Pro Football Network has ranked the top 100 pending NFL free agents, accounting for production, age, earning potential, and short- and long-term value. While some players listed near the top will inevitably be franchise-tagged and effectively removed from the market, this year’s class features high-end talent at numerous positions.
1) Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins has put together a very solid body of work since he entered the NFL in 2020. Over the last five years, he has 4,595 receiving yards, which ranks 18th in that time. While his 65.6 yards per game only rank 26th, he has played four of those seasons effectively as the No. 2 option to Ja’Marr Chase.
Over the course of his time in the NFL, Higgins ranks 10th at the position in success rate (59.8%) and 13th at the position in terms of touchdowns. The 2024 season was Higgins’ best in terms of touchdowns (10), despite only playing in 12 games. His drop rate this season was also a career-low at 2.8%, while Joe Burrow had a 119.5 passer rating when targeting him.
The biggest Achilles heel for Higgins right now is his health. He has missed a total of 10 games over the past two seasons and has not played a full season since his rookie year. Additionally, there were reports that he was playing through an injury down the stretch in order to try and help the Bengals make the playoffs.
That toughness will certainly be respected, but it also raises concerns. Having played just 24 out of 34 games in the last two years, plus the contests when he played hurt, there are some serious durability questions that teams must consider before making a lucrative offer.
2) Trey Smith
Trey Smith has developed into one of the best all-around guards in the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs right guard had a career-best 4.0% pressure rate allowed in 2024, which ranked in the upper third among qualifying guards this season. He also impressed in the run game, ranking sixth in ESPN’s run block win rate metric.
Most impressively, Smith didn’t allow a single sack all season. No guard played more pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack during the 2024 season than Smith’s 665.
Smith turns 26 years old this offseason and has been ultra-durable, playing 67 out of 68 possible games since being drafted in 2021.
3) Josh Sweat
How you evaluate Josh Sweat’s 2024 season largely depends on where you source your data, Some databases have Sweat with just 16 pressures, while others have him with more than 50. Even if you take the higher of those two numbers, a pressure rate of 14.1% ranks outside the top 60 at the position.
However, Sweat was impactful with those pressures, resulting in eight sacks. Among the free-agent pass rushers available, that is the second-highest number, behind only Dante Fowler Jr. The lack of elite pass-rushers in this class boosts Sweat’s overall value in free agency, given the impact the pass rush can have on a game.
Also playing into Sweat’s hands is an impressive 16.8% tackle rate, which makes him the most all-around pass-rush weapon in free agency this year. While he is not in the class of T.J. Watt or Micah Parson, Sweat is a solid option for any team looking to add a weapon to their defense, and he could be looking at a contract in the region of $15 million a year.
4) Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin’s eight-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be drawing to a close, but the circumstances are far from ideal. He suffered an ankle dislocation in Week 7 and missed the final 10 games of the season. That will raise some concerns from teams, who may want to see him workout before committing in excess of $20 million per year to the veteran receiver.
Prior to the injury, Godwin was on track for a fourth-straight 1,000-yard season and his fifth in six years. He was on track to beat his career highs of 1,333 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. Godwin’s efficiency this year was impressive, with an 80.6% catch rate and a 72.6% success rate when targeted. When Godwin was targeted this year, Baker Mayfield had a 125.5 passer rating, which ranks fifth among receivers with more than 50 targets this season.
Godwin has made himself an incredibly valuable slot WR across his career. In 2024, he took 61.5% of his snaps from the slot, ranking 16th among qualified receivers. That role is one that has proven extremely valuable to teams, and there should be plenty of demand for Godwin’s services.
5) Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack’s numbers may not be at the same level as they were when he first broke into the league, but that is hardly a surprise as he will be 35 years old when the new season begins. However, he is still a very valuable contributor to any defense and brings a lot of experience.
A 13.7% pressure rate and six sacks last season are more than respectable, and when you add in a 12.7% tackle rate, there is a lot to be impressed about.
Mack has some scheme versatility, being able to line up as a conventional defensive end or as an outside linebacker. He is unlikely to be too expensive at this point in his career, but should still command a contract in excess of $10 million a year. Much like Sweat, Mack gets a boost in the overall rankings based on the importance of the position and the weakness of the pass-rush options in free agency this year.
6) Byron Murphy
Byron Murphy is set to head into free agency coming off the best year of his career. He was targeted 119 times in coverage, allowing just a 76.7 passer rating when targeted. That ranked 18th among qualified corners this season. A big part of that was reeling in six interceptions, compared to just four touchdowns allowed when in coverage.
In the last two years with Minnesota, he has proven to be an opportunistic cover corner, picking off nine passes. This season, his six interceptions tied for the league lead among corners with Marlon Humphrey. He has been well-tested this year, being the most heavily targeted corner in the league.
MORE: Free Agents By Position
Teams have not been afraid to go at Murphy, but he proved this year that he can be an extremely dangerous corner to target. However, having passer ratings of 97.8 and 103.1 in the previous two seasons may make teams somewhat cautious when it comes to committing big money to him this offseason.
7) Morgan Moses
Morgan Moses allowed just 16 pressures on 433 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. That 3.7% pressure rate was his lowest allowed since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019. It also ranked eighth among players who primarily played right tackle in 2024.
Moses turns 34 years old this offseason but has largely been durable. This was his 10th straight season in which he has played at least 14 games. The only year he’s played fewer than that total was his rookie season of 2014 (when he wasn’t a starter yet).
8) D.J. Reed
In terms of pure cover corners, 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. Additionally, he has held opposing quarterbacks to a lower than 60% completion rate in three of the past four years.
The concern around Reed is that he does not make big splash plays. He has just six interceptions in his career and has only picked off two passes in his three years with the New York Jets.
The reason Reed is not the clear-cut number-one corner is that he is not a player whom opponents will avoid targeting at all costs, and he is not someone who can change the outcome of a game with splash plays.
9) Alaric Jackson
In his second season as the Rams’ starting left tackle, Alaric Jackson cut his pressure rate allowed from 7.4% in 2023 to 4.7% in 2024. That was the 10th-lowest pressure rate allowed among offensive linemen who played the majority of their snaps at left tackle.
By raw totals, Jackson also cut his hits allowed in half from eight in 2023 to four in 2024. Jackson turns 27 years old in July and has demonstrated an ability to hold up at the most valued offensive line position, which should earn the former undrafted free agent a lucrative multi-year deal.
10) Sam Darnold
Two bad performances under the bright lights of what was essentially two playoff games are going to have a major impact on how Darnold is viewed this offseason, especially with fans and media outside of those who regularly saw him play. That is somewhat unfair on a quarterback who was ranked 12th overall in QB+ the regular season.
If the narrative that develops this offseason is that Darnold should not be a starter anywhere, that is somewhat unfair. He entered the playoffs with just four performances graded as D+ or below compared to six B- or above grades. The performances in those two big moments are certainly a concern, and there are other poor outings this season as well.
Darnold’s overall numbers are intriguing. He finished eighth in terms of nYPA (7.3) despite only getting 4.9 YAC/Cp (30th). He was 11th from a clean pocket (0.29 EPA/DB) and 19th when pressured (-0.32 EPA/DB). Darnold finished inside the top 10 in passing yards per game (254.1) with 35 passing touchdowns. However, he also threw 12 interceptions.
The one thing that does raise some alarm bells is that Darnold has had issues inside the opposing half on a handful of occasions. He finished the season ranked 30th with a -0.08 EPA/DB in those situations. However, he was generally fine in other clutch situations and converted 39.3% of third-down opportunities (15th).
11) Ronnie Stanley
After four straight injury-riddled campaigns, Ronnie Stanley recaptured his franchise left tackle form in 2024. Stanley played all 17 games (plus both playoff games), which marked the first time in his nine-year career that he’s played every game.
And while he wasn’t quite his vintage self in pass protection, his 6.5% pressure rate allowed was a big improvement from his 9.6% rate in 2023. He also allowed just three sacks in 17 games after allowing four in 13 games the prior season.
12) Zack Baun
Zack Baun was the surprise package of the 2024 season. He took full advantage of an opportunity to transform himself from a special teams player with a small role on defense to a full-time starter at linebacker. He 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.
13) Justin Reid
Steady safety Justin Reid has been a starter for all seven seasons since entering the NFL in 2018 but is still somehow only turning 28 years old in February. Reid has played at least 90% of the snaps in all three seasons since joining the Chiefs and has never played fewer than 13 games in a season.
Reid had nine passes defended, his most since his rookie season, and multiple interceptions for the first time since 2021. Reid is versatile enough to line up in the box, the deep half, or as the single-high safety in Steve Spagnuolo’s system, and figures to be a priority for the Chiefs to retain.
14) Carlton Davis
Carlton Davis is another corner who could easily be the No. 1 free agent at the position, but injury concerns limit the 28-year-old’s upside. Davis has not played a full season in his career and has missed 20 games over the last four years. This makes him a high-risk free agent.
However, Davis is also a potential high-reward free agent. He is coming off the best season of his career, with a 77 passer rating allowed. Among qualified corners, that ranks 20th, and it is his fifth season in six years with a passer rating allowed below 90.
In 2024, Davis allowed just two touchdowns and a 55.3% completion rate when targeted. He only managed two interceptions and has not had more than two in a single season since 2020.
Davis does not give teams the high-splash upside of Murphy and has a little more injury concern than Reed. Therefore, he slots in as the third-ranked corner in our list of free agents, and we could see teams hesitant to commit big money over multiple years with those injury concerns.
15) Dan Moore Jr.
Dan Moore Jr. continued to start every game at left tackle for the Steelers, despite Pittsburgh spending first-round picks on offensive tackles in back-to-back years via Broderick Jones (2023) and Troy Fautanu (2024). Fautanu played just a single game as a rookie, leaving Moore to start 17 games.
Availability has been his best trait, as 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. However, he did give up a career-high 12 sacks, the most of any left tackle 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.
16) Tyron Smith
Tyron Smith was still a competent starting left tackle in his 14th season, no small feat given his age (34 years old) and injury history. However, some cracks started to show. Smith allowed five sacks in 10 games for the Jets, the same total he allowed in 43 games from 2019-23 combined.
He continues to be a disciplined tackle, committing three penalties in 2024 and six over 27 games in the last three seasons combined. His age and injury history likely limit him to one-year contracts for the remainder of his career, but Smith is a worthy stopgap for 2025.
17) Brandon Scherff
After years of injury woes in Washington, Brandon Scherff has stayed healthy since signing with the Jaguars. Scherff played all 17 possible games for the third consecutive season after five straight seasons where he missed at least three games every year.
Scherff didn’t allow a single sack in 592 pass-blocking snaps this season. Among guards, only Trey Smith of the Chiefs (665) had more pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack. Scherff will play most of next season at 33 years old (his birthday is December 26).
18) Coleman Shelton
Coleman Shelton started all 17 games for the second consecutive season. After serving as a utilityman for the Rams, Shelton has settled in and played every snap at center for the past two seasons.
Shelton’s second season as a starter was better than his first in terms of pass protection. He cut his pressure rate allowed from 5.5% in 2023 to 3.8% in 2024. He also cut his QB hits allowed from 11 in 2023 to five in 2024 and committed only three penalties after getting flagged five times in 2023.
19) Kevin Zeitler
Kevin Zeitler turns 35 this March but has remained as reliable as ever. For the 10th consecutive season, Zeitler started at least 15 games. His 3.2% pressure rate allowed with the Lions was a slight improvement from his 3.5% rate in 2023 with the Ravens. However, he did allow five sacks, as many as his previous three seasons combined.
The one downside is that Zeitler doesn’t possess much positional versatility. Since 2019, all but three of his snaps have come at right guard. Both the Lions and Ravens also primarily employ gap-blocking schemes, making him a clear but somewhat limited system fit.
20) Kelvin Beachum
After a year as a backup, Kelvin Beachum started 12 games for the Cardinals in 2024, mostly at right tackle. That’s where the majority of his experience has been over 13 NFL seasons.
Beachum was considerably improved from his last season as a full-time starter in 2022. Beachum cut his pressure allowed percentage from 6.3% to 4.1%, his lowest rate since 2019. He also committed only five penalties, his fewest infractions as a starter since 2017 with the New York Jets.
Beachum will turn 36 in June, so he’s likely looking at one-year deals. However, with expected starter Jonah Williams limited to six games, Beachum proved capable of holding up in an extended stretch as a starter.
21) Cornelius Lucas
Cornelius Lucas served as the Commanders’ swing tackle in 2024 but ended up starting seven games due to injuries to Brandon Coleman and Andrew Wylie. Lucas allowed a 4.7% pressure rate, which ranked 24th among OTs to play at least 400 snaps in 2024.
Lucas’ lone season as a regular starter came in 2022 for Washington. That year, he allowed a 10.1% pressure rate, the third-highest among qualifying tackles that season. Lucas will turn 34 next July and is likely best suited to remain in that swing tackle role at this stage of his career.
22) Teair Tart
Primarily a run-stuffer, Teair Tart only has 3.5 sacks in five seasons. However, he demonstrated early-down value with the Chargers in 2024, recording a tackle on a career-high 17.7% of his run snaps. For context, that ranked 11th out of 109 defensive tackles with at least 100 snaps against the run. He also had five tackles for loss, with four of them coming in the run game.
Tart turns 28 at the end of February but has played on three consecutive one-year deals. His lack of pass-rushing value could consign him to a similar fate this offseason, but his age and proven early-down value make him a fairly safe bet to contribute to a defensive line rotation next season.
23) Jarran Reed
A long-time starter for the Seahawks, Packers, and Chiefs, Reed turned 32 in December but still played all 17 games for the third time in the last four seasons (eight starts). Reed regressed from 7.5 sacks in 2023 to 4.5 sacks in 2024, but actually increased his total pressures (43 to 48) and pressure percentage (9.5% to 12.9%).
Reed did see his role cut a bit after the Seahawks drafted Byron Murphy in the first round (and with Leonard Williams enjoying a career year). He averaged 37.4 snaps per game, down from 48.5 last year and his fewest since his rookie season in 2016.
24) Chase Young
Chase Young appears to be getting better as his NFL career goes on, with back-to-back years with 66 pressures and pressure rates of 14.7% and 14.6% in those two seasons. He was not as impactful in terms of sacks in 2024 as he was in 2023, but 5.5 sacks are still very respectful.
One element where Young deserves a lot of respect is that he plays a lot of snaps, with 697 this year after 699 last year. Among defensive ends, that 697 ranks 16th, but within that group, only Trey Hendrickson has a lower tackle rate than Young’s 7.8%. Young may not be the star he was drafted to be, but he is a very solid pass rusher who has proven to be very durable in the last couple of years.
25) Bobby Wagner
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, and no linebacker had more tackles in the run game than his 99.
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.
26) J.K. Dobbins
The RB free agency pool lacks the upside of last year, and that may well work in the favor of Dobbins, who took a one-year prove-it deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. For the most part, Dobbins proved it, finishing with 905 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries. He added a further 153 yards on 32 receptions with an 84.2% catch rate.
However, he had a success rate of just 36.4% on run plays and 28.9% on receptions. Additionally, Dobbins missed four games through injury, which only adds to the durability concerns that teams will have around him. Over the last three years, Dobbins has played just 22 of a possible 51 games. That means he is fresher than the average 26-year-old but is not someone teams will feel comfortable relying on as their lead back.
In space, Dobbins looked electric at times, but his -8.7% boom/bust rate ranked 41st among 73 qualifying backs (minimum 50 touches). He ranked 16th in average yards before contact per rush but was down at 31st in yards after contact.
There is definitely still some upside in Dobbins’ profile, and he has the most upside in this free agency class. Anyone who takes a chance on him will get a home-run hitter who can be a very effective part of a committee. As he gets further away from those injuries, we should hopefully see more of his pop return.
27) Keenan Allen
After six Pro Bowl seasons in 11 years with the Chargers, Keenan Allen’s first year with the Bears was considerably rockier. The veteran struggled to find chemistry with Caleb Williams, averaging the lowest catch percentage (57.9%) and fewest yards per route (1.4) of his career.
Allen was also only targeted on 22% of his routes, the fewest since his rookie season in 2013. A surprising level of red-zone production goosed his touchdown total (seven), but that belies his actual impact in the Bears’ offense.
Allen played most of the Bears’ 12 personnel snaps alongside DJ Moore, which meant his playing time came at the expense of first-round rookie Rome Odunze. It’s hard to imagine Allen remaining ahead of Odunze on the depth chart if he returns, and he could choose the cleaner route by moving on entirely.
28) Paulson Adebo
When you factor in age, it is easy to make the case that Paulson Adebo could sign the biggest contract among cornerbacks in years and value this offseason. He is coming off a season in which he allowed just a 71.9 passer rating against and had three interceptions. The year before, he allowed a 62.7 passer rating and intercepted four passes on 100 targets.
However, he played just seven games in 2024 before breaking his femur and requiring surgery. That caps his upside a little and may make teams hesitant to sign him to a big deal. Additionally, Adebo had nine flags thrown against him in those seven games, with six of them being for defensive pass interference and the other three for defensive holding.
The numbers are certainly tantalizing in terms of Adebo’s upside, but there are also enough factors to create hesitation this offseason. We could see Adebo sign a short-term deal this offseason before hitting the open market again in a year or two when he will hopefully be fully healthy.
29) Calais Campbell
The ancient Calais Campbell turned 38 in September but remained an effective player in his 17th season. Campbell started all 17 games for the Dolphins and recorded 5.0 sacks. His 10.3% pressure rate was virtually identical to the 10.8% rate he recorded with the Falcons in 2023.
Beyond the pass rush, Campbell remained an effective player on early downs. He recorded a tackle on 21.7% of his run-defense snaps. That was the highest rate of any defensive lineman to play at least 100 snaps against the run in 2024.
Campbell has talked about considering retirement in past seasons, and there’s no word yet on if he plans to play an 18th season in 2025. Last year, he didn’t sign with the Dolphins until June 18.
30) Dante Fowler Jr.
Dante Fowler Jr. is one of the more interesting names on this list. His 10.5 sacks is the highest number of any free agent pass rusher this season, and he ranked eighth in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate (20%). However, he appears to be an all-or-nothing pass rusher with just a 14.1% pressure rate. Fowler does not offer a huge amount of run support either, with a 10.1% tackle rate.
Ultimately, Fowler can be a difference-maker, but questions about consistency remain. He had just 17.5 sacks over the previous four seasons and did not have more than 36 pressures in any of those four seasons. This season demonstrated he can be a contributor for a team, but it needs to be in the right spot.
31) Amari Cooper
A midseason trade for the second time in his career, 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 (he also sat out the Week 18 contest with many of the Bills’ starters).
Even when he did play, the Bills largely rotated Cooper with Mack Hollins. Cooper averaged 28 snaps per game in the regular season with Buffalo, fifth-most among wide receivers on the team. He only received more than five targets in one of the eight regular-season games he played (and that came in the 44-42 shootout vs. the Rams, which rookie Keon Coleman missed).
Buffalo traded a third-round pick for Cooper, so perhaps they could retain him in hopes that a full offseason with Josh Allen leads to a higher floor of production in 2025. With Cooper turning 31 years old in June, he’s unlikely to sniff anything close to the five-year, $100 million deal he signed in 2020.
32) Jordan Mason (RFA)
The San Francisco 49ers are likely to apply some kind of tender to Jordan Mason as a restricted free agent, but the question will be around how high they are willing to go with it. Mason looked good filling in for Christian McCaffrey this season before he also went down with an injury. He averaged 5.2 yards per attempt but only found the end zone three times in 153 attempts, so it was far from a perfect performance.
The other positives for Mason are a 39.2% elusive rate (13th), a -3.9% boom/bust rate (17th), a 39.9% success rate on run plays (39.9%), and a 57.1% pass success rate (15th). Generally, he performed very well, and if the 49ers only put a right-of-first-refusal tag on Mason, we may see teams willing to give him an offer sheet.
While the success rate was high, Mason’s overall impact in the passing game was relatively small. He had just 91 yards and 11 receptions on 14 targets with 0.54 yards per route run. However, the success rate indicates there is the potential for success there if he has more usage in the future.
33) B.J. Hill
B.J. Hill had a solid season in run defense, recording a tackle on 17.7% of his snaps against the run. That ranked fifth among 51 defensive linemen to play at least 250 snaps against the run.
However, Hill had a down season as a pass rusher, recording three sacks and a 7.9% pressure rate in 15 games. It was tied for Hill’s fewest sacks in four seasons with the Bengals, as well as his second-lowest pressure rate with Cincinnati.
Hill turns 30 in April but has been very durable through seven seasons. He missed two games this past season due to a rib injury, the first games he’s missed due to injury his whole career.
34) Ryan Kelly
The longtime Colts center was limited to 10 games in 2024, his fewest since 2017 (his second NFL season). With Indianapolis drafting former Wisconsin center Tanor Bortolini in 2024, Kelly’s time could be at an end if the Colts choose to go younger on the offensive line.
Kelly allowed a 3.6% pressure rate, which ranked 17th among 31 centers with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps. “League-average starter” is likely an apt description for Kelly as he turns 32 this offseason, though that holds plenty of value when combined with his experience.
35) Drew Dalman
Drew Dalman missed eight games on injured reserve with an ankle injury in 2024, but otherwise has started all 40 games he’s played the last two seasons at center for the Falcons. Dalman returned for the final six games of the season, indicating he shouldn’t have any limitations for 2025.
When he did play, Dalman had his best season in pass protection. He allowed a career-best 3.7% pressure rate, a big improvement from his 5.7% pressure rate allowed in his first three seasons. He did commit three holding penalties after having none in 14 games in 2023, though that still represented an improvement from his five holding penalties in 2022.
36) Ernest Jones
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.
Jones has become a solid option as a three-down back. He has been reasonably good in coverage this year, with an 85.3 passer rating allowed. However, Jones’ numbers in coverage are not exceptional, allowing a 72.9% completion rate and 10.3 yards per completion.
While the 14.9% pressure rate is fine, only turning that into 0.5 sacks is frustrating. 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.
37) Brandon Graham
Given he will be 37 when the new NFL season begins, Brandon Graham is very much a role player in 2025. However, he can still be a valuable part of any defense, having posted a 13.0% pressure rate and 12.2% tackle rate before getting hurt this year. It will be somewhat of a concern that he only has 6.5 sacks in the last two years, but his ability to contribute in the run game makes up for some of that.
Graham will not be an every-down player, having averaged just 23.5 snaps per game over the last two seasons, but his knowledge and ability to make an impact should not be underestimated.
38) Jourdan Lewis
After spending the first eight years of his career in Dallas, Jourdan Lewis could hit free agency this offseason. He is coming off one of the better seasons of his career, having allowed an 85.3 passer rating against. However, he is far from a slam dunk for teams this offseason.
Lewis has generally been able to stay healthy, only missing more than one game once in his eight years. However, he has never been tested that heavily, having never started more than 13 games in a season and not targeted more than 80 times in a season.
While Lewis does not have any disastrous seasons on his résumé, he has allowed a passer rating over 90 in three of the last five years. Those have all come in the years where he was targeted more than 70 times.
Lewis has the potential to be a solid No. 2 option for a team, but his upside is capped there.
39) Darius Slayton
Darius Slayton has perpetually been viewed as a bubble player the past few seasons, only to emerge as an important starting piece in the Giants’ offense. Slayton was no longer the No. 1 wide receiver in 2024 with the emergence of rookie sensation Malik Nabers. However, he still ranked third on the team with 573 receiving yards, while leading New York with 14.7 yards per reception.
Slayton was far less efficient than 2023, when he led the Giants with 770 receiving yards. His catch percentage dropped from 63% to 55%, and his yards-after-the-catch average dropped by nearly half (6.0 to 3.2). In addition, his usage was far more stagnant, as he aligned in the slot just 19% of the time (32% in 2023).
Slayton has demonstrated he has something to offer as a third receiver with some downfield playmaking potential. However, he doesn’t quite performed at a difference-making level, and it’s easy to see teams preferring to opt for rookies with more untapped upside to fill the role Slayton would occupy.
40) Cam Robinson
For the first time since 2020, Cam Robinson started every game despite a midseason trade from the Jaguars to the Vikings. However, the 29-year-old had a tough transition to Minnesota and allowed 52 pressures. That was the second-most of any offensive lineman in 2024 (Saints’ OT Trevor Penning allowed 54).
Robinson’s performance was considerably worse after his midseason trade. In 10 games with the Vikings, Robinson allowed a 10.1% pressure rate. Through seven games with the Jaguars, his pressure rate allowed was 6.6%. However, that still would have been his highest rate in a season since 2019 if it sustained.
41) Sebastian Joseph-Day
After an uneven 2023 season split between the Chargers and 49ers, Sebastian Joseph-Day played all 17 games in 2024 for the Titans, starting 12 of them. However, Joseph-Day averaged 27.1 snaps per game, his fewest since 2020 (his second season as a member of the Rams).
Joseph-Day isn’t much of a pass rusher, as he’s never had more than three sacks in a season or cracked an 8% pressure rate. An impactful run defender earlier in his career, Joseph-Day has regressed a little in this area too, though he’s still useful enough to contribute in a rotation. In 2024, Joseph-Day recorded a tackle on 16.1% of his rush snaps, which ranked 12th among 51 defensive linemen with at least 250 snaps against the run.
42) Osa Odighizuwa
Osa Odighizuwa had a career-high 4.5 sacks in 2024 as he started all 17 games for the third consecutive season. Odighizuwa also averaged a career-high 48 snaps per game after averaging almost exactly 35 snaps each of his first three seasons with the Cowboys.
Odighizuwa is a pass-rushing defensive tackle, as he’s listed at 280 pounds and only made a tackle on 11.2% of his run defense snaps in 2024. However, he recorded a 12.3% pressure rate, sixth-best out of 50 defensive tackles with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps. He was even better in 2023 with a 13.2% pressure rate.
Odighizuwa turns 27 in August and could be looking at a multi-year deal given his pass-rushing value and durability.
43) Hollywood Brown
Hollywood Brown was supposed to emerge as the leader in the wide receiver room and a nice complement to Travis Kelce. However, an injury on the first play of the preseason shelved those plans, costing Brown all but two games in the regular season.
The good news is that he made it back on the field at all. Brown suffered a sternoclavicular joint injury, which was supposed to keep him out until mid-January, leaving him almost no time to ramp up. Yet, he beat that timeline by about a month and debuted in Week 16 against the Texans.
Brown showed flashes of effectiveness in his limited sample size, catching nine passes for 91 yards while playing 34% of the snaps over those two games. With the tandem of Brown and Rashee Rice not coming to fruition in 2024 after Rice suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, the Chiefs may want to retain Brown and run it back for 2025.
44) Stefon Diggs
After a tumultuous end to his Bills tenure, Stefon Diggs was off to a solid start with the Texans. His raw totals were down from his Buffalo days, but his 73% catch rate was his highest since 2020, and his target rate (23.7%) was roughly similar to what he received towards the end of his Vikings tenure.
However, a torn ACL in Week 8 ended Diggs’ season. With the restructured contract he agreed to after being traded to Houston, Diggs will enter free agency off a major injury at 31 years old. That makes it unlikely he’ll earn anything more than another one-year deal (or guarantees beyond the first year if it’s a multi-year contract for cap purposes).
There isn’t any word yet on whether Diggs’ recovery will last into the regular season, which could also prolong his free agency.
45) Najee Harris
At this stage, we know what Harris offers a team, and that is both a good and bad thing. He is a solid back who can play on every down and be effective in doing so, but the upside is severely limited. Harris has four 1,000-yard seasons but averages just 3.9 yards per carry and a 34.6% success rate on rushes in his career.
There are no concerns over his durability, with Harris playing every game so far in his career and averaging over 270 carries per year. He is not an elusive back by any means (ranking 39th in 2024) and does not hit enough big plays to make up for the busted plays. Therefore, any team signing Harris needs to know they are not getting a Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry-level back.
Harris’ usage in the passing game, both as a blocker and in terms of targets, has dropped in recent years, but there has been enough success in his career to suggest he can be a three-down back. His pass blocking has been up and down in his career, but on a limited sample in 2024, he allowed just a 3% pressure rate.
When you put all of that together, there is certainly a solid running back here for a team looking to invest in the position. He is far from a game-changer in the style of those top-end backs, and he lacks the pop of a player like Dobbins. However, if a team is simply looking for a reliable back who is as tough as they come, Harris is unlikely to let them down.
46) Justin Fields
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, which would have been inside the top 20 at the position if he had thrown enough passes to qualify for the leaderboard (200).
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.
There was definitely enough promise in Fields’ numbers to suggest he could start somewhere but not enough to guarantee that. The potential landing spots for him to step in and start are small, and anywhere he goes, it will be a short leash, either in front of a veteran like Wilson or a rookie who will be pushing for a chance to start.
Landing somewhere like Philadelphia or Baltimore, where the play style suits his natural talents, would be a good fit. However, by doing that, he would essentially be gambling on an injury to give him an opportunity. Signing for a team like the Tennessee Titans or Las Vegas Raiders would potentially give him a chance to prove himself as a starter, with the Cleveland Browns as an intriguing option with Deshaun Watson unlikely to be ready to start the year.
47) Teven Jenkins
Teven Jenkins had his best pass-protection season in 2024. The fourth-year pro allowed a career-low 3.7% pressure rate. He gave up the same number of pressures as he did in 2023 (17) but in 80 extra pass-blocking snaps.
Injuries are the main concern with Jenkins. He’s never played all 17 games since being drafted, and his 14 games played in 2024 were actually a career-high. He also had a back injury at Oklahoma State that caused him to miss the final three games of his last collegiate season, as well as the beginning of his rookie year in 2021.
48) Ryan Neuzil
An interior line backup over his first three seasons, Neuzil started eight games in 2024, more than his first three seasons combined (four). All eight of those starts came at center, with regular Falcons starter Drew Dalman missing time on injured reserve.
In 2024, he allowed only one sack along with a 3.1% pressure rate. That was the 10th-lowest pressure rate allowed by centers with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps. Neuzil has only been a center in the NFL but was a Sun Belt All-Conference left guard at Appalachian State.
49) Dennis Gardeck
Dennis Gardeck is another “all-rounder” type pass rusher with a 13.8% tackle rate to go with a 12.6% pressure rate. Alone, neither stands out, but combining the two makes Gardeck a valuable option on a defense. It is not a huge surprise that he is a good tackler given that he started his career largely being used on special teams before developing into a reliable option on defense.
In terms of pure pass rushers, there are plenty of options that teams will look at ahead of Gardeck. You can say the same when it comes to a pure tackling machine. However, if a team is looking for a good hybrid outside linebacker, Gardeck offers that at what should be a relatively affordable price.
50) Eric Kendricks
Eric Kendricks had a mixed year in 2024. He continued to be an excellent tackler, finishing with career-high numbers against the run (94 tackles) and a 25% tackle rate. However, he struggled against the pass, with just a 10.7% pressure rate and a 101 passer rating allowed. Kendricks allowed a 72.2% completion rate and two touchdown passes.
Kendricks has now allowed over a 100 passer rating and a 70% completion rate for four years in a row. He has proven useful in earning sacks, with 6.5 sacks over the past two seasons and 12.5 over the last four years. However, he is a net negative against the pass and is likely reaching the point where he is better suited as a two-down linebacker.
51) Nate Hobbs
Nate Hobbs has been the Raiders’ slot cornerback since the former fifth-rounder was a rookie in 2021 (with a brief interlude as a primary outside CB in 2022). However, Hobbs was limited to a career-low 11 games, missing six of the final eight due to an ankle injury. Injuries have been a recurrent issue for Hobbs, who has missed 16 games in the last three seasons.
Hobbs did have five passes defended — the second-highest total of his career — in just 295 coverage snaps. His only larger total came in 2023 when he had seven in 451 coverage snaps. Hobbs turns 26 in June, and his solid level of play when healthy (including a willingness to stick his nose in run defense) should earn him a similar role to the one he’s occupied with Las Vegas.
52) Harrison Smith
Vikings icon Harrison Smith turns 36 in February but is still going strong after 13 seasons. Smith was a linchpin in Brian Flores’ three-safety defense, playing 89% of the snaps. It was the eighth time in the last nine seasons that the reliable veteran played at least 85% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps.
Production-wise, Smith bounced back from an interceptionless 2023 season to record three picks in 2024. He has 37 interceptions in his career, which is the most of any active player. Smith also recorded 10 passes defended, more than tripling his total from 2023.
Smith appeared to be a player on the decline after the 2023 season but bounced back strongly in 2024. He’s said he’ll consider retirement again, but if he chooses to play a 14th season, it’s hard to imagine that occurring anywhere besides Minnesota.
53) Zack Martin
For only the second time in his 11-year career, Zack Martin failed to be named a first- or second-team All-Pro in 2024. The 34-year-old Martin was limited by injuries and missed the final seven games on injured reserve after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery.
Martin wasn’t his usual dominant self while playing through physical ailments. His 5.9% pressure rate allowed was his highest in a season since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019. He allowed five sacks in 410 pass-blocking snaps after allowing six sacks over 2,796 pass-blocking snaps from 2019-23 combined.
54) Jedrick Wills Jr.
After three extremely solid seasons at left tackle, Jedrick Wills Jr. has hit a roadblock the last two seasons. Wills’ struggles (both to stay on the field and perform when he’s there) largely stem from a Nov. 2023 MCL injury in his right knee.
Wills missed the final nine games of the 2023 season on injured reserve and played only five games in 2024 as he struggled to recover from the injury. He ultimately missed the final eight games on injured reserve after hyperextending his right knee in Week 7, which required another surgery in December.
Wills has allowed an 8.8% pressure rate over 13 games over the last two seasons, far above the 5.8% pressure rate he allowed in his first three seasons. The former first-round pick turns 26 in May, but health is already a significant question and will likely lead to a short-term deal.
55) Nick Chubb
Anyone signing Nick Chubb in free agency this year is taking a shot that the old star is still in there just waiting to break back out in 2025. Chubb’s numbers fell off a cliff in 2024. His elusiveness rate dropped to a career-low 27.5%, and his run success rate dropped to 33.3%.
Chubb finished the year with 332 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries. An average of 3.3 yards per attempt is nearly two full yards below his career average (5.1). His yards before contract per attempt was a career-low 1.7, and his yards after contact (1.6) are more than a yard below his career average.
There is a very realistic chance that Chubb will never be the same again. He will turn 30 at the end of the 2025 season and is coming off a couple of tough injuries for a running back. However, there is a chance, even if it is a slim one, that Chubb can still be an effective runner.
A one-year prove-it deal might be viable for both Chubb and any contending team. If he can get back to full health and get his explosiveness back, he can be a game-winner in the right situation.
56) Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz’s excellent career was seemingly over after the Cardinals waived him in Nov. 2023. Though he caught on with the Lions’ practice squad for the remainder of that season, he didn’t appear in a game and looked like he was done when Detroit didn’t show interest in bringing him back.
Instead, the 34-year-old emerged as a shockingly important part of the Commanders’ Cinderella season. Ertz ranked second on the team in receptions (66), receiving yards (654), and receiving touchdowns (seven), trailing Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin in those categories. He also played 66% of the team’s snaps, his highest total in a season since 2021.
At this point, it’s hard to imagine Ertz wanting to start over with a new organization if he returns for a 13th season. Washington probably needs to groom a successor at tight end, but Ertz showed he still has enough juice to serve as a useful complementary weapon.
57) Milton Williams
Milton Williams recorded five sacks in 2024 after having 6.5 sacks in his first three seasons combined. Williams never averaged 30 or more snaps per game in four seasons with the Eagles as he was stuck behind a pair of first-round defensive tackles in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
However, Williams proved extremely effective in a rotational pass-rushing role in 2024. He generated a 14.2% pressure rate over 282 pass-rushing snaps. That ranked fourth among 101 defensive tackles with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps this past season.
Williams turns 26 in April and has been very durable, playing all but one game in four seasons. Although there is some risk if a team projects him to a larger every-down role, Williams’ proven abilities as a pass rusher in 2024 will likely lead to a multi-year deal with a team that can offer him more snaps.
58) Donte Jackson
After six seasons in Carolina, Donte Jackson was part of the rare player-for-player swap, going to Pittsburgh in exchange for wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Considering the Panthers could only flip Johnson for a late-round pick exchange, this looks like a fairly clean win for Pittsburgh even if Jackson departs after one season.
The seventh-year pro started all 15 games he appeared in, recording a career-high five interceptions playing across from Joey Porter Jr. He also cut down on his penalties, with two flags being the fewest he’s accrued in any season in which he played 10+ games. Jackson did not commit a pass interference penalty for the first time in his career despite playing his second-highest coverage snaps total (467).
He’ll be 29 years old until November, which should provide Jackson an opportunity to land one more multi-year deal as a clear-cut, starting-caliber perimeter cornerback. He did miss two games near the end of the regular season with a back issue, though he returned for the Wild Card game, suggesting this shouldn’t hamper his offseason.
59) Jamien Sherwood
Jamien Sherwood had a breakout year in 2024, finishing with a 19.1% tackle rate and an impressive 158 tackles. However, his credentials as a three-down linebacker are far from ideal. Nine pressures on 28 blitzes is a solid ratio, and getting two sacks is a nice return for not being sent after the quarterback much.
The problem was that Sherwood was picked on at times in coverage. He finished by allowing a 107 passer rating, a 76.9% completion rate, two touchdowns, and 8.7 yards per completion. Having only played a total of 117 coverage snaps in the NFL before this year, it was always likely to be a steep learning curve.
Sherwood is young and has time to improve, but it will take a brave defensive coordinator to commit to him as a three-down back off the back of his 2024 season.
60) Robert Spillane
It is somewhat fitting that we have Robert Spillane and Sherwood back-to-back, given they were tied for second place with 158 tackles. Spillane was slightly better in coverage than Sherwood in terms of passer rating allowed (101.8). However, that was largely driven by two interceptions, as he allowed more touchdowns and 10.3 yards per completion.
Spillane was sent after the passer more than Sherwood but only finished with four more pressures despite more than double the blitzes. Spillane got to the quarterback for a sack twice on those 60 blitzes, and his ability to rush the passer does not make up for the struggles in coverage.
Spillane’s numbers from 2023 were similar in terms of completion rate and yards per completion. He finished with a better passer rating allowed, thanks to a third interception and only two touchdowns, compared to four in 2024. It would be risky to invest a long-term, big-money contract in Spillane as a three-down linebacker.
61) Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones is an intriguing veteran option, largely because his 2024 numbers were not too bad overall. He ranked 23rd in rush success rate (40.4%) and 19th in pass success rate (56.5%). His numbers in the receiving game were also solid, and he finished with 1,546 yards from scrimmage at an average of 5.1 yards per touch.
However, there were some red flags in Jones’ 2024 season. The biggest of those flags was a drop in his elusive rate to a career-low 32.9%. His rush success rate was also at a career-low of 40.4%, and his yards after contact dropped to an average of three per rush for the first time since 2018.
Jones is still a more-than-solid veteran option and can be the leader of a backfield, but there is very little evidence that anyone should give him a long-term deal at this point in his career. A couple of key indicators have declined in 2024, and the elusiveness rate has now fallen for two straight seasons.
62) Nick Bolton
Nick Bolton’s numbers from the 2024 season are more than respectable, with 106 tackles, a 17.9% tackle rate on runs, and a 13.7% pressure rate. His coverage numbers fell off in 2024, allowing a 103.6 passer rating and a 79.6% completion rate. That is a big difference from 92.6 in 2022 and 82.3 in 2023.
Bolton was used a lot to get after the passer in 2024, finishing with 96 blitzes on 892 defensive snaps. Unfortunately, that only resulted in 13 pressures and three sacks, which is not a great ratio.
This was a tough season for Bolton entering free agency, and he may find himself getting treated as a two-down backer by teams on the open market.
63) E.J. Speed
E.J. Speed racked up an impressive 142 tackles in the 2024 season, cementing himself as a key part of the Indianapolis Colts’ defense. Speed saw his coverage numbers take a hit in his first full year as a starter. After allowing a 64.4% completion rate and a 75.9 passer rating while establishing himself in 2023, that dropped to 79% and 95.8, respectively, in 2024.
As a pass rusher, Speed was sent on the blitz 46 times but only turned that into eight pressures and did not have any sacks. That is an area he struggled last year, and with the coverage numbers dropping off, it could leave him in limbo as a potential every-down linebacker entering free agency.
64) Lavonte David
Lavonte David continues to impress with his ability to play at a reasonably high level into his mid-30s. There is no denying that the numbers have dropped a little, but he still had 122 tackles and 5.5 sacks while playing a full 17-game season. There is value in that, but how much longer he can maintain that pace is the big question teams will be asking.
Intriguingly, the Buccaneers used David more than usual to get after the passer. He blitzed on 80 occasions, finishing with 29 pressures and those 5.5 sacks. Given he now has back-to-back years allowing over a 100 passer rating in coverage and an 84.6% completion rate in 2024, that might be how teams have to use him — more and more on passing downs.
65) Stephon Gilmore
At his peak, Stephon Gilmore was one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL, but at 34 years of age, we are past that point now. Last season in Minnesota was Gilmore’s worst season in terms of passer rating allowed since that data was kept starting in 2018. He has seen that number climb from 74 in 2022 to 94.1 over the last two years.
However, he still remains a solid veteran option who can help a team. Gilmore allowed a 61.9% completion rate in 2024, which is highly respectable. His one interception was his worst return since his final year in New England in 2020, and his 7.1 yards per target were the most since 2018.
66) Asante Samuel Jr.
At the worst possible time, Asante Samuel Jr.’s season was cut short by an injury in 2024. Coming off the best year of his career in 2023, Samuel was looking for a strong showing to hit free agency as a potential top-50 option overall. Unfortunately, that was not the case due to a shoulder injury.
Samuel’s career has yet to really take off, but we have seen signs of improvement each year. In his second season, he cut his completion rate to 55.2% but allowed seven touchdowns in coverage. Then in 2023, he cut those touchdowns back to just three, despite seeing a career-high in targets, and held that completion rate at a more than respectable 60.4%.
Samuel was off to another solid start in 2024 before the injury. His career trajectory is headed in the right direction, but he is still away from the top of the list of available corners at this stage. It would be intriguing to see him have a full year with Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers before hitting free agency again next season.
67) Mike Hilton
If he had been a free agent last offseason, Mike Hilton would almost certainly have been in the top 50 of this list. However, he struggled in 2024, allowing four touchdowns on just 61 targets and a 92 passer rating when targeted. Those numbers were his worst since his first year in Cincinnati and the second worst in his career so far.
Teams must decide whether 2024 was a blip or a sign of a 30-year-old corner losing a step. His role as a slot corner carries a lot of value, but it can also be a tough spot for an aging corner if they are losing half a step.
68) Rico Dowdle
With everything else that happened in Dallas this year, Rico Dowdle’s season may have flown under the radar. However, his numbers are some of the more intriguing in this running back class. The only caveat is that it was a one-year sample size and teams will find it hard to invest heavily in a back who scored just five touchdowns on 274 touches while also averaging under five yards per touch.
Some of the underlying numbers point toward Dowdle being a potential bargain. His boom-bust rate of -1.3% was the seventh-best in the league this season, and he was inside the top 20 with an elusive rate of 35.7%. Dowdle finished with a success rate of 43% (16th) on run plays and 51% (29th) on passing plays. He was also inside the top 15 in pressure rate allowed (5.7%) with a respectable 3.31 pass block snaps per game.
The touchdown rate is a major concern, and there is no getting around that. Opportunities were not as prevalent as he would have liked, especially with Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield. However, this is still a solid foundation to build on, and you may see a team give him a two- or three-year deal with upside baked into incentives.
69) Daniel Brunskil
Daniel Brunskill was a two-year starter for the 49ers from 2020-21 before being benched in 2022. After signing with the Titans in free agency, he started 24 out of the 31 games he appeared in over the last two seasons.
Brunskill has played at least 80 career snaps at all five positions along the offensive line, though the majority of his experience comes at right guard and center. With the Titans, Brunskill played 65% of his snaps at right guard, 32% at center, and the other 3% as a sixth offensive lineman.
After allowing a 6.3% pressure rate in 2023, Brunskill cut that to 3.0% in 2024, allowing zero sacks over 370 pass-blocking snaps. It was his lowest pressure rate allowed in a season since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019.
70) Will Fries
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. The former seventh-round pick has played all but 10 of his career snaps at right guard, though he started at every position except center at Penn State (with 26 of his 42 career starts coming at right tackle).
71) Adam Butler
The long-time rotational pass-rushing defensive tackle had his second straight season with five sacks for the Raiders. Adam Butler saw the largest role of his eight-year career in 2024 thanks to mega-free agent signing Christian Wilkins playing only five games with a foot injury. After never averaging more than 34 snaps per game, Butler averaged 47.6 snaps per game in 2024.
He did make strides in run defense, which has generally been a weak spot for the undersized defensive tackle. Butler made a tackle on 15.9% of his run defense snaps, his highest rate in five seasons in which he’s played at least 100 snaps against the run.
However, Butler’s pass-rushing efficiency did dip with the added workload, as his pressure rate fell from 8.0% in 2023 to 6.4% in 2024. Butler will turn 31 in April but has been effective enough to warrant another contract as a second or third defensive tackle.
72) Levi Onwuzurike
The former second-round pick played a career-high 594 snaps in 2024 thanks to a litany of injuries on the Lions’ defensive line. However, Levi Onwuzurike recorded only 1.5 sacks, which was actually a career-high (he has 3.5 sacks in four seasons, though he did miss all of 2022 with a back injury).
Onwuzurike entered the league as a defensive tackle, which is primarily where he played from 2021-23. However, with Detroit badly in need of edge depth, he played 63% of his snaps as an edge rusher in 2024. He had only played 21% of his snaps on the edge from 2021-23.
At only 27 years old in March, Onwuzurike’s pedigree will likely earn him another shot. A change of scenery with a team that can give him snaps at his natural position might lead to a better 2025 season.
73) Tre’von Moehrig
A staple as the deep safety in Las Vegas, Tre’von Moehrig started all 17 games for the third time in his four-year career. Moehrig had a career-high 10 passes defended and has picked off five passes the past two seasons after having one interception in his first two seasons combined.
Moehrig doesn’t come with the greatest positional versatility, as 60% of his career snaps have been as a deep safety. Some of that is related to Patrick Graham’s system, as Graham has been the Raiders’ defensive coordinator in three of Moehrig’s four NFL seasons.
As a reliable former second-round pick who will be 26 years old next season, Moehrig will likely earn a multi-year contract somewhere and is probably a priority for a Raiders defense lacking reliable contributors.
74) Julian Blackmon
The Colts fired defensive coordinator Gus Bradley after three seasons, leaving it unclear if new DC Lou Anarumo will want to retain some of the defense’s holdovers. Julian Blackmon was a staple in the Colts’ secondary in 2024, setting career-highs in starts (16) and percentage of snaps played (93.7%).
A year after recording a career-high four interceptions, Blackmon followed that up with three picks. The improved ball production is a welcome change from his first three seasons when he recorded three interceptions combined.
Blackmon only earned a one-year contract in free agency last offseason, a somewhat curious development that likely stemmed from a season-ending shoulder injury that caused him to miss the final two games of 2023. Blackmon enters this offseason healthy, which could land him a long-term deal.
75) Cody Barton
We have now seen three straight campaigns with over 100 tackles for Cody Barton, and he has certainly proven himself to be a reliable tackler. However, he saw his missed tackle rate jump to 6.2% this year, although that is only an increase of three missed tackles.
He blitzed more this year than in any other season, with 65 snaps. That resulted in a respectable 14 pressures but no sacks. Unfortunately, he has not been much safer in coverage, with three straight years allowing a passer rating of 94.5 or above. In 2024, he allowed an 87.2% completion rate and 11.6 yards per completion.
It is hard to imagine teams viewing Barton as a slam-dunk starter — perhaps as more of an early-down option who is not a total liability on passing downs but not a primary option.
76) Azeez Ojulari
It has been an up-and-down start to Azeez Ojulari’s NFL career, and the fact that he has only played 29 games in the last three seasons is a big part of that. There is certainly potential, with double-digit tackle and pressure rates and 6.0 sacks in 2024. The support we have seen him show in the run games makes Ojulari an intriguing all-around option for a defense.
Given the injuries and relative lack of production, we should see Ojulari available at a reasonable price this offseason. If he can stay healthy, he could be a steal for a team willing to invest time into him.
77) Haason Reddick
At his best, Haason Reddick is much better than this ranking shows, but he comes with a lot of risk. After forcing his way out of Philadelphia, Reddick then took a long time to suit up for the New York Jets, only playing 10 games. When he did get on the field, the numbers were not that impressive, with just one sack, an 11.6% pressure rate, and a 6.4% tackle rate.
Reddick’s upside is clear, having had double-digit sacks in each of the previous four seasons. However, he does not offer a huge amount in terms of tackling, having had a tackle rate above 10% in just one of the last five seasons. Durability is a big plus, as Reddick played over 800 snaps in three of the last five seasons and hit 791 in a fourth.
78) Mike Gesicki
A tight end in name only, Mike Gesicki enjoyed a bounceback season in 2024 with the Bengals. Gesicki’s 65 receptions for 665 yards exceeded his totals from the prior two seasons combined with the Dolphins and Patriots (61 receptions, 606 yards).
Gesicki saw an elevated role in part due to Tee Higgins’ persistent injury woes. In five games Higgins missed, Gesicki averaged 62.4 receiving yards per game and a 27.5% target rate. But in 12 games where Higgins played, Gesicki only averaged 29.4 receiving yards per game on a 16.4% target rate.
Given that Cincinnati is likely to lose Higgins, it’s possible they seek to retain Gesicki and replicate his larger role (particularly with Jermaine Burton flaming out as a rookie). Regardless of where he lands, Gesicki continues to fill his oversized slot receiver role at a fairly high level.
79) James Daniels
After missing only two games from 2021-23 combined, James Daniels was limited to four games for the Steelers in 2024 due to a torn Achilles. It’s the second time in his career he’s missed significant time with a major injury, as he played only five games for the Bears in 2020 due to a torn pectoral.
Daniels has played almost exclusively right guard over the past four seasons, though he was primarily a left guard and center during his first three seasons from 2018-20. During his abbreviated 2024 campaign, Daniels allowed a 5.3% pressure rate, which was his highest in a season since his last season with the Bears in 2021 (6.1%).
80) Poona Ford
The undersized Poona Ford continued to churn away for his third team in as many seasons. Ford averaged 33.5 snaps per game for the Chargers in 2024, nearly doubling his average with the Bills in 2023 (18.4). He also tied his career-high with three sacks.
Ford wasn’t a particularly efficient pass rusher, with a 7.0% pressure rate (which is also his career average since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019). He did create disruptiveness with career-highs in tackles for loss (eight) and batted passes (three). The former undrafted free agent turns 30 next November and will likely be part of another defensive line rotation in 2025.
81) Russell Wilson
Wilson was fine after taking over as the starter from Fields, but he did not elevate Pittsburgh over what Fields provided or proved to be any “safer.” He finished the year with a -0.00 EPA/DB (23rd) and ranks outside the top 20 both from a clean pocket (0.23 EPA/DB) and when pressured (-0.38 EPA/DB).
Wilson has struggled in the fourth quarter of close games (28th) and has just a 38.8% conversion rate on third down (17th). He largely put together a solid showing on Wild Card Weekend. He finished with a B- grade on the week (80.5) and was far from the reason that the Steelers lost to the Ravens.
Wilson finished with a 0.10 EPA/DB, 8.7 nYPA, and a 40% third-down conversion rate, all of which are good without being good enough. While he didn’t cost the Steelers the game, he didn’t really do anything to win it for them, either.
82) Matt Pryor
After starting 24 games over his first six seasons combined, Matt Pryor was the Bears’ primary starting right guard in 2024. He started 15 out of the 17 games he appeared in, with 89% of his snaps coming at right guard.
Pryor fared reasonably well in pass protection in his first extended stint as a starter. His 4.0% pressure rate allowed ranked 14th out of 42 guards with at least 500 snaps in pass protection this past season. Prior to his season in Chicago, Pryor played for the Eagles (2018-20), Colts (2021-22), and 49ers (2023).
83) Jaylen Warren (RFA)
Jaylen Warren’s status as a restricted free agent this offseason is intriguing for himself and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Warren’s fate may well be tied to that of Harris. If Harris looks set to leave, it is likely the Steelers will give Warren at least a right-to-match tender and maybe more.
It felt like Warren’s career took a step back somewhat in 2024. He looked primed to be a breakout star after averaging 5.5 yards per touch and scoring four touchdowns on 210 touches. However, he only touched the ball 158 times in 2024, with his role in the passing game dropping off considerably under the playcalling of Arthur Smith.
Warren’s numbers in 2024 are solid and largely indicative of what we have seen from him in his career as a useful change of pace. His 34.2% elusiveness rate was slightly down on his career average but still inside the top 25 in the league. While his boom-bust rate ranked 29th (-5.8%), his success rate on run plays was inside the top 20 (42.5). He also had 3.21 yards after contact per rush, which ranked 21st this season.
One element that will concern teams is that he ranked 62nd out of 73 qualified backs in terms of pressure rate allowed (16.7%), and that came on a fairly hefty sample size of 3.93 pass block snaps per game. However, his 8.2 yards per reception demonstrate that he is a useful piece of the passing game, but out on routes as opposed to blocking.
84) Ahkello Witherspoon
It has been an intriguing couple of years for Akhello Witherspoon in Los Angeles. In 2023, he posted an impressive 75.7 passer rating against, thanks in large part to three interceptions and a 48.1% completion rate allowed. However, he also allowed five touchdowns in coverage, which is an area that has been a concern in his career at times.
In the 2024 season, Witherspoon saw his passer rating allowed drop to 96.9. He allowed two touchdowns on 49 targets, with just one interception and a completion rate allowed of 65.3. Those numbers are much closer to his career average
The 2024 season also saw Witherspoon miss four games, which has been an issue throughout his career. He has only played 15 or more games once in that impressive 2023 season, when he played 17 games.
85) Kristian Fulton
After a reasonably strong start to his career in Tennessee, Kristian Fulton has struggled more recently. He had a troublesome 114.1 passer rating allowed in his final year with the Titans in 2023, thanks in large part to allowing a 75.5% completion rate. With the Chargers in 2024, he cut that completion rate back to 62.5% but gave up five touchdowns on 64 targets to finish with a 103.6 passer rating allowed.
Fulton’s early career numbers will make him a player that someone is likely to take a chance on in free agency. However, he has never played a full season in his career and has just one interception across the past two years. The need for depth at the cornerback position sees him remain inside our top-100 free agents, but he is unlikely to be a high priority for teams.
86) Joshua Palmer
Joshua Palmer assumed a larger role in 2024 after the cap-strapped Chargers parted ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, he wasn’t that much more productive than in 2023, posting a nearly identical receptions-yards-TD line (39-584-1) as he did in 2024 (38-581-2) despite playing 77 more snaps.
Palmer was usurped by Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, suggesting that his ceiling is that of a No. 3 receiver. His role changed into more of a deep threat in 2024, as his aDOT rose from 9.7 in his first three seasons to 15.3 in 2024. His best season was in 2022 when Palmer saw his lowest percentage of snaps in the slot (26%) but also the lowest aDOT of his career (8.7).
87) Javonte Williams
After flashing potential early in his career, Javonte Williams has struggled to recapture that level after an injury in 2022. His elusiveness rate in his rookie year and the start of his second season were 31.5% and 36.2%. Since he returned from the injury, that has dropped to 24.4% and 23.7%.
There were some signs of a small revival in 2024, with his success rate on rushes climbing to 35.3% and his yards per touch jumping back up to 4.5 after being down at 3.8 in 2023. However, his boom-bust rate fell to -10.8% from -10.1% the year before, and he averaged a career-low 2.38 yards after contact per rush.
It is concerning that Williams touched the ball just 191 times in 2024 despite playing 17 games. However, there is still potential in his profile, and a team should explore that on a short-term deal. As he recovers from the injury, he should become more explosive, but 2025 will be the make-or-break year for that.
88) Kenneth Gainwell
Kenneth Gainwell continued his career as primarily a backup RB in 2024, and the numbers were not hugely convincing. He finished the season with career-lows in yards per attempt (3.9), yards per touch (4.5), and touchdowns (one). His success rates, both in terms of run plays (22.7%) and pass plays (40.9%), were also career lows.
However, Gainwell did demonstrate some pop during the 2024 season. His boom-bust rate of -1.3% was the eighth-best in the league last season. Expecting him to be a starter is extremely unlikely, but he is a solid backup option, who the Eagles’ have trusted in big spots this year. He could be a valuable late-in-the-window free-agent signing who can add some explosiveness to a run game.
89) Kareem Hunt
Kareem Hunt may go down as one of the signings of the 2024 NFL season for the way he rescued the run game in Kansas City after Isiah Pacheco went down. This is a very different Hunt from the one we saw earlier in his career, and his success may ultimately prove to be more about the strength of the interior of that Chiefs’ O-Line than anything to do with Hunt.
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. Hunt had a woeful 20% elusiveness rate in 2024 and a 10.5% boom-bust rate. Both of those indicate that he lost a step late in his career, as we have seen these numbers either fall or rise over the last three years.
On the flip side, Hunt was a useful player in Kansas City’s passing game, with a 59.4% success rate and an average of 7.7 yards per reception. He also converted on an incredible 71.6% of third-down rush opportunities, which ranked eighth in the league among qualified backs.
These last two seasons may have seen Hunt re-shape himself as a short-yardage back, but one that can also contribute to the passing game. He has now scored 16 rushing touchdowns in the last two years, and that level of efficiency around the goal line has value for teams.
90) Kendall Lamm
A swing tackle for most of his career, Kendall Lamm has started 15 games the last two seasons due to various injuries along the Dolphins’ offensive line (eight in 2023, seven in 2024). Lamm fared better this past season, allowing zero sacks and a 3.9% pressure rate after allowing four sacks and a 5.9% pressure rate in 2023.
Lamm split his snaps roughly evenly between left and right tackle the last two seasons (565 at left tackle, 510 at right tackle). Lamm turns 33 years old in June and will likely remain in a swing tackle role. The only season Lamm has started double-digit games was in 2018 (13 starts for the Texans).
91) D.J. Jones
An early-down run-plugger, D.J. Jones started all 17 games and has been a staple on the Broncos defensive line the last three seasons. Jones only averaged 25.4 snaps per game, his fewest since 2018 (his second NFL season with the 49ers), as Denver cut down on his pass rushing snaps. At this point, Jones doesn’t really offer pass-rushing value, with just 12 sacks in eight seasons (including one in 2024).
However, his 18.6% tackle rate on run plays ranked fifth among 96 defensive tackles to play at least 200 snaps against the run. It was the highest rate of Jones’ career, illustrating how he didn’t really slow down in his age-29 seasons. Jones turned 30 in January but has a record of durability and a well-defined role that should earn him another contract.
92) Will Harris
After five seasons in Detroit, Harris had a career-high five passes defended during his first season with the Saints. The former third-round pick doesn’t have much ball production otherwise, with just three career picks, but possesses the type of frame (6’1”, 207 pounds) that many defensive coordinators covet.
Harris has vacillated between safety and slot cornerback in his career, though he was primarily the former in 2024 (52% of his snaps came as a deep safety). Harris has played the majority of his snaps at safety in 2019, 2021, and 2024, while his other three seasons (2020, 2022, 2023) have seen him primarily line up in the slot.
The former third-round pick will play most of next season at age 29, but his uncertain positional home makes him a tough projection when it comes to locking down a long-term deal.
93) Michael Hoecht
We have seen good consistency out of Michael Hoecht in the last two seasons with an 11% pressure rate after an 11.4% pressure rate last season. Similarly, he backed up a 12.3% tackle rate with a 13.5% rate this season. As an all-around contributor, Hoecht would be a solid addition for any team this season.
There are a couple of concerns. Firstly, a relative lack of final product, with just nine sacks in the last two seasons. Secondly, the drop from 908 snaps to 604 snaps when going from 2023 to 2024 raises some eyebrows. It might be nothing, but when added to not overwhelming numbers, it is enough to limit how high we can rank him here.
94) Bradley Bozeman
Bozeman has been a primary starter the last six seasons – 2024 with the Chargers, 2022-23 with the Panthers, and 2019-21 with the Ravens (he was primarily a backup with the Ravens as a rookie in 2018). Bozeman allowed a 4.7% pressure rate in 2024, the same rate he posted in 2023. However, he cut his sacks allowed from nine in 2023 to four in 2024.
Bozeman has played exclusively center in the last four seasons, but he was primarily a left guard from 2019-20. He was a two-year starter at center during his collegiate career at Alabama.
95) Mekhi Becton
After an injury-plagued four-season run with the Jets, Mekhi Becton started all 15 regular season games he appeared in with the Eagles in 2024 at right guard. It was a new position for Becton, who had played almost exclusively left tackle in New York.
Becton has actually been healthy two years in a row now after playing 16 games in 2023. He had played just one game from 2021-22 combined. Becton didn’t fare particularly well in pass protection, allowing a 6.0% pressure rate. That ranked 48th out of 56 guards with at least 400 pass-blocking snaps.
96) Dayo Odeyingbo
Coming into 2024, Dayo Odeyingo had some positive momentum with 13 sacks in two seasons. However, not having a pressure rate above 9.1% was a concern as to how sustainable those numbers were. As it turned out, Odeyingo improved his pressure rate to 10% but had just three sacks. To compound his lack of consistent pass rush, Odeyingo only had an 8% tackle rate in 2024.
97) Xavier Woods
Xavier Woods has been one of the very few steady pieces on an otherwise putrid Panthers defense the past three seasons. Woods started all 17 games in 2024 and matched his career high with three interceptions
Overall, Woods has been a starter for seven of his eight seasons since entering the league as a sixth-round pick. He played more snaps against the run than any defensive back in the 2024 season (558) and made a career-high 119 tackles as a result (fourth-most among DBs).
98) Jeremy Chinn
The former second-round pick started all 17 games during his first season in Washington. Chinn was utilized everywhere during his four seasons in Carolina, at times playing more linebacker than safety. However, he lined up as a deep safety on a career-high 43% of his snaps in 2024, playing less in the box than he did with the Panthers.
Chinn recorded five passes defended in 2024, a big jump from his total of one in 2023. He also set a career-high with seven tackles for loss and tied his most tackles in a season with 117.
Given how well he fit Dan Quinn’s defense (and the Commanders’ lack of safety depth otherwise), it’s a safe bet that Washington will try to retain Chinn on a longer-term deal this offseason.
99) Justin Simmons
Despite spectacular ball production, Justin Simmons was one of the more curious, unsigned free agents late in the 2024 offseason. However, it appears front offices may have sniffed out a decline in the 31-year-old, who failed to make a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team for the first time since 2018.
Simmons still had two interceptions with the Falcons and multiple picks in all nine of his NFL seasons. His 32 career interceptions are the most by any player since 2016.
However, he is quite positionally limited, with 80% of his snaps coming as a deep safety this season. That doesn’t make Simmons a fit for schemes that require interchangeable safeties, limiting his universe of potential teams. Given how long it took for him to sign last offseason and the fact that he’s only getting older, this offseason could be another long wait for a contract.
100) Javon Kinlaw
Javon Kinlaw started all 17 games in his first season with the Jets in 2024 after an uneven end to his time with the 49ers. His ability to stay on the field was the most encouraging sign, as Kinlaw missed 24 games between 2021 and 2022 with lingering issues regarding his right knee.
Thanks to his ability to stay on the field, Kinlaw recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks, though his 8.3% pressure rate suggested below-average pass rushing production. Kinlaw was billed as a disruptive pass rusher when he was a first-round pick five years ago, but hasn’t really lived up to that billing or improved much in run defense. His pedigree and age (27 years old until next October) will earn him another deal, but likely not in a starting role.
