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With the NFL franchise tag deadline having come and gone, only two players received the tag — and they just so happened to be Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith, the top two free agents on our initial list.
Additionally, the Los Angeles Rams extended left tackle Alaric Jackson (No. 11 on the initial list) on a three-year, $57 million deal, while the Dallas Cowboys reached a four-year, $80 million contract extension with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, who was No. 6 on the initial list.
As we approach the beginning of the “tampering” period of free agency on March 10, here are the top 25 overall free agents for this offseason.
25. Detroit Lions CB Carlton Davis
Davis had a stretch earlier in his career in which he was one of the NFL’s better cornerbacks, and last season with the Lions he finished 21st among NFL cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus’ grades. He will turn 29 on Dec. 31 but should still be a strong starter.
24. Kansas City Chiefs S Justin Reid
Reid would be a very good veteran fit for many defenses. He was a very good playmaking fit in Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defense, and at 28 years old he should still have a few prime seasons left.
23. Seattle Seahawks LB Ernest Jones
Jones was traded twice last season, first from the Rams to the Titans and then the Titans traded him to the Seahawks. In Seattle, Jones took off. He was a great fit in the Seahawks’ scheme, posting 94 tackles in 10 games. He’s a playmaker at linebacker and just 25 years old.
22. Raiders S Tre’Von Moehrig
Moehrig, a former second-round draft pick, was a durable four-year starter for the Raiders. He had 104 tackles last season and added a couple of interceptions.
21. 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw
Greenlaw tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, then had a memorable return with eight tackles vs. the Rams late in the season. He suffered a calf injury in the next game and that was it for his season. Greenlaw has been an excellent linebacker, but now his injury history has to be accounted for.
20. Jets DE Haason Reddick
That was an interesting year for Reddick. He refused to report after the Jets traded for him, eventually played with the team on a restructured contract, and had only one sack. If teams can ignore that drama, Reddick will be just 31 this season and had double-digit sacks each season from 2020-23, including two Pro Bowl selections in 2022 and 2023.
19. Texans WR Stefon Diggs
Houston oddly restructured Diggs’ deal right after trading for him, allowing him to become a free agent this year. Unfortunately for Diggs, he tore his ACL in Week 8. That injury, coupled with his age (he’ll turn 32 in November) makes him a risky signing despite his productive past.
18. Chargers DE Khalil Mack
Mack reportedly considered retirement as he’s about to turn 34, but decided to return. He’ll get another nice payday. Mack, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, had six sacks last season and made his ninth Pro Bowl.
17. Bills WR Amari Cooper
Cooper was hurt with the Bills and maybe that’s why he was not a big part of the offense, with 297 yards in eight games. He will be 31 in June but had a 1,250-yard season in 2023 and has been consistently productive. Teams have to figure out if 2024 was the first sign of a major slide.
16. Jets QB Aaron Rodgers
We haven’t heard definitively if Rodgers wants to play. If he does, there will be interest from teams even as he’s set to turn 42 in December. Rodgers played pretty well late last season and while he’s no longer at an MVP level, he’ll be better than some other starting QBs around the league in Week 1.
15. 49ers CB Charvarius Ward
Ward already cashed in big once in free agency when he moved from the Chiefs to the 49ers in 2022. He won’t replicate the three-year, $40.5 million deal he got then. He’s still on the right side of 30 years old and should have productive seasons left.
14. Colts G Will Fries
Fries developed into an excellent guard as a strong run blocker and a good pass protector. In Week 5 last season he suffered a gruesome fracture to his tibia. He should still be coveted in free agency, but the injury might keep teams from overpaying.
13. Eagles G Mekhi Becton
Becton blossomed last season. The former Jets first-round draft pick had a strong season at guard for the Super Bowl champion Eagles, starting every game and helping Saquon Barkley get to 2,000 yards rushing. The 363-pound Becton ranked 20th among guards in Pro Football Focus’ grades last season.
12. Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin
Godwin has had an excellent career but his 2024 season ended with a dislocated ankle in Week 7. In 2021, he tore his ACL. He’ll be just 29 this season but the injury history is a concern. He’s a productive and versatile receiver who will be in demand.
11. New York Jets WR Davante Adams
Adams played 14 games for two floundering franchises, the Raiders and Jets after being traded — and still eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving along with eight touchdowns. He might want to re-team with Aaron Rodgers wherever he goes, but he can still be productive.
10. Chiefs LB Nick Bolton
Bolton is young (25 for the 2025 season), rarely comes off the field and is productive, with more than 100 tackles in three of his four NFL seasons. With teams shifting back to running the ball in 2024, off-ball linebackers like Bolton will be in higher demand.
9. Raiders DE Malcolm Koonce
Koonce will be an interesting case in free agency. In 2023, he had a breakout with eight sacks in his third NFL season. Then he suffered a torn ACL in practice just before the 2024 opener. That makes him riskier. He’s still a promising pass rusher at a prime age, and some team will gamble on that.
8. Eagles LB Zack Baun
Baun might have been the biggest surprise of the NFL season. He went from special teamer with the Saints to a first-team All-Pro with the Eagles. His playmaking stood out. He was on a one-year, $3.5 million deal, and now it’s time for him to get paid.
7. Jets CB D.J. Reed
Reed has been the Jets’ “other” cornerback alongside Sauce Gardner. He has become a solid player in his own right. He’ll turn 29 during the 2025 season, which isn’t ideal at cornerback, but he can help at a valuable position.
6. Vikings CB Byron Murphy Jr.
Murphy made his first Pro Bowl last season after grabbing six interceptions for a very good Vikings defense. He just turned 27 and should be one of the top defenders in the free-agent class.
5. Dolphins S Jevon Holland
The Dolphins probably can’t afford to bring Holland back, which is good news for teams looking for a young safety who has playmaking ability and is very good in run support. Holland will be just 25 this season, making him a prime target in free agency.
4. Eagles DE Josh Sweat
Sweat picked a great time to have a big Super Bowl. Sweat was a good player before that, too, with a Pro Bowl in 2021 and an 11-sack season in 2022. He has played seven seasons but will still be at a prime age of 28 next season. Given the premium on edge rushers, Sweat will be in high demand.
3. Ravens OT Ronnie Stanley
When Stanley plays, he’s a very good left tackle. And he played all 17 games last season, making the Pro Bowl. In the eight seasons before that, he’d never played a full season, with a long injury list being as big a part of his story as his excellent play.
2. Eagles DT Milton Williams
Williams was overshadowed a bit by the excellent tackles on his own team, and maybe he was a secret. Then the Super Bowl happened. Williams had two sacks and was dominant. He’ll be just 26 next season and teams were already interested in him. The Super Bowl increased the price of his next contract.
1. Vikings QB Sam Darnold
It didn’t end on a high note, but Darnold was excellent for most of the 2024 season. And there’s a lot of desperation at quarterback around the NFL. The case for Darnold is his draft pedigree and the results he showed when he was finally in a good situation. The case against him is it’s a small sample of success and the final two games were ugly. He’ll get paid, and it’ll come with risk.
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