The official NFL tampering period for free agency began earlier today, Mar. 9, at 12 p.m. ET. The period, which takes place two days before the official signing window, on Wednesday, Mar. 11, allows teams to negotiate on deals and contracts with players before Wednesday. Both the New York Jets and Giants have been active today, negotiating deals with star players and addressing key needs.
Jets Bolster Defense Through Signings and Trades
The Jets made a helpful move before the tampering period even began earlier today, trading for Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Jets gave up a seventh-round pick for the five-time Pro Bowler. Fitzpatrick brings a level of experience and skill that the Jets defense, which struggled in 2025, could use.
The Jets continued to add veteran experience to their defense, signing linebacker Demario Davis to a two-year, $22 million deal. Davis began his career with the Jets in 2012, however, it was during his eight seasons with the New Orleans Saints that he developed into an All-Pro-caliber player. Davis will now return to the team that drafted him over a decade ago, looking to bring a level of leadership to Aaron Glenn’s defense.
Continuing to bolster their defense, the Jets made three more moves. The team signed edge linebacker Joseph Ossai to a three-year, $36 million deal. Ossai started in nine games for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, recording 43 combined tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. The team’s other move was signing defensive end Kingsley Enagbare to a one-year, $10 million contract. In the 2025 season, Enagbare collected 16 solo tackles, six tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits with the Green Bay Packers. Lastly, the team signed defensive lineman David Onyemata to a one-year, $10.5 million deal. Onyemata recorded a career-high 62 combined tackles last season with the Atlanta Falcons, starting all 17 games for the team.
With the team holding two first round picks in the upcoming NFL draft, the veteran leaders recently acquired for the team’s defense will be able to mentor the team’s young talent. The Jets have made it a top priority for the upcoming season to focus on improving the defense and adding experienced leaders to the squad.
Giants Land New Target for Jaxson Dart
The Giants’ first move this afternoon featured the signing of a new offensive weapon for quarterback Jaxson Dart heading into his sophomore season. The Giants signed tight end Isiah Likely to a three-year, $40 million deal. In the first four seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Likely recorded 1,568 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns. Likely will join Theo Johnson in a stacked tight-end room, though Likely is no stranger to sharing reps, as he played with 3-time Pro Bowler, Mark Andrews, during his stint with the Ravens. The signing is also a reunion for John Harbaugh, who coached Likely during his four seasons with the Ravens.
On the defensive side, the Giants signed linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to a three-year, $36 million deal. Edmunds will be entering his ninth season in the NFL, where he has recorded more than 100 tackles in each season. In 2025, Edmunds finished the season with four interceptions, tying his career-high and will look to build off that with the Giants.
The Giants will be looking much different heading into the 2026 season with new head coach John Harbaugh at the helm. As Jaxson Dart enters his second season in the NFL, he will look to ride the momentum of his electric rookie year and continue developing. The Giants will look to continue building around their young stars, including Dart, Cam Skattebo, Malik Nabers and Abdul Carter.
The Meadowlands is gearing up for an exciting 2026 season, with countless new stars set to play in the region. Both teams have been active as free agency kicks off, working to improve the areas most in need of improvement for the upcoming season.