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

The Minnesota Vikings’ future is uncertain. This week, quarterback Kirk Cousins will decide whether he’ll return to the team or sign a massive contract elsewhere. The news might be the domino for the quarterback market, but it’s also the starting point to what the Vikings will look like in the years to come.

Minnesota expects to hear Sunday night about Cousins’ decision to explore free agency, multiple league sources confirmed to The Athletic. The NFL’s “legal tampering period” begins Monday, allowing teams to start negotiations with the representatives of free agents.

Cousins, 35, is expected to have a competitive market that includes the Atlanta Falcons. He is rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon, but since 2018, the year he arrived in Minnesota, he ranks in the top 10 among starting quarterbacks in passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating.

The Vikings have openly and continuously expressed their desire to keep Cousins in Minnesota. Securing his services prior to Wednesday is likely to be a priority, considering the details of Cousins’s dead cap hit. If Minnesota cannot come to terms with Cousins before Wednesday, $28.5 million will accelerate onto the Vikings’ salary cap for 2024.

Conversely, if Minnesota can agree to an extension with Cousins before Wednesday, it’ll have the ability to spread out that money over future years.

Retaining defensive lineman Justin Madubuike was the Baltimore Ravens’ top priority and, in many ways, a key to their offseason.

If they let him get to the open market, the cap-challenged Ravens would have almost certainly been outbid for the ascending star by teams overflowing with salary-cap space. His departure would have left a significant hole in the middle of Baltimore’s defense and added to the team’s lengthy list of needs.

If the Ravens had to account for the $22.1 million franchise tag on their salary cap at the start of the new league year next week, they would have left themselves with very little flexibility in building out the rest of their roster.

Friday's news was, far and away, the best-case scenario for the Ravens as they accelerate another crucial offseason. General manager Eric DeCosta got things started by coming to a verbal agreement with Madubuike on a four-year, $98 million contract extension that includes $75.5 million in total guarantees, according to a team source involved in the negotiations.

“Justin is one of the best defensive tackles in the entire NFL and a cornerstone on our defense,” DeCosta said. “We are thrilled for Justin and his family and equally happy for our fan base. This is a great way to start the new league year.”

In having his breakout season when he did, Madubuike showed that timing can be everything. The Ravens, meanwhile, offered the latest reminder that they’ll be aggressive when it comes to trying to lock up core defensive players in their prime, particularly ones they’ve drafted and developed.

A third-round pick in 2020 out of Texas A&M, Madubuike has 21 1/2 sacks and 153 tackles over four NFL seasons. In 2023, he had his long-anticipated breakout year, making his first Pro Bowl and registering 13 sacks, which bested his previous total of 5 1/2 and ranked ninth overall and first among interior defensive linemen. He followed that up with 13 quarterback pressures and a half-sack in two postseason games.

The breakout was surely what Madubuike envisioned when he resisted extension offers from the Ravens before and during the season and opted to bet on himself. That bet paid off handsomely for a player who was widely considered one of the top pending free agents at any position when the offseason started.

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Danielle Hunter has been used from various alignments and is effective rushing the passer from all of them. He has upfield burst and countermoves to keep blockers guessing. He also understands how to set the edge with length and get off of blocks against the run. His skill set is hard to find, and despite entering his 10th season, he doesn't turn 30 until October. Franchise tags thinned out the top group of pass rushers, so he should be coveted.

This year's edge rusher free-agent class is deep — and it's led by Minnesota Vikings edge Danielle Hunter, who rates as our No. 1 free agent regardless of position.

Here are Randy Mueller's top 10 free-agent edge rushers:

1. Danielle Hunter (most recent team: Vikings)
2. Za'Darius Smith (Browns)
3. Jonathan Greenard (Texans)
4. Bryce Huff (Jets)
5. Leonard Floyd (Bills)
6. Chase Young (49ers)
7. Jadeveon Clowney (Ravens)
8. D.J. Wonnum (Vikings)
9. Bud Dupree (Falcons)
10. Kyle Van Noy (Ravens)

Continue reading for the full list.

Not that it ever appeared Baker Mayfield would be tagged by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Tuesday solidified the 28-year-old will be among the top two quarterbacks in free agency.

There’s a belief Mayfield and the Bucs should be able to build off their first season together and strike an extension. If it doesn’t pan out before when free agency begins, Mayfield will likely have several other suitors, and that could set him up to push for something similar to the four-year, $160 million contract Daniel Jones signed last offseason.

While that might be a surprising number, there are 11 quarterbacks currently on deals worth at least $40 million in average annual value. Free agent Kirk Cousins could soon join that club, and Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love will blow past that number if they secure new deals this offseason. Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff could, too.

That’s simply the market right now. If Mayfield gets $40 million per year, there’s a good chance he’ll be among 17 QBs at that number by the start of the 2024 season. He delivered his best season in 2023 and helped the Bucs win a playoff game. Mayfield should surely feel like he’s worthy of being paid like one of the 17 best quarterbacks in the league.

Keep an eye on the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings if things go south with the Bucs. Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson worked with Mayfield in Los Angeles in 2022, while Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell should have good intel on Mayfield due to their mutual connections with the Rams.

Mayfield struggled to find a fit over the past two offseasons, but he’s likely gotten himself to the brink of signing a life-changing contract in the coming weeks.

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Recently released Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson traveled to Pittsburgh on Friday and was expected to meet with the Steelers, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Wilson stopped in New Jersey for a meeting with the New York Giants, according to a team source.

It is unknown how much interest the Steelers have in signing the 35-year-old quarterback. At the NFL Scouting Combine last week, general manager Omar Khan said he had “full faith” in Kenny Pickett and made it known that the organization wants to re-sign free agent Mason Rudolph.

It would seem unlikely that Wilson would sign to be the No. 3 quarterback. If the two sides do come to terms, it would most certainly be the end of Rudolph’s time with the Steelers.

While Wilson’s Newark airport paparazzi pic and meeting with Giants brass might have surprised New York fans, it should be no shock that the team is in the market for a quarterback. With starter Daniel Jones recovering from a torn ACL, general manager Joe Schoen has been open about needing to fill out the quarterback room. While Jones hasn’t suffered any setbacks and is on track with his rehab, the only other quarterback on the roster is undrafted Tommy DeVito. New York has the No. 6 pick in the draft and a new quarterback is still a hot-button issue, but a veteran backup will be joining the roster in some capacity.

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This free agency, the quarterback position is led by three veteran starting quarterbacks — Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and the recently released Russell Wilson.

Here are Randy Mueller's top 10 at the position:

1. Kirk Cousins (most recent team: Vikings)
2. Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)
3. Russell Wilson (Broncos)
4. Sam Darnold (49ers)
5. Tyrod Taylor (Giants)
6. Ryan Tannehill (Titans)
7. Mason Rudolph (Steelers)
8. Jacoby Brissett (Commanders)
9. Gardner Minshew (Colts)
10. Joe Flacco (Browns)

See our full free-agency rankings here.