Since the NFL free agency period began on March 9, many teams have made a splash and given fans what they want, while others have seemingly sat on their hands despite glaring needs.
And now that these most important and eventful days of the Offseason have raced by, it seems like an appropriate time to grade the biggest moves made and explain how they affect teams’ goals and needs.
Free Agency signings
Edge Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens: B+
Contract details: 4 years, $112 million(up to $120 with incentives), with $60 million guaranteed.
Reason for the Grade: Trey Hendrickson is an exceptional, elusive, and highly skilled Edge rusher, and he has the potential to finally transform the Ravens’ defense from an inconsistent but talented unit to a consistent force to be reckoned with. With all that said, there is the glaring reality that he’s 31 years old, missed over half of last year due to injury, and he is now making $28 million a year. Nevertheless, this move still gets a B+ because of the remarkable potential he could unlock in this Ravens Defense alongside stars like Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton.
CB Tariq Woolen to the Eagles: A
Contract details: 1 year, $15 million with $12 million guaranteed.
Reason for the Grade: Woolen is one of the most physically gifted defensive backs in the league with his exceptional speed and a towering height of 6’4’’, truly ideal for a player of his position. He is still relatively young at 26, and he has shown that he can be a great man coverage corner, partly due to his speed. The only reason this signing isn’t an A+ is that he had a slightly down year with the Seahawks last year.
WR Alec Pierce returns to the Colts: F
Contract details: 4 years, $114 million with $60-$84 million guaranteed.
Reason for the Grade: Pierce had his breakout year this past season with Indianapolis, boasting 1,003 receiving yards with 6 TDs, establishing himself as a deep threat, and the Colts number 1 target.
With that being said, over $28 million a year for a player of his caliber is outrageous. He is a good receiver, but would be the number 2 target on many teams and maybe the number 3 on a select few, such as the Eagles and Bengals. He has very little versatility in the routes he can run, as most of his routes come from deep routes. He never should’ve gotten more than half of what he got.
QB Malik Willis to the Dolphins: C+
Contract details: 3 years, $67.5 million, with $45 million guaranteed
Reason for the Grade: Malik Willis was the best backup Quarterback in the league, coming in for an injured Jordan Love on multiple occasions and not just keeping the Packers afloat, but keeping them competitive and playing at a very high level. However, he only played in three games this year for Green Bay.
And while he did play great in those games, the opposing defenses did not scheme for his style of play as a solid passer and great scrambler, which left defenses often confused and lost. But as a starter, defensive coordinators can scheme in ways that can stop him. He’s a good QB but unproven, hence a C+.
QB Kyler Murray to the Vikings: A+
Contract details: 1 year, $1.3 million.
Reason for the Grade: Kyler Murray has his fair share of problems, such as injuries, his height, and inconsistency as an accurate passer. But he was also once a Pro Bowl Quarterback who is one of the most explosive scramblers in the NFL, not to mention he had a near-MVP campaign in 2021 before he got hurt. And the Vikings filled a glaring need at QB for a league minimum contract. Minnesota truly could not have done better with its QB situation in this particular offseason. Murray was given a 1 year “prove it” deal with no risk for the Vikings and a very high upside, especially since Kyler now has the privilege of throwing to the best Reviever in the NFL, Justin Jefferson.
Offseason Trades
CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams: Rams: B+ Chiefs: B-
Trade details: Rams receive CB Trent McDuffie, Chiefs receive Rams’ first-round pick(2026 no.29), 2026 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick, and 2027 third-round pick
Reason for the grade: The Rams were on the short list of teams that could have won the Super Bowl, but one of their biggest needs was a lockdown corner. They now have one of the 3 best corners in the league, which should, by all means, make them the best team in the entire NFL.
The chiefs got a good haul, with the plethora of picks they received. However, those picks are not very valuable because the Rams will play too well for them to be high in the draft. And now that they lost McDuffie, along with Jaylen Watson, who was also signed by the Rams, they now have a glaring need at CB, which they will hopefully address in the draft. They still get a B- because a first-round pick is a valuable asset.
WR Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos: Broncos: B+ Dolphins: B-
Trade details: Dolphins receive 2026 first(No. 30), third, and fourth round picks, Broncos receive WR Jaylen Waddle and a 2026 fourth round pick.
Reason for the grade: The Broncos were another team on the short list of Super Bowl contenders this past season, and they probably would have made it if it weren’t for an injury to their quarterback, Bo Nix. But there was one problem: their explosiveness on offense. They had arguably the best defense in football, but were often missing a great playmaker on offense. They now have that playmaker with the addition of Jaylen Waddle. They are now one of the most well-rounded and complete teams in the League with this addition.
The Dolphins got a great haul in return for Waddle. The first-round pick can be used to address their glaring need for a cornerback. However, they just signed a new quarterback, Malik Willis, and they have now gotten rid of his best weapon, which makes the Willis signing less promising, which is why they get a B- instead of a higher grade.
WR D.J. Moore to the Bills: Bills: A Bears: A
Trade details: Bears receive Bills’ 2026 second-round pick, Bills receive 2026 fifth-round pick and WR D.J. Moore
Reason for the grade: The Bills are always contenders in the AFC, but can never quite go the distance. The main reason is the lack of weapons for their MVP quarterback, Josh Allen. They now have a good but not great WR for him to throw to in Moore, which is also why they gave up a second-rounder and not a first. Moore is the first WR they’ve had since Stefon Diggs that can actually run routes well and cause problems for opposing defenses, which should unlock their offense and finally give the Bills the juice to compete for a title.
The Bears got a second-round pick in return, which can help them address problems at Defensive Tackle, and while they did lose D.J. Moore, they were going to lose him either way, and getting a second-round pick made it worth their while.
Written by junior Nicholas Reingold and senior Ethan Lin. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.