2021 NFL Free Agency tracker: Grades, analysis for every big signing

Handing out 2021 NFL free agency grades as we track every big, major signing and offer instant reactions and analysis to each deal. 

The NFL‘s legal tampering period has started with 2021 NFL free agency officially getting underway on Wednesday, March 17 at 4 p.m. ET. That means that teams are able to begin negotiating and agreeing to terms with free agents who they have targeted.

As soon as the legal tampering period opened — and even before for some teams re-signing players — we saw some big names on defense come off the board. And we shouldn’t wait around long for other huge players to agree to deals given that teams have been preparing for this moment for months now.

We’ve got it all covered for you, though. We’ll be tracking every big, major signing this offseason and handing out 2021 NFL free agency grades for every deal. You can keep up with all of the action below.

2021 NFL free agency grades, tracker for every big signing

Washington signing QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (1 year, $10 million) – Grade: A

Washington’s quarterback situation is anything but settled and now they have veteran options with Ryan Fitzpatrick joining the fold. He can start early over Taylor Heinicke or a rookie that gets drafted, or he could simply be a mentor. In any case, this is a smart signing for the Football Team as their quarterback position for 2021 is starting to take some shape.

Vikings signing DT Dalvin Tomlinson (2 years, $22 million) – Grade: B+

Adding Dalvin Tomlinson is undoubtedly a move that will help the Vikings and, frankly, if they felt they needed help, it makes sense to go after him. The interior defensive line market in free agency and in the draft is scarce. So the former Giant has value.

Even still, Tomlinson isn’t a two-dimensional player for the most part and that’s a hefty payday for Minnesota to give that type of defensive tackle.

Bengals signing EDGE Trey Hendricks (4 years, $60 million) – Grade: A-

The only reason this isn’t an “A+” grade for me is the money, which is a bit high given that Trey Hendrickson doesn’t have the largest body of work. Having said that, the Bengals need a ton of youth on defense and had a void to fill on the edge after trading Carlos Dunlap last year and seeing Carl Lawson sign with Seattle. Hendrickson has terrific upside and could be a tremendous asset for Cincinnati.

Saints re-signing QB Jameis Winston (1 year, $12 million) – Grade: A+

With the retirement of Drew Brees, re-signing Jameis Winston felt inevitable. So here we are with the former No. 1 overall pick heading back to New Orleans for the second-straight season.

The Saints will reportedly have a quarterback competition but you have to wonder how Winston will perform under Sean Payton after a year working in practice in his system. Either way, this is a savvy move to try and find a long-term option to replace Brees.

Jets signing EDGE Carl Lawson (3 years, $45 million) – Grade: B+

For what feels like forever, the Jets have needed help coming off the edge in the means of a one-man playmaker that can get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They are paying Lawson to be that guy and there’s good reason to believe he could be.

Lawson often felt like an overlooked commodity in Cincinnati and never had the same dominance he did as a rookie. Having said that, he’s easily the best option for New York. The only thing to question is how much they’re paying to see if he can be a standout on the edge.

Titans signing EDGE Bud Dupree ($16.5 million per year) – Grade: B-

Tennessee has been looking for pass-rush help for the past couple of years and they were aggressive trying to do the same this year, landing on Bud Dupree. With the Steelers, he had some productive seasons and could be an explosive player for the Titans. At the same time, I’m not sure he’s shown the individual dominance to be getting this much money.

Jets signing WR Corey Davis (3 years, $37.5 million) – Grade: A+

For all the big names that agreed to terms as soon as the legal tampering period began, this might be my favorite deal handed out on Monday. New York’s wide receiver corps has been downright dismal as of late and Davis is coming off of his most impressive season yet in Tennessee.

This is a tad expensive but, overall, Davis has the size-speed-mechanics to keep progressing into a WR1 that the Jets have been lacking. They’re putting their likely new young quarterback in a spot to succeed by adding Davis.

Buccaneers re-signing TE Rob Gronkowski (1 year, $10 million) – Grade: B

Gronk un-retired to get traded to the Bucs and play with Tom Brady. And after the tight end was a Super Bowl hero and consistent blocker, it was inevitable they’d re-sign him.

It’s a bit rich for my taste but, all told, he’s a good fit in Tampa.

Rams re-signing EDGE Leonard Floyd (4 years, $64 million) – Grade: C+

Leonard Floyd signed a one-year deal with LA last season and enjoyed the best year of his career. Perhaps it’s a scheme fit that will continue to let him thrive but this is too much money for that chance.

Raiders signing EDGE Yannick Ngakoue (2 years, $26 million) – Grade: B+

Las Vegas needed pass rushers and Ngakoue was one of the best on the market. While I do have some reservations about him as a long-term option, it’s a fine deal for a needy team.

Chargers signing C Corey Linsley (Terms TBD) – Grade: A+

It feels like I’m handing out top grades like candy but these are great moves. The Chargers have had issues with the offensive line that need sorting out for a while, so they’re getting one of the best centers in the league.

Linsley is going to be highest-paid player at his position but he’s an ideal fit. Los Angeles needs to keep Justin Herbert upright for the long haul and this move ensures that from a team flush with cap space.

Browns sign S John Johnson (3 years, $33.75 million) – Grade: A+

Talk about a home-run signing for the Browns. They desperately needed versatility, depth and top-end quality in the secondary. So they went out and signed one of the most versatile players on the market, John Johnson, coming off of a career year with the Rams.

Yes, this is a hefty payday for a safety but one that’s well-deserved given Johnson’s level of play. Moreover, the Browns are in a good situation financially and filling a need with such a quality player at this price still makes a lot of sense.

Chiefs sign OG Joe Thuney (5 years, $80 million) – Grade: A+

After cutting Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, it became apparent Kansas City was prepared for an offensive line overhaul. That started early as they landed the best lineman on the market in Joe Thuney, agreeing to a monster five-year deal with the former Patriots guard.

Yes, it’s expensive but we saw in the Super Bowl how critical the offensive line play is to the success of the Chiefs. Thuney will be a substantial upgrade on the interior and a player who can give Mahomes some certainty in his protection moving forward.

Patriots sign EDGE Matthew Judon (4 years/$56 million) – Grade: B

The Patriots had money to spend and they’re making a big splash in doing exactly that. After inking Smith and Davon Godchaux, they agreed to a deal with one of the top edge rushers on the market, Matthew Judon, formerly of the Ravens.

Judon is a great fit stylistically in New England and playing him $14 million per year isn’t too bad. Having said that, the relatively modest grade stems from a concern that Judon’s success in Baltimore came from their blitz-heavy approach. The Patriots blitz plenty but I don worry about his success outside of the Ravens.

Patriots sign TE Jonnu Smith (4 years/$50 million) – Grade: B+

With it surfacing that the Titans weren’t going to retain Jonnu Smith, two things became clear. First, he was going to get big money. Second (and relatedly), he was sought after by teams. That bore out as the Patriots inked the tight end to a four-year deal with an average of $12.5 million per season.

Though Smith never had a monster year in Tennessee, his big frame and run-after-catch ability are a huge asset for the Patriots offense as it’s devoid of pass-catchers who can make an impact. It’s a bit expensive for my taste but the fit and flexibility of New England with the cap makes it overall favorable.

Buccaneers re-sign EDGE Shaquil Barrett (4 years/$72 million) – Grade: A-

Tampa Bay continued to do what was expected and keep the Super Bowl-winning band together as they retained Shaquil Barrett on a big-time deal after he played 2020 on the franchise tag.

Barrett led the league in sacks in the 2019 season and continued to create consistent pressure off the edge for the Bucs last year, especially in the postseason when he starred. This is a hefty payday and that’s always worrisome but the defense was critical to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, so retaining such a pivotal piece only makes sense.

Lions re-sign EDGE Romeo Okwara (3 years/$39 million) – Grade: B-

After posting the first double-digit sack season of his career, Romeo Okwara has cashed in to stay with Detroit and hopefully build off of that season. For the Lions, they needed to make this type of move to keep any kind of integrity on a defense that needs all of the help it can get.

While that might be the case, you can’t give this signing top marks by any stretch of the imagination. This is a player who had 10.5 career sacks before the 2020 season and then almost matched that in one year. There’s worry that’s an outlier season and that’s risky to bank $13 million per year on.

Ravens sign OG Kevin Zeitler (3 years/$22 million) – Grade: A

This might not be a major signing to some but it’s one that should go down as a huge win for the Ravens. While the Ronnie Stanley injury didn’t help matters, the loss of Marshal Yanda was felt all of last season on offense and is a subtle reason as to why the offense wasn’t as potent.

Kevin Zeitler isn’t the future Hall-of-Famer that Yanda was but he’s a solid veteran who is more than capable of coming in and playing well in the Baltimore offense. He’s a road-grader that will pave the way for Lamar Jackson and Co.

49ers re-sign FB Kyle Juszczyk (5 years/$27 million) – Grade: B

When it comes to the 49ers and re-signing the best fullback in the league, Kyle Juszczyk, you have to grade San Francisco on a bit of a curve. There is no offense in the league that relies more on the position than Kyle Shanahan’s, so he’s a critical part in what they do on that side of the ball. Thus, retaining him, even at a relatively hefty price, makes sense overall.

Packers re-sign RB Aaron Jones (4 years/$48 million) – Grade: B-

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see this one coming after the Packers took AJ Dillon in the second round last year. But Aaron Jones is staying in Green Bay on a four-year deal with what is likely to be a guaranteed $13 million as they normally put all guarantees in signing bonuses.

Jones has been a big part of the Packers offense but this move still is a bit strange overall given the draft capital they invested and the money they could potentially have to pay Jones.

Bills re-sign OT Daryl Williams (3 years/$28.2 million) – Grade: A

The second of two re-signings in Buffalo, retaining Daryl Williams is hugely important for the Bills. They took a gamble on the veteran to stay healthy and, as he did, he shined for them and was an unsung hero in helping Josh Allen realize his potential in 2020.

Health still remains somewhat of a concern for Williams but this is a relatively meager deal given his upside. This is a win for the Bills and for the tackle as he gets some long-term security after two straight one-year contracts.

Bills re-sign LB Matt Milano (4 years/$41.5 million) – Grade: C+

Matt Milano is a key piece of the Bills defense as general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have put this unit precisely together. He’s limited as a tackler and run defender but his coverage ability gives them a great option in the middle of the field.

That being said, he’s more valuable to Buffalo than to other teams. And with that, it does look like an expensive contract for the Bills. That’s especially true with roughly $23 million guaranteed.

Patriots re-sign QB Cam Newton (1 year/$5 million) – Grade: A-

It was admittedly shocking when Cam Newton re-upped with the Patriots on a one-year deal as most expected the two parties to separate after one season. Moreover, it’s worthwhile that the deal has up to $9 million in incentives.

This deal keeps the Patriots in position to draft a young quarterback and bring him along slowly while still possibly competing in Newton’s second season with New England. The former MVP may have lost a step but he’s not bad in this exact situation and at a modest price.

Buccaneers re-sign LB Lavonte David (2 years/$25 million) – Grade: A

Fresh off of winning the Super Bowl, the Buccaneers were aggressive out of the gate in trying to keep the band together. They hit Chris Godwin with the franchise tag and the inked linebacker Lavonte David to a new deal that will keep him around for at least another two years.

David has been one of the best — albeit underrated — linebackers in the NFL for years. Keeping him in the fold is critical to the success of the Tampa Bay defense, which was, in turn, key in the Bucs finding another Lombardi Trophy.

Cardinals sign DL J.J. Watt (2 years/$28 million) – Grade: B

The first big domino to fall in 2021 NFL free agency was J.J. Watt getting released by the Texans and then ultimately landing with the Cardinals. It’s a two-year deal for the veteran who will give a boost to the defense who needs it.

Arizona has frequently lacked quality on the defensive front around Chandler Jones and, though Watt isn’t a superstar at this point in his career, he remains a high-quality player. It’s expensive, to be sure, but the Cards had some money and Watt is an addition that makes sense.