The NWSL’s free agency opened up on September 1st—and the NWSL has 129 players on the free agency list. As a reminder, there was a new CBA announced in late August which expanded free agency to any player with an expiring contract regardless of years of service and it also pulled in the negotiation/signing deadline from October and the end of the season to September 1st. 

With forward Bárbara Olivieri being the first player on the list to re-sign with a team, here’s a look at the top 15 free agents to keep an eye on (plus some notable mentions)

Top 15 Free Agents

1. Kerolin - NC Courage, Forward

Kerolin tore her ACL in the regular season finale in 2023, and although she hasn’t played any minutes with the Courage this season, she did get the call-up from Brazil to play at the Olympics. There Kerolin started a group play match against Spain and came in as a substitute in four matches as well as scoring a goal in Brazil’s 4–2 win against Spain to send them to the gold medal match. As a reminder, in 2023 Kerolin was the NWSL MVP scoring ten goals. Kerolin’s dynamic attack would be an asset for any team’s offense. 

2. Claire Emslie - Angel City FC, Forward

Emslie has played in all 18 regular season matches for Angel City this year—starting in all but one—scoring six goals and assisting in an additional two. She also leads the team and is fourth in the league with 34 chances created and has played the second most minutes of any Angel City player this season. The set piece and corner service that Emslie provides as well as her speed on the left wing has been instrumental in Angel City’s success this season. 

3. Alyssa Naeher - Chicago Red Stars, Goalkeeper

This is Naeher’s eighth season with the Red Stars and following an incredible showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics that helped the USA bring home gold including a few absolutely mind-boggling saves. On the club side, Naeher has had to deal with three offseasons in a row which included mass exodus from the team leading to a constantly changing backline. It will be interesting to see whether Naeher takes her first swing at free agency or whether she chooses to continue with Chicago on their journey under new ownership. 

4. Vanessa Dibernardo - Kansas City Current, Midfielder

After spending a significant amount of time on the availability report in 2023 being out with a concussion, Dibernardo started 2024 with a bang and had two assists and two goals in the first three matches for Kansas City. She continued her run of form and by mid-May had four goals and five assists. Unfortunately Dibernardo had an aerial challenge end up with head contact and she missed the last three matches ahead of the regular season Olympic break. The Summer Cup was used to build her minutes back and the midfielder tallied another two assists, and she’s back to starting matches for a Kansas City side which currently sits third in the table. 

5. Debinha - Kansas City Current, Midfielder

Debinha did originally have a mutual option for 2025 with Kansas City, but it looks like either Debinha or the Current declined to exercise putting Debinha back on the free agency list. Debinha was one of the big names who got to enjoy the freedom of free agency in its first iteration in the 2022-23 offseason and whose autonomy allowed her to land in Kansas City. During the Summer Cup, Debinha scored four goals in four matches with the Current, and during this regular season she’s tallied one goal and two assists 

6. Sophie Schmidt - Houston Dash, Midfielder

Schmidt has been a beacon of continuity for a Houston Dash which has seen a lot of coaching changes and thrash over the last few years. The Canadian midfielder recently retired from international play with an impressive 226 caps to her name. This season for the Dash, she has the second most minutes of any field player for the Dash, playing in 17 of the team’s 18 matches, with a 81% passing accuracy and over 100 possessions won. 

7. Annaïg Butel - Washington Spirit, Defender

The French defender arrived in Washington D.C. last July and in the back half of the season played in seven matches for the Spirit. This season, Butel has played in every single regular season match for the Spirit, starting in all but the season opener where she played the entirety of the second half. She has the second most minutes of any Spirit field player and has earned 23 interceptions and 72 possessions won thus far this season while having a passing accuracy over 85%. 

8. Sydney Leroux - Angel City FC, Forward

Leroux had her 16th game winning goal this past Sunday as Angel City broke their 1–1 stalemate with Chicago to take home three points. The goal was also her 48th career goal, and her fifth of the 2024 regular season. She also scored an additional goal in the one game of the Summer Cup in which she played. After only scoring two goals in the 2023 season, Leroux seems to really be finding her stride with the LA-based club this season.

9. Maitane Lopez - Gotham FC, Defender

The Spanish defender joined Gotham in the 2023 Secondary Transfer Window and immediately fit right in, after her debut substitution in, starting the next ten games—including the NWSL Championship match. In the offseason, Gotham made a number of defensive acquisitions, and although Lopez hasn’t been injured she hasn’t been seeing consistent minutes this season, only tallying 402 minutes thus far in the regular season. It wouldn’t be surprising if Lopez attempts to leverage her free agency to head to a team (with an unused INTL spot) where she can see more play time. 

10. Elli Pikkujamsa - Racing Louisville FC, Defender

Unfortunately the 24-year old Finnish defender was the second victim of the Providence Park turf this year, tearing her patellar tendon in the 72nd minute of the third regular season match of the 2024 season. Pikkujämsä showed her versatility in the 2023 Louisville season switching between defensive midfield and centerback multiple times throughout the season and starting in 18 regular season matches. Racing exercised its half of Pikkujämsä’s 2025 mutual option and contract negotiations are ongoing. 

11. Midge Purce - Gotham FC, Forward

Purce was unfortunately the first SEI victim of the Providence Park artificial turf this season—in only the second regular season match of the season—when she tore her ACL in the second half. Purce is coming off an NWSL Championship winning 2023 season with Gotham—where she took home the NWSL Championship MVP award—-alongside scoring four goals and earning four assists during the regular season, and an additional goal and three assists in the Challenge Cup. 

12. Danielle Colaprico - San Diego Wave FC, Midfielder

Following the opening of the NWSL’s first iteration of free agency, Colaprico signed with San Diego in December of 2022 following eight seasons in Chicago. Her time in San Diego has included overcoming a persistent ankle ‘niggle’ in 2023 and she’s currently dealing with knee issues which have prevented  her from playing in a match since the Summer Cup. Despite the minor injury setbacks, Colaprico when healthy is a vital part of the Wave midfield, playing in 23 matches for the San Diego side in 2023 and has played in 15 matches for the Wave this season. 

13. Quinn - Seattle Reign FC, Midfielder

Quinn has been battling some knee injury issues through the first half of the season, only playing in 11 of the Reign’s 18 regular season matches. They started three of the four matches for the Canadian women’s national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and during the tournament broke the 100 cap mark for Canada. Quinn has boasted an impressive 82% passing accuracy over the last four seasons of NWSL regular season play. 

14. Elizabeth Ball - Kansas City Current, Defender

In the first half of the season, Ball started 11 matches for Kansas City—playing in 13—boasting an 80% passing accuracy, one goal, and three assists. June alone Ball earned a spot on the NWSL Best XI of the Month with 13 duels won and two blocks in that month alone. However, in the Summer Cup Ball was dealing with some upper leg issues which then led to Kansas City receiving centerback Alana Cook from Seattle in a trade to add some depth. Since the return of the regular season following the Olympics, Ball has yet to see playing time.  

15. Kristen McNabb - San Diego Wave FC, Defender 

Although 2023 saw McNabb on the D45 list toward the back half of the season due to an unfortunate hip injury, she has been essential for the Wave defense in 2024, playing in 16 of their 18 regular season matches and starting in all but two of those. She had seven interceptions in the Sunday draw against the Spirit, and her ability to play both centerback and outside back gives her a lot of flexibility when it comes to potentially looking for new teams, or looking for better contract terms with the Wave. 

Notable Mentions

1. Ann-Katrin Berger - Gotham FC, Goalkeeper

Berger entered the NWSL in April and over 14 games has allowed just 11 goals and two multi goal games. With Berger’s fiance joining Gotham through the end of the 2026 season, it is unlikely that she re-signs with another NWSL side. 

2. Marta - Orlando Pride, Midfielder 

After eight years with Orlando and retiring from national team play following the 2024 Paris Olympics, it would be highly surprising if Marta signed with another NWSL team.The six time FIFA World Player of the Year is performing even better following her 2022 ACL tear and at 38 years old shows no signs of slowing down. 

3. Christen Press - Angel City FC, Forward

Press just got back from a two year ACL recovery journey. With only eight games left in the season, her return to play progress has her up to 30 minutes of play. It’s not clear if the LA native would want to leave her home market to explore other opportunities. 

TOUR Championship Payouts

1: $25,000,000 - Scottie Scheffler

2: $12,500,000 - Collin Morikawa

3: $7,500,000 - Sahith Theegala

T4: $4,833,333 each - Russell Henley, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele

7: $2,750,000 - Sungjae Im

8: $2,250,000 - Wyndham Clark

T9: $1,608,333 each - Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry

T12: $1,000,000 each - Viktor Hovland, Sam Burns

T14: $905,000 each - Taylor Pendrith, Justin Thomas

16: $795,000 - Ludvig Åberg

T17: $755,000 each - Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Cantlay, Matthieu Pavon

20: $715,000 - Tommy Fleetwood

T21: $660,000 each - Keegan Bradley, Ben An

T23: $615,000 - Billy Horschel, Aaron Rai, Tony Finau

26: $590,000 - Akshay Bhatia

T27: $575,000 - Chris Kirk, Sepp Straka

T29: $555,000 each - Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Tom Hoge

Final Totals Earnings Rankings: view here

After a 6-month standoff that may not have gotten anyone anywhere in the long run, the San Francisco 49ers & WR Brandon Aiyuk agreed to a 4 year, $120M contract extension this week, keeping the 26-year-old on the books through the 2028 season.

Contract Terms

Aiyuk’s $120M new money extension represents the 5th largest value among Wide Receivers sliding in just under Amon-Ra St. Brown’s $120.01M deal in Detroit. It’s also the 4th largest contract ever handed out by the San Francisco 49ers:

Nick Bosa ($170M)
Trent Williams ($138.06M)
Jimmy Garoppolo ($137.5M)
Brandon Aiyuk ($120M)
Colin Kaepernick ($114M)

Signing/Option Bonuses

The Niners built in a three-bonus structure to Aiyuk’s new deal, including a $23M signing bonus ($11M to be paid out up front, the remaining $12M to be spread out along with 2024 salary payment), a $22.85M option bonus due in 2025, & a $24.9M option bonus due in 2026.

This multiple bonus format allows for salary cap to be spread out across a maximum 5-years, tempering overall cap hits early on in the contract.

Average Salary

At $30M per year, Aiyuk ties Tyreek Hill as the 5th highest average paid WR in the game (Jefferson, Lamb, Brown, St. Brown, Aiyuk/Hill). However, unlike some of the other top WR deals, Aiyuk’s contract isn’t back-loaded with fluffy salary in order to inflate the overall contract APY.

When factoring in his previously exercised $14.124M 5th-year option, the total value average on this contract drops down to $26.8M. The practical guarantee on this contract comes in at 3 years, $76M, or $25.3M per year.

Guarantee Structure

Aiyuk secures $45M fully guaranteed at signing, including his $23M signing bonus, $1.125M base salary for 2024, and $20.875M of 2025 compensation. On April 1, 2025, another $31M from the contract will become fully guaranteed (all 2025 salary plus a $24.9M option bonus in 2026). That $76M represents the full guarantee & practical/minimum value of the contract out of the gate.

When compared to other WR’s who extended out of a contract that had 1 year remaining on it, this $76M practical guarantee ranks:

1. Justin Jefferson, $110M
2. CeeDee Lamb, $100M
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown, $77M
4. Brandon Aiyuk, $76M

Salary Cap Structure

Aiyuls’ 3-bonus structured deal offers very favorable salary cap hits over the next 3 seasons, before things spike over the $42M mark in 2027/2028. If the Niners are interested in keeping Aiyuk around after the 2026 season, a salary conversion or outright extension will likely be on the table before his age-29 year.

Brandon Aiyuk’s Cap Figures
2024: $5.725M
2025: $11.191M
2026: $16.223M
2027: $42.282M
2028: $44.158M
2029: $14.545M (potential void dead cap)

The extension lowers Aiyiuk’s 2024 cap hit by $8.399M, while his $11.2M hit in 2025 is less than half of what a potential franchise tag would have represented next February. This is a contract structure that shouldn’t hamper the Niners from operating as needed during the next 2 offseason.

Cash Flow

Aiyuk secures $24.125M cash for the upcoming season (a $23M signing bonus + $1.125M base salary). This represents a $10M raise from his previous 5th-year-option salary.

Aiyuk will see $49M over the next 2 years, & $76M over the next 3 years, the logical/practical minimum on this contract.

Annual Cash & Rankings

Concluding Thoughts

The will they won’t they back and forth of this negotiation was exhausting, but the end result seems to be best for all parties.

One of the points to spotlight on this deal is a lack of any guarantee or early available cash in the 2027 & 2028 portions of this deal. San Francisco treated this as a true 3 year contract (including the already present $14.1M salary), with a very favorable cash flow for Aiyuk to buy in to.

Amon-Ra St. Brown secured what seems like a better contract than Aiyuk ($30.0025M per year, $77M guaranteed), but the cash flow structure of his deal tells a VERY different story.

The Cowboys checked off one of their big three contract checkboxes this week, locking in star WR CeeDee Lamb to a 4 year, $136M extension. The deal keeps Lamb under contract through the 2028 season and comes with a total value of $153.9M over the next 5 years.

Contract Terms

Lamb’s $136M new money extension represents the 3rd largest value among Wide Receivers (Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams $140M) and the 2nd largest contract that the Cowboys have ever handed out (Dak Prescott, $160M).

Signing Bonus

The big ticket item on this contract, Lamb received a $38M signing bonus with his new deal, the largest for a Wide Receiver in NFL history.

Largest WR Signing Bonuses

1. CeeDee Lamb (DAL, 2024): $38M
2. Justin Jefferson (MIN, 2024): $36.9M
3. D.K. Metcalf (SEA, 2022): $30M
4. Terry Mclaurin (WSH, 2022): $28M
5. DeAndre Hopkins (ARI, 2020): $27.5M

Average Salary

At $34M per year, Lamb becomes the 2nd highest average paid Wide Receiver in NFL history falling just below Justin Jefferson’s $35M, but tying Nick Bosa (DE, SF, 2023) among top non-QB averages.

When factoring in his previously exercised $17.991M 5th-year option, the total value average on this contract drops down to $30.7M. The practical guarantee on this contract comes in at 4 years, $122M, or $30.5M per year. Strong numbers across the board.

Guarantee Structure

Lamb secures $67M fully guaranteed at signing, including his $38M signing bonus, $1.15M base salary in 2024, & $26.85M base salary in 2025. If he’s on the roster next March 16th, all $26M of his 2026 compensation becomes fully guaranteed. If he’s on the roster the 5th league day of 2027, $7M of his 2027 salary will fully guarantee.

All combined, this represents a $100M practical guarantee on the contract, 2nd only to Justin Jefferson’s $110M in Minnesota, and well above 3rd place A.J. Brown at $84M.

Salary Cap Structure

Lamb’s new deal offers a cap friendly figure for 2024, but will likely need attention as early as next March. Base salary conversions are a big part of the Dallas Cowboys’ contract construction, as they prefer to start with large base salaries and maneuver as needed (rather than build in option bonuses that do that job on their own).

CeeDee Lamb’s Cap Figures
2024: $8.75M
2025: $35.45M
2026: $33.6M
2027: $36.6M
2028: $16.4M
2029: $23.2M (potential void dead cap)

The extension lowers Lamb’s 2024 cap hit by $9.24M. The 2028 season contains an option bonus that can be exercised into 4 void years, or kept as full base salary. But if 29-year-old Lamb is still an elite weapon, he’ll be well into a 3rd contract by then anyway.

Cash Flow

Lamb secures $39.15M cash for the upcoming season (a $38M signing bonus + $1.15M base salary). This represents a $21.159M raise from his previous 5th-year-option salary.

CeeDee will see $67M over the next 2 years, $93M over the next 3 years, & $122M over the next 4 seasons - the logical outcome for this contract.

Annual Cash & Rankings

Concluding Thoughts

There was a world, mathematically speaking, where CeeDee Lamb’s extension could have surpassed Justin Jefferson, but seeing them sit atop the WR market seems a good enough result (though Ja’Marr Chase may soon have something to say about that).

As per usual with CAA agent Tory Dandy’s extensions, Lamb’s contract remains short & sweet, offering him a chance to step into a 3rd contract around his 28th birthday, when the league salary cap should be north of $300M.

The structure offers little to squint your eyes at - a standard for Cowboys contracts over the last 30 or so seasons. Dallas will likely convert Lamb’s 2025 & 2026 base salaries into signing bonuses over the next two offseasons, pushing dead cap into the 2027–2030 seasons, adding more leverage for the player come extension time in 3 or so seasons. Sound familiar?

With the NWSL’s Secondary Transfer/Trade Window about to open, here’s an up-to-date tracker for every team’s additions/extensions until the window closes August 31st

Angel City FC 

08/12/24 - English midfielder Katie Zelem signed a three year contract through 2026. Should be available when regular season matches restart 08/24

Bay FC

08/31/24 - Acquired forward Penelope Hocking from Chicago in return for $250k in transfer funds in 2024 and $100k in 2025. 

08/28/24 - Acquired goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and $15k AM from Kansas City in return for defender Kayla Sharples

08/26/24 - Acquired defender Abby Dahlkemper from San Diego in return for $50k AM. 

Chicago Red Stars

08/31/24 - Acquired 250k in transfer funds in 2024 and $100k in 2025 from Bay FC in return for forward Penelope Hocking. Additionally the Red Stars will receive 10% of any transfer fee Bay FC receives in a future transfer of Hocking.

08/31/24 - Moroccan forward Rosella Ayane joins Chicago on loan from Tottenham Hotspurs through the end of the 2024 season 

07/29/24 - Brazilian forward Ludmila signed a three-year contract, will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics

07/08/24 - Canadian midfielder Julia Grosso signed a three-year contract, will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics 

Houston Dash

9/2/24 - Acquired $25k in AM and another potential $10k in transfer funds from Portland in return for midfielder Sophie Hirst

8/30/24 - Acquired $45k in AM from Racing Louisville in return for defender Courtney Petersen

Kansas City Current

9/2/24 - Acquired $10k in transfer funds—with the potential for an additional $10k in transfer funds—from Seattle in return for defender Hanna Glas. 

08/28/24 - Acquired defender Kayla Sharples from Bay FC in return for goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and $15k AM

08/21/24 - South African forward Hildah Magaia joins Kansas City on loan from Mazatlán through the end of the 2024 season. Kansas City has the opportunity to acquire her rights on a permanent basis at the conclusion of the loan

08/19/24 - Acquired $25k in intra-league transfer funds and $15k in Allocation Money from Portland in return for forward Alexa Spaanstra

08/16/24 -  Kenyan forward Mwanalima Adam Jereko signed a two year contract, with an option for 2026. 

08/02/24 - German goalkeeper Almuth Schult is signed through the end of the 2024 season. Is expected to be available for selection at The Women’s Cup, beginning August 14th 

07/22/24 - Defender Alana Cook is acquired from Seattle for $40k AM and $75k intra-league transfer funds, additional $25k in intra-league transfer funds if incentive based requirements met

NJ/NY Gotham FC

08/21/24 - Acquired $80k in AM and at least $10k in intra-league transfer funds (can increase if performance based metrics met) from North Carolina in return for defender Maycee Bell

08/16/24 - Portuguese forward Jéssica Silva signed through the end of the 2024 season. Silva will join the team pending the receipt of her visa, International Transfer Certificate and completion of medical exams

08/14/24 - Gotham received $100k in allocation money from Utah in return for a 2024 and 2025 international spot 

07/29/24 - English defender Jess Carter signed a three year contract following transfer from Chelsea FC. Should be available starting August 1st

North Carolina Courage

08/21/24 - Acquired defender Maycee Bell from Gotham FC in return for $80k AM and at least $10k in intra-league transfer funds (can increase if performance based metrics are met)

07/30/24 - Brazilian forward Aline Gomes signed a two year contract with an option for 2027 following her transfer from Brazilian club Ferroviária. She will be eligible to participate in club activities upon receipt of her P-1 Visa. 

06/27/24 - Midfielder Manaka Matsukubo’s loan becomes a permanent transfer, signed through 2025. 

06/17/24 - Australian defender Charlotte McLean signed a two year contract, should be available starting August 1st. 

06/14/24 - Australian forward Cortnee Vine signed a three year contract, will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics 

Orlando Pride

08/16/24 - Orlando received defender Carson Pickett from Racing Louisville for $75k in allocation money

05/30/24 - Zambian midfielder Grace Chanda signed a two year contract with a 2026 mutual option. Will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics

Portland Thorns

9/3/24 - Acquired midfielder Sophie Hirst from Houston in return for $25k AM and a conditional $10k in transfer funds.  

08/21/24 - Acquired forward Reilyn Turner from Racing Louisville in return for forward Janine Beckie

08/19/24 - Forward Alexa Spaanstra is acquired from Kansas City for $25k in intra-league transfer funds and $15k in allocation money

07/10/24 - Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold signed a three year contract with a 2027 mutual option. Will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics

Racing Louisville

8/30/24 - Acquired defender Courtney Petersen from Houston in return for $45k in AM

08/21/24 - Acquired forward Janine Beckie from Portland in return for forward Reilyn Turner. Additionally, Beckie signed a contract extension through 2026. 

08/20/24 - Colombian defender Ángela Barón signed a three year contract through 2026 following her transfer from Atlético Nacional

08/19/24 - Acquired forward Bethany Balcer from Seattle in return for midfielder Jaelin Howell and $50k in allocation money

08/16/24 - Acquired $75k allocation money from Orlando in return for defender Carson Pickett.

San Diego Wave

08/26/24 - Acquired $50k AM in return for defender Abby Dahlkemper. 

08/22/24 - French defender Perle Morroni signed a three year contract through 2026. Will be available upon receipt of her P-1 visa and ITC. 

07/24/24 - French forward Delphine Cascarino signed a three year contract with a 2027 mutual option. Will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics

Seattle Reign

9/2/24 - Acquired defender Hanna Glas from Kansas City in return for $10k in transfer funds and a further conditional $10k in transfer funds

08/19/24 - Acquired midfielder Jaelin Howell and $50k in AM from Louisville in return for forward Bethany Balcer

08/05/24 - Swiss forward Ana-Maria Crnogorčević signed a two year contract through 2025 following transfer from Atlético Madrid. It set to join the club in August. 

07/29/24 - Haitian forward Nérilia Mondési signed a three year contract with a 2027 mutual option following transfer from Montpellier HSC. Should be available in August 

07/22/24 - Acquired $40k allocation money and $75k intra-league transfer funds with a potential additional $25k from Kansas City in return for defender Alana Cook.

07/19/24 - Defender Jordyn Bugg signed a three year contract with an 2027 option which will be triggered as soon as she appears for the club via the U-18 Entry Mechanism. As a domestic player, is available immediately

07/19/24 - Midfielder Ainsley McCammon signed a five year contract, as a domestic player is available immediately

Utah Royals

9/1/24 - American defender Julia Grosso (not the Canadian on Chicago) signed through the end of the 2024 season from Melbourne City FC

08/14/24 - Canadian forward Cloé Lacasse signed a four year contract that will keep her in Utah through the 2027 NWSL season following her transfer from Arsenal. She will occupy the newly acquired international spot from Gotham.

08/14/24 - Utah received a 2024 and 2025 international spot from Gotham FC in return for $100k in allocation money.

07/12/24 - Spanish midfielder Claudia Zornoza signed a two year contract with an option for 2026, should be available starting August 1st

07/03/24 - Japanese midfielder Mina Tanaka signed a two year contract, will be available following the 2024 Paris Olympics

Washington Spirit

08/23/24 - National Team Replacement defender Jenna Butler and goalkeeper Kaylie Collins signed through the end of 2024

07/10/24 - Ivorian forward Rosemonde Kouassi signed a four year contract following transfer from Fleury 91. Should be available starting August 1st. 

06/13/24 - English defender Esme Morgan signed a four year contract following transfer from Manchester City. Should be available starting August 1st. 

Honorable Mention: Colombian midfielder Leicy Santos – technically signed during the Primary window but won’t join the team until the Olympics conclude

With Week 1 of the 2024 regular season nearly upon us, it’s a good time to take one last offseason look at the practical contract outlook for every starting QB based on guarantee structure.

Kyler Murray (ARI)

4 years, $150M

Murray’s impressive contract contains early vesting guarantees through 2027. With that said - if Murray can right the ship with a few new weapons, his payouts of $39M, $32M, $42M, & $36M over the next 4 years should hold value in their respective cap climates.

Kirk Cousins (ATL)

2 years, $100M

The guarantee figure consists of Cousins’ 2024 salary, 2025 salary, & $10M of his 2026 compensation, which becomes fully guaranteed next March.

Lamar Jackson (BAL)

3 years, $127M

After an $80M payout in 2023, Lamar’s 2024 cash drops to $31.75M (16th among QBs). Still, he’s well compensated through 2026, with a chance to re-up again before he turns 30.

Josh Allen (BUF)

2 years, $69.5M

The Bills have Allen under contract through the 2028 season, but the early-vesting guarantees fall off after 2025. We detailed a few thoughts on how this scenario may play out in the not so far away future.

Bryce Young (CAR)

3 years, $12.6M

The Panthers have Young fully guaranteed through 2026, with a 5th-year option in place for 2027. He becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2025.

Caleb Williams (CHI)

4 years, $39M

The Bears have Williams fully guaranteed through 2027, with a 5th-year option in place for 2028. He becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2026.

Joe Burrow (CIN)

4 years, $173M

Burrow will reel in over $65M cash in 2024 & has already banked over $111M on his new deal. The contract carries early vesting salary/bonuses through 2027, with the final 2 years (2028-2029) built in a pay-as-you-go structure.

Deshaun Watson (CLE)

3 years, $138M

2024 represents Year 3 of Watson’s fully guaranteed 5 year contract, and for now - the outlook remains grim. Cleveland appears poised to carry his full $63.7M cap figure this season to mitigate future cap costs.

Dak Prescott (DAL)

N/A

Prescott’s $29M salary for 2024 will become fully guaranteed next week, but for now - he’s operating on a non-guaranteed expiring contract. The clock is ticking toward March 12th.

Bo Nix (DEN)

4 years, $18M

The Broncos have Nix fully guaranteed through 2027, with a 5th-year option in place for 2028. He becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2026.

Jared Goff (DET)

4 years, $193M

The Lions took care of Goff to the tune of $80.6M cash in 2024, your standard $54M raise. He’s practically guaranteed through his age-33 season now, with a chance to re-up one last time if the wheels are still churning.

Jordan Love (GB)

3 years, $163M

Love’s zero to 100 career as a starter culminated with a $160M practical guarantee from the Packers this summer. He’ll earn $79M for the upcoming season, $143M through 2026, with a $20M early guarantee hanging out in 2027 for Green Bay to deal with as needed.

C.J. Stroud (HOU)

3 years, $12M

Stroud’s rookie contract is fully guaranteed through 2026, with a 5th-year option available in 2027. Houston is promised at least two more seasons of financial value on this deal, before he becomes extension-eligible after the 2025 campaign.

Anthony Richardson (IND)

3 years, $11.5M

Richardson’s rookie contract is fully guaranteed through 2026, with a 5th-year option available in 2027. He won’t become extension-eligible until after the 2025 season.

Trevor Lawrence (JAX)

5 years, $202M

Jacksonville wasted no time locking in their QB1 during his first eligible offseason. The signing bonus plus 4 option bonus structure keeps him well compensated while tempering the salary cap hits through 2028.

Patrick Mahomes (KC)

4 years, $205.4M

In totality, Mahomes’ contract contains early vesting guarantees all the way through the finish line (8 years, $361.45M). However, last summer’s restructure set things up to operate through the 2027 season, with a pretty clear cut do-over forthcoming, assuming Mahomes is still Mahomes.

Justin Herbert (LAC)

5 years, $228.6M

Herbert’s deal contains significant early guarantees through the 2028 season, making it one of the stronger contracts currently on the books. With an overhaul of the coaching staff and weapon-room now in place, it’s a big year for Herbert to show he can stay above the fray as an elite QB1.

Matthew Stafford (LAR)

1 year, $40M

The Rams sweetened Stafford’s 2024 pot a bit with a $5M cash advance ($36M total in 2024), and an early guarantee on his $4M 2025 roster bonus. It did little to secure his roster spot in 2025 from a financial standpoint, but he can certainly do that on the field this upcoming season.

Gardner Minshew (LV)

1 year, $15.6M

The Raiders signed Minshew away from the Colts with a $15M guarantee, including $3.1M of his 2025 salary. The Week 1 starter has a chance to win this job long-term, which would almost certainly come with a brand new, much more expensive, contract next spring.

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)

3 years, $152M

Tua’s new deal secures him an extra $20M for 2024 ($43.125M total), and nearly $150M through the 2026 season. Miami can buy him out thereafter at just a $3M cash cost.

Sam Darnold (MIN)

1 year, $10M

McCarthy’s injury becomes yet another chance for Darnold to spotlight himself as a starting NFL QB. He’s had (much) worse weapon sets to work with.

Drake Maye (NE)

4 years, $36M

We’re just going to assume Maye over Brissett here. The Patriots have Maye fully guaranteed through 2027, with a 5th-year option in place for 2028. He becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2026.

Derek Carr (NO)

1 year, $40M

The $40M guarantee consists of Carr’s $30M 2024 salary, and a $10M roster bonus in 2025. If the wheels fall off this season, that $10M bonus likely becomes a buyout payment, though it’ll factor into a dead cap hit north of $50M for New Orleans.

Daniel Jones (NYG)

1 year, $36M

Jones’ contract was always going to be a 2 year, $82M and then we’ll see, situation. If he can right the ship in 2024, a $30.5M cash salary in 2025 could be considered value for the Giants, but for now this is a big if.

Aaron Rodgers (NYJ)

1 year, $38M

Rodgers is operating year-to-year in NY, and there’s another $37.5M available for him in 2025 if he and the Jets want things to continue.

Jalen Hurts (PHI)

4 years, $184M

Year 2 of Hurts’ extension comes with a $40M paycheck, and the early vesting guarantees on the deal run through 2027.

Justin Fields (PIT)

1 year, $3.2M

Pittsburgh declined a $25.6M option for 2025, giving them a 1 year look at the former #11 overall pick. Even if he’s not named a QB1 out of the gate, it seems highly likely that the offense will contain certain packages built just for his skill set.

Russell Wilson (PIT)

N/A

Wilson’s veteran minimum salary ($1.21M) won’t fully guarantee until Week 1 but it’s locked in for practical purposes. Denver will be on the hook for $39M minus whatever Wilson accrues elsewhere in 2024.

Geno Smith (SEA)

1 year, $22.5M

Smith’s contract was a year-to-year structure out of the gate, so it’s on Seattle to ensure his compensation every February. They’ve done so for 2024 at $22.5M, but it stands to reason that if he remains the option going forward, an extension will be needed come next year ($25M remaining).

Brock Purdy (SF)

N/A

Purdy’s rookie contract has 2 years, $2M remaining through 2025. However, you may have heard, the former #262 overall pick becomes extension-eligible after 2024. He may potentially earn the single biggest raise in NFL history from his current $1.1M salary in 2025.

Baker Mayfield (TB)

1 year, $40M

Mayfield’s upfront security consists of $30M cash in 2024 plus a $10M guarantee on his 2025 compensation. The latter could very well be treated as a buy out if the Buccaneers decide to go in a different direction. But if not, a 2 year, $60M deal could hold value for Tampa Bay.

Will Levis (TEN)

3 years, $4M

Levis’ rookie deal contains full guarantees through 2024, 2025 & 62% of his 2026 salary, the final year of his contract. He’ll be eligible for an extension after the 2025 season.

Jayden Daniels (WSH)

4 years, $37M

The Commanders have Daniels fully guaranteed through 2027, with a 5th-year option in place for 2028. He becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2026.

Monday the NWSL released the preliminary list of 2025 free agents, and changes to the timeline for free agents to begin negotiations coming out of the new CBA release. Instead of occurring in October after the roster freeze and players only able to sign with new teams after the season ends, starting September 1st, players will be free to talk to other teams and can agree to terms with their current team, or a new team, at any time. Due to this pull in, the new deadline to exercise 2025 options is Friday August 30th and a new player list will be released at that time. 

This is a stepping stone as the league attempts to align with the FIFA regulations of giving players six months ahead of a contract ending to begin negotiations. Next year we can expect the free agency to open up in early July. 

There are some inconsistencies with the list that came out and the contract situations which are currently public. This points to the fact that there might be further announcements this week ahead of the new deadlines. The timing of this list coming before the Secondary Window closes on Friday as well as before the new deadline for options raises some questions. 

That being said, let’s look at the current contract situation for teams, and who has the most risk of roster turnover due to free agency. 

A look at the current risk of contract turnover. The three players whose extensions have not been announced but are not on the 2025 Free Agent list are not accounted for in Signed 2025. The six players who had 2025 options but appear as free agents in the league list are only included in the FA column, not the options column.  

North Carolina is currently leading the pack a little too well with 27 potential active players signed for 2025, this is due to SEIs/non-active roster players in 2024 being expected to join the active roster in 2025. Most of those players have contracts under the older CBA which differentiates between semi-guaranteed and guaranteed contracts. In order to remain under roster compliance, Courage will need to waive/ loan/trade at least one player. If they want to re-sign any of their current free agents, including Kerolin, or add in any other offseason talent, they’ll need available roster space.

Washington, Utah, and Orlando are all in a good zone with at least 20 returning players and space for exercising options  and signing free agents. There is a large group of teams—Bay, Gotham, Portland, Racing, Seattle—with at least 16 players signed through 2025, keeping their core potentially intact, but with a chance of some high turnover if they can’t get options approved and free agents re-signed. 

The bottom bucket of teams with 15 or less players signed through 2025 includes Angel City, Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, and San Diego. Both Southern California teams have 15 players signed for next season, with a number of key parts of their starting lineup not locked down for 2025. Chicago is the median of the low-end group with 13 players signed, and seven potential free agents come September 1st. After three straight years of high turnover, it will be interesting to see how the Red Stars continue to evolve under the new ownership. At the very low end, Houston and Kansas City both have only 10 players signed through 2025, but are in very different positions in terms of recruiting and re-signing people—although surprisingly both teams are without a General Manager. Kansas City is third in the table, and has a brand new stadium that’s dedicated to the team, versus Houston who is currently 13th out of 14 teams  in the NWSL table and whose head coach has mysteriously never returned from his ‘illness’.

Keep your eyes peeled over the next couple of days for more team announcements.

Related:

NWSL Transactions

NWSL Trade Tracker

Keegan Bradley wins the BMW Championship. Bradley earns $3.6 million bringing his 2024 on-course earnings to $6.36 million and his career on-course earnings to $42.78 million. 

BMW Championship Top 10 Payouts

Full Results

2024 Earnings Leaders Update

Full List

With about 5 weeks of regular season baseball remaining, the upcoming free agency picture is becoming more and more in focus. Before the hustle and bustle of the postseason, and a few last minute extensions come to fruition, Spotrac dives into players headed for unrestricted free agency, or team/player option decision in the coming weeks and months, including financial valuations for each.

RELATED: 2025 MLB Free Agents

TOP 5 VALUATIONS

Every year Spotrac runs the list of available (or potentially available) free agents through their valuation algorithm, a tool that uses previous 2-year datasets, a comparable player grading system, adjustments for age, & a few other bells and whistles to output the mathematical baseline for where a player stands financially speaking at any given time.

Here are the Top 5 valuations for the upcoming 2025 MLB Free Agent Season:

• Juan Soto (NYY, RF): 14 years, $530M ($37.8M APY)
• Pete Alonso (NYM, 1B): 7 years, $206M ($29.5M APY)
• Corbin Burnes (BAL, SP): 6 years, $182M ($30.3M APY)
• Gerrit Cole (NYY, SP): 5 years, $179M ($35.8M APY)
• Willy Adames (MIL, SS): 7 years, $175M ($25M APY)

View the complete Market Value List

STARTING PITCHERS

There are three names out of the gate who should garner significant interest this winter - though Shane Bieber & Max Fried both come with their own version of injury red flags. Burnes has a chance to be MLB’s next $200M pitcher, something only 8 players (including Ohtani) have garnered.
Free Agent SP | SP Market Values

Unrestricted Free Agents

Option/Decision Notables

RELIEF PITCHERS

Tanner Scott likely enters the winter as the most sought after reliever, though Carlos Estevez will have something to say about it with a big run down the stretch. Devin Williams should already regret adding a 2025 club option to his contract, while super-vets Chapman & Jensen have done enough to get paid yet again.
Free Agent RP | RP Market Values

Unrestricted Free Agents

Option/Decision Notables

CATCHERS

A weak class got even more fragile when the Colorado Rockies outright released Elias Diaz, who remains unsigned at the time of this piece. Barring a few trades (or a blockbuster extension for Adley Rutschman), this winter will be about depth at the catcher position.
Free Agent C | C Market Values

Unrestricted Free Agents

Option/Decision Notables

1ST BASEMEN

Can Pete Alonso lift up a first base market that has really struggled to hold financial weight in the modern era? A position once filled with blockbuster contracts now boasts many players transplanted from another spot on the field for long stretches. Alonso isn’t exactly bringing his most productive stat line with him to the open market, but the interest will be immense.
Free Agent 1B | 1B Market Values

Unrestricted Free Agents

When the bubble wrapped up in 2020, the Orlando Magic were in a weird place. Their post-Dwight Howard team had finally broken through for back-to-back playoff appearances, but the Magic had been bounced in five games both times. The team Jeff Weltman and staff inherited was fine, but fine was never the goal.

Four years later, the Magic are finally growing into the team they always wanted to be post-Howard.

Following the bubble season, Weltman and crew went about tearing down the Magic. Out went mainstays Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier. In came young players and draft picks.

The rebuild was on yet again in Orlando. But this time around it felt different.

A few years of losing delivered Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagnerand Jalen Suggs. Jonathan Isaac finally got healthy. Cole Anthony grew into a very good sixth man. A handful of vets signed to savvy, short-term contracts outplayed their deals.

In 2023-24, the Magic surprised everyone but themselves by making the playoffs. In fact, we all should have seen it coming the year before. After playing the first third of the 2022-23 season without any healthy guards and tasking their young forwards to do literally everything, Orlando was a forgettable 5-20.

Then the team started to get healthy. All the additional do-it-all reps Banchero and Wagner had forced upon them started to pay off. The Magic finished that season 29-28 over the final two-thirds of the season. The leap happened while most NBA fans were barely paying any attention.

Last season, Orlando announced their presence pretty early. Walkover wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics were signature early-season moments. The blowout of Boston came in the midst of a nine-game win streak to close out November.

The winning never really stopped. Orlando competed for as high as the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs all the way until the end of the season. Ultimately, the Magic fell to fifth and lost in a seven-game battle to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

Immediately upon that Game 7 loss came decision time for Weltman and the Orlando brain trust. And that decision started with the age-old question for a young team making the leap: Is it time to go all-in?

We’ll pause about the Magic here for a moment to look at this situation, because it’s a fairly common one in the NBA. And, more importantly, it’s one that teams still haven’t been able to really solve for.

The question: Is our young team ready for us to add to it? Or do we still need more time and seasoning?

Add too early, and you end up stepping back because your team wasn’t ready. Add too late and you might miss your window entirely.

It’s a question of timing and it’s one a front office has to get correct. Far too many up-and-coming NBA teams never got there because their front office went too early or waited too long to add talent.

This is where the Orlando Magic found themselves this summer. Realistically, Jeff Weltman had two summers to use to cap space to add talent. It was happening in either 2024 or 2025. By the summer of 2026, Paolo Banchero would join Franz Wagner on a max extension, and presumably Jalen Suggs would be in a sizable deal of his own. By then, going the cap space route would be very unlikely.

It wasn’t quite now or never for the Magic, but more sooner or later. Orlando chose sooner.

Weltman decided his young, and still improving, stars were ready for reinforcements. Unlike the other cap space teams this offseason, the Magic didn’t go all-in on outside talent. They didn’t just use their space to retain their own players either. Instead, Orlando did a little bit of both.

When free agency opened, the Magic were one of the teams that were linked to Paul George. It was even reported that Orlando was one of the few teams who would get a meeting with George. Whether that meeting ever happened is unclear, but the Magic pivoted away from George fairly.

Orlando agreed to a three-year, $66 million team with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before the first night of free agency was even two hours old. That suggests Caldwell-Pope was the Magic’s real target all along.

Instead of spending all of their cap space to bring in George, who undoubtedly would have helped Orlando, the Magic went with a player nearly three years younger. And Caldwell-Pope is additive without upsetting the ecosystem that Orlando has been building over the past few years.

All along, the Magic wanted players who would support, enhance and lift Banchero and Wagner. Those two are the Orlando’s pillars. Anyone the team added had to fit in alongside Banchero and Wagner but without taking anything away from them.

In Caldwell-Pope, the Magic have added a role player-plus. Over the last several years, Caldwell-Pope has figured out how to play off his teammates on offense, while maintaining an elite level on defense. Given he’s spent years playing with LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, Caldwell-Pope clearly knows how to play with big ballhandlers and playmakers. That’ll fit nicely within Orlando’s offensive system keyed by Banchero and Wagner. On defense, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and staff have to be salivating at the thought of unleashing the combo of Caldwell-Pope and Suggs on opposing ballhandlers.

After signing Caldwell-Pope, Weltman and staff went about the task of retaining their own players. Moe Wagner, Gary Harris and Goga Bitadze are all key reserves and all are returning to Orlando. Only Bitadze got a contract with more than next season guaranteed, and his deal declines from year to year over the next two seasons.

With the bulk of the bench taken care of, the Magic turned their eyes towards the future. Franz Wagner agreed to a five-year, maximum rookie scale extension worth at least a projected $224 million. One pillar is in place years to come. It’s a great bet that Banchero will join him on a similar deal next summer. If Banchero makes All-NBA this season – which is a decent bet – he’ll be on an even bigger deal starting in 2026.

In a move to foster continuity, the Magic’s final big move was to renegotiate-and-extend Jonathan Isaac. After a year where Isaac got and stayed healthy, Orlando took care of him long-term. The Magic used their remaining cap space to bump Isaac’s salary from $17.4 million to $25 million for this season. Orlando then tacked on $59 million over the next four years through 2028-29. To protect themselves, the Magic are only on the hook for $23 million, unless Isaac hits some games-played markers each season.

Effectively, once Suggs inks an extension, Orlando will have this group in place for at least the next two to three seasons, with the major players locked in even longer.

The Orlando Magic didn’t quite go all-in this summer. But they didn’t sit the summer out either. Instead, they followed the same patient approach they’ve followed since Jeff Weltman took over the team.

The Magic added a veteran who outplays his 3&D tag. Orlando rewarded players who have done well for them by bringing them back. In every case, minus Franz Wagner’s max deal, the Magic are also fairly well-protected too.

For a team that had nothing but question marks as the team cratered following the bubble season, the Magic have turned things around in a big way. And their patient approach means they still have some flexibility moving forward too.

There isn’t a bad contract on the books in Orlando. Every single deal is very tradable. As this season and beyond show the Magic what they need to take the step from playoff team to contender, they’ll have the ability to fill those holes. That’s excellent drafting, good player development, terrific cap management and solid roster work all around.

It’s been 12 years since Dwight Howard left Orlando. There were a couple of nice seasons along the long road back to relevancy, but this is the team Magic fans have been waiting and hoping for.

This team has homegrown talent that wants to be in Orlando. They’ve supplemented with smart veteran additions, followed by savvy re-signings. This is where everyone wanted to be a dozen years ago when the Dwightmare ended.

It took longer than expected, but the Magic are here now. And they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.