Best, worst moves of NFL free agency 2024: Which signings will pay off? Which will fail?
The big splashes this free agency cycle − such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Kirk Cousins and Christian Wilkins − are over.
Many NFL teams bolstered their rosters with big-name additions. Other teams made some head-scratching moves. Then, there’s always the clubs who made minor, under-the-radar acquisitions. And there are starting-caliber free agents still available as teams try to identify areas of need prior to the NFL draft.
But who made the best moves in free agency? Whose decisions were the most questionable?
USA TODAY Sports ranks the best and worst deals from the first few weeks of the NFL free agency period:
Best free-agent acquisitions
Derrick Henry to Baltimore Ravens
Henry and the Ravens are a natural fit. The Ravens deploy a run-oriented offense and Henry’s arguably been the best running back in the NFL the past five seasons. Henry’s age (30) is a factor, but the downhill ball carrier won’t be asked to shoulder all the rushing load because Baltimore also boasts promising running back Keaton Mitchell and dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is coming off his second MVP.
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Jackson running the read option with Henry is bound to be a nightmare for defenses.
The Ravens led the NFL in rushing last season. Don’t be surprised if Baltimore tops the league in rushing again.
Saquon Barkley to Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles went on an uncharacteristic spending spree in the first wave of free agency. The biggest splash was giving Barkley a three-year, $37.75 million contract that could be worth up to $46.75 million.
Barkley is a versatile running back who can run between the tackles and catch passes out of the backfield. He could have the same effect on the Eagles' offense as Christian McCaffrey had on San Francisco. Defensive coordinators are going to have a difficult time game planning for Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. Barkley should make life easier for quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Barkley’s rushed for over 1,300 yards twice in his career. The Eagles’ last 1,300-yard rusher was LeSean McCoy in 2014.
Durability is a concern for Barkley, as he’s only played 14 games in a season three times.
Marquise Brown to Kansas City Chiefs
The defending Super Bowl champions replaced Marquez Valdes-Scantling with Brown. With all due respect to Valdes-Scantling, Brown is an upgrade.
Brown’s a fast receiver who’s topped 50 catches four straight years. He’ll likely add a vertical element to Kansas City’s offense that’s been missing since it traded Tyreek Hill to Miami.
Brown was asked to be a No. 1 wide receiver at previous stops, but he’ll probably be the second wide receiver option in Kansas City behind Rashee Rice. Then there’s a guy by the name of Travis Kelce who’s bound to get over 100 targets at tight end.
Patrick Queen to Pittsburgh Steelers
Queen is a Steelers-type signing at linebacker. He is coming off a Pro Bowl season that saw him record a career-high 133 tackles. The Steelers haven’t had a linebacker record at least 130 tackles in a season since Lawrence Timmons in 2014.
Queen’s addition stabilizes a position of need in Pittsburgh and simultaneously weakens the rival Ravens. Queen was USA TODAY Sports’ top-ranked inside linebacker at the start of free agency.
T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Queen should form a formidable trio at linebacker.
Christian Wilkins to Las Vegas Raiders
The Dolphins surprisingly let Wilkins walk and the Raiders reaped the benefits, giving the interior defensive lineman a four-year deal worth $110 million.
Wilkins was the highest-ranked defensive tackle on USA TODAY Sports’ original top 50 free agents list (after the Chiefs re-signed Chris Jones).
Wilkins tallied a career-high nine sacks and had 61 pressures in 2023. He started every regular-season game for the Dolphins the past three seasons.
The defensive tackle will help shore up a Raiders run defense that ranked in the bottom half of the NFL last season and relieve some pressure off defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Mike Williams to New York Jets
The Jets picked up Williams after he was a Chargers salary cap casualty. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver has good ball skills and a big catch radius.
Gang Green needed more out wide behind Garrett Wilson. (Allen Lazard was the Jets' second leading wide receiver in 2023, and he finished with 23 catches for 311 yards.)
Williams is coming off a serious knee injury, but he’s expected to be ready by Week 1.
Worst free-agent moves
Sam Darnold to Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings waved goodbye to Kirk Cousins and welcomed in Darnold.
Darnold’s proved he’s not a starting-caliber quarterback, but he’s currently atop Minnesota’s QB depth chart, which can’t excite the Vikings’ fanbase or star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who is in line for a mega-deal.
Minnesota’s best offseason move might be acquiring an additional first-round pick in a trade with the Houston Texans. The Vikings now own picks Nos. 11 and 23 in the first round. The extra ammunition could help Minnesota move up in the draft to select a top quarterback prospect.
Gardner Minshew to Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders had expressed interest in quarterback Justin Fields before he found a home in Pittsburgh.
In the end they brought in Minshew, creating an underwhelming quarterback competition between him and Aidan O'Connell. With Minshew or O'Connell at starting QB, it’s going to be tough for the Raiders to compete in a division with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
Could the Raiders select a quarterback with the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft? Coach Antonio Pierce spoke a lot about this year’s quarterback class at the NFL’s annual league meeting.
“You want a certain quarterback, you got your eye on one or two and three, but I don't think you can go wrong with this year's draft with any of these guys,” Pierce said. “Now do they pan out? I don't know. It's the fit, it's when they get brought along, it's the system. A lot of things go into play."
Gabe Davis to Jacksonville Jaguars
Davis inked a three-year deal in Jacksonville after spending his first four seasons in Buffalo. He's a quality wide receiver, but he’s never had a season with more than 48 receptions.
The Jaguars’ top receivers are currently Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Davis after they lost Calvin Ridley to the Tennessee Titans in free agency. None of the three are legitimate No. 1 wideout options for Trevor Lawrence.
Kenneth Murray Jr. and Tony Pollard to Tennessee Titans
The onboarding of Murray and Pollard raised some eyebrows.
Murray is an athletic, imposing linebacker. But poor tackling angles and execution errors plagued him during his tenure with the Chargers, who didn’t pick up his fifth-year option. The new staff was fine letting him walk.
The Titans signed Murray to a two-year deal worth up to $18 million.
On offense, the Titans replaced the face of their franchise (Henry) with Pollard, who is younger but not as productive or accomplished.
In the Titans defense, though, they are undergoing a massive changing of the guard.
Robert Hunt to Carolina Panthers
The Panthers gave Hunt a massive five-year, $100 million contract. He’s the second highest-paid right guard in the NFL in terms of overall contract value. Hunt finished last season below average among guards in both pass block win rate (89.6%) and run block win rate (68.6%), per ESPN.
Protection up front for Bryce Young is a priority for the Panthers after the quarterback was sacked 62 times last season, the second most in the NFL. But Carolina might’ve overpaid for Hunt in a desperate attempt to upgrade its O-line.
To be determined
Kirk Cousins to Atlanta Falcons
Cousins is a clear upgrade from the inept quarterback play in Atlanta last year. But signing a 35-year-old quarterback coming off a ruptured Achilles to a four-year contract worth up to $180 million is a risky decision.
If Cousins helps Atlanta earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2017, he’ll be worth the money. The projected starting QBs in the NFC South are Cousins, Bryce Young, Derek Carr and Baker Mayfield. Cousins is set to enter the season as the best QB in the division.
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