NFL machine remains in motion with free agency, draft upcoming

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So, how did the first weekend with no football of any kind in more than six months treat you?

As football fans patiently wait the 38 days until the new UFL season kicks off on March 28, there will be two big things to look forward to as the NFL machinery remains in constant motion and barrels into the offseason.

First, there will be free agency.

Then, there will be the draft.

What transpires during these tentpole events will spark much discussion and prompt bold preseason predictions from pigskin prognosticators.

The free-agency frenzy (not to mention possible trade activity as well) will take place in mid-March. In anticipation of this fortune-altering moment on the NFL calendar, Nate Davis has ranked the top 25 players who will be available. Here's a sampling of the top five:

1. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals — He’s never had to really produce like a No. 1 receiver with Ja'Marr Chase operating in the same offense.
2. Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings — A breakthrough 2024 season had a suboptimal ended for the vagabond quarterback who could be on the move again.
3. Josh Sweat, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles — With 2.5 sacks and seven pressures in Super Bowl 59, he had a strong case to be game MVP.
4. Byron Murphy Jr., CB, Minnesota Vikings — Was named a Pro Bowler for the first time after recording career highs for interceptions, passes defensed and tackles.
5. Trey Smith, OG, Kansas City Chiefs — Having missed just one game in his four-year career, he's one of Patrick Mahomes' most reliable bodyguards.

We're more than two months away from the 90th NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. However, the NFL scouting combine will take place in less than two weeks. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has compiled an updated mock draft. Here's a look at the top-five projected selections:

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.) — Until Tennessee addresses its glaring deficiency behind center by bringing on a veteran talent, it's hard not to link the team to a quarterback here.
2. Cleveland Browns: Abdul Carter, DE/OLB, Penn State — No, this isn't a reactive move after Myles Garrett's trade request.
3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado — Star wide receiver Malik Nabers had plenty of praise at the Super Bowl for Sanders.
4. New England Patriots: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado — Talent supersedes need here, as there's no blocker worthy of passing over the draft's most electrifying player.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan — Gone is maligned general manager Trent Baalke, and so too are his parameters for building out a defense with long, rangy athletes.

NFL news, notes and analysis

➤ Justin Tucker faces accusations from seven more massage therapists: There are now 16 women who say the Ravens kicker was inappropriate during massage sessions.

➤ Should Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce retire? Well, yes, of course he should: Kelce is one of the best tight ends of all time. But his performance in Super Bowl 59 was indicative of how far his game has fallen, Mike Freeman writes.

➤ Coaching hire winners and losers: In all, seven teams made leadership changes at the top. While that figure is relatively standard for a given cycle in recent years, there was plenty of unexpected fallout for teams across the league.

➤ Power rankings: How do all 32 teams stand following the result of Super Bowl 59? Sure, the champion Eagles are No. 1, but which teams are trending up heading into the offseason?

➤ Eagles hold Super Bowl celebration: On Friday, Philadelphia celebrated the Eagles' Super Bowl 59 victory in style (PHOTOS).

NFL offseason dates to know

Just because the Super Bowl is in the rearview doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of football stuff coming up. Make sure to mark your calendars for these key upcoming NFL events 📅:

Feb. 18 — Franchise tag window opens and runs through March 4. Teams can designate franchise or transition players. Some key players who could get tagged are Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins, Kansas City Chiefs OG Trey Smith, Miami Dolphins S Jevon Holland and Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold 🏷️.

Feb. 24-March 3 — NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Part track meet, part grammar school fitness test, the combine is a cog in the NFL draft’s evaluation machine 🏃🏾‍♂️.

March 10 — Free agent negotiating period begins. Teams are allowed to contact and negotiate potential contracts with agents of players on expiring contracts. Agreements can be reached in principal, but are not official until …

March 12 — The new league year begins. At 4 p.m. ET, any negotiated trades or contracts can be finalized and become official 📝.

April 24-26 — 2025 NFL draft, which will be held at and around legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

May 2 — Rookie minicamps open, as on-field preparations for the 2025 NFL season begin 🏈.

NFL classics: Straight from the YouTube algorithm 🏈🎞️

This is where we reprise some NFL lore and recall classic, memorable moments from yesteryear.

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl champions, and with the victory parade completed the team will move toward preparing for the 2025 season with the goal of repeating as champions

While the Eagles have never won back-to-back Super Bowls – much less appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls – the franchise does boast back-to-back NFL championships. Those took place during the team's late-1940s heyday, when Philadelphia won back-to-back titles during the 1948-49 seasons. Both championship game victories came in adverse weather conditions, something modern-era players never have to deal with at Super Bowls (it's rained at just one Super Bowl).

In 1948, the Eagles hosted the Chicago Cardinals at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. A heavy snowfall made this one of the most unique title games in NFL history. The opening kickoff was delayed and players from both teams were summoned to help remove the tarp from the snow-covered field. As you can imagine, the game was a slog, and it took until the fourth quarter for the first – and only – touchdown to be scored in a 7-0 Eagles win. The Eagles' iconic running back Steve Van Buren scored from five yards out and Philadelphia had its first NFL championship.

A year later, the Eagles visited normally sunny Los Angeles to play the Rams in the NFL championship game at the Coliseum. Instead of sunshine, there was heavy rain. A muddy surface contributed to another low-scoring game. A 31-yard pass play from quarterback Tommy Thompson to Hall of Fame end Pete Pihos opened the scoring in the second quarter, while a blocked punt return by Leo Skladany in the third quarter provided the game's second score in a 14-0 Eagles win.

If you enjoy reading 4th and Monday 📰, encourage your football fan friends to subscribe 📱. Follow the marvelously meticulous writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking.