2025 team: Arizona Cardinals
Age: 28
Drafted: 2019, first round (1st overall)
Pro Bowls: Two (2020-21)
All-Pro teams: None

Murray’s seven-year tenure in Arizona included sporadic highs and consistent lows. When Murray is at his best, he’s a rare athlete with legit arm talent who can create explosive plays down the field in the passing game and big gains with his legs, often when playing out of structure. But injuries have kept him from being that elite dual-threat for much of his career. Murray has missed at least six games due to injury in three of the last four seasons. The former no. 1 overall pick led the Cards to just one playoff appearance, and that game was forgettable, with Murray completing just 19-of-34 passes for 137 yards and throwing two picks in a blowout loss to the Rams in the wild-card round four years ago. 

Still, Murray has elite athletic traits and plays the most important position in football, and because Arizona still owes him over $35 million in guaranteed money, his next team should be able to sign him on the cheap. That makes Murray an extremely low-risk, high-reward bet for every quarterback-needy team in the league. Malik Willis might sign for more than $30 million annually after starting just three games in Green Bay the last two seasons. Murray is entering his age-29 season with 87 career starts and will make substantially less on his next contract. The cost alone means there’s little downside for a quarterback-needy team to sign Murray. The upside is he can experience a career revival, and blossom into a consistent starter if surrounded by better skill position talent and better coaching than he got in Arizona.

Best fit: Minnesota Vikings

2025 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 is finally over. The two sides had 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 on a new deal, perhaps with a sprinkle of guaranteed money through the 2027 season.

Best fit: Buffalo Bills

2025 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. Phillips ranked sixth in total pressures (41) after joining the Eagles in Week 10. 

Injuries have been a problem for him dating back to his college days, but—knock on wood—he started every week of the 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. The Eagles should prioritize a monster extension for Phillips, but interest from around the league could drive his price beyond what’s possible given their current cap situation. 

Best fit: Philadelphia Eagles

2025 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 because it would have cost them $5.4 million more than what the NFL’s highest-paid center makes annually. And because the NFL lumps all offensive line positions together when calculating the cost of the franchise tag, slapping Linderbaum with it would cost the Ravens $9 million more than what the league’s highest-paid center (the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey) makes. Baltimore will have to reset the center market with a monster multi-year extension in the $18 million to $20 million per year range to keep Linderbaum. That’s easier said than done with just $22 million in available 2026 cap space in March. Although it seems impossible to imagine the Ravens letting a homegrown talent like Linderbaum walk after he’s more than exceeded expectations on his rookie contract, they could easily get outbid by teams with bigger wallets without the tag to block him from entertaining offers. 

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

2025 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 was outside the top 40 interior defensive linemen in average annual salary last season, 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 logged seven sacks and 15-plus quarterback hits in back-to-back seasons with Denver, and now it’s his turn to cash in.

Best fit: Atlanta Falcons

2025 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. 

Best fit: Houston Texans

2025 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)

Rodgers said last year that he was “pretty sure” he’d retire after this season, but that was well before he and the Steelers sneaked into the playoffs by winning the AFC North and before the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin. Rodgers was a four-time NFL MVP when he played for McCarthy in Green Bay. Recently, NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported that “the odds are increasing” that Rodgers will return for his 22nd season in the NFL and that Rodgers and McCarthy have discussed a reunion in Pittsburgh. The quarterback is likely deciding between retirement or a return to Pittsburgh, so we shouldn’t expect Rodgers to  explore the entire free agent market landscape this offseason. 

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

2025 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, he has led the league in yards per reception (18.7). 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., had 219 fewer yards on 33 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 in December at $20 million per year. Pierce’s asking price should start in the $22 million to $24 million range and should only go up from there. 

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

2025 team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, second round (41st)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

The Super Bowl LX MVP is a compact, physical runner with great tackle-breaking ability and contact balance. He can shake off defenders in space by using his lightning-quick feet or bowl them over with a lowered shoulder. He’s also deceptively fast. Walker ranked second (behind only Dolphins speedster De’Von Achane) among backs with at least 150 carries in percentage of runs over 10-plus yards (14.1 percent), and he ranks sixth in the same stat among backs with 600 carries since 2022. His unique explosiveness and patience were on full display on Seattle’s Super Bowl run, and he was rewarded with a beautiful teacup ride with Sam Darnold at Disneyland. At 25 years old, Walker is still in his athletic prime, and he’s coming off a career year. When Seahawks general manager John Schneider recovers from the parade bevvies, the contract negotiation with Walker should start in the $11 million to $14 million per year range. The Seahawks would be smart to retain their Super Bowl MVP, especially with backup Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in the divisional round of the playoffs, but letting Walker test the market could drive his price out of their comfort range.

Best fit: Seattle Seahawks

2025 team: Detroit Lions
Age: 32
Drafted: 2016, first round (16th overall)
Pro Bowls: One (2024)
All-Pro teams: None

Decker is coming off his lowest-graded season since his injury-plagued 2017 campaign, per PFF. The 10-year veteran considered retirement before (sort of) announcing on Instagram that he’d be returning for #Year11. Fast-forward 10 days, and Decker took to IG again to say goodbye to Detroit after requesting and receiving his release after the Lions reportedly asked him to take a pay cut. He is still one of the best pass-protecting left tackles in the league, and he’s played at least 800 offensive snaps in seven of the last eight years. He’s well worth a short-term flier even at $20 million annually for a competitor with a left tackle need.

Best fit: Chicago Bears

2025 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 missed just one tackle after 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.

Best fit: Washington Commanders

2025 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.

Best fit: Tennessee Titans

2025 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 fourth among qualifying wideouts in first-down conversions 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 played hurt for most of the season and didn’t have starting quarterback Brock Purdy for seven games, Jennings didn’t put up game-breaking numbers in 2025, but he’s still as reliable as ever on money downs and found the end zone a bunch after 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.

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

2025 team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 29
Drafted: 2018, second round (37th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

A former guard at Auburn and 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. But he isn’t the same player he was four years ago. He suffered a season-ending concussion and neck injury in 2025 and has missed four or more games each of the past three seasons. Smith took a pay cut last offseason after missing the final five games of 2024 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 in three of the past four years, and his 2025 run-blocking grade (58.0) was 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, he 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.

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

2025 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 season. He recorded 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, all with the Buccaneers, before hamstring and collarbone injuries kept him out of nine games this past 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. Evans is considering retirement, but if he does want to keep playing, the Bucs or another contender should sign him to 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 seems like a bargain for a future Hall of Famer who can still be a matchup nightmare any given Sunday.

Best fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2025 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 past two seasons, Watson allowed just one touchdown and recorded eight 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 past 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 have proven over and over now that they’re not interested in paying corners top money, making it hard to imagine that they’ll agree to a new multiyear deal with Watson. 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.  

Best fit: Washington Commanders

2025 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 the 2024 season. He’s since flipped the script. Lloyd rushed the passer more under Jacksonville’s new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and racked up 28 pressures through the wild-card round, 14 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 before 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 54th 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 a similar defensive coordinator outbids the Jags for him.

Best fit: Jacksonville Jaguars

2025 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 played the best football of his career after being traded by the Ravens to the Chargers in October. In his time with the Chargers (Weeks 6-18), Oweh tied for 12th among qualifying edge defenders in PFF’s pass-rush win rate (16.3 percent). He wasn’t 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. 

Best fit: Tennessee Titans

2025 team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, fourth round (109th)
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 seven 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 recently signed multiyear extensions over $20 million per year—Kyle Hamilton, Kerby Joseph, and Antoine Winfield Jr.—but I don't think that 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).

Best fit: Seattle Seahawks

2025 team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, second round (40th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Mafe technically wasn’t a starter in Mike Macdonald’s defense, as DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu out-snapped him by a decent margin over the second half of the season and the playoffs. Still, Mafe is a high-effort, athletic player with over 600 snaps played in each of the past three seasons, including postseason games. His free agent market will be interesting. There’s an argument that he should sign a contract in the $11 million per year range, similar to the extension Alex Wright signed with the Browns in November, but there’s also a chance that a team that’s willing to pay him to be a full-time starter will hand him a multiyear deal worth $14 million to $16 million a year, in line with the contracts for New England’s Harold Landry III or Chicago’s Dayo Odeyingbo. Could Mafe be a highly productive pass rusher on his next contract? Sure. We just haven’t seen that from him yet. 

Best fit: Baltimore Ravens

2025 team: Green Bay Packers
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, second round (86th)
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 11 appearances (including six 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 his quality starts in Green Bay. 

Maybe there is a team brave enough to give Willis $20 million per year to be a starter, like the Jets did with Justin Fields last offseason. But that would be a pretty high-risk bet. (Also, how did that pan out for the Jets?) 

Fields started over 40 NFL games before signing with New York; 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 that they’d be backups behind locked-in starters. Willis’s value should be somewhere in the $8 million to $14 million per year range, but a bidding war among desperate teams could push his market value.

Best fit: Arizona Cardinals

2025 team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 27
Drafted: 2021, first round (25th)
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 well through arm tackles 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 started every game for the Jags this season and moved 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 seasons in the league, and he totaled 1,174 yards and seven touchdowns on 270 carries (4.3 yards per carry) in 2025. Etienne has also caught at least 39 passes for 250-plus receiving yards in each of the past four seasons, and he ranked second among running backs (behind Christian McCaffrey) in receiving touchdowns this season, with seven. Etienne is two years older than Kenneth Walker, which could be a reason for teams to offer him a shorter free agent contract. He could command an average salary similar to Walker’s next deal, in the range of $10 million to $13 million per year.

Best fit: Washington Commanders

2025 team: Baltimore Ravens
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, fourth round (141st)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

It was a down year for Likely. He caught just 27 passes, for 307 yards and one touchdown, in 14 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 was an “ass as fuck” kind of season for him (and the Ravens overall). Likely is a rare athlete and is only 25 years old, but he just hasn’t been consistent enough to warrant the monster multiyear 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 multiyear contracts in the $12 million per year range in the past two years. I can’t imagine that 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 multiyear deal in 2027 after a full season as the top tight end in a new offense. 

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

2025 team: Buffalo Bills
Age: 28
Drafted: 2019, fifth round (169th)
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 was an absolute steal for Buffalo on his last deal (two years, $6 million), considering he 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 multiyear deals worth over $17 million per year last March, Edwards should see his per-year average clear $15 million with ease.

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

2025 team: Carolina Panthers
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, sixth round (199th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Mays started for the Panthers only 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 was reliable as both a run blocker and pass protector when he was in the lineup —so much so that he kept the starting center job even when Corbett was cleared to play. (Corbett moved to guard.) Mays is a strong player who moves well for his size and plays from whistle to whistle. The Broncos 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.

Best fit: Cleveland Browns

2025 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, third round (83rd)
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 played only 47 snaps as a rookie, and then he 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 sideline. 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 for 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 because of his ability to play the run and rush the passer. He led all linebackers with at least 30 pass rush snaps in PFF's pass rush win rate (31.3 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 he will command on the open market given just how much his career has been affected 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.

Best fit: Tennessee Titans

2025 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 29
Drafted: 2019, third round (94th)
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 in 2024 with a hamstring injury, and he 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 that he could be a free agent this offseason. I imagine he's looking to cash in one more big multiyear 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. 

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

2025 Team: Cleveland Browns
Age: 27
Drafted: 2019, first round (10th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Bush was only 20 years old when the Steelers traded a second- and a third-round pick to move up 10 spots to take him in the 2019 NFL draft. Pittsburgh, however, let Bush walk after an underwhelming four-year start to his career, and he’s since signed a series of one-year prove-it deals, each worth under $4 million per year in Seattle (2023) and Cleveland (2024 and 2025). Bush always has been an explosive athlete with sideline-to-sideline range and a physical demeanor, but the game was moving too fast for him early in his career. His eyes were in the wrong place, and he was thinking, not reacting, too much on the field. Add in that he is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 235 pounds, and Bush was bullied by big bodies in the trenches and was too often out of position because he was a step behind the play. But Bush has since flipped the script. He played the best football of his career with the Browns. He’s improved his hand usage and played with a lot of confidence in Jim Schwartz’s system. Now that the game has seemingly slowed down for him and his technique has improved, Bush has been a true difference-maker in the middle of the Cleveland defense. There’s an argument that he should be a lot higher on this list, but, similar to Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd, his future success seems tied to his staying with a coach who has gotten the best out of him. Bush should command a two- or three-year deal in the $10-14 million per year range regardless of where he plays in 2026, but he’ll be maximized if he can continue to ascend under Schwartz—no matter where the longtime DC ends up.

Best fit: Wherever Schwartz coaches in 2026

2025 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. The 2025 season started off poorly for him, but he improved as it went on while playing outside corner in Mike Macdonald’s scheme, which deploys a lot of split-safety shells and varied, often disguised zone coverages. Woolen played less after star cornerback Devon Witherspoon returned from injury in Week 9, but he was still heavily involved in the rotation during Seattle’s Super Bowl run. Now, he should be coveted in free agency because of his rare length and athleticism, and he could command a contract in the $16 million to 18 million range. It will be interesting to see whether any teams view him as a liability because of the taunting penalty that nearly cost Seattle the NFC championship.

Best fit: New York Jets

2025 team: Chicago Bears
Age: 27
Drafted: 2021, third round (99th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Wright struggled in the final two games of the regular season. But he turned it back on for the playoffs, and his overall body of work in 2025-26 was largely impressive. In his first year as a full-time starter at outside cornerback since he was drafted by the Cowboys in 2021, Wright amassed five picks, seven 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 because of 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 didn’t give it up. Although he's a bit of a one-year wonder with limited athleticism, in the right defense, Wright could 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.

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

2025 team: New England Patriots
Age: 28
Drafted: 2020, fourth round (134th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Hawkins emerged as a breakout star for the Patriots in 2025. Originally a 2020 fourth-round pick with the Falcons, Hawkins started 19 games and played a career-high 1,102 defensive snaps for the Pats in 2025. He recorded four picks, two pass breakups, two sacks, and a forced fumble through the Super Bowl. 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 multiyear deal for low-end starter money in the $7 million to $12 million range and still be a value signing.

Best fit: New England Patriots

2025 team: Cleveland Browns
Age: 29
Drafted: 2017, first round (29th)
Pro Bowls: One (2023)
All-Pro teams: None

Njoku battled knee injuries since Week 6 of 2025, and rookie Harold Fannin Jr. took over as the top tight end in Cleveland’s offense. If Njoku can get healthy, he should still be a valuable volume pass catcher and a true red zone threat on his next team. 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 last May. Njoku should sign something in that range if he can get a clean bill of health.

Best fit: Washington Commanders

2025 team: New York Giants
Age: 24
Drafted: 2022, second round (45th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Robinson 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. He dropped only three passes in 16 games last season, and he ranked tied for 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 thrived with more downfield targets this season. His average depth of target in 2023 and 2024 was under 6 yards; in 2025, his ADOT was 9 yards. It's a big reason his yards per reception average has jumped. He caught 92-of-131 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. 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.

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

2025 team: Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, second round (62nd)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Cook has started 46 games for the Chiefs over the past 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 missed only 11 tackles over the past two years, and in 2025, he ranked seventh among safeties with 400-plus snaps played in missed tackle rate (5.6 percent). Cook seems to crave contact and brought a physical, aggressive presence to the Chiefs secondary. He's best used 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.

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

2025 Team: Chicago Bears
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, second round (48th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Brisker enjoyed a breakout season under Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in 2025. Brisker blitzed over three times more than he had in any other year of his career, and he was a constant force playing the run as an in-the-box safety. He showed he’s also a solid player in coverage, and he held his own playing deep as a split safety with Kevin Byard. Brisker is a physical, high-effort player and a willing tackler, which separates him among his peers at safety. He won’t command top-of-the-market money because he isn’t a premier deep safety like Xavier McKinney or Jessie Bates III, but a player with his skills around the line of scrimmage still has immense value in today’s league. Brisker should sign somewhere in the range of $12-14 million per year, either to stay with the Bears or to join a new team eager to drop him into the box and let him go to work as a run defender and blitzer. Though Chicago could get priced out, I hope Brisker stays put and builds on his season with Allen again in 2026 and beyond.

Best fit: Chicago Bears

2025 Team: Seattle Seahawks
Age: 27
Drafted: 2022, undrafted
Pro Bowls: Two (2023, 2025)
All-Pro teams: One-time first-team (2023)

Believe it or not, Shaheed had only 18 receptions in his 12 games with the Seahawks last season, including the postseason; he had 44 in nine games with the Saints before the trade deadline. But he made most of his impact as a punt returner with Seattle, averaging the third most yards per return (14.2) of any player with at least 20 punt returns in 2025. However, I remain bullish on Shaheed as a pure receiver. He’s a prolific vertical threat with great ball skills, and a team desperate to improve its punt return averages and add a downfield weapon who can blow the top off of opposing defenses should pay up for Shaheed’s services if he doesn’t re-sign with Seattle. Darnell Mooney signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Falcons in 2024; Shaheed shouldn’t sign for anything less than $14 million per year. 

Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers

2025 team: Las Vegas Raiders
Age: 27
Drafted: 2019, first round (29th overall)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Stokes should have been somewhere on my original list. But as a scarred Raiders fan, I’ve tried to memory-hole the 2025 season altogether. Stokes, however, quietly had a career year in his one season with Las Vegas. He held his own as a 16-game starter at outside corner despite all of the dysfunction. Stokes is a former first-round pick who just turned 27. He’s always had all of the necessary speed and athleticism to be a plus starter, and he finally put it all together across a career-high 1,037 snaps in Las Vegas of all places. He signed for one year, $3.5 million with the Raiders last offseason, a prove-it deal by every sense. His annual salary should now triple on the open market.

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

2025 team: Chicago Bears
Age: 27
Drafted: 2018, first round (16th overall)
Pro Bowls: Two (2019-20)
All-Pro teams: None

Edmunds is a long, rangy linebacker with a ton of experience. He missed four games with a groin injury last year and wasn’t the same player when he returned to the starting lineup in Week 16, but Edmunds’s overall body of work is remarkably consistent. He has played at least 850 defensive snaps and totaled 100-plus tackles every season of his eight-year career. He also has 41 combined pass breakups and interceptions since 2022, most of any linebacker in the NFL. He won’t sign for $18 million annually like he did with Chicago in 2023, but enough teams will bid for his services on the open market that he’ll clear $10 million per year on his next contract. He’s a clear value for any team eager to immediately add stability and raise the floor of the middle of their defense.

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

2025 Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 32
Drafted: 2016, third round (79th)
Pro Bowls: One (2024)
All-Pro teams: None

Seumalo is one of the older players on this list, but he’s also proved to be an extremely durable, high-floor offensive lineman throughout his 10-year career. He’s played over 800 snaps in each of the past four seasons, and he was PFF’s 15th-highest-ranked guard in 2025. A contender should jump at the opportunity to pay Seumalo $8-10 million annually on a one- or two-year contract. 

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

2025 Team: Green Bay Packers
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, fourth round (132nd)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Doubs has had some frustrating drops and middle-of-the-pack production in his four years with Green Bay, but he is still only 25 years old and has all of the skills necessary to be a productive second option in any offense. He’s a savvy route-runner with enough dynamism and speed to win at all three levels of the field. He’s a balanced player—neither a gadgety YAC type nor a pure vertical threat—and he doesn’t need to be pigeon-holed into the slot. I don’t think Doubs will clear $20 million per year on his next contract, but his absolute floor should be in the $13-14 million range. It might be a mistake for a team like the Raiders or Titans to overpay him to be the focal point of their offense, but he could quickly become a major value signing as a WR2 at $15 million to $18 million per year.

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

2025 team: Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, third round (103rd)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Chenal isn’t the kind of athlete you want to trust in pass coverage, but he’s an über-physical, high-effort run defender and improving pass rusher. That means he probably should be used situationally, but that specific role has a lot of value, especially as teams continue to use more personnel groupings with multiple tight ends or six offensive linemen. Chenal will have to go to a team with enough cap space to be able to afford paying for a part-time linebacker. But whoever signs him to a multiyear deal for around $7 million to $8 million annually is going to get a steal. 

Best fit: San Francisco 49ers

2025 team: Arizona Cardinals
Age: 27
Drafted: 2019 supplemental draft, fifth round
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Thompson is a reliable, versatile safety with over 900 snaps played in each of the past five seasons with the Cardinals. He doesn’t have a ton of ball production, but he’s a sound tackler and disciplined in coverage regardless of alignment and assignment. He’s best suited for a zone-heavy defense that moves him around. Justin Reid signed a three-year extension worth $10.5 million per year last offseason; Thompson’s floor asking price should start around there.

Best fit: Jacksonville Jaguars

2025 team: Buffalo Bills
Age: 30
Drafted: 2016, first round (third)
Pro Bowls: Five (2017, 2019-21, 2024)
All-Pro teams: None

Bosa flew under the radar as one of the best-value players in the NFL this season. Injuries marred his final three years with the Chargers, but he 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 ranked eighth at his position in PFF's pass-rushing grade in 2025. He isn't the same elite player he was in his early 20s and he was a complete nonfactor in Buffalo’s two playoff games, 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 $14 million to $18 million per year range once he hits free agency again.

Best fit: San Francisco 49ers

2025 Team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 24
Drafted: 2022, third round (96th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

The Colts used Cross as a box safety and frequent blitzer last season, and he was far more effective in that role than he was in 2024, when he was asked to play a ton of Cover 3. Cross racked up 16 total pressures in 2025, 14 more than he had the season before, and he was reliable in run defense as the extra defender in the box on early downs. Cross is essentially a safety-linebacker hybrid who isn’t a liability in pass coverage like a traditional linebacker would be. Though this type of player has become increasingly important as opposing offenses run more multiple tight end sets, free safeties still tend to command more money on the free agent market, in large part because of their on-ball production compared to box safeties or hybrid players. The top of the free safety market is over $20 million per year, and the best slot cornerbacks make $12-13 million per year. Cross will likely wind up with a deal that’s closer to $8 million per year, and that would be a steal. 

Best fit: Buffalo Bills

2025 team: New England Patriots
Age: 26
Drafted: 2020, first round (20th)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Chaisson’s production exploded in his first year with the Pats. The former Jags first-round pick had never recorded more than 30 pressures in any season of his five-year career before logging 74 (!) pressures with New England during its Super Bowl run, far outperforming the one-year, $3 million prove-it deal he signed with the team last offseason. Chaisson always has been an explosive player with a lightning-quick first step, but now he has drastically improved his hand usage and plays like a rusher with a real plan for how to attack offensive tackles. He’s still a better pass rusher than he is a run defender, but he’s by no means one-dimensional. Chaisson is still only 26 years old; he has multiple prime years left in the tank. He probably won’t clear the $20 million per year mark, but Chaisson should more than quadruple his salary on his next deal. His New England teammate Harold Landry III signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract last offseason; Chaisson’s asking price should start right around there. 

Best fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

2025 team: New York Jets
Age: 26
Drafted: 2021, first round (14th overall)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Vera-Tucker was a highly regarded prospect with elite athleticism and strong hands when the Jets selected with the no. 14 pick in the 2021 draft. The problem has been staying healthy during his five seasons in New York. Vera-Tucker has suffered three season-ending injuries. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury in 2023, and has torn the triceps in both arms, including the left triceps that cost him all of last season. In 2024, Vera-Tucker’s last healthy season, he ranked 22nd among guards in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency and 17th in run-blocking grade. His injury history should scare teams, and he could wind up looking at a one-year prove-it deal somewhere in the $10 million to $12 million range in 2026. That makes him a low-risk addition with the upside of becoming a quality starter if he can return to form and stay healthy.

Best fit: Cleveland Browns

2025 team: Atlanta Falcons
Age: 25
Drafted: 2022, fifth round (151st)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Even though he probably wants a starting role, Allgeier is best suited as a complementary back. He’s not a home run hitter or a prolific pass catcher, but he is a tough, physical runner tailor-made for short-yardage situations and pass protection. He’s also recorded zero (!) fumbles on 676 career carries. Teams that feature lighter, slasher-type starting tailbacks should jump at the opportunity to sign Allgeier as a change-of-pace back for around $6 million per year. 

Best fit: San Francisco 49ers

2025 team: New York Giants
Age: 31
Drafted: 2017, fifth round (159th overall)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Eluemunor has played 900-plus snaps in each of the past four seasons. He started 16 games at right tackle for the Giants in 2025, but he has starting experience at every position along the offense line but center in his nine-year career. He’s a thick, hulking lineman with a sturdy base and strong hands. He can swallow bull rushes and bury bodies in the run game. Per PFF, Elumunor tied for sixth among qualifying tackles in pass-blocking efficiency (98.0) last season. He’s physical, durable, and position-versatile, which makes him valuable. That said, he’s closer to an average starter than he is an elite one, and he is 31 years old. Still, consistent tackle play is hard to find in this league. I expect Eluemunor’s asking price to start at $20 million per year and go up from there depending on the number of interested suitors. (The Giants will definitely miss him if he walks.)

Best fit: New York Giants

2025 team: Tennessee Titans
Age: 26
Drafted: 2022, fourth round (143rd overall)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Okonkwo is still in his athletic prime at just 26 years old. He is a fluid mover with great speed and explosiveness. He offers big-play ability as both a downfield pass catcher and a yards-after-the-catch machine on underneath routes and screens. He’s a versatile chess piece who can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, lining up anywhere and threatening all three levels of the field. But Tennessee cycled through four offensive play callers and six starting quarterbacks in Okonkwo’s four years with the team, and all that change seems to have hindered his development and production. Among the 38 tight ends with at least 800 routes in the last four years, Okonkwo ranks 31st in target EPA. His average depth of target has cratered since his breakout rookie season. Okonkwo would benefit from having a play caller committed to carving out a role for him in order to unlock more of his untapped potential. The Vikings last year signed Josh Oliver to a three-year deal worth almost $8 million annually. Okonkwo’s asking price should start in that vicinity this week.

Best fit: Kansas City Chiefs

2025 team: Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 31
Drafted: 2018, second round (49th overall)
Pro Bowls: None
All-Pro teams: None

Goedert caught a career-high 12 touchdowns in 2025, seven more than any season in his eight-year career. All but three of those scores came from outside of the 10-yard line. He’s a big body at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds who has long arms and thrives in goal-to-go situations on out-breaker routes and as an outlet for quick shovel passes near the line of scrimmage. And even at 31 years old, Goedert can still still stretch the seam a bit and make big plays downfield. Among tight ends with 300-plus routes run last year, he tied for fifth in receptions 15 or more yards downfield. The floor for Goedert feels like $12 million annually on a short-term deal. As more teams put multiple tight ends on the field—league-wide, teams used two or more tight ends 33.4 percent of the time last season, the highest since PFF started recording personnel groupings in 2006—Goedert is an exciting option for teams eager to use more 12 and 13 personnel and get creative with his usage.

Best fit: New York Giants