In real life, you often get what you pay for. But that’s not always the case in NFL free agency, where splashy, expensive signings often fail to outperform cheaper, less-heralded additions.
As is the case every year, the first week of free agency saw teams spending big money. But which FA additions were smart value moves, and which ones could have teams regretting their shopping sprees next season?
Best Contracts From 2025 NFL Free Agency
CB D.J. Reed, Detroit Lions
Contract: 3 years, $48 million ($32 million guaranteed)
After losing top cornerback Carlton Davis III to the New England Patriots, the Detroit Lions rebounded nicely by signing D.J. Reed. Reed signed for $4 million less in average annual value but has allowed fewer yards per target than Davis in four of the five seasons since becoming a starter in 2020.
Overall, Reed ranks third among DBs in yards per target allowed since 2020, trailing only L’Jarius Sneed and Pat Surtain II. His new deal ranks him 18th among cornerbacks in average annual value, a reasonable spot considering he’s still only 28 years old.
The Lions played man coverage at the highest rate in 2024, but Reed is coming from a New York Jets defense that played it at the eighth-highest rate. He should start across from Terrion Arnold in 2025, allowing second-year pro Ennis Rakestraw Jr. more development time after he played only 46 defensive snaps as a rookie.
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Contract: 3 years, $66 million ($45 million guaranteed)
Chris Godwin could have cashed in as the top free agent wide receiver after Tee Higgins received the franchise tag. Instead, he reportedly took a discount to remain in Tampa Bay, keeping one of the league’s best offenses intact.
Godwin’s new contract pays him $22 million per year, which ties him for 17th among wide receivers. That’s far lower than what he could have commanded if he pushed for top dollar, making this a big win for Tampa Bay.
Although he’s coming off a major ankle injury, Godwin will still be only 29 years old next season, giving him a good chance to play out this deal. Before his injury, he was on pace for the best season of his career. Through Week 7, Godwin ranked second with 576 receiving yards and ninth with 2.38 yards per route. His 7.2 YAC per reception was also easily a career high, though that was partially due to his career-low aDOT (5.7 air yards).
Regardless, Godwin has been extremely consistent and is an ideal complement to Mike Evans. His career average of 1.97 yards per route run is identical to what Evans has averaged since 2017, with both ranking in the top 20 over that span. Keeping one of the best receiver duos intact should allow Tampa Bay to build on last season’s success after ranking third in PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
WR Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
Contract: 2 years, $44 million ($26 million guaranteed)
Like Godwin, Davante Adams signed a deal that pays him $22 million per year, barely cracking the top 20 among wide receivers in annual value. Although his All-Pro days are likely behind him at age 32, Adams remains an overqualified No. 2 WR who upgrades the Los Angeles Rams’ passing game behind Puka Nacua.
Adams averaged 2.17 yards per route run after being traded to the Jets, which would have ranked 20th over the full 2024 season. While some believe he was force-fed targets by Aaron Rodgers, Adams’ 29% target rate with New York was almost identical to his Las Vegas Raiders average (28.9%).
There’s proof that Adams can still produce at a high level with competent quarterback play. In 2022, with Derek Carr, Adams was a first-team All-Pro, led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns, and ranked sixth in yards per route (2.46). Matthew Stafford more than meets that standard, and Adams’ presence could improve the Rams’ downfield passing game, which lacked last season.
This may end up being a one-year arrangement, as Adams’ cap number jumps to $30 million in 2026. The Rams will likely need to extend or release him at that point, but they would save $18 million in cap space by moving on next offseason if needed.
S Justin Reid, New Orleans Saints
Contract: 3 years, $31.5 million ($22.25 million guaranteed)
Since 2022, the salary cap has increased by $71 million (34%). Yet, despite playing 49 of a possible 51 games over the past three seasons, Justin Reid signed the same contract with the New Orleans Saints that he did three years earlier with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Reid received a fair amount of guaranteed money, but he’s a bargain as the 15th-highest-paid safety by AAV. Since 2022, his 23 passes defensed are tied for sixth-most among safeties. He was also a key piece in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense due to his positional versatility.
Last season, Reid played 56% of his snaps as a deep safety, 26% in the box, and 18% in the slot or at outside cornerback. That flexibility pairs well with new teammate Tyrann Mathieu, another versatile defensive back. Given the lack of depth at cornerback after Paulson Adebo’s departure in free agency, having two reliable safeties should help New Orleans cover potential weaknesses on the perimeter.
At 28, Reid is a strong bet to fulfill this contract given his durability. He played at least 90% of the defensive snaps every season with the Chiefs and has never appeared in fewer than 13 games in any of his seven NFL seasons.
Reid’s contract came in well below his free agent peers. Jevon Holland, Camryn Bynum, and Talanoa Hufanga each signed deals at around $15 million AAV, while Tre’von Moehrig went above that with $17 million annually from the Carolina Panthers. While there’s room to debate where Reid ranks among that group, he shouldn’t be making nearly a third less than his counterparts in average annual salary.
The Saints might be better off beginning a long-overdue rebuild, but it’s hard to argue against the value of this signing. Reid should be a defensive cornerstone, just as he was in both Houston and Kansas City.
G Kevin Zeitler, Tennessee Titans
Contract: 1 year, $9 million
The Tennessee Titans had the fifth-worst offensive line by PFSN’s rankings in 2024. That’s not an ideal environment for a rookie quarterback — something Tennessee could face if it drafts Cam Ward No. 1 overall in April.
While Tennessee’s other big FAt signing wasn’t nearly as strong a value (see below), adding veteran guard Kevin Zeitler at a reasonable price was an excellent move. Zeitler is 35 years old and entering his 14th season, so this isn’t a long-term fix. However, ensuring a young QB has a stable offensive line is crucial for development, and bolstering pass protection is a big step toward making that happen.
Last season, the Titans allowed the 10th-highest pressure rate (36.6%), including the seventh-highest on non-blitzed dropbacks.
Pass protection has long been a strength for Zeitler. Since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019, he has the eighth-lowest pressure rate allowed (3.4%) among guards. He’s also been incredibly durable (15+ games played in 10 straight seasons) and disciplined (just six penalties over the last three years).
Offensive line instability was a major factor in the Titans’ miserable 3-14 season. Tennessee started 10 offensive linemen, tied for the third-most of any team. Now, the Titans have a solid projected starting five even before the draft, putting them in a much better position than in recent years. The 2025 season will largely depend on developing a franchise quarterback, and free agency has built a more stable foundation for that to happen.
Worst Contracts From 2025 NFL Free Agency
DT Javon Kinlaw, Washington Commanders
Contract: 3 years, $45 million ($30 million guaranteed)
The defensive tackle market was out of control during free agency, and one of the more puzzling deals went to Javon Kinlaw.
The former San Francisco 49ers first-round pick played last season on a one-year, $7.25 million deal with the Jets. To his credit, he stayed healthy, started all 17 games, and recorded 4.5 sacks — nearly as many as he had in his first four seasons combined (5.0).
Still, the raise Kinlaw received from Washington is questionable, given his lack of consistent production. Even in his best season to date, he had just 30 pressures and an 8.3% pressure rate, ranking tied for 36th among DTs in total pressures and 39th in pressure rate.
Kinlaw has never been a particularly strong run defender, either. In 2024, his 11.3% tackle rate ranked 69th out of 100 defensive linemen with 200+ run-defense snaps.
And while Kinlaw has played all 17 games in back-to-back seasons, he also had significant injury concerns from 2021-22. He played only 10 games for the 49ers in that span, missing time with a torn ACL and recurring knee issues. While he’s not a major health risk after two straight healthy seasons, Kinlaw’s medical history isn’t spotless.
All that would be fine if Washington structured the contract in a way that provided an easy out. However, with $30 million guaranteed, Kinlaw needs to be productive for at least two seasons, as Washington wouldn’t save money by cutting or trading him until 2027.
Adam Peters, who was part of the 49ers’ front office when Kinlaw was drafted, is clearly betting on familiarity and potential. Yet, Kinlaw has rarely demonstrated that he’s a dependable high-level starter, making him a surprising investment so early in free agency.
DT Milton Williams, New England Patriots
Contract: 4 years, $104 million ($63 million guaranteed)
Milton Williams signed the largest contract of any defensive free agent this offseason. The former Philadelphia Eagles DT was a highly efficient pass rusher in 2024, with a 14.2% pressure rate that ranked second among interior linemen behind Chris Jones. Williams capped off his Eagles career with a spectacular Super Bowl performance, recording two sacks in a dominant pass-rushing effort.
The issue with Williams is sample size, and it raises concerns in a few areas. By now, it’s well-known that he has never played even 50% of the defensive snaps in any of his four seasons. In fact, Williams has logged at least half the snaps in only 21 of his 76 career games (including playoffs).
Another factor that isn’t as widely discussed is that 2024 was the first time Williams produced at an elite pass-rushing level. From 2021-23, he had a much more modest pressure rate of 7.4% over 815 pass-rush snaps, ranking 35th out of 85 defensive tackles with at least 500 pass-rush snaps in that span. That’s nearly identical to Cincinnati Bengals DT B.J. Hill (8.1%), who just signed a much more reasonable three-year, $33 million deal.
Williams will be only 26 years old this season, and players do improve as they develop. But the Patriots aren’t just betting that his 14.2% pressure rate over 282 pass-rush snaps is real — they’re also betting that he can maintain that efficiency while playing significantly more snaps.
There are cases where small sample-size success translates to bigger roles. Trey Hendrickson, for example, never played more than 53% of the defensive snaps with the Saints but posted a career-high 14.4% pressure rate in 2020. Since then, he’s sustained or exceeded that rate in each of his four seasons with Cincinnati while handling a larger workload.
Williams could follow a similar trajectory and develop into the elite pass rusher New England is paying him to be. However, history suggests that banking on limited sample sizes in free agency is often risky. If Williams doesn’t maintain his 2024 production, his contract could become another cautionary tale.
OT Dan Moore Jr., Tennessee Titans
Contract: 4 years, $82 million ($50 million guaranteed)
It’s understandable that the Titans wanted to upgrade their offensive line. They had PFSN’s 28th-ranked offensive line last season, and their tackle play was especially poor. With rookie JC Latham struggling at left tackle, Tennessee’s OTs allowed the highest pressure rate in 2024.
Signing Dan Moore Jr. allows Latham to move to his natural position at right tackle. However, it’s unclear whether Moore himself can provide above-average pass protection on the other side.
In four seasons, here’s how Moore’s pressure rate ranked among LTs with at least 250 pass-blocking snaps:
- 2021: 7.1% (30th out of 34)
- 2022: 6.1% (19th out of 32)
- 2023: 10.7% (34th out of 35)
- 2024: 7.1% (26th out of 32)
At no point has Moore ranked in the top half of the NFL among left tackles in pressure rate allowed. Three of his four seasons have placed him in the bottom seven. While he gets credit for durability (starting 66 of 68 possible games), Moore’s performance suggests his ideal role is as a swing tackle or short-term starter.
Despite that, Moore’s $21 million-per-year average ties him for sixth among left tackles, and his reported $50 million in guarantees matches Laremy Tunsil for second-most behind Andrew Thomas. The structure of the deal isn’t clear yet, but the Titans will likely have an out after two seasons if needed.
Offensive tackles were in high demand once Ronnie Stanley and Alaric Jackson signed extensions before the start of free agency. In that sense, it’s understandable why the Titans spent on Moore to avoid missing out entirely. Pairing him with Zeitler gives Tennessee a solid projected starting five, which holds value.
That doesn’t mean this deal will provide surplus value, though. Moore will have to make significant improvements to justify his salary.
QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Contract: 3 years, $100.5 million ($55 million guaranteed)
Adding Sam Darnold to this list isn’t necessarily about him as a player — it’s about the direction of the Seattle Seahawks.
On the open market, this deal isn’t unreasonable. Darnold’s $33.5 million AAV ranks 18th among quarterbacks, and his $18.3 million-per-year guarantee ranks 14th.
Darnold finished 12th in PFSN’s QB+ rankings last season, meaning even a slight regression would still provide reasonable value. The issue is that Seattle was the team to make this deal, which sends mixed signals about its plans.
The consensus was that the Seahawks intended to push for the playoffs in 2025, but they traded away Geno Smith and DK Metcalf while also cutting several veterans.
An even bigger concern for Darnold is Seattle’s offensive line. The Seahawks ranked 30th in PFSN’s OL rankings in 2024, in large part due to the highest pressure rate allowed (39.4%). The interior line was particularly problematic, giving up the highest pressure rate of any guard-center group in the league.
Darnold has historically struggled under pressure, ranking 38th out of 44 QBs in interception rate when pressured (3.8%). Even during a career year with the Minnesota Vikings, he ranked 18th in EPA per dropback when pressured (-0.32) compared to 11th when kept clean (0.29).
Entering free agency, the Seahawks had the most picks in the top 100 (five) and the fewest cap commitments for 2026. That suggested a team prepared to reload through the draft and begin a short-term rebuild. Instead, Seattle is making moves that could keep it stuck in the middle of the pack — possibly with a lower floor than in recent years with Smith.
Klint Kubiak was with Darnold in San Francisco in 2023 as the 49ers’ passing game coordinator. Unless he can replicate what Kevin O’Connell did for Darnold in Minnesota, the Seahawks may find themselves looking for another quarterback by this time next year.
DE DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Contract: 3 years, $42 million ($18 million guaranteed)
For the most part, the edge rusher market in free agency was quiet. Young players coming off strong years signed mid-level deals — such as 27-year-old Josh Sweat, 25-year-old Chase Young, and 25-year-old Dayo Odeyingbo.
Most veteran pass rushers, including Haason Reddick, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa, had to settle for one-year deals. The glaring exception was DeMarcus Lawrence, who turns 33 in April and played only four games in 2024 due to a foot injury. Despite that, Seattle gave him a deal worth up to $14 million per year.
Even excluding incentives, reports estimate Lawrence is earning $10.8 million per year, which would make him the sixth-highest-paid player on the team.
In his last two healthy seasons (2022 and 2023), Lawrence generated pressure at an above-average rate — making the Pro Bowl both years. Among 67 pass rushers with 700+ snaps in that span, he ranked 16th in pressure rate (13.8%). However, he only totaled 10 sacks across those two seasons, which highlights a long-standing issue.
Lawrence doesn’t consistently convert pressures into sacks. Since his back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in 2017 and 2018, he hasn’t recorded more than 6.5 sacks in a season.
Since 2019 (as far back as PFF tracks pressures in TruMedia), Lawrence has converted only 11.4% of his pressures into sacks. That pressure-to-sack rate ranks 130th out of 182 pass rushers with at least 1,000 snaps. In other words, while a healthy Lawrence is above average at generating pressure, he’s below average at actually bringing down the quarterback.
On a one-year deal at a lower salary, there wouldn’t be much downside to adding a rotational player with run-stopping ability. But the Seahawks are paying Lawrence as if he’s a core piece of their defense, which is a different situation entirely.
Lawrence’s age and recent injuries make it an even bigger risk. Besides missing 13 games last season, he also missed 10 games in 2021 with a broken foot. He’s still a solid player and should provide value if he stays healthy, but that’s not a given, and it’s unlikely he’ll perform at a level that justifies this contract.