Perhaps that will change with Jesse Minter returning to coach the team.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the Ravens will move forward with Hendrickson, whom they signed for $28 million per season after tentatively agreeing to acquire Crosby from the Raiders for two first-round draft picks. Three weeks after the Ravens cited medical concerns for backing out of the Crosby agreement, league insiders suspect Baltimore acted in bad faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ll ever find out the answer,\u201d an exec from another team said. \u201cI would not put it past them to agree to this trade and then slow-play the physical.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ravens and Raiders agreed to the trade on the Friday before free agency. Crosby underwent his physical exam with Baltimore on Tuesday, one day before free agency officially opened, but after the Raiders and other teams reached agreements with players during the legal tampering window.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you really wanted the guy, you would get him in there for his physical as soon as possible,\u201d another exec said. \u201cYou would pull your doctors off whatever they were doing. That\u2019s easy. It was advantageous for the Ravens to slow-play the physical and keep open their options. That is why I believe the narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n
The delay allowed Baltimore to agree with Hendrickson, whose acquisition did not require parting with draft capital.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy point is, the Ravens didn\u2019t get cold feet,\u201d another exec said. \u201cThey wanted one high-quality edge rusher, and they felt Maxx Crosby, like most people did, was the best one available, and he was worth two first-round picks, presuming they could not get Hendrickson.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adding Hendrickson cost the Ravens a shot at recouping a 2027 third-round compensatory pick for center Tyler Linderbaum, whose departure also weakened the middle of the offensive line. Newly signed guard John Simpson fills some of the void.<\/p>\n
\u201cSimpson is a purposeful run blocker who can give you some (aggressive) play style at a position where it is hard to get play style,\u201d another exec said. \u201cThey lose Linderbaum. Simpson will help them not as a leader, but just solidifying up front a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n
Added: $68.3M (5th) | Lost: $43.1M (15th) | Differential: $25.2M (8th)<\/p>\n
Sending a second-round pick to Chicago for receiver D.J. Moore stood out as the most confounding move for execs from other teams.<\/p>\n
First, the positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price they got for Bradley Chubb was not bad,\u201d one exec said. \u201c(Cornerback) Dee Alford at $5 million is really good. He makes plays. If you are going to lose Taron Johnson, getting younger and still getting some playmaking is good. (C.J.) Gardner-Johnson for $3.5 million is a ball-hawking, playmaking safety. Those moves look solid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lloyd Cushenberry III and Austin Corbett provide experience on the interior after guard David Edwards signed with New Orleans.<\/p>\n
Now, the less positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cD.J. Moore was gonna get cut, and they gave up a second-round pick to get him,\u201d one exec said. \u201cThey gave up a second-round pick and $40 million (in guarantees). What is going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
As one agent noted, getting free agents to choose Buffalo over other NFL cities can be tricky. Recent history could be another factor, as former coach Sean McDermott complained about personnel, especially at wide receiver. Moore played under new coach Joe Brady in Carolina. No one can say the Bills did not get the receiver Brady sought.<\/p>\n
\u201cD.J. Moore has two years of regression now,\u201d another exec said. \u201cHe is a non-traditional receiver that wins with size and yards after the catch. I still feel they needed someone that could win down the field. Moore can do that \u2014 he did it to beat Green Bay. But I feel like his strength is on the underneath catch-and-run stuff, which they already have with (Khalil) Shakir.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another exec saw Moore\u2019s skill set as part of a Josh Allen regulation plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cA non-traditional receiver for a non-traditional quarterback,\u201d this exec said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like Josh picks you apart. He overwhelms you. To operate on time, they are one of the best running teams in football, and it\u2019s smokes and tunnel screens and jailbreaks on early downs in the pass game, getting the ball out of his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
That still leaves plenty of opportunities for Allen to work his magic in dropback situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the Waddle move for Denver more because he\u2019s just a better player and he\u2019s younger,\u201d another exec said. \u201cYou look at how (the Bills) were rumored to have Waddle at the deadline last year and then what they ended up giving for D.J., and it\u2019s like, wouldn\u2019t you rather have Waddle for a year and a half? Now, Miami might not have traded him within the division.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moore averaged a career-high 18.1 yards per catch in 2020, when Brady was his offensive coordinator in Carolina. He is coming off a career-low season for yards per game (40.1) with Chicago, turns 29 on April 14 and has solid guarantees through 2027.<\/p>\n
Cincinnati Bengals<\/p>\n
Added: $45.9M (16th) | Lost: $47.0M (12th) | Differential: -$1.1M (16th)<\/p>\n
Multiple would-be AFC contenders made major moves after failing to capitalize on the rare opportunity last season to navigate the playoffs without Patrick Mahomes standing in the way.<\/p>\n
Baltimore and Buffalo fired their longtime head coaches. Both teams also made major moves in free agency and\/or the trade market. Their urgency was clear.<\/p>\n
As for the Bengals, who ranked 29th in defensive EPA per play last season and over the past four, it was out with the old (Trey Hendrickson) and in with the new (Boye Mafe) at edge rusher. Safety Bryan Cook and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen were the other big additions on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey knew they had to fix some stuff on defense,\u201d an exec said. \u201cIt looks like they are saying, \u2018You guys have one year to figure this out. Otherwise, we can get out of the coach\u2019s contract.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Coach Zac Taylor is reportedly signed through 2027 (the team has announced an extension through 2026 only).<\/p>\n
\u201cMafe is a lesser player than (Malcolm) Koonce, who the Raiders signed (for $11 million per year, compared to the $20 million that Mafe commanded),\u201d another exec said. \u201cMafe makes me cringe because he is really a DPR (designated pass rusher) who does not play the run at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was not a unanimous view.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not gonna be playing with the same caliber of players (as in Seattle), but he\u2019s probably gonna be allowed to just rip upfield with Cincinnati, which could help his individual production,\u201d another exec said. \u201cHe can win quickly, but in Seattle, it was more about rushing four as one. He does have to become a better finisher.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Zac Taylor\u2019s job could be at stake if the Bengals\u2019 defense isn\u2019t fixed in 2026. (Michael Reaves \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n Added: $58.8M (7th) | Lost: $14.5M (29th) | Differential: $44.4M (5th)<\/p>\n While the Browns were the ones proposing a rules change allowing teams to trade draft choices further into the future<\/a>, the Rams have been most outspoken in favor of the change.<\/p>\n Could that be because the Rams, desperate to win a championship in what could be Matthew Stafford\u2019s final season, are interested in a certain Browns defensive lineman whose contract recently became easier to trade?<\/p>\n \u201cThe report of the option bonus date moving later for Myles Garrett makes me think Cleveland is planning on trading him,\u201d an exec said.<\/p>\n Cleveland withdrew the proposal<\/a> during the NFL owners\u2019 meetings this week rather than subject it to a losing vote. Consider the subject on the table for the future.<\/p>\n There is no shortage of Browns moves that have actually happened.<\/p>\n No team invested more in its offensive line during free agency, after all five of the Browns\u2019 primary starters from 2025 hit the market.<\/p>\n Cleveland landed its two most expensive line additions (Tytus Howard and Zion Johnson) from the Texans and Chargers, two teams desperate to improve their lines.<\/p>\n Howard and Elgton Jenkins, signed from Green Bay, rank second (Jenkins) and fourth (Howard) among 40 offensive linemen from the 2019 draft in Pro Football Reference\u2019s Draft Approximate Value metric, which measures contributions from players to their original teams.<\/p>\n \u201cThey had to do that,\u201d another exec said. \u201cTheir line was absolutely abysmal, which is crazy. It shows you how quickly it can go on the offensive line. They had (acclaimed line coach Bill) Callahan there two years ago. I give them a lot of credit. Obviously, these guys are not all superstars. But they had to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Quarterback remains a question mark<\/a> for another day.<\/p>\n Denver Broncos<\/p>\n Added: $28.3M (25th) | Lost: $31.0M (24th) | Differential: -$2.8M (18th)<\/p>\n The 2025 Broncos became the 32nd team in NFL history to win exactly 14 games in a season. Their point differential (+90) ranked last among the 32, an indication that regression was coming.<\/p>\n Acquiring receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami for a package including a first-round pick (No. 30) should help.<\/p>\n \u201cYou might fight regression for a year or two with a move like that,\u201d an exec said.<\/p>\n Another exec said the Broncos thought they were going to sign former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, only to have the Saints land him instead.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were shocked,\u201d this exec said.<\/p>\n Denver later re-signed running back J.K. Dobbins.<\/p>\n Waddle, 27, led the NFL in yards per reception (18.1) in 2022 and has started at least 14 games in each of his five seasons but has struggled through injuries.<\/p>\n \u201cDenver wants to give Bo Nix his best chance with a new (play caller)<\/a>, so take your shot,\u201d another exec said of adding the 185-pound wideout. \u201cBut you\u2019d better know some of the flaws. Availability is a concern, and Waddle does not exactly exude toughness. Maybe your culture changes that.\u201d<\/p>\n Letting defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers leave for $21 million per year in Tennessee showed there were limits to Denver maximizing whatever window exists while Nix is on his affordable rookie contract.<\/p>\n As for Waddle, he has been an average starting receiver by yards per game (53.4) over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cHe opens things up,\u201d another exec said. \u201cHe is a good complement to Courtland Sutton, who is more of a possession receiver. He is a good stretch-the-field receiver, which they already have with (2024 fourth-round pick Troy) Franklin. Waddle can run all these crossers and beat man coverage, and he\u2019s in his prime.\u201d<\/p>\n Houston Texans<\/p>\n Added: $47.2M (14th) | Lost: $37.1M (21st) | Differential: $10.1M (13th)<\/p>\n Signing Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins and E.J. Speed to extensions helped maintain defensive continuity for one of two teams with a playoff victory in each of the past three seasons.<\/p>\n As usual, the questions are on offense.<\/p>\n The latest round of shuffling along the Texans\u2019 offensive line came as quarterback C.J. Stroud became eligible for a contract extension.<\/p>\n \u201cI think (GM Nick) Caserio is going to let it go year to year,\u201d one exec said. \u201cHe very well may be inclined to draft another guy. It could be another year of Davis Mills (as the backup), and then Caserio drafts another quarterback.\u201d<\/p>\n Another exec said he liked Mills as much as he liked Stroud, whom Caserio and ownership have backed this offseason.<\/p>\n Up front, signing Braden Smith while trading Tytus Howard to Cleveland made the Texans less expensive at right tackle. Did it make them better?<\/p>\n \u201cBraden Smith is one of those thin, linear guys \u2014 just kind of a get-by guy,\u201d an exec said.<\/p>\n The Texans under Caserio have done a much better job building the rest of their roster than the offensive line.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems to me that Nick can\u2019t decide on an offensive line,\u201d another exec said. \u201cHe has drafted them high and moved them on. He has signed them and moved them on. He (extended) the tackle from Miami (Laremy Tunsil), moved on from him. At a certain point, you have to pick a lane.\u201d<\/p>\n On the other side of the ball, Houston lost one of its best run defenders in Tim Settle, who signed with Washington. Running back David Montgomery and safety Reed Blankenship were the highest-ranked players Houston added in terms of APY at their positions (15th for Montgomery, who was acquired by trade from Detroit, and 23rd for Blankenship, formerly of Philadelphia).<\/p>\n \u201cBlankenship is clearly a scheme fit for DeMeco Ryans,\u201d another exec said. \u201cThey brought in Braden Smith and Evan Brown for their offensive line. Do I like either of those for the future? Probably not. They are both 30 (or almost 30) years old. It would make a lot of sense if the Texans were putting a lot of effort into the O-line in the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n Indianapolis Colts<\/p>\n Added: $16.3M (29th) | Lost: $71.8M (5th) | Differential: -$55.4M (29th)<\/p>\n Indy used the transition tag for quarterback Daniel Jones \u2014 setting his baseline at $37.8 million for one year \u2014 and then signed him to a two-year, $88 million deal that slotted him 13th among 16 veteran QBs on starting-level contracts.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they did the right thing with him,\u201d one exec said. \u201cThey couldn\u2019t afford not to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n Not that this was an optimal position.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s face it, their troubles all started by drafting Anthony Richardson,\u201d the exec added. \u201cHere they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Another exec thought the Colts \u2014 who also paid a premium ($28.5 million per year) to re-sign receiver Alec Pierce \u2014 made a bad situation worse by using the transition tag instead of letting the market work against Jones.<\/p>\n \u201cYou probably had a natural transition tag anyway, because Daniel wasn\u2019t going anywhere without checking with you first,\u201d this exec said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like he wanted to go to the Jets. The Vikings had no ability to sign high-priced players, so they weren\u2019t really a factor.\u201d<\/p>\n What was the worst-case scenario if Jones had tested the market?<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s say another team offers him $50 million a year over four years, and $110 million is fully guaranteed,\u201d an exec said. \u201cWhat is worse: That awful deal where you are tied to him for $110 million for the next two years, or what you just did? Your downside is an extra $15-20 million over two years, but at least you get him for two more years on the back end.\u201d<\/p>\n Unless, of course, Jones decided to leave. Then, what?<\/p>\n \u201cThere are worlds where they don\u2019t tag him, he gets paid elsewhere and it would have been hard to find someone to fill that gap,\u201d another exec said. \u201cThis was the smart play if you are banking on him continuing to thrive in Year 2 of your system. By the same token, I do not know if it pushes the needle.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacksonville Jaguars<\/p>\n Added: $5.0M (31st) | Lost: $39.5M (18th) | Differential: -$34.5M (27th)<\/p>\n Losing running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd made the Jaguars worse on the field while arming them with future compensatory picks.<\/p>\n \u201cThose might have been their two best players,\u201d an exec said. \u201cThey are trying to win comp picks to get a couple third-rounders for next year. OK, we\u2019ll see. The question is, do they know what to do with them? Because the receiver they traded two No. 1s to get (Travis Hunter) did nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Zac](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2240639979-scaled.jpg\")
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