With most every high-profile free agent reaching new deals Monday, there wasn’t much meat left on the bone for Day 2 of NFL free agency, but there are still notable players on the move nonetheless.
(Isn’t it funny how the negotiating window for teams to “start” talking to free agents and their representatives — the “legal tampering” window as it’s called around the league — opened at noon ET Monday, and all these teams and agents were able to quickly come to mutual agreement on mega contracts?)
Free agent contracts can’t officially be finalized until the start of the new league year on Wednesday, but by then most of the dominoes will have already fallen into place.
Tuesday’s Biggest NFL Free Agency Moves & Trades
Keep track of the latest developments from Tuesday here, and for a recap of Day 1’s free agent frenzy Monday, we break it all down in full here.
Lions Sign RB Isiah Pacheco To Replace David Montgomery
As we broke down last week, the Detroit Lions did the right thing in trading veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and some offensive line depth.
Even if he was beloved by the fan base, Montgomery wasn’t happy with his diminishing role and was an expensive complementary piece to star Jahmyr Gibbs at this point. It needed to be done.
But that left a void for the Lions to find a new backfield mate for Gibbs.
They checked that box Tuesday by reaching a deal with former Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, per multiple reports. Terms have not been reported yet, but it is presumably a team-friendly deal as the running back market has been rather depressed overall.
The Lions are hoping Pacheco is due for a bounce-back at just 27 years old after two down seasons following a fractured fibula in Week 2 of the 2024 campaign that seemed to have lingering effects.
After averaging 4.9 and 4.6 yards per carry his first two seasons in the NFL, Pacheco mustered just 3.7 YPC during that injury-marred 2024 season in which he returned for the final five regular-season games. He continued to struggle in 2025, averaging 3.9 YPC and rushing for just 462 yards and a TD (with 101 receiving yards and a TD) in 13 games while missing a month with a sprained MCL. Veteran Kareem Hunt took over goal-line work and led the team in rushing, although he wasn’t much better overall.
The Chiefs upgraded the position Monday by signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III away from Seattle.
Detroit, meanwhile, just needs a reliable secondary option to Gibbs and will hope Pacheco can return to past form now another year removed from that broken leg and past the knee injury as well. A seventh-round draft pick (No. 251 overall) in 2022 out of Rutgers, Pacheco was a revelation his first two years in Kansas City while rushing for 830 yards and 5 TDs as a rookie and then 935 yards and 7 TDs with 44 catches for 244 yards and 2 TDs in 2023.
Instant Analysis
Pending clarity on what Detroit is paying Pacheco, this is a sensible move. The point of trading Montgomery was to save money on that second RB spot with Gibbs deserving as much of the workload as he can handle. Pacheco just turned 27 years old this month and should be in his prime. If he can find that extra bounce he lost after the injuries, he’d be not only an ideal backup but one able to fill in should Gibbs miss any games.
Patriots Add WR Romeo Doubs With Aggressive Offer
Romeo Doubs provided nice value to the Green Bay Packers as a fourth-round draft pick out of Nevada, catching 202 passes for 2,424 yards and 21 touchdowns over the past four seasons.
But he’s never been primary focal point of the Packers passing attack — there really hasn’t been one in recent years, for that matter. Doubs has never had more than 59 catches or 724 yards in a season.
He’ll need to do more than that now to justify the money the New England Patriots are paying him — with reports varying between it being a four-year deal worth $70 or potentially $80 million.
Instant Analysis
The Patriots cut veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs leading into free agency, freeing up significant money, but if Doubs is the primary replacement that would be underwhelming and leave QB Drake Maye without a true No. 1 WR. As it stands, Doubs is joining a unit that returns solid complementary pieces in Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams. For a team that has been heavily linked to potential trade talks with the Eagles for A.J. Brown, settling for Doubs as the biggest offseason addition would be a letdown.
Jets Trade For QB Geno Smith
Incredibly, the Las Vegas Raiders found a trading partner for quarterback Geno Smith, rather than having to release him outright tomorrow and take the full financial and salary cap hit.
Leave it to the New York Jets to make the most bizarre move of the day, trading a 2026 6th-round draft pick for Smith and a 2026 7th-round pick.
Smith had two years and $66 million (with $18.5 million guaranteed) remaining on his deal with the Raiders. Per ESPN, he agreed to a restructured contract with the Jets to facilitate the trade, though terms have not been reported.
Smith, who will turn 36 years old this season, was originally a second-round pick (39th overall) of the Jets in the 2013 NFL Draft out of West Virginia.
He struggled through two seasons as the starter there, throwing 25 touchdowns with 34 interceptions before moving to a bench role most of the next two seasons.
After serving as a backup for the Giants, Chargers and Seahawks, Smith emerged as Seattle’s starter in 2022 and won NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors while passing for 4,282, 30 TDs and 11 INTs. He made two Pro Bowls in Seattle before being traded to the Raiders last offseason.
Smith threw for 3,025 yards, 19 TDs and a league-high 17 INTs in 2025 while also tying for the most sacks taken in the NFL (55).
It’s interesting the Jets didn’t just wait for him to be released, as it’s hard to imagine there was going to be an aggressive market for Smith as a free agent. He’ll now provide a temporary “solution” at quarterback as the Jets embark on a total rebuild.
Instant Analysis
It will be interesting to see how Jets fans feel about Smith returning to the franchise. He’s better than Justin Fields and Brady Cook, so it’s an upgrade of some sort. But it’s hard to imagine where else Smith would have landed otherwise — the Dolphins, Falcons and Cardinals already made moves to sign QBs, and the Vikings are heavily linked to Kyler Murray — and why the Jets felt the need to trade for him rather than waiting and offering the veteran’s minimum with the Raiders on the hook for the rest of his 2026 salary.
Other NFL Transactions Tuesday
-Houston Texans sign offensive tackle Braden Smith to a two-year, $25-million contract with $13.5 million guaranteed. Smith was a starter, mostly at right tackle, the last eight seasons for the Colts.
-Philadelphia Eagles sign former Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen as another cog from Seattle’s Super Bowl defense moves on in free agency. Per Jordan Schultz, Woolen is getting a one-year deal worth up to $15 million. Woolen had 12 interceptions, 53 passes defended and 203 tackles in four seasons in Seattle.
-Cleveland Browns continued to bolster their offensive line, signing former Packers center Elgton Jenkins to a two-year, $24-million contract with $20 million guaranteed. Jenkins made two Pro Bowls for the Packers as a left guard. The Browns also re-signed guard Tevin Jenkins, though terms have not been reported.
-Houston Texans make Ka’imi Fairbairn the highest-paid kicker in the league with a new two-year, $13-million contract. Fairbairn was 44 of 48 on field goals last season and has made 87.6% of his field goals over his nine seasons in Houston.
-New York Jets are signing former Bears cornerback Nashon Wright to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million. He had a career-high 5 interceptions and 80 tackles last season in his fifth year with the Bears.
-Buffalo Bills re-sign tight end Dawson Knox on a three-year deal. Terms have not been reported. Knox has been a steady contributor for the Bills for seven years and forms one of the better tight end tandems in the league now with Dalton Kincaid. Knox had 36 catches for 417 yards and 4 TDs in 2025. Per ESPN, the new contract was as much about managing the salary cap as Knox was set to account for $17.1 million in cap space while the Bills could have saved $9.7 million in cap space by cutting him. Instead, the two sides have found a way forward.
-Green Bay Packers signed cornerback Benjamin St-Juste for two years and $10 million. He had 37 tackles, 1 interception and 7 passes defended as a rotational corner for the Chargers last season.
-Carolina Panthers re-sign linebacker Isaiah Simmons, defensive end LaBryan Ray and wide receiver David Moore. Simmons he appeared in five games off the bench last season. Simmons was previously a starter for the Cardinals and a key rotation player for the Giants. Ray had 13 tackles in 13 games off the bench. Moore was limited to four games last season, but he had 32 catches for 351 yards and 3 TDs in 2024 for the Panthers.
-Los Angeles Chargers re-signed cornerback Deane Leonard for one year and $2 million. Leonard had 5 tackles in eight games as a reserve last season. The team also re-signed nose tackle Otito Ogbonnia, who played in nine games off the bench last season after starting 17 games in 2024. Terms were not available.
-New York Giants re-sign linebacker Micah McFadden to a one-year deal. Terms have not been reported. McFadden has started 36 games over the last four seasons with the Giants and had back-to-back 100-tackle seasons in 2023-24 before being limited to one game last year. The team also re-signed cornerback Art Green, who played in 20 games off the bench the last two seasons. Terms were not available.
-New York Giants signed cornerback Greg Newsome II to a one-year, $10-million deal. He had an interception and 9 passes defended last season between the Browns and Jaguars. The Giants also signed outside linebacker Caleb Murphy, but terms were not available. Murphy split last season between the Chargers and Patriots in a limited role.
-Miami Dolphins sign kicker Zane Gonzalez to a one-year deal. Terms have not been reported. This will be the kicker’s sixth team in eight in NFL seasons. He made 19 of 22 field goals for the Falcons in 2025.
-Chicago Bears sign wide receiver/return specialist Kalif Raymond to a one-year, $5.1-million deal and DB Cam Lewis to a two-year contract (terms not announced). Raymond spent the last five seasons with the Lions and had 24 catches for 289 yards and a TD last year. Lewis had 43 tackles last season for the Bills, where he spent all six seasons of his career.
-Minnesota Vikings re-sign three-time Pro Bowl long-snapper Andrew DePaola on a one-year, $1.725-million deal.
-Arizona Cardinals signed offensive lineman Matt Pryor to a one-year deal. Pryor played in 17 games with one start last season for the Eagles. He’s made 40 career starts over seven seasons, playing all over the line. Terms of the deal weren’t reported yet.
-Pittsburgh Steelers signed punter Cam Johnston to a one-year deal. He played for the Bills and Giants last year but was with the Steelers for one game in 2024.
-Detroit Lions re-signed linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to a one-year deal. He’s spent his entire four-year career with the team, mostly as a rotational reserve.
-Dallas Cowboys signed safety P.J. Locke to a one-year deal (terms not available). He appeared in 90 games with 26 starts the last six seasons for the Broncos, notching a career-high 74 tackles in 2024 before seeing his role diminish last season.
-Green Bay Packers are bringing back offensive lineman Darian Kinnard back with a one-year deal worth $3.75 million. Kinnard made the move over from Philadelphia last season before playing in 17 games and making four starts for the Packers. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 NFL Draft.
-Chicago Bears are signing Buffalo Bills defensive back Cam Lewis to a two-year deal to bring depth and versatility to the secondary. Lewis played multiple positions with the Bills across six seasons. He collected 43 tackles and four pass breakups in addition to forcing two fumbles in 17 appearances in 2025.
-Cleveland Browns make a significant move to sign a two-year, $24-million deal ($10 million guaranteed) with former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins. He is the third offensive lineman added by the Browns so far this week and heads to Cleveland with plenty of experience. The 30-year-old center earned Pro Bowl selections in the 2020 and 2022 seasons as a guard but most recently played center in Green Bay.
-New York Giants are signing kicker Jason Sanders to a one-year deal after he missed the 2025 season with a hip injury. Sanders has made 116 appearances in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins and was an All-Pro in the 2020 season. He connected on a franchise-record 92.3% of his field goals that year.
-New Orleans Saints are bringing back one of their former players by agreeing to a three-year, $33-million deal ($23 million guaranteed) with linebacker Kaden Elliss. The former Atlanta Falcons linebacker could earn as much as $39 million on the deal. He was drafted by the Saints in 2019. According to NFL NextGen Stats, Elliss had the second-most pressures for an off-ball linebacker in 2025 with 30.
-Philadelphia Eagles make their first move from outside the franchise this week by adding cornerback Riq Woolen on a one-year, $15-million agreement. The former Seahawks cornerback is coming off a Super Bowl win and should slide into a starting role in Philadelphia.
-Green Bay Packers signed receiver and kick returner Skyy Moore to a one-year deal. The NFC North franchise had the worst punt return average in the NFL in 2025. Moore averaged 11.6 yards per return last season with the 49ers, and should be an upgrade in Green Bay.
-Detroit Lions re-signed cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal worth $4 million. The team lost Amik Robertson to the Washington Commanders on a free agent deal Monday leaving a clear need for added depth in the secondary. Ya-Sin played in 17 games and made six starts in 2025 for the Lions.
-Detroit Lions sign Teddy Bridgewater as he returns to the NFC North franchise for a third stint. Bridgewater spent the 2025 season with Tampa Bay. He previously served as a backup for the Lions in 2023 and 2024.
-Carolina Panthers signing center Luke Fortner to a one-year deal worth $4.75 million making the move from Jacksonville.
-Washington Commanders agree to a three-year, $24.75-million deal with linebacker Leo Chenal who was with the Kansas City Chiefs. He had 58 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass breakups in the 2025 season.
-Chicago Bears are signing Kentavius Street after he spent three seasons with the Falcons. No terms have been disclosed.
-Philadelphia Eagles signing TE Johnny Mundt to a one-year deal after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars this week.
-Carolina Panthers are signing OT Stone Forsythe but no terms were released.
-Tennessee Titans are signing DT Jordan Elliott to a two-year, $8-million deal.
-Pittsburgh Steelers agree to a one-year contract extension with defensive lineman Cam Heyward worth $32.25 million including $16.25 million guaranteed over the total two-year deal.
-New York Giants signed FB Patrick Ricard to a two-year, $8.5 million deal after a lengthy career with the Baltimore Ravens. Ricard, who is expected to become the highest-paid fullback, spent nine seasons in Baltimore alongside new Giants head coach John Harbaugh.
-Philadelphia Eagles sign TE Grant Calcaterra on a one-year deal.
-Houston Texas DL Logan Hall two-year deal worth close to $14 million total.
-Tennessee Titans sign P Tommy Townsend to two-year deal worth $6 million.
-Dallas Cowboys are signing QB Sam Howell to a one-year deal as the former fifth-round pick of the Washington Commanders continues to find solid ground in the NFL. Howell was drafted by Washington but has made stops at Seattle, Minnesota and Philadelphia.
-Los Angeles Chargers are re-signing OL Trey Pipkins to a two-year, $10 million deal that could reach as much as $12 million.
-Pittsburgh Steelers are signing S Darnell Savage to a one-year deal. Savage was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2019 and made 69 starts with the franchise. He has since played with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills. He played in 12 games last season and made one start for the Bills.
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