The NFL’s free-agent signing period continued on Friday, and while most of the biggest names have already been signed, there is still some good value to be had a week into the offseason. So let’s take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from Friday’s roster moves.
The Panthers needed some short-term help at the left tackle position given the patellar tendon injury Ikem Ekwonu suffered in their playoff game, and they made a smart signing on Friday to help address it. That is when the Panthers signed free-agent lineman Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal worth around $10 million.
Walker was one of the better offensive tackles to hit the open market, and being able to get him on a one-year deal at that price is some nice business by general manager Dan Morgan. It provides some quality production for quarterback Cam Ward at a more than fair price.
Loser: Tennessee Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed
The Titans had big hopes for Sneed when they acquired him from the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 2024 season. The expectation was that he could transform their secondary and bring championship experience to a rebuilding team, but it never quite worked out that way.
Injuries limited him to just 12 games over two years, and on Friday, his time with the team officially came to an end when he was released by the Titans, making him a free agent.
The Bills have made a couple of small, budget-friendly additions to their secondary over the past few days, adding defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Thursday and then signing former Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Geno Stone on Friday.
Neither player is going to be a superstar at this stage of their career, but they both provide solid depth at a cheap price for a team that has needed help at safety.
Loser: Kevin Colbert’s 2022 NFL Draft class with Pittsburgh Steelers
When tight end Connor Heyward signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, shortly after wide receiver Calvin Austin signed with the New York Giants, it officially signaled the end of the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers draft class with the team. That was Kevin Colbert’s last draft class before he retired, and not only do none of those players remain in Pittsburgh, none of them received a second contract from the team.
Even worse, of Colbert’s last three draft classes with the Steelers, the only players who still remain are outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, tight end Pat Freiermuth and defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk.
That lack of success over so many years in the draft is a big reason why the organization has reached a plateau in terms of its success.
Colbert’s legacy with the Steelers is ultimately great, having built three Super Bowl teams including two that won the Super Bowl, but he clearly lost some of the magic touch by the end of his tenure.
Winner: Steelers interior run defense
The current Steelers team, however, is having a pretty strong offseason and continued that on Friday with the addition of defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day on a two-year deal from the Titans. He is a strong run-stuffer and will provide some much-needed depth to a defensive line that has been thin in recent years and struggled to consistently stop the run.
Not one of the bigger signings of the offseason, but certainly a good value signing. Those are the types of moves you are looking for at this stage of the signing period.