While the 2025-2026 NFL season has drawn to a close with the conclusion of Super Bowl LX, it cannot be said that league-altering and newsworthy events and signings have not taken place in the offseason since. The free agency period in the NFL, beginning on March 11 and lasting until the break of the first game of the next season, is usually one that sees teams trade draft picks, sign players to major contracts, and deal their assets to improve their roster however they can. This year’s free agency season has provided no shortage of controversy or major news for NFL fans.
Emotions among NFL fans range from excitement to anger, depending on how well the team they support has performed during this tumultuous period; senior and Baltimore Ravens fan Nathan Park represents the latter, voicing his frustrations over how poorly he feels his team has managed their free agency opportunities.
“They traded two firsts (first round draft picks) for Maxx Crosby but then they took the trade back like a week later. He’s not a Raven anymore,” Park said.
Defensive edge Maxx Crosby has been widely viewed for years to be a top player in the league, capable of single-handedly changing games in the Las Vegas Raiders’ favor and destroying the ball carrier everywhere on the field; a player the country thought was recently traded from the Raiders to the Ravens in a blockbuster move, with Baltimore exchanging two first round picks for the superstar.
“Basically he failed his physical exam which never really happens and the Ravens said the trade was over and took their picks back,” Park said.
In a never seen before event, the Ravens reneged on their trade offer with the Raiders, sparking anger from both fanbases and especially enraging fans like Park who wanted to see Crosby on their team.
“I don’t know why, but it seems like there’s been more trades and big signings this year than normal” Hyeon Chung said, senior and fellow NFL fan.
Other major signings include: Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III being signed to the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Mike Evans being signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quarterback Kyler Murray being signed to the Minnesota Vikings, and quarterback Geno Smith being signed to the New York Jets as their newest starting quarterback.
“It’s really funny how the Jets got Geno Smith. He was the worst quarterback in the league last year so the Jets went right from one bad quarterback (Justin Fields) to another,” Chung said.
Ironically, Geno Smith was drafted by the Jets back in 2013, and after a fistfight with a teammate, he left the team for an over decade long hiatus. He now returns to his old team at the age of 35 after an unimpressive year with the Raiders throwing the most interceptions in the league.
“I feel bad for Jets fans at this point. They’re basically tanking for another few years. All the other teams got good new players to become better and the Jets got Geno,” Chung said.
While it has seemed to be a trend for the past decade for New York football to constantly be cheated, there are slivers of hope for an eventual rebuild in New York as lifetime Giants fan and senior Rohan Srinivasan said.
“The Jets didn’t have it all bad. They got a whole bunch of decent new offensive and defensive linemen, and they traded for good players like Minkah Fitzpatrick (safety) and Demario Davis (linebacker),” Srinivasan said.
The New York Giants also revamped parts of their team, resigning fan-favorites like offensive tackle Evan Neal and acquiring new players like tight end Isaiah Likely from the Ravens.
“Evan Neal’s the guy. If I did put money on it, which I didn’t because I’m not 21 and that’s illegal, I would bet that the Giants are Super Bowl champs next year because of him,” Srinivasan said.
