The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL How much better—or worse—is each NFC team after the first wave of free agency?
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Mar 17, 2026 A tour of how each NFC roster shifted after the first wave of free agency. They grade defensive overhauls, offensive uncertainties, and teams leaning into rebuilds versus cap preservation. Conversations spotlight big secondary upgrades, quarterback moves, and teams trading short-term wins for future draft capital.
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Cardinals Embrace A Full Rebuild
- Cardinals reverted to tank mode after cutting Kyler Murray and trimming veterans, making them significantly worse short-term but positioned for draft capital.
- Dave Helman notes puzzling age-focused signings like Isaac Seumalo for a multi-year rebuild.
Seahawks Choosing Flexibility Over Short-Term Retention
- Seahawks are worse after letting key role players walk, but likely by design to preserve cap flexibility and trust internal development.
- Dave Helman and Robert Mays suggest Seattle prefers replacing production via draft/value rather than market prices.
Bucs Maintain Draft Focus At Cost Of Immediate Upgrades
- Buccaneers look a bit worse after losing Mike Evans and Jamel Dean while adding useful but non-needle-moving depth pieces.
- Panelists think Tampa Bay is leaning into draft-and-develop philosophy and preserving flexibility amid coaching questions.