2025 NFL Free Agency: The Best and Worst Contracts Signed This Offseason

The first wave of free agency is complete, and it's time to look back at the slew of new deals that have been given out over the past week.

While this wasn't a start to the offseason for the history books—the amount of new money given out wasn't too absurd and the number of big-name players moving was low—there were still a handful of blockbuster transactions that moved the needle ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Not every free-agent pickup was a shrewd one, though. Several signings stick out as potential albatrosses for a variety of reasons. Some players pulled off heists this offseason and are now set to be overpaid based on recent production, injury woes or age.

With that in mind, here's a look at the best and worst contracts of the 2025 NFL free-agent signing period thus far.

Contract figures courtesy of Spotrac

Contract: One year, $8 million

The Dallas Cowboys earned a rare free agency W with their signing of Dante Fowler Jr.

This marquee franchise hasn't been a major factor in the open market recently, and although Dallas didn't land any headline players this offseason either, the front office did get some strong value in a one-year, $6 million deal (that can reach $8 million with incentives) for a quality edge-rusher.

Fowler is coming off a quality 10.5 sack season, his highest total since 2019. While it was just the second time in his nine-year career that he breeched the double-digit sack mark, it has him set up well to deliver in his return to Dallas following a year with the rival Washington Commanders.

Even if the 30-year-old slightly regresses in 2025, the Cowboys should still get their money's worth here. Fowler is still productive and is going to make far less than pass-rushers in similar stages of their careers such as Leonard Floyd, who earned $10 million from the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Contract: Three years, $51 million

The New Orleans Saints are making some head-scratching decisions this offseason. One of their biggest blunders is committing more than $50 million to Chase Young over the next three years.

While the 25-year-old hasn't been a poor edge defender, he's no longer the force he was prior to a career-altering knee injury in 2021. He's been rather average since signing with the Saints last offseason, collecting 5.5 sacks and 31 tackles—including eight for a loss—while playing 742 defensive snaps in 2024.

These may not be terrible numbers for a rotational pass-rusher, but allocating a sizable chunk of money to an injury-prone player isn't the right move for a cash-strapped Saints squad.

The team hasn't contended since Drew Brees retired but continues to spend big on veterans while punting the financial ramifications of these decisions down the line.

Even if Chase goes on to post some of his best personal seasons over the next three years, his presence won't result in New Orleans becoming a Super Bowl threat. The team should embrace a rebuild, but signings like this just continue to put off the inevitable.

Contract: One year, $6.25 million

The Carolina Panthers scored one of the best value pickups of the 2025 offseason in Rico Dowdle.

The 26-year-old is coming off the best season of his career and was one of the few bright spots for a downtrodden Dallas Cowboys squad in 2024.

The undrafted running back took over the starting role early in the campaign and went on to notch 1,328 yards and five touchdowns on 274 total touches.

Despite becoming the first undrafted Cowboys player to rush for 1,000 yards, the team elected to let its homegrown talent walk. Dallas' loss will be Carolina's gain, as the Panthers secured a productive back with low mileage and plenty of upside for the low cost of $3 million in base salary.

Dowdle can make up to $6.25 million if he reaches all the incentives in the contract, a real possibility given he's likely to split backfield work with incumbent starter Chuba Hubbard.

Hubbard may be coming off the best season of his own career and is likely to remain the RB1 in Carolina, but Dowdle will see the field plenty while taking on the touches vacated by Miles Sanders following his departure.

Contract: One year, $3 million

As if losing Rico Dowdle wasn't a big enough blow to the Dallas Cowboys' backfield, their decision to sign Javonte Williams as a replacement only salts the wound.

While Williams is two years younger than Dowdle and set to earn a similar base salary in 2025, the former Denver Broncos back was far less productive last season. He struggled to move the ball on the ground, tallying a pedestrian 513 yards and four touchdowns on 139 totes—a meager 3.7 YPC average.

One area where Williams has fared better is pass-catching—he contributed 346 yards on 52 receptions last year—but that factor hardly makes up for Dallas' decision to cut ties with Dowdle.

Considering Williams has nearly double the career touches of Dowdle (764 vs. 387) and a concerning injury history (a Year 2 ACL tear derailed what had been a promising start to his career), this signing simply doesn't make sense.

Although the financial commitment isn't much, Williams isn't the answer to Dallas' backfield woes, and the team now has even more urgency to address the position in the 2025 draft.

Contract: One year, $9 million

Kevin Zeitler will soon be suiting up for his third team in as many seasons, but the experienced guard has shown no signs of slowing down now that he's in the mercenary stage of his career.

The 35-year-old was one of the best value pickups of the 2024 offseason when the Detroit Lions signed him to a one-year, $6 million deal. He quickly became a key cog, starting 16 games and playing 1,047 offensive snaps for the NFC's top seed.

Zeitler was highly effective during his short stint in the Motor City, earning an impressive 86.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, taking just two penalties and allowing five sacks on the year.

Despite these strong efforts, the Tennessee Titans were still able to land Zeitler for a cool $9 million. The move shores up an offensive line that sorely needed steady veterans to stabilize the trenches in time for a rookie to take over under center.

Regardless of whether the Titans take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders—the top quarterbacks on the B/R Scouting Department's big board—Zeitler's pass-protection prowess will greatly aid the eventual No. 1 overall pick's transition to the pros.

Contract: Two years, $30 million

The Kansas City Chiefs have had a rough couple of months.

After losing Super Bowl LIX in blowout fashion and having three-peat dreams dashed, the team hasn't done much to inspire confidence in getting back to the big game for a fourth consecutive year.

Kansas City's formerly rock-solid offensive line is now in a state of transition, one that could result in Patrick Mahomes' protection taking another step back in 2025. The departure of perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thuney stung enough before being compounded by the team's inability to land top free-agent target Ronnie Stanley.

With Stanley opting to return to the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs had to pivot to Jaylon Moore as their pick to take over at left tackle.

While the 27-year-old has upside, he primarily served as a backup during his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, starting just 12 games in four seasons.

Trusting an unproven left tackle with protecting the best quarterback in the world is a major risk.

While Moore did only allow one sack and was whistled for zero penalties across the 271 offensive snaps he played in 2024—earning a decent 74.9 PFF grade—he's going to need to step up his game if the Chiefs wish to remain the team to beat in the AFC.

Contract: Two years, $44 million

The Los Angeles Rams made a tough but fair decision to jettison Cooper Kupp to make room for Davante Adams this offseason. The move represents a clear upgrade and keeps the team's Super Bowl window cracked open a bit longer.

Adams should thrive in L.A. while lining up across from Puka Nacua and catching passes from Matthew Stafford.

While he's two seasons removed from the last of his three consecutive All-Pro nods, the 32-year-old has been putting up respectable numbers on bad teams. He finished 2024 with 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns on 85 catches—the fifth consecutive season he's reached those marks.

Projected to work primarily as the Rams' X receiver, Adams should be able to get open at will and feast against single and press coverages. His presence opens up even more of head coach Sean McVay's scheme and could help a team that narrowly missed out on an NFC Championship Game appearance last year get over the hump.

Adams may not have too many elite years left, but 2025 is a safe bet to see the superstar return to Pro Bowl form while helping guide L.A. deep into the postseason.

Considering he is now locked in at a fair price and will also be off the books by 2027, this move fits perfectly into the Rams' timeline.

Contract: Three years, $45 million

The Seattle Seahawks have been one of the most inconsistent teams of the 2025 NFL offseason and their decision to sign Cooper Kupp only adds to the confusion.

Seattle initially seemed to be trending toward a rebuild by jettisoning the trio of Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf—the core of the offense for much of the last three seasons—before pivoting and signing veterans like Sam Darnold and Kupp to big contracts.

The Kupp deal is especially head-scratching. While his $15 million salary isn't outlandish in comparison to some of the other wide receiver deals given out in free agency, it's a decent amount to commit to a player heading into his age-32 season.

It's especially puzzling given he hasn't put up big numbers and has been dealing with a litany of injuries following his Triple Crown-winning 2021 campaign.

In the three seasons that followed Kupp's historic campaign, the wideout has amassed just 2,259 yards and 17 touchdowns on 201 catches. He's missed a total of 18 games in that span as well, including four last year with an ankle sprain.

Although the Seahawks clearly needed a second wideout to pair with breakout star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, they should have looked to the draft to fill that need. Doing so would have fit the rebuilding mode and given the Seahawks upside for the future, something Kupp offers little of.