There were several winners on Day 2 of NFL Free Agency. Daniel Jones snagged $14 million from the Indianapolis Colts despite being a below-average quarterback and getting released by the lowly New York Giants last year. The Minnesota Vikings upgraded their defense with the signings of defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. And the Washington Commanders bolstered their offensive line by trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. However, there were several losers on this day as well. Let’s dive into the top six.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson has watched the quarterback carousel spin without him, as former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Justin Fields signed with the New York Jets, ex-coach Pete Carroll passed him over when the Las Vegas Raiders decided to trade for Geno Smith, and Daniel Jones inked a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Now, it seems the Steelers are favoring bringing aboard Aaron Rodgers instead. Wilson did make his 10th Pro Bowl team in 2024 but lost his final five starts with the Steelers, including the Wild Card showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. With quarterback-needy teams going in different directions, where does this leave the veteran signal-caller?
Philadelphia Eagles defense
With the surprising trade of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans, Vic Fangio has now lost five significant contributors from the top-ranked Philadelphia Eagles defense that won the Super Bowl. Beyond CJGJ, the Eagles said goodbye to defensive end Josh Sweat, defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, and cornerback Darius Slay. They did manage to bring back All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun, though. The Eagles’ young players will be asked to step up, and Howie Roseman will certainly replenish through the draft. However, that’s an enormous amount of talent that walked out the door and needs to be replaced.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
According to OverTheCap.com, Jerry Jones has $52.2 million in cap space to improve the Dallas Cowboys for the 2025 season. So what free agents has he signed so far? Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, offensive lineman Rob Jones, running back Javonte Williams, and edge rusher Payton Turner. Jones also needs to sign Micah Parsons to a contract extension that keeps getting more expensive by the day. For a team that missed the playoffs in 2024, these moves won’t come close to satisfying a fan base that has been starving for a Super Bowl for 30 years now.
San Francisco 49ers
Will the San Francisco 49ers even be able to field a team in 2025? So far, 12 players have either been traded, cut, or signed with new teams, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and cornerback Charvarius Ward, among others. They’re coming off an injury-plagued 6-11 season following a Super Bowl appearance. The 49ers are also looking to sign quarterback Brock Purdy to an extension. San Francisco is definitely entering a new era, and it’s looking increasingly uncertain.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have $40 million in cap space for 2025, according to OverTheCap.com, but have yet to get a long-term extension done with elite wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. They also haven’t been able to sign Tee Higgins to a long-term deal, as the Bengals franchise-tagged him for the second consecutive season. And now, defensive stalwart Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks with 17.5, is seeking a trade. He’s due to make $16 million in the final year of his contract this upcoming season.
Kirk Cousins
Instead of making a fresh start with a quarterback-needy team, Kirk Cousins is stuck in Atlanta as the Falcons say they won’t trade the four-time Pro Bowler. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, with $100 million guaranteed last offseason. However, Atlanta would go on to shock the football world by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, who eventually replaced Cousins in the starting lineup as the veteran threw a league-leading 16 interceptions in 14 games. Cousins has watched Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and Geno Smith all find new opportunities while he remains trapped behind Penix in Atlanta.
