The NFC South’s offseason/free agency period started with the departures of two opening day starters at quarterback from 2022. Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees retired after an illustrious career. The Saints picked up draft picks with the trade of a former coach and created more cap space with restructured contracts. And the NFC South continued its momentum with the Carolina Panthers trading away a mortgage worth of current and future draft picks for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offensive free agents
- QB Blaine Gabbert
- WR Julio Jones
- WR Scotty Miller
- WR Breshad Perriman
- RB Giovani Bernard
- RB Leonard Fournette (released)
- TE Kyle Rudolph
- TE Cameron Brate (released)
- OG Aaron Stinnie
- OT Josh Wells
- OT Donovan Smith (released)
Defensive free agents
- LB Lavonte David (re-signed)
- OLB Anthony Nelson (re-signed)
- DE Akiem Hicks
- DE William Gholston
- DE Pat O’Connor
- DE Carl Nassib
- DE Genard Avery
- DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Agreed to terms with the Giants)
- DT Deadrin Senat
- S Mike Edwards (Agreed to terms with Chiefs)
- SS Keanu Neal
- CB Logan Ryan
- CB Sean Bunting (Agreed to terms with Titans)
- CB Jamel Dean (re-signed)
2023 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- QB Tom Brady announced his retirement
- Parted ways with OC Byron Leftwich after four seasons and hired former Seattle Seahawks QB coach Dave Canales as its new offensive coordinator
- Released OT Donovan Smith on March 8, 2023, RB Leonard Fournette, TE Cameron Brate
- CB Carlton Davis, WR Chris Godwin, WR Russell Gage and C Ryan Jensen all restructured their contracts
- Re-signed LB Lavonte David on a one-year deal, CB Jamel Dean on a three-year deal, OLB Anthony Nelson on a two-year deal
- Lost DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Giants), S Mike Edwards (Chiefs)
- Traded OG Shaq Mason and a 2023 seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans for a 2023 sixth-round pick
- Agreed to terms with RB Chase Edmonds (Dolphins), DT Greg Gaines (Rams)
Atlanta Falcons
Offensive free agents
- QB Marcus Mariota (released and agreed to terms with Eagles)
- FB Keith Smith (re-signed)
- WR Olamide Zaccheaus
- WR Damiere Byrd
- WR Khadarel Hodge
- TE Anthony Firkser
- TE MyCole Pruitt
- OG Elijah Wilkinson
- OG Colby Gossett
- OT Kaleb McGary
- OT Chuma Edoga
- OT Germain Ifedi
Defensive free agents
- DT Vincent Taylor
- DT Jaleel Johnson
- DE Matt Dickerson
- OLB Lorenzo Carter
- LB Rashaan Evans
- LB Nick Kwiatkoski
- CB Rashad Fenton
- CB Isaiah Oliver (Agreed to terms with 49ers)
- CB Michael Ford
- S Erik Harris
- P Bradley Pinion (re-signed)
- LS Beau Brinkley
2023 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Hired Saints DL coach Ryan Nielsen as its new defensive coordinator after DC Dean Pees retired and hired longtime NFL defensive coach and two-time Pro Bowl DB Jerry Gray as its assistant head coach
- Released QB Marcus Mariota (agreed to terms with Eagles)
- Re-signed FB Keith Smith, CB Cornell Armstrong, CB Michael Ford, P Bradley Pinion on a three-year deal
- Traded a 2023 seventh-round pick for New England Patriots TE Jonnu Smith
- Agreed to terms on a five-year extension with OG Chris Lindstrom, three-year extension with OT Kaleb McGary
- Reportedly agreed to terms with S Jessie Bates III (Bengals) on a four-year deal, DL David Onyemata (Saints) on a three-year deal, QB Taylor Heineke (Commanders) on a two-year deal, LB Tae Davis (Browns), WR Mack Hollins (Raiders) on a one-year deal
- Lost CB Isaiah Oliver (49ers)
Carolina Panthers
Offensive free agents
- QB Sam Darnold (Agreed to terms with the 49ers)
- OT Cameron Irving
- OC Bradley Bozeman (re-signed)
- OG Michael Jordan
- RB D’Onta Foreman (Agreed to terms with Bears)
- WR Rashard Higgins
- WR Andre Roberts
- PK Eddy Pineiro
Defensive free agents
- DE Matt Ioannidis
- ILB Cory Littleton (Agreed to terms with Texans)
- LB Damien Wilson (released)
- S Juston Burris
- S Sean Chandler
- CB Justin Layne
2023 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Hired former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich to the same position
- Former Lions RB coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley agreed to terms with the team for the same position
- Reportedly traded its 2023 first-round pick (ninth overall), a 2023 second-round pick (61st overall) and 2024 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick and WR DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
- OL Austin Corbett agreed to a contract restructure
- Agreed to terms with DT Shy Tuttle (Saints), TE Hayden Hurst (Bengals), WR Adam Thielen (Vikings)
- Signed LS Jon Jansen on a one-year extension and placed RFA tender on S Sam Franklin
- Re-signed OL Bradley Bozeman to a three-year deal
- OT Taylor Moten, P Johnny Hekker agreed to restructure their contracts
- S Sean Chandler, a pending free agent, was suspended two games by the NFL for violation of the NFL’s PED policy
- Released LB Damien Wilson
- Lost QB Sam Darnold (49ers), RB D’Onta Foreman (Bears), ILB Cory Littleton (Texans)
New Orleans Saints
Offensive free agents
- WR Deonte Harty (Agreed to terms with Bills)
- WR Jarvis Landry
- QB Andy Dalton
- RB Mark Ingram
- RB David Johnson
- OT Ethan Greenidge
Defensive free agents
- DL David Onyemata (Agreed to terms with the Falcons)
- DT Shy Tuttle (Agreed to terms with the Panthers)
- DE Marcus Davenport (Agreed to terms with Vikings)
- LB Kwon Alexander
- LB Ty Summers (re-signed)
- CB P.J. Williams
- CB Bradley Roby
- DE Kentavious Street
- SS JT Gray
- SS Daniel Sorensen
- S Justin Evans (Agreed to terms with Eagles)
- OLB Kaden Elliss
2023 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Agreed to terms with DE Tanoh Kpassagnon on a two-year extension, WR Keith Kirkwood on a one-year extension
- Traded head coach Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick (No. 30 overall) and a 2024 second-round pick
- Hired former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods to the same position
- DE Cameron Jordan, S Marcus Maye, PK Wil Lutz, C Erik McCoy, OT Ryan Ramczyk and FS Tyrann Mathieu restructured their contracts
- Signed former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year deal
- Gave a one-year extension to WR Michael Thomas, LB Ty Summers
- Agreed to terms with DT Khalen Saunders (Chiefs), DL Nathan Shepherd (Jets), RB Jamaal Williams (Lions) on a three-year deal
- Reportedly lost DE David Onyemata (Falcons), DT Shy Tuttle (Panthers), DE Marcus Davenport (Vikings), WR Deonte Harty (Bills), S Justin Evans (Eagles)