With training camps underway and the Hall of Fame Game kicking off the NFL preseason, teams are getting ready for the 2025 season. However, there are still a number of notable free agents available. Let’s examine the top players remaining in the free-agent pool.
Top NFL Players Still Available In Free Agency
Brandon Scherff, G
After years of injury woes in Washington, Brandon Scherff has stayed healthy since signing with the Jacksonville 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 Kansas City 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). Entering the offseason, Scherff was PFSN’s No. 13-ranked free agent.
Risk Level: MEDIUM
Keenan Allen, WR
Keenan Allen is now 33 years old, and many receivers begin to struggle once they are on the wrong side of 30. However, Allen seems to be aging gracefully and he’s shown he can still contribute at a high level.
Yes, he saw his yards per route run decline by a full yard in 2024 from 2023, but he was a part of a brand new offense that was working in a rookie quarterback with talent all over the place in terms of the receiver position. He was also in a loaded division that put pressure on this offense to be more aggressive than they otherwise would have been.
Last season, Allen posted his lowest on-field target share since his rookie season, but that’s because he was playing alongside D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, among others. He is a polished route runner who has scored at least six touchdowns in seven of eight seasons, and he ran downfield more in 2024 than in any of the previous four seasons.
Allen has spent over half of his snaps in the slot in five straight campaigns and, if signed into a very specific role, could make a positive impact entering his 13th season. He used to be a system-proof route winner — he can still make a difference, but not without the help of savvy scheming.
Risk Level: MEDIUM
Za’Darius Smith, EDGE
While it was always a possibility, Za’Darius Smith was a somewhat surprising cut by the Detroit Lions and it raises some question marks about how he should be viewed as a free agent. Entering his age-33 season is naturally a concern, and his pedigree means the price could be high, but we are talking about a player who has missed two games in the last three years and has 24.5 sacks in that timeframe.
A 15.9% pressure rate in 2024 does not scream “must sign,” but given that he played nearly 600 snaps, had a solid pressure top sack conversion rate, and a tackle rate greater than 10%, there is still a lot to like about him.
As a one-year signing, Smith can be a valuable impact player for any contending team. The fact that he has been on four teams in four years makes you wonder if there is some kind of red flag, but he is certainly still talented enough to play a role. It’s somewhat surprising that he remains unsigned, but that could change in the near future.
Risk Level: LOW
Amari Cooper, WR
Amari Cooper turned 31 years old in June and will have to prove that Father Time isn’t calling his number if he is going to land a featured role for a competitive team in 2025.
We saw him thrive with the then-Oakland Raiders to open his career (over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons), catch a career-high 92 balls in Dallas in 2020, and find the end zone nine times with Cleveland in 2022. Cooper has over 10,000 career receiving yards and has been labeled as the go-to option for the majority of his time as a pro, which is why the Buffalo Bills acquired him in a midseason trade last year.
However, after scoring a touchdown in his debut with the team — if you recall, it was on a play where Keon Coleman clearly showed him where to go post-huddle — Cooper saw just two end-zone targets for the rest of the year, a 10-game stretch that included their playoff run.
At his peak, Cooper was a strong possession receiver with scoring upside, even in limited offenses. By the end of 2024, it wasn’t clear that he was either. There have been 240 instances in which a player caught at least five passes in consecutive games since the last time he did it. With his inability to stay on the field for a Buffalo team that was desperate for proven production at the position, there is plenty of doubt about how much gas is left in his tank.
With experience and size, Cooper will likely get signed, but he will have to take a reduction in both pay and role. His struggles with the Bills will likely result in underwhelming contract offers, which may be why he’s still unsigned. There’s not a ton of risk in rolling the dice in the short term, but there also may not be the upside that is often attached to this name.
Risk Level: LOW TO MEDIUM
Eric Kendricks, LB
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 as a pass-rusher, 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.
Risk Level: MEDIUM
Jedrick Wills Jr., OT
After three extremely solid seasons at left tackle, Jedrick Wills Jr. has hit a roadblock over the last two seasons. Wills’ struggles (both to stay on the field and perform when he’s there) largely stem from a November 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.
Risk Level: HIGH
Stephon Gilmore, CB
At his peak, Stephon Gilmore was one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL, but at 34 years old, we are past that point now. Last season in Minnesota was Gilmore’s worst 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.
Risk Level: MEDIUM
Asante Samuel Jr., CB
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 mark 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.
Risk Level: MEDIUM
