Another day, another wave of activity around the NFL. While most of the league’s premier free agents reached splashy new deals earlier this week, a handful of others just came to terms with new clubs — or found new homes via trade — on Thursday. Remember that sometimes the best bargains of the offseason come after the initial rush of big-name movement, when prices are lower but rosters get filled out.
Among the most notable happenings Thursday: The Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings shuffled their offensive lines once more, the Las Vegas Raiders added a former Pro Bowl playmaker, and the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles took a flyer on some pass-rushing help, days after losing key defensive starters like Josh Sweat, Milton Williams and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Which of the latest deals register as positive moves? Which ones fail to move the needle, either for player-value or team-fit purposes? Here’s how we’d grade some of the most notable transactions from Day 4 of free agency (using the start of this year’s negotiating period as the kickoff):
2025 NFL free agency team-by-team grades: Vikings, Patriots, Commanders among top marks after first few days
Tyler Sullivan
Another year, another shuffle at the backup spot in Kansas City. After one year with Carson Wentz sitting behind Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are pivoting to an ex-AFC West rival in Minshew, who missed nearly half of 2024 with a broken collarbone. Minshew is sketchy with ball control, but his moxie should fit right into Andy Reid’s offense, where he’ll also offer extensive fill-in experience.
Grade: A-
With Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers exiting in free agency, Philadelphia would’ve been fine just standing pat with youngsters like Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell and Kelee Ringo. With Jackson, who’s started 41 games between the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants, they’ll at least have some battle-tested insurance. As a bonus, the ex-rival also has early-career experience as a return specialist.
Grade: B
Houston only surrendered a 2026 sixth-round pick to add a young guard with experience, but Kenyon Green, the young guard the Texans just shipped to the Eagles, apparently graded even better as a one-on-one pass blocker, despite overt struggles. Again, the cost isn’t great, but if the Texans’ grand plan to protect C.J. Stroud in the middle is going from Green to the demoted Ingram, well, buckle your seat belts.
Grade: C-
With Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah out the door, Las Vegas needed to add to the backfield. Mostert is 32, coming off the most inefficient season of his career, so the wheels may be creaky. He’s also just two years removed from a 1,000-yard, 18-touchdown cruise with the Miami Dolphins. At the very least, on a one-year deal for backup money, he should provide the Geno Smith-led offense with rotational speed.
Grade: B-
A true assessment of this move kind of depends on what else happens — or doesn’t happen — under center, where Pittsburgh is still angling for a bona fide starter after letting Justin Fields take his upside elsewhere. Rudolph knows the city and the system, and he’s shown grit in spot starts before. He’s also been repeatedly replaced and overlooked by the Steelers for a reason, registering as a so-so No. 2.
Grade: C
Eagles adding Joshua Uche
This free agency was seemingly always going to be about sacrifice in Philadelphia, with the Eagles preserving longer-term salary after their Super Bowl LIX domination. So Uche is a classic low-risk, medium-reward bet off the edge. He’s never been a full-timer, and his one double-digit sack campaign with the New England Patriots is an outlier, but at 26, he’s got room to grow under Vic Fangio.
Grade: C+
