There’s a popular adage in the NFL that says teams shouldn’t aim to be the biggest winner in March due to all the disastrous free-agent signings over the years.
There’s some truth to that, but the Seahawks and Patriots made substantial investments last free agency and ended up meeting in Super Bowl LX. Seattle’s 2025 free-agent class was headlined by quarterback Sam Darnold, and New England went all in for defensive tackle Milton Williams, one of many moves made during coach Mike Vrabel’s first season in New England.
It’s safe to say neither team has regrets about all the spending it did last March. Let’s look ahead and assess which team gained the most impactful free agent from this latest free agency frenzy.
Below, our MMQB staff lists free-agent signings that may help their team as much as Darnold and Williams did for their respective teams last season.
Which free agency signing will have the most impact?
Matt Verderame: The Rams bolstering their secondary makes them the clear-cut favorite to win Super Bowl LXI. Los Angeles traded with the Chiefs for All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie before giving him a nine-figure extension. Then, they went back to Steve Spagnuolo’s secondary, adding Jaylen Watson on a three-year, $51 million deal. Factor in the re-signing of safety Kam Curl, and Los Angeles suddenly has one of the better secondaries in football after being lackluster there in 2025, ranking 19th in passing yardage against.
Gilberto Manzano: With or without Maxx Crosby, the Raiders will be better this season because they went all in for Tyler Linderbaum, the center who became the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history after signing a three-year, $81 million contract. Now, I’m not saying the Raiders are playoff-bound, and honestly, wins shouldn’t matter in 2026. What’s important is setting a foundation for long-term success and making sure the incoming rookie quarterback, who will likely be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, has a strong supporting cast to deliver immediate results. Las Vegas is well on its way to achieving those goals after landing a top-three center in the league.
Michael Fabiano: If we’re talking about purely free-agent moves, then it has to be the Raiders landing Linderbaum. Their offensive line was brutal last year, allowing a league-high 64 sacks. It also didn’t do much to help open lanes for Ashton Jeanty, either. With the addition of an offensive-minded head coach in Klint Kubiak and the expected addition of Indiana quarterback and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, the Silver & Black had to address their line woes. That started with adding one of the best centers in the league, and it puts the Raiders on the right track.
Conor Orr: The smaller moves in free agency that don’t get the attention are often the most important. That’s why I think someone like Charlie Kolar and Alec Ingold in L.A. or Patrick Ricard in New York will actually matter the most. All of these fullbacks and blocking tight ends improve protection and are already comfortable in their respective schemes, which lends new life to the quarterbacks inheriting them. It’s not just about offensive linemen when it comes to improving protection.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The MMQB’s Experts Debate the Free Agency Signing That Will Have the Most Impact.
