2026 NFL Free Agency: The Top 100 Players Available and Potential Fits

The Super Bowl is over, but one of the key offseason events that might shape next year’s Super Bowl champion is only a month away. 

NFL free agency opens on March 9, and players can start officially signing with new teams on March 11. Between now and then, many of these players will come off the market, re-signing with their original teams or getting the franchise tag. Over a billion dollars worth of new contracts will be written by NFL teams in a short amount of time.

We don’t want this list to be strictly financial, so we’ve tried to hit on a variety of positions, touching on offense and defense, players old and young. Again, the best players rarely make it to the open market, so talent is hard to find and value is even tougher. You will see teams cut veteran players to get under the salary cap in the next month, including players good enough to crack this list. 

There’s a slight defensive tilt to our top 100, with 55 players on defense, including 15 edge rushers. Only two teams didn’t get a player on here: the Dolphins and Vikings. The Packers and Seahawks led the way with six each.

100. Von Miller, edge rusher, Commanders

Miller, 36, managed to lead Washington with nine sacks in 2025 while playing rotational snaps on an affordable $6 million deal. Can he do it again for Year 16? Of course, he can. He’s the NFL’s active career sack leader with 138.5, a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he’s playing for a fraction of what he cost a few years ago. He played in his heyday for Gary Kubiak in Denver, so could he finish his career with Klint in Las Vegas?

Gilman, 28, helped turn around the Ravens’ season after he was acquired from the Chargers. He has a history with Jesse Minter from their Chargers days, so he could stay in Baltimore, or follow John Harbaugh to the Giants, or reunite with Brandon Staley and the Saints. He’s active around the ball, with five career forced fumbles and six recoveries, not bad for a defensive back. He just finished a two-year, $10 million contract and should be in line for the same moving forward.

Flacco, 41, went 2-8 as a fill-in starter this past season, but it was an exciting 2-8 to be sure. Traded from the Browns, he threw seven touchdowns against zero interceptions in his first three games with Cincinnati, then went off for 470 yards and four touchdowns in a loss to Chicago. He’s inexpensive as stopgap backups go, so if you have a young quarterback who might not be ready, Flacco is an entertaining bridge and still happy to throw it 45 times if you need a pinch-start.

Kirk, 29, disappeared for much of the 2025 season in Houston, then flashed in the playoffs, with eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Steelers. He’d totaled 104 yards in the previous nine games, mind you, but some team will think they can bring back 2022 Kirk — 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars. He’ll likely cost a third of the $18 million a year he got on his last contract, so there’s a chance for value. Perhaps to the Colts if Alec Pierce takes a big payday elsewhere?

Allgeier, 25, has operated in the shadow of Bijan Robinson the last three years, playing second fiddle after rushing for 1,000-plus yards as a rookie in 2022. He’s averaged a good-not-great 4.3 yards per carry on the way to 719 rushing yards per season, and he’s averaged 155 carries since Robinson’s arrival, so there’s less wear on him as well. Could he land with former Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in Tampa? His 18 career touchdowns show that coaches can trust him near the goal line.

95. Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Steelers

Samuel, 26, is a tempting reclamation project, limited to 10 games over the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury, but a late-season cameo with the Steelers showed promise. Samuel once had three interceptions in one playoff game against the Jaguars, and his first three years in the league netted six interceptions and consistent play. Could he land with the Cowboys and his old Chargers position coach, Derrick Ansley?

94. Reed Blankenship, S, Eagles

Blankenship, 26, was undrafted when he first came to the Eagles and has become a three-year starter and a key piece on their 2024 Super Bowl championship team. He had seven interceptions in 2023-24 but took a step back in 2025. Will the Eagles seek change in their secondary or pay to keep him around? He re-signed a year ago for $3.5 million as a restricted free agent but should command double that now on the open market.

WIlliams, 29, averaged 110 tackles a year in his five seasons with the Jets, having just finished a three-year, $18 million contract. Would a change of scenery help him? There are potential matches in the Titans, where former Jets coach Robert Saleh is now, and the Falcons, where his defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, returns. Both had him when he was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2023, so it makes sense, given the choice, that he could return to one of them.

92. Nick Cross, S, Colts

Cross, still only 24, has had a busy past two years with the Colts, totaling 266 tackles and four interceptions. Indianapolis has bigger free agents to worry about, but Cross had success with two different coordinators and won’t break the bank, drawing $6–8 million a year. If he doesn’t stick in Indy, he’d be a smart play for the Titans, where Gus Bradley knows him well and the front office has ample cap space to rebuild their defense with young potential.

Dugger, 29, was jettisoned from the Patriots defense in a pick swap as part of their 2025 turnaround, landing with the Steelers and voiding the last two years of a four-year, $58 million deal. He started nine games in Pittsburgh with two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, so the question is what fraction of his old salary will he draw on the open market? A new coach in Pittsburgh means there isn’t an obvious landing spot for Dugger, a low-risk rebound signing.

Gardner-Johnson, 28, is such a mixed bag, with six picks each in 2022 and 2024 in Super Bowl seasons with the Eagles, but he bounced from the Texans to the Bears last year, with two picks, three sacks and inconsistent play. Giving him a valuation is difficult — is he the guy who got $9 million a year not that long ago, or the one who was cut in-season and took a league-minimum deal with the Bears? Pairing him with the right coach to get him focused and playing at a high level again is a gamble that could still pay off.

Okonwko, 26, has been good for about 50 catches and 500 yards a year, while having not-so-great quarterbacks throwing to him — Ryan Tannehill, Josh Dobbs, Will Levis, Cam Ward. Tennessee has the cap space to pay him well and keep him, but if he went to the right offense, he could get as many touchdowns in 2026 as he has in his NFL career (8). Affordably priced at around $8 million a year, remember next year that we told you he’d be much improved.

Harris, 27, is coming off a torn Achilles that ended his season with Los Angeles after only three games. There’s mileage beyond the years, thanks to averaging 278 carries a season in four straight 1,000-yard campaigns for the Steelers. He had a tepid market in free agency last year, taking $5.25 million from the Chargers, and his injury status might take a bit off that total. But if he can stay healthy, he’s a prime bounce-back candidate to return to form in 2026.

87. Greg Newsome, CB, Jaguars

Newsome, 25, played on a fifth-year option in 2025 for the Browns and was traded to the Jaguars. He only has four career interceptions in five years in the league, but has inside-outside versatility, having played extensively both outside and in the slot. Jacksonville must decide between him and fellow free agent Montaric Brown or bringing back Jourdan Lewis opposite Travis Hunter. He’s still likely to draw between $8-10 million in free agency.

86. D.J. Reader, DT, Lions

Reader, 31, just finished a two-year, $22 million contract with Detroit, starting every game as nose tackle. There’s talk he could return to Cincinnati, where he played from 2020-23, and the Bengals could use his presence up front after finishing dead last against the run and bottom three in points and yards allowed in 2025. In his prime with the Bengals, he was graded as a top-10 defensive lineman, and he’s not that anymore, but could still be a match in the $6 million range.

Robinson, 30, has played for four teams in the last two seasons, and was twice traded before finishing 2025 in Cleveland. He’s gone from franchise tags to a $12 million contract last year, and he’ll likely take less than that as he searches for some stability. He has 114 career starts, and that kind of experience makes him a known commodity, which is valuable at tackle. Could the Bears, with injury concerns for at least the start of 2026, be a good match?

Rankins, 31, has changed teams in four of the last five offseasons, but he started every game in 2025 for perhaps the best defensive front in football, so there’s a good chance he’s back with Houston. He made $5.25 million last year and should draw more this year with teams eager to poach from a dominant defense. Houston was able to bring back everyone from Demeco Ryans to defensive coordinator Matt Burke and line coach Rod Wright, so you’d think keeping Rankins will be a priority as well.

Enagbare, 26, has 11.5 sacks in four years as a rotational player in Green Bay. You can see why teams might try to mine the depth of a talented defense, trusting that the player stuck behind Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary might be able to do well in a larger role. He’ll likely draw about $6 million a year, which projects as a team’s third rusher, but the former fifth-round pick has exceeded expectations before — could he follow Jeff Hafley to the Dolphins?

Stokes, 26, was a first-round pick of the Packers who never worked out in Green Bay, inconsistent and oft-injured. But he got a fresh start in Las Vegas on a one-year, $4 million prove-it deal and started 16 games, playing well enough to be ranked as the No. 19 corner by Pro Football Focus’ grading. The Raiders have the second-most available cap space, so it’s hard to imagine them letting their best defensive back go, though it’ll likely cost them double what it did a year ago.

Allen, 33, returned to the Chargers in 2025 and still found a way to get 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns. He’s easing into WR3 mode, but has a résumé with 1,000-plus catches and 70 career touchdowns, so he’s a good fit for a team looking for a veteran mentor to pair with a young receiver. That could mean staying with the Chargers, but he’d be a nice value match for the Saints, who could use another playmaker and have Kellen Moore, who had him in 2023.

Anzalone, 31, has had a productive five-year run in the middle of Detroit’s defense, averaging 14 starts and 98 tackles per year. He’s done it inexpensively, making $6 million a year on his last deal. Could his time with the Lions be up? Seems he could land with Aaron Glenn and the Jets if that is the case — Glenn was with him for four of those years in Detroit and arguably his best.

79. Josh Jobe, CB, Seahawks

Jobe, 27, was cut by the Eagles before the 2024 season, landed on Seattle’s practice squad and has quickly ascended to an every-game starter in a talented secondary. He re-signed this season for $2 million, but will be closer to $10 million on his next deal as other teams seek to crib from the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense. Two Super Bowls in four seasons doesn’t hurt. Seattle has difficult decisions ahead in their secondary in free agency.

Williams, 28, has been limited by knee and shoulder injuries to 15 games over the last two seasons, so his durability is a question mark, but he’s coming off a two-year, $30 million contract and is now probably in the $8-10 million range. He missed only two games in his final three years with the Bengals, so he’s had consistent runs of good health before. A new coach in Arizona means he could be on the move, though the Cardinals have ~$40 million in available cap space.

77. Cam Jordan, DE, Saints

Jordan, 36, had a nice bounce-back season in 2025, getting 10.5 sacks after totaling six in the previous two years. He’s a lifelong Saint and likely isn’t going anywhere, but his continued production at an age where most edge rushers are long since retired is enough to put him on this list. He played on a cap-friendly $6 million contract last year and is likely to re-sign for much the same. He’s up to 132 career sacks, so his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a given.

76. Montaric Brown, CB, Jaguars

Brown, 26, is a former seventh-round pick whose role in Jacksonville has increased with each season, such that he was Pro Football Focus’ 26th-rated corner in 2025. The Jaguars have a young secondary, so Brown might be best served by signing elsewhere — he had two interceptions and 12 passes defensed last season. With luck, he’ll make twice as much per season as he’s totaled in his first four years in the league.

Onyemata, 33, has had a strong three years in Atlanta, with a career-best 62 tackles as part of an improved Falcons defense in 2025. He took a leadership role after Grady Jarrett’s departure and after three years and $35 million, he’ll likely draw less, but only as a factor of being older. This was Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 defensive tackle, and don’t rule out him going to a top contender, with only one conference championship appearance in his 10 years in the league.

Otton, 26, has played a ton for the Bucs, with at least 92% of offensive snaps in each of the last three years. He’s averaged 52 catches and 500 yards in Tampa, but he’s also totaled only 11 touchdowns, getting his lone score of 2025 in the season finale. The Bucs have precious little else at the position, so if they let him walk rather than pay $8 million a year or more, they’d have to invest in a proper replacement, either in free agency with limited options or in the draft. Jacksonville? A Liam Coen reunion might make sense.

Diggs, 27, is a wild card on this list, two years removed from making $19 million a year, yet a player who was cut by the Cowboys and Packers at the end of this past season. He has an 11-interception season on his résumé, but went all of 2025 without so much as a pass defensed. He’s worth a shot for a team that doesn’t have to rely on him as an every-down corner, but what kind of contract does that yield? Spotrac has him at $7.5 million, which still seems like a big investment on a prove-it deal.

Mariota, 32, is a good indication of just how slim the quarterback options are in free agency. He went 2-6 this year for Washington and is 9-17 as a starter since 2019, yet he’s the third- or fourth-best passer available. He had 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 2025, and the hope is that your backup quarterback can help you go .500 while a starter is out, but he hasn’t been there in a while. He made $8 million this past season and is probably down a tick from that. Maybe he follows Kliff Kingsbury and becomes the Rams’ next backup quarterback?

Wilson, 37, has fallen hard over the last three years, going from a $40 million starter in Denver to barely playing on a bad Giants team. He went 0-3 as a New York starter, and after making $10 million this past season, he might draw half that. His best scenario is likely a bridge starter who goes to a team with a young starter so they don’t have to rush him. Go back to 2024, he had 16 touchdowns against five interceptions while going 6-5 for the Steelers, and that’s the hope for a team that brings him in as a stopgap.

White, 27, is a versatile back who’s averaged just over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 50 catches a year in Tampa. He took a backseat to Bucky Irving and won’t be returning, but could be the lesser end of a nice 1-2 punch. The Bucs have lost enough offensive coordinators that he could follow any of them, from Dave Canales in Carolina to Liam Coen in Jacksonville and Josh Grizzard in Philadelphia. Anything over $5 million a year feels like too much — of 35 backs with 500-plus carries since 2022, he ranks 34th in yards/carry, ahead of only Kareem Hunt.

Ebiketie, 27, got pushed aside with Atlanta using two first-round picks on rookie edge rushers in 2025. After 12 sacks in 2023-24, he managed just two, even as the Falcons’ defense leaped from 31 sacks to 57 in 2025. That’s not to say he can’t get back to a solid rotational role in a fresh start — could he follow Raheem Morris to San Francisco, or reunite with Ryan Nielsen in Minnesota? A one-year deal in the $6-8 million range would let him reset himself for 2027.

Thompson, 27, is a five-year starter who’s consistently good but rarely great. He has nine interceptions in his career but none in the last two years, two career sacks, but averages 100 tackles a year over those last five seasons. Pro Football Focus has him graded as the No. 35 safety, but that’s enough to get him $8-10 million a year. If he isn’t back with Arizona, he could reunite with former Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph in Denver.

Dobbins, 27, seems perpetually limited by injuries. He had rushed for 772 yards in 10 games for Denver when he sustained a season-ending Lisfranc injury in his foot. He had 60+ rushing yards in all but one game, averaging 5.0 yards per carry, so if a team could just get him healthy for a full season, you’d have a Pro Bowl-caliber running back. He cost Denver only $2.75 million last year, and it might take until summer when he can show he’s recovered, but he should land more than that for 2026.

Chenal, 25, isn’t an every-down linebacker, but he’s stout against the run and improving as a pass-rusher. He’s totaled seven sacks in four years under Steve Spagnuolo and averaged 55 tackles a year. Would another defense try to develop his coverage skills to make him someone who doesn’t have to come off the field in nickel or obvious passing situations? He’s had a tackle for loss in three different Super Bowls, so his experience doesn’t hurt if you’re trying to create a playoff culture in the locker room.

65. Kaden Elliss, edge rusher, Falcons

Elliss, 30, is a productive linebacker who blitzes well, with 19.5 sacks in the last four years, the last three in Atlanta. He’s always been able to pile up tackles, and has 29 tackles for loss with the Falcons, who brought back defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. He was a smart signing away from the Saints in 2023 for a reasonable $21 million, and probably lands a similar deal whether it’s back to Atlanta, or maybe reunite with Sean Payton in Denver, where he could play with his brother Jonah, an outside linebacker.

Engram, who turns 27 next week, did so much in a contract year to improve his market after being traded from the Vikings to the Texans for a sixth-round pick. After being rated as Pro Football Focus’ 66th-best guard in 2024, he was 12th in their rankings for 2025, with 55 starts in four seasons. That’s good for at least $10 million a year, and knowing the Texans went through a major offensive line rebuild already, they would do well to keep him if possible.

Teller, 31, has been to three Pro Bowls and just finished a four-year deal paying him $14 million a year. He was rated as the top guard in football when he got that deal, but he’s been closer to average of late: Pro Football Focus had him 40th out of 80 guards in 2025. Cleveland rotated him before putting him on injured reserve, an awkward ending that might keep him from following Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees to Atlanta. He was in Cleveland for Todd Monken’s first stint with the Browns, so perhaps that helps him stay another year.

Clowney, turning 33 next week, is a unicorn of a late-bloomer edge rusher, a former No. 1 overall pick who has played for seven teams in the last eight seasons and somehow has more sacks in his last five years (34.5) than he did in his first seven (32). That includes 8.5 sacks this season for Dallas as an absolute bargain, costing them all of $3.45 million. He might cost a little more this time around, but it’s still smart value for any team looking for reliable veteran depth and surprisingly good production.

David, 36, could be retiring, having finished his 14th season tied with Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks for the Bucs’ career tackles lead. This opens a subsection we’ll call “ageless linebackers” — David was a step slower in 2025, but still led the team with 114 tackles, chipping in with 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pick. He’s had an iconic run in Tampa and is only choosing between retiring and returning. To hear him talk on the podium after his final game, he sounded content to walk away with a prolific, memorable career.

Davis, still going at 37, managed to set a career high with 143 tackles for the Saints in 2025. He’s at an age where linebackers rarely exist, let alone play as actively as he does, and he’s hinted he’ll not only play again but test the free-agent waters. Davis deserves to finish with a contender — 227 career regular-season games but only five in the playoffs, and two wins at that. He’s had six straight seasons with at least 1,000 defensive snaps, a model of durability at a demanding position.

Wagner, 35, is also years past people saying it’s amazing he was still playing. He had 162 tackles for Washington in 2025, with 4.5 sacks and two interceptions, missing Pro Bowl honors (he’s made it 10 times already). A new coordinator for the Commanders could mean Wagner is signing elsewhere, a future Hall of Famer still making plays on a consistent basis. Could he return to the Seahawks or Rams and try to chase a second ring on the way out?

58. Al-Quadin Muhammad, edge rusher, Lions

Muhammad, 30, had the most sacks of any impending free agent in 2025 with 11, all off the bench as a productive rotational player in Detroit. He had six sacks for the Colts in 2021, but has otherwise wandered around the league unremarkably. Could he be a double-digit sack guy in another scheme? If he doesn’t go back to Detroit, could he land with Aaron Glenn and the Jets, who have much more cap space to pay him, say, $7-8 million a year?

Dowdle, 27, has had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Cowboys and Panthers — nearly identical years, within 3 yards and one carry of each other, with the exact same number of catches. He had a lukewarm market a year ago and signed for $2.75 million with Carolina, but doubled his pay by cashing out another $2.75 million in incentives. Carolina leaning on Chuba Hubbard down the stretch could have him signing elsewhere. Would Mike McCarthy like him for a Dallas reunion in Pittsburgh?

56. Dre’Mont Jones, edge rusher, Ravens

Jones, 29, split last season between the Titans and Ravens and reset his career high with seven sacks. He’s been a consistent rotational disruptor bouncing through four teams in seven years, averaging just over five sacks a season. With the coaching change, he could land with John Harbaugh and the Giants, could go back to Seattle with Mike Macdonald, and should get a bump from the $8.5 million salary he earned in 2025.

Goedert, 31, probably isn’t going anywhere — he’s played his eight-year career in Philadelphia, and more than doubled his career high with 11 touchdowns in 2025. He’s a reliable target on a team that lacks depth at receiver, so his steady mid-level production (between 40 and 60 catches for the last seven years) is a constant even as the Eagles change offensive coordinators every year. He restructured to a $10 million deal last year and will likely take less to return for 2026.

Bush, 27, found himself this past year in Cleveland, filling up the stat sheet with 125 tackles, three picks (two returned for touchdowns), two sacks and two forced fumbles. Once the 10th overall draft pick with the Steelers, his play there dropped off after a promising rookie year. He made $3.2 million with the Browns and should be a coveted free agent. Pro Football Focus is high on him, ranking him as the No. 8 overall free agent and projecting $12 million a year.

53. Kwity Paye, edge rusher, Colts

Paye, 27, had only four sacks in a disappointing 2025 after totaling 16.5 between 2023-24, a former first-round pick who managed to play a career-high in snaps while matching his career lows in sacks and tackles for loss. Will he have a market based on the production he showed in previous seasons? Perhaps. Spotrac has him generously at $17.8 million a year, but he’s not expected back with the Colts — there’s a chance he could reunite with Indy defensive coordinator Gus Bradley with the Titans.

Campbell, 39, is ageless, now with four straight seasons of at least five sacks while playing for four different teams. He’s a living legend, with 119 career sacks and six Pro Bowls. He made it to the Super Bowl as a rookie in 2008 with the Cardinals — 17 years ago — and how cool would it be if he signed on with a top contender and found his way back, turning 40 before the season starts in September? He signed for $5.5 million last year, and if a 40-year-old defensive lineman can make a case for a raise, Campbell can.

Hawkins, 28, a surprise success in the New England secondary, signed for a paltry $1.8 million. He had four interceptions — matching his career total in his first five seasons, and had 71 tackles as a reliable presence on the back end. It’s only his second season as a full-time starter, but defenses will want to pluck talent from New England’s Super Bowl roster, so he should be able draw $8-10 million a year, whether he returns or signs elsewhere.

Johnson, 26, is difficult to assess, a former first-round pick whose fifth-year option was declined a year ago (at a hefty cost of $17.6 million), a solid run blocker who struggled in pass protection. The Chargers played most of 2025 without either of their stellar starting tackles, but before they get them back, they’ll have to decide on whether it’s worth spending to keep interior players like Johnson. Los Angeles has ample cap space, so it could come down to whether new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel sees him as a fit.

Dean, 29, had one of the league’s more remarkable seasons, agreeing to an $8 million pay cut to stay in Tampa, then having a huge season with three interceptions and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus loves him, rating him as the NFL’s No. 5 cornerback for 2025 and ranking him as the No. 5 overall free agent at any position. He could draw his old Bucs salary of $12 million a year as a free agent, but he’s only played for Todd Bowles in Tampa and likes it there, so there’s no telling what he’ll do.

48. Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Giants

Robinson, 25, is a volume receiver. Only five receivers in the league have more targets in the last two seasons than his 280, and while the other five average 18 touchdown catches in that span, Robinson has just seven. So he’s coming off a 1,014-yard season with 90 catches, but only 42% of those catches resulted in a first down. There are lofty projections out there for Robinson. Spotrac has him getting $15 million a year, but that’s a lot for someone with nine career touchdowns on 389 targets.

47. K’Lavon Chaisson, edge rusher, Patriots

Chaisson, 26, is one of the league’s best comeback stories of 2025. A first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2020, he totaled five sacks in four years, got cut by the Panthers before the 2024 season and salvaged five sacks with the Raiders. That got him a one-year, $3 million deal with the Patriots, and he’s came through with 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for a defense good enough to get to the Super Bowl. He wants to stay in New England, and could triple his 2025 salary in doing so.

46. Kamren Curl, S, Rams

Curl, 26, was a steal for the Rams two years ago at $4.5 million a year. He finished second on the team with 122 tackles in the regular season and led them in the playoffs with 27. He’s missed two games in the last three years and stands to earn double what he got on his last contract. Los Angeles has enough cap space and not that many free agents, so it should be able to bring him back as an ascending leader on their defense.

Bitonio, 34, could very well retire. He’s up to 178 career starts over 12 seasons, missing just two games over the last five years. That consistency and durability helped him to seven straight Pro Bowls from 2018-24. Only two career playoff games, no wins, so you’d understand it if he went to a strong contender just to chase a ring at the end of his career. He made $16 million a year on the deal he just finished, but should command less than that now with some inevitable dropoff. Pro Football Focus rated him 21st among guards.

44. Kevin Byard, S, Bears

Byard, 32, led the NFL with seven interceptions. He also led the league in 2017, and this year earned him not only his third Pro Bowl but his third first-team All-Pro honor as well. He went to Chicago on a two-year, $15 million deal and probably will get a bit less than that on age, but he set the tone on a defense predicated on takeaways, so keeping him on a one-year deal wouldn’t be bad at all for the Bears, who won’t be able to keep their talented secondary intact.

Taylor, 27, will be a good test for whether the Saints, finally out of the salary-cap hell they’ve been stuck in for years, can keep their best homegrown players. Taylor was a second-round pick who held up well once the veterans in the New Orleans secondary moved on — two interceptions in 2025, six sacks over the last two years and at least 10 passes defensed in all four seasons. Was a second-half surge enough to convince Taylor he wants to help the Saints continue their growth?

Tucker, 26, missed all of 2025 with a torn triceps muscle, and his injury history — playing 43 of a possible 85 games in five years — makes it hard to project a market for him. Pro Football Focus had him as the league’s No. 11 guard entering 2025, and even coming off the injury, they project him to a four-year deal worth $70 million. That’s $17.5 million a year. It’s reasonable to think he’ll come in short of that, if only because of the injury problems that have ended three of his last four seasons early.

41. Cade Mays, C, Panthers

Mays, 26, settled in with 12 starts in 2025, after totaling 15 in his first three years in Carolina. The Panthers are already heavily invested at guard, so if his market gets as high as some are projecting — $10-12 million a year — then Carolina might reset with a rookie at center and focus their limited cap space elsewhere. This year’s center class in free agency has a lot of good-not-great options, so finding the right match in that middle-tier financial range will be important.

Williams, 25, had a breakout year as a free-agent bargain for the Cowboys, rushing for a career-best 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns and averaging 4.8 yards per carry, a full yard better than the previous year with the Broncos. He went to Dallas on a one-year, $3 million deal, but could get double that this time around, with good pass-catching abilities, averaging 38 receptions per season. Dallas is well over the cap, so it may have a fourth leading rusher in four seasons in 2026.

Njoku, 29, is coming off a down year — 33 catches for 293 yards, both his lowest totals in five seasons, with four touchdowns and a mishmash of quarterbacks old and young throwing to him. After nine seasons, it’s fair to ask if he’s a Brown for life — if he chose to sign elsewhere, Cleveland’s offensive staff is now in Atlanta, where he could be seen as a cheaper alternative to paying Kyle Pitts. He made $14 million a year on his last deal with the Browns, but is likely down to the $8-10 million a year range on his next contract.

Samuel, 30, has seen his value decline. After being traded from San Francisco to Washington, he agreed to a lesser deal worth $17 million. His one-year production for the Commanders was lackluster: 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns. The same player who once led the league at 18.2 yards per catch averaged a career-low 10.1 in 2025, and the versatile playmaker who once rushed for 365 yards and eight touchdowns was barely used as a ballcarrier, getting 75 yards and a single score. Can a creative offensive mind get more out of his skill set? Perhaps, but it’s likely he’ll get less this time around, closer to $12-14 million a year.

Kelce, 36, is retiring, right? That’s certainly the presumption. He’s made 11 straight Pro Bowls, even as his production has dropped off — his targets and catches hit 10-year lows in 2025, and he’s totaled 13 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Again, it’s OK — he’s 36 years old, but you really haven’t known Patrick Mahomes without having Kelce to throw to as a core part of their dynastic run over the last decade.

Franklin-Myers, 29, has reset his career high for sacks in each of two seasons in Denver, getting seven in 2024 and now 7.5 this past season. That’s solid production from a two-year, $15 million deal, and he’ll get more than that this time around as a key cog on a top-five defense that helped the Broncos to the AFC Championship Game. If he doesn’t stay in Denver, keep an eye on Atlanta, where defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich had him with the Jets.

Mafe, 27, has seen his sack totals go down sharply in the last two years, from nine in 2023 to six in 2024 and just two in 2025. Seattle’s defense was outstanding, giving up the fewest points in the league, and Mafe is an undervalued part of that front. ESPN has a “pass rush win rate” statistic, and Mafe had the eighth-best pass rush win rate in the NFL, just two spots below the Browns’ Myles Garrett. Seattle has plenty of cap space to bring him back, but if it doesn’t, keep an eye on the Raiders, who are hiring Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Seumalo, 32, graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 16 guard as he wrapped up a three-year, $24 million deal. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024, so the question is whether he can command more at 32 than he did at 29. Does a coaching change in Pittsburgh impact his likelihood to return there? Mike Tomlin is out of football, and Arthur Smith went to the college ranks, but one option is his line coach, Pat Meyer, who is now in Buffalo and might need a reliable guard if David Edwards signs elsewhere.

33. Riq Woolen, CB, Seahawks

Woolen, 26, led the NFL with six interceptions as a rookie in 2022, making the Pro Bowl, and he’s totaled six over the last three seasons in helping the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Seattle has plenty of cap space but can’t keep them all. Woolen has 10-plus passes defended in each of his four NFL seasons. Projections for his next deal are all over the map. Spotrac has him at $8 million, PFF has him at $15 million and others think he could draw more than that.

Dean, 25, has been limited by injuries throughout four seasons in Philadelphia. His peak was 128 tackles in 2024 in a Super Bowl season for the Eagles, though a knee injury sidelined him for most of the playoffs and through the first month of this season. He can get to the quarterback — seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss in the last two seasons — but his durability is a question mark. The Eagles used a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell last year, so maybe they’ve already decided on Dean’s future. How much can Dean get as a free agent? There’s a wide range of projections, but he’s likely in the $8 million a year vicinity.

31. Jaquan Brisker, S, Bears

Brisker, 26, got healthy again in 2025, piling up 93 tackles in a vastly improved Bears secondary. Chicago has major decisions to make on who to keep in that group and who to let go, with Brisker and veteran safety Kevin Byard both free agents. Will teams make a big investment in a player who’s had three concussions? Will the Bears lean into Byard at age 32 because his ball skills fit in better with the nature of their defense?

30. Isaiah Likely, TE, Ravens

Likely, 25, had 11 touchdowns between 2023-24 but dropped off this past season, getting 27 catches for 307 yards and a single touchdown. Baltimore opted to extend Mark Andrews, so their investment in the position was there, but Likely has good opportunities if he wants to sign elsewhere. He could follow John Harbaugh to the Giants or former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to the Browns, and he might want a one-year deal ($8 million or so) for the chance to reset himself as a top-of-market free agent in 2027.

Cook, 26, is the model for low-key under-the-radar coverage skills without splash plays. He has three interceptions in four seasons in Kansas City, one sack and zero forced fumbles, but he’s solid and consistent enough as a defender to be Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 safety in 2025. What’s tricky is the Chiefs have the least cap space of any NFL team, so they’re going to have to let talented young players walk and must prioritize which, if any, they’re able to extend.

28. David Edwards, G, Bills

Edwards, 28, has been a bargain for the Bills the last two years, starting at guard while making $6 million for two years. He’ll cost significantly more as a free agent, with some projections close to $20 million a year. Does Buffalo promoting Joe Brady to head coach make them more likely to want to keep their offensive line intact? It’ll be expensive to keep them all, so it’s possible they’ll re-sign one of their two free-agent starters and use the draft to replace the other.

Watson, 27, is a former seventh-round pick who thrived in his first year as a full-time starter in 2025. He had two interceptions after just one in his first three seasons, and finished with 64 tackles. Pro Football Focus has him as their No. 13 corner, one spot behind teammate Trent McDuffie, who is due to make $13 million on his fifth-year option. Could Watson draw a similar salary on a multi-year deal? Kansas City is way over the salary cap, so this is an opportunity to grab a young defender with significant postseason experience, with two picks in 10 career playoff games.

26. Joey Bosa, edge rusher, Bills

Bosa, 30, had only five sacks in a healthy first season in Buffalo, but he did lead the NFL with five forced fumbles. He should get a deal similar to the $12.6 million he got a year ago. With two playoff wins in 10 years in the league, might he consider taking less to join his brother Nick with the 49ers and try to make a meaningful postseason push? Buffalo is over the cap as it is, so it might look to go younger rather than bringing Bosa back.

Smith, 29, is about as tenured as you can be without a single Pro Bowl — eight years and 105 career starts in Indianapolis, and he’s just finished a four-year, $70 million deal. Third contracts are rarely as lucrative as second deals are, and Smith has missed 16 games over the last three years, so durability is a concern. If he’s still drawing $12 million a year or more, the Colts could turn to Jalen Travis, a 2025 fourth-round pick who stepped in for Smith at the end of this season.

McGovern, 28, reads much like his linemate Edwards. Buffalo has gotten 51 starts from him in three years for $22 million, total. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024, but now it will cost much more to extend, likely $15 million a year or more. The Bills didn’t draft McGovern or Edwards, but did well enough identifying them on the thrifty second contracts; they got reliable, inexpensive play from them. Replacing one or both with similar value signings won’t be easy.

Doubs, 25, has had steady mid-level production in Green Bay, averaging 50 catches, 600 yards and five touchdowns a year in his four seasons there. He stepped up in the playoff loss with eight catches for 124 yards and a score — finding value in a No. 2 receiver can be tough, and he’s likely to come in the $12-15 million range, above the $11 million extension Christian Watson signed for last year. By Pro Football Reference’s “Approximate Value” metric, the top two picks of the 2022 fourth round were both Packers, in Doubs and tackle Zach Tom, already signed to a nice extension.

Mack, 34, is another year removed from a 17-sack season in 2023, dropping to six sacks in 2024 and 5.5 this past season, playing 12 games due to an elbow injury. His 12-year career divides neatly into three four-year runs with the Raiders, Bears and Chargers, and it’s impressive he had more sacks with the Chargers than in Chicago. He earned $18 million last year, but that figure should drop as his production has, at an age where few edge rushers are still going.

Walker, 25, does a bit of everything for Green Bay — four straight 100-tackle seasons, including 128 this past year, and he’s active in the opposing backfield with nine career sacks and 29 tackles for loss. The Packers declined his fifth-year option, opting not to pay him $14.7 million in 2026, and he’ll likely get about $10 million a year. Pro Football Focus doesn’t think much of him, ranking him 76th among NFL linebackers, with his pass coverage skills bringing him down.

20. Travis Etienne, RB, Jaguars

Etienne, 27, has been a steady run presence in the last four years in Jacksonville, rushing for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Keeping him will mean a nice raise — let’s say $8 million a year — but the Jaguars were pleased with fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten in limited use this past season. Using the franchise tag at $14.5 million seems too expensive at a position where there isn’t much guaranteed money beyond the first year on many contracts.

19. Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons

Pitts, 25, stepped up in a contract year with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns — his touchdown total has increased every year — 1-2-3-4-5 in five seasons. Was that success more telling of Atlanta’s absence of any real receiving depth? He’ll be the top tight end available, which should get him $12–14 million a year, though the Falcons could hedge their bet and give him the franchise tag, which is $16 million for one season. Upgrading the receiving talent in Atlanta is a must, with new coach Kevin Stefanski needing more weapons in the pass game.

18. Jauan Jennings, WR, 49ers

Jennings, 28, could benefit as San Francisco is expected to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, who missed 2025 recovering from a major knee injury. The 49ers’ receiving corps has underwhelmed — Jennings has 15 touchdown catches over the last two seasons, but he also totaled 643 yards this season on 90 targets, ranking 55th among NFL receivers in yards/target. If he’s getting more than $20 million a year, could he price himself out of San Francisco’s budget?

Walker, who turns 26 this week, is a former seventh-round pick who developed into a three-year starter at left tackle for the Packers, protecting Jordan Love’s blind side. He isn’t great — Pro Football Focus rated him as the NFL’s No. 54 tackle last season — but he’s consistent and experienced enough to merit $20 million a year in free agency. It’s possible Green Bay will let him walk and shift 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan into his spot.

Shaheed, 27, was electric after Seattle acquired him from the Saints at the trade deadline — the only NFL player with a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown, adding another kickoff touchdown in the playoffs. His receiving skills — 59 catches for 687 yards and two touchdowns — are a nice bonus, and Seattle will have tough decisions on which impending free agents ig can afford to keep. He’s likely to draw $15 million a year from a team that values a return threat and can use him creatively on offense as well.

Evans, 32, has a Hall of Fame résumé already with 108 career touchdown catches, so this is a three-way fork — does he retire at 32, coming off a year when he played only eight games due to hamstring and collarbone injuries? Does he come back and try to help the Bucs to one more playoff berth after a down 2025? Or if the outside offers are compelling enough, does he finish his career elsewhere? He made $20.5 million a year on his last deal, but Spotrac only has him projected to $13 million for 2026. It’s likely he finishes his career with the Bucs, but leave open the slim chance he goes somewhere like Houston, close to his hometown of Galveston, with a strong contender he could help.

14. Coby Bryant, S, Seahawks

Bryant, 26, is another part of Seattle’s amazing 2022 draft class, a fourth-rounder who has deftly shifted from corner to safety and has seven interceptions in the last two seasons. Like any Super Bowl team, the Seahawks will be hard-pressed to keep all of their young talents coming off rookie contracts. It might be a choice between Bryant at $12-14 million a year over their young corners. We have Seattle with five free agents in the top 50, and that could increase with success in the Super Bowl.

Wright, 27, helped himself in 2025 as much as any player, going to the Bears on a league-minimum $1.1 million contract with one interception and three starts in four NFL seasons. He was a ballhawk on one of the NFL’s best takeaway defenses — five interceptions and two forced fumbles, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. Chicago is over the salary cap right now, and Wright could end up the high-dollar corner in this not-particularly-deep class, drawing $16 million a year or more.

Rodgers, 42, is likely deciding between retiring and returning for a 22nd NFL season, especially with his longtime Packers coach, Mike McCarthy, taking over in Pittsburgh. Rodgers hasn’t made a Pro Bowl in the last four years, but his 2025 numbers (24 touchdowns, seven interceptions) weren’t bad. If he’s willing to come back on a team-friendly deal like the one-year, $14 million deal he played on last season, he’s in a good position to help Pittsburgh compete in a wide-open AFC North in 2026 — with 13 touchdown passes, he’ll pass Peyton Manning for third in NFL history.

Hall, still just 24, has been a solid back on bad Jets teams, rushing for a career-best 1,065 yards in 2025. New York has ample cap space and traded away some of their best players last year in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams — will it be willing to overpay to keep him around? Hall has only 18 rushing touchdowns in four NFL seasons, but as the featured back on a more talented offense, he could get that in two years easily. He’ll challenge Walker for the high-dollar back in this free-agent class, north of $10 million a year.

Phillips, 26, got traded at the deadline when the Dolphins decided they weren’t going to be able to keep him, but it was an underwhelming 2025 — two sacks in eight games with the Eagles after three sacks in nine games with the Dolphins. He’s had injury concerns in the past and has 28 total sacks in five NFL seasons, peaking with 8.5 as a rookie in 2021. Phillips’ pressure rates were solid and he’s drawn praise from Vic Fangio. Could a one-year, $15 million deal get it done and allow him to reset himself at a higher value in 2027?

Willis, 26, may be the hardest free agent to ballpark in terms of how much money he’ll get. There’s an absolute lack of quality quarterbacks available, combined with a weak QB draft class, so teams without an obvious starter may overpay here. Willis has only six career starts, but his work in Green Bay has been promising — six touchdowns, zero interceptions over the last two years, with a 79%% completion percentage. Could he be a match for former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, seeking a reasonably priced answer he can build around in Miami? You’ll see him projected for a Justin Fields-type deal, like two years and $40 million.

Pierce, 25, is arguably the NFL’s best deep-threat receiver, leading the league in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. He topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, and four touchdowns in the last three games helped his market a bit. The Colts have a handful of top free agents and won’t be able to keep them all. Pierce is likely to command $20 million a year as an underrated player who could be utilized more — Ja’Marr Chase had 101 more targets in 2025 than Pierce did, but only 409 more yards than the Colts wide receiver.

7. Odafe Oweh, edge rusher, Chargers

Oweh, 27, benefited from a change in scenery at the trade deadline, stepping up with 7.5 sacks in 12 games after getting dealt from the Ravens to the Chargers. Los Angeles has close to $100 million in cap space, so keeping him shouldn’t be a problem — by coincidence, one potential suitor would be the Ravens, who now have Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Nobody has more cap space than the Titans and landing an elite pass rusher should be high on their list, so bidding could get high if Oweh is deemed the best of the under-30 edge options.

6. Kenneth Walker, RB, Seahawks

Walker, 25, ramped it up in the playoffs with four touchdowns before running his way to Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 1,027 yards in the regular season. Seattle was a good bet to extend him already, but the injury to Zach Charbonnet should make that more of a priority. Can he clear $10 million a year on a new contract? The Seahawks are a Super Bowl team still somehow ranked in the top five in available cap space for 2026, so it’s hard to imagine them not paying to bring him back as a central part of their offense moving forward.

Linderbaum, 25, has been to three straight Pro Bowls and was PFF’s No. 4 center in 2025. The Ravens had declined his fifth-year option, pricey at $24 million or so, and while he’s likely the highest-paid offensive lineman in free agency, that should be at less than $20 million a year. The league’s top-paid center right now is the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey at $18 million a year, so he’ll likely want to trump that. With coaching changes, will he stay in Baltimore, or look at joining John Harbaugh with the Giants or Todd Monken with the Browns?

Hendrickson, 31, doesn’t have the luster he had a year ago. Instead of coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons and four straight Pro Bowls, he’s now coming off core muscle surgery in December that limited him to four sacks in seven games in 2025. He got a one-year, $29 million deal from the Bengals last year, but isn’t likely to draw as much this time around. ESPN has him as the league’s No. 1 overall free agent, but will he get more than one year guaranteed, and at much more than $20 million a year? He needs 19 sacks to reach 100 for his career and could easily get that in two more healthy seasons.

Lloyd, 27, broke out as the big-play leader of a ballhawking Jaguars defense, getting five interceptions, including a 99-yard pick-six off Patrick Mahomes. Jacksonville is over the cap as it stands, but he would be an offseason priority — he’s likely to get a deal that will pay him as one of the top five linebackers in the NFL, say at $18 million a year. The Jaguars were able to retain both coordinators after a huge turnaround in Liam Coen’s first season, so keeping their defensive core intact would make sense, even at a decent cost here.

Jones, 28, was one of the best stories of the first half of 2025, leading the Colts to a 7-2 record before things went downhill — Indianapolis missed the playoffs and Jones sustained a season-ending tear to his Achilles tendon in early December. He had 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions and over 3,000 passing yards before the injury. Indianapolis is committed to him as their quarterback moving forward, but what kind of contract is that? Spotrac projects a four-year, $178 million contract (about $44 million a year), though the injury may make them hesitant to guarantee a substantial portion of that.

Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He’s due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don’t want to invest more in Pickens. He’s averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0.

BONUS! TOP 10 RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

The top 100 were all unrestricted free agents, but we want to throw a bone to the restricted free agents, who are tendered by their original teams, allowing other teams to make an offer sheet that the original team can choose to match or sometimes get draft-pick compensation from the new team. That rarely happens, but here are the top 10 RFA talents worth keeping an eye on

10. Chad Ryland, K, Cardinals

9. Jake Browning, QB, Bengals

8. Sean Tucker, RB, Buccaneers

7. Ivan Pace, LB, Vikings

6. Jake Tonges, TE, 49ers

5. Jack Gibbens, LB, Patriots

4. Emanuel Wilson, RB, Packers

3. John Metchie, WR, Jets

2. Ja’Quan McMillian, CB, Broncos

1. Brandon Aubrey, K, Cowboys