NFL free agency: Five franchises that lost the most talent, ranked

Five teams lost more talent than the rest when the new NFL year kicked off

While the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and several others made the most of the first two weeks of free agency, others did not. If they don't already, rest assured that the teams that failed to improve their rosters will regret it when the NFL regular season begins. 

There are tangible reasons why teams may choose to stand pat during the start of free agency. A lack of salary cap space is one (the Vikings are an example of this, but they still snagged  Kyler Murray, who will receive most of his 2026 salary from the Cardinals). Another might be a focus on building through the draft (the Steelers hold a league-high 12 draft picks). Regardless of intent, a lack of activity in free agency can hurt. 

Every team faced hard decisions, but these five got hit the hardest when it came to talent leaving the building.

5. Green Bay Packers 

Notable losses: EDGE Rashan Gary (via trade), LB Quay Walker, QB Malik Willis, DL Colby Wooden (via trade), EDGE Kingsley Enagbare, S Zayne Anderson, RB Emanuel Wilson, WR Romeo Doubs, CB Nate Hobbs, OL Elgton Jenkins, OL Rasheed Walker

Green Bay lost some talented players, but it clearly has a plan in place. The Packers hope that Lukas Van Ness replaces Gary in the starting lineup while displaying the potential that made him a 2023 first-round pick. Green Bay replaced Walker with Zaire Franklin, who followed up his breakout 2024 campaign with a solid 2025 season with the Colts. 

The Packers also acquired Javon Hargrave, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who compiled 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery during his lone season with the Vikings. The 33-year-old Hargrave can at least provide some valuable depth with Devonte Wyatt coming back from a fibula injury. 

While they filled most of their vacancies, the Packers still need to address the depth they lost in free agency, especially at running back, receiver and quarterback. It will be interesting to see if Desmond Ridder puts forward a similar resurgence to the one that Willis enjoyed in Green Bay under Matt LaFleur. 

4. Detroit Lions 

Notable losses: RB David Montgomery (via trade), LB Alex Anzalone, CB Amik Robertson, DL Roy Lopez, Al-Quadin Muhammad, OT Taylor Decker 

While not surprising, the decision to part with Montgomery is still notable as he and Jahmyr Gibbs became one of the league's top running back duos. Unless Isiah Pacheco can return to his 2023 form, the Lions are poised to take a pretty big hit at the running back position, which could lead to Gibbs being overused. 

Detroit lost even more on defense. Anzalone and Robertson were stout against the pass. Muhammad is coming off a breakout season that saw him record 11 sacks. Lopez wasn't a starter for Detroit but was nonetheless a key reserve who made his presence felt against the run. 

Unless they can find some defensive players via the draft that can be immediate contributors, 2026 could be another challenging season for Dan Campbell's team. 

3. Baltimore Ravens 

Notable losses: C Tyler Linderbaum, TE Isaiah Likely, EDGE Dre'Mont Jones, S Alohi Gilman, TE Charlie Kolar, P Jordan Stout, FB Patrick Ricard, S Ar'Darius Washington, RB Keaton Mitchell

Baltimore lost a lot of players, but that was not necessarily a surprise. Baltimore ushered in a new era with new coach Jesse Minter. The Ravens' losses have rightfully been overlooked by their offseason additions that include four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, safety Jaylinn Hawkins and guard John Simpson. 

The Ravens' biggest loss was Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler whom the Raiders made the highest-paid center in NFL history. Because of his departure, many project the Ravens to select Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th overall pick out of Penn State.

Baltimore also took a hit at tight end with the departures of Likely and Kolar. Their departures are doubly fatal as the Ravens don't exactly have the "Greatest Show on Turf" at receiver. Baltimore is going to need to use some draft capital on beefing up its receiving corps if Lamar Jackson is going to reprise his former status as an MVP-caliber player. 

2. Indianapolis Colts 

Notable losses: WR Michael Pittman Jr. (via trade), LB Zaire Franklin (via trade), OT Braden Smith, EDGE Kwity Paye, DL Neville Gallimore, S Nick Cross 

The Colts spent more than $200 million to keep Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones, but that came at the expense of others. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Colts received virtually nothing in the trade that sent Pittman to Pittsburgh. 

Indianapolis now has considerable holes at several positions. With Pittman's absence, the Colts need to find someone who can complement Pierce, whose success during his first four Indianapolis was at least partly a byproduct of having Pittman on the other side. 

Making the Colts' losses more significant is the fact that they do not have a first-round pick in April's draft. Indianapolis gave up two future first-round picks prior to last season's trade deadline to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner, who suffered a season-ending injury just four games into his Colts tenure. 

1. Jacksonville Jaguars 

Notable losses: LB Devin Lloyd, RB Travis Etienne Jr., CB Greg Newsome II, S Andrew Wingard 

Jacksonville's biggest losses include a Pro Bowl linebacker (Lloyd) and a running back (Etienne) who amassed nearly 1,300 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Both players were integral parts of the Jaguars' success last season. Making their departures more damming is the fact that the Jaguars didn't acquire comparable players during the first two weeks of free agency. 

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was transparent when he faced questions about the lack of free-agency activity. 

"We're at a stage now where a higher volume of draft capital is what we're hunting up, and those compensatory picks," Gladstone said. "When you think about high-priced free agents of ours who ended up signing elsewhere, well-deserved contracts. ... They did their part to put themselves in sound positions to earn that. Excited for all those guys. In return, by not signing any outside free agents, we recoup 2027 draft capital."  

Gladstone's plan is sound, but that doesn't mean that it comes with some risk. It's certainly not a guarantee that the players that will come from those future picks will be as good as the ones that just left town. This could also lead to a step backwards in 2026.