Free agency in the NFL is as much about retaining your core pieces as it is about adding outside talent. While splashy additions and jersey swaps steal headlines, teams that allow their own foundational pieces to walk out the door can suffer setbacks as a result.
Ahead of the start of the free agent negotiation period, we picked one unrestricted free agent that each of the 32 teams must re-sign for 2025.
Which Free Agent Should Each Team Re-Sign?
Arizona Cardinals: OLB Baron Browning
Most of the Arizona Cardinals’ impending free agents are role players and fringe starters. That includes edge rusher Baron Browning, who the team acquired from Denver for a sixth-round pick at the trade deadline.
In a limited eight-game sample after the trade, Browning delivered a robust 15.5% pressure rate on 129 pass-rush snaps. For context, that would have ranked 11th among qualifying pass rushers, just in front of stars like Will Anderson Jr. and Nik Bonitto.
The Cardinals badly need more juice from their pass rush, which ranked 25th in pressure rate last year. That played a big contributing factor to the team ranking 27th in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings, offsetting a top-five offense. Browning alone won’t turn the unit around, but Arizona should seek to retain as many potential difference-makers on defense as possible.
Atlanta Falcons: C Drew Dalman
The Atlanta Falcons have bigger name free agents on defense, including Matthew Judon, Justin Simmons, and Lorenzo Carter. But while improving the 29th-ranked unit in Defense+ is a big priority, the Falcons’ most important free agent is actually on offense.
Center Drew Dalman has been a steady starter the last three seasons, though he missed eight games with an ankle injury in 2024. When he did play, Dalman thrived in pass protection, allowing a career-low 3.7% pressure rate.
Having an experienced center is an important variable in Michael Penix Jr.’s development. The second-year quarterback will need someone to help set protections and alleviate some of the mental burden that comes with the position. The other four starters from last year’s 11th-ranked offensive line in PFSN’s OL+ rankings are under contract, so Atlanta could maintain an important level of stability by retaining Dalman.
Baltimore Ravens: LT Ronnie Stanley
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is the highest-profile free agent offensive lineman and could be the highest-paid as well. But while the Baltimore Ravens would surely love to retain Stanley, the Ravens only have $8.7 million in cap space and could retain versatile starter Patrick Mekari at a lower cost.
Either way, the Ravens are in danger of losing multiple offensive line starters for the second straight offseason. Last year, the Ravens managed to finish second in PFSN’s Offensive Line rankings despite losing three starters (John Simpson, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses) in the 2024 offseason.
Keeping Stanley over Mekari would come with a considerable amount of risk. Before playing all 17 games in 2024, Stanley had played only 31 out of 68 possible games the previous four seasons. Moreover, he wasn’t playing at a starter level in that span, allowing a 7.8% pressure rate, which ranked 72nd out of 76 tackles with 800+ pass-blocking snaps in those seasons.
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But last year was a decisive bounce back for Stanley, who cut his pressure rate to 6.5% and allowed fewer sacks in 17 games (three) than he did in 13 games in 2023 (four). At 31 years old in March, it’s not inconceivable that Stanley could perform at a high level for the next two to three seasons if he receives a shorter term deal.
Additionally, the Ravens don’t have a succession plan for Stanley, as backup swing tackle Josh Jones is also a free agent (and has only started 24 games in five seasons, including none last year). In contrast, Baltimore could replace Mekari by elevating 2023 third-round pick Andrew Vorhees, who has been biding his time on the bench after a torn ACL at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine delayed the start of his career.
Spotrac projects Stanley to receive only a two-year deal worth $41.3 million, largely due to his injury history. That average annual value would rank eighth among tackles, sandwiched between Jordan Mailata and Garett Bolles. While a four- or five-year deal with significant guarantees would be untenable, the Ravens would buy themselves time to find a left tackle successor by keeping Stanley on that type of contract.
Buffalo Bills: CB Rasul Douglas
The Buffalo Bills should have a relatively quiet free agency given their cap situation (projected $14.5 million over the cap) and lack of marquee free agents. However, starting cornerback Rasul Douglas is one player that Buffalo should seek to retain on a short-term deal.
The Bills don’t have a clear replacement for Douglas, as Kaiir Elam’s disastrous turn in the AFC Championship Game illustrated that he’s not a playable cornerback against elite teams. Buffalo will surely supplement its secondary depth in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a team with Super Bowl aspirations likely won’t have to depend on a rookie cornerback holding up through February.
Douglas would represent an important insurance option while the Bills develop a draft pick to eventually play with Taron Johnson and Christian Benford. With Douglas turning 30 in August, he likely won’t command the same multi-year commitment he got on his last contract (three years, $21 million). That should make him an affordable option for a cap-strapped Bills team.
Carolina Panthers: C Austin Corbett
The Carolina Panthers tipped their hand on their desire to extend starting center Austin Corbett. The team moved Corbett’s void date back to March 11, buying the Panthers about two extra weeks to negotiate an extension.
Knee and biceps injuries have limited Corbett to just nine games in the last two seasons. However, he was off to a strong start last season, allowing just three pressures over 176 pass-blocking snaps before his season ended after five games.
At only 29 years old, the Panthers could likely retain Corbett on a short-term deal and draft his successor in the middle rounds of the draft. Carolina has invested heavily in the interior offensive line to protect Bryce Young, with both Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis ranking among the 15 highest-paid guards. Based on their roster priorities, it would be surprising to see the Panthers roll with an inexperienced option at center.
Chicago Bears: G Teven Jenkins
The Chicago Bears’ biggest name free agent is Keenan Allen, but the 32-year-old receiver showed considerable signs of aging in 2024. With Rome Odunze ready to elevate to a larger role, the Bears could aid Caleb Williams’ development better by re-signing left guard Teven Jenkins.
Availability has been the issue for the former second-round pick. Jenkins played a career-high 14 games last year, meaning he missed at least three games in all four of his NFL seasons. However, he allowed a career-best 3.7% pressure rate in 2024. That ranked 17th among guards, one spot behind Quenton Nelson.
Jenkins turns 27 years old in March, meaning that the Bears could sign him to a long-term contract and still expect to receive his prime years throughout the deal. Spotrac projects a three-year, $31 million deal for Jenkins, which would rank 28th among guards. As they seek to improve the environment around Williams, the Bears shouldn’t hesitate to extend a starting-level offensive lineman in his prime.
Cincinnati Bengals: WR Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins is fundamental to the identity of the Cincinnati Bengals. Unless the Bengals plan on reshaping that identity — which could involve burning multiple years of Joe Burrow’s prime — retaining Higgins is a must, even at a WR1 price tag.
Even if you assume the Bengals retain Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati might not be able to bank on an elite passing game if Higgins walks. Last season, Burrow had 436 dropbacks with both Chase and Higgins on the field compared to 269 dropbacks with Chase on but Higgins off. The difference in his performance was drastic.
For context, 6.7 yards per attempt would have ranked 27th (same as Drake Maye and Aaron Rodgers), while 0.06 EPA per dropback would have ranked 16th (same as Sam Darnold).
That’s not to say Burrow would suddenly devolve into a league-average or worse passer if Higgins walks, but it does illustrate how the Bengals would need to redefine their roster to continue their streak of four straight winning seasons. Cincinnati would need to rebuild its defense (which ranked 28th in Defense+) and commit more resources to the offensive line and run game.
While that could lead to a more sustainable long-term outlook, it’s also a multi-year project that would require the Bengals to perform better in the NFL Draft than they have the past three offseasons. An elite passing game remains the most important ingredient for contention, making the 2024 Bengals a huge outlier. Cincinnati’s 52.0% passing success rate was the highest by a team to miss the playoffs since 2020 Houston (52.4%).
The Bengals could always trade Higgins after tagging him but likely for less than what they would receive via a compensatory pick in 2026 (since an acquiring team would also need to hand him a long-term deal). Unless Cincinnati can get Burrow, Chase, and the rest of the organization aligned on a multi-year retooling, committing to the Big Three is the Bengals’ best chance of remaining a contender.
Cleveland Browns: OT James Hudson
Deshaun Watson’s albatross contract has left the Cleveland Browns more than $28 million over the salary cap. That means the Browns will need to pinch pennies this offseason, possibly saying goodbye to offensive starters like running back Nick Chubb and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr.
Cleveland could turn over both starting tackle spots if right tackle Jack Conklin gets cut. Designating Conklin as a post-June 1 cut would save the Browns roughly $14.6 million in cap space. However, that could leave a young quarterback like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders without viable offensive line protection.
One potential stopgap is James Hudson, a former fourth-round pick from 2021. Hudson was seen as a project coming out of Cincinnati and only started 17 games in his first four seasons (including three last year). However, he didn’t allow a sack in 149 pass-blocking snaps, the most of any player on the Browns.
In reality, the answer to who the Browns must keep is likely no one given the team’s dire financial situation. Still, Hudson is a potential cheap starter, and the Browns will need several of those until they can move on from Watson financially and reset their cap.
Dallas Cowboys: DT Osa Odighizuwa
Not much went right for the 2024 Dallas Cowboys, who ranked inside the bottom 10 in both the Offense+ and Defense+ rankings. However, one bright spot was the emergence of Osa Odighizuwa, who ranked second among defensive tackles with 60 pressures, behind only Chris Jones (74).
Odighizuwa’s season was encouraging because he was a highly efficient pass rusher already in 2023, recording a 13.2% pressure rate. He backed that up on 163 more pass-rushing reps in 2024, posting a 12.3% pressure rate. Combined, Odighizuwa’s 12.6% pressure rate the last two seasons is in line with other defensive tackles who have gotten paid like Ed Oliver (12.7%) and Nnamdi Madubuike (12.1%).
That could make him likelier to leave given the Cowboys’ notorious lack of free-agent spending in recent years (particularly with a Micah Parsons mega-extension looming). Still, if the Cowboys are really choosing to be “selectively aggressive” as team COO Stephen Jones stated, they would be wise to select Odighizuwa as one of their top priorities.
Denver Broncos: LB Cody Barton
As the snap leader on the top-ranked unit in Defense+, Cody Barton was one of the unheralded stars on the Denver Broncos’ league-leading defense. Barton was durable and dependable in his first year in Denver, making him a strong candidate for a multi-year deal after arriving on a one-year, $2.5 million bargain.
Barton was an important anchor after starter Alex Singleton suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 3 and with former third-round pick Drew Sanders tearing his Achilles last offseason. In addition to his consistent availability, Barton was a weapon as a blitzer, recording 14 pressures after having only 20 pressures his first five seasons combined.
Denver should be able to retain most of its elite defense for 2025, with D.J. Jones being the only other unrestricted free agent starter. But given the Broncos’ lack of depth at inside linebacker, Barton’s departure would leave a significant hole in an otherwise stellar depth chart.
Detroit Lions: G Kevin Zeitler
The Detroit Lions had the sixth-ranked offensive line in PFSN’s rankings. Part of that was due to the team shoring up the right guard spot with Kevin Zeitler, who excelled on a one-year deal.
Zeitler allowed a 3.2% pressure rate, and he has been between 3.2% and 3.5% in each of the last three seasons. That metronomic efficiency also extends to his discipline and durability, as he committed only two penalties despite playing 16 games.
Cornerback Carlton Davis III is the other top free agent in Detroit, but the Lions drafted their projected outside CB starters in Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. last year. No such succession plan is in place at guard, where sixth-rounder Christian Mahogany played only 75 snaps as a rookie. Given that the Lions are firmly in their Super Bowl window, keeping Zeitler as a short-term fix for a potential playoff run would make sense.
Green Bay Packers: C Josh Myers
The Green Bay Packers have very few notable free agents, with one glaring exception. Josh Myers started 50 out of 51 possible games the last three seasons at center and is the only free agent starter from an offensive line that finished ninth in PFSN’s rankings.
Myers did allow a career-worst 6.1% pressure rate in 2024. However, he did limit the truly damaging plays, allowing only one sack and committing only one holding penalty (and three total penalties) all season. Before last year, Myers had allowed a career 3.3% pressure rate.
Spotrac projects the center to receive a three-year, $23.2 million deal, which would come out to roughly $7.7 million per year. That would rank eighth among centers and feels like a fair value for a player who turns 27 in July.
Houston Texans: WR Stefon Diggs
As a 31-year-old who tore his ACL in late October, Stefon Diggs seems unlikely to earn anything more than a one-year deal in free agency. For a Houston Texans team with roughly $530,000 in cap space and a lack of wide receiver depth, that could lead to another short-term deal with Diggs.
The Texans are unlikely to have Tank Dell for most if not all of 2025 after his brutal knee injury in December. Right now, that would leave John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson as the second and third wide receivers behind Nico Collins.
That’s an untenable arrangement, even if Houston improves its woeful offensive line. With Collins on and Diggs and Dell both off in 2024, C.J. Stroud averaged -0.13 EPA per dropback with a 41.6% success rate. For context, those are almost identical to the numbers Anthony Richardson averaged in 2024. (-0.13 EPA/dropback, 41.8% success rate).
Diggs had a solid run as the Texans’ primary slot receiver before his injury. Although his counting stats were down, his 73% catch rate was his highest since 2020, and his 1.84 yards per route were in line with his 2023 season (1.99). If his ACL recovery is on track, Diggs would make for a decent stopgap in 2025.
Indianapolis Colts: G Will Fries
The Indianapolis Colts could see massive turnover on the offensive line. Center, right guard, and right tackle are all question marks between free agents and Braden Smith being a potential cap casualty (the Colts could save $16.75 million in cap space by releasing Smith).
But while center Ryan Kelly would be a tough loss, it might make more sense for Chris Ballard to prioritize re-signing Will Fries, who will only be 27 years old in April. Fries had an excellent injury-shortened 2024 campaign, but a fractured right tibia isn’t expected to affect his 2025 availability.
In five games, Fries allowed a career-low 4.1% pressure rate, which would have ranked in the top-third of guards over the full season. For context, Trey Smith allowed a 4.0% pressure rate and could reset the guard market in free agency.
Thankfully for the Colts, Fries won’t cost nearly that much to retain. With Nelson and Bernhard Raimann the only sure returning starters on the offensive line, the Colts could prioritize Fries both for his age and to maintain some continuity on that unit.
Jacksonville Jaguars: S Andre Cisco
Brandon Scherff is the big-name free agent for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the 33-year-old hasn’t performed at a particularly high level in three seasons with the team. As a result, few if any of the Jags’ impending free agents are likely to return with a new head coach-GM duo in place.
The possible exception could be Andre Cisco. The former third-round safety started 44 out of 51 possible games the last three seasons, recording eight interceptions and 22 passes defended in that span.
Cisco’s potential return hinges on whether new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile values a deep centerfield safety. Most of Campanile’s coaching experience is in college, but he was an assistant for Green Bay last year and Miami from 2020-23. The Packers were below-average in their usage of single-high safety coverages last season, but the Dolphins played single-high at the second-highest rate from 2020-23.
If Campanile intends to implement a high rate of single-high coverages, Cisco’s skill set could have more value. So while the Jags don’t necessarily have any free agents that are critical to retain, Cisco’s case warrants a closer look.
Kansas City Chiefs: S Justin Reid
Most of the Kansas City Chiefs’ highest profile free agents are on offense, as nearly all of the team’s wide receivers not named Xavier Worthy or Rashee Rice are unsigned. In addition, linebacker Nick Bolton is a free agent at a fairly thin position.
However, the Chiefs’ biggest priority could be keeping safety Justin Reid. In three seasons since joining the Chiefs, Reid has played at least 90% of the snaps every year. And in seven total NFL seasons, he’s never played fewer than 13 games.
Reid’s versatility is indispensable for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which relies on interchangeable safeties that can line up anywhere. In 2024, Reid played 56% of his snaps as a deep safety, 26% in the box, and 18% in the slot or at outside cornerback.
Rookie Jaden Hicks was solid in playing roughly a third of the snaps in 2024, but keeping Reid and allowing Spagnuolo to roll out more versatile three-safety dime packages could help offset personnel questions at linebacker.
Las Vegas Raiders: S Tre’von Moehrig
The Las Vegas Raiders have a litany of defensive free agents, potentially allowing Pete Carroll and John Spytek to overhaul that unit. But after re-signing safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, the Raiders could lock in another starter at the position by retaining Tre’von Moehrig.
Moehrig started all 17 games for the third time in his four-year career last season, recording a career-high 10 passes defended. His ball skills have improved as a deep safety, as he has five interceptions the past two seasons after recording one pick over his first two seasons combined.
As a reliable former second-round pick who will be 26 years old next season, Moehrig should be a priority to retain as a defensive building block. That may mean a fellow defensive starter like Marcus Epps, Nate Hobbs, or Robert Spillane says goodbye, but the Raiders should be able to retain whomever they prioritize with over $95 million in cap space.
Los Angeles Chargers: DL Poona Ford
Nearly the entire defensive line rotation for the Los Angeles Chargers is either a free agent or potential cap casualty. While the fates of Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa are getting considerably more attention, defensive lineman Poona Ford is an important long-term piece for the team to re-sign.
Ford has played for three different teams the last three seasons but fit like a glove in Jesse Minter’s defense last year. Ford set a career high with 10 quarterback hits, while also tying a career high with eight tackles for loss. He also made the tackle on 12.4% of his rush defense plays, his highest rate since 2019.
Ford won’t break the bank on a modest multi-year deal that he could likely play out as a 29-year-old. Jim Harbaugh’s first season was about identifying long-term program fits, and Ford established himself as a player worth retaining beyond one year.
Los Angeles Rams: WR Demarcus Robinson
The Los Angeles Rams have already answered their two biggest questions by agreeing to retain Matthew Stafford and extending left tackle Alaric Jackson to prevent him from reaching free agency. With the Rams seemingly pushing their chips in to contend in 2025, the next logical step would be to retain Stafford’s trusted targets.
Demarcus Robinson has been a clear third fiddle behind Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp in recent years but has brought a dose of dependability and big-play ability. Robinson played the most snaps and ran the most routes of any receiver on the Rams last season, leading the team with seven touchdown receptions as the rest of the pass catchers dealt with a variety of injuries.
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With Kupp out the door, Robinson would once again occupy an every-down role for 2025 and potentially buy the Rams some time to develop a draft pick. He also provides a much-needed dose of vertical playmaking, as his 16.3 yards per reception ranked fourth among players with at least 30 catches in 2024.
Given that he’ll turn 31 in September, Robinson is likely looking at one-year deals the rest of his career. His familiarity with Stafford and Sean McVay makes him more valuable to Los Angeles than any other team, and another reunion should be a no-brainer.
Miami Dolphins: G Robert Jones
The Miami Dolphins could see multiple units undergo significant turnover. One of those is the offensive line, where left tackle Terron Armstead may retire after taking a minimum deal and every player who started at guard for them in 2024 is a free agent.
The most reliable of those guards is Robert Jones, who started all 17 games last season. Jones is a former undrafted free agent who only had 13 starts in his first three seasons combined but fared reasonably well when given his chance in 2024. Jones allowed a 4.5% pressure rate, which ranked 25th out of 64 guards with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps.
The Dolphins do need new blood on a unit that ranked 26th in PFSN’s offensive line rankings last year, so expect the majority of Miami’s free agent offensive linemen to walk. However, Jones is worth retaining given that he will be 26 years old all of next season and fared reasonably well in his first chance as a full-time starter.
Minnesota Vikings: CB Byron Murphy Jr.
Five of the Minnesota Vikings’ top seven defensive backs by snaps played last year are unrestricted free agents. That could lead to massive turnover for Brian Flores’ unit, which ranked third in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last year.
At cornerback, Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin could both move on after one year given that both will be over 30 at the start of next season. However, Byron Murphy Jr. will only be 27, and should be a priority re-sign after the best coverage season of his career.
Per NFL Pro, Murphy was targeted 119 times as the nearest defender, the most of any cornerback in 2024. However, he allowed a stingy 76.7 passer rating on those targets, ranking 18th among qualified cornerbacks. Murphy picked off a career-high six passes, tied with Marlon Humphrey for the most of any corner as well.
Murphy undeniably benefits from the Vikings’ pressure schemes forcing the ball out of quarterbacks’ hands early, but he also deserves credit for exploiting those opportunities. As the youngest of Minnesota’s cornerback free agents, Murphy is worth keeping to maintain some continuity in that position group.
New England Patriots: TE Austin Hooper
The New England Patriots have the most cap space in the league and an older group of free agents. Therefore, it’s easy to argue that the Patriots don’t have any must-signs among their nine unrestricted free agents, the fewest of any team this offseason.
However, while defensive vets Jonathan Jones and Deatrich Wise Jr. have gotten more attention, tight end Austin Hooper may loom as a bigger priority. Hooper had a quietly effective season as New England’s No. 2 tight end last year, recording 45 catches for 476 yards. It was his most receptions since 2020 and his most receiving yards since 2019 (when he made the Pro Bowl for Atlanta).
Hooper was also efficient as a receiver, averaging a career-high 1.67 yards per route. That ranked sixth among tight ends, one spot behind Mark Andrews.
Mike Vrabel heavily used multi-tight end sets as Tennessee’s head coach. From 2018-23, Tennessee led the NFL with multiple tight ends on 40.2% of its plays. With no experienced TE behind Hunter Henry on the depth chart (and a well-known dearth of wide receiver talent), that could make re-signing Hooper important if Josh McDaniels plans on implementing a similar offense.
New Orleans Saints: CB Paulson Adebo
Edge rusher Chase Young is the New Orleans Saints’ highest profile free agent. However, the extremely cap-strapped Saints will be hard-pressed to sign Young to a multi-year deal after getting him on a one-year, $13 million bargain in 2024.
However, New Orleans can retain another important defensive starter by re-signing cornerback Paulson Adebo. The 25-year-old suffered a broken femur in October but is reportedly healthy and on schedule to be a full participant in offseason workouts.
That could make Adebo a nice buy-low candidate for the Saints or any other team, as he was having his best season before his injury. Through Week 7, Adebo had three interceptions and 10 passes defended. The latter was tied for third-most in the NFL at that time, behind only Denzel Ward and Brian Branch.
With Marshon Lattimore gone, the Saints have a fairly thin cornerback depth chart beyond slot corner Alontae Taylor and second-year pro Kool-Aid McKinstry. Adebo showed signs of growing into that No. 1 cornerback role before his injury, and a return to New Orleans would provide him the opportunity to fulfill that promise.
New York Giants: WR Darius Slayton
Perpetually on the roster bubble during training camp, Darius Slayton has nevertheless been a clear-cut starter for most of his six years with the New York Giants. And while he’s far from a marquee free agent, Slayton has enough value that the Giants should consider keeping him in place as they build an infrastructure for their new quarterback.
Malik Nabers is a phenomenal building block, but New York has needs everywhere else on offense. Whether it’s Ward or Sanders, a mid-round QB, or a veteran, next year’s quarterback will need far better play from an offensive line that ranked 27th in PFSN’s rankings last season.
If quarterback and offensive line investments eat up most of New York’s resources in free agency and the draft, Slayton would be a solid stopgap to give a rookie quarterback a reliable second target beyond Nabers. Even in a woeful offense, Slayton averaged 0.22 EPA per target, not far off from Nabers’ average of 0.28.
With the lack of downfield options in the Giants’ offense otherwise, New York could do worse than retaining Slayton for one more year.
New York Jets: CB D.J. Reed
New head coach Aaron Glenn arrives after calling a defense that played the most man coverage in 2024. Glenn’s Lions defense played man on 41.4% of its plays, putting significant stress on its cornerbacks to hold up.
That makes D.J. Reed one of the highest priority re-signings across the NFL. Reed has a consistent track record as an excellent pure cover corner. Per NFL Pro, Reed’s 87.1 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender in 2024 was actually his highest allowed since 2019. In all five of his seasons as a starter, Reed has beaten the league average in passer rating allowed.
In terms of other coverage stats, Reed has allowed two or fewer touchdowns in coverage every season except 2021. He’s also allowed less than a 60% completion percentage in three of the last four years.
The Jets have seven free agents in the secondary, so the supporting cast around Sauce Gardner could look very different in 2025. But given how much Glenn’s defense relies on its corners, keeping one of the best cornerback duos in place would greatly improve the Jets’ chances of playing their new coach’s preferred coverages. However, recent reports indicate it will be difficult for N.Y. to retain both corners.
Philadelphia Eagles: LB Zack Baun
One of the most shocking breakout players in 2024, Zack Baun figures to get paid in free agency after being a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. He had an impressive 23.8% tackle rate on run plays and finished with 151 total tackles, which was fifth among linebackers.
The Philadelphia Eagles have traditionally devalued off-ball linebackers under Howie Roseman. No inside linebacker has gotten a multi-year deal from the Eagles since 2019, when L.J. Fort got a three-year deal. He was cut after only four games with the Birds, seemingly solidifying the Eagles’ decommitment from the position.
However, Baun’s value in the passing game could make him a better candidate for a multi-year contract. In coverage, Baun allowed an 80.5 passer rating and just 5.6 yards per target. He also demonstrated value as a blitzer with 3.5 sacks and a 19.3% pressure rate on just 83 pass rush snaps.
Philly’s personnel pattern under Roseman suggests they’ll likely let another team pay Baun and try to find the next version of Baun, but that’s a difficult task, and it’s easy to forget that Devin White was initially supposed to start over Baun but never appeared in a game for Philadelphia. With the Eagles boasting a roster capable of repeating as Super Bowl champs, it makes more sense to lock in a cornerstone for Vic Fangio’s defense.
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Justin Fields
GM Omar Khan said at the Scouting Combine that the Pittsburgh Steelers hope to retain one of the two quarterbacks who started for them in 2024. Given the choice between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, Fields appears to be the better option while the Steelers search for a long-term solution.
Comparing Pittsburgh’s offense by starting quarterback, Fields led the offense to a slightly better drive score rate, red-zone efficiency, and turnover rate compared to Wilson. That reflects Fields’ significantly higher value as a rusher and his own improvement in turnover prevention, even if his lack of downfield completions resulted in more punts.
By PFSN’s QB+ metric, Wilson averaged a 75.9 QB+ grade while Fields averaged 76.1. Given that the margin between the two was razor-thin, the tiebreaker would seemingly go to the quarterback who is a decade younger.
Fields’ QB+ grade was also his highest average in four seasons, suggesting there’s a potential development path to becoming an above-average quarterback when factoring in his rushing ceiling. With Pittsburgh not in a position to draft a high-ceiling quarterback, granting Fields a second season is the Steelers’ best dart throw at the position this offseason.
San Francisco 49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw
Injuries have made Dre Greenlaw’s future with the San Francisco 49ers a tricky proposition. The linebacker was limited to two games in 2024 after tearing his Achilles in Super Bowl 58, but has also missed multiple games each of the last five seasons.
Regardless, Greenlaw’s playmaking was still on display in a very limited sample this past season. He recorded an absurd 36.8% tackle rate on run plays in those two games. For context, Roquan Smith led the NFL in that category at 26.8% in 2024.
Coverage limitations could become a factor if injuries sap his mobility, but that injury history could also limit his market to one-year deals. That might make him an affordable re-sign for a 49ers team that will need to budget for several upcoming long-term extensions for the likes of Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Jauan Jennings.
Seattle Seahawks: LB Ernest Jones IV
One of the biggest in-season turnarounds in 2024 occurred with the Seattle Seahawks defense. After ranking 24th in scoring defense and 18th in EPA per play from Weeks 1-9, the Seahawks returned from their Week 10 bye and ranked fifth in scoring defense and fourth in EPA per play the rest of the season. Ultimately, Seattle finished sixth in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings thanks to that late-season surge.
A few personnel changes from Mike Macdonald helped catalyze that improvement, including a switch in starting linebackers to Ernest Jones IV and rookie Tyrice Knight. Jones started the Seahawks’ final 10 games of the season after arriving via trade from Tennessee. In that span, his 94 tackles were tied for seventh-most in the NFL, and his 26.7% tackle rate against the run ranked second in the league (behind the Eagles’ Nakobe Dean).
Jones wasn’t the sole reason for the defense’s improvement, but strong linebacker play was a priority for Macdonald’s defense in Baltimore as well (as evidenced by Baltimore’s trade for Smith in 2022). Retaining Jones would allow the Seahawks to avoid starting from scratch after getting the position wrong to start the 2024 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Chris Godwin
From a cold-business perspective, there’s a decent argument that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should move on from Chris Godwin this offseason. The 29-year-old is coming off a major ankle injury and could command a major deal as the top free agent wide receiver if Tee Higgins receives the franchise tag from Cincinnati.
In addition, rookie Jalen McMillan’s emergence softened the blow of Godwin’s absence after Week 7. Baker Mayfield averaged 0.12 EPA per dropback with Godwin on the field in 2024 but increased that to 0.19 EPA per dropback with Godwin off the field. Much of that had to do with an easier schedule down the stretch, but there’s evidence of the Bucs offense functioning at a high level without their long-time slot receiver.
That said, Tampa Bay had to adjust its offensive identity after Godwin’s departure. From Weeks 1-7, the Buccaneers used 3+ WRs on 80% of their offensive plays, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. After Godwin’s injury, their usage of three-receiver sets fell to 66%, the 12th-highest rate.
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With Tampa Bay promoting Josh Grizzard from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator for 2025, it’s likely the offense will want to return to that 3 WR identity next season. Keeping Godwin would be essential for that to succeed unless the Bucs totally pivot their offensive personnel.
Moreover, Godwin himself was still performing at a high level. Before his injury, he averaged a career-best 2.4 yards per route, which ranked ninth in the NFL through seven weeks. Given that there were reports of Godwin potentially returning for the playoffs, it seems likely he shouldn’t have any ill effects from his ankle injury by September.
None of this also accounts for the impact Godwin has as a franchise icon, as well as his beautifully complementary skill set to Mike Evans. All that adds up to a player the Buccaneers should retain and continue to build around.
Tennessee Titans: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Setting aside his absurd touchdown rate of nine scores on 32 receptions, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine proved to be a strong fit in Brian Callahan’s offense. Callahan reduced Westbrook-Ikhine’s time in the slot to a career-low 21% of his snaps, resulting in a jump from 13.2 yards per reception in 2023 to 15.5 in 2024.
While Calvin Ridley remains locked in as the clear WR1, the Tennessee Titans’ next quarterback will need options beyond Ridley. The top non-Ridley wide receiver on the Titans’ depth chart is currently Treylon Burks, whose injury-plagued career has limited him to 27 games in three seasons.
Westbrook-Ikhine is highly unlikely to replicate his 15% touchdown rate, the highest by a wide receiver with 30+ catches in a season since Mike Williams in 2018. But given his big-play ability in a role that better fits his skill set, Westbrook-Ikhine would be a valuable second target for whoever plays quarterback in Nashville next season.
Washington Commanders: S Jeremy Chinn
After four uneven seasons in Carolina, Jeremy Chinn was a staple in Dan Quinn’s first season with the Washington Commanders. Chinn started all 17 games and played 94% of the defensive snaps, largely as a box safety. As a result, he ranked 10th among defensive backs in tackles (107) and tied for eighth in tackles for loss (seven).
However, Chinn showed more positional versatility than he did with Carolina. He lined up as a deep safety on a career-high 43% of his snaps in 2024 and also recorded five passes defended after having only one in 2023.
With a league-high 28 unrestricted free agents, the Commanders have plenty of difficult choices after their unexpected run to the NFC Championship Game. Given that Chinn will play all of the 2025 season at 27 years old, his youth stands out among that group of free agents and makes him a priority to keep.