historically variable position, but if Tennessee can lock down the perimeter to complement a revamped pass rush, Saleh should have this team moving full-steam in the right direction.
2. OL Tyler Linderbaum to Las Vegas Raiders
Contract details: three years, $81 million ($60 million guaranteed)
Tyler Linderbaum just became the highest paid center in NFL history. He will make $9 million more than the second-highest paid center in the league next season. That sounds a bit absurd, but here's the deal: Las Vegas desperately needs to protect incoming No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. To get Linderbaum to Vegas, rather than a more established contender, the Raiders paid a premium. It is what it is.
No position group is more undervalued by fans than offensive linemen, but so often there is a direct correlation between the most impactful blockers and the best teams. A quarterback can't be great if he's dodging bullets on every snap. Linderbaum brings winning pedigree to a Raiders team that desperately needs it. This will help Mendoza's development in untold ways.
1. QB Malik Willis to Miami Dolphins
Contract details: three years, $67.5 million ($45 million)
Malik Willis is the ultimate wild card quarterback, but honestly, this feels like a smart gamble for Miami. It's not so much that it tanks their cap sheet if he implodes. There is also the advantage of new head coach Jeff Hafley knowing Willis on an intimate level, having coached against him in practice as Packers DC. If any team can feel truly good about their chances with Willis, it's probably the Dolphins.
Willis has six starts to his name through four NFL seasons. He is getting paid for what he could become, not what he has done so far. That's a bit backward by NFL standards, but quarterback is the end-all, be-all for serious contenders. It's difficult to fully express Willis' upside; his mobility, arm talent and touch is all special. He will need to refine his decision-making and prove it on a weekly basis now, but there isn't a more exciting trio in football right now than Willis, Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane.