It may feel far away but the 2024 NFL season is approaching quickly as we are just over a month away from the start of training camp. It will be our first real shot at seeing new players with new teams. This was a busy free agency period so here are our 2024 NFC free agent grades.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers (C+): I really like the signing of Josh Jacobs even though I hate watching Aaron Jones leave. The Packers had more of a lowkey free agency period.
Minnesota Vikings (B): This is what I call a perfectly average signing class as they brought in Sam Darnold to start at QB, and they get a mad Aaron Jones who gets to torch Green Bay twice a year. Jonathan Greenard will be a fan favorite.
Detroit Lions (A): The Lions made a huge effort to upgrade their pass defense which ranked in the bottom half of the league las year and they did just that while also giving out a ton of money to Jared Goff who will be Detroit’s QB for the foreseeable future.
Chicago Bears (A): The Bears made some big trades, but I also love their signing of D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett who give them legit offensive weapons for Caleb Williams. They also improved the secondary with Kevin Byard.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (A+): Jason Licht did a masterful job of somehow keeping guys like Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, and Lavonte David together in this free agency. They were even able to bring back Jordan Whitehead who plays hard-hitting safety but walked a few years ago.
New Orleans Saints (C-): Chase Young was their biggest signing, and I was wildly under impressed with him during his San Francisco tenure. The other big signing is Willie Gay who doesn’t really move the needle for this team.
Atlanta Falcons (A-): The obvious signing here was Kirk Cousins who gives them their first reliable QB since Matt Ryan. They improved their wide receiver corps with the signings of Rondale Moore, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud.
Carolina Panthers (B): Credit to the Panthers for spending some money and bringing in Jadeveon Clowney, Robert Hunt, and Damien Lewis. This was a major defensive rehaul through free agency and much needed.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (A): If there was just this one signing alone, it was good enough to be an A. The Eagles stole Saquon Barkley, their rival’s best player and it is hard to not think they won after a big move like that.
New York Giants (C): I can’t count the Brian Burns trade in this which would give the Giants an A but they had to deal with losing Barkley. They brought in Devin Singletary, who is an underrated back while bolstering their lines.
Dallas Cowboys (F): Their one move was bringing in Erik Kendricks who I guess they stole from San Francisco since it was reported he was heading there first, but man this is a stinker.
Washington Commanders (B+) The Commanders are entering an entirely new era, and they needed some polished pieces and got them in Austin Ekeler, Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chinn, Nick Algretti and others. This was an impressive class.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals (C): For having one of the worst rosters a year ago, I thought there would be more of an overhaul here, but the Cards were conservative, and it probably bites them this season at some point.
Seattle Seahawks (C): I didn’t love the Hawks letting Jordyn Brooks and Devin Bush walk in free agency but they added two linebackers in free agency and everything seems to be a net neutral on paper.
San Francisco 49ers (C+): The Niners needed to upgrade their defensive line and they were aggressive in signing Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos while adding Rock Ya-Sin and Isaac Yiadom in the secondary.
Los Angeles Rams (A): They signed one of the best offensive linemen in this class in Jonah Jackson which was desperately needed. Keeping Kevin Dotson in the fold too will be seen as a huge win for Matthew Stafford.