2022 NFC South free agency handed the Buccaneers a retirement from one of its veteran offensive lineman. The Falcons lost a key linebacker but picked up an All-Pro corner. Then they traded away a former league MVP. The Panthers lost one of its top pass rushers but picked up a four-time All-Pro punter to help its Top Five defense. It has been a busy couple of weeks in the NFC South.
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offensive free agents
- RB Giovani Bernard (re-signed)
- G Alex Cappa (Agreed to terms with the Bengals)
- RB Leonard Fournette (re-signed)
- QB Blaine Gabbert (re-signed)
- QB Ryan Griffin (re-signed)
- WR Chris Godwin (re-signed)
- TE Rob Gronkowski
- TE O.J. Howard (Agreed to terms with the Bills)
- C Ryan Jensen (re-signed)
- C Donell Stanley (released)
- RB Ronald Jones II
- RB Le’Veon Bell
- WR Breshad Perriman (re-signed)
- G Aaron Stinnie (re-signed)
- T Josh Wells (re-signed)
Defensive free agents
2022 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- S Andrew Adams
- CB Carlton Davis (re-signed)
- CB Pierre Desir
- DL Will Gholston (re-signed)
- DL Steve McLendon
- LB Kevin Minter
- OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
- DE Pat O’Connor (re-signed)
- S Curtis Riley
- CB Richard Sherman
- DL Ndamukong Suh
- S Jordan Whitehead (Agreed to terms with the Jets)
- LS Zach Triner (re-signed)
- Head coach Bruce Arians retired and former DC Todd Bowles signed a five-year contract to be the team’s next head coach
- Agreed to terms with WR Russell Gage (Falcons), DB Logan Ryan (Giants), OL Fred Johnson (Bengals), S Keanu Neal (Cowboys)
- Re-signed WR Chris Godwin to a three-year deal (after originally placing the franchise tag on him), RB Leonard Fournette to a three-year deal, CB Carlton Davis to a three-year deal, OL Ryan Jensen to a three-year deal, OL Aaron Stinnie to a one-year deal, OL Josh Wells to a one-year deal, WR Breshad Perriman to a one-year deal, DE Will Gholston to a one-year deal, LS Zach Triner to a two-year deal, RB Giovani Bernard, QB Ryan Griffin, DE Pat O’Connor, QB Blaine Gabbert
- Lost TE O.J. Howard (Bills), OL A.J. Cappa (Bengals), S Jordan Whitehead (Jets)
- QB Tom Brady retired and then decided to come back for another season in 2022
- OL Ali Marpet retired after seven seasons
- Traded a fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots for OG Shaq Mason
Atlanta Falcons
Offensive free agents
- QB Josh Rosen
- QB A.J. McCarron
- RB Cordarrelle Patterson (re-signed)
- WR Russell Gage (Agreed to terms with the Buccaneers)
- WR Tajae Sharpe
- TE Hayden Hurst (Agreed to terms with the Bengals)
- TE Lee Smith
- OL Josh Andrews
- OL Jason Spriggs
- OL Matt Gono
- OL Colby Gossett (re-signed)
Defensive free agents
- DL Jonathan Bullard
- DL Mike Pennel
- DL Tyeler Davison (released)
- OLB Brandon Copeland
- OLB Dante Fowler (released)
- OLB Steven Means
- ILB Foye Oluokun (Agreed to terms with the Jaguars)
- ILB Daren Bates
- ILB Emmanuel Ellerbee
- CB Fabian Moreau
- CB Isaiah Oliver (re-signed)
- S Erik Harris (re-signed)
- S Duron Harmon
- S Shawn Williams
- P Thomas Morstead
- LS Josh Harris (Agreed to terms with the Chargers)
2022 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Traded QB Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2022 third-round draft pick (82nd overall)
- Agreed to terms with QB Marcus Mariota (Raiders) on a two-year deal, CB Casey Hayward (Raiders) on a two-year deal, RB Damien Williams (Bears), OL Elijah Wilkinson (Bears), DE Lorenzo Carter (Giants), WR KhaDarel Hodge (Lions), WR Auden Tate (Bengals), WR Damiere Byrd (Bears), S Dean Marlowe (Lions), LS Beau Brinkley (Bears), LB Rashaan Evans (Titans), OT Germain Ifedi (Bears), TE Anthony Firkser (Titans), DT Vincent Taylor (Texans)
- Re-signed OL Colby Gossett, CB Isaiah Oliver, S Erik Harris, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
- Signed DT Anthony Rush on an original round tender
- Released OLB Dante Fowler, DL Tyeler Davison
- Lost ILB Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars), WR Russell Gage (Buccaneers), LS Josh Harris (Chargers), TE Hayden Hurst (Bengals)
Carolina Panthers
Offensive free agents
- TE Ian Thomas (re-signed)
- C Matt Paradis
- QB Cam Newton
- OT Trenton Scott
- OL John Miller
- WR-KR Alex Erickson
- WR Brandon Zylstra (re-signed)
- LS J.J. Jansen
- K Zane Gonzalez
Defensive free agents
- CB Stephon Gilmore (Agreed to terms with the Colts)
- CB Donte Jackson (re-signed)
- OLB Haason Reddick (Agreed to terms with the Eagles)
- DE-OLB Marquis Haynes (re-signed)
- LB Jermaine Carter (Agreed to terms with the Chiefs)
- DT DaQuan Jones (Agreed to terms with the Bills)
- S Juston Burris (re-signed)
- S Sean Chandler (re-signed)
- OLB Frankie Luvu
- OLB Julian Stanford
- CB Rashaan Melvin (re-signed)
- P Lachlan Edwards
2022 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Re-signed TE Ian Thomas on a three-year deal, OLB Frankie Luvu to a two-year deal, CB Rashaan Melvin, WR Brandon Zylstra, S Sean Chandler, S Juston Burris
- Agreed to terms with OL Austin Corbett (Rams) on a three-year deal, S Xavier Woods (Vikings) on a three-year deal, P Johnny Hekker (Rams) on a three-year deal, LB Damien Wilson (Jaguars) on a two-year deal, WR Rashard Higgins (Browns) on a one-year deal, DT Matt Ioannidis (Commanders) on a one-year deal, LB Cory Littleton, OC Bradley Bozeman (Ravens) on a one-year deal, CB Chris Westry (Ravens)
- Signed WR D.J. Moore to a four-year extension and re-signed CB Donte Jackson to a three-year extension, CB Rashaan Melvin, DE Marquis Haynes
- Exercised an option on OLB Brian Burns
- Lost OLB Haason Reddick (Eagles), DT DaQuan Jones (Bills), LB Jermaine Carter (Chiefs), CB Stephon Gilmore (Colts)
New Orleans Saints
Offensive free agents
- OT Terron Armstead (Agreed to terms with the Dolphins)
- QB Jameis Winston (re-signed)
- WR-RB Ty Montgomery (Agreed to terms with the Patriots)
- QB Trevor Siemian
- WR Tre’Quan Smith (re-signed)
- TE Garrett Griffin
- WR Kenny Stills
- OT Kyle Murphy
Defensive free agents
- S Marcus Williams (Agreed to terms with the Ravens)
- DB P.J. Williams (re-signed)
- LB Kwon Alexander
- S Jeff Heath
- DT Jalyn Holmes
- DE Christian Ringo
- CB Kenneth Crawley
2022 Free Agency report/Other Notes:
- Agreed to terms S Marcus Maye (Jets) on a three-year deal, S Daniel Sorensen (Chiefs) on a one-year deal, QB Andy Dalton (Bears) on a one-year deal, OG Forrest Lamp (Bills) on a one-year deal, DT Jaleel Johnson (Texans), DE Taco Charlton (Steelers), S Justin Evans, TE JP Holtz (Bears)
- Lost S Marcus Williams (Ravens), RB Ty Montgomery (Patriots), OT Terron Armstead (Dolphins)
- Re-signed QB Jameis Winston to a two-year deal, CB Bradley Roby, WR Tre’quan Smith, CB P.J. Williams, RB Dwayne Washington
- Placed RFA tenders on DT Shy Tuttle, WR Deonte Harris
- S Malcolm Jenkins retired
- Released QB Blake Bortles
ds on 19 carries), but they stopped Atlanta’s other receivers not named Julio Jones. Jones caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown but it took him 11 targets and he accounted for more than a third of the offense. The Browns also forced two fumbles and had two sacks on Ryan. The stats might not jump out at first glance, but the intensity was there for Cleveland’s defense, which routinely rallied to the football for gang tackles.