Signings, news from legal tampering period

You’re just days away from being able to tell your friends and family Happy New Year – in the NFL, that is.

At 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12, the NFL will officially ring in the new league year, signaling the start of NFL free agency. Some of the league’s more notable players will officially put pen to paper on new deals, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have an idea of where some of these guys are going.

The league’s legal tampering period begins noon ET on Monday. That means players with expiring contracts will have an opportunity to court new teams and make their signings official come Wednesday.

Already, some of the free agency intrigue has dissipated. Wide receiver Tee Higgins, quarterback Matthew Stafford and left tackle Ronnie Stanley are some of the top former, free-agents-to-be who are staying with their squads.

That news may force teams to get a little bit more creative – and that should make free agency all the more intriguing in 2025.

USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest rumors, updates, news and more from the NFL’s legal tampering period, ahead of NFL free agency on Wednesday. All times are Eastern.

Panthers ‘working to finalize deal’ with Eagles DT Milton Williams

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Panthers spent big on defense ahead of free agency, signing cornerback Jaycee Horn to a $100 million deal. They may further bolster their defense by signing Williams, who starred as an interior pass rusher for the Eagles en route to Super Bowl 59.

Williams had 24 tackles and five sacks with the Eagles. He played as a rotational pass rusher on Philadelphia’s stacked defense but should have a bigger role in Carolina.

CB Carlton Davis inks three-year deal with Patriots

The Patriots continue to be active in free agency, adding Davis on a three-year deal with the Patriots worth up to $60 million. The deal comes with $34.5 million in guarantees.

Davis logged 56 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass defenses in 13 games with the Lions last season before a broken jaw ended his season.

Titans agree to terms with OT Dan Moore Jr.

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Titans are plugging one of their biggest holes by signing an offensive tackle. They agreed to terms on a four-year, $82 million deal with former Steelers left tackle Dan Moore, a contract that comes with $50 million guaranteed, $30 million of which will be in the first season.

Moore made 66 starts in his four seasons with the Steelers and graded as Pro Football Focus’ 42nd tackle among 81 qualified players for 2024. The Titans will presumably start him on the left side with 2024 first-round pick J.C. Latham kicking over to right tackle.

Giants sign CB Paulson Adebo from Saints

The Giants are adding a top cornerback to the fold. Adebo logged 52 tackles and three interceptions in just seven games for the Saints last season before suffering a broken leg. He has 10 interceptions and 43 pass defenses in 52 career games.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo re-signs with Rams on one-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

Garoppolo spent the 2024 season backing up Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. He is returning to the team in the same role for the 2025 season after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Rams.

Garoppolo lost his only start last season but completed a respectable 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in limited playing time.

Former Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis signing with Jaguars

Date: March 10
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Lewis spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cowboys before inking a free-agent pact with the Jaguars. Lewis had 71 tackles, one interception and eight pass defenses in 16 games (13 starts) last season.

Patriots sign LB Robert Spillane to three-year deal

The Patriots continue to revamp their defense, adding Spillane to the fold. The 29-year-old had a career-high 158 tackles with the Raiders last season and generated two interceptions and two sacks.

Spillane’s deal will pay him $37 million over three years.

DT Javon Kinlaw gets big-money deal with Washington Commanders

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Adam Peters is reuniting with Kinlaw, as both were with the 49ers when San Francisco selected Kinlaw in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He will get $45 million over three years with $30 million guaranteed as part of the deal.

Kinlaw set career-best marks in tackles (40) and sacks (4.5) with the Jets last season.

WR Braxton Berrios signs one-year deal with Texans

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Texans already added one receiver ahead of free agency in Christian Kirk. They also added Berrios on a one-year deal worth up to $2 million.

Berrios didn’t log a catch on four targets for the Dolphins last year. He played just six games.

BJ Hill returns to Bengals on three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Bengals inked Hill to a three-year deal worth up to $33 million with $16 million in guarantees. He had 56 tackles and three sacks for Cincinnati last season and has averaged four sacks per year across four seasons with the Bengals.

Bears make Drew Dalman second-highest-paid center in NFL

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Bears gave Dalman $42 million over three years with $28 million guaranteed to lock down their center spot. It marks the third major offensive line move by Chicago this offseason, as the Bears already traded for two guards – Jonah Jackson and All-Pro Joe Thuney – to revamp their offensive line.

Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie, so new coach Ben Johnson is clearly hoping investing in the offensive line will help the 2024 No. 1 pick improve behind better protection.

Chiefs signing OT Jaylon Moore to two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Moore inked a two-year deal worth up to $30 million to serve as the Chiefs’ left tackle in 2025. Moore appeared in 55 games during his four seasons with the 49ers making 12 starts, including a career-high five in 2024. The 27-year-old allowed just one sack and committed no penalties in 271 snaps last season.

Buccaneers re-sign WR Chris Godwin to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Buccaneers aren’t just adding Reddick to the fold. They’re also bringing back Godwin, who has developed into a star receiver for the team after being a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

Godwin, 29, had 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns in seven games last season before suffering a dislocated ankle.

Haason Reddick agrees to one-year deal with Buccaneers

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Buccaneers needed to upgrade their pass rush ahead of the 2025 NFL season. They did so by signing Reddick to a one-year deal worth up to $14 million ($12 million guaranteed).

Reddick had just one sack in 10 games for the Jets last season. He posted at least 11 sacks in four consecutive seasons before that but started slowly in 2024 after missing the early stages of the season while holding out for a new contract.

X (formerly Twitter) down as NFL free agency arrives

NFL insiders and news-breakers have tended to use X as a way to break news of free agent signings, rumors and trades throughout the website’s history. However, the social media site has been experiencing outages throughout Monday, most recently presenting with a “host error” message on its pages.

As a result, news of the marquee NFL event is being broken on TV channels and alternate social media platforms like BlueSky, as well as news media websites.

Jonathan Allen visiting Vikings on Monday

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter

Allen was released by the Commanders ahead of free agency. The two-time Pro Bowler is set to visit the Vikings on Monday. He overlapped with Kevin O’Connell for three years when Minnesota’s head coach was in Washington.

The Vikings are set to have two starting interior defensive linemen, Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery, be free agents, so Allen could replace one of them should he sign in Minnesota.

Evan Brown re-signs with Cardinals on a two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network

The Cardinals inked Brown to a deal worth $11.5 million over two years. Brown, 28, started all 17 games last season and finished the campaign as Pro Football Focus‘ 30th-ranked guard among 77 qualifiers. He allowed just two penalties and two sacks while playing 1,070 snaps, all at left guard.

OT Braden Smith restructures contract, will remain with Colts

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

Smith was set to have a $19.75 million cap hit in the final year of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed with the Colts in 2021. The two parties reworked that deal, presumably to lower his cap hit for 2025 and allow Indianapolis to keep its starting right tackle.

Smith has appeared in 94 games (92 starts) and graded as Pro Football Focus‘ 44th tackle among 81 qualifiers in 2024.

Ben Bredeson re-signs with Buccaneers ahead of NFL free-agency

Offensive lineman Ben Bredeson was set to become an unrestricted free agent but has reached a three-year, $22 million deal to stay with Tampa Bay. He will make $12 million in guarantees.

Khalil Mack re-signs with Chargers ahead of free agency

Mack was set to be a free agent in 2025. The 34-year-old avoided hitting the open market by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Chargers worth $18 million. The contract is fully guaranteed.

Steelers place second-round tender on RB Jaylen Warren

Steelers running back Najee Harris is set to be an unrestricted free agent, but Warren appears to be staying in Pittsburgh. The Steelers placed a second-round tender on the former undrafted free agent. It will be worth $5.346 million and if another team signs Warren to an offer sheet, the Steelers would recoup a second-round selection if he leaves.

Panthers make Jaycee Horn highest-paid DB in NFL history

The Panthers agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with star cornerback Jaycee Horn. He will make $70 million in guarantees as part of the contract and will have an average annual value of $25 million.

Horn had 68 tackles and two sacks in 15 games last season, all career-best marks. He also had one interception and allowed a passer rating of 91.4.

Falcons to release two-time Pro Bowl DT Grady Jarrett

The Falcons are releasing Jarrett after 10 years in Atlanta. He made two Pro Bowls and racked up 36.5 sacks in 152 contests (137 starts) with the Falcons after being a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft out of Clemson.

Jarrett, 32 in April, had 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 17 games last season.

Steelers, Giants, Vikings listed as Aaron Rodgers landing spots

Schefter appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday morning to provide some updates ahead of free agency. He noted Rodgers’ top options in free agency “seem to be” the Giants and Steelers.

Schefter also reported that Rodgers joining the Vikings was “not likely, but not out of the question.” Minnesota’s interest in Rodgers will depend on whether they can re-sign Sam Darnold, who has been tied to the Seattle Seahawks, or Daniel Jones, in whom the Indianapolis Colts are interested, to serve as veteran depth alongside J.J. McCarthy.

TE Evan Engram visiting Broncos after Jaguars release

The Jaguars released Engram after three seasons with the team. He is already drawing interest in the free-agent market and is set to visit Denver on Monday.

Engram had 47 catches for 365 yards and a touchdown in nine games during the 2024 season. He had 114 catches for 963 yards and four touchdowns the previous season.

No Broncos tight end had more than 19 catches (Lucas Krull) in 2024.

Broncos re-signing DT D.J. Jones to three-year deal

Jones was set to hit free agency in 2025. The Broncos agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with $26 million in guarantees just before the tampering period opened to keep the veteran on Vance Joseph’s defense.

Jones, 30, had 42 tackles and one sack for the Broncos last season.

Justin Fields waiting to speak to Jets before making decision

Fields has reportedly been in discussions with the Steelers about re-joining the team in 2025, but the 26-year-old is waiting to see what the Jets offer him before making a decision.

New York’s offer can’t officially come until the legal tampering window opens at Noon ET on Monday, so that will likely leave Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation in flux until then.

Aaron Rodgers ’emerging as QB option’ for Steelers

The Steelers have largely been connected to their free-agent starting quarterbacks from last year, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, ahead of free agency. However, Pittsburgh is “are expected to talk and explore a union” with Rodgers, who is one of the top quarterbacks available on the market.

Rodgers, 41, is coming off a down season but still completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the New York Jets. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers may view the veteran as the best candidate to get a lot out of their offense, which now features wide receiver DK Metcalf as one of its top receivers.

Patriots trade DT Davon Godchaux to Saints for 2026 draft pick

The Patriots gave Godchaux, a run-stuffing defensive tackle who spent four seasons with the team, permission to explore a trade this offseason. They found a willing partner in the Saints, who surrendered a 2026 seventh-round pick for the 30-year-old veteran.

Godchaux had 67 tackles in 2024. He hasn’t posted a sack since the 2022 NFL season.

Falcons sign Jake Matthews to two-year extension

Matthews has been Atlanta’s starting left tackle since the team selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. The Falcons gave him a two-year, $45 million extension with $38 million in guarantees to keep him on board as a key cog in lefty Michael Penix’s protection.

Matthews has made 179 starts in his career and hasn’t missed a game since his rookie season. He has made 178 consecutive regular-season starts.

Steelers acquire WR DK Metcalf in trade with Seahawks

Metcalf demanded a trade away from the Seahawks the same day Seattle released veteran receiver Tyler Lockett. It didn’t take long for the Seahawks to find him a new home, as they shipped Metcalf to the Steelers for a second-round pick and a swap of sixth- and seventh-round selections.

Metcalf signed a five-year, $150 million extension as part of the trade. The 27-year-old had 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games last season.

Josh Allen signs record-breaking $330 million deal with Bills

Allen won the NFL’s MVP award for 2024 after leading Buffalo to a 13-4 record and making it to the AFC championship game. The Bills handsomely rewarded him with a six-year contract extension that runs through the 2030 NFL season.

Allen’s new deal will be worth up to $330 million, giving the contract an average annual value of $55 million. The deal comes with a record-breaking $250 million in guarantees.

Patriots ink three-year deal with edge rusher Harold Landry

The Patriots needed to upgrade their pass rush during the 2025 offseason and landed Landry, who played at Boston College and will reunite with Mike Vrabel, who coached him for five years with the Titans. Landry can make up to $48 million with $26 million guaranteed as part of his three-year deal.

Landry, 29 in June, had 71 tackles and nine sacks for the Titans last season. He has 50.5 career sacks in 98 games (79 starts) and graded as Pro Football Focus‘ seventh-best edge defender against the run among 212 players last season.

Rams sign Davante Adams to two-year contract

Adams wanted to head west after being released by the Jets. He got his wish, as he joined the Rams on what ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports is a two-year deal worth up to $46 million.

Adams had 85 catches for 1,063 yard sand eight touchdowns in 14 games split between the Raiders and Jets last season. The 32-year-old will be tasked with complimenting Puka Nacua as a No. 2 receiver and helping to replace Cooper Kupp, who is expected to be released or traded during the offseason.

NFL free agency: Best available players

Here are some of the best available players who will hit the market this week, per USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon: