NFL free agency rankings for 2026: Top 25 players and landing spot predictions

In less than one month, free agency will begin reshaping the league. During that time, your general manager is going to make moves that either make or break your entire spring and summer. The good news? This year's free agency class is deeper and more intriguing than last year's. Here are 25 of the top free agents available this year, and where we think they’ll end up.

1. George Pickens (WR, Cowboys)

Prediction: Patriots

George Pickens is the best offensive free agent and probably the best overall free agent available. The smartest thing the Cowboys could do would be to franchise tag him and then trade him. But the Cowboys aren’t smart, and they’d get fleeced in a trade. (It’s way more likely they franchise tag him and then make a whole scene during contract negotiations next season.) Either that or they botch it entirely and let him go in free agency.

Hopefully that’s what happens, because there are more relevant teams that would be a lot more fun with Pickens on their roster. 

That'd be a big add for a team that desperately needs pass catchers. Stefon Diggs is nice and all, but he's not a dominant WR1 any more.

2. Daniel Jones (QB, Colts)

Prediction: Colts

Technically, Daniel Jones is going to be entering free agency this offseason. But when the Colts traded away their next two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner, they pretty much committed to Mr. Dimes as their quarterback of the future. 

Right now, Spotrac has him valued as a $43 million guy. Does that account for him exploding his Achilles late in the season? Probably not, but it's either him or Anthony Richardson... so it'ds really just him.

3. Breece Hall (RB, Jets)

Prediction: Chiefs

Back at the trade deadline, the Jets were super into getting rid of every good player on their roster, and the Chiefs were very interested in getting Breece Hall. Unfortunately, Kansas City only has six picks in the 2026 draft, and New York was asking for a third-rounder. 

I would imagine that the Chiefs are still interested in him, especially with Eric Bieniemy being such a big run-game guy. They can't possibly keep doing the Kareem Hunt/Isaiah Pacheco combination for another year and expect any different results. They need to inject that backfield with real and proven talent. Hall's going to be the guy that gives them that.

4. Tyler Linderbaum (C, Ravens)

Prediction: Giants

When the Giants hired John Harbaugh as their new head coach, he was reported to be open to bringing some former Ravens with him, which makes total sense. If you’re looking for a guy to anchor your (probably) rebuilt interior offensive line, starting with a young and awesome Tyler Linderbaum would be a great piece for them to add. 

…Also, John Michael-Schmitz isn't all that good, so they definitely need an upgrade regardless.

5. Jaelan Phillips (EDGE, Eagles)

Prediction: Eagles

There’s an argument that the Eagles traded a third-round pick for Jaelan Phillips last season only so he could be a piece for a Super Bowl run. But Howie  Roseman is a smart guy who learns from his mistakes, and you would hope that he learned from 2019 when he traded a third-round pick to the Lions for Golden Tate. 

At this point, you would think that not only would last year's trade get Phillips in the door and back with Vic Fangio, but it’d also work to make him want to stay and potentially take a deal that’s a little less expensive.

At the end of the day, it really comes down to whether or not every other team that needs pass rush help cares about Phillips’ injury history and if that impacts how much money he goes for. Regardless, I think he probably ends up staying with the Eagles. 

6. Trey Hendrickson (DE, Bengals)

Prediction: Bears

Remember back in 2023 and 2024 when Trey Hendrickson had 17.5 sacks? That was pretty cool… and then he had a big-time contract dispute with the Bengals (shocker). After that, he played in seven games before he hurt something in his hip and had to get surgery. 

He’s 31 years old now. He’s not a spring chicken, but that’s not going to stop teams from going after him and paying him heaps of money.

It would make sense for that team to be the Bears. They desperately need help on defense and specifically with the pass rush. Getting a dude like Hendrickson is something that you do when your Super Bowl window is open because he'll offer you help for this specific year. The Bears showed that they are right there, and getting another guy who has shown they can get double-digit sacks would be massinve.

Also, Hendrickson always wears long sleeves. Personally, I think it’s a bad look, but it jives pretty well if he wore them in Chicago. Look at Kevin Byard last season, the orange sleeves looked pretty cool. 

7. Alec Pierce (WR, Colts)

Prediction: Bills

It’s not great that Alec Pierce is the second-best free-agent wide receiver because he’s kind of just a deep shot guy. That being said, those kinds of guys are valuable, especially when they have good hands; Pierce has good hands.

He seems like a great fit for the Bills: Brandon Beane is a ding-dong who won’t spend top-dollar on big names like George Pickens, so Pierce will be relatively cheaper and is a much smaller name than Pickens.

On top of that, getting Josh Allen a deep threat (not named Brandin Cooks) who can make big downfield catches is going to make that offense much more visually appealing, more competitive, and ideally less prone to botched catches that end your season.

8. Odafe Oweh (EDGE, Chargers)

Prediction: Chargers

The Chargers traded for Odafe Oweh after week five last season and really unlocked something in him. It would be ultra-beneficial for both the team and for Oweh if he were able to stick around and keep getting better with the guys we’ve seen him play with/for.

Is it a cop out to say that a recent trade acquisition is just going to stay with his team during free agency? Yes, but it makes sense. 

9. Quay Walker (LB, Packers)

Prediction: Dolphins

When the Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley, it was an attempt to make sure their defense wasn’t an absolute joke, which it was for almost the entirety of the 2025 season. One player that could and should go with Hafley is Quay Walker. 

They do already have Jordyn Brooks, who was a first-team All-Pro last season, but he’s a Will linebacker. Walker is a mondo-sized middle linebacker who could be Hafley’s translator for the defense to make sure everyone gets on the same page. That would get everyone through the learning phase a whole lot quicker and get that unit starting on the right foot much more quickly.

In turn, that (hopefully) stops them from starting the season like they did last year, when they allowed 10-straight scoring drives. You don’t want that. 

10. Braden Smith (RT, Colts)

Prediction: Colts

Braden Smith feels like a Colts lifer. They got him in the second round of the 2018 draft and gave him a four-year extension in July of 2021. They probably should’ve done this extension during the season, but they didn’t.

He’s been good since he’s been there, and at 29 years old, you have to think he’s still got some life left in him. 

11. Isaiah Likely (TE, Ravens)

Prediction: Eagles

The Eagles have had every opportunity to draft a tight end over the past three seasons, but they haven’t. Now, Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, and Kylen Granson (that’s all three of their tight ends) are going into free agency.

With how much historical usage tight ends get in that offense, they cannot go into the season with only a rookie tight end (if they draft one). Likely’s shown that he can handle boatloads of targets, and that’s exactly what the Eagles are going to need if/when they move on from Goedert. 

12. Rasheed Walker (LT, Packers)

Prediction: Raiders

Lots of bad teams are going to be rebuilding their offensive lines this season. Teams like the Raiders are going to need to rip everything down to the studs and pay a lot of people. Walker’s not going to be mega-expensive, which means he’ll be a prime candidate for Vegas.

13. John Franklin-Myers (DE, Broncos)

Prediction: Titans

John Franklin-Myers has been really good for a while now, and his last two seasons with the Broncos have been excellent. If you’re a team looking for a very solid pass rusher, JFM is going to be your guy.

The problem is that almost every team is going to be looking for that kind of guy, so there’s going to be a big market for him. 

If he goes to Tennessee, that would reunite him with Aaron Whitecotton, the Titans' new defensive line coach and JFM’s defensive line coach from when they were with the Jets.

14. Devin Lloyd (LB, Jaguars)

Prediction: Panthers

Devin Lloyd has been a solid linebacker for the first three years of his career. But last year, he turned on the burners and became one of the better linebackers in the NFL, especially in coverage. 

The Panthers are a team that’s right there, defensively. They might be losing Christian Rozeboom in free agency, but they have an opportunity to upgrade at linebacker if they go after someone like Lloyd, who’s an actual weapon in coverage. 

15. Kyle Pitts (TE, Falcons)

Prediction: Falcons

When it comes to Kyle Pitts, nothing happens the way that you think it will. It would make the most sense in the world for him to hit free agency or get tagged and traded by the Falcons…

But his new head coach is Kevin Stefanski. The guy’s got a knack for getting his tight ends to perform at a high level, and he’s never had a tight end like Pitts. 

It’s worth tagging him and seeing what Stefanski can do with him for a year.

16. Rico Dowdle (RB, Panthers)

Prediction: Cardinals 

It’s time for the James Conner era to end in Arizona. He’s 30 years old, coming off a bad ankle injury, and there’s a whole new offensive regime in town. They can’t really do anything about their quarterback right now, so the next best thing is to get a new running back.

Dowdle can be that guy for them. He’s good enough to pull your offense if he has to, and he’s not going to be mega-expensive. That last part is important because if Trey Benson shows that he’s actually capable of being an RB1, they can pivot, and it’s not too big of an issue.

17. Alontae Taylor (CB, Saints)

Prediction: Eagles

You have to think the Eagles are going back to the veteran well for their cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Last season, they did it with Adoree’ Jackson, and it took him a minute before he was able to get up to speed and become part of the Vic Fangio hivemind.

Alontae Taylor would give them a lot of versatility: he can play inside and outside, and he can play both sides of the field. That last part is important because they are typically putting Mitchell to the boundary side (the short side) of the field. Also, if Cooper DeJean moves to safety (he won’t) or if he misses time, they’ll have a very solid replacement at the slot. 

18. Riq Woolen (CB, Seahawks)

Prediction: Jets

Riq Woolen would’ve been a perfect fit for the Rams if he hadn’t spent 30 seconds berating the entire team and getting flagged for taunting during the NFC Championship game. It would’ve been a match made in heaven.

 But he’d also be a good fit for the Jets. Not only is he young and good, but he’s got some stank to his game, and that’s what the Jets defense needs.

When you think of the Jets defense, you think a violent man-coverage scheme, but they haven't been that because they don't have the personnel. Woolen hasn't been playing man that often, but when he does he's really good (116 snaps, 20 targets, 7 catches). A guy like that will help you get back to your roots... Also he can get interceptions, which the Jets are allergic to.

19. Jaylen Watson (CB, Chiefs)

Prediction: Giants

If Joe Schoen wants to keep his job, he needs to let Jim Harbaugh and Dennard Wilson run free with the roster construction. If Wilson wants a cornerback who can play really good zone coverage, then Jaylen Watson would fit in nicely.

It doesn't matter what the cost is for some of these guys; they just need to get much more talent in the defensive backfield. If they get guys like Watson, then their really good (on paper) defensive line can actually do their jobs.

20. Travis Etiene (RB, Jaguars)

Prediction: Cowboys

When the Cowboys need a starting running back, they’ve either drafted a running back very high or waited entirely too long to get a free agent and get stuck with an undesirable. 

But last season, they turned Javonte Williams from one of those undesirables into one of the better running backs in the league. There’s a chance that they try to capitalize on that success and actually go after one of the better running backs available. That guy would be Travis Etienne.

He hasn't really been used for it recently, but he's shown that he can actually be a dangerous weapon in the passing game, and for a team with as dynamic of a passing offense as the Cowboys, getting another weapon would be very great for them... So, hopefully they don't do it (Go Birds).

21. Malik Willis (QB, Packers)

Prediction: Dolphins

More teams need starting quarterbacks than there are starting quarterbacks. That’s great news for Malik Willis and pretty bad news for the Miami Dolphins. 

If Jeff Hafley wants to make a safe move to get a quarterback with a low ceiling and a moderately high floor, performance-wise, Malik Willis should be his guy. It also really helps that they would both be coming from Green Bay… but there are far worse organizations to take guys from. 

22. Kenneth Walker III (RB, Seahawks)

Prediction: Jets

If you’re the Jets, are you going to spend money on a running back who is both a good pass catcher and a good runner? No, because you don’t have a quarterback who can throw the ball. Kenneth Walker is a great pure runner, but a very below-average pass catcher. It’s a perfect match… unless you’re Walker, who would be going from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

23. Javonte Williams (RB, Cowboys)

Prediction: Texans

The Texans are in dire need of stability in their running back room, especially if C.J. Stroud stinks as much as it looks like he does. They have Woody Marks, who can be really explosive, but they need that meatball who can gut defensive lines. That’s Javonte Williams.

24. Mike Evans (WR, Buccaneers)

Prediction: Buccaneers

Mike Evans was born in Raymond James Stadium, and he’ll die in Raymond James Stadium.

25. Aaron Rodgers (QB, Steelers)

Prediction: Steelers

There’s a non-zero chance that the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy just to keep Aaron Rodgers around. They certainly didn’t do it because they wanted a long-term answer or a contemporary/progressive/forward-looking offense. 

I can’t see Rodgers retiring after a non-injury-related wild-card loss. We’ll never get this guy out of our lives. 

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