NFC free-agency grades: Cowboys, 49ers, Panthers underwhelm

Less than a week into the official start of free agency, teams have gobbled up most of the top players. Yardbarker NFL writers assess how each team in the NFC has fared so far. (2024 regular-season records are in parentheses).

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS (7-10) | Grade: D | Dallas created $57M in cap space by restructuring the contracts of WR CeeDee Lamb and QB Dak Prescott and almost immediately handed out $28.8M in contracts to special teamers Trent Sieg (long snapper), Bryan Anger (punter) and KaVontae Turpin (returner). Recently signed players Robert Jones (guard) and Solomon Thomas (defensive tackle) won’t hurt the team’s depth, but Cowboys fans may hope new running backs Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams will take a back seat to a runner the team selects in the NFL Draft (April 24-26).

NEW YORK GIANTS (3-14) | Grade: B | The Giants upgraded their secondary with 25-year-old defensive backs (former Saints CB Paulson Adebo and ex-Miami safety Jevon Holland), each considered one of this year’s better free agents. Former Cowboys DE Chauncey Golston had career-best 5.5 sacks in a career-high 13 starts last season and looks to replace Azeez Ojulari in an edge rotation that already includes talented players Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3)  | Grade: C | Philadelphia couldn’t afford to keep DT Milton Williams, DE Josh Sweat and CB Isaiah Rodgers, but overthecap.com predicts those losses will bring compensatory third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks in 2026, when the team will try to lock up young stars Jalen Carter (DT), Nakobe Dean (LB) and Jordan Davis (DT). In the meantime, the Eagles kept All-Pro LB Zack Baun and made low-risk, high-reward signings (RB AJ Dillon, CB Adoree' Jackson and LB Josh Uche).

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (12-5) | Grade: C | It's usually a good sign when a team re-signs its own players, but Washington didn’t get any younger by re-signing 34-year-olds Zach Ertz (TE), Bobby Wagner (LB) and Tress Way (punter). GM Adam Peters scored big by trading for WR Deebo Samuel and LT Laremy Tunsil, but three years and $45M is a bit much for former Jets DT Javon Kinlaw, who averages less than two sacks a season. — Bruce Ewing

NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-9) | Grade: B | The Cardinals desperately needed to upgrade their defensive line and pass rush and did that in a major way by signing LB Josh Sweat, the former Eagle. It is a perfect match not only in terms of skill and production, but also for his connection to head coach Jonathan Gannon, the former Philadelphia DC. The Cardinals also made other depth defensive line additions (DT Dalvin Tomlinson and DE L.J. Collier), but Sweat is the big victory here. 

LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7) | Grade: B+ | It has been a mostly quiet offseason for outside additions for the Rams, who added center Coleman Shelton and WR Davante Adams, who will replace Cooper Kupp. But the additions are secondary to who the Rams kept. Making sure their franchise QB, Matthew Stafford, remained in Los Angeles, along with left tackle Alaric Jackson at a bargain price compared to what he could have received in free agency, are massive wins that will keep the Rams in contention. 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-11) | Grade: F | What's going on here? The 49ers have absolutely gutted their roster, not brought in anybody impactful from the outside and seem to be doing all of this so they can eventually pay QB Brock Purdy big money. The Purdy contract still has not happened, and even when it does, there should be concern whether or not he is the type of QB a team should invest in heavily. 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-7) | Grade: C | The Seahawks will be a much different team than they were in 2024 but with the same questions (so far) on the offensive line. QB Geno Smith and WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are out the door while QB Sam Darnold and WRs Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are in. Seattle is taking a big risk that Darnold can duplicate his mostly stellar 2024 performance with the Vikings, while Kupp (31) and defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence (32) have age concerns. — Adam Gretz

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS (5-12) | Grade: A | Chicago’s biggest need entering free agency was interior offensive line, a unit GM Ryan Poles quickly jumped on by adding center Drew Dalman and trading for OL Jonah Jackson and guard Joe Thuney. The Bears also fortified the defensive line with EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo and DT Grady Jarrett, signaling the front office is focused on building through the trenches.

DETROIT LIONS (15-2) | Grade: B | The Lions lost CB Carlton Davis III, their best free agent, to the Patriots, but they may have upgraded at the position by signing D.J. Reed from the Jets. Detroit stopped the bleeding on defense by re-signing LB Derrick Barnes, DT Levi Onwuzurike, EDGE Marcus Davenport and LB Zeke Turner, but this team needs more outside talent on defense.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-6) | Grade: B- | The Packers have been quiet to start free agency, as they re-signed seven partial contributors and added guard Aaron Banks and CB Nate Hobbs. Green Bay must make a decision on what to do with often-injured CB Jaire Alexander, and it could use more defensive line help and a veteran WR. 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (14-3) | Grade: A+ | What an offseason it has been for the Vikings thus far. Minnesota retained RB Aaron Jones and CB Byron Murphy, but it also hit free agency hard by signing guard Will Fries, DT Jonathan Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, center Ryan Kelly and CB Isaiah Rodgers. Letting QB Sam Darnold walk and rolling with J.J. McCarthy allowed the Vikings to do serious roster reinforcing. — Jack Dougherty

NFC South

ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | C- | Once again in need of pass-rush help, the Falcons added nine-year veteran Leonard Floyd, who turns 33 in September. He got a one-year deal. Atlanta has had one of the league’s worst pass rushes for years, but can a 32-year-old pass-rusher at the tail end of his career be part of a turnaround?

CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-12) | Grade: D | The Panthers appeared to be one of free agency’s biggest winners when it was initially reported they were in contract discussions with Eagles Super Bowl-winning defensive tackle Milton Williams. Instead, Williams signed with the Patriots, forcing Carolina to pivot and sign defensive tackles Tershawn Wharton (three years, $45.05M) and Bobby Brown (three years, $21M). Per Pro Football Focus, Wharton had the 10th-highest missed-tackle rate among defensive tackles who played at least 500 snaps last season, while Brown isn’t much of a pass-rushing threat, ending 2024 with three total pressures, the lowest among 69 qualifying defensive tackles.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-12) | Grade: C- | Ex-Chiefs safety Justin Reid, who signed a three-year, $31.5M contract, should have instant chemistry in the secondary with former Texans teammate Tyrann Mathieu, while DE Chase Young (three years, $51M) will try to build on his best season since his rookie year. But will these signings lead to a significant turnaround from last year’s disappointing finish? New Orleans, which has an awful salary-cap situation, may regret allowing CB Paulson Adebo to leave for the Giants.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-7) | Grade: A- | For the second consecutive offseason, the Bucs were one of free agency’s biggest winners not for what they added but for what they kept. Tampa Bay re-signed eight-year veteran WR Chris Godwin, who was amid a career-best season in 2024 before suffering a broken ankle in Week 7. He signed a three-year, $66M contract, keeping an explosive offense intact with QB Baker Mayfield and WR Mike Evans. The Bucs also added pass-rush help by signing Haason Reddick, who disappointed in one season (one sack) with the Jets but was one of the league’s more consistent pass-rushers from 2020-23. — Eric Smithling