We are now firmly in the second half of the NFL season, and there is enough evidence on film and in the win-loss columns to start re-grading the previous free-agency period.

Some teams have greatly benefited from splashy free-agent signings. The Seattle Seahawks are one of the best teams in the league with a free agent at quarterback. The New England Patriots, who play the New York Jets on Thursday night, have surged to the top of the AFC. Quarterback Drake Maye has emerged as a star. They have also gotten significant contributions from several high-priced free agents. The Jets, meanwhile, are trending in the opposite direction. Their big free-agent swing, quarterback Justin Fields, has not produced similar results.

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We dove into the top 11 free agents from this past offseason based on the average annual value of their contracts (we were going to do top 10 but the last three spots all tied for the same value). And we graded them based on what they have brought — or not brought — to their new teams relative to the value of their contracts, while also reflecting on how The Athletic graded the signings at the time.

All statistics courtesy of TruMedia unless otherwise noted. All financial figures courtesy of Over the Cap.

Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold

Free agent AAV: $33.5 million

The Seahawks are 7-2. They have won four straight games and emerged as a true Super Bowl contender. Darnold is a big reason why. He is proving this season that his breakout with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 was not a fluke. Darnold is second among quarterbacks in expected points added per dropback — a stat that is partially related to Jaxon Smith-Njigba playing like one of the best receivers in football. The Seahawks have a top 10 offense by EPA per play. Darnold thrived in Kevin O’Connell’s play-action-heavy offense last season.