The initial phase of “legal tampering” saw significant activity, and we’ll delve into the main trends. Broadly, the market unfolded predictably, with most players securing contracts aligned with their positions on our NFL Free Agency Consensus Top-200 Big Board.
This information is quite remarkable!
The most notable development to date involved offensive guard Zion Johnson agreeing to a $16.5 million annual contract with the Cleveland Browns. He held the 73rd spot among all free agents and was the seventh-ranked guard. Currently, his average annual salary places him 12th in this group, while those who secured higher average annual compensations generally averaged a 13.5 ranking on the collective board. His earnings surpassed projections by roughly 70%. A favorable outcome for him.
Prominent Free Agents Still Available
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1: Trey Hendrickson, EDGE
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28: Alijah Vera-Tucker, G
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47: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE
While 27 of the premier 50 free agents have already committed to new squads, a substantial pool of talent remains. Notably, two members of the Green Bay Packers are counted among the top six players still available for acquisition. This isn’t inherently negative, but it warrants observation.
The League’s Counter-Movement
Annual cap increases are approaching $25 million, which typically drives up player contract values year after year. However, this trend did not uniformly apply to two specific positions this year: off-ball linebacker and cornerback.
Linebacker
In the previous season, Nick Bolton and Jamien Sherwood, both linebackers without Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors, managed to secure $15 million per year agreements to stay with their respective teams just before free agency commenced. Many interpreted this as an indication that the baseline salary for bona fide starting linebackers completing their rookie deals had reached $15 million annually.
However, Monday delivered a stark realization for those representing linebackers. Devin Lloyd, an All-Pro from the previous year, could only secure a contract matching the $15 million annual figure that Bolton and Sherwood had received. Some projections had placed Lloyd’s next deal closer to $20 million per year. Furthermore, Quay Walker ($13.5 million per), Nakobe Dean ($12 million per), Tremaine Edmunds ($12 million per), and Devin Bush ($10 million per) all inked deals substantially lower than the perceived $15 million annual benchmark.
It appears the market is exhibiting some resistance to the 2025 valuation for this role, a period when talent availability was more limited. It’s quite uncommon for player values to decline in a market, even with shifts in supply, given the rising salary cap. Nevertheless, teams have maintained such consistent spending beyond the cap since the pandemic that certain organizations (though not all) are exhausting their financial flexibility to retain their rosters.
To illustrate, the Philadelphia Eagles, having remained inactive in free agency, find it nearly unfeasible to generate cap room through straightforward contract restructurings alone. They are now compelled to shed existing contracts to acquire new talent or finalize extensions.
Cornerback
The other area witnessing market recalibration was the cornerback position. In the prior year, four cornerbacks lacking all-star recognition managed to obtain $18 million annual contracts. This was similarly interpreted as establishing “$18 million as the starting rate for a genuine starting cornerback concluding their rookie deal.” Once more, this premise proved inaccurate (while similar projections held true for other positions, they faltered specifically for linebacker and cornerback).
Despite Paulson Adebo, an average cornerback recovering from *A BROKEN LEG*, securing an $18 million annual deal last offseason, Jaylen Watson, the top-rated cornerback in the current class, accepted a $17 million annual agreement on Monday. Jamael Dean, at 30 years old, secured only $12.25 million annually despite being ranked as the third cornerback and 17th player overall. For comparison, D.J. Reed (who was 29 last year) earned $16 million annually in 2025.
The sole cornerback to surpass the $18 million annual threshold was Alontae Taylor, signed by the Tennessee Titans for $19.3 million per year. Taylor has performed as a somewhat average cornerback, transitioning between slot and outside positions throughout his NFL tenure. In the upcoming two years, he is set to earn $8 million more than the all-star cornerback Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos. This acquisition could prove quite disadvantageous for Tennessee!
However, aside from Taylor, it strongly suggests a market correction has occurred. Other notable cornerback average annual salaries not yet discussed include Cordale Flott ($15 million per), Montaric Brown ($10.6 million per), Eric Stokes ($10 million per), Josh Jobe ($8 million per), and Amik Robertson ($8 million per).
With the exception of Tariq Woolen (ranked 16th) and Nashon Wright (ranked 37th), all cornerbacks ranked within the top 80 of this class have already secured agreements.
Positional Signings Breakdown
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Linebacker: 10 of 19 (53%)
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Cornerback: 11 of 24 (46%)
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Running Back: 6 of 14 (43%)
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Interior Defensive Line: 6 of 14 (43%)
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Edge Defender: 9 of 28 (32%)
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Quarterback: 2 of 9 (22%)
The markets for safety, quarterback (partially due to some players not yet being officially designated as cap casualties), and tackle have progressed at a sluggish pace. Conversely, centers (expected, given the limited availability), tight ends, and nose tackles were quickly snapped up on the opening day.
The offensive tackle market presents an intriguing situation, with teams possibly awaiting a resolution regarding Rasheed Walker (the sixth-ranked free agent). Additionally, uncertainty surrounds Trent Williams’ playing location in 2026. The San Francisco 49ers seem disinclined to retain him at his present cost, yet he remains neither released nor traded. Williams is 37 years old, but Walker stands as the sole young, full-time starter available. It’s understandable why the market might hold off on signing other players until the fate of the 12-time Pro Bowler becomes clear.
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Our collective free agent board will be continuously updated during the week for those wishing to track developments. Furthermore, monitor our cap casualty list as additional players emerge.
