CBS Sports is assessing the NFL’s monetary panorama by means of awards for the thirteenth straight 12 months now that the Super Bowl LX matchup is ready. These awards differ from conventional NFL honors as a result of they take an financial perspective, emphasizing 2025 veteran acquisitions.
Players acquired by way of trades or free company can have an incredible impression on an NFL group’s fortunes. These awards don’t contemplate rookies as a result of their salaries are dictated by draft place and the rookie wage scale. The similar applies to gamers who signal restricted free agent tenders, because the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement units these quantities. A runner-up is called when warranted.
Most Valuable Acquisition
The Seahawks pivoted to Sam Darnold after contract extension talks with Geno Smith stalled previous to his commerce to the Las Vegas Raiders in March. Darnold signed a team-friendly three-year, $100.5 million contract in free company that averages $33.5 million per 12 months and can attain $115.5 million by means of incentives. If Smith had been prepared to simply accept a Darnold-type deal, he would nonetheless be Seattle’s quarterback.
The contract was structured to provide the Seahawks a small window to get out after this season if Darnold did not play nicely. Of the $27.5 million he is scheduled to make in 2026, $17.5 million is assured for harm and turns into absolutely assured 5 days after Super Bowl LX on Feb. 13. If Seattle elements methods with him in 2026, it will carry $25.6 million in lifeless cash — a wage cap cost for a participant not on the roster — whereas Darnold would accumulate $37.5 million for one 12 months.
A fast exit is not a consideration for the Seahawks after they superior to the Super Bowl for the primary time in 11 years. Darnold confirmed his 2024 Pro Bowl season wasn’t only a product of Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive brilliance. He earned one other Pro Bowl nod, and Seattle secured the highest seed within the NFC with a 14-3 report.
Darnold accomplished 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, posting a 99.1 passer score. He is reshaping his fame for “choking” in massive video games. Darnold went 25 of 36 (69.4%) for 356 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 127.8 passer score in Seattle’s 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams within the NFC Championship Game.
Runner-up: Micah Parsons, EDGE, Packers
Least Valuable Acquisition
The Raiders dealt a 2025 third-round choose to the Seahawks for Geno Smith in March. They acquired Smith to offer the quarterback stability the franchise had lacked, with six totally different gamers beginning on the place since releasing Derek Carr following the 2022 season.
Shortly after the commerce, Smith obtained a two-year, $75 million contract extension that averages $37.5 million per 12 months and contains $50.5 million in ensures, with $42.5 million absolutely assured at signing. Incentives and wage escalators can push the deal’s worth as excessive as $84 million.
The commerce reunited Smith with Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders employed as head coach final January. Carroll coached Smith in the course of the first 5 years of his six-year run in Seattle.
Smith did not resemble the participant who gained the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 this season. He led the league with 19 interceptions, and his 84.7 passer score ranked thirtieth within the NFL. The Raiders went 2-13 within the 15 video games Smith began.
The Raiders fired Carroll after ending 3-14, yet another loss than in 2024. The group is anticipated to pick out Indiana University Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza to switch Smith after securing the No. 1 total choose within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Runner-up: Justin Fields, QB, Jets
Offensive Signing of the Year
The 49ers’ determination to provide Mac Jones a two-year, $8.41 million contract value a most of $12.91 million by means of incentives to again up Brock Purdy was considered as little greater than a blip on the NFL radar when he signed final March. Jones proved much more beneficial than anticipated, conserving San Francisco afloat in the course of the eight video games Purdy missed with a turf toe harm.
The 49ers gained 5 of the eight video games Jones began. He accomplished 69.6% of his passes (201 of 289) for two,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, posting a 97.4 passer score over that stretch.
Runner-up: Sam Darnold, QB, Seahawks
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Defensive Signing of the Year
Conventional knowledge steered Micah Parsons would turn out to be the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback in some unspecified time in the future earlier than the common season began. Most anticipated that deal to come back from the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, a bitter contract dispute with proprietor Jerry Jones led to Parsons being traded to the Green Bay Packers on the finish of August for a 2026 first-round choose, a 2027 first-round choose and defensive deal with Kenny Clark.
As a part of the commerce, Parsons obtained a four-year, $186 million contract extension with $136.007 million in total ensures, together with $123.107 million absolutely assured at signing. His $46.5 million per 12 months and $123.107 million absolutely assured at signing are non-quarterback data.
Parsons recorded 12.5 sacks in 14 video games earlier than tearing the ACL in his left knee. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he led the league with 83 quarterback pressures (mixed sacks, quarterback hits and quarterback hurries) by means of 15 weeks when he obtained harm. Parsons generated 37.9% of Green Bay’s pressures and 29.9% of its sacks. Only Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett accounted for a bigger share of his group’s pressures (43.4%) and sacks (27.2%). Parsons earned first-team All-Pro honors and is a finalist for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Packers did not win one other recreation after Parsons went down. They allowed 20.1 factors per recreation with him and 27.5 after his ACL tear over the ultimate 4 video games, together with a wild card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears. The consideration Parsons drew with double groups and offensive line slides on passing downs additionally created alternatives for teammates. Green Bay averaged 2.4 sacks per recreation with Parsons and only one per recreation with out him.
Biggest Steal
The Bears had no thought Nahshon Wright would play such a outstanding function on their protection once they rapidly signed him to a one-year deal at his $1.1 million league minimal after the Vikings launched him in April. He spent the 2024 season on Minnesota’s apply squad after the Vikings acquired him that preseason from the Cowboys for cornerback Andrew Booth.
Wright seized a possibility created by a number of accidents at cornerback and put collectively a breakout season. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for November and led the NFL with eight takeaways (5 interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
Late within the season, Wright stated he want to stay in Chicago. The Bears have already got important monetary commitments at cornerback, although. Jaylon Johnson is within the second 12 months of the four-year, $76 million deal he signed in 2024 that averages $19 million per 12 months. Kyler Gordon signed a three-year, $40 million extension in April that averages $13,333,333 per 12 months.
Best Use of a Contract Year
George Pickens had worn out his welcome with the Pittsburgh Steelers due to his angle and immaturity regardless of his immense expertise. The Steelers buying and selling the equal of a second-round choose to the Seahawks for extensive receiver DK Metcalf in March — and giving him a four-year extension averaging almost $33 million per 12 months — spoke volumes about their frustrations with Pickens.
The calculated danger the Cowboys took by buying and selling a 2026 third-round choose and a 2027 fifth-round choose to the Steelers for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round choose final May paid massive dividends. Pickens posted profession highs with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns whereas averaging 15.4 yards per catch. The 2022 second-round choose ranked within the NFL’s prime 10 in every of these classes this season. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-NFL honors for the primary time in his profession.
Absent a brand new deal earlier than early March, Pickens will obtain the franchise tag. The deadline for groups to make use of the franchise or transition tag is March 3 at 4 p.m. ET.
The 2026 non-exclusive franchise tag for extensive receivers initiatives to 9.016% of the 2026 wage cap, up from 8.581% in 2025. If the 2026 cap is ready at $300 million — a 7.45% improve over 2025’s $279.2 million determine — the extensive receiver tag ought to are available at $27.047 million.
Patience may work in Pickens’ favor. His greatest deal may come from letting Nico Collins and Puka Nacua, who will probably be in contract years in 2026, additional outline the extensive receiver market, offered their respective offers with the Houston Texans and Rams are carried out earlier than the July 15 deadline for franchise gamers to signal long run. Seahawks extensive receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba may additionally issue into the equation, because the 2023 first-round choose is now eligible for an extension.
Runners-up: Devin Lloyd, LB, Jaguars and Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons
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Worst Use of a Contract Year
Cam Robinson signed a one-year, $12 million contract value a most of $14.5 million by means of incentives as a part of the Texans’ wholesale offensive line overhaul. The assumption was he would exchange Laremy Tunsil, who was traded to the Washington Commanders in March, at left deal with.
However, a minor left knee harm throughout coaching camp opened the door for 2025 second-round choose Aireontae Ersery to win the beginning job. Robinson had began all 101 video games he performed over his first eight NFL seasons previous to this marketing campaign.
The Browns shedding beginning left deal with Dawand Jones to a season-ending knee harm in Week 3 prompted a commerce for Robinson. The Texans acquired a 2027 sixth-round choose in alternate for Robinson and a 2027 seventh-round choose. Robinson was a wholesome scratch in his ultimate recreation with Houston towards the Titans in Week 4 earlier than the deal.
Robinson validated Houston’s determination to maneuver him whereas he was with the Browns. After the commerce, solely Stone Forsythe allowed greater than the eight sacks Robinson gave up in his 13 video games in Cleveland, in line with Pro Football Focus.
Runner-up: Haason Reddick, EDGE, Buccaneers
Best Contract Extension (for a group)
The Bills signed James Cook to a four-year, $46 million extension in August after contentious negotiations. The deal averages $11.5 million per 12 months and contains $30 million in ensures, with $15.28 million absolutely assured. Salary escalators can push the contract’s worth as excessive as $48 million. The signing got here after the 2022 second-round choose skipped voluntary offseason exercises and staged a hold-in throughout coaching camp due to his frustration with contract talks.
Cook’s probabilities of touchdown the $15 million per 12 months he sought disappeared as soon as Kyren Williams, a fellow 2022 draft choose, signed a three-year, $33 million extension with the Rams that averages $11 million per 12 months a couple of week earlier. Cook was coming off a 2024 season wherein he rushed for 1,009 yards whereas averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He additionally shared the NFL lead with 16 dashing touchdowns.
Cook delivered a 2025 season no one noticed coming. After averaging 64.6 dashing yards per recreation over his earlier two years as a starter, he made an enormous bounce by main the league at 95.4 yards per recreation on the bottom. Cook paced the NFL with 1,621 dashing yards whereas averaging 5.2 yards per carry, the league’s second-best mark. He scored 14 whole touchdowns (12 dashing, two receiving) and earned first-team All-NFL honors from the Pro Football Writers of America.
The Bills would have been compelled to make use of the franchise tag if Cook had performed out his rookie take care of such a season. The 2026 non-exclusive franchise tag for operating backs initiatives to 4.723% of the 2026 wage cap, down barely from 4.886% in 2025. If the 2026 cap is ready at $300 million, the operating again tag ought to are available at $14.171 million.
Cook’s asking value absolutely would have climbed past $15 million per 12 months, and he would have been positioned to learn from a altering operating again market. 2023 first-round picks Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are actually eligible for extensions.
It’s conceivable Robinson may turn out to be the NFL’s highest-paid operating again forward of Saquon Barkley, who signed a two-year, $41.2 million extension final March that averages $20.6 million per 12 months, earlier than the 2026 season begins. Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage (mixed dashing and receiving yards) for the Atlanta Falcons.
Gibbs may additionally profit from the Detroit Lions’ aggressive method to extending core gamers on rookie contracts. He will probably goal to hitch Barkley within the $20 million-per-year operating again membership.
Runner-up: Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Broncos
Worst Contract Extension (for a group)
Daron Bland turned the primary beneficiary of Parsons being traded to the Packers. He signed a four-year, $90 million extension three days after the deal, with $50 million in ensures, together with $36.346 million absolutely assured at signing. Salary escalators can push the contract’s worth to $92 million. At $22.5 million per 12 months, Bland is the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid cornerback.
Jones seems to have jumped the gun with Bland after dragging his ft on other extensions previously, together with quarterback Dak Prescott, extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb and Parsons. Bland was restricted to seven video games in 2024 due to a left foot fracture that required surgical procedure, and his play was uneven after getting back from the harm.
Bland earned the extension largely on the energy of his 2023 breakout season, when he secured first-team All-Pro honors after main the league with 9 interceptions. His 5 pick-sixes set an NFL single-season report.
Bland did not regain his All-Pro type this season. Opposing quarterbacks accomplished 67.1% of their passes (51 of 76) for a 108.9 passer score when focusing on him, in line with PFF. Bland additionally surrendered 5 touchdowns in protection within the 12 video games he performed. The Cowboys completed with the NFL’s worst cross protection, permitting 251.5 yards per recreation.
Bland underwent left foot surgical procedure a few weeks in the past after ending the season on injured reserve. He is lucky he is not headed into free company in March after two injury-plagued seasons that make his 2023 All-Pro marketing campaign look extra like an outlier. Bland may discover himself on the chopping block if he does not bounce again in 2026 below new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
