Top 50 NFL free agents in 2025: Dak Prescott is the headliner, but receivers and edge rushers abound (2024)

Published: Aug 15, 2024 at 10:55 AM

Gregg Rosenthal

NFL Daily Host

This crop of free agents is deeper than usual at wide receiver and thin on top-level talent overall. Teams are doing a better job than ever before at keeping their best players off the market, but there are always values to be found. To the list:

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Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys · QB

With apologies to post-surgery Peyton Manning, Prescott is poised to be the most attractive free-agent quarterback in history. He knows it, and it increasingly looks like he plans to test the market.

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CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys · WR

Honestly, it'll be a shock if Lamb isn't signed to an extension before Week 1. But at the moment, he's officially in the last year of his rookie contract.

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Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers · WR

The best 49ers receiver of the Kyle Shanahan era. Aiyuk's improvement at route running has helped turn him into a top-15 wideout.

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Creed Humphrey

Kansas City Chiefs · C

Humphrey is arguably the best center in football, set to hit free agency smack in the middle of his prime. The Chiefs may have to choose between him and ...

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Trey Smith

Kansas City Chiefs · OG

Guards usually get paid more than centers in free agency, which might be a reason the Chiefs are forced to let Smith walk.

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A.J. Terrell

Atlanta Falcons · CB

Terrell hasn't quite matched his breakout 2021 since it happened, but I've seen enough to know he's one of the 20 best cornerbacks in football.

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Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals · WR

Higgins combines red-zone skills with the ability to hit big plays. Even if he's not a true No. 1 wideout, elite secondary receivers are getting paid well over $20 million per season.

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Charvarius Ward

San Francisco 49ers · CB

The 49ers gave Ward huge money when he first hit free agency in 2022 and haven't regretted it for a minute.

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Alim McNeill

Detroit Lions · DT

McNeill is getting a boost here because there are so few promising D-line free agents in this class, especially on the interior.

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Haason Reddick

New York Jets · Edge

While Reddick turns 30 in September, he has started a moderate amount of games (81) in his career, so he still should have ample tread on his tires. The edge rusher's currently holding out of Jets camp, having requested a trade from the team that acquired him in a March deal with the Eagles.

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Garett Bolles

Denver Broncos · OT

Quality starting left tackles are so hard to find and they've been aging well into their mid-30s, meaning the 32-year-old Bolles is set for one more big payday.

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Jevon Holland

Miami Dolphins · S

Every year in this exercise, I rank the safeties higher than their relative pay from NFL teams, and every year, I find a safety like Holland whom I'd absolutely pay because he's worth it.

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Paulson Adebo

New Orleans Saints · CB

Like a lot of young cornerbacks, Adebo took time to marinate. That makes his 2024 massive because he's going to be a top-of-the-market player if he can repeat his breakout third season.

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Asante Samuel Jr.

Los Angeles Chargers · CB

Samuel Jr. has a similar story to Paulson Adebo, improving his weaknesses on the fly. He's a playmaker.

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Stefon Diggs

Houston Texans · WR

I still think Diggs has plenty of juice left, and he'll be motivated during a prove-it year with the Texans.

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Amari Cooper

Cleveland Browns · WR

At times inscrutable, but always productive. Cooper's down years aren't that far down and he's a beast when he's rolling.

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Carlton Davis

Detroit Lions · CB

At his streaky best, Davis still looks like a shutdown corner. Just ask him!

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Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers · WR

Don't be surprised if Johnson has a monster season with the Panthers and raises his spot on this list.

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Osa Odighizuwa

Dallas Cowboys · DT

Defensive tackles often start playing their best after 2-to-3 seasons. Odighizuwa is following that pattern, having logged 43 pressures in 2023, according to PFF.

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Matt Judon

Atlanta Falcons · Edge

Judon was one of Bill Belichick's best free-agent signings and now enters a contract year with the Falcons. He's coming off an injury (biceps tear) that shouldn't impact his productivity going forward.

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Zack Martin

Dallas Cowboys · OG

One of the greatest guards of all time, Martin could decide to retire rather than hitting free agency.

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Nick Bolton

Kansas City Chiefs · LB

Bolton's one of the foundational pieces of Kansas City's defense. Look for the Chiefs to find a way to keep the linebacker beyond this season.

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Dre Greenlaw

San Francisco 49ers · LB

While the freak injury (torn Achilles) suffered in the Super Bowl might depress his value, Greenlaw should be all the way back by the start of the 2025 season.

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Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers · TE

Tight ends are sneaky hard to find in free agency and the best still should be ahead for Freiermuth.

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Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · WR

While Godwin has slowed down some since having surgeries, he's still only 28 years old and remains incredibly savvy.

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Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers · QB

At worst, Fields is a floor-raiser. His running ability provides a baseline for an offense and there's still potential for more if he lands in the right system.

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Alaric Jackson

Los Angeles Rams · OT

There are more potential starting tackles available than usual, and they are all hard to separate because they are roughly league-average starters. Jackson gets the edge here because of his youth.

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DeAndre Hopkins

Tennessee Titans · WR

You'll notice that wide receiver is deep this season. Consequently, it behooves all the elder statesmen to stay healthy in 2024, so they can cash in when they hit the market.

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Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears · WR

See above.

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Demarcus Lawrence

Dallas Cowboys · Edge

The sack total has leveled off, but Lawrence is still a rugged force to be reckoned with down after down.

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Josh Sweat

Philadelphia Eagles · Edge

Good-not-great starting edge players are still worth plenty. Sweat has been mostly consistent in producing pressures for the Eagles.

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Chase Young

New Orleans Saints · Edge

Young's strong training camp with the Saints is giving me hope he can have a resurgent season.

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Malcolm Koonce

Las Vegas Raiders · Edge

Koonce came on strong in 2024 playing opposite Maxx Crosby. He could be peaking at the right time.

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Walker Little

Jacksonville Jaguars · OT

This is admittedly a projection, but every bit of evidence thus far has shown Little can be a quality starting left tackle in the league. He's just been stuck behind Cam Robinson.

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Drew Dalman

Atlanta Falcons · C

A rock-solid starter for the Falcons, Dalman is only ranked this low because his elite run-blocking skills aren't matched by his pass protection.

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Ronnie Stanley

Baltimore Ravens · OT

Once thought of as the future of the tackle position, Stanley is now in a prove-it year with the Ravens because his body has been breaking down.

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Justin Reid

Kansas City Chiefs · S

A quiet leader and glue guy for Steve Spagnuolo's defense in Kansas City, Reid's versatility makes him valuable.

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Cam Robinson

Jacksonville Jaguars · OT

The Jaguars can't ever seem to quit Robinson, who would upgrade plenty of tackle rooms.

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Marquise Brown

Kansas City Chiefs · WR

An injury has Brown's latest contract year off to a bad start, but it won't be a surprise if Patrick Mahomes ultimately gives "Hollywood" a statistical bump.

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Baron Browning

Denver Broncos · Edge

The dude looks shot out of a canon off the edge and is still learning the position.

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Dayo Odeyingbo

Indianapolis Colts · Edge

A talented pass rusher who has a chance for a breakout season as part of a great Colts pass rush.

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Khalil Mack

Los Angeles Chargers · Edge

Not the weekly game-wrecker he once was, Mack could still be worth another solid contract as a part-time player.

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Jedrick Wills

Cleveland Browns · OT

A high draft pick with plenty of starting experience will keep getting chances, even if Wills' play has left the Browns wanting recently.

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Cameron Heyward

Pittsburgh Steelers · DT

Despite being 35 years old, Heyward still looks to have good years left as a rotational player.

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Byron Murphy

Minnesota Vikings · CB

The Vikings cornerback (by way of Arizona) can play inside or out as a plus starter.

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Ernest Jones

Los Angeles Rams · LB

After making his mark in Super Bowl LVI as a rookie, Jones has slowly developed into a strong all-around linebacker.

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Budda Baker

Arizona Cardinals · S

Everyone's favorite undersized safety is an expert at beating expectations year after year.

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Tyron Smith

New York Jets · OT

He's year-to-year at this point of his career. A healthy Smith is still a valuable one.

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Tre'Davious White

Los Angeles Rams · CB

White has a chance to revive his career and his free agency value after signing a one-year contract with the Rams.

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Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns · RB

Chubb is recovering from a devastating knee injury, but I can't bear to leave one of the best players of his generation off this list.