Buy or Sell: Debating 3 hot topics coming out of NFL free agency
In Buy or Sell, theScore's football editors debate some of the hottest topics percolating around the NFL. Let us know in the comments whether you're buying or selling these three statements.
Kyler Murray makes the Vikings a playoff team
The former Cardinals QB signed for the veteran minimum in Minnesota after being released by Arizona
Caio Miari - BUY: The Vikings signed Murray to a one-year, $1.3-million contract in one of free agency's most interesting moves. Given his athleticism, skill set, and experience, he's likely to become the team's new starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy.
The 28-year-old started 87 games for the Cardinals, averaging 3,998 passing yards and 24 touchdowns against 12 interceptions with a 67.1% completion rate per 17 games played. Minnesota would've killed for those numbers last season. He also posted 624 yards and six TDs on the ground. The dynamic QB, known for his play-extending ability, grew up a Vikings fan and now has a chance to lead them back to the playoffs.
Subpar play and injuries led to the premature end of a once-promising relationship between Arizona and Murray, the 2019 No. 1 pick who's trying to regain his form on a low-risk deal. Vikings fans saw this movie not long ago with Sam Darnold, who signed his own prove-it contract in 2024. The 2018 No. 3 pick had a magical year in Minnesota and helped the team return to the postseason. Could the Vikings - who remain in win-now mode and boast a quarterback-friendly system under coach Kevin O'Connell - replicate that success with Murray?
The NFC North is one of the NFL's toughest divisions. Two years ago, the Darnold-led Vikings won 14 games yet didn't capture the division crown. Plus, Murray isn't a proven winner in the league, having played only one playoff game. That said, the 2025 Vikings weren't far from postseason contention despite starting three different quarterbacks. They finished 9-8, including 4-2 against NFC North rivals, while the Packers took the NFC's final wild-card spot with a 9-7-1 record.
On paper, Murray will be surrounded by a solid group of receivers headlined by Justin Jefferson and a healthier offensive line. Defensively, coordinator Brian Flores has built a perennial top-10 unit that still has ample talent despite losing linemen Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Murray rarely had any of those things in Arizona, but when he did, he was successful.
There's been a trend of former highly touted QBs stealing the show after undergoing a change of scenery. Murray is next in line. The Vikings needed a quarterback upgrade, and they'll be playoff-bound again when Murray's signing pays off.
The Bengals addressed their needs sufficiently
Cincinnati ranked 31st in total defense last season, finished 6-11, and missed the playoffs for the third straight season
Daniel Valente - SELL: If the question was whether the Bengals addressed their needs in free agency - most of which are on defense - they'd get a passing grade. Whether they addressed them sufficiently is a different story.
Cincinnati's biggest splash was the signing of former Seahawks pass-rusher Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60-million deal, which made him the 19th-highest-paid player at the position by average annual value, according to Over the Cap. The 27-year-old is coming off a two-sack season. By comparison, the 19th-highest-paid edge rusher last season (Von Miller) posted nine sacks. Mafe notched nine during his best season in 2023, but he's accumulated just eight over the last two years. Perhaps the Bengals put too much stock in his Super Bowl performance, which included three pressures, per PFF. Mafe served as a rotational piece in Seattle, but he'll have to fill Trey Hendrickson's shoes in Cincinnati.
The Bengals also bolstered their interior pass rush, signing Jonathan Allen to a two-year, $25-million contract. Though the two-time Pro Bowler performed well in previous years, his career trajectory suggests that his most productive days are behind him. The Vikings released Allen after one season together. He played all 17 games in 2025 but only notched 3.5 sacks. Allen reached a career-high nine sacks in 2021, yet he's totaled just 19.5 sacks in the four years since. Hindsight is 20/20, but one has to question if the Bengals would've been better off trying to land 27-year-old defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, whom the 49ers acquired for a third-round pick.
Surprisingly, the Bengals ignored middle linebackers in free agency. That leaves second-year players Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight penciled in as the starters. Cincinnati could have used a veteran in the room, and there was no shortage of them available, with Devin Lloyd, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Tremaine Edmunds, and Leo Chenal all hitting the open market.
The Bengals get credit for signing safety and Cincinnati native Bryan Cook from the Chiefs. His presence will boost a young secondary that features Dax Hill, DJ Turner, and Jordan Battle. However, the team's approach to free agency otherwise felt wishful at best.
A.J. Brown will begin the season with the Eagles
Brown has been embroiled in trade rumors for months, but he remains a member of the Eagles as offseason activity slows
Matt Washington - SELL: For two years, the disgruntled wideout hasn't been shy in expressing his frustration with the Eagles' offense to anyone willing to listen. Although his teammates and coaches have attempted to squash any animosity, a breakup seems more predictable than the latest season of Netflix's "Love Is Blind."
Brown's 1,003 receiving yards and 12.9 yards per catch last season marked his lowest totals since being acquired by Philadelphia in April 2022. The end of his 2025 campaign featured multiple drops in a wild-card loss to the 49ers and felt like the breaking point in an inevitable separation. It wouldn't make much sense for general manager Howie Roseman to deal Brown now and saddle the club with over $43 million in dead money, but that figure drops to a digestible $16.3 million if he's traded after June 1.
The Rams and Patriots reportedly made strong pushes to land Brown at the beginning of the new league year, but the Eagles resisted. After seeing what the Dolphins received in exchange for Jaylen Waddle, there's a good chance Roseman will get a package he likes over the summer as teams prepare for training camp.
As for how Philadelphia can replace Brown, DeVonta Smith possesses the skill set and experience to serve as its WR1 next season. Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and other veterans remain free agents. Any of them could function as a stopgap starter. The Eagles hold nine picks in next month's draft, so they may also utilize some of those to add receiver depth.
Despite his obvious on-field talents, Brown's chronic discontent threatens to fracture team chemistry beyond repair if the Eagles keep him around for another season. His days are numbered in the City of Brotherly Love.