The New England Patriots illustrated just how transformative free agency can be. Few franchises have the salary-cap space or willingness to spend the way New England did last offseason, but through aggressive signings and a productive draft they overhauled their roster, jumping from 4-13 to 14-3 and reaching the AFC Championship.
Most teams will be more cautious this year when addressing needs in free agency. The market opens March 11; here are the top 25 players expected to be unrestricted free agents.
25. Seahawks DE Boye Mafe
Mafe burst onto the scene with nine sacks as a sophomore in 2023 but has totaled only eight sacks across the two seasons since. At 27, he isn’t likely a top-tier pass-rush target, but he still offers length, athleticism and developmental upside.
24. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers
Few quarterbacks near 43 would appear on this list, but Rodgers’ play last season keeps him relevant. If he continues playing, a return to Pittsburgh to reunite with Mike McCarthy feels plausible, though the QB market overall is thin.
23. Packers WR Romeo Doubs
Doubs has been vocal about his role in Green Bay and could seek a clearer target share elsewhere. He’s never topped 724 receiving yards in a season but, still only 26, could flourish in a less crowded receiving corps.
22. 49ers WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings hasn’t been a high-volume option, but he’s productive when used—15 touchdown catches over the last two seasons. He’s a big-bodied receiver who may not be a No. 1, yet can reliably contribute.
21. Steelers G Isaac Seumalo
Seumalo will be 33 next season but brings veteran dependability and experience—104 career starts and a Pro Bowl nod in 2024—making him a valuable interior lineman.
20. Packers OT Rasheed Walker
Walker has been Green Bay’s starting left tackle for three years and will be just 26 next season. He’s not elite, but proven left tackles are hard to find on the open market.
19. Patriots OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
Chaisson fits the narrative of a former first-rounder who needed a change of scenery. After a quiet start in Jacksonville, he produced 7.5 sacks with New England last season and, at 26, looks like a player teams will bet on continuing to improve.
18. Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean
PFF ranked Dean among the top cornerbacks last season. He will turn 30 next year, but his recent play suggests teams in need of corner help can reasonably expect him to perform at a high level in the short term.
17. Buccaneers WR Mike Evans
Evans can either re-sign with Tampa Bay or step away from the game, but he likely has something left in the tank entering what would have been his age-33 season. Injuries cut his last year short—the first time he didn’t reach 1,000 yards—but he’s a future Hall of Famer who could still add value to a receiver room.
16. Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
Cousins isn’t officially a free agent yet, but reports indicate the Falcons may cut him. He finished the season strong, which should make him appealing to QB-needy teams; he’ll be 38 in August but may be preferable to several alternatives.
15. Chargers OLB Khalil Mack
Mack faces a decision about retirement. At 35 and with 5.5 sacks last season, he’s no longer at peak Defensive Player of the Year form, but he could still be a useful, versatile veteran on a short deal.
14. Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr.
Etienne has been a consistent offensive engine, producing at least 1,399 scrimmage yards in three of four seasons and eclipsing 260 carries twice, demonstrating he can handle a heavy workload.
13. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III
Walker isn’t widely regarded as an elite back, but he’s shown big-play ability and three 1,000-yard seasons in four years. Consistency is a question, and while he’s likely to re-sign with Seattle, outside teams could show interest.
12. Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
Pitts’ career is a puzzle: a historic 1,000-yard rookie campaign followed by several disappointing seasons, then a rebound last year with 88 catches for 928 yards. Teams will wrestle with whether to prioritize his high-ceiling seasons or the stretches of underperformance.
11. Seahawks WR/RB Rashid Shaheed
After a midseason trade, Shaheed didn’t make a major impact as a receiver while still learning a new scheme, but he was outstanding on special teams. His ability to change games as a returner makes him valuable beyond traditional receiving stats.
10. Jets RB Breece Hall
Hall is a versatile, productive runner who will turn 25 next season. After a breakout rookie year that was derailed by injury, he’s still amassed 4,359 scrimmage yards over the past three seasons despite playing in a struggling offense.
9. Chargers OLB Odafe Oweh
Oweh’s midseason trade and strong pass-rush production—7.5 sacks in 12 games after the move and double-digit sacks in 2024—have boosted his free-agent profile. Expect teams seeking edge help to pursue him.
8. Eagles DE Jaelan Phillips
Injury concerns could cap Phillips’ market, but his pass-rushing talent and youth (27 next season) keep teams interested. He totaled five sacks last season after a midseason trade and has 28 career sacks, so his upside in his prime years is appealing.
7. Packers QB Malik Willis
With a shallow QB market and limited draft depth beyond a few prospects, Willis could be oddly valuable. At 26, he flashed playmaking ability for Green Bay and represents a developmental upside versus betting on aging veterans or returning injured QBs.
6. Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd
Lloyd initially underwhelmed as a first-round pick but broke out under a new coaching staff, earning a Pro Bowl spot. He looks like a late bloomer who needed the right environment to flourish.
5. Colts WR Alec Pierce
Pierce timed his breakout well. The former second-rounder went from occasional deep threat to a higher-volume role, leading the league in yards per catch over the last two seasons and posting his first 1,000-yard campaign; he’ll be 26 next year.
4. Colts QB Daniel Jones
Had Jones maintained his late-season form, he might have been No. 1 on this list. Instead, his Achilles tear raises major questions—Jones’ mobility is central to his game—so while a return to the Colts seems likely, uncertainty remains.
3. Cowboys WR George Pickens
Pickens could have topped this list, but the likelihood of a franchise tag dampens that scenario. He’s 25 with elite talent but off-field issues contributed to Pittsburgh trading him; if he hit the open market he’d command a massive contract, though that outcome seems unlikely.
2. Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum
Linderbaum graded out among the league’s best centers and, at 25 and a former first-round pick, fits the profile of a player teams will overpay for. A young, high-performing center is a premium commodity in free agency.
1. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson posted 17.5 sacks across 2023–24 but regressed to 4.5 sacks last season amid frustration with his usage and an injury that limited him to seven games. At 31, he faces questions about term length on deals, but productive pass rushers of his caliber are rare.
Fan take: Free agency reshapes rosters and can swing the balance of power quickly—this list shows how teams will weigh youth, upside and short-term production against injury history and age. How these players move (or stay) will affect competitive windows, salary dynamics and the league’s strategic priorities heading into next season.
