Three most questionable moves in 2025 NFL free agency: Cowboys, Texans highlight
The NFL offseason is in full swing after the first wave of 2025 free agency.
Many of USA TODAY Sports’ top 25 free agents have already landed with new clubs. Wide receiver Davante Adams is headed back to the West Coast, defensive tackle Milton Williams left the defending Super Bowl champs for New England and safety Jevon Holland is bound for the Big Apple.
Several teams made free agency splashes. While other clubs had head-scratching acquisitions. I analyzed my favorite moves during the first wave of free agency. Now it’s time to examine my least favorite free agency decisions following an eventful first week.
Seattle Seahawks replace Geno Smith with Sam Darnold
One can surmise that replacing Smith with Darnold is a lateral move. Each is an exiled New York Jets quarterback who has since revitalized their career.
However, Geno Smith’s statistics suggest that he’s the superior quarterback. Smith’s career completion percentage (64.8%), passing yards per game (203.6) and passer rating (88) are all better than Sam Darnold’s (61.2%), (197.4) and (83.9). Plus, Smith’s 56.8% completion percentage when under pressure ranked fourth in the NFL among qualifying QBs last year.
The new Raiders quarterback had two Pro Bowl seasons while registering a 28-24 regular-season record as the Seahawks starter.
Darnold did enjoy a career renaissance last year in Kevin O'Connell’s quarterback-friendly system, but was his campaign an anomaly? Darnold reverted to his journeyman quarterback form during his final two starts in Minnesota. He posted a 55.5 passer rating in the regular-season finale and followed that up with an indecisive performance in the postseason.
Age is undoubtedly a factor. Darnold, 27, is younger than the 34-year-old Smith. Although, the Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year deal. They could’ve given Smith the same number of years without the concern of Father Time affecting the quarterback toward the end of the contract.
The next few years will determine if the Seahawks made the right choice at quarterback. It’s fair to be skeptical at this point.
Dallas Cowboys’ running back need still exists
Many questioned the Cowboys’ inactivity during free agency last season, which coincided with their reluctance to upgrade the running back position. Consequently, Dallas had an NFL-low six rushing touchdowns and ranked 27th in the league in rushing. They had the worst rushing attack in the NFC East.
The Cowboys find themselves in the same predicament this year.
Dallas let running back Rico Dowdle, who had a career-high 1,079 rushing yards, walk. They replaced Dowdle with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency.
Williams enjoyed a career-best 1,219 yards from scrimmage in 2021, but he hasn’t been the same running back since a 2022 season-ending knee injury. He’s averaged under four yards a carry for two straight seasons. Williams saw his carries per game decrease late last year in the Denver Broncos’ running-back-by-committee offense.
Similarly, Sanders’ production has been on the decline ever since he stopped running behind Philadelphia’s stout offensive line. Sanders hasn’t topped 75 rushing yards in a single game since he left Philly after the 2022 season.
Houston Texans trade standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil
The Texans inexplicably traded their best offensive lineman to the Commanders after C.J. Stroud was sacked an AFC-most 52 times last season. Laremy Tunsil had the highest pass-blocking grade (89.1) and run-blocking grade (74) among Houston offensive linemen in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.
The five-time Pro Bowl left tackle allowed four sacks and 23 pressures this past year. The Texans doubled down on their O-line rebuild when they traded away guard Kenyon Green following a rocky 2024 campaign.
The Texans did sign guard Laken Tomlinson during free agency, but they still have big questions at each tackle spot. LT Blake Fisher and RT Tytus Howard are penciled in as the team’s starters for now.
Stroud was under pressure an NFL-high 274 of his dropbacks a year ago, and Houston’s O-line, sans Tunsil, is now worse.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NFL free agency: Three most questionable decisions so far
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