NFL Confidential: Execs, Agents Share Winners, Losers; Best, Worst Contracts in Free Agency

Just like many of us, executives, agents and scouts around the NFL were amazed by some of the moves made across the league in the opening days of free agency. 

We surveyed insiders around the NFL on who they think the winners and losers of free agency are to this point, along with which contracts they thought were the best and worst. One NFL executive lauded a team's all-in approach, while an agent didn't like one of the $100 million contracts handed out this week.

So, which teams improved the most in the first week of free agency? Which contract was the biggest overpay? Here's what we learned in our conversations with executives, agents and scouts around the NFL. 

[ 2026 NFL Free Agency Grades ]

***

Ralph Vacchiano: The teams that spend the most in free agency aren’t always the ones that do the best. In fact, some years the biggest spenders turn into the biggest flops.

But two teams that had money to burn this week got positive reviews from several NFL scouts and executives. So maybe there is finally some hope for the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets.

"I’m not saying either one of them will be good," an assistant general manager told me. "But I liked their approach (to free agency). They didn’t do anything stupid."

The Jets, in particular, "completely rebuilt their defense," as one scout told me, "but they did it without taking an unnecessary big swing. Every guy they signed is a solid veteran player. And none of them broke anyone’s bank."

Their signings included linebacker Demario Davis (two years, $22 million), edge rusher Joseph Ossai (three years, $36 million), and a trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (three years, $40 million). They also took an inexpensive, one-year, $5.5 million shot at cornerback