The NFL’s 2025 NFL free agency period could be more wild than ever in terms of the amount spent on players thanks to the league’s surprising salary cap increase.
The 2025 salary cap rose higher than expected all the way up to $279.2 million thanks to the league’s increasing media rights deal. That’s why there have already been some major moves that have taken place: the Washington Commanders trading for wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the Las Vegas Raiders making edge rusher Maxx Crosby the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback, the Chicago Bears trading for All-Pro offensive lineman Joe Thuney, the Philadelphia Eagles extending running back Saquon Barkley and linebacker Zack Baun and the Cowboys re-signing defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, just to name a few.
There are plenty of big names up for grabs, and there are 12 teams that possess over $45 million in effective cap space per OverTheCap.com, which sets up for a frenetic opening to free agency. This also includes stars who have requested trades like Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett. The Cincinnati Bengals gave 2024 NFL sacks leader Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade. So what could happen next? Let’s take a look with four bold predictions.
QB Sam Darnold returns to the Jets
Yes, this does sound incredibly wild. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is the belle of the ball in terms of the available quarterbacks in free agency, so he’ll have his pick of destinations. He threw 35 passing touchdowns in 2024, the fifth-most in the NFL in 2024 and tied for the second-most in Vikings history. Darnold also led the NFL in completions (34) and completion percentage (49.3%) on throws of 20 or more yards downfield last season, per CBS Sports Research.
So why would Darnold go back to the team that had him scarred and seeing ghosts? For the simple reason that things are different in New York now. There’s a new regime in place with head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. They have a legit No. 1 wide receiver in Garrett Wilson and a nice running back tandem in Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. More resources have been invested along the offensive line in recent years and that trend will likely continue.
New York’s new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand comes over after working as the Detroit Lions passing game coordinator under Ben Johnson in the league’s highest-scoring offense. The allure of playing with nice weapons and a fun play caller will lead Darnold to make a Jets homecoming to heal the wounds that ocurred early in his career.
Packers trade for Seahawks WR DK Metcalf
Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf requested a trade off of the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday. The 27-year-old has one year remaining on his three-year, $72 million extension, and he would also like a new deal. Metcalf also wants to play for a contender, and the Green Bay Packers can provide that as well after making the postseason two years in a row with the NFL’s youngest roster.
The Packers also have the ability to send a young wide receiver back to Seattle like Romeo Doubs in addition to the Seahawks’ desired draft pick compensation. Armed with $43.3 million in effective cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, general manager Brian Gutekunst could easily pull off a trade and subsequent extension for Metcalf. Gutekunst is famously known for saying the Packers are “in every conservation.” This time, the soft rebuild ends in Green Bay in 2025 as they begin to ramp up their aggression in pursing a Super Bowl title with quarterback Jordan Love leading the way and throwing the ball to Metcalf.
2025 NFL free agency: Ranking available salary cap space for all 32 teams; Patriots have a lot to work with
Jared Dubin
Cowboys get Micah Parsons’ deal done before free agency, spend money on external free agents
The Dallas Cowboys have already been way more active in the 2025 offseason than they were in the 2024 offseason. They re-signed Odighizuwa as mentioned above, and they restructured the contracts of both quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to free up around $57 million in cap space for 2025.
They’ll continue to be “selectively aggressive” by re-signing All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons before free agency begins, and then they’ll spend some money on a couple outside free agents to fill some key needs. Dallas will sign recently-released wide receiver Tyler Lockett , who worked with Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer in Seattle (2018-2020), and they’ll sign Frisco, Texas native Nick Bolton of the Kansas City Chiefs to replenish their linebacker position. Sure, Jerry Jones said “aggressive” isn’t the right word to describe Dallas’ free agency plans, but he didn’t open up over $50 million in cap space for nothing.
Browns don’t trade All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett
All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett has demanded a trade off of and the Cleveland Browns and reportedly refuses to sign a contract extension with the team. On paper, it would make sense for the Browns to then shop around the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year for a stockpile of draft picks.
However, with Cleveland in possession of the 2025 NFL Draft’s second overall pick, they will be able to land either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, the top two quarterback prospects. The Browns could be looking at their situation and hoping that with an offense powered by a fresh talent at quarterback, Garrett could be more enthused to stick around. Plus, trading Garrett would cause the Browns to absorb $36.2 million in dead money, which would lose them $16.5 million of their 2025 cap space. In the NFL, teams have more power than players when it comes to trade demands, and Cleveland uses that power to keep Garrett around in 2025.
Read the full article here
