16 takes on NFL free agency and rumors, from best signing (Mike Evans) to biggest risk (Jaelan Phillips) to top drama (Ravens-Raiders)

· Yahoo Sports

The start of NFL free agency didn’t disappoint with the flurry of moves, such as the Chiefs getting serious about improving their running game, and the Rams, Steelers and Titans each earning A grades for their offseason roster improvements. We also go to indulge on the drama of the Maxx Crosby trade collapse between the Raiders and Ravens.

What were the key takeaways and surprises of this free agency period? And what’s left before we get to the true heart of NFL Draft season? Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein, Charles Robinson, Frank Schwab and Charles McDonald each gave their takes on where we’re at on the NFL scene:

Visit catcross.org for more information.

Epstein: The answer has to be Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens, right? A week ago, if you told me the team that had agreed in principle to trade two first-round picks for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby was going to land an edge rusher in Hendrickson whose view of his market outpaced that of the league, I would have thought you’d been hacked. Fast forward through the legal tampering period that became as dicey as it has long risked becoming, and Crosby is back in Las Vegas while the Ravens prepare for a future with Hendrickson.

In a vacuum, the Ravens needed a pass rusher; Hendrickson amassed a whopping 35 sacks from 2023-24. The Ravens knew how he could inflict damage, facing him twice a year as he played for the Cincinnati Bengals. So signing Hendrickson as a closer, even if Hendrickson’s reputation as a run defender and three-down edge rusher lag far behind that of Crosby, isn’t wild. But effectively canceling the Crosby trade to sign Hendrickson, when Crosby was already in your building? That was a huge surprise. League sources are split on whether to believe the Ravens ever actually entertained signing Hendrickson to play with Crosby. The cost of that edge-rushing room begs questions even for a team that had cash available when Tyler Linderbaum signed with the Raiders. The surprise will linger through this season and perhaps the next — as Hendrickson and Crosby’s future production become intertwined in the league narrative.

Head coach Jesse Minter (left) and general manager Eric DeCosta (right) welcome defensive end Trey Hendrickson to Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Robinson: Easily the ceiling-shattering, three-year, $81 million deal the Las Vegas Raiders doled out for center Tyler Linderbaum. The Baltimore Ravens attempted to keep Linderbaum in the fold but never got close, maxing out their negotiation at four years for $88 million — which still would have been the richest deal in NFL history for the center position, surpassing the $18 million annual average value of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey. Rather than taking that solid raise and sticking in Baltimore, Linderbaum (who has three Pro Bowl selections but zero All-Pro nods) nuked the salary scale by a whopping additional $9 million a season. That could create a seismic salary pivot for essentially all offensive linemen. That’s what is so stunning about his deal. It’s high-end left tackle money, which now raises the salary boat for tackles and interior linemen alike. It sets the stage for some intriguing future negotiations, as we wait to see if Linderbaum’s deal is just a shocking outlier, or if this is really the kind of money good interior linemen can hold out for.

With all of that said about the value of the deal and how it shakes up the wage scale, the actual talent acquisition for Las Vegas is significant. Linderbaum will become the anchor of the offensive line in front of soon-to-be No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza, giving the rookie quarterback a dependable and talented veteran center to grow with in the coming years. Linderbaum will most certainly help Mendoza with his transition in identifying protections at the line of scrimmage, while also being arguably the most valuable asset in identifying the Mike linebacker and setting the table for head coach Klint Kubiak’s wide-zone rushing attack.

[Enter Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem now for your shot at $50K]

Schwab: I’ll go with a signing, or signings, that were not made. Sean Payton’s teams have never been shy in free agency. With Russell Wilson’s salary cap hit finally coming off the books, the path was wide open for Payton’s Broncos to spend on a roster that was 14-3 last season and might have come a blizzard and quarterback injury away from a Super Bowl. But … nothing. No upgrade at running back, push to find a true No. 1 receiver or anything else. A week into free agency, the Broncos hadn’t signed a single outside free agent. Re-signing running back J.K. Dobbins and linebacker Alex Singleton is fine, but the team could have found upgrades at those spots too. Meanwhile, the Broncos lost valuable defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers to the Titans. I simply can’t believe the Broncos have been this quiet. 

McDonald: I’m with C-Rob on Linderbaum, but in the interest of choosing a different player, I’ll go with the Browns signing former Chargers guard Zion Johnson to a contract that will pay him like a top-15 guard on an annual basis. Johnson was by far the healthiest offensive lineman the Chargers have had over the past few years, but the former first-round pick wasn’t an effective blocker for them and, compounded with the injuries of his teammates along the offensive line, directly contributed to L.A.’s offensive struggles over recent seasons. The Browns’ strategy of signing Johnson and former Packers center Elgton Jenkins feels more like paying for names rather than quality players. Jenkins has been a great player in the past, but injuries have really hurt his overall ability in recent years. Acquiring Tytus Howard from Houston was a nice stabilizing move, but the Browns might be paying for production that isn’t there from the other two.

Epstein: Watching a bare-bones version of the San Francisco 49ers roster upset the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round was a testament to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s knack for maximizing his roster. But the 49ers desperately needed a receiver last year after sending Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders and then navigating Brandon Aiyuk never showing up amid contract disputes and rehabilitation. To get a six-time Pro Bowler in Mike Evans for just $14.3 million guaranteed is excellent value. Sure, Evans will be 33 years old by Week 1, and injuries limited him last year. But his 11 (!!) straight seasons surpassing 1,000 receiving yards understandably gave the 49ers confidence he was well worth their investment. The Niners should be cautious with his practice schedule given the team’s record on player availability. But his catch radius, career consistency and veteran leadership should complement tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey beautifully, challenging the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in what’s shaping up to again be the most competitive division in football.

Robinson: I loved seeing the Kansas City Chiefs stop screwing around with patchwork options at running back and commit to a potentially dominant player in Kenneth Walker III. Granted, there is still some consternation about Walker’s injury history, but he showcased his ability to be a major pillar supporting a Super Bowl run. I’ve said for years that the Chiefs have had to find more consistency running the football — over the course of a season and from one season to the next. If Walker stays healthy, I believe Kansas City will achieve that and help take some burden off Patrick Mahomes.

While Walker isn’t on the Saquon Barkley level when it comes to the ceiling of the two players, I do think he could end up having a 2024 Saquon-like impact for the Chiefs this coming season. And frankly, this was absolutely needed with Mahomes coming off a season-ending knee injury. Kansas City can’t afford Mahomes being one of its primary runners ever again. He’s just too valuable to continue that kind of risk. Walker should alleviate that and bring some good balance to an offense that has already started to transition away from Travis Kelce’s prime.

Schwab: I will agree that $67.5 million over three years for a quarterback with six career starts is a gamble. But I still like the Malik Willis addition by the Miami Dolphins. First, it was impressive they could land anyone with their salary cap issues, and they got by far the top quarterback on the board. He also came in at well under $25 million per season, which is another surprise after reports said he’d get more than $30 million per season. Less than $23 million per season at quarterback is not bad at all.

Willis has undeniable skills, as we saw in limited time with the Packers. And the Dolphins aren’t stuck if Willis isn’t good as a full-time starter; they can move on after two years without much of a cap hit. That allows them to still be players in the 2027 NFL Draft at quarterback, if needed. This might not work out, but it’s the position in which taking a risk is OK. If Willis works out it’s a franchise-changing move, which gives the fan base some hope that doesn’t exist yet for teams like the Cardinals and Jets. If Willis is bad, the Dolphins aren’t stuck. Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s worth the shot. 

McDonald: I liked the Titans taking a hack at improving their cornerback room by signing Alontae Taylor and Cordale Flott from the Saints and Giants, respectively. Taylor is coming off a season where he finally lived up to the lofty expectations that he set for himself and still has a reasonable amount of upside to tap into as a slot corner. Flott’s signing could end up being shrewd as well, putting together a strong skillset into a career-year before entering free agency. He has the frame to play on the outside and was an underrated performer on a dismal Giants team last season. Given the price tag and fluctuation in play over the years, Taylor’s signing was a bit riskier, but at his best he can be one of the premier slot cornerbacks in the league. 

Epstein: Call me a hypocrite for praising the 49ers’ bet on an aging receiver’s health then questioning the Carolina Panthers’ bet on a younger but injury-riddled edge rusher. But paying $30 million per year for Jaelan Phillips is a massive acceptance of risk after he tore his Achilles in 2023 and his ACL following college injuries significant enough to prompt a brief medical retirement. Quite frankly, I hope my skepticism proves unnecessary. I hope Phillips stays healthy enough to fulfill the Panthers’ vision of a versatile defender who can rush from the edge and interior as well as drop in coverage. After the Eagles acquired Phillips before the 2025 NFL trade deadline, Phillips showed how quickly he can acclimate to new teammates and a new scheme (yes, he was reuniting with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but with otherwise varied surroundings) to make impact plays.

Jaelan Phillips cashed in big this offseason, marking a considerable turnaround for the defender who once medically retired from football in college. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS

My main hesitation here is that the Panthers seemed to overpay as a response to losing Milton Williams last free agency to the New England Patriots. Acting out of fear of repeating the past can set a dangerous precedent — even if a salary cap above $300 million makes Phillips’ cost more reasonable.

McDonald: I’m with Jori. Congratulations to Jaelen Phillips on getting the bag, which is an extreme triumph in perseverance given the injury problems he’s had in his career. Going from medically retiring from football to securing a $120 million contract is no small feat. However, that is what makes this risky from the Panthers’ end. Phillips now ranks eighth in average money per year among edge defenders despite having only five sacks last season.

Now, sacks don’t tell the whole story and his overall pressure numbers paint the picture of a more disruptive player, but he hasn’t actually been the lead-off pass rusher the Panthers are paying him to be. Still, he should help their defense continue to build credibility and he’s undoubtedly an upgrade for this roster. 

Robinson: I’m going to go a little outside the box here and choose the signing that was just the ugliest: Trey Hendrickson in Baltimore. This has nothing to do with the talent or the money. I think the fit is perfectly fine, even if Hendrickson isn’t quite as well-rounded as Maxx Crosby would have been versus both the pass and run. Even with that reality, Hendrickson should be a great asset for the Ravens. It’s just the manner that this came together, with the Ravens pulling the plug on the Crosby trade and then suddenly landing Hendrickson right afterward. Maybe Baltimore really did have designs on landing both players and it’s just a terrible-looking coincidence that the Crosby trade was blown up when it became clear that Hendrickson’ salary average was going to be much less than the $40 million per season that some teams thought he’d try to command. Regardless of what the Ravens told Hendrickson about their pursuit of him and wanting to pair him with Crosby, there is no shortage of other front offices that are holding their nose on this one. Even if it’s not what unfolded, it looks like Baltimore pivoted to Hendrickson and scuttled the Crosby trade when it saw the opportunity to add an edge rusher for a similar salary commitment without also surrendering prime draft picks on top of it. Would some — or many — other teams have made the same decision? Maybe. The NFL is a bottom line business and the bottom line can often necessitate getting dirty. But there’s no doubt other front offices will remember this one for a long time. It was that shocking.

[Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season]

Schwab: Edge defender Odafe Oweh getting $96 million over four years with $68 million guaranteed from the Washington Commanders (according to Spotrac) was a sticker shock. That’s the third-largest deal among free agents switching teams. About five months before that deal, Oweh was traded for very little from the Baltimore Ravens to the Los Angeles Chargers after he started the season with no sacks in five games. He played less than 50% of his teams’ defensive snaps last season and has started 27 of 79 games in his career. Now he’s the 13th-highest paid edge rusher, in terms of average per season, in the NFL. Oweh is talented, as he showed getting 7.5 sacks for the Chargers in 12 games after the trade. He’s a former first-round draft pick and just 27 years old. But that’s a huge contract for a specialist, even if that specialty is extremely valuable in the NFL. 

A.J. Brown remains an Eagle amid some reported trade talks between Philadelphia and New England. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERS


Epstein: Are we headed toward trade-week action for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown? Just four years ago, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman … well, Howie Rosemaned, to the tune of a draft-day trade as he dealt the Tennessee Titans first- and third-round picks for Brown. Seeing Brown on the move during the same time frame this year would make sense. While trading Brown the first week of free agency would have allowed the Eagles and a trade partner to plan their roster builds accordingly, that window elapsing without action suggests Brown’s price is unlikely to be at its peak. On trade week, however, a team that aims for a high-end receiver and misses could realize its desperation to fill that hole — giving Roseman an opportunity to exercise leverage. I’m still watching the Patriots’ 31st overall pick: The chance to award Roseman a first-round pick that is two spots removed from a second-rounder in a draft light on high-caliber premium positions feels like a chance to placate multiple contenders. Add in Drake Maye’s rookie quarterback contract, as well as Brown’s history playing for Mike Vrabel when Vrabel was the Titans’ head coach, and no team connects more dots to Brown than New England. But signing Romeo Doubs last week gave the Patriots ground to stand on when telling Roseman that their desperation after releasing Stefon Diggs is milder than Roseman might wish. I’m skeptical that the Eagles suit up Brown for Week 1 but also won’t rule out a trade during OTAs or training camp if (and unfortunately when, based on league history) injury creates a hole in another team’s receiver room.

Charles Robinson: Jauan Jennings is going to help some team out there. I think he’s just going to have to get used to the idea that he’s not going to make the kind of No. 2 receiver money that he might have commanded a year ago when he was healthy and coming off a 77-catch, 975 yard receiving season. Whatever the case, he clearly wasn’t healthy last season and that has dramatically depressed his value in the free agency period. But he’s still a player with size who can be a nice asset in the red zone. He’ll come in and play physical and do the dirty work for someone. And he’ll do it in the middle of the field, which is becoming more of a rarity. Fit into the right system and surrounded by enough skill position talent to let Jennings settle in as a hungry third option, he’ll eat in an offense if he can just stay healthy and focused.

Jauan Jennings (15) and Brandon Aiyuk (11) have their sights set on landing with other teams after a stint with the 49ers. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)Lachlan Cunningham via Getty Images

McDonald: What’s the deal with Brandon Aiyuk? Following his unceremonious exit from the 49ers, which included a bizarre injury and injury rehab situation, Aiyuk was rumored to join the Commanders to play with his close friend and star quarterback Jayden Daniels. There doesn’t appear to be much movement on that front right now, making Aiyuk a puzzling situation overall. Prior to suffering a tough knee injury, he was genuinely developing into one of the best wide receivers in the league. He hasn’t played since midseason 2024, but even a fractured version of the player he used to be is still a starting-caliber wide receiver in the NFL. It’ll be interesting to see where he eventually ends up by the time training camp rolls around. 

Schwab: I still wonder what the Texans are going to do to fix their offensive line. They signed right tackle Braden Smith at a reasonable $10 million per season,but they also traded versatile Tytus Howard to the Browns and depth piece Juice Scruggs to the Lions. The Texans still have a bottom 10 offensive line, and that’s the one thing keeping them from making a big push to being a true Super Bowl contender. Yet they spent resources to trade for running back David Montgomery and signed safety Reed Blankenship. There’s no way the Texans are just standing pat at offensive line, right? We’ll see. 








Read full story at source