Day 3 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.
Notable players gained
• RB A.J. Dillon: Dillon missed the end of the 2023 season with a stinger, and then he missed the entire 2024 season with another stinger. At 6'0, 247 pounds, Dillon is one of the biggest backs in the NFL, so he makes sense as a fourth quarter closer, but his yards per carry have decreased each season he has been in the league. He'll likely have to compete for a roster spot in 2025.
Notable players lost
• CB Darius Slay: We knew a week ago that Slay would be released, but there was a small chance that he could come back anyway on a cheaper one-year deal. Instead, the Steelers were willing to play Slay $10 million in 2025, so he's gone. With Isaiah Rodgers also departing in free agency, the door is wide open for Kelee Ringo to have a much bigger role in 2025.
The Commanders had an odd third day, signing four players over 30 years of age.
Notable players gained/retained
• CB Jonathan Jones: Jones is 31, and entering his tenth season. His first nine seasons were in New England. He has inside-outside versatility, but he played more on the outside than the inside in recent seasons. The addition of Jones could mean that second-year pro Mike Sainristil will be moving inside, which is his more natural position. It's reportedly a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, with incentives.
• DT Eddie Goldman: Goldman is 31, and entering his eighth season. He has had a weird career. He opted out of the COVID year in 2020, returned for one season in 2021, retired and did not play in 2022 or 2023, and then came out of retirement to play in 2024. In 2024, he had 16 tackles and 1 sack. He signed a one-year deal, financials unknown at the moment.
• QB Marcus Mariota: Mariota is 31, and entering his eleventh season. He made $6 million as the Commanders' QB2 in 2024; he'll make $8 million in 2025.
• DE Deatrich Wise: Wise is 30, and entering his ninth season. Like Jones above, his entire NFL tenure was in New England. He had 29 tackles and 5 sacks in 2024. The Commanders pretty badly needed edge rusher help, both in terms of starting players and depth. I imagine Wise will just be a rotational guy. He reportedly signed a one-year deal worth $5 million.
Notable players lost
• CB Benjamin St-Juste: St-Juste has good size at 6'3, 200, but he was always a weakness in man coverage because he simply couldn't run with fast receivers, and had to compensate by being a penalty machine. You also didn't have to fear throwing at St-Juste, as he had 1 INT in his four seasons in Washington.
• S Darrick Forrest: In 2022, Forest had 88 tackles and 4 INTs, but he suffered a fractured shoulder early in the 2023 season and missed all but 5 games. In 2024, he was something of an afterthought in the Commanders' defense, playing just 74 snaps. He signed with the Bills.
MORE: Eagles 2025 free agency tracker
Notable players gained/retained
• CB Kaiir Elam: The Cowboys traded a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-round pick in 2026 to the Bills for Elam and a sixth-round pick in 2025. In January, Trevon Diggs had a "chondral tissue graft procedure" that is going to keep him out of a good chunk of the 2025 season, at a minimum. The Cowboys also lost longtime slot corner Jourdan Lewis on Tuesday, so they badly need help at corner. Elam is 6'1 and he runs a 4.39 40, but for whatever reason he was a first-round bust for the Bills.
• LB Kenneth Murray: The Cowboys traded a sixth-round pick for Murray and a seventh-round pick. Murray was a Chargers first-round pick (23rd overall) in 2020. I can't say I've watched much of Murray, but for what it's worth, he has some horrid run defense grades from PFF.
• LB Jack Sanborn: Sanborn was an undrafted player in 2022 who played for three years with the Bears. The Bears non-tendered him as a restricted free agent, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Cowboys then signed him to a one-year deal. He had 35 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Bears in 2024, and will reunite with former Bears HC / current Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus.
Notable players lost
• DL DeMarcus Lawrence: Lawrence was something of the Brandon Graham of the Cowboys, in that he only had two double-digit sack seasons, but was an impactful player, notably in the run game. He made the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023, and his 2024 season was off to great start as he had 3 sacks in the first 4 games, but a foot injury ended his season. He signed with the Seahawks on a three-year deal worth $42 million. Lawrence will turn 33 this offseason, but this loss will hurt.
• RB Rico Dowdle: Dowdle got 235 carries for 1079 yards (4.6 YPC) and 2 TDs as Dallas' lead back in 2024. He signed with the Panthers to be their RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard. It feels like a good bet that the Cowboys will draft a running back.
MORE: Eagles 2026 compensatory draft pick tracker
Notable players gained/retained
• RG Greg Van Roten: Van Roten is 35 years old. He started all 17 games for the Giants in 2024, mostly at RG, but also at C. He was reasonably competent for the Giants in 2024, but it was expected that they would go younger at that spot. But nope, he's back.
• WR/RS Ihmir Smith-Marsette: Smith-Marsette had no receptions for the Giants in 2024, but he housed a 100-yard kick return.
• OT Stone Forsythe: Forsythe is a 6'9 OT who played 413 snaps at RT for Seattle last season. I won't pretend to have watched Stone Forsythe tape, but he has some ugly pass protection grades from PFF.
Notable players lost
None.
MORE: Is Sydney Brown ready to be a starter?
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