What happened in the first week of NFL free agency: From Kirk Cousins to the Falcons to Justin Fields' trade to the Steelers

Greg Zuerlein's contract details with the Jets, per a league source:

• Two years, $8.4 million with $4.2 million guaranteed
• $2.89 million signing bonus
• $200,000 in per game roster bonuses ($100K each year)

Cap hit:

• 2024: $2.755M
• 2025: $5.645M

The Bears weren’t a D'Andre Swift away from being a Super Bowl contender, but that was a hole on the offense, and he was clearly a priority, getting the first contract of 2024 free agency. Khalil Herbert has had plenty of big games as a Bear, but it hasn’t been consistent. Roschon Johnson, a favorite in the building, isn’t a lead back — at least not at this point in his career. Swift was prolific last season on a deep Eagles offense and can give offensive coordinator Shane Waldron some play-calling flexibility with what he can do out of the backfield.

Next up on the shopping list for the Bears this offseason is adding a wide receiver, but they can feel pretty good about their backfield for whoever is at quarterback. Spending money at running back can always be risky in today’s game, but Swift can be used in a variety of ways, is still young, is coming off his best season, and has the potential to be a playmaker.

The Bears are in position to spend to fill needs, and this wasn’t the type of contract that will preclude them from other moves down the line.

It makes a lot of sense. I like both the contract and the reward that comes with it. It’s very good value, as Swift will provide more explosive playmaking in the run game and a reliable option on third downs, but he shouldn’t cost as much as Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs.

Christian Wilkins has always been a stout run defender and had as many sacks as last year as the Raiders defensive tackles Adam Butler, John Jenkins, Bilal Nichols and Jerry Tiller did combined (eight).

The discussions in Indy about Christian Wilkins' market were very entertaining. Many around the league thought his deal would be about $21-23 million per year.

He, of course, blows that out of the water and joins the Raiders.

Greenard is a great addition for the Vikings. Their top three pass rushers all hit free agency, and his production, durability and age lessen the blow of the likely defections of Danielle Hunter and others. Greenard is sudden off the edge, showing game-changing quickness, and he can also turn that speed into power as a pass rusher. But he also gives them a solid run defender who closes with a high-energy motor in pursuit.

DB Cam Lewis is re-signing with the Buffalo Bills on a two-year deal, the team announced Monday.

Lewis has functioned as a safety, nickel corner and a core special teams player. And he’s a fallback option to start in 2024 if they strike out at free safety this offseason.

The Las Vegas Raiders and former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins have agreed to terms on a four-year, $110 million deal with $84.75 million guaranteed, team and league sources confirmed to The Athletic.

Wilkins, 28, is coming off his best season in 2023 with nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits. He’ll certainly beef up the Raiders’ pass rush to help out Maxx Crosby.

The Dolphins’ 2019 first-round pick has been a rock up the middle having not missed a game in the past three seasons. He’s tallied 20.5 sacks and 355 total tackles in his first five seasons in the league.

Wilkins was the No. 5 player on The Athletic's free-agency big board.

The Bears want to be a productive rushing attack, and D'Andre Swift will step in as the No. 1 back. He also adds a receiving element, as someone who has averaged nearly 50 catches per season. Swift will replace D’Onta Foreman in the backfield as he joins Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson.

New Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron came from Seattle, where they had Kenneth Walker as the lead back followed by Zach Charbonnet. A dual-threat back like Swift gives Waldron another weapon for his scheme.

League sources at the combine expected the Bears to be involved in the running back market, with one noting how a top back could elevate the offense. A strong run game will also help a rookie quarterback greatly if that’s the direction the Bears go.

Swift made the Pro Bowl in 2023 with 1,049 rushing yards in Philadelphia. He had 214 receiving yards and six total touchdowns. He’s averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his career, showing the ability to be a back who can make explosive gains.

The Green Bay Packers have released left tackle David Bakhtiari, the veteran offensive lineman announced via social media Monday.

Bakhtiari, whom the Packers drafted in the fourth round in 2013 and made the then-highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history in 2020, was their longest-tenured player before his release. He is a five-time All-Pro selection and surefire first-ballot Packers Hall of Famer four years after whenever he retires.

Bakhtiari, 32, was on track for the Pro Football Hall of Fame — he made those five All-Pro teams in consecutive seasons from 2016 to 2021 — before tearing his ACL in practice on Dec. 31, 2020, while preparing for a Week 17 game against the Chicago Bears. Bakhtiari has proven to still be elite when healthy, but he’s only played in 13 of a possible 57 games since the injury, in part because of recurring issues with his knee.

He played in only one game in 2023, Week 1 against the Bears, before shutting it down for the season.

The Titans are working to sign free-agent center Lloyd Cushenberry, league sources said.

The Bills have parted ways with several longstanding members of the organization this offseason, but Dion Dawkins will not be one of them after signing a multiyear extension, a team source confirmed. The team’s franchise left tackle has been with the team since 2017 and has protected Josh Allen’s blind side every year since the quarterback was drafted in 2018.

After having some slight regression during the 2022 season, Dawkins returned in 2023 with an enhanced focus on his diet and saw his productivity skyrocket. Several of his teammates brought up how much work the left tackle had been putting in through the offseason and regular season to improve himself. Dawkins put together one of his best seasons and set a new career mark by allowing only two sacks all season.

Dawkins has also been an indispensable piece of the locker room. Now, with longtime center Mitch Morse released, the Bills will look to Dawkins as the new leader of the offensive line room, helping to bring along several talented young players like right tackle Spencer Brown and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence.

Tony Pollard actually had one more goal-line rush (inside the 5) than Derrick Henry last year, but he turned just 17.6 percent into touchdowns (Henry was 43.8). Henry vacates a high workload, even with his lowest volume since 2018 (not counting his injury season in 2021). Pollard is coming off 307 touches (252 rushes) and Henry 308 (280 rushes).

While the Titans will use Pollard in the passing game more than they did Henry, Tajae Spears is entering his second season, and Pollard has shown to need a complementary piece for his best efficiency. That also still leaves the question of goal-line ineffectiveness, so while it’s nice to see Pollard back in a lead role, he’s not going to improve on his RB2 value, and it could take a bit of a hit into the mid-low RB2 range with the lower-quality offense.

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard and the Tennessee Titans have agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal, per league sources.

The Cowboys were in on Pollard. The Giants and Vikings had their eye on him too. He took the bigger payday with Tennessee, per the sources.