NFL free agents: Kyler Murray's signing with Vikings leaves 6 left among top 25 players

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The New England Patriots showed how valuable of a tool free agency can be.

Not many teams have the salary cap space or the desire to spend like the Patriots last year, but New England remade its roster through a great free-agency haul and a strong draft. They went from 4-13 to 14-3 and won an AFC championship.

Most teams this year will take a more prudent approach to free agency, looking to fill gaps in the roster. Some players were taken off the market due to the franchise or transition tag. That includes Daniel Jones (who was No. 4 on our initial top 25 free-agents list), Breece Hall (No. 10 on the initial list) and Kyle Pitts (No. 12). George Pickens was tagged too, but since he got the non-exclusive tag and is the most likely of that group to get an offer sheet, he remains on the top 25.

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Free agency officially began Wednesday, and here are the top 25 players who entered the week as free agents.

25. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray

UPDATED: Murray and the Vikings agreed on a one-year deal

Murray never became the star the Cardinals were hoping for when they drafted him first overall, but he had some exciting moments as Arizona’s quarterback. Murray’s dual-threat ability has been an asset, and some team will take a chance on him having a more successful second stop in his career as he enters his age-29 season.

24. Ravens TE Isaiah Likely

UPDATE: Likely and the Giants reportedly reached agreement on a three-year deal

Likely has been waiting for a shot to be a full-time starter, after his playing time and production were limited behind Mark Andrews in Baltimore. Likely will be just 26 years old and has shown what he can do in the NFL with 15 touchdowns in a limited role. Now we get to see what he’ll do as the top tight end with the Giants.

23. Chiefs S Bryan Cook

UPDATE: Cook and the Bengals reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $42.5 million deal

Cook’s strength is his versatility. He showed that last season, when he set career highs with 82 tackles and six passes defensed. He was a key part of Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive with the Chiefs, and a team looking for a well-rounded safety will be pleased to add Cook.

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22. Seahawks DE Boye Mafe

UPDATE: Mafe and the Bengals reached a three-year, $60 million deal, according to the defensive end’s agent

Mafe had nine sacks as a second-year player in 2023. He has just eight sacks in the two seasons since, so he won’t hit free agent as a high-priority pass rusher. But the former second-round pick is just 27 years old and can help the Bengals from the edge.

21. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers

Not many quarterbacks about to turn 43 would make a list like this. However, the quarterback market will be brutal and Rodgers was pretty good last season. A return to the Steelers and a reunion with Mike McCarthy seems like the most likely outcome if Rodgers keeps playing, but there aren’t enough starting quality QBs to go around this offseason.

20. Packers WR Romeo Doubs

UPDATE: Doubs and the Patriots reportedly agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal

Doubs made high-profile complaints about his role in the Packers’ offense, and now he has a chance to find a team that will use him more. Doubs has never had more than 724 yards in a season, though perhaps he could do more in a less-crowded receiver group. He will be 26 years old next season and should have plenty of suitors.

19. 49ers WR Jauan Jennings

Jennings has rarely been in a high-volume role, but he has produced when given opportunities. He has 15 touchdown receptions the past two seasons. He’s a big receiver who might not be a No. 1, but can be a productive part of an offense.

18. Steelers G Isaac Seumalo

UPDATE: Seumalo and the Cardinals reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $31.5 million deal

Seumalo will turn 33 years old next season, but he’s a steady veteran and it’s hard to find offensive line help. Seumalo has started 104 games in his career and made a Pro Bowl in 2024.

17. Packers OT Rasheed Walker

Walker has been the Packers’ starting left tackle for three seasons and will be just 26 years old next season. Walker isn’t an elite player but it is very hard to find a competent starting left tackle in free agency.

16. Patriots OLB K’Lavon Chaisson

UPDATE: Chaisson and the Commanders reportedly reached agreement on a one-year, $12 million deal

Chaisson is a classic tale of a first-round disappointment who flourished in a better situation. Chaisson didn’t work out with the Jaguars but was very good for the Patriots this past season, picking up 7.5 sacks. He’s just 26 years old and a team will bet on his emergence continuing.

15. Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean

UPDATE: Dean and the Steelers reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $36.75 million deal

Dean was Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 cornerback this past season, and while he’ll turn 30 years old during next season, teams that need cornerback help will take a risk that Dean’s 2025 level can sustain for at least one more season.

14. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill

There are plenty of concerns with Hill, who was recently cut by Miami. He’ll be 32 next season and coming off a major knee injury. He might not happily accept a reduced role and a salary to match. That’s not good for a player who has thrived on being the fastest player on the field for his career. His off-field issues are well known. But Hill has been an elite player who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons, and he led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns in 2023. Someone is going to gamble on getting at least one more prime season out of Hill, one of the best receivers of this era.

13. Buccaneers WR Mike Evans

UPDATE: Evans and the 49ers reportedly reached agreement on a three-year deal

Evans could always return to the Buccaneers again. But heading into his age-33 season, Evans should still have some juice left. Injuries set him back this past season, his first in the NFL without gaining 1,000 yards. That doesn’t mean he’s at the end, as his agents told ESPN that retirement isn’t on the table for 2026. Evans is a future Hall of Famer and the Niners jumped at the chance to add his presence to their receiver room.

12. Falcons QB Kirk Cousins

Cousins isn’t officially a free agent but the Falcons are reportedly planning to cut him, so he’s on the list. Cousins finished last season with some good performances, which will reinvigorate the market for him. He’ll be 38 years old in August but he’ll be better than plenty of the options some QB-needy teams will be looking at.

11. Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr.

UPDATE: Etienne and the Saints reportedly agreed on a four-year, $52 million deal

Etienne has at least 1,399 yards from scrimmage in three of his four NFL seasons. He also has at least 260 carries in a season twice, showing he can be a focal point of the Saints’ running game.

10. Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III

UPDATE: Walker and the Chiefs reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $45 million deal

Winning Super Bowl MVP raised Walker’s profile, but teams didn’t see him as an elite running back. He is very good though, and has three 1,000-yard seasons in his four years in the NFL, a big reason why the Chiefs made a big early move in free agency. Walker has big-play ability, but down-to-down consistency has been a question. It seemed was returning to the Seahawks, but they didn’t use the franchise tag on him, giving him a clear path to the open market.

9. Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed

UPDATED: Shaheed and the Seahawks reached agreement on a three-year, $51 million deal

Shaheed didn’t have a huge impact with the Seahawks as a receiver after a midseason trade, but it’s hard to acclimate to an offense during a season. On special teams he was great though. The Sehawks know what they have in Shaheed, a big-play receiver who can also flip a game with a big return. That has a lot of value.

8. Chargers OLB Odafe Oweh

UPDATE: Commanders and Oweh agreed to reported four-year, $100 million deal

The Ravens moved on from Oweh, a former first-round pick, and the Chargers benefitted from a low-cost midseason trade. Oweh had 7.5 sacks in 12 games and put himself on the map as an attractive free agent. Oweh did have some moments with the Ravens too, including 10 sacks in 2024. He got a big payday from Washington.

7. Eagles DE Jaelan Phillips

UPDATE: Phillips and the Panthers reportedly reached agreement on a four-year, $120 million deal

Phillips has an injury history. He’s also an accomplished pass rusher who was once a first-round draft pick and will be just 27 years old next season. Phillips had just five sacks between the Dolphins and Eagles last season, and he didn’t make a huge impact for Philadelphia after a midseason trade. But his 28 career sacks and prime age generated enough interest from the Panthers.

6. Packers QB Malik Willis

UPDATE: Willis and the Dolphins reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $67.5 million deal

The quarterback market is incredibly thin, including a weak draft class outside of Fernando Mendoza. That will make Willis a surprisingly popular commodity, considering how many teams need a quarterback. Would you rather gamble on Willis, who is 26 years old and has looked good when he needed to play for the Packers, a Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers near the end, or Daniel Jones coming off a major injury? At least Willis provides some hope to be a long-term option without many glaring concerns, other than seeing if he can produce as a full-time starter.

5. Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd

UPDATE: Panthers reach 3-year, $45 million deal with Lloyd

Lloyd looked like a first-round disappointment with the Jaguars — he didn’t get his fifth-year option picked up — but then he had a breakout season with a new coaching staff. He made the Pro Bowl and had a career-best season. Now he looks like a late bloomer that needed a better scheme to thrive.

4. Colts WR Alec Pierce

UPDATE: Pierce and the Colts reached agreement on a four-year, $116 million

Pierce picked a good time for his breakout season. The former second-round draft pick went from an occasional big-play threat to more production in a higher-volume role. Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons and he’s coming off his first 1,000-yard season. He’ll be just 26 years old next season.

3. Cowboys WR George Pickens

Pickens could be No. 1 on this list, but the non-exclusive franchise tag tempers enthusiasm. The Cowboys will have to figure out how to make Pickens happy because he’s unlikely to be with the tag, that allows him to negotiate with other teams albeit with a heavy asking price for outside suitors. He’ll be just 25 years old next season with elite talent, but also off-field concerns that caused the Steelers to move on.

2. Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum

UPDATE: Linderbaum and the Raiders reportedly reached agreement on a three-year, $81 million deal

Linderbaum was Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 center last season, he’s 25 years old and is a former first-round pick. This is the exact type of free agent teams will and should overpay. He plays a highly valuable position and has many prime years left.

1. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson

UPDATE: Hendrickson and the Ravens reportedly reached agreement on a four-year, $112 million deal

Hendrickson had 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024. Last season that dipped to 4.5, but his unhappiness over the Bengals’ treatment of him, along with injuries that limited him to seven games, tells that story. Hendrickson is 31 years old so that will work against him on a long-term deal, but pass rushers like this aren’t often available.

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