Recapping Day 1 of free agency: Texans, Giants score big
— -- NFL Nation reporters break down the opening day of free agency for all 32 teams:
AFC EAST
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins officially completed their blockbuster trade with the Eagles on Day 1 of free agency. Miami got cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso in exchange for swapping first-round picks with Philadelphia. The team also took some losses after cutting Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes and losing defensive end Olivier Vernon (Giants) and running back Lamar Miller (Texans) to big-money deals. -- James Walker
New England Patriots: The Patriots were one of three finalists for wide receiver Marvin Jones, who signed with Detroit. That highlights how the club has targeted wide receiver as a top need, which many projected. Meanwhile, agreeing to a two-year deal with restricted free-agent offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle was a depth-based move at a position where the team had a run of injuries in 2015. The club also addressed special teams by agreeing to a one-year deal with linebacker Ramon Humber, formerly of the Saints. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets: Operating with limited cap space, the Jets lost their top run-stuffer, Damon Harrison, to the Giants. The $9 million-a-year price tag was cost prohibitive for the Jets. To replace Chris Ivory, who left for the Jaguars, they found a short-term, multipurpose running back in former Bears star Matt Forte. The big question remains quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is shopping his services. The Broncos might be interested. Hold your breath. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Cincinnati Bengals: Count Day 1 of free agency as a success for the Bengals. Yes, you read that correctly. Although Cincinnati began the day losing its top priority in receiver Marvin Jones, it closed out Wednesday afternoon by re-signing key defensive backs George Iloka and Adam Jones. Both signings will keep the Bengals' ultra-competitive secondary solidified for at least the next three years (the length of Adam Jones' new deal). With Marvin Jones slated to make $8 million per year with the Lions, the Bengals knew early on this day would have to have a heavy defensive emphasis. -- Coley Harvey
Cleveland Browns: On the first day of free agency, the Browns lost four starters, including two offensive linemen who did not miss a snap in 2015. They did not sign anyone. And they did not release quarterback Johnny Manziel, meaning he's still on the roster. So ... there's that. -- Pat McManamon
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers wrapped up a productive first day of free agency -- nothing splashy, but value added. Guard Ramon Foster re-signed on a three-year deal, extending the Steelers' theme of keeping their own. And a deal with former Chargers tight end Ladarius Green was in the final stages as of Wednesday night. He'll add playmaking at the position after the retirement of Heath Miller, freeing up the team to select a defensive back high in the draft. The Steelers still face decisions on nose tackle Steve McLendon and offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum. -- Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts: Crickets. That's the best way to describe the first day of free agency for the Colts. A year after making a splash by signing players, including Frank Gore, the Colts were quiet Wednesday. They didn't sign any players, and they lost starting safety Dwight Lowery (San Diego) and tight end Coby Fleener (New Orleans). -- Mike Wells
Jacksonville Jaguars: It was a busy day for the Jaguars, who reached agreements with safety Tashaun Gipson and punter Brad Nortman and re-signed tight end Marcedes Lewis to a three-year contract. General manager Dave Caldwell also spent much of the day in pursuit of defensive end Olivier Vernon, but the Jaguars bowed out of the bidding once Vernon's demands surpassed Caldwell's self-imposed limit. -- Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans: The Titans' trade for running back DeMarco Murray became official as he was at team headquarters to sign a new contract. The Titans swapped fourth-round picks with the Eagles to get him, moving down just 13 spots. General manager Jon Robinson said Murray will be a workhorse for Tennessee and a model for the sort of guy the team now covets: "tough, dependable and team-first." -- Paul Kuharsky
AFC WEST
Kansas City Chiefs: A busy day saw the Chiefs take care of two priorities. They re-signed veteran inside linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive end Jaye Howard and added to their offensive line with the signing of Cleveland's Mitchell Schwartz. They also re-signed backup linebacker Frank Zombo. The Chiefs lost three of their own free agents in guard Jeff Allen and two reserves -- safety Tyvon Branch and quarterback Chase Daniel. -- Adam Teicher
Oakland Raiders: While the Raiders had yet to announce anything official three hours after the start of the new league year, they made a huge splash by agreeing to contracts with versatile and sought-after offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and pass-rushing linebacker Bruce Irvin -- to pair with All-Pro Khalil Mack. -- Paul Gutierrez
San Diego Chargers: The Chargers did a nice job filling specific needs on the first day of free agency. San Diego brought back tight end Antonio Gates and signed a deep threat in Travis Benjamin. They also added a run-stuffer in Brandon Mebane and depth to the secondary with the addition of Dwight Lowery. The Chargers still have work to do, with offensive line, middle linebacker and tight end among the team's most obvious needs. -- Eric D. Williams
NFC EAST
New York Giants: Great googly moogly! The Giants began the day with the news of an agreement with cornerback Janoris Jenkins at $12.5 million per year. Midday brought the news of an agreement with defensive tackle Damon Harrison for $9.25 million a year. And they capped the day by landing defensive end Olivier Vernon for a whopping $17 million a year. Clearly, the Giants had identified the players they wanted and were determined to secure them at literally any cost. They still have a lot of work to do to rebuild their defense, and they still need offensive line and wide receiver help, but the Giants are making it clear that they're not going to settle for B-level talent at the key positions up front on the defense. If you're a Giants fan, it's an offseason start to feel excited about, even if you've been telling fans of other teams for years that big free-agent spends don't lead to wins. -- Dan Graziano
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles had a busy first day of free agency. They signed five players and completed two trades. Philadelphia added guard Brandon Brooks (Houston), safety Rodney McLeod (Rams), quarterback Chase Daniel (Kansas City) and two former Buffalo defenders -- linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerback Ron Brooks. They got rid of Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso, moving up to No. 8 in the first round of the draft, and also parted ways with running back DeMarco Murray. -- Phil Sheridan
Washington Redskins: The Redskins took care of their own on the first day of free agency, re-signing defensive lineman Kedric Golston, safety Duke Ihenacho, linebacker Mason Foster and quarterback Colt McCoy. They have only about $16 million in cap space, so it's not as if they could go crazy. They also have to re-sign linebacker Junior Galette at some point. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Detroit Lions: It was a busy first day of free agency for first-year general manager Bob Quinn. He added the top receiver in the free-agent class in Marvin Jones, re-signed defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and brought in a depth safety with whom he's familiar in Tavon Wilson. Jones was the big get since there was competition for him, and he can offer some relief for the franchise after the Lions lost Calvin Johnson to retirement on Tuesday. Jones won't completely replace Johnson -- it'll take a combination of players -- but it's a start. Detroit has a lot of needs and has yet to address the offensive line, a place Quinn said he would be trying to upgrade this offseason. -- Michael Rothstein
Green Bay Packers: Everything you need to know about the Packers' approach to free agency can be wrapped up in this: General manager Ted Thompson spent the first day of the new league year at the University of Wisconsin's pro day. That and their inactivity in the open market speaks to Thompson's commitment to the draft-and-develop approach. It doesn't necessarily mean Thompson's staff members weren't working the phones in free agency, but it's clearly not a priority. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings didn't break the bank in free agency, but they were more active than they've been the past several years, signing four players from outside the organization. The addition of guard Alex Boone should fill a major need on the line and provide some much-needed tenacity to a group that has allowed Teddy Bridgewater to be pressured on one-third of his dropbacks the past two years. Michael Griffin could also be the Vikings' starting safety next to Harrison Smith. -- Ben Goessling
NFC SOUTH
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers spent the day wrapping up deals on two key players -- defensive end Charles Johnson and fullback Mike Tolbert -- who helped them reach Super Bowl 50. General manager Dave Gettleman likely will let the market settle, as he has done the past three years before diving in for a few bargains. The loss of punter Brad Nortman to Jacksonville might have been the biggest hit, but the Panthers signed Swayze Waters of the CFL earlier this year as insurance. Still, look for Gettleman to find a punter in free agency to battle Swayze in camp. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints: The Saints made one big move on Wednesday, signing tight end Coby Fleener to a five-year deal that ESPN's Adam Schefter reported to be worth $36 million. Fleener, 27, could have breakout potential in the Saints' offense, and he filled a big need since they lost starting tight end Benjamin Watson to the Ravens. Both the price tag and the priorities, however, are a bit head-scratching. The Saints have many more glaring needs on defense, and they entered Wednesday with less than $10 million in salary-cap space. New Orleans also re-signed kicker Kai Forbath on Wednesday to compete with veteran Josh Scobee, and it made restricted free-agent tender offers to guard Tim Lelito and tight end Josh Hill. -- Mike Triplett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs made two signings, with the second directly related to the first. Less than two hours before he was to become a free agent, running back Doug Martin agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $35 million. Several hours later, the Bucs added former Seattle guard J.R. Sweezy, a move designed to help solidify the interior of the offensive line after the retirement of Logan Mankins. -- Mike DiRocco
NFC WEST
Los Angeles Rams: As expected, the Rams' early free-agent efforts were concentrated on keeping their own. They found a way to retain two of their four key free agents in defensive end William Hayes and linebacker/safety Mark Barron on the first day of free agency. They also lost safety Rodney McLeod and cornerback Janoris Jenkins. In a perfect world, they would have liked to keep all of them, but as the money went up, the Rams had to make tough decisions. The good news is, in keeping Hayes and Barron, the Rams prevented end and linebacker from shooting to the top of their list of needs. Now they can turn their attention to fixing the league's least-productive offense and adding cost-effective depth on defense. -- Nick Wagoner
San Francisco 49ers: For a franchise that crowed about how much cap space it had, the Niners used to first day of free agency to re-sign one of their own, nose tackle Ian Williams. They also reportedly agreed to terms with backup quarterback Thad Lewis, who was with Chip Kelly in Philadelphia last season. -- Paul Gutierrez
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks held on to one of their homegrown players and filled a need at right cornerback with Jeremy Lane re-signing on a multiyear deal. They now have their starting secondary -- Lane, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor -- under contract through 2017. The team lost three starters in linebacker Bruce Irvin, right guard J.R. Sweezy and nose tackle Brandon Mebane. The Seahawks didn't sign any players from other teams, but they hosted veteran defensive end Chris Clemons on a visit, according to a league source. -- Sheil Kapadia
Indianapolis Colts: Crickets. That's the best way to describe the first day of free agency for the Colts. A year after making a splash by signing players, including Frank Gore, the Colts were quiet Wednesday. They didn't sign any players, and they lost starting safety Dwight Lowery (San Diego) and tight end Coby Fleener (New Orleans). -- Mike Wells Jacksonville Jaguars: It was a busy day for the Jaguars, who reached agreements with safety Tashaun Gipson and punter Brad Nortman and re-signed tight end Marcedes Lewis to a three-year contract. General manager Dave Caldwell also spent much of the day in pursuit of defensive end Olivier Vernon, but the Jaguars bowed out of the bidding once Vernon's demands surpassed Caldwell's self-imposed limit. -- Mike DiRocco Tennessee Titans: The Titans' trade for running back DeMarco Murray became official as he was at team headquarters to sign a new contract. The Titans swapped fourth-round picks with the Eagles to get him, moving down just 13 spots. General manager Jon Robinson said Murray will be a workhorse for Tennessee and a model for the sort of guy the team now covets: "tough, dependable and team-first." -- Paul Kuharsky Kansas City Chiefs: A busy day saw the Chiefs take care of two priorities. They re-signed veteran inside linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive end Jaye Howard and added to their offensive line with the signing of Cleveland's Mitchell Schwartz. They also re-signed backup linebacker Frank Zombo. The Chiefs lost three of their own free agents in guard Jeff Allen and two reserves -- safety Tyvon Branch and quarterback Chase Daniel. -- Adam Teicher Oakland Raiders: While the Raiders had yet to announce anything official three hours after the start of the new league year, they made a huge splash by agreeing to contracts with versatile and sought-after offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and pass-rushing linebacker Bruce Irvin -- to pair with All-Pro Khalil Mack. -- Paul Gutierrez San Diego Chargers: The Chargers did a nice job filling specific needs on the first day of free agency. San Diego brought back tight end Antonio Gates and signed a deep threat in Travis Benjamin. They also added a run-stuffer in Brandon Mebane and depth to the secondary with the addition of Dwight Lowery. The Chargers still have work to do, with offensive line, middle linebacker and tight end among the team's most obvious needs. -- Eric D. Williams New York Giants: Great googly moogly! The Giants began the day with the news of an agreement with cornerback Janoris Jenkins at $12.5 million per year. Midday brought the news of an agreement with defensive tackle Damon Harrison for $9.25 million a year. And they capped the day by landing defensive end Olivier Vernon for a whopping $17 million a year. Clearly, the Giants had identified the players they wanted and were determined to secure them at literally any cost. They still have a lot of work to do to rebuild their defense, and they still need offensive line and wide receiver help, but the Giants are making it clear that they're not going to settle for B-level talent at the key positions up front on the defense. If you're a Giants fan, it's an offseason start to feel excited about, even if you've been telling fans of other teams for years that big free-agent spends don't lead to wins. -- Dan Graziano Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles had a busy first day of free agency. They signed five players and completed two trades. Philadelphia added guard Brandon Brooks (Houston), safety Rodney McLeod (Rams), quarterback Chase Daniel (Kansas City) and two former Buffalo defenders -- linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerback Ron Brooks. They got rid of Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso, moving up to No. 8 in the first round of the draft, and also parted ways with running back DeMarco Murray. -- Phil Sheridan Washington Redskins: The Redskins took care of their own on the first day of free agency, re-signing defensive lineman Kedric Golston, safety Duke Ihenacho, linebacker Mason Foster and quarterback Colt McCoy. They have only about $16 million in cap space, so it's not as if they could go crazy. They also have to re-sign linebacker Junior Galette at some point. -- John Keim Detroit Lions: It was a busy first day of free agency for first-year general manager Bob Quinn. He added the top receiver in the free-agent class in Marvin Jones, re-signed defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and brought in a depth safety with whom he's familiar in Tavon Wilson. Jones was the big get since there was competition for him, and he can offer some relief for the franchise after the Lions lost Calvin Johnson to retirement on Tuesday. Jones won't completely replace Johnson -- it'll take a combination of players -- but it's a start. Detroit has a lot of needs and has yet to address the offensive line, a place Quinn said he would be trying to upgrade this offseason. -- Michael Rothstein Green Bay Packers: Everything you need to know about the Packers' approach to free agency can be wrapped up in this: General manager Ted Thompson spent the first day of the new league year at the University of Wisconsin's pro day. That and their inactivity in the open market speaks to Thompson's commitment to the draft-and-develop approach. It doesn't necessarily mean Thompson's staff members weren't working the phones in free agency, but it's clearly not a priority. -- Rob Demovsky Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings didn't break the bank in free agency, but they were more active than they've been the past several years, signing four players from outside the organization. The addition of guard Alex Boone should fill a major need on the line and provide some much-needed tenacity to a group that has allowed Teddy Bridgewater to be pressured on one-third of his dropbacks the past two years. Michael Griffin could also be the Vikings' starting safety next to Harrison Smith. -- Ben Goessling Carolina Panthers: The Panthers spent the day wrapping up deals on two key players -- defensive end Charles Johnson and fullback Mike Tolbert -- who helped them reach Super Bowl 50. General manager Dave Gettleman likely will let the market settle, as he has done the past three years before diving in for a few bargains. The loss of punter Brad Nortman to Jacksonville might have been the biggest hit, but the Panthers signed Swayze Waters of the CFL earlier this year as insurance. Still, look for Gettleman to find a punter in free agency to battle Swayze in camp. -- David Newton New Orleans Saints: The Saints made one big move on Wednesday, signing tight end Coby Fleener to a five-year deal that ESPN's Adam Schefter reported to be worth $36 million. Fleener, 27, could have breakout potential in the Saints' offense, and he filled a big need since they lost starting tight end Benjamin Watson to the Ravens. Both the price tag and the priorities, however, are a bit head-scratching. The Saints have many more glaring needs on defense, and they entered Wednesday with less than $10 million in salary-cap space. New Orleans also re-signed kicker Kai Forbath on Wednesday to compete with veteran Josh Scobee, and it made restricted free-agent tender offers to guard Tim Lelito and tight end Josh Hill. -- Mike Triplett Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs made two signings, with the second directly related to the first. Less than two hours before he was to become a free agent, running back Doug Martin agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $35 million. Several hours later, the Bucs added former Seattle guard J.R. Sweezy, a move designed to help solidify the interior of the offensive line after the retirement of Logan Mankins. -- Mike DiRocco Los Angeles Rams: As expected, the Rams' early free-agent efforts were concentrated on keeping their own. They found a way to retain two of their four key free agents in defensive end William Hayes and linebacker/safety Mark Barron on the first day of free agency. They also lost safety Rodney McLeod and cornerback Janoris Jenkins. In a perfect world, they would have liked to keep all of them, but as the money went up, the Rams had to make tough decisions. The good news is, in keeping Hayes and Barron, the Rams prevented end and linebacker from shooting to the top of their list of needs. Now they can turn their attention to fixing the league's least-productive offense and adding cost-effective depth on defense. -- Nick Wagoner San Francisco 49ers: For a franchise that crowed about how much cap space it had, the Niners used to first day of free agency to re-sign one of their own, nose tackle Ian Williams. They also reportedly agreed to terms with backup quarterback Thad Lewis, who was with Chip Kelly in Philadelphia last season. -- Paul Gutierrez Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks held on to one of their homegrown players and filled a need at right cornerback with Jeremy Lane re-signing on a multiyear deal. They now have their starting secondary -- Lane, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor -- under contract through 2017. The team lost three starters in linebacker Bruce Irvin, right guard J.R. Sweezy and nose tackle Brandon Mebane. The Seahawks didn't sign any players from other teams, but they hosted veteran defensive end Chris Clemons on a visit, according to a league source. -- Sheil Kapadia