The first stage in a long NFL offseason full of roster changes is (mostly) in the books.
The first wave of NFL free agency came and went with the first week of the new league year, which officially began on March 11. Teams around the league started making their first touches on March 9, when the NFL’s “legal tampering” window allowed pending free agents and their agents to begin the negotiation process with other teams.
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After an flurry of early moves, the free agent market has largely slowed down in the days after the new league year. During that first wave of signings, some teams improved more than others.
Here are five teams that have done the most in free agency to improve their roster outlook going into the 2026 season:
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NFL free agency: Most improved teams
New York Jets
The Jets’ roster was among those most needing upgrades. New York’s 3-14 record was tied with three other teams’ marks for the worst in the NFL last season.
As free agency began, Gang Green general manager Darren Mougey worked quickly to reinforce the weakest points of the Jets’ roster, particularly on the defensive side.
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Cornerback Nahshon Wright – who tied for the league lead in interceptions at his position – joined the Jets’ secondary after a season in which New York did not record an interception. Safety Dane Belton was another shrewd signing by Mougey to improve the Jets’ secondary and special teams depth.
In the front seven, defensive tackle David Onyemata and linebacker Demario Davis reunite with head coach Aaron Glenn after the three shared time on the Saints. Both will improve the Jets’ run defense up front, while edge rushers Kingsley Enagbare and Joseph Ossai will add to New York’s pass-rush attack.
The Jets also made a couple of improvements by trading for quarterback Geno Smith and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Though those were not technically free agency improvements, each transaction gave New York an impactful upgrade at a position of need and a leader on each side of the ball.
More: NFL free agency grades: Why Kyler Murray, Devin Lloyd are among best signings
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Carolina Panthers
The Panthers were one of 2025’s biggest unexpected success stories. Despite finishing with a losing record, their 8-9 finish was an improvement over five wins in 2024 and two wins in 2023. The eight wins were also enough for Carolina to win the NFC South and make the playoffs, where they gave the Los Angeles Rams a run for their money in the wild-card round.
Carolina’s relative success last season did not hide the limitations of the roster, and Panthers general manager Dan Morgan has worked quickly to make upgrades in the early stages of free agency. Morgan signed Carolina’s new center in Luke Fortner, added more depth on the offensive line by signing Stone Forsythe and brought in a familiar face for quarterback Bryce Young by signing wide receiver John Metchie for additional depth.
Those were solid moves, but the Panthers’ biggest free agency transactions and upgrades so far are on the defensive side: edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis had each player ranked as the best available at his respective position this offseason, and both of them signed multi-year deals with Carolina.
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The Panthers finished 24th in pass-rush win rate (34%) and dead last in run-stop win rate (26%) last season. Phillips and Lloyd both raise their new team’s ceiling in rushing the passer, and Lloyd especially adds exceptional value in both run defense and pass coverage at his position.
Rasheed Walker is an excellent addition for the Panthers as well. He was Davis’ top-rated offensive tackle available in free agency, and Carolina signed him to a one-year, $10 million max value deal. Walker is a proven starter at left tackle from his years with the Green Bay Packers and serves as a strong insurance policy for left tackle Ikem Ekwonu’s recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon.
Washington Commanders
Where the Panthers were something of a surprise success story in 2025, the Commanders were something of a surprise disappointment. At the end of the 2024 season, Washington was competing for an NFC title. In 2025, the Commanders missed the playoffs.
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General manager Adam Peters has gotten to work adding veteran talent to Washington’s roster in the earliest wave of free agency, boosting both sides of the roster by getting reinforcements at positions of need.
Among the most significant moves: three edge rusher signings. One hundred million-dollar man Odafe Oweh headlines a trio that also includes K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu. Adding pass-rush help was a clear priority in Washington after the Commanders dropped from a 43% pass-rush win rate in 2024 (seventh in the NFL) to 36% (18th) in 2025. Linebacker Leo Chenal, whom the Commanders also signed, has experience getting after the quarterback with 48 career pressures.
Additionally, wide receivers Van Jefferson and Dyami Brown, tight end Chig Okonkwo and running back Rachaad White all add some extra pass-catching help for third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. Washington’s depth in the passing game was tested with by injuries in 2025, and all four free-agent signings on the offensive side (five including re-signing backup QB Marcus Mariota) help address that depth.
Cornerback Amik Robertson was also a strong signing at one of Washington’s biggest positions of need. He’s a versatile defender than can play in the slot or outside for the Commanders.
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Tennessee Titans
Tennessee has been among the most active teams this offseason. As of the time of writing, the Titans have reached agreement with 15 players with only one re-signing: long snapper Morgan Cox.
Cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott should immediately step into starting roles on the outsides after signing with Tennessee, while former Chiefs corner Joshua Williams adds extra depth there. Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is an upgrade at the No. 2 receiver role for second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
Defensive tackles John Franklin-Myers and Jordan Elliott reunite with head coach Robert Saleh, with the former especially providing pass-rush upside. And on the offensive line, center Austin Schlottmann and guard Cordell Volson give Ward some extra protection up the middle alongside fourth-year returner Peter Skoronski.
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There have been plenty of reunions for players who have previously played for Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll with other teams. Those reunions mean familiarity and valuable experience within each coach’s system. The Titans are banking on that experience resulting in more success than the back-to-back three-win seasons they’ve had in the post-Mike Vrabel era.
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Las Vegas Raiders
When you’re starting from the bottom, the only way to go is up.
The 2025 Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by being the worst team in football last season. Given the expectation they’ll use that top pick to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, general manager John Spytek’s job was to use free agency to build up the rest of the roster, adding pieces to help Mendoza’s transition where possible.
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The biggest step forward in that mission was Las Vegas’ signing of top free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, who heads from Baltimore to the desert on a three-year, $81 million blockbuster deal. Of that $81 million, $60 million was guaranteed at signing, and the other $21 million will become guaranteed on the third day of the 2027 league year.
By offering Linderbaum an offer he couldn’t refuse, Spytek and the Raiders locked in one of the most prized jewels of this year’s NFL free agency. Better, they brought in a player that can anchor the offensive line in front of (presumably) Mendoza, helping keep their future quarterback upright throughout his first three years in Las Vegas.
Outside of Linderbaum, the Raiders also upgraded their defense with linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker along with edge rusher Kwity Paye. Las Vegas also managed to re-sign cornerback Eric Stokes on a three-year deal after he played well on a one-year “prove-it” contract last year. Wide receiver Jalen Nailor also brings upside to a receiving corps that was sorely lacking to end the 2025 season.
There’s still work to do in the draft to build up a roster (and lingering questions about Maxx Crosby’s future with the team) that put together the NFL’s worst record in 2025, but Las Vegas got to a strong start in free agency so far.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL free agency’s most improved teams include Panthers, Jets
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