Spending money in NFL free agency does not equate to winning more games, although I would argue that axiom has been challenged in the NIL era, where draft classes are a little more inconsistent. Couple this with evolutions in longevity science—cue everyone pulling up info about Matt Stafford’s rejuvenation chamber that magically healed his back and propelled him to a 46-touchdown, MVP season—and the veteran contract can, emphasis can, be more meaningful in the right hands.
It’s with that in mind that we unveil our first set of power rankings since the start of the new league year. We’re placing a special emphasis on additions during the first few waves of veteran free agency and how that might alter the landscape heading into the 2026 offseason.
1. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle general manager John Schneider faced a similar problem this offseason to the one he had during the Legion of Boom era: keeping together an increasingly expensive roster while maintaining the core of a team that romped through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl. So, landing Rashid Shaheed last season and keeping an element of the offense intact that helps the scheme work is just as—if not more—important than headhunting in free agency and landing a big name. He did this while inking Jaxson Smith-Njigba to a market-setting contract.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams didn’t just attack the cornerback position; they demolished the room. This was the team’s one glaring weakness from a year ago, and, understanding the ever-finite nature of time and open windows, the Stafford era will roll on for one more season with a freshly remade secondary. Imagine what skilled defensive coordinator Chris Shula will be able to do without all the breakdowns on the back end and clear matchup nightmares.
3. Denver Broncos
The Jaylen Waddle trade is an absolute ripple-maker. While I think it's fair to wonder about long-term durability and efficacy, we’ve seen how desperate Sean Payton’s offense was for the type of receiver that can make a defense pay with punishing deep-ball scores. Waddle, I’m guessing, will be among the league leaders next season in touchdowns of 20 yards or more and will help the Broncos evolve going into a critical season.
4. San Francisco 49ers
I am on record: The Mike Evans deal is my favorite signing of free agency. While the 49ers will have to duel with the electrical substation to keep this aging roster on the field together, Evans takes a defender out of the box and lets Christian McCaffrey cook on the ground. Here’s a whole column about it.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
I’ve written a lot already about Kenneth Walker III and the Chiefs, and why I like giving Patrick Mahomes a scheme-averse game-breaker who can gain the tough yardage on the ground and remove stress from the quarterback’s shoulders. But it’s worth noting that safety Alohi Gilman and DT Khyiris Tonga are also fantastic signings in the hands of the capable Steve Spagnuolo. This defense has been in desperate need of an ideological turnaround, and these pieces can be pivotal in that process.
6. Buffalo Bills
The Jim Leonhard era is off to a strong start. Bradley Chubb, this year’s Bills veteran pass rusher of choice, joins a refurbished safety room and defensive backfield that should give Leonhard some coverage flexibility as a first-year DC. While one imagines that Buffalo will remain active in post-draft veteran free agency, the Bills’ primary goal in the first wave was to retrofit a defense for Leonhard, who will thrive on simulated pressures and on altering the picture for opposing quarterbacks.
7. New England Patriots
I love Mike Vrabel’s style, which continues to prioritize surrounding Drake Maye and the rest of his young roster with veterans who can fit under the coach’s umbrella of unusual misfits. Alijah Vera-Tucker was one of the higher-upside signings of free agency. Assuming that the versatile guard/tackle can stay healthy, he has plenty of good football ahead and takes some of the pressure off the Patriots’ maligned offensive line.
8. Los Angeles Chargers
Another take I am on the record with already: Tight end Charlie Kolar and fullback Alec Ingold are gigantic signings for Justin Herbert and will improve the infrastructure of an offense that fell apart last year when both of its anchor tackles went down. By possessing talent at blocking tight end and fullback, the Chargers can mitigate some of the fallout and continue building a cleaner pocket for Herbert and a dynamic running game for Omarion Hampton.
9. Houston Texans
I love what the Texans have done this offseason, adding veteran tackle Braden Smith and dependable Wyatt Teller to help overhaul the offensive line. Reed Blankenship adds a heady piece in the secondary for DeMeco Ryans’s defense, and David Montgomery gives Houston’s offense something it has sorely lacked: a dependable pass-protecting back who can also bring the all-important physicality to a ball-control offense.
10. Chicago Bears
The Coby Bryant–Devin Bush one-two punch was a major victory for Dennis Allen and a Bears defense that was still struggling with an identity crisis in the post–Matt Eberflus era. Bush has shed all of his early-career labels and turned into one of the more underrated front-seven weapons in the NFL: a lane-clogging linebacker who is an instant threat to deflect or intercept passes.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I, particularly, am done overrating the Bengals during the preseason simply because Joe Burrow may be healthy enough to play significant games with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. I am now overrating them because I like the combination of Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook. Cook can solve some of the team’s run defense woes, while Mafe can help defensive coordinator Al Golden recreate a more versatile mystery-rush defense in the wake of losing Trey Hendrickson.
12. Baltimore Ravens
Speaking of Trey Hendrickson, Baltimore came into this offseason needing a run-stopping edge defender in Jesse Minter’s defense. Maxx Crosby fit the bill better than Hendrickson, but health—or cold feet—stopped Baltimore from consummating the deal. The Ravens lost a boatload of offensive infrastructure but did manage to nab a replacement for Alohi Gilman in the team’s three-safety sets and upgraded at guard, signing of John Simpson.
13. Washington Commanders
I was critical of the Commanders' offseason last year. This year, I feel like the team’s moves better align with the franchise’s growth rate. Tight end Chig Okonkwo could be a menace in this offense if used correctly, and adding both Leo Chenal and K’Lavon Chaisson shows me that Dan Quinn plans to really alter how Washington is going to pressure opposing quarterbacks next season. I see Washington slotting right back into contender mode, having added the right pieces rather than splashy ones this winter.
14. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles feel like a team trying to hold the fort for one season before making major decisions that could ideologically change the franchise’s course. Assuming A.J. Brown is traded at some point and Philly is left with a pieced-together receiver room that needs to be supplemented through the draft, the Eagles do not profile as a unit that is “surging” this time of year.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars came and left free agency without making much of a statement. While this is all well and fine, Jacksonville doesn’t have a first-round pick thanks to the Travis Hunter trade, and Hunter is now almost assuredly going to be a full-time cornerback. Getting cornerback Montaric Brown back was an important part of the Jaguars’ offseason checklist, but I’m struggling to see the evolution taking place here.
16. Dallas Cowboys
It’s frustrating to see Jerry Jones bemoan the lack of defense from 2025, only to utilize free agency to admit that he was the problem. The Cowboys layered their defense with critical role players as they try to set the table for a Vic Fangio–lite scheme under the famed coordinator’s longtime understudy, Christian Parker. I imagine Dallas will continue to bolster its defense in the draft.
17. Green Bay Packers
Reuniting Jonathan Gannon with DT Javon Hargrave is one of the better pairings of new coordinators with familiar free agents, given that it stops the bleeding for Green Bay on two fronts: one, it adds some much-needed depth to the Packers’ defensive line, and two, it gives Gannon a leg up in replacing the talented Jeff Hafley. Do I think it’s enough right now for me to consider the Packers an NFC North favorite? No.
18. Detroit Lions
I have not seen a team come undone from its peak as quickly as the 2024 Lions. But after changes at both coordinator spots and key free-agency departures, Detroit is desperately attempting to hang onto difficult-to-replicate tenants: a physical, game-altering offensive line and a fearless, take-on-anyone secondary. Isiah Pacheco is not an upgrade over David Montgomery, but former Panther Cade Mays is at least a serviceable stopgap at the center position.
19. Minnesota Vikings
I’m curious to see what’s behind the mass career reconsideration of Kyler Murray that seems to be underway. In our industry, we are adept at utilizing a slew of analytics to prove a point, when those numbers could just as easily make the opposite point. Assuming that Murray will now flourish in the Kevin O’Connell offense is just as faulty as the assumption that J.J. McCarthy automatically would—in my opinion. Murray is no doubt an upgrade over McCarthy, and perhaps with elevated QB play and the Brian Flores standard on defense, we’re looking at a transformed roster. But is that too generous an assumption?
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are hard to hype up right now because we still don’t know whether Aaron Rodgers will be playing quarterback. While every day that he doesn’t retire leads me to believe he’s running it back, we’re awaiting the revelation of a known quantity: Rodgers is a capable-to-very-good veteran who can command a game and clearly still possesses the necessary gusto and cowboy toughness to get the job done. But … the Steelers, even under Mike McCarthy, continue to invest in pieces that keep the team quintessentially itself: a plodding, veteran-laden, defense-heavy unit. At the very least Pittsburgh should be commended for attacking the cornerback position so aggressively in free agency.
21. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers take a big leap forward (at least from the perspective of where Carolina would rank on a list like this a season ago) thanks to the aggressive moves for Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd. Getting pieces together to add flexibility for ace defensive play-caller Ejiro Evero will end up being the most impactful move the Panthers make during this critical offseason.
22. Indianapolis Colts
I am selling my Colts shares, as I have mentioned multiple times this offseason. Spending big to return players from a team with few quality wins last year and doubling down on Daniel Jones is worrisome at best—not because Jones is bad, but because Jones was buoyed by a phenomenal running game that will be difficult to replicate again this season, in addition to the fact that he’s coming off some real injuries.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I am perhaps overrating the loss of Mike Evans, given how talented the wide receiver pool is beneath him in Tampa Bay. And, take a player thinking the grass is greener elsewhere with a grain of salt in the NFL. But I do wonder if we’ll begin to see the wear of so many coordinator changes, coupled with the division’s growth around them. While I think the Kenneth Gainwell signing was one of the most underrated moves of free agency, the Buccaneers still have some work left to do.
24. New Orleans Saints
I really like New Orleans’s offseason plan. This offensive line is going to be an absolute unit in 2026 after pivoting to the more sure-handed David Edwards, and the Travis Etienne Jr. signing (paired with either Alvin Kamara or another drafted back) should set the tone for Year 2 of the Tyler Shough era. Kaden Elliss caps off a flurry of moves that I think give this team a legitimate shot at second place in the NFC South this year.
25. Atlanta Falcons
Count me as very worried about the Falcons’ quarterback position. Moving from Kirk Cousins to Tua Tagovailoa as a backup is an obvious cost-cutting measure, though I’m concerned what will happen if Michael Penix Jr. doesn’t take to the Kevin Stefanski offense, or, ultimately, gets hurt again. Atlanta is also trying to throw darts at a replacement for Kaden Elliss, but did address the lack of a run-stopping defensive tackle by signing Da’Shawn Hand.
26. Tennessee Titans
I love the energy of Tennessee’s offseason, which, like the Patriots’ before it, has allowed the Titans to function as if they were a competitive franchise. Maybe not a playoff outfit, but not necessarily a team with so many holes that we can’t reasonably project any meaningful growth. Robert Saleh has totally remade a defense that finished among the worst units in football. Bringing that number even to league median is going to have a considerable impact on Tennessee’s prospects.
27. New York Giants
We can all agree that the addition of John Harbaugh was the largest move the Giants made this offseason, though it’s hard not to love bringing in both Isaiah Likely and Patrick Ricard, who, like Charlie Kolar and Alec Ingold in Los Angeles, will have an immediate impact on the security of the quarterback. Harbaugh’s professional sheen will give the Giants a shield against the chaos for one offseason, allowing the organization to function similarly to how it did during the heyday of the Tom Coughlin era.
28. Las Vegas Raiders
Similar to the Titans, the Raiders were incredibly aggressive this offseason—giving center Tyler Linderbaum a market-setting deal—but it was especially true on defense. Retaining Maxx Crosby, while ultimately not part of the plan, alongside the additions of Nakobe Dean, Kwity Paye, Malcolm Koonce and Quay Walker could bring Las Vegas into top-10 consideration on defense. While that sounds like a reach, the Raiders actually defended the run quite well last year and getting Crosby back can be an anchor in that investment.
29. New York Jets
I think the Jets did a better job than many of these flailing teams at finding quality stopgap solutions that will not interfere with the creation of a long-term plan. The Jets’ defense should be better by virtue of importing a handful of brand names that meet the Aaron Glenn rubber-stamp of approval. However, they’re almost all very easily wiped off the books when a trove of new draft picks comes in over the next two years. Geno Smith and Frank Reich are also a pairing I don’t hate as much as I thought I would.
30. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland pivoted away from its longtime cadets on the offensive line, seeking upside elsewhere with the signings of Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson. When adding the Tytus Howard trade, Cleveland’s offensive line will not necessarily be better, but it will be younger, presumably more injury-averse and able to implement Todd Monken’s new scheme.
31. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have made it clear their intentions for 2026, which feels like an even more extreme version of the pre–Brian Flores, Tank-for-Tua iteration. Trading Jaylen Waddle leaves Miami with the worst skill-position unit in the NFL and a major uphill climb for new quarterback Malik Willis.
32. Arizona Cardinals
A Jacoby Brissett–Gardner Minshew II quarterback room is a tough spot for the Cardinals to land after Wave 1 of free agency. Barreling into a draft with no clear No. 2 option behind Fernando Mendoza leaves Arizona with a team that better pray the vision general manager Monti Ossenfort is selling—that there is talent, albeit underutilized by the previous staff—is true.
More NFL From Sports Illustrated
- 2026 AFC Team Free Agency Grades: Raiders Stock Up, While Dolphins Clean House
- Travis Kelce Was All Smiles Receiving Patrick Mahomes’s Phone Call While Signing New Contract
- Why the Patriots Are Moving on From Drake Maye’s Backup, Josh Dobbs
- We Compare Jeremiyah Love to Other First-Round RBs
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Post-Free Agency NFL Power Rankings: Bengals, Commanders Are Contenders Again.
