NFL free agency is all but done for the 2025 offseason as teams are now turning their attention to filling their remaining roster holes in the NFL draft.
What follows is a look at the most significant free agent each team lost this offseason.
Arizona Cardinals
Roy Lopez, Defensive Tackle
The Cardinals were lucky not to lose any big contributors to free agency, but Lopez is a solid rotational defensive tackle who was the most significant subtraction. The Detroit Lions gave him a $3.5 million deal for one season to yank him away, but his loss shouldn't be felt too heavily in 2025.
Atlanta Falcons
Drew Dalman, Center
Dalman was the top center available in free agency and the Falcons failed to re-sign him. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 78.8 in 2024, which ranked fourth among centers in the NFL. The 26-year-old signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chicago Bears that included $28 million in guaranteed money. An ankle injury robbed Dalman of eight games in 2024, but he's still a huge loss for Atlanta.
Baltimore Ravens
Patrick Mekari, Guard/Tackle
Mekari can play all over the offensive line but mostly played guard and tackle for the Ravens. With Baltimore opting to re-sign Ronnie Stanley, Mekari was likely the casualty of that financial decision. He made 17 starts this season for the Ravens, and played 88 games (53 starts) during his six years in Baltimore. A pass-blocking specialist, he was signed away by the Jaguars on a three-year, $37.5 million deal.
Buffalo Bills
Mack Hollins, Wide Receiver
Mack Hollins isn't just a colorful guy who arrives at games barefoot, he also developed into a key part of the Buffalo Bills' passing attack in 2024. Hollins caught 31 passes for 378 yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns. The New England Patriots signed the 31-year-old to a two-year, $8.4 million deal. While the Bills have enough depth to survive, Hollins will be missed.
Carolina Panthers
Johnny Hekker, Punter
Yes, losing a punter can be significant. Hekker didn't have his best season in 2024, as he ranked 12th in net punting (41.9 yards per punt) and 28th in average yards per punt (45.7), but he was eighth in average return yards (6.8). The 35-year-old is a six-time All-Pro (four first-team selections) and was a member of the NFL's 2010s All-Decade team. He has a long track record of success and it's always risky to make big changes to special teams units. Hekker was allowed to leave and signed a one-year deal with the Titans.
Chicago Bears
Coleman Shelton, Center
While the Bears' offensive line was terrible during the 2024 season, Shelton was the lone steady spot. He started all 17 games at center, playing 99% of Chicago's offensive snaps. He was on a one-year deal after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Rams. One season away was enough, as he bolted back to L.A. on a two-year, $12 million deal. The Bears signed Dalman away from the Falcons and should be happy with the trade off.
Cincinnati Bengals
Trent Brown, Offensive Tackle
The Bengals can ill-afford to lose anyone on the offensive line, but they cast Brown adrift after a disappointing season in 2024. The veteran tackle suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 3 and missed the rest of the season. The Houston Texans signed him to a one-year deal hoping for a bounce-back season. Meanwhile, the Bengals will have to add offensive line help via the draft.
Cleveland Browns
Dalvin Tomlinson, Defensive Tackle
The Browns have so many issues to address, they allowed Tomlinson to slip away this offseason. He had a solid campaign in 2024, starting 16 games, garnering a 67.4 grade from Pro Football Focus and ranking 26th among defensive linemen with 36 pressures. The Cardinals snagged him on a two-year, $29 million contract.
Dallas Cowboys
Jourdan Lewis, Cornerback
Lewis has been a staple of the Cowboys' secondary since they selected him in the third-round of the 2017 NFL draft. He posted a PFF grade of 71.7 in 2024, the final season of an affordable three-year, $13.5 million deal he signed in 2021. The Jacksonville Jaguars were able to tear the 29-year-old away with a three-year, $30 million deal the Cowboys could have matched but chose not to. They'll attempt to replace him with Kaiir Elam, who was acquired via trade with the Bills.
Denver Broncos
Cody Barton, Linebacker
The Broncos made some big signings this offseason but losing Barton could be significant. In his one season with Denver, he played in all 17 games and racked up 106 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions and five pass breakups. The 28-year-old is the kind of workmanlike linebacker who flies under the radar but every NFL team loves to have. The Titans signed him away on a three-year, $21 million deal.
Detroit Lions
Carlton Davis, Cornerback
Davis turned in a good season in 2024, his only campaign in Detroit. Pro Football Focus graded the veteran corner out among the league's top 30 cornerbacks. In 13 games, the 28-year-old had 56 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and two interceptions. He missed the end of the season and the playoffs due to a broken jaw. The Lions signed D.J. Reed in free agency and let Davis leave for New England on a three-year, $60 million deal with the Patriots.
Green Bay Packers
Eric Stokes, Cornerback
Stokes has yet to live up to his full potential during his four seasons with the Packers, but the talent is there for him to finally break out at some point. After a promising rookie campaign in 2021, the former first-round pick struggled with injuries and inconsistent play. Green Bay let the 26-year-old walk this offseason as the Las Vegas Raiders scooped him up on a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
Houston Texans
Eric Murray, Safety
Murray was a solid piece at the back of Houston's secondary, and he was a good veteran presence during his five seasons with the Texans. In 2024, he played in all 17 games, starting 14 and contributing 75 tackles, one sack, an interception and 10 pass breakups. That was enough for the Jaguars to ink him to a three-year, $22.5 million deal.
Indianapolis Colts
Will Fries, Guard
Fries was one of the NFL's best guards in 2024 before he suffered a fractured right tibia in Week 5 and missed the rest of the season. Still, he was excellent in that short stint, and the Colts had to watch the 26-year-old bolt for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. The Penn State product earned a grade of 86.9 from Pro Football Focus, which was good enough for the Vikings, who signed him to a five-year, $88 million contract. Not bad for a former seventh-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Evan Engram, Tight End
Engram is getting older but he's still productive. In 2023, the 30-year-old had 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns en route to earning a Pro Bowl nod. Injuries limited him to nine games last season but he still made an impact, hauling in 47 receptions for 365 yards and a score. He was cut due to salary-cap implications and the Broncos signed him to a two-year, $23 million deal.
Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Reid, Safety
Reid has been a key part of the Chiefs' run to three straight Super Bowls and helped them win championships in the 2022 and '23 seasons. He ranked as one of the league's 20 best safeties in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus, and wound up signing a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the New Orleans Saints as a result. The Chiefs had to reshuffle a lot of their roster after the 2024 season and Reid was one of the casualties.
Las Vegas Raiders
Tre'von Moehrig, Safety
Moehrig improved significantly in 2024, as the former second-round pick set a career-high with 104 tackles while adding a sack, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups. The Raiders likely would have loved to have him back, but the Panthers gave him a big three-year, $51 million deal to steal him away.
Los Angeles Chargers
Poona Ford, Defensive Tackle
Ford was one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL during the 2024 season and it was, frankly, shocking the Chargers didn't work overtime to get him back. Instead, he bolted across town to play for the Rams for an incredibly affordable three-year, $27.6 million contract with $15.6 million guaranteed.
Los Angeles Rams
Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver
Kupp has suffered several injuries since his monster 2021 campaign. In that season, he caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors as the Rams won the Super Bowl. Since then, he has missed 18 games over the past three seasons due to two ankle injuries and a hamstring issue. As soon as the Rams signed Davante Adams, Kupp became expendable. They released the 31-year-old, who then signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. When healthy, Kupp is still an effective wideout and will be missed in L.A.
Miami Dolphins
Jevon Holland, Safety
Holland struggled during the 2024 campaign, and in 15 games had 62 tackles and one sack. His PFF score dropped to 63.0 after checking in at an outstanding 90.3 in 2023. The 25-year-old noticeably regressed but was still one of the best free safeties available based on his talent. The New York Giants took a chance on the Oregon product, inking him to a three-year, $45 million deal. If he returns to his former stature, the Dolphins will regret allowing him to walk away.
Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold, Quarterback
The Vikings are taking a big risk at quarterback, allowing Darnold to walk in free agency and handing the team over to 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy. Though he didn't finish the season well, Darnold was excellent in 2024, completing 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Seahawks jumped on him in free agency, inking the 27-year-old to a three-year, $100.5 million deal.
New England Patriots
Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback
The Patriots didn't see many players leave in free agency, but allowing Brissett to walk might be their biggest loss. He's a solid backup quarterback with experience as a starter who provided great insurance against an injury to young signal-caller Drake Maye. The Cardinals gave him a two-year, $12.5 million deal, and New England will likely employ Joshua Dobbs as its backup quarterback.
New Orleans Saints
Paulson Adebo, Cornerback
Adebo suffered a broken femur in October, which cost him the rest of the 2024 season, but he's been a solid piece in New Orleans's secondary for four years. He ranked 15th among cornerbacks with a PFF grade of 78.7 in 2023 before dropping a bit to 63.3 in 2024. The Giants believed in him enough to give him a three-year, $54 million deal.
New York Giants
Adoree Jackson, Cornerback
Jackson is a solid cornerback who has started 41 games over the past four seasons for the Giants and done so admirably. PFF gave him a grade of 69 for the 2024 campaign, ranking him 58th among cornerbacks in the NFL. The 29-year-old is an excellent rotational piece who can start when needed, and the Philadelphia Eagles got him cheaply for $1.76 million on a one-year deal. The Giants may regret passing on that bargain.
New York Jets
D.J. Reed, Cornerback
Reed was excellent during the 2024 season, which made him one of the most desirable free agents this offseason. With Carlton Davis on his way out, the Lions landed him with a three-year, $48 million deal. His PFF score in 2024 was 70.7, which was solid, but in 2021 his grade was 90.5, and in 2022 it stood at 77.7. The 28-year-old was a great complement to Sauce Gardner and will be missed.
Philadelphia Eagles
Milton Williams, Defensive Tackle
One of the biggest signings of the offseason was Williams securing a four-year, $104 million deal with the Patriots. There was no chance the Eagles could retain the 25-year-old defensive tackle, so his departure was expected. Williams ranked second in pass rushing productivity and fourth in pass rushing win percentage among defensive tackles, and was outstanding in Philadelphia's Super Bowl LIX win. The Eagles have an outstanding defensive front, but the loss of Williams will be felt.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Dan Moore Jr., Offensive Tackle
The Tennessee Titans likely overpaid for Moore by giving him a four-year, $82 million deal with $50 million in guaranteed money, but still, the Steelers will miss his presence. Moore improved tremendously in 2024 and became a legitimate starting left tackle. Pittsburgh will now have to cover for his absence, likely by moving Broderick Jones to left tackle.
San Francisco 49ers
Talanoa Hufanga, Safety
Hufanga was name first-team All-Pro in 2022 but has dealt with injuries ever since. The 25-year-old tore his ACL in 2023, then dealt with a wrist injury that cost him a chunk of games in 2024. That said, when healthy, he can still be an elite playmaker in the secondary. Facing a salary crunch, the 49ers let him go in free agency and the Broncos gave him a three-year, $39 million deal, betting on him returning to his former ability.
Seattle Seahawks
Laken Tomlinson, Guard
Tomlinson started 17 games at guard for the Seahawks in 2024, and the 33-year-old former Pro Bowler was a reliable presence along the offensive line. He's durable and steady, and the Texans were able to get him cheap on a one-year, $4.25 million deal.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Robert Hainsey, Center
Hainsey started at center for the Bucs in 2022 and '23 but was replaced by rookie Graham Barton in 2024. He didn't play much but, based on his previous performance, the Jaguars gave him a three-year, $21 million deal. Tampa Bay bet heavily on Barton. If it was a bad call, losing Hainsey could hurt.
Tennessee Titans
Harold Landry, Edge Rusher
The Patriots' free-spending ways netted them Landry on a three-year, $43 million deal. The former Pro Bowler had nine sacks in 2024, following 10.5 in 2023. The 28-year-old peaked in his Pro Bowl season of 2021 when he racked up 12 sacks and 75 tackles. The Patriots are betting on a return to form.
Washington Commanders
Jonathan Allen, Defensive End
A two-time Pro Bowler, Allen found a big contract when the Vikings handed him $51 million over three years this offseason. The 30-year-old only played in eight games during the 2024 campaign as a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him. Allen has fallen off a bit since his most recent Pro Bowl season in 2022 but is still a formidable presence up front.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Naming the Most Important Free Agent Each NFL Team Lost This Offseason.
