The NFL‘s free agency period is here! Who are the best 2025 NFL free agents at each position? Let’s run through every position group and highlight the top players hitting the open market this offseason.
2025 NFL Free Agents by Position | Offense
Quarterback
Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, and Tua Tagovailoa were extended, removing them from the 2025 free-agent market. While the latter three quarterbacks were never truly expected to reach free agency, Prescott had a no-franchise tag clause with the Dallas Cowboys and would have drawn significant interest on the open market. However, a $60 million AAV and $231 million in full guarantees convinced Dak to stick in Dallas.
Sam Darnold revitalized his career with the Minnesota Vikings and was the most attractive QB in this class. Darnold threw for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns, ranking 12th in PFSN’s QB+ metric during the regular season. He signed a massive three-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks to replace the traded Geno Smith.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could decide to re-sign Russell Wilson, but that’s no guarantee. Wilson ranked 17th this season in QB+, with a grade of 75.3 (C). Meanwhile, Fields, who didn’t play enough games to qualify but would have ranked 15th in the NFL with a QB+ of 78.1 (C+), signed a deal with the New York Jets to replace Aaron Rodgers.
1) Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
2) Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
3) Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
4) Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts
5) Carson Wentz, Kansas City Chiefs
6) Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys
Running Back
While the 2024 free agent running back market was flush with potential starters, the 2025 RB crop isn’t quite as inspiring. Chuba Hubbard initially looked like he would be the gem of this class, but he inked an extension toward the end of the regular season.
The weak RB free agency pool may work in the favor of J.K. 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, Dobbins had a success rate of just 36.4% on run plays and 28.9% on receptions. Additionally, he 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 some teams may not feel comfortable relying on him as their lead back.
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 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.
1) J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers
2) Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
3) Cam Akers, Minnesota Vikings
4) Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts
5) Jeff Wilson, Miami Dolphins
6) Ronnie Rivers, Los Angeles Rams
7) Ameer Abdullah, Las Vegas Raiders
Wide Receiver
Although it was unrealistic that their teams would have let them hit free agency, wide receivers such as Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Brandon Aiyuk are no longer in this class after signing lucrative extensions.
Tee Higgins was the top name, but he was franchise tagged for the second year in a row before the start of free agency. That left Chris Godwin as the top WR available. However, as soon as the legal tampering period started, Godwin re-signed with the Buccaneers.
Davante Adams was also high on the list but signed a two-year deal with the Rams ahead of free agency.
Chris Godwin 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 work out before committing in excess of $20 million per year to the veteran receiver.
Before the injury, Godwin was on track for a fourth-straight 1,000-yard season and his fifth in six years. He was on pace to beat his career highs of 1,333 receiving yards and nine TDs. 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.
Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are all veterans who changed teams in recent years. Stefon Diggs being ranked so low may be a bit of a surprise, but he’s 31 years old, coming off a serious injury, and was already showing signs of decline before tearing his ACL. Diggs also has a bit of a reputation, which could scare some teams off.
1) Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears
2) Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
3) Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills
4) Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans
5) Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns
6) Diontae Johnson, Baltimore Ravens
7) Tim Patrick, Detroit Lions
8) Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
9) Rondale Moore, Atlanta Falcons
Tight End
Tight end presents — without question — the weakest free agent group in 2025 NFL free agency.
Zach Ertz was one of the top tight ends on the market, but he re-signed with the Washington Commanders on a one-year deal prior to the start of free agency, making an already weak group even weaker.
Tyler Conklin is a three-down tight end — that alone should land him a two-year deal in 2025.
Perhaps an untested tight end like Stone Smartt could post better production with an expanded role. However, teams searching for tight ends this offseason may need to look to the draft or trade market.
1) Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
2) Jordan Akins, Cleveland Browns
3) Stone Smartt, Los Angeles Chargers
4) Chris Manhertz, New York Giants
5) Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts
6) MyCole Pruitt, Pittsburgh Steelers
7) Nick Vannett, Tennessee Titans
Offensive Tackle
Tristan Wirfs and Penei Sewell reset the NFL’s offensive tackle market with $28+ million extensions in 2024. Which OTs will hit the market in 2025?
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). He was awarded with a three-year, $24 million deal worth up to $28.5 million.
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 previous season. He was set to be one of the top options on the market, but he re-signed on a three-year, $60 million deal with Baltimore.
1) Tyron Smith, New York Jets
2) Jedrick Wills Jr., Cleveland Browns
3) Kendall Lamm, Miami Dolphins
4) Trent Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
5) Jackson Barton, Arizona Cardinals
Interior Offensive Line
The interior offensive line market exploded last spring, and that salary rise should continue this offseason.
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 in which 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).
1) Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville Jaguars
2) Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears
3) Ryan Neuzil, Atlanta Falcons
4) Daniel Brunskill, Tennessee Titans
5) Matt Pryor, Chicago Bears
2025 NFL Free Agents by Position | Defense
EDGE
The lack of elite pass-rushers in this class boosted Josh Sweat’s overall value in free agency, given the impact the pass rush can have on a game. Sweat recorded eight sacks (second-most among free agents) and posted an impressive 16.8% tackle rate, which made him the most all-around pass-rush weapon in free agency this year.
Sweat also had a monster performance in the Super Bowl, recording a career-high 2.5 sacks, six tackles, two tackles for a loss, and three QB hits. While he is not in the class of, say, T.J. Watt or Micah Parsons, Sweat is a solid option. That’s why the Arizona Cardinals offered him a massive four-year deal worth $76.4 million, including $41 million guaranteed.
After weighing retirement and potentially hitting free agency, Khalil Mack is playing in 2025 and re-signed with the Chargers. Entering his age-34 season, Mack 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 he posted an impressive 12.7% tackle rate. Mack has some scheme versatility, being able to line up as a conventional defensive end or as an outside linebacker.
Haason Reddick finally reported to the New York Jets in Week 8 after his contract dispute bled into the regular season. 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 in 10 games. Although somewhat high on the list, Reddick ended his free agent run quickly by signing a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Reddick’s upside is clear, as he 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.
1) Za’Darius Smith, Detroit Lions
2) Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles
3) Dennis Gardeck, Arizona Cardinals
4) Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants
5) Von Miller, Buffalo Bills
Interior Defensive Line
Interior pressure has never been more coveted by NFL teams — that’s why clubs have taken the most talented defensive tackles off the market via long-term extensions.
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 turned 28 at the end of February and has played on three consecutive one-year deals. The Chargers decided to make that four by signing him to another 1-year deal worth $5.5 million.
1) Calais Campbell, Miami Dolphins
2) Naquan Jones, Arizona Cardinals
3) Jeremiah Ledbetter, Jacksonville Jaguars
4) Morgan Fox, Los Angeles Chargers
5) Roy Lopez, Arizona Cardinals
Linebacker
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.
Bobby Wagner was a more seasoned option teams were hoping to target. Wagner, who re-signed with Washington, 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.
Another veteran whom teams hoped to pursue was Lavonte David, one of the most underrated players in the NFL throughout his career. He continues to impress with his ability to play at a reasonably high level into his mid-30s.
He’ll be bringing that ability back to Tampa Bay next season after re-signing with the Buccaneers.
David still had 122 tackles and 5.5 sacks while playing a full 17-game season. There is value in that, but how much longer can he maintain that pace? 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.
1) Eric Kendricks, Dallas Cowboys
2) E.J. Speed, Indianapolis Colts
3) Shaq Thompson, Carolina Panthers
4) Tyrel Dodson, Miami Dolphins
5) Troy Reeder, Los Angeles Rams
Cornerback
Byron Murphy Jr. was 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. He signed a three-year $66 million deal with the Vikings.
Carlton Davis III was another corner who could have easily been the No. 1 free agent at the position, but injury concerns limited 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. That didn’t stop the New England Patriots from giving him a lucrative three-year, $60 million deal.
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.
1) Stephon Gilmore, Minnesota Vikings
2) Asante Samuel Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
3) Mike Hilton, Cincinnati Bengals
4) Ahkello Witherspoon, Los Angeles Rams
5) Artie Burns, Seattle Seahawks
Safety
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. He signed a massive three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Saints
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.
1) Julian Blackmon, Indianapolis Colts
2) Justin Simmons, Atlanta Falcons
3) Quandre Diggs, Tennessee Titans
4) Isaiah Pola-Mao, Las Vegas Raiders
5) Ar’Darius Washington, Baltimore Ravens
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