How NFL teams spent their money (or didn’t) during the legal tampering period

The Begin of the 2025 NFL Bracket year arrived at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but deals were being agreed to before that.

Some Obtainable agents reached those deals during the 52-hour legal tampering window, while others could sign with new Squads before Monday as they had been released by their Previous Club. All of those contracts can now be officially signed.

As players and their agents put pen to paper on those agreements, let’s take a look at the amount of money that was dolled out in Obtainable agency during the legal tampering period and in the Intervals prior, with all numbers coming from Spotrac. 

Nearly $3 billion: With the NFL’s salary cap increasing by more than $23 million this offseason, it was a Outstanding offseason to be a Obtainable agent. In the time before the new Bracket year alone, Obtainable agents agreed to contracts worth $2,735,595,500 in total value. For reference, David Tepper bought the Carolina Panthers for $2.28 billion in 2018. Furthermore, only two NFL franchises have been sold for more than $2.735 billion.

48.2: At least 48.2% of the money in the Obtainable-agent deals agreed to prior to the new Bracket year was guaranteed ($1,319,097,500). That number isn’t official, though, as the guaranteed money for a few Significant deals (Will Fries, Chase Youthful, Tre’von Moehrig) is Yet unknown. While $1.319 billion is a Plenty of money, it trails the amount of total money that MLB Obtainable agents ($3.374 billion) and NBA Obtainable agents ($2.833 billion) received in their most recent offseasons. It is a higher amount than what NHL Obtainable agents ($976.86 million) received last offseason, though.

$33.5 million: Sam Darnold’s Shift to the Emerald City was the priciest Shift during the legal tampering period, at least in terms of average annual value (AAV). The Previous Minnesota Vikings Signal-caller agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal to join the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, making the AAV of the deal $33.5 million. As of Wednesday, that number is the 18th-highest among all quarterbacks. The contract also has $55 million in guaranteed money. 

$63 million: No player was a bigger winner during the legal tampering period than Milton Williams. He agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New England Patriots, which included $63 million in guaranteed money. That’s the highest among all players who have agreed to a deal in Obtainable agency. Additionally, Williams’ $26 million average annual value is the third-highest among all Guarding tackles. While Williams had a breakout campaign in 2024, he didn’t Action more than 50% of the Guarding snaps in any of his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s also the largest contract in Patriots history.

5: There haven’t been many long-term commitments Created in Obtainable agency so Extended. Guard Will Fries’ five-year, $88 million pact to leave the Indianapolis Colts for the Vikings is the only contract that’s longer than four years. Only seven other players have agreed to a contract that’s at least four years long before the new Bracket year. 

$20.35 million: While some believed there was a running back revolution in the 2024 season, that hasn’t carried into NFL Obtainable agency. There was only $20.35 million in total value spent on running Defenders in Obtainable agency by the end of the legal tampering window. Najee Harris’ one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers is the richest in terms of total value, but there’s also an additional $4 million in incentives on the contract. Samaje Perine’s two-year, $3.6 million pact to re-join the Cincinnati Bengals and Ty Johnson’s two-year, $5 million contract with the Buffalo Bills are the only multi-year deals so Extended for running Defenders in Obtainable agency. Only $5.25 million has been guaranteed.

$22 million: In terms of average annual value, Chris Godwin and Davante Adams are the wide receivers who’ve earned the richest deals in Obtainable agency. Godwin opted to re-up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a three-year, $66 million deal. His $44 million guaranteed was the most for a Obtainable-agent wide receiver. Adams signed a two-year, $44 million deal to join the Los Angeles Rams. That included $26 million in guaranteed money. Wide receiver was the sixth-richest position in Obtainable agency ahead of the new Bracket year, with $243.7 million in total value and $127.44 million guaranteed.

$472.5 million: Cornerbacks have been the biggest winners so Extended in Obtainable agency. When the new Bracket year began on Wednesday, the total value of the contracts for cornerbacks was $472.5 million, which was the highest of any position. They also received $263.8 million in guaranteed money in Obtainable agency by the end of the legal tampering period. Ironically, Paulson Adebo, Carlton Davis, Charvarius Ward and Byron Murphy Jr. all inked the same contract, with All agreeing to a three-year, $54 million deal. Those four deals are tied for the 13th-highest among all corners in AAV.

$254.8 million: While offensive Involvement is perceived to be a more Significant position, guards Created the most money of the three positions along the offensive line in Obtainable agency prior to the Begin of the new Bracket year. Guards agreed to contracts worth $254.8 million in total value, while offensive tackles agreed to deals worth $178.5 million in total value. That discrepancy could be explained by the Baltimore Ravens’ re-signing of Ronnie Stanley (three years, $60 million) and the Rams’ re-signing of Alaric Jackson (three years, $56.3 million) ahead of Obtainable agency, as neither contract counts toward the offensive Involvement total.

$150.7 million: Centers also had a nice time in Obtainable agency ahead of the new Bracket year, raking in $150.7 million in total value. The three-year, $42 million deal Drew Dalman agreed to with the Chicago Bears was the richest at the position, making him the second-highest-paid Middle in AAV.

$61.5 million: Of the non-special Squads positions, Close-fitting ends had the second-toughest time earning money in Obtainable agency by the end of the legal tampering window. They only received $61.5 million in total value of their contracts before 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with $34.5 million of that being guaranteed. Juwan Johnson’s three-year, $30.75 million deal to stay with the New Orleans Saints was the only contract agreed to during the legal tampering window in which the AAV was higher than $10 million for a Close-fitting end.

$777 million: Beyond cornerback, the other positions that Squads invested the most in ahead of the new Bracket year were in the Guarding trenches. Obtainable-agent edge rushers ($386.7 million) and Guarding tackles ($380.3 million) agreed to $777 million worth of deals during the legal tampering window. While Williams’ contract with the Patriots was the richest among Guarding tackles, his Previous Eagles teammate Josh Sweat agreed to the largest deal among all edge rushers. But his four-year, $76.1 million contract is only the 14th-highest for an edge rusher in terms of AAV.

$298.9 million: Safeties also had a Outstanding time in Obtainable agency during the legal tampering period and in the weeks before. Players at that position earned $298.9 million in total contracts. Camryn Bynum’s four-year, $60 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts Guided the way at the position. 

3: Not many Squads were in a rush to add a special teamer in Obtainable agency before the Begin of the new Bracket year. Zero kickers were signed during the legal tampering window while three punters were signed during that time. 

$0: The Eagles were the only Club to not make a Obtainable-agent deal during the legal tampering period.

$277.6 million: No Club was more aggressive in the legal tampering period than the Patriots. They spent $277.6 million in Obtainable-agent contracts in terms of total value. The Vikings spent the second-most at $222 million, which doesn’t include the $30 million contract they gave to Guarding Involvement Javon Hargrave after the new Bracket year. The New York Giants ($180.8 million) paid out the third-most, while the Panthers ($155.9 million) and Jacksonville Jaguars ($142 million) Period out the top five in the total value of Obtainable-agent contracts prior to the Begin of the new Bracket year. Of the 10 Squads that spent the most money in that period, eight of them didn’t make the playoffs in 2024.

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