Ranking the top 25 NFL free agents this offseason
By Ian Wharton
The 2019 off-season has arrived with the conclusion of the Super Bowl. We’ve built the list of top-25 free agents set to hit the open market.
The 2018 NFL season is in the rearview mirror with the conclusion of Super Bowl LIII. It’s time for each team to finalize and execute free agency plans so they can maximize their chances to reach next year’s Super Bowl.
We’ve scoured the list of unrestricted free agents to come up with the top 25 available players. Though some will surely not hit the open market due to the franchise tag or possibility of an early extension, the NFL always produces surprises.
Though some still believe free agency is more likely to provide fool’s gold over significant contributors, smart teams fill immediate needs with veterans on contracts with limited long-term guarantees. This allows teams to get the best players in the draft and build a healthy long-term pipeline of talent if they’re competent evaluators and developers.
Honorable Mentions
Admittedly, this class is full of quality free agents. I began this top-25 list with more than 40 players as candidate, but used positional value and age as the deciding factor between close calls. Here are five players who just missed the cut:
Anthony Barr, LB, Minnesota Vikings
Turning 27 in March, Barr is a mercurial free-agent. He’s an elite athlete who has had two poor years in his career, including 2018 where he was surprisingly named to the Pro Bowl, but has shown stretches of greatness as well. He is, however, a high-risk signing for any team looking to give him top off-ball linebacker money.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, New Orleans Saints
Though the New Orleans Saints moved a third-round pick for Teddy Bridgewater, they can recoup that pick depending on what he is paid elsewhere if he leaves. There should be a team willing to pair him with a top draft pick to bolster their situation, but his best long-term fit may be with the Saints.
John Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens
A perfect fit in the modern NFL, John Brown re-established his playmaking ability until Lamar Jackson was inserted into the lineup. The Ravens should try to keep Brown, but the market is flush with cash to offer him more than his incumbent team.
Bryce Callahan, CB, Chicago Bears
A premier slot coverage corner, Bryce Callahan will be yet another test to see how the league values interior corners. Callahan has been much-improved over the last two seasons. He has great speed and can play in man and zone assignments.
Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions
Injuries have shortened Ezekiel Ansah’s prime, and his reign in Detroit seems over as his franchise tag season was a disaster. Still, he has shown in the past that he can be an impact pass-rusher, so he’ll earn looks on a one-year deal as contenders seek low-risk, high-upside veterans.