🏈 Which NFL teams have improved most in FA?
- Carolina Panthers lock up edge‑rusher Jaelan Phillips to a four‑year, $120 M deal, addressing a 28th‑ranked pass‑rush and adding a player who generated 27 pressures for the Eagles.
- Carolina Panthers also snag underrated linebacker Devin Lloyd on a three‑year, $45 M contract, a steep discount versus ESPN’s $22.5 M‑per‑year forecast.
- Kansas City Chiefs add explosive RB Kenneth Walker III on a three‑year, $43.05 M pact, giving a run‑heavy offense a true deep‑threat after a lackluster 2025 ground game.
- Kansas City Chiefs quietly bolster the interior line with DT Khyiris Tonga, a former Patriots stop‑rate star now on a low‑key deal, strengthening a defense that needs more interior pressure.
- Free‑agency analysts highlight the Panthers’ cap flexibility and the Chiefs’ offensive‑line depth as key factors that make these signings especially impactful for the 2026 season.
After a frenetic start to 2026 free agency, the Panthers and Chiefs emerge as the biggest early improvers, each landing marquee signings that could reshape their defenses and offenses respectively.
