March 10, 2026
Day 1 of NFL free agency is in the books, and there's a lot of news to get to within the NFC East. We'll go in order of each teams' finish last season.
As expected, the Eagles lost a bunch of players on Day 1 of free agency, and they made no outside signings at all. For the three other NFC East teams, we'll list their additions first, but it makes sense to start with the Eagles' losses.
• EDGE Jaelan Phillips: The Eagles tried to make Phillips their priority re-signing, but the Panthers instead gave him a ridiculous $30 million per year contract that the Eagles were right not to try to match. They should at least be able to recoup a 2027 third-round compensatory pick for losing Phillips.
• LB Nakobe Dean: Dean had strong interest from the Raiders and Cowboys, and he allowed Eagles fans to continue to root for him by choosing the Raiders. Dean was a good but oft-injured player for the Eagles, and a strong locker room presence, but Jihaad Campbell is waiting in the wings.
• S Reed Blankenship: Blankenship was a starting safety the last three seasons for the Eagles, but he's moving on to Houston. His contract (three years, 24.75 million) didn't seem overly prohibitive to match, but the Eagles either feel that they can do better at safety or that they can find similar production for less money.
• WR Jahan Dotson: Dotson signed a highly surprising two-year deal with the Falcons worth $15 million. The Eagles will be thrilled that he got enough money to count toward the compensatory pick formula.
• DB Michael Carter: Carter was never going to stick on the Eagles' roster at his scheduled salary of $10,250,000, but the Eagles were able to get him to come back on a far cheaper deal. His primary function should be as the backup slot corner to Cooper DeJean, with some added versatility to play safety in a pinch.
• EDGE Rashan Gary: Gary had 7.5 sacks for the Packers each of the last two seasons, and he has averaged just under 8 sacks per season over the last five seasons. The Cowboys reportedly traded a 2027 fourth-round pick to Green Bay for Gary. He is scheduled to have cap numbers of $19.5 million in 2026 and $22.5 million in 2027. Gary is 28, so he should have a few good years left.
The Cowboys had previously been outbid for Maxx Crosby. Personally, I'd much rather have Gary for a fourth-round pick than Crosby for a two first-round picks.
• S Jalen Thompson: The Cowboys signed Thompson to a three-year deal worth up to $33 million. Thompson has been on my radar in the past as a possible Eagles target at trade deadlines, after he had a productive three-year stretch from 2021 to 2023, when he had 8 INTs and averaged over 100 tackles per season. However, in the last two seasons, Thompson has 0 INTs and 1 FF. He turns 28 in July.
• EDGE Sam Williams: After a promising first two seasons in 2022 and 2023, Williams missed the entire 2024 season with torn ACL and a partially torn MCL in his left knee. In 2025, he had 37 tackles and 1 sack in 17 games (5 starts). The Cowboys re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $3 million.
None.
The Commanders had a baffling offseason last year, when they loaded up on an absurd number of old players. This year, they came out of the gate spending.
• EDGE Odafe Oweh: Oweh was a Ravens first-round pick (31st overall) in 2021. His career got off to a slow-ish start for a first-round pick, as he had 13 sacks his first three seasons. He turned it on a bit in 2024 (10 sacks), followed by a 7.5-sack season in 2025. He is a nice rotational pass rusher.
The Commanders gave him a four-year deal worth $100 million. Oof. I do understand the Commanders' impulse to do whatever it takes to improve their pass rush since they couldn't get after the quarterback a year ago, but man is that an overpay.
• DB Amik Robertson: The Commanders signed Robertson to a two-year deal worth $16 million. Robertson was a player I liked coming out of college. He is small (5'8, 183), but feisty, and I thought he had a chance to overcome his size limitations. Unfortunately, bigger players in the NFL have gotten the better of him far too often. He won't help the Commanders' terrible run defense.
• iDL Tim Settle: Settle was drafted by Washington, and then played a pair of seasons each for the Bills and Texans. He had 15 tackles and 1 sack in 12 starts playing on a stacked Texans D-line in 2025. For some reason, the Commanders felt he was worth a three-year deal worth $24 million. Uh, OK.
• The Commanders also re-signed a bunch of players, but most notably LT Laremy Tunsil (two year extension worth $60 million), and QB2 Marcus Mariota (one year, $7 million).
• C Tyler Biadasz: They didn't really "lose" Biadasz, since they cut him, but Biadasz signed with the Chargers for three years, $30 million.
And batting cleanup, the Giants, who were busy on Day 1.
• TE Isaiah Likely: Likely played for John Harbaugh in Baltimore, of course. He signed for three years, $40 million. Likely is a good receiver, and the Giants need more weapons on offense. Reasonable deal.
• RT Jermaine Eluemunor: Eluemunor is just a guy, which honestly for the Giants' purposes is better than usual along the O-line. He re-signed for three years, $39 million.
• LB Tremaine Edmunds: Edmunds played for five seasons in Buffalo and then the last three in Chicago. He signed for three years, $36 million. He has had 100 or more tackles in all eight seasons of his career. Professional linebacker, 4 INTs last year. Reasonable signing.
• P Jordan Stout: Of course Harbaugh had to bring his punter over from Baltimore. Three years, a little over $12 million.
• S Ar’Darius Washington: Depth guy, presumably.
• WR Isaiah Hodgins: I remember when Giants fans were excited about this guy. 12 catches, 127 yards the last two seasons.
• TE Chris Manhertz: Backup TE.
If you'll recall, Brian Daboll is now the Titans' offensive coordinator, and apparently he has a lot of influence over who the Titans are signing in free agency.
• WR Wan’Dale Robinson: The Titans signed Robinson to an asinine four-year contract worth $70 million. Robinson had 92 catches for 1,014 yards and 4 TDs for the Giants, and I'm sure they would have liked to have kept him, but holy crap.
• CB Cor’Dale Flott: Flott also went to the Titans for three years, $45 million. I'm not sure if the Titans GM Mike Borgonzi watched Giants games or not, but that's probably not the team whose roster I would choose to raid in free agency. I'd be telling Daboll to get the hell out of my office if he was urging me to build my roster up with these guys.
• TE Daniel Bellinger: Bellinger signed with the Titans for three years, $24 million (lol!).
• C Austin Schlottmann: Schlottman signed for two years, up to $9 million with, oh hey, you guessed it, the Titans!
• S Dane Belton: Someone other than the Titans signed a Giants player, The Jets signed Belton for one year, $4 million.
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