The initial wave of NFL free agency is upon us.
Teams were permitted to begin contract negotiations with players at noon Monday, and a flurry of moves followed, although they can’t be made official until Wednesday when the league allows signings to begin.
The Kansas City Chiefs found a Super Bowl champion running back in Kenneth Walker III, wide receiver Mike Evans decided to head west to San Francisco, the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to terms with Tyler Linderbaum to make him the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history and the Carolina Panthers made a splash move by landing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon breaks down the moves that stood out the most on the initial day of free agency negotiations.
Chiefs bolster backfield in major way; Travis Kelce re-signs
Kansas City’s biggest move was the addition of Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker to its backfield.
Walker is the type of running back the Chiefs have been yearning for after they averaged just 105.9 rushing yards per game (27th in the NFL) and 3.7 yards per carry (31st in the NFL) since 2024. Walker rushed for 1,027 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2025. He accumulated most of his yards on outside runs last year, though he also can run in between the tackles.
Patrick Mahomes hasn’t had a running back rush for 1,000 yards since he became the Chiefs starting quarterback. Walker’s rushing ability gives the Chiefs offense some balance and will help ease the load off Mahomes, who is expected to be back in action in 2026 after a knee injury ended his 2025 season.
Tight end Travis Kelce’s decision to return to Kansas City for a 14th season garnered plenty of headlines, but Walker was the biggest move of the day for the Chiefs.
Kelce is past his prime, but he’s still a productive tight end and a reliable security blanket for Mahomes. His 76 catches were tied for sixth most among all tight ends last season, and he led the Chiefs in catches and receiving yards in his 13th season.
Michael Pittman Jr. gives Steelers much-needed second wideout
DK Metcalf was Pittsburgh’s only reliable wide receiver in 2025. That’ll change in 2026.
The Steelers acquired Pittman from the Colts and immediately agreed to terms on a three-year, $59 million deal, a person close to the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract isn’t official yet.
Pittman is the type of receiver who can be a primary pass catcher or a co-star to Metcalf. He’s produced two 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career.
Metcalf and Pittman are both 6-foot-4, so the addition of Pittman gives Pittsburgh one of the most physically imposing receiver duos in the NFL.
The Colts’ decision to prioritize wide receiver Alec Pierce over Pittman is a little perplexing. Pittman led the Colts with 80 receptions last year and he’s tallied at least 69 catches for five straight seasons. Pierce, who led the NFL in yards per catch, has never had a season of over 47 receptions. Indianapolis gave Pierce No. 1-receiver money, but he’s never been the primary receiver.
New quarterback in Miami
New Miami coach Jeff Hafley and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan know Malik Willis well from their time together in Green Bay, so it makes sense that the Dolphins will sign the quarterback. The three can help usher in a new era after Miami parted ways with Tua Tagovailoa.
Willis, who started three games with the Titans as a rookie in 2022, deserves a regular starting opportunity after performing well in spot duty with the Packers. He completed 78% of his passes in 11 total games in Green Bay.
Now he’ll be the face of Miami’s rebuild.
Rams bring Kansas City flavor to defensive backfield
Perhaps no teams had a better start to March than the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams significantly upgraded their weakest position group by acquiring CB Trent McDuffie in a trade with the Chiefs and then they decided to spin the block in Kansas City when they agreed to terms with CB Jaylen Watson on Monday.
The Rams’ defense allowed 276 passing yards and 26 points per game last postseason, and shortcomings in the secondary were a big reason why the team didn’t advance to Super Bowl 60.
The Rams’ additions in the secondary make them an early Super Bowl 61 favorite. They were tied Monday with the Seattle Seahawks for the best Super Bowl odds, per BET MGM. Keep in mind, Super Bowl 61 is in Los Angeles, and the Rams lifted the Lombardi Trophy the last time LA hosted the Super Bowl.
Panthers make splash with Jaelan Phillips
Jaelan Phillips agreeing to terms with the Panthers on a four-year deal reportedly worth $120 million was the most surprising deal of the Monday.
Phillips led the Eagles with 34 pressures since joining the team in Week 10 of the 2025 season.
Edge rusher was the biggest position of need for the Panthers. Carolina finished 24th in pass rush win rate and last in run stop win rate this past season, per ESPN. Consequently, the defense produced 30 sacks, only the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers had fewer. The unit also gave up more than 120 rushing yards per game and allowed over four yards a carry, both ranked toward the bottom of the league.
Isaiah Likely reunites with John Harbaugh
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart should be a happy man.
Tight end Isaiah Likely agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract with the New York Giants, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal isn’t official yet.
Likely was never Baltimore’s primary tight end because of Mark Andrews, but he’ll likely be asked to be the top tight end and a primary pass catcher for the Giants, along with wideout Malik Nabers who is coming off a knee injury.
The Giants’ pursuit of Likely is a sign new New York and previous Baltimore coach John Harbaugh believes the athletic tight end is ready for a larger role. Likely had just one drop and a 66.7% contested catch rate last season.
Mike Evans upgrades 49ers’ receiving corps
Wide reciever Mike Evans announced through his agency his decision to leave Tampa Bay after 12 seasons. He departs as the franchise’s all-time leading receiver.
A receiver was the 49ers’ biggest offseason need after general manager John Lynch said it’s “safe to say” Brandon Aiyuk has played his last snap in San Francisco. Evans is still a No. 1 caliber X wide receiver even though he’s a little past his prime. He still thrives at contested catches and in the red zone. According to Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks have had a 96.9 passer rating when targeting Evans.
The 49ers didn’t have a No. 1 wideout in Aiyuk’s prolonged absence. Jauan Jennings, who led all 49ers WRs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, is a free agent.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
