More than a week before free agency officially begins, the top shelves are nearly empty.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones, the original No. 1 player on this list, re-signed a huge five-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs just days before becoming a free agent.
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From the first round of this offseason's top 25 free agents, eight players were given the franchise tag. All tagged players: Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins, Jacksonville Jaguars DE Josh Allen, Carolina Panthers DE Brian Burns, Chicago Bears CB Jaylon Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers S Antwon Winfield. Jr., Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr., Kansas City Chiefs CB Rajrius Sneed and Baltimore Ravens DL Justin Madubuike.
All of these players get non-exclusive tags and could theoretically be negotiated with other teams, but that rarely happens in the NFL. Another top 25 free agent, New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger, was awarded the transition tag. Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans also signed a two-year extension.
All of these moves were a huge blow to what was already a decent free agent demographic. This is a big disappointment for a team with a large salary cap.
The NFL's salary cap is set at a whopping $255 million, and teams will have to find players to spend it on. Free agency officially begins on March 13th, and while many players on the list could be extended by then, the top 25 potential free agents as the new league year approaches are listed below.
1. Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones
(update: Agreed to 5-year contract with Chiefs)
Jones sat out all of training camp last season hoping to sign a long-term contract, but that won't be a problem for the Chiefs this time around. He reportedly reached a five-year deal that includes $95 million guaranteed and will keep him in Kansas City for the remainder of his prime years.
(update: Signs four-year, $180 million contract with Falcons)
Cousins is an interesting case. Although he is often criticized, he has performed well throughout his career. Still, he will turn 36 next season and will be coming back from a torn Achilles tendon. Because of his position and desperation from many teams, he will likely receive more compensation than some of the players on this list, but there is also a lot of risk due to injury and age. .
(update: Signs a four-year, $110 million contract with the Raiders.)
Wilkins, the No. 13 pick in the 2019 draft, is a steady and durable producer on Miami's interior line. Last season, on the verge of free agency, he recorded a career-best nine sacks. He will be in high demand.
Hunter will be 30 years old next season, which is a disadvantage, but he has made four Pro Bowls and is coming off a season with 16.5 sacks. He has reached double-digit sacks in five of his eight seasons in the NFL, and his pass rusher is consistently highly regarded.
(update: Returns to Seahawks on 3-year contract)
When Seattle was looking to make the playoffs in the 2023 season, they traded Williams for a 2024 second-round draft pick and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick. This shows he still has value going into his age 30 season. He had 43.5 sacks in nine NFL seasons with the Giants, Jets and Seahawks, which is why Seattle brought him back with a big three-year contract worth $21.5 million per year.
6. New York Jets EDGE Bryce Huff
(update: Signed a three-year contract worth $51.1 million with the Eagles.)
Huff did not start a game in either of the past two seasons and had just 7.5 sacks through his first three seasons in the NFL. However, the undrafted free agent had a breakout season in 2023 with 10 sacks. He doesn't turn 26 until April. His pass rush win percentage (via PFF) was third in the NFL behind Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons, and ahead of Nick Bosa and Aidan Hutchinson. That's the kind of season that could lead to a monster contract, even with the risks that come with just one breakout season.
Fuller has been a good player for years, finishing seventh among cornerbacks on Pro Football Focus last season. There are concerns that the 29-year-old could fall, but he should make another big contract this offseason.
(update: Signs a four-year, $76 million contract with the Vikings.)
Greenard has been a solid edge rusher in his four seasons in the NFL, recording 12.5 sacks last season. He will be 27 next season and he will get a nice contract.
(update: Signed a four-year, $68 million contract with the Packers.)
It was surprising that the Giants didn't team up with McKinney. He's only 24 years old and a former second-round pick coming off a strong 2023 season despite some injuries. He'll give you a good deal.
(update: Signed a three-year contract worth $37.75 million with the Eagles.)
Running backs are important. But paying top dollar for a running back is usually a bad investment. Berkeley may be an exception. Barkley is one of the best running back prospects of all time, was the No. 2 draft pick and had some big seasons. He has also dealt with injuries such as a torn ACL. He also hasn't recreated his monster rookie season in 2018, but that was a long time ago. The Giants did not place the franchise tag on Barkley for the second year in a row in the offseason, so we'll see what kind of contract they can get on the open market.
(update: Signs 3-year contract with Bucks)
Mayfield should probably be higher on the list, but it always seemed inevitable that he would return to the Buccaneers. Mayfield revived his career on a cheap one-year deal and led the Bucks to a playoff victory, and the former No. 1 overall pick will only be 29 years old next season under a new big deal.
(update: Wilson signs with Steelers)
Wilson is a free agent after the Broncos terminated his contract at the beginning of the league year. He was an interesting case, a Hall of Famer who made nine Pro Bowls in 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, but everything fell apart in Denver. The Steelers are acquiring a veteran QB who is eligible for the Super Bowl, but due to offset language in Wilson's contract with the Broncos, they are acquiring him at the league's minimum salary.
(update: Agreed to 3-year, $48 million contract with Rams)
Dotson spent his first three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and had a great fourth season. He finished as PFF's second-highest graded guard last season. Guards are highly regarded in NFL circles, and the 321-pound Dotson should get a big deal.
Brown has only had one 1,000-yard season in his five-year NFL career, and injuries have been an issue. he has talent. He was once a first-round draft pick and has high ability. Some teams will bet on whether he can stay healthy and productive heading into his age-27 season.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley
Ridley's value is difficult to gauge. At one point, he looked like an elite receiver. That was before a bizarre 2021 in which he appeared in just five games with the Atlanta Falcons, a one-year gambling suspension in 2022, and a checkered 2023 with the Jaguars. He's still 29 and still going strong, but most of the sparkle is gone.
Smith also performs well when he's on the field. The problem is he hasn't played a full season since 2015 and he's 33 years old. He played in 13 games last season and perhaps his team will accept that. He would be high on the list, but durability is a big concern.
Consider Simmons one of the casualties of the Russell Wilson trade. The Broncos, who have a large dead cap burden with Wilson, are cutting Simmons to save $14.5 million on his salary cap. Simmons played in the Pro Bowl and was second-team All-Pro last season. He leads the NFL in interceptions heading into the 2022 season. Even though he's 30 years old, he can still be a very good safety.
18. New England Patriots OT Trent Brown
The big-bodied Brown has been an excellent left tackle for years and still has plenty left in the tank. He could move to a team that has problems on the offensive line.
19. Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs
(update: Signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers.)
Jacobs was probably the best running back in the NFL in 2022. He led the NFL in rushing yards and was named an All-Pro. He took a step back last season, but played better after the team fired head coach Josh McDaniels, then suffered a season-ending injury. He is still in his prime (he just turned 26) and could be a great addition to an offensive line that needs a lead.
(update: Signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Titans.)
Pollard had a shot at becoming the Cowboys' undisputed top back, but he wasn't great, barely getting under 1,000 yards. However, as a member of the committee, he was electric with a career average of 4.8 yards per carry. As long as Pollard's new team doesn't expand his role too much, he could be a strong contributor.
Henry had an outstanding eight-year career with the Titans, including a 2,000-yard season that earned him NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. The problem with Henry is that he's 30 years old and has led the NFL in carries four of the past five seasons. His ability is surprising considering his massive workload going back to the University of Alabama. Some teams may still view him as a short-term option.
Queen is a first-round draft pick who, while not a star, is a true three-down linebacker who rarely takes the field and had 133 tackles last season. He's only 24 years old, so there's plenty of time for Queen to hit his ceiling.
23. New England Patriots OT Mike Onwenu
(update: Signed a three-year, $57 million contract with the Patriots.)
Onwenu, who played right tackle last season, was PFF's No. 29 tackle in the NFL. He is only 26 years old and lacks quality help in his offensive line.
I'm sure Mr. Baker will be a little interested. He's a 27-year-old solid off-ball linebacker. He can play all three downs. He's not an impact player, but he's a good defender.
In 2022, Howard signed the richest contract for a cornerback in NFL history. He's 30 years old now, but he just had a less-than-stellar 2023 season and was released by the Dolphins. But he's a 2022 Pro Bowler, and good cornerbacks are hard to find.
