While the NFL free agency window officially opened on Wednesday, most teams formally took care of the business they’d already agreed to earlier in the week.
But there were still notable moves around the league. It’s time to recap Day 3’s winners, beginning with a free agent receiver who earned his first significant NFL payday.
NFL Free Agency Day 3 Winners
Calvin Ridley
Although Calvin Ridley had to wait until Wednesday, he eventually got paid. The Tennessee Titans convinced Ridley to leave the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars by giving him more money than almost anyone expected the former first-round pick to find on the open market.
The Brian Callahan-led Titans handed Ridley a four-year, $92 million contract that included a whopping $50 million in fully guaranteed money.
Ridley’s $23 million average annual makes him the 10th-highest-paid WR in the NFL. Despite being three years younger, Michael Pittman Jr. received just $333K more per season on his Indianapolis Colts extension. Meanwhile, Ridley’s guarantees rank second among wide receivers, trailing only the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill.
Will Levis
The Titans’ offense is starting to look downright interesting. Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins can work as co-No. 1 wide receivers, allowing 2022 first-round pick Trelyon Burks an opportunity to develop after injuries derailed his first two NFL seasons.
Tony Pollard signed with Tennessee on a three-year, $24 million deal this week, joining holdover RB Tyjae Spears in a two-headed backfield. Center Lloyd Cushenbery (four years, $50 million) became the Titans’ best offensive lineman the moment he signed.
Add in contributions from TE Chig Okonkwko, development from 2023 first-round guard Peter Skoronski, and a new scheme from Brian and Bill Callahan, and Tennessee could be a dark horse contender.
The pressure is now on second-year quarterback Will Levis, whose 33.2 QBR would’ve ranked 30th if he’d had enough attempts to qualify. But with so many new weapons, it’s easy to label him a winner.
Arik Armstead
On Wednesday, the San Francisco 49ers officially designated Arik Armstead as a post-June 1 cut, sending the veteran defensive tackle to the open market.
The free agent DT market was littered with starting-caliber options, even after Chris Jones re-signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and Justin Madubiike inked an extension with the Baltimore Ravens. Still, Pro Football Network listed Armstead as the second-best available DT, behind only new Las Vegas Raider Christian Wilkins.
The 30-year-old Armstead has already been tied to several interested teams, including the Titans, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. We’ll need to see what kind of contract he lands, but Armstead appears to have made the right call by declining a pay cut from the 49ers.
Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco probably thought his NFL career was over when the Cleveland Browns called last November. After guiding the Browns into the playoffs, Flacco earned a nice pay raise from the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday.
Flacco, whose deal with Cleveland had a base value of $2.2 million, will earn $4.5 million guaranteed from the Colts. With incentives, he could collect as much as $8.7 million. Given how often Indy rookie QB Anthony Richardson was injured in 2023, Flacco may (unfortunately) have the chance to cash in on those incentives.
New York Jets
The Jets’ offensive line was among the NFL’s worst in 2023, ranking bottom-four in pass-blocking and run-blocking win rates. General manager Joe Douglas had no choice but to overhaul the club’s front five before Aaron Rodgers returns to the starting lineup next season.
KEEP READING: Best Fits for Remaining NFL Free Agent WRs
New York signed former Ravens guard John Simpson on Tuesday, then landed another Baltimore lineman — right tackle Morgan Moses — in a Wednesday trade. By moving down 22 spots in the fourth round and sending the Ravens a sixth-round choice, the Jets solidified RT by acquiring Moses, a 144-game starter.
Every move. Every team. Don’t miss a thing with PFN’s NFL Free Agency Tracker.