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Everything That Happened in the First Week of NFL Free Agency
In this story:
Projected Contracts, Landing Spots for the NFL’s 50 Best Free Agents in 2026 |When Does 2026 NFL Free Agency Start? | NFL Free Agency Guide for All 32 Teams
Ladies and gentleman, we’ve finally made it to the NFL’s 2026 new league year.
Since Monday, March 9 at 12:00 p.m. ET, teams were permitted to negotiate and agree to contracts with pending free agents during what the NFL calls its “legal tampering period,” ahead of the official start of the new league year—which kicked off on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Needless to say, it’s been quite a frenzy, headlined by the Ravens trade for Maxx Crosby from the Raiders being called off—before the star announced he's staying in Vegas—the Dolphins swapping Tua Tagovailoa for Malik Willis, Travis Kelce returning to the Chiefs, and Mike Evans agreeing to terms with the 49ers after 12 seasons in Tampa Bay.
With the first week of free agency in the books, here’s a look back at all the action that took place.
Follow along for the latest signings, rumors, and analysis as free agency continues to unfold
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Mike Kadlick is an NFL writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
