A breathless first week of free agency is in the books and there has been plenty of movement around the league.
Scores of players have signed up with new teams, as certain franchises look to take advantage of Super Bowl windows, while others struggle to comply with the salary cap.
Here’s a look at five key storylines from the first week of free agency and what they might mean for the upcoming season.
The Texans mean business
After a worst-to-first turnaround in the AFC South and the emergence of a franchise quarterback, the Houston Texans were always going to be a trendy pick going into the 2024 season.
Their free-agency moves will only add to the hype. Danielle Hunter should be an immediate difference-maker on defense, with Azeez Al-Shaair and Jeff Okuhah both decent pick-ups. Joe Mixon will also bring leadership and experience to a young, talented offense. They also kept hold of several key contributors and now find themselves at the start of a bona fide Super Bowl window.
Minnesota’s new look
The exits of Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter meant that the Vikings had work to do on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the signing of Jonathan Greenard softens the blow of Hunter’s departure, while Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel are both smart signings that defensive coordinator Brian Flores will look to get the most out of.
Sam Darnold is a low-risk quarterback signing, with the former Jet and 49er set to be joined by a rookie in the QB room, with the Vikings having moved to gather up draft picks which could see them put together a package to move up in the first round.
All eyes on Pittsburgh’s QB room
The Steelers have made the biggest headlines this offseason, with their retooled quarterback room set to be a fascinating subplot in 2024.
Gone are Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in their place. Wilson’s last season in Denver wasn’t as bad as most made out, while Fields has never had the supporting cast to succeed in Chicago, so all eyes will be on what happens next.
Elsewhere, the addition of Patrick Queen on defense could prove to be an effective move.
Stop hitting yourself, Carolina
Carolina’s poor 2023 season won’t be improved on if the front office continues to make the same mistakes. After failing to land a first-round pick when they traded away Christian McCaffrey in 2022, they’ve done it again with Brian Burns.
The defensive end joined the Giants for second and fifth-round drafts last week, less than 18 months after the Panthers turned down two first-round picks from the LA Rams.
For their sake, the $150million investment in the offensive line will hopefully pay off and allow them to get the most out of quarterback Bryce Young in his second year.
Miami feel the squeeze
The Miami Dolphins will need to get creative after the bill for their recent spending finally hit. Christian Wilkins, Andrew Van Ginkel and Zavien Howard’s departures mean they have lost key players on every level of their defense, while Robert Hunt’s exit will be felt on the offensive line.
These exits came with one eye on Tua Tagovailoa’s pending new deal, with the quarterback needing to be paid this offseason. With the Bills still strong, a new-look Patriots on the way, plus the Aaron Rodgers era finally set to get underway in New York, the Dolphins will face a tough season in the AFC East.
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