Ranking the Top 40 NFL Free Agents of 2026

Current team: Dallas Cowboys
Age: 24
Drafted: 2022 second round (52nd) 
Pro Bowls: One (2025)
All-Pro teams: None

Pickens is a nightmare to defend underneath, specifically on quick outs and slants, and he’s one of the best downfield threats in the league, thanks to his deep speed and impressive ability to make contested catches. He’s on pace for career highs across the board, with 92 receptions for 1,420 yards and nine touchdowns through 17 weeks. Pickens has added nuance to his route running in his first year in Dallas and is able to change up his speed  to lull defenders to sleep before breaking open quickly. Importantly, he’s largely eliminated the WWE-style antics and crash outs that propelled Pittsburgh to move him for just a third-round pick and some change last  offseason. I don’t care that analysts outside the Cowboys building criticized his effort after a lackluster performance on prime time a few weeks ago. Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer know what they have in Pickens: a badass dude who is a rare game wrecker. He’s our  highest-ranked free agent for now, but there’s almost no chance that the Cowboys will let Pickens hit the open market after such a banner year. They’ll either get a deal done before the new league year begins in March, or the Cowboys will use the franchise tag on him. Forcing Pickens to play on the franchise tag could be great content if he winds up in a contract battle with Jones. You don’t want to see Pickens angry.

Current team: Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 31
Drafted: 2017 third round (103rd) 
Pro Bowls: Four (2021-24)
All-Pro teams: One-time first-team (2024)

The relationship between Hendrickson and the Bengals seems all but over  after a very public contract dispute in the offseason and a 2025 campaign that was cut awkwardly short due to injury, but the highs of their five-year run together were excellent. Hendrickson made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four years in Cincinnati and became the fifth player since 1982 to record 17-plus sacks in back-to-back seasons. He ranked in the top six in PFF’s pass rush win rate in 2023 and 2024, and he was ranked seventh in the same statistic through the first six weeks of 2025, before injuries derailed his season. 

When healthy, Hendrickson is an über-productive pass rusher with frenetic, violent hands and great bend. He has a style of play that should age well after he recovers from his December core muscle surgery. The Bengals were hesitant to make a long-term commitment to the 31-year-old sack technician, but another team will likely jump at the opportunity to pay for his sack production on a two- or three-year deal. He won’t make outlandish T.J. Watt money on this side of 30, but I wouldn’t expect him to sign a cheap one-year deal like Khalil Mack ($18 million) or Joey Bosa ($12.6 million) did in 2025. Hendrickson could land in the $28 million to $33 million per year range, with a sprinkle of guaranteed money through the 2027 season.

Current team: Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 26
Drafted: 2021 first round (18th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

The Eagles got away with highway robbery by acquiring Phillips from the Dolphins for a third-round pick at the trade deadline in November. His first two games in Philly came against two of the league’s better offensive tackles, the Packers’ Zach Tom and the Lions’ Penei Sewell, and Phillips still made his presence felt right away, with 12 pressures and a sack in his first two games. He has an ideal frame, great strength, and terrifying explosiveness, making him a dream fit as a stand-up rusher who can line up anywhere in Vic Fangio’s defense. Phillips can blow through and by tackles, and he often manhandles tight ends into the backfield when given the opportunity. He’s tied for fourth in total pressures (41) since joining the Eagles in Week 10. 

Injuries have been a problem for Phillips dating back to his college days, but—knock on wood—he’s started every week of this season, without a bye week because of the timing of his trade. A healthy Phillips could be one of the league’s best edge defenders. He is a big name on this list, but he isn’t going anywhere. He’s a candidate to receive the franchise tag if he and the Eagles can’t agree on terms for what will likely be a monster extension.

Current team: Baltimore Ravens
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, first round (25th)
Pro Bowls: Three (2023-25)
All-Pro teams: None

Linderbaum will be a coveted center because he moves extremely well, especially as a run blocker. He has unlocked so much for the Ravens’ run game because he’s an extremely talented athlete with foot speed and balance that are rare at his position. He can pull, scoop, and reach with his arms, and he is lightning quick to get to the second level on his feet, where he regularly beats linebackers and safeties because of his leverage and positioning alone. He’s also a menace when moving in space and blocking in front of screens. Linderbaum was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl this season, and he’s ranked eighth or better among qualifying centers in PFF’s run-blocking grade every year of his career. The Ravens didn’t pick up his fifth-year option only because it would have cost them $5.4 million more than what the NFL’s highest-paid center makes annually. I expect that Baltimore will get a deal done with Linderbaum well before March, but until it does, he deserves to be high on this list.

Current team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 28
Drafted: 2019, first round (sixth)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

The recovery timeline for NFL players with a torn Achilles is typically six to eight months, which should have Jones ready for Week 1. And if he’s fully healthy and playing in Shane Steichen’s offense with the same core of teammates from 2025 (Jonathan Taylor, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren), the Colts could once again have one of the best offenses in the league. In Weeks 1-10 this season, before Jones first reportedly fractured his fibula (he suffered the Achilles injury in Week 14), the Colts led the league in yards, points, and EPA per drive. Indy ranked eighth or better in the same three metrics among every offense in the first 10 weeks of a season this century. Jones took full advantage of the deep shots Steichen schemed up, consistently made tough throws while under duress, and thrived on a heavy dose of play-action. Everything was finally clicking for Jones in a way it never did during his years in New York. Not coincidentally, it was far and away the best situation Jones has had in his seven-year career. That’s not to say he couldn’t be a serviceable starter in another offense if he does hit the open market in March, but the best, and most likely, outcome for both sides is for Jones to stay in Indianapolis.

Current team: Denver Broncos
Age: 29
Drafted: 2018, fourth round (135th) 
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Franklin-Myers deserves to get paid this offseason. He currently outside the Top 40 interior defensive linemen in average annual salary, at just $7.5 million; that should more than double with a new deal in 2026. He’s a menacing behemoth with a relentless motor and violent hands on the interior of Denver’s line. He can win off the snap with a heavy club or nimble swim move, and he plays from whistle to whistle on every down. He’s a rare defensive lineman who can affect the pass and run game across multiple positions along the line of scrimmage using his size, brute strength, and hands. Franklin-Myers has logged seven sacks and 15-plus quarterback hits in back-to-back seasons with Denver, and now it’s his turn to cash in.

Current team: Green Bay Packers
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, seventh round (249th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Walker has played 900-plus snaps at left tackle in three consecutive seasons and isn’t a liability in pass protection. That makes him one of the most valuable free agents on the market even if he isn’t an elite tackle or an impactful run blocker. Last year, Dan Moore Jr. signed a four-year, $82 million contract with the Titans after four seasons, 1,000-plus snaps played, and worse production than Walker. Walker should clear $20 million per year with ease on the open market. Plenty of teams desperately need serviceable tackle play, and Walker can provide that and is still well within his athletic prime.

Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 42
Drafted: 2005, first round (24th) 
Pro Bowls: 10 (2009, 2011-12, 2014-16, 2018-21)
All-Pro teams: Four-time first-team (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021); one-time second-team (2012)

Statistically, Rodgers is playing one of the worst seasons of his career. Yet the 42-year-old signal caller is still on the verge of carrying the worst Steelers defense of the Mike Tomlin era to the playoffs. Even if he isn’t the same prolific downfield passer or dangerous scrambler that he was for most of his Hall of Fame career, Rodgers is still the same competitor he’s always been. He has command of the Pittsburgh offense and is limiting his mistakes, which is more than we could say for all of the quarterbacks Pittsburgh has trotted out since Ben Roethlisberger last played for the team in 2021. The Steelers aren’t blowing teams out because Rodgers is no longer an MVP-level talent, but they’re also in every game because he’s not Duck Hodges or Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett. Plus, it’s not like the wow plays have been completely removed from Rodgers’s game; they’re just less frequent. He can still sling the few odd times he wakes up feeling good. 

Rodgers said in October that he was “pretty sure” he’d retire after this season, but it wouldn’t shock me that if the Steelers do make the playoffs, he opts to play one more season (with a pay bump). That said, I don’t see a situation in which he plays anywhere but Pittsburgh in 2026—if he plays at all. He is one of the 10 best pending free agents because he’s still doing a decent job at playing the most important position in football. But I don’t expect multiple teams to bid for him in the offseason.

Current team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, second round (53rd) 
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Pierce is a bona fide home run hitter. Since entering the league in 2022, Pierce has led the league in yards per reception (18.3). He also has 20 receptions on throws of 30-plus air yards in that same four-year span, tied for the second most of any receiver, behind only George Pickens (24). Pierce’s size-speed combination gives him natural field-stretching ability, but what separates him from other deep threats is his ball tracking and his strong, reliable hands at the catch point. He consistently attacks the ball with his hands away from his body, helping him come down with tough catches out of his frame and through contact. Even if he never develops into a three-level, high-volume pass catcher, Pierce’s value as a vertical threat should warrant a high price tag in free agency. His counterpart in Indy, Michael Pittman Jr., has nearly 100 fewer yards on 35 more catches than Pierce this season, and Pittman is making $23 million annually after signing a three-year extension with the Colts in 2024. Hell, Jakobi Meyers just signed an extension with the Jaguars this month at $20 million per year. Pierce’s asking price should start in the $20 million to $22 million range and should only go up from there.

Current team: New York Jets
Age: 24
Drafted: 2022, second round (36th) 
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Maybe it’s ridiculous to have a running back this high, but if I were a general manager, I’d rather have Hall on my team at $11 million to $13 million per year than a lot of players on this list at higher-value positions. Hall is a silky-smooth runner with nasty cutting ability who can create explosive plays as both a runner and pass catcher. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but the Jets are mostly to blame for that. New York has ranked 31st in success rate and EPA per drive since it drafted Hall in 2022; the team also ranks 31st in first-half point differential (–325) and 32nd in point differential through three quarters (–416) in the same four-year span. It’s almost always losing, which has limited the opportunities for Hall and the run game. He is a super-talented running back on a super-bad football team. Hopefully that will change in 2026, for his sake. 

Current team: Los Angeles Rams
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, sixth round (211th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Editor’s note, Friday, January 2: On Thursday, Lake agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Rams that will keep him under contract through 2028. The deal is reportedly worth up to $42 million.

Lake is a versatile player who can line up anywhere on the field and always seems to be around the ball. He’s a physical, aggressive tackler against the run and is able to get off the blocks extremely well for a defensive back, which helps him blow up outside runs and screens. In coverage, he plays with great discipline in a zone scheme, and he has good technique when he attacks the ball at the catch point. He's as versatile as any defensive back in the league and can be a force multiplier in the secondary because of how much his role and alignment can change depending on the matchup. Lake played 96 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2024, with more than 200 snaps lined up in the box, almost 400 at deep safety, and more than 500 in the slot. He played over 90 percent of the snaps for the Rams again this season, with the majority coming in the slot, before he suffered a dislocated elbow in Week 11. He had surgery and was placed on the IR, but he could return for the playoffs. Lake’s asking price should start at $13 million per year—safety Jalen Pitre signed a three-year, $39 million extension with the Texans in April of this year—and should only go up from there if he tests the market.

Current team: Green Bay Packers
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, first round (22nd)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Walker has a rare combination of size and speed that teams desperately need in this pass-happy league, where off-ball linebackers are picked on in man coverage or have trouble in zone coverage in the middle of the field. He also fights through contact well in the run game and has improved significantly as a tackler. Walker has missed just one tackle since Week 8, per PFF, and his missed tackle rate has been below 8 percent in each of the past three seasons. The Packers declined Walker’s fifth-year option ahead of this season, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has said that he wants to keep Walker for the long term. However, if Green Bay is  unable to strike a deal with him, Walker should demand top dollar from a frenzy of bidders in March. Zack Baun, Nick Bolton, and Jamien Sherwood all signed three-year extensions in the $15 million to $17 million range with their respective teams last offseason; Walker’s asking price will likely start there.

Current team: New Orleans Saints
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, second round (49th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

I’m probably overrating Taylor a bit, especially considering how volatile cornerback play can be from year to year and scheme to scheme, but it’s hard to find long-armed corners with positional versatility and great recovery speed like Taylor. Per PFF, Taylor has played more than 1,500 snaps outside and more than 1,500 in the slot in his four-year career. He’s an aggressive, high-effort player, which can lead to blown assignments and missed tackles at times. But he still has high upside and seemingly has a positive attitude. If he signs a contract somewhere in the $10 million to $13 million range, similar to other slot types who’ve agreed to new deals in recent years (like Marcus Jones, Taron Johnson, Jourdan Lewis, and Kenny Moore), Taylor could be one of the high-value gems of this free agent class.

Current team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, fifth round (153rd)
Pro Bowls: One (2022)
All-Pro teams: None

Woolen thrived earlier in his career playing a ton of press man and Cover 3 in Pete Carroll’s defense in Seattle, and that may still be his best role in the NFL. This season started off poorly for Woolen, but he’s improved as the season has gone on while playing outside corner in a Mike Macdonald scheme that deploys a lot of split-safety shells and varied, often disguised zone coverages. Woolen has played less lately since star cornerback Devon Witherspoon returned from injury in Week 9, but he’s still heavily involved in the rotation and should be coveted in free agency because of his rare length and athleticism. The open market could drive his price over $20 million per year, especially for man-heavy teams, but the $16 million to $18 million range feels much more appropriate given some of his weaknesses in zone coverage and his inconsistencies as a tackler. 

Current team: San Francisco 49ers
Age: 28
Drafted: 2020, seventh round (217th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Jennings has reliable hands, plays through contact, and can consistently win his matchups over the middle of the field, skills that have helped him become one of the league’s best chain movers. He ranks tied for fifth among qualifying wideouts in first downs per route run on third down over the past two years (2024-25). Jennings is also tough as hell. He told reporters in October that he was playing through high and low ankle sprains, had a shoulder “at 20 percent,” and had five broken ribs. Because he’s played hurt for most of the season and didn’t have starting quarterback Brock Purdy for seven games, Jennings hasn’t put up game-breaking numbers in 2025, but he’s still as reliable as ever on money downs and has found the end zone a bunch since Purdy returned in Week 11. Jakobi Meyers, a 29-year-old career slot receiver with great hands, signed a three-year, $60 million extension with the Jaguars in December. Jennings’s asking price should start there.

Current team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 29
Drafted: 2018, second round (37th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

A guard at Auburn and former second-round pick, Smith is a massive success story for Chris Ballard and the Colts. Smith developed into one of the best right tackles in the league while on his rookie contract, and Indianapolis paid him as such when it signed him to a four-year, $72.4 million extension in 2021. He isn’t the same player he was four years ago. He suffered a season-ending concussion and neck injury this season and has missed four or more games each of the past three seasons. Smith took a pay cut in 2025 after missing the final five games of last season with an undisclosed personal matter. On the field, he’s also ranked outside the top 20 qualifying tackles in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric three of the past four years, and his 2025 run-blocking grade (58.0) is more than 10 points lower than PFF has recorded any other year of his career. Smith, who turns 30 years old in March, is clearly exiting his prime. But teams will always pay for a serviceable starting tackle, and if healthy, Smith can still be one. Right tackles Colton McKivitz and Jack Conklin signed three-year, $45 million extensions at 29 and 30 years old, respectively, last offseason. Atlanta Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary also signed an extension at $15 million per year at 30 years old in 2025. Smith should field offers in that range if Indy lets him reach free agency.

Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 32
Drafted: 2014, first round (seventh)
Pro Bowls: Six (2016, 2018-19, 2021, 2023-24)
All-Pro teams: Two-time second-team (2016, 2023)

It's hard to imagine that Evans will play anywhere other than Tampa Bay next year. He recorded 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, all with the Buccaneers, before hamstring and collarbone injuries kept him out of nine games this season, ending his illustrious streak. Evans offers a rare skill set when healthy. He’s still able to win down the field and in the red zone with his 6-foot-5 frame, 35-inch arms, and reliable hands. He attacks the ball in the air with unmatched precision and consistently hauls in tough catches away from his frame and through contact. If Evans doesn’t hang them up, the Bucs could bring him back on a one-year deal somewhere in the $15 million to $20 million range. Evans is making $20 million per year on his current deal, and other receivers in his age range (Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, and Davante Adams) all signed short-term deals from $15 million to $22 million per year last offseason. That honestly feels like a bargain for a future Hall of Famer who can still be a matchup nightmare any given Sunday.

Current team: Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, seventh round (243rd)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Watson is a tall, long-armed cornerback who has improved every year of his career. Over the last two seasons, Watson has allowed just one touchdown and recorded three pass breakups and two interceptions, per PFF. He’s a scheme-versatile, disciplined player with more than 2,000 snaps played at outside corner over the last four years. Watson may not have a ton of ball production, but he makes up for it with down-to-down consistency and an overall reluctance to give up the big play. The Chiefs currently have the least 2026 cap space of any team in the league, making it hard to imagine that they can afford to keep Watson (and others in his draft class like safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Leo Chenal) on the franchise tag or a new multiyear extension. DJ Reed, Christian Benford, Charvarius Ward, and Carlton Davis—outside corners with decent résumés like Watson’s—signed multiyear contracts in the $16 million to $18 million per year range last offseason; Watson could be looking for something similar.  

Current team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, first round (27th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Lloyd had an up-and-down start to his career, so much that the Jags opted against picking up his fifth-year option after last season. He’s since flipped the script. Lloyd is rushing the passer more under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and has racked up 24 pressures through Week 17, nearly 10 more than he’s had in any other season of his career. Lloyd also had four interceptions in the first five weeks of the year, including a 99-yard pick-six on Patrick Mahomes, and added his fifth when he intercepted Daniel Jones in Week 14. Lloyd had just four career interceptions prior to this season. He’s always had exciting athletic ability, but Campanile has unlocked special playmaking in the middle of the Jacksonville defense. Lloyd still misses a lot of tackles—he ranks tied for 58th in missed tackle rate, among qualifying linebackers in 2025, per PFF—and gets stuck on blocks or caught in traffic in the run game, but he is going to get rewarded with a big pay day this offseason for such a dramatic spike in production in the pass game. The best case for him is probably staying in Jacksonville, where he could  build on a breakout 2025 campaign with Campanile – unless a team with similar-minded defensive coordinator outbids the Jags for him.

Current team: Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 27
Drafted: 2021, first round (31st)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Oweh is an athletic, long-armed pass rusher who is playing the best football of his career after being traded by the Ravens to the Chargers in October. In his time with the Chargers (Weeks 6-17), Oweh is tied for 12th among qualifying edge defenders in PFF’s pass-rush win rate (16.3 percent). He’s not a full-time starter with the Chargers, but Oweh has shown enough as a pass-rush specialist that Los Angeles could double down on his upside and sign him to a big extension, or he could command a deal in the range of $16 million to $22 million per year if he hits free agency. 

Current team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, 2nd round (no. 41)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Walker is a compact, physical runner with great tackle-breaking ability and contact balance. He can shake defenders in space by using his lightning-quick feet or bowl over them with a lowered shoulder. He’s also deceptively fast. Walker ranks second behind only Dolphins speedster De’Von Achane in percentage of runs going for 10-plus yards (14.1 percent) among backs with at least 150 carries this season, and he ranks sixth in the same stat among backs with 600 carries since 2022. He’s still in his athletic prime and coming off a career year, and could be looking at a new deal worth $8 million to $11 million per year.

Current team: Atlanta Falcons
Age: 25
Drafted: 2021, 1st round (no. 4)
Pro Bowls: One (2021)
All-Pro teams: None

The hype for Pitts was always too much. He was labeled a generational tight end prospect at age 20 and was drafted before Ja'Marr Chase and Penei Sewell. Things started off well when Pitts caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards as a rookie in Matt Ryan's last year in Atlanta, but his career stalled because of injuries and bad quarterback play. Former head coach Arthur Smith was inconsistent in how he chose to feature Pitts in the offense week to week, if he did at all. His inconsistency continued throughout most of the Kirk Cousins–Michael Penix Jr. era over the past two seasons, but Pitts is currently having the best stretch of his career, with 33 catches for 411 yards and four touchdowns in his last five games. Pitts appears to be more bought in as a blocker, and he's become an asset from inline tight end alignments because of how explosive he is coming out of his stance. He can blow by linebackers while running vertical routes and crossers, creating easy separation with his speed alone. Pitts isn't a technical, savvy route runner, but he's big, long, and fast, and he catches the ball well with soft, reliable hands. Line him up in the slot against smaller cornerbacks and he can win with his speed at the snap and ability to shield defenders from the football with his 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame. Travis Kelce caught his first NFL pass roughly a month before he turned 25 years old; Pitts turned 25 in October and has already caught 278 passes for 3,521 yards and 15 touchdowns. It would make sense for the Falcons to try their best to keep Pitts after his resurgence, even if that means using the franchise tag on him, but if he does test the market, his salary floor likely starts around $11 million to $13 million per year—similar to recent deals for Juwan Johnson ($10.25 million), Evan Engram ($11.5 million), and Jake Ferguson ($12.5 million).

Current team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, 4th round (no. 109)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Bryant played mostly in the slot his first two years in Seattle under former head coach Pete Carroll, but he's since become a full-time starter at free safety in Mike Macdonald's defense. He's reliable and disciplined in coverage and sprints downhill while defending the run. Bryant is rarely out of position, and he has had solid production in Macdonald's defense with seven interceptions and five pass breakups over the past two years. His versatility allows Macdonald to run everything he wants without the risk of coverage busts or missed assignments against the run. Seattle had extension talks with Bryant before the season, according to ESPN, but the Seahawks have a lot of talented players on expiring contracts, so getting an extension done could be tricky. Some big-name safeties have signed multiyear extensions over $20 million per year recently—Kyle Hamilton, Kerby Joseph, and Antoine Winfield Jr.—but I don't think Bryant is quite at that level. His market could be in the range of $13 million to $17 million per year, similar to recent deals for Amani Hooker ($13.5 million), Cam Bynum ($15 million), Jevon Holland ($15.1 million), and Trevon Moehrig ($17 million).

Current team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, 2nd round (no. 40)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Mafe hasn't been a starter in Mike Macdonald’s defense and his sack and pressure numbers have dropped off in the second half of the season, but I think he could be a bargain in free agency because his lack of sack production will keep his price down. A team that signs him would be betting that  his effort and raw athletic ability could translate to better numbers in a full-time role. A potential comp is Alex Wright, a former third-round pick, who signed a three-year, $33 million extension with the Browns in November. Mafe has better overall production than Wright because he's played almost 1,000 more snaps, but they offer similar skill sets and output. Unless a team really believes in his upside, Mafe will probably sign a deal close to Wright's, around $11 million per year.

Current team: Green Bay Packers
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, 2nd round (no. 86)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Willis is exactly the kind of quarterback teams should want to sign this offseason if they’re looking for a quality backup who could compete for a starting job. Throw his time in Tennessee out the window. He started only three games and played in four others over two years with the Titans, and his leap from Liberty to the NFL was clearly too much for him out of the gate. He committed too many turnovers, held the ball too long, and took bad sacks. Everything was moving too fast for him. But since arriving in Green Bay, Willis has looked like a completely different player in his seven appearances (including three starts). It looks like the game has slowed down for him in a big way, and now we're seeing the athletic ability and big arm talent that had people excited about him as a draft prospect. He's valuable on designed quarterback runs, and he uses his feet to turn sacks into scrambles for positive yardage. Willis also throws well on the run because he has an absolute cannon of an arm that allows him to throw from awkward angles and off platform. He can put the ball wherever he wants with the flick of his wrist, and he’s shown special deep-ball accuracy in his limited action this season. The question about him as he hits free agency will be the small sample size of quality starts in Green Bay. I doubt a team will give him $20 million per year to be a starter like the Jets did with Justin Fields last offseason. Fields started over 40 NFL games before signing that contract with the Jets; Willis has started only six. Daniel Jones signed a one-year, $14 million deal to compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting job in Indianapolis last offseason; Jacoby Brissett, Davis Mills, and Marcus Mariota all signed deals in the range of $6 million to $8 million annually with the expectation they'd be backups behind locked-in starters. It feels more realistic that Willis will sign a deal that falls in that range.

Current team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 26
Drafted: 2021, 1st round (no. 25)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Etienne is a dynamic back with sharp jump cuts who has also improved as a downhill runner, showing a willingness to lower his shoulder into contact and churn his legs to pick up extra yards. Etienne can run through arm tackles well and always seems to be falling forward, and once he breaks into the second level of the defense, he has the speed to open up his stride in space. Injuries cost Etienne his entire rookie season, and he battled through shoulder and hamstring issues in 2024, but he's started every game for the Jags this season and is moving as well as he has at any point  of his pro career. He's rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his four healthy seasons in the league, and has 1,075 yards and seven touchdowns on 246 carries (4.4 yards per carry) this season with one game to go. Etienne has also caught at least 30 passes with at least 250 receiving yards each of the past four seasons, and he ranks second among running backs behind Christian McCaffrey in receiving touchdowns this season with six. Etienne is two years older than Kenneth Walker, which could be a reason for teams to offer a shorter free-agent contract. He could command a similar average salary to Walker in the range of $8 million to $11 million per year.

Current team: Baltimore Ravens
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, 4th round (no. 141)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

It’s been a down year for Likely. He’s caught just 25 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown in 13 games. He also fumbled the ball into the end zone for a touchback against Cincinnati in Week 13, and he had a touchdown called back when he lost the ball in the end zone against Pittsburgh the following week. To use Likely’s words, it’s been an “ass as fuck” kind of season for him (and the Ravens overall). Likely is a rare athlete and only 25 years old, but he just hasn’t been consistent enough to warrant the monster multi-year extension many expected would be coming for him. Baltimore re-signed 30-year-old veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year, $39.3 million extension in early December, possibly signalling that Likely will test the market in March. Jake Ferguson, Pat Freiermuth, and Dalton Schultz each signed multi-year contracts in the $12 million per year range in the last two years. I can’t imagine teams will be willing to make a similar long-term commitment to Likely after this down season, and he might be better off signing a one-year prove-it deal that gives him an opportunity to land  a bigger multi-year deal in 2027 after a full season as the top tight end in a new offense. 

Current team: Buffalo Bills
Age: 28
Drafted: 2019, 5th round (no. 169)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Edwards is a reliable player who can raise the level of play of the linemen around him. He’s been an absolute steal for Buffalo on his current deal (two years, $6 million), considering he's played over 1,000 snaps at guard for the Bills in back-to-back seasons. He's usually a stone wall in pass protection, and he wins consistently as a run blocker because of good positioning and strong hands. The Bills run a very diverse run game, and Edwards handles the range of responsibilities well. He doesn't have great lateral agility, however, and he can get taken advantage of when trying to block on the move at the second level. Still, it’s hard to find consistent, above-average offensive line players in free agency, and Edwards checks that box. With guys like Jonah Jackson and Aaron Banks signing new multi-year deals worth over $17 million per year last March, Edwards should see his per-year average clear $15 million with ease.

Current team: Carolina Panthers
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, 6th round (no. 199)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Mays only started for the Panthers in spurts on his rookie deal, and he signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal to return to the team in 2025 with the expectation that he'd be the backup center behind Austin Corbett. Mays wound up starting most of the season after Corbett suffered a knee injury in Week 2. Mays also missed time with an ankle injury, but he's been reliable as both a run blocker and pass protector when he’s been in the lineup  —so much so that he’s kept the starting center job even with Corbett cleared to play. (Corbett is now starting at guard.) Mays is a strong player who moves well for his size and plays whistle-to-whistle. The Broncos recently re-signed their center, Luke Wattenberg, to a four-year, $48 million extension in November. Mays’s next deal might be less than that, but he should surpass the three-year, $21 million contract Robert Hainsey signed with the Jaguars last offseason.

Current team: Los Angeles Rams
Age: 26
Drafted: 2020, 7th round (no. 216)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Curl has proven extremely durable over his six-year NFL career, with more than  700 snaps played each season, and 1,000-plus snaps in each of the last three seasons. He played a hybrid role in his first four years in the league with Washington, with the majority of his snaps coming in the box. In Los Angeles, he's played more deep safety in split-safety shells in Chris Shula’s zone-heavy scheme, but he comes down into the box when the Rams want to run single-high looks. Curl has good size and range, and he's a strong tackler in space. It's a prerequisite to be versatile in Shula's defense, and Curl fits the bill. He has been an absolute steal for the Rams on his current contract. He doesn’t even rank inside the top 30 among safeties in average annual salary after signing a two-year, $9 million deal with the Rams in 2024. His pay should more than double next year, putting him in line with guys like Justin Reid, Josh Metellus, and Amani Hooker.

Current team: Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, 3rd round (no. 83)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Injuries have hindered Dean's development since before he was drafted. He fell to the third round because of a pectoral strain. He only played 47 snaps as a rookie, and then missed a lot of the 2023 season with a Lisfranc injury. He finally started 15 games for Philadelphia in 2024, but he didn't play beyond the wild-card round in the playoffs because of a torn patellar tendon that caused him to begin the 2025 season on the sidelines. He eventually returned to the starting lineup over the second half of this season, but he missed the Eagles' Week 17 matchup against the Bills with a hamstring injury. Health is the biggest, and perhaps only, question with Dean as he heads to free agency. He's a tenacious run defender with great explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline range. He's a difference-maker on three downs with his ability to play the run and rush the passer. He leads all linebackers with at least 30 pass-rush snaps in PFF's pass-rush win rate (28.6 percent). Dean isn't a complete liability in coverage, either, which is more than you can say about most starting linebackers in the NFL right now. It's hard to project what Dean will command on the open market given just how much of his career has been impacted by injuries. When healthy, he's as valuable as players like Jamien Sherwood and Nick Bolton—both of whom signed three-year, $45 million deals last offseason. But will Dean have to sign for less purely because of the injury concerns? Probably.

Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 29
Drafted: 2019, 3rd round (no. 94)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Dean is a reliable outside corner who has played more than 5,000 snaps over his seven-year career. He's allowed just one touchdown in coverage over the last two seasons, per PFF. Dean missed time last season with a hamstring injury, and he's suffered hip and shoulder injuries this year. He'll  turn 30 next season, and while he's a good football player at a valuable position, concerns surrounding his injuries and age could affect his market. Dean took a significant pay cut in 2025, reducing his salary from $12.5 million to $4.5 million, which voided the remaining year of his deal so he could be a free agent this offseason. I imagine he's looking to cash in one more big multi-year deal. These days, starting-caliber corners are making $12 million per year if not more, and Dean could exceed that if teams are confident in his health.

Current team: Dallas Cowboys
Age: 25
Drafted: 2021, 2nd round (no. 35)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Jerry Jones said he wants Williams to be a Cowboy long-term in what has been Williams’s breakout season in 2025, but Jones will have to pay up to make it happen. Williams, who tore three ligaments in his knee in 2022, signed a one-year prove-it deal at $3 million last offseason to compete with Miles Sanders, and he ran away with the starting job almost immediately. Through 17 weeks, he ranks seventh among all backs in forced missed tackles (54) and fifth among qualifying backs in yards after contact per attempt (3.56). It takes multiple defenders to bring him down, which makes him valuable in short-yardage situations and near the goal line. Williams doesn't shy away from contact and finishes his runs falling forward. He consistently gets more yards than what's available because of how he runs  through contact. He isn't a home run hitter with great long speed, but he makes up for it with his short-area quickness and tackle-breaking ability. That said, anything over $10 million per year would be an overpay for Williams after just one breakout season and with a history of injuries. Jaylen Warren, D'Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, and Chuba Hubbard each signed multi-year deals in the $6 million–to–$8 million per year range recently. Williams would still be a value signing on that kind of contract.

Current team: Buffalo Bills
Age: 30
Drafted: 2016, 1st round (no. 3)
Pro Bowls: Six (2017, 2019-21, 2024-25)
All-Pro teams: None

Bosa has flown under the radar as one of the biggest values in the NFL this season. Injuries marred his final three years with the Chargers, but he's rebounded in a big way in Buffalo. He signed a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Bills last offseason—more than 20 other edge players are making more than him this season—yet Bosa ranks sixth at his position in PFF's pass-rushing grade in 2025. He isn't the same elite player he was in his early 20s, but he's still a reliable three-down starter who can consistently win his matchups in obvious passing situations. A pass-rush-needy team should  jump at the opportunity to pay Bosa somewhere in the Khalil Mack ($18 million per year) range once he hits free agency again.

Current team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 27
Drafted: 2021, 6th round (no. 214)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Last offseason, Van Lanen signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal to remain with the Jaguars as a swing lineman capable of playing both guard and tackle. He’s flexed that versatility this season, as he's started the last nine games for the Jags in 2025 —two at left guard, two at right tackle, one at right guard, and four at left tackle. He's allowed just nine pressures and zero sacks in his last four games starting at left tackle, and he’s tied for eighth in PFF's run-blocking grade among qualifying tackles in the same four-game span. Starting-caliber tackles get paid on the open market, and Van Lanen has proved he's more than a versatile depth piece with his play this season. A tackle-needy team is going to pay him starter money in the range of $12 million to $15 million per year if the Jags can't lock him down with an extension.

Current team: Chicago Bears
Age: 27
Drafted: 2021, 3rd round (no. 99)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Wright played one of his worst games of the year against San Francisco in Week 17, but his body of work in 2025 has been impressive. In his first year as a full-time starter at outside cornerback since he was drafted by the Cowboys in 2021, Wright has amassed five picks, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He doesn't have great recovery speed or short-area quickness, but he makes up for it with his length and instincts. He anticipates routes well and is always a threat to get his hands on the ball at the catch point with his 6-foot-4 frame and 33-inch arms. Wright signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Bears in 2025, expecting to compete for a depth spot in the secondary, but Jaylon Johnson's injuries thrust Wright into a starting role early and he hasn't given it up. Though he's a bit of a one-year wonder with limited athleticism, in the right defense, Wright can be a playmaking outside corner. He should get paid starter money in the $12 million–to–$16 million per year range, whether it's in Chicago or not.

Current team: New England Patriots
Age: 28
Drafted: 2020, 4th round (no. 134)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Hawkins has emerged as a breakout star for the Patriots in 2025. Originally a 2020 fourth-round pick with the Falcons, Hawkins has started 14 games and played a career-high 794 defensive snaps for the Pats so far this season. He has three picks, two pass breakups, two sacks, and a forced fumble through Week 17. Hawkins is deployed mostly as a deep safety, but he often comes down into the box when New England plays single-high shells. He signed a one-year, $1.8 million deal with the Patriots last offseason with the expectation that he'd be a depth piece and a core special-teamer. After this season, Hawkins could sign a multi-year deal for low-end starter money in the $7 million–to–$12 million range and still be a value signing.

Current team: Cleveland Browns
Age: 29
Drafted: 2017, 1st round (no. 29)
Pro Bowls: One (2023)
All-Pro teams: None

Njoku has battled knee injuries since Week 6 of this season. With rookie Harold Fannin Jr. taking over as the top tight end in the offense, it's possible Njoku has played his last down with Cleveland. If he can get healthy, Njoku should still be a valuable volume pass catcher and a true red-zone threat. Injuries and age should add a discount to his price in the offseason, making him that much more attractive as a low-risk, high-reward option on the open market. Mike Gesicki signed a three-year contract worth $8.5 million per year last offseason when he was entering his age-30 season, and Dallas Goedert reworked his contract to a one-year, $10 million deal at 30 years old in May. Njoku should sign something in that range if he can get a clean bill of health.

Current team: New York Giants
Age: 24
Drafted: 2022, 2nd round (no. 45)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Robinson has enjoyed a breakout season in 2025. He makes up for his tiny frame (he’s just 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds) and smaller catch radius with great ball skills and reliable hands. Through 16 games, he's only dropped three passes and he ranks eighth among receivers with 80-plus targets in drop rate (3.2 percent). Robinson is a jittery athlete who can create separation in a hurry, and he's thrived with more downfield targets this season. His average depth of target each of his previous two years in New York was under 6 yards; in 2025, his ADOT is 9 yards. It's a big reason why his yards per reception average has jumped. He's caught 92-of-131 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 2025 through Week 17. Robinson isn't a contested-catch threat and his YAC numbers are middling at best, but he's a quick separator who can win in high-leverage moments down the field. Even if teams view him as a slot-only receiver, Robinson should have a market in the $12 million–to–$18 million range.

Current team: Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, 2nd round (no. 62)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Cook has started 45 games for the Chiefs over the last three seasons. He can play deep and box safety and has done so at a high level for years now. Cook is also a reliable tackler—he's missed only 11 tackles over the last two years, and in 2025, he ranks ninth among safeties with 400-plus snaps played in missed tackle rate (6.1 percent). Cook seems to crave contact and brings a physical, aggressive presence to the Chiefs secondary. He's best utilized splitting time deep and in the box given how well he fits in run support, but he's improved in coverage. He limits plays after the catch with his tackling ability, and he's shown better discipline when protecting the deep areas of the field. It would shock me if he signs for anything less than $15 million per year on the open market.