The teams that make plenty of noise during the league’s free-agency frenzy often don’t see the results they hoped for come the regular season.
No team was burned more last year than the Tennessee Titans, who executed lucrative contracts for Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, L’Jarius Sneed and Lloyd Cushenberry III before winning only three games.
Perhaps the New England Patriots are headed down the path of the 2024 Titans after signing a handful of players to contracts worth more than $37 million, including the four-year, $104 million deal for defensive tackle Milton Williams. But the ’24 Titans didn’t have Mike Vrabel, who’s coaching in New England now a full season removed from being fired in Tennessee.
Other teams suddenly become aggressive after a surprise playoff appearance. That happened with the Houston Texans after the 2023 season, before handing the “all-in team” baton this offseason to the Washington Commanders, who are fresh off an NFC title game appearance. The Texans also handed left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Perhaps Houston had regrets about its all-in moves last season after an inconsistent season, especially on the offensive line.
But it’s hard to blame the Commanders for aiming to maximize Daniels’s rookie contract or the Patriots for splurging in free agency to ignite a rebuild. Both teams got drastically better in the early weeks of the new league year.
Here are the top five teams that most improved after the first wave of free agency.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Notable additions: WR Dyami Brown (one year, $10 million), C Robert Hainsey (three years, $21 million), CB Jourdan Lewis (three years, $30 million), OL Patrick Mekari (three years, $37.5 million), S Eric Murray (three years, $22.5 million)
Jacksonville had a sneaky good first wave of free agency with underrated players who could end up being some of the best bargain signings of 2025. The Jaguars were wise to bet on Brown, who made up for four inconsistent seasons in Washington with a prolific playoff run. Brown, a ’21 third-round pick, turned a corner in the postseason, often winning at the line of scrimmage to be a few steps ahead of his defenders. Brown and stud wideout Brian Thomas Jr. could be a dangerous downfield duo for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars also improved Lawrence’s offensive line, aiding the versatile Mekari, who started games at guard and tackle for the Baltimore Ravens the past few seasons. Hainsey proved to be a reliable center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his first season as a starter. But the Jaguars should continue prioritizing the offensive line in the draft in case Mekari is better suited as an offensive tackle and guard Ezra Cleveland is unable to recover from a rocky 2024 season.
On the defensive side, the Jaguars gained a versatile playmaker in Lewis, who often stepped up the past two seasons when injuries struck the Dallas Cowboys’ secondary. This could be a much-improved defense if the Jaguars land a few immediate impact players on the defensive line. Overall, it appears to be a savvy, efficient free-agency class during Year 1 with coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone.
