NFL Free Agency: Winners, Losers After First Wave Of Signings, Moves

Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals committed theft Wednesday night by signing the best tackle on the market, Orlando Brown Jr., on a four-year deal. Making it all the sweeter is the fact that Cincinnati took Brown away from arguably their biggest AFC rival in the Kansas City Chiefs, who made it clear they wanted to move on. Brown blocking the blind side of Joe Burrow for years to come fills will make the Bengals all the more difficult to stop. It helps lessen the blow after Cincinnati lost both of their starting safeties Jessie Bates III and Von Bell.

San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have not been among the busiest teams on the free agent market, but their biggest addition is, well, big. San Francisco signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a four-year deal. Hargrave, who finished with 11 sacks in 2022, makes San Francisco’s defensive front with Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead even scarier.

Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins largely improved their mediocre defense with the trade for former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey, a three-time First Team All-Pro, enters his age-28 campaign and will pair alongside fellow cornerback Xavien Howard. Miami also added a productive linebacker in former Tennessee Titans linebacker David Long on a modest deal in free agency, a valuable contract given what some of the other linebackers have earned.

Losers
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles seemingly salvaged the departure of cornerback Darius Slay, but Philadelphia still has seen a number of departures in the early days of free agency. The Eagles have lost three defensive starters –Hargrave, Edwards, safety Marcus Epps — from the team which went to the Super Bowl last month.

Ezekiel Elliott
The longtime Dallas Cowboys running back was released on Wednesday after signing a monster six-year, $90 million extension in 2019. Elliott was owed $64.8 million for the remainder of his contract, but there was no guaranteed salary remaining on his deal. He also was set to count more than $16 million against the 2023 cap.

Veteran running backs
The days where running backs signed massive extensions seemingly are over. Jamaal Williams, who led the league in touchdowns last season, signed a three-year deal worth $12 million with the New Orleans Saints; James Robinson signed a two-year deal worth up to $8 million with the Patriots; Miles Sanders departed the Eagles and signed with the Carolina Panthers; and Alexander Mattison re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings on a two-year contract worth up to $8 million.