While it may not seem like it, there is a pattern to every NFL team’s spending habits—just like regular, everyday people. Only they are spending tens of millions of dollars each year, and even more is at stake!
Some like to break open the piggy bank for certain positions… Others disappear right when the check appears if it is time for them to add depth on the line—as they’d rather spark the hype of a skill position player signing.
Let’s take a look around the NFL and identify every team’s most tried and true pattern when it comes to free agency!
What are the free agency spending habits for each NFL team?
Arizona Cardinals: Old Running Backs
The Arizona Cardinals haven’t exactly been the most reliable running back factory in the game… perhaps it is because they love giving the ball to guys on their last legs — Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James, Chris Johnson, even James Conner to some extent… the Fountain of Youth doesn’t exactly flow through Arizona, at large, but that doesn’t mean they need to apply it to their free agency strategy!
Atlanta Falcons: Overpriced Defensive Ends
Atlanta is one of those NFL teams that always seems to be in the market for more help with the pass rush… From Dante Fowler to Bud Dupree to Ray Edwards… the Falcons just can’t quit dropping bags on edge rushers who never quite live up to the hype.
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Baltimore Ravens: Old Wide Receivers
The Baltimore Ravens haven’t traditionally been the best at developing wide receivers, so I guess it makes sense that they look for vets like Steve Smith, Anquan Boldin, and Odell Beckham Jr. on the backside of their careers.
The fact of the matter is the Ravens love going vintage when it comes to wide receivers, and sometimes it actually works out alright for them!
Buffalo Bills: Value Shopping
Bills GM Brandon Beane loves a value deal. Buffalo rarely makes splashy moves, especially in the free agent market, where it has historically been a challenge to attract big names.
Instead, it’s all about building depth with under-the-radar guys who fit the culture that they can plug and play alongside the talented core that they have developed.
Carolina Panthers: Clearance Rack O-line
Every year, they try to duct-tape a line together with journeymen and “maybe he has one good year left” types—it is no wonder they are never able to develop a quarterback… the poor signal callers, Bryce Young included, are always running for their lives!
Chicago Bears: Signing Defensive Vets One Year Too Late
As we saw with the Grady Jarrett singing earlier this NFL offseason, Chicago has a great propensity to look for guys that are just a little bit past their prime… close enough that they can still sell the desperate fanbase on the idea, but they never seem to hit the mark in full.
Cincinnati Bengals: Avoiding Free Agency All Together
If there is one thing that Bengals ownership hates, it is spending money. In addition to being notoriously cheap when it comes to re-signing its own talent, Cinci also tightens its purse strings in a major way almost every year in free agency.
Cleveland Browns: Recreate the Longest Yard
Kareem Hunt. Deshaun Watson. Need I say more? If you’ve got baggage and talent, the Browns are usually first in line with an offer. Now, as we have seen, particularly in recent years, that doesn’t always pan out… but hey—someone has to be the land of second chances… Why not The Land itself?
Dallas Cowboys: Bringing Back Former Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have started to develop a curious pattern… They frequently let guys walk, then re-sign them once they are past their prime two years later. A la Ezekiel Elliott…
Or they just avoid spending altogether.
Denver Broncos: Veteran Quarterback
Denver finally zagged last year, bringing in rookie quarterback Bo Nix through the NFL draft—a shift, which, by the way, appears to be paying off in spades… but prior to Sean Payton choosing his guy Denver was the place that veteran quarterbacks from Peyton Manning’s last dance to the Joe Flacco “he’s still elite” experiment around the league could look to for a soft-landing spot.
Detroit Lions: Locker Room Guys
Dan Campbell isn’t out here signing divas. He’s signing dudes who want to get down and dirty, playing physically for their teammates—and be part of a true program. Think about guys like Alex Anzalone and David Montgomery in recent years… All heart and grit. It’s not always glamorous, but when you’re building a culture, that is a legit currency.
Green Bay Packers: Only Signing Defensive Playmakers
Green Bay is regularly one of the least active teams in free agency, instead, only going after specific targets, guys they truly believe in—that they can get at the right price… Especially on the defensive side of the ball.
This is true dating back to their biggest free agent signing in history, Reggie White—all the way through Charles Woodson, Adrian Amos, and more recently, Xavier McKinney.
Despite having a notoriously small market, Green Bay knows how to get the right kind of playmakers in town.
Houston Texans: Short-Term Deals on Defense
If you are a defensive player signing with the Texans is like the NFL version of speed dating. Nick Caserio’s running the front office like he’s still in New England, minus the rings to justify the madness.
We have seen it just this offseason with Houston bringing in former Colts linebacker E.J. Speed and veteran offensive tackle, Cam Robinson on one-year deals. And for the most part, this tactic seems to work as they have been able to lure a number of productive veteran defensive linemen into town.
Indianapolis Colts: Band-Aid Quarterbacks
Every March, Chris Ballard seems to go after a new, old quarterback… Whether it is Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, or, most recently, Daniel Jones—the Colts absolutely love retreads.
It is the perfect low-risk swing for them to try to sell their fan base as it anxiously awaits another mediocre season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Overpay for a Pass Catcher
Nobody smashes the overpay button in desperation like the Jacksonville Jaguars do. Every few years, they drop a Brinks truck on someone, usually a wide receiver or pass-catching tight end, cough, cough, Evan Engram—and very soon thereafter realize that the deal wasn’t worth it.
Kansas City Chiefs: Ring Chasing Wide Receivers
Once Patrick Mahomes became the NFL’s latest cheat code, Kansas City turned into the league’s most desirable timeshare for aging veterans chasing jewelry.
Every March, the Chiefs open the door for guys who’ve already cashed their checks and just want to hold a Lombardi before the curtain drops.
And catching passes from Mahomes in the process ain’t so bad either… any of the rotating cast of characters they have brought into their receiver’s room… Demarcus Robinson, Juju Smith-Schuster, Marques Valdez-Scantling, or Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
Las Vegas Raiders: Speed
Al Davis may be gone, but the stopwatch still runs the front office. Reliably catching the ball, on the other hand, well, that is optional!
While most of the attention is paid to the wide receivers that the Raiders sign under this philosophy, it doesn’t matter what position you play — if you clock a 4.3, Vegas wants in with your NFL talent. Plain and simple.
Los Angeles Chargers: Injury Prone Veterans
It is almost as if signing a contract with the Chargers comes with a complementary workers’ compensation claim, given that the big names they bring in through free agency always seem to miss time.
Especially on the defensive side of the ball… It happened with J.C. Jackson at the corner and, more recently, Eric Kendricks as a linebacker.
And for what it is worth, neither guy is with the team anymore either—tells you how strong the Chargers free agency approach is!
Los Angeles Rams: Former Chargers
If you are already in Los Angeles but most recently played for the Chargers, there’s a good chance you got a contract offer from the moment you hit the market from the Rams, who have made a habit of coveting their neighbor’s players.
Poona Ford was the latest to be snatched up—in his case, on a three-year deal after playing all 17 games for the Chargers last year.
The dirty truth is that L.A. loves flipping old rivals into allies.
Miami Dolphins: Only Goes After the Fastest Skill Position Players
To the untrained eye, it looks like Miami isn’t building a football team, but rather, they’re assembling a 4×100 squad.
If you run a 4.3 or better, Chris Grier’s probably got your 40 times printed on his office wall. There was the big Tyreek Hill deal, of course, and guys like Raheem Mostert—who also brought topline speed.
Not to mention the players they signed through the NFL draft, like Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane — all guys that, if you blink twice, could be gone!
Minnesota Vikings: Defensive Depth
The Vikings are addicted to “solid depth.” Not stars, not the guys who look good on paper, but the type of players that make more of a difference in December and January than they do in March.
New England Patriots: Overpaying for Names
For two decades, Bill Belichick treated free agency like a clearance rack at Marshalls — no big splashes, just high-floor grinders and special teams lifers. But now that Bill is gone, they have been forced to swing the other way and overpay for aging talent, like Stefon Diggs, to try and bring some semblance of the Patriot Way back to Foxborough.
New Orleans Saints: Veteran Safeties
Three big names jump out on this one… Tyrann Mathieu. Malcolm Jenkins. Marcus Maye.
The Saints seem to love the experience in their defensive secondary and continue to go after guys who may have lost a step but make up for it in football IQ and NFL gamesmanship.
New York Giants: Injured Offensive Linemen
Every March, they throw money at guys who are either “finally healthy again” or “expected to be ready by camp,” and by October, they’re back in sweatpants, watching from the sideline.
Take a guy like Jon Feliciano, for example—he played just nine games each of the two preceding years before signing with the Giants, and of course, he missed time in New York!
They have no one to blame but themselves.
New York Jets: Divas
If you’re loud, brash, and disruptive — in the locker room as much as on the field — the Jets are probably interested. Aaron Rodgers and Haason Reddick came in a trade… but Le’Veon Bell and Trumaine Johnson—the Jets have a long history of signing guys that aren’t always team first—and act like they’re casting for “Hard Knocks” more than anything else.
Philadelphia Eagles: Low-Risk, High-Upside Defensive Playmakers
I guess it is one of the perks of having one of the most consistent teams in the league—in a market that absolutely loves football… But Eagles GM Howie Roseman shops free agency like he’s at a flea market—and always knows where to find the deal.
Guys like Haason Reddick in 2022 and Malcolm Jenkins in 2014. It’s bargain shopping, but the finds are usually pristine. And if it doesn’t work? No problem — gone by next spring. If it does? He just landed a top-tier starter for pennies.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Guys that Fit the Steelers Way
Pittsburgh doesn’t recruit—it indoctrinates. The Steelers’ free agent board isn’t sorted by NFL talent; it’s sorted by character.
Now, they might be straying from that ever so slightly this year with Aaron Rodgers’s presumed signing. But still! They usually stick to the program and only bring in guys who are ready to bow down to the legendary Rooney name.
San Francisco 49ers: Sign away from Rivals
In trying to build a contender, the Niners also seek to weaken the ones around them. Every March, John Lynch seems to flip on game tape and start circling names. Javon Hargrave from the Eagles. Charvarius Ward from the Chiefs.
Can’t say we hate the strategy!
Seattle Seahawks: Not Spending on Offensive Linemen
This has been a massive black eye on the Seahawks’ approach to free agency dating all the way back to the Russell Wilson days… They would much rather try and piece together an O-line on the cheap than invest any kind of real money in it via free agency.
Over the last five years, they have regularly been among the lowest spenders in the position, and they seem determined to stick to that method regardless of the outcome.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Old Pass Catchers
Maybe they are honoring the time-honored tradition of older folk in South Florida, but the Buccaneers always seem to go after veteran pass-catchers.
Obviously, the Gronk-Tom Brady dynamic was a bit of an outlier, but it has remained true in recent years, with Chris Godwin around and Sterling Shepard added.
Hopefully, they can find the same magic with Baker Mayfield that the vets who came in to play with Brady did!
Tennessee Titans: Former 1st Rounders
If your NFL career started with a handshake on stage, but your rookie contract ended with a shoulder shrug, odds are the Titans have already called, thinking that they can be the ones to run your reclamation project.
Tennessee has quietly cornered the market on former first-rounders who fizzled somewhere else but still carry that whiff of upside. Guys like Bud Dupree and Vic Beasley… the only problem is they haven’t exactly been the best at actually re-developing these players once they scoop them up.
Washington Commanders: Overpaying for the Inside of the Trenches
Washington’s free agency strategy is simple: throw money at the trenches. Doesn’t matter if the offense can’t score. As long as they have two $90 million guards and five interior d-linemen, the rest of the positional needs seem to go out of the window.
Never mind the year that they risked it all on Albert Haynesworth! This strategy seems downright doomed.
