The Dallas Cowboys’ continued defensive line overhaul highlighted the ongoing movement of players as the 2026 NFL free agency period moved through its third day.

With the new league year commencing on Wednesday (March 11th), deals reported during the two-day ‘legal tampering’ window were made official, but that did not stop teams completing trades, signings and contract restructures in a bid to shore up their rosters for the coming campaign.

The Cowboys headlined the day’s activity by completing a pair of trades just days after acquiring pass rusher Rashan Gary from Green Bay. Dallas first sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick (#92 overall) that now gives them a presence on day two of the draft, before moving veteran lineman Solomon Thomas to the Tennessee Titans in a seventh-round pick swap that reunites Thomas with head coach Robert Saleh, under whom he played in both San Francisco and New York. The sequence effectively reshapes the Cowboys’ defensive interior following Gary’s arrival, while also replenishing draft capital ahead of April’s draft.

Elsewhere, the Baltimore Ravens followed their dramatic pivot for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson by inking deals for cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and safety Jaylinn Hawkins to bolster the secondary.

In Buffalo, the Bills made one of the most significant signings of the day by landing pass rusher Bradley Chubb on a three-year, $43.5m contract, shortly after the veteran had been released by AFC East rival Miami Dolphins. The Bills also restructured quarterback Josh Allen’s deal, converting salary into bonus to free more than $12m in cap space.

The Indianapolis Colts secured stability at quarterback by agreeing a two-year, $88m extension with Daniel Jones, who excelled in new surroundings before suffering an Achilles injury, while the Washington Commanders remained aggressive in free agency, adding defensive end Charles Omenihu and edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, before reinforcing the secondary with safety Nick Cross and signing tight end Chig Okonkwo to a three-year, $30m contract.

The Packers, meanwhile, strengthened their defensive front by signing former 49ers and Vikings tackle Javon Hargrave to a two-year, $23m deal, shortly after Minnesota had cleared cap space by releasing the veteran. The Vikings themselves also parted ways with long-time safety Harrison Smith via a post-June 1st designation, but say they remain open to re-signing the fan favourite should he decide against retirement. Minnesota completed a busy day by restructuring the contracts of both running back Aaron Jones and DB Byron Murphy that keeps the veterans on the roster for 2026, but designated veteran DT Jonathan Allen as a post-June 1st release.

Also involving the NFC North, the Chicago Bears waved goodbye to 2025 interception leader Kevin Byard as he inked a one-year, $9m deal to join the New England Patriots.

The 49ers re-signed breakout TE Jake Tonges to a two-year extension following his sterling efforts in relief of the injured George Kittle, while Jacksonville’s quiet offseason perked up a little with the signing of former Commanders back-up RB Chris Rodriguez.

Quarterback movement remained largely limited to depth additions, underlined by Dallas signing former Washington draft pick Sam Howell to a crowded QB room — which already features Dak Prescott, Joe Milton and Will Grier — following their defensive line reshuffle. Elsewhere, the Arizona Cardinals confirmed one of the most striking roster decisions of the offseason by designating Kyler Murray as a post-June 1st release, signalling a dramatic shift in the franchise’s long-term plans at the position. Gardner Minshew was duly signed to fill Murray’s spot, while the former first overall pick is rumoured to have interest from five teams, not least the Vikings. Atlanta made a similar decision when releasing Kirk Cousins, while Geno Smith confirmed his return to the New York Jets nine years after uttering the immortal “they wrote me off, I ain’t write back” quote having been released by Gang Green.

Across the league, teams continued to restructure contracts to create additional financial flexibility. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson (Ravens) and Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) were among a slew of veterans converting large portions of their salaries into signing bonuses, collectively clearing tens of millions of dollars in cap space as clubs position themselves for the next wave of offseason moves.