NFL Free Agency Early Winners
CHICAGO BEARS
WR DJ MOORE
LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS
LB TJ EDWARDS
OL NATE DAVIS
First up is the Chicago Bears, who entered this off-season with the most available cap space of any team in the league to match their long list of needs. Chicago made a statement early by trading the #1 overall pick to Carolina securing future draft capital along with WR DJ Moore who will be a huge upgrade to their WR room. They also tackled their need for LB by securing the top available one in Tremaine Edmunds and paired him with TJ Edwards, who will form a nice duo on defense. Rounding out their group is OL Nate Davis who has been a stable interior lineman for the Titans and should bring the same play to Chicago and help protect QB Justin Fields. Free agency is still in its early stage but Chicago has been some good signings that will hopefully bear some good fruit for the future.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
QB DEREK CARR
RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS
DL NATHAN SHEPHERD
New Orleans has been a been in re-tooling mode for the last few years after the departure of future Hall of Fame QB, Drew Brees, and now the team may be back on the rise with the addition of Derek Carr. The former Raiders signal call is still a very consisted QB and found a new home in New Orleans and should be a great fit for the Saints team and their culture. Along with Carr, the Saints added a quality DL in Nathan Shepherd and a touchdown machine in Jamaal Williams all while bringing back their veteran WR Michael Thomas who should give Carr a nice target with fellow receiver Chris Olave. The NFC South is wide open for a team to step up and this year may be the year for the Saints to return to the top as division champs.
DETROIT LIONS
S CJ GARDNER-JOHNSON
CB CAM SUTTON
CB EMMANUEL MOSELEY
RB DAVID MONTGOMERY
Another NFC North team makes the list with the Detroit Lions who are quickly ascending as one of the more exciting teams to watch thanks to HC Dan Campbell. The biggest additions so far in free agency are S CJ Gardner-Johnson following his big year with Philadelphia and RB David Montgomery who has been as solid as a team could want in a workhorse back for the rival Bears. The Lions also added CBs Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley to their young secondary in hopes their additions on defense could help them take the next step from team to the rise to playoff hopeful in 2023.
HOUSTON TEXANS
OL SHAQ MASON
WR ROBERT WOODS
TE DALTON SCHULTZ
S JIMMIE WARD
Houston is preparing to draft their QB of the future this spring so entering free agency they surely wanted to upgrade at some positions along with moving veteran WR Brandin Cooks. They traded Cooks to the Cowboys but added a pair of pass catchers in WR Robert Woods and TE Dalton Schultz and upgraded their OL by trading for one of the better interior linemen in the league in Shaq Mason from the Buccaneers. HC DeMeco Ryans made sure not to neglect the defense and brought over one of his guys from San Francisco in S Jimmie Ward who will bring leadership to the secondary and should pair nicely with Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
CB PATRICK PETERSON
OG ISAAC SEUMALO
LB COLE HOLCOMB
One of the more underrated teams this off-season in terms of helpful moves through free agency has been the Pittsburgh Steelers. None of their moves have been Earth shattering and wont make headlines but they are continuously building their roster with signings like CB Patrick Peterson and OL Isaac Seumalo. Peterson is a savvy veteran who had a good 2022 season with the Vikings and should be a big upgrade for their CB room and Seumalo is an instant starter for the Steeler OL and will pair nicely across from James Daniels in the interior. LB Cole Holcomb is also another good value signing who will have major starting reps this season and will hopefully bring stability to their LB core which they’ve missed since the retirement of Ryan Shazier.
NEW YORK GIANTS
TE DARREN WALLER
LB BOBBY OKEREKE
WR PARRIS CAMPBELL
The New York Giants had two big needs coming into the free agency period, TE and LB, and both were addressed with major upgrades in Bobby Okereke and a trade for Darren Waller. Waller is one of the top receiving TEs in the league and when healthy and on his game is one of the most dangerous receiving threats regardless of position. Okereke has been a tackling machine the last two seasons for the Colts and will likely be the Giants leading tackler in 2023. The Giants also added a speedster WR in Parris Campbell who will bring another dimension to their offense and should be able to compete for starting reps due to a lack of star power at the WR position. New York can certainly add more depth but so far in free agency they have been calculated with their moves and it’s paid off.