We saw Justin Fields have reasonable success in his first year in Pittsburgh but not enough success to ensure he remained the starter all year. He finished with a 0.04 EPA per dropback. The improvements came in an increased completion rate (65.8%) and a 5:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He added a further five touchdowns with his legs and proved he can still be an asset inside the red zone.
Slayton ranked third on the Giants with 573 receiving yards, while leading New York with 14.7 yards per reception. His catch percentage dropped from 63% to 55%, and his yards-after-the-catch average dropped by nearly half (6.0 to 3.2). Slayton has demonstrated he has something to offer as a third receiver with some downfield playmaking potential.
D.J. Reed is perhaps the top option in free agency. While his passer rating allowed (87.1) ranked just 50th this season, it is his consistency that is key. That was the highest passer rating allowed by Reed since his second year in the league. That is five years with a passer rating allowed of 87.1 or lower. Reed has allowed more than two touchdowns in coverage only once in his career, back in 2021.
After starting all 17 games in 2023, Fries had an abbreviated five-game stint in 2024 after suffering a fractured right tibia. However, the injury is not expected to affect his 2025 availability. Fries was having an excellent season before getting hurt. His 4.1% pressure rate allowed was on pace to be the lowest in his four-year career, a slight cut from his 4.7% pressure rate allowed as the starting right guard in 2023
Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, a 27-year-old wide receiver, joined the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, a preseason shoulder injury sidelined him until Week 16, limiting his regular-season contributions to 9 receptions for 91 yards over two games. Despite the limited playtime, Brown's speed and playmaking abilities remain evident.
Amari Cooper didn’t make quite as big a splash for the Bills as he did when the Cowboys acquired him in 2018. Cooper was limited to 20 catches for 297 yards in eight regular-season games with Buffalo, missing two games with a wrist injury. Cooper averaged 28 snaps per game in the regular season with Buffalo. With Cooper turning 31 in June, he’s unlikely to sniff anything close to the five-year, $100 million deal he signed in 2020.
Dan Moore Jr. continued to start every game at left tackle for the Steelers. Moore has started 66 out of 68 possible regular-season games since entering the league in 2021. While still a below-average tackle in pass protection, he cut his pressure rate allowed from 11.0% in 2023 to 7.1% in 2024. Moore also continues to be one of the least penalized tackles in the league. He was called for only three penalties this season after being called for two in 2023.
Ernest Jones has put together a couple of solid seasons in a row now, totaling over 280 tackles in that time. In 2024, he finished with a 23.9% tackle rate against the run and backed that up with a more than respectable 14.9% pressure rate. Last year, Jones turned 33 pressures into 4.5 sacks, but that ratio bottomed out with 0.5 sacks on 13 pressures. He is far from a slam-dunk free agent option and is in a tier behind the top two at the position.
Bobby Wagner just keeps marching on, and he remains among the very best at the middle linebacker position. He finished with a 22% tackle rate on run plays. In terms of the passing game, Wagner finished with a 27.4% pressure rate, with two sacks and five QB knockdowns. In coverage, he had an 89.3 passer rating allowed, with just a 65.8% completion rate allowed. He did give up a touchdown in coverage and 8.6 yards per completion, but the numbers were still more than respectable.
Baun had an impressive 23.8% tackle rate on run plays and finished with 151 total tackles, which was fifth among linebackers. In coverage, Baun was solid, allowing just an 80.5 passer rating against and just 5.6 yards per target. When he did blitz, he had a 19.3% pressure rate and 3.5 sacks. His main impact was certainly felt in the run game, but he was far from a liability in the passing game, either. Baun could easily continue to be an every-down linebacker and should get a multi-year deal in free agency or remain with the Eagles.
