As we get ready for free agency to kick off this week I thought it might be informative to go back and look at free agency from two years ago to see how some of those signings have worked out. I only wanted to look at multiple year contracts and contracts that averaged at least $4 million a year. These include tagged players who re-signed. For 2024 there were 116 players that met that criteria
Here is how the roster status of the 2024 signings currently stands:
| Status | Players | Pct. |
| Active | 67 | 57.8% |
| Terminated | 31 | 26.7% |
| Renegotiated | 8 | 6.9% |
| Traded | 7 | 6.0% |
| Likely Cut | 2 | 1.7% |
| Reserve | 1 | 0.9% |
Not a great hit rate as less than 60% of the players are still on the team they signed with on the same contract or a legit extension (a renegotiation is a pay cut).
Next I broke things down by contract length.
| Years | Players | Active | Pct. Active |
| 2 | 46 | 20 | 43.5% |
| 3 | 53 | 34 | 64.2% |
| 4 | 13 | 9 | 69.2% |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 100.0% |
The two year contracts have less than 50% actually lasting the two years which certainly isn’t great. The 3 and 4 years deals are currently just under 70% while the few five year contracts are all still on the teams.
Finally, we have APY ranges for each player.
| Salary Range | Players | Active | Pct. Active |
| $20M+ | 14 | 12 | 85.7% |
| $15M to $20M | 9 | 7 | 77.8% |
| $10M to $15M | 28 | 14 | 50.0% |
| $7.5M to $10M | 38 | 23 | 60.5% |
| $4M to $7.5M | 27 | 11 | 40.7% |
Obviously the more you make the more likely you are to stick around but we didn’t have a perfect hit rate there either.
Here is the list of all of the players who have been released before finishing their original contract out and maybe get an idea of all the risks that come with free agency each year.
| Name | Team | Position | Years | Total | APY | Pct Completed | Outcome |
| Kirk Cousins | Falcons | QB | 4 | $180,000,000 | $45,000,000 | 50% | Likely |
| Christian Wilkins | Raiders | DT | 4 | $110,000,000 | $27,500,000 | 25% | Terminated |
| Bryce Huff | Eagles | EDGE | 3 | $51,100,000 | $17,033,333 | 33% | Traded |
| Jonah Jackson | Rams | LG | 3 | $51,000,000 | $17,000,000 | 33% | Traded |
| Kyle Dugger | Patriots | S | 4 | $58,000,000 | $14,500,000 | 25% | Traded |
| Gabriel Davis | Jaguars | WR | 3 | $39,000,000 | $13,000,000 | 33% | June 1 Terminated |
| Darnell Mooney | Falcons | WR | 3 | $39,000,000 | $13,000,000 | 67% | Likely |
| Gardner Minshew | Raiders | QB | 2 | $25,000,000 | $12,500,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Lloyd Cushenberry | Titans | C | 4 | $50,000,000 | $12,500,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Sheldon Rankins | Bengals | DT | 2 | $24,500,000 | $12,250,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Chidobe Awuzie | Titans | CB | 3 | $36,000,000 | $12,000,000 | 33% | Terminated |
| Za\’Darius Smith | Browns | EDGE | 2 | $23,000,000 | $11,500,000 | 0% | Traded |
| Noah Fant | Seahawks | TE | 2 | $21,000,000 | $10,500,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Justin Jones | Cardinals | DT | 3 | $30,165,000 | $10,055,000 | 67% | Terminated |
| Jadeveon Clowney | Panthers | EDGE | 2 | $20,000,000 | $10,000,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Leonard Floyd | 49ers | EDGE | 2 | $20,000,000 | $10,000,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Tyler Biadasz | Commanders | C | 3 | $30,000,000 | $10,000,000 | 67% | Terminated |
| Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Jr. | Eagles | S | 3 | $27,000,000 | $9,000,000 | 33% | Traded |
| Curtis Samuel | Bills | WR | 3 | $24,000,000 | $8,000,000 | 67% | Terminated |
| Andre James | Raiders | C | 3 | $24,000,000 | $8,000,000 | 33% | Terminated |
| Mike Danna | Chiefs | EDGE | 3 | $24,000,000 | $8,000,000 | 67% | Terminated |
| Kenneth Murray | Titans | LB | 2 | $15,500,000 | $7,750,000 | 50% | Traded |
| Kendall Fuller | Dolphins | CB | 2 | $15,000,000 | $7,500,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Darnell Savage Jr. | Jaguars | S | 3 | $21,750,000 | $7,250,000 | 33% | Terminated |
| Bilal Nichols | Cardinals | DT | 3 | $21,000,000 | $7,000,000 | 67% | Terminated |
| Raekwon Davis | Colts | DT | 2 | $14,000,000 | $7,000,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Graham Glasgow | Lions | RG | 3 | $20,000,000 | $6,666,667 | 67% | Terminated |
| Kendrick Bourne | Patriots | WR | 3 | $19,500,000 | $6,500,000 | 33% | Terminated |
| Josey Jewell | Panthers | LB | 3 | $18,750,000 | $6,250,000 | 33% | Terminated |
| Gerald Everett | Bears | TE | 2 | $12,000,000 | $6,000,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Mitch Morse | Jaguars | C | 2 | $10,500,000 | $5,250,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Alohi Gilman | Chargers | S | 2 | $10,125,000 | $5,062,500 | 50% | Traded |
| Will Dissly | Chargers | TE | 3 | $14,000,000 | $4,666,666 | 67% | Terminated |
| George Fant | Seahawks | LT | 2 | $9,100,000 | $4,550,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Josh Reynolds | Jaguars | WR | 2 | $9,000,000 | $4,500,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Ronald Darby | Jaguars | CB | 2 | $8,500,000 | $4,250,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Devin Duvernay | Jaguars | WR | 2 | $8,500,000 | $4,250,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Dane Jackson | Panthers | CB | 2 | $8,500,000 | $4,250,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Greg Zuerlein | Jets | K | 2 | $8,400,000 | $4,200,000 | 50% | Terminated |
| Jordan Hicks | Browns | LB | 2 | $8,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 50% | Reserve |