In the first few days of the NFL free agency, 22 of the top 25 free agents were off the board.
Aaron Rodgers and Amari Cooper are still there as April approaches.
Here’s how the chip settled on a free agency board:
The lead will be a very good veteran worthy of many defenses. He is a very good playmaking game for Steve Spanulo’s Chiefs defense, and at the age of 28 there should still be some major seasons left.
Bosa is one of the big names on the list, but his age (he’ll turn 30 in July) and his history of injury cannot be ignored. Various injuries have limited him to 28 games and 14 bags over the past three seasons. Still, he is a valuable player if he can stay healthy.
Allen had a good run for eight seasons with the commander. He played just eight games last season, but is durable, productive, 30 years old and can make an impact in the short term.
Jones traded twice last season from the Rams to the Titans, after which the Titans traded him for the Seahawks. In Seattle, Jones took off. He was very suited to the Seahawks scheme, posting 94 tackles in 10 games. He is a linebacker playmaker and is only 25 years old.
Former second round draft pick, Moehrig was the durable four-year starter for the Raiders. He had 104 tackles last season and added some interceptions.
Greenlow tore Achilles in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, then made a memorable return with eight tackles with the Rams later in the season. He suffered a calf injury in the next game, and that was due to his season. Greenlow was a great linebacker, but now we need to explain the history of his injuries.
It was an interesting year for Reddick. After the Jets made a deal with him, he refused to report, and played with the team on a restructured contract, only having bags. If the team can ignore that drama, Reddick has double-digit bags this season for each season from 2020 to 23. This includes two Pro Bowl selections, 2022 and 2023.
Houston oddly restructured Diggs’ deal shortly after trading him, allowing him to become a free agent this year. Unfortunately, he tore the ACL in week 8.
Mac reportedly considered resigning as he was about to turn 34, but decided to return. He got another nice payday. Former NFL defensive player of the year, Mac had six sacks last season and made his ninth Pro Bowl.
16. Bills WR Amari Cooper
Cooper was injured in the bill, so perhaps the reason he wasn’t the majority of the offense, he was 297 yards in eight games. He will be on June 31, but he spent a 1,250-yard season in 2023 and was consistently productive. Teams need to know if 2024 is the first sign of a major slide.
15. JetsQB Aaron Rodgers
We definitely haven’t heard whether Rodgers wants to play. If so, there will be interest from the team even if he is due to turn 42 in December. Rodgers played pretty well late last season and although he’s no longer at MVP level, he’ll be better than some of the other starting QBs in the league in week one.
Ward had already cashed in big and free agency when he moved from the Chiefs to the 49ers in 2022. He will not replicate the $40.5 million deal over the three years of that time. He is still on his 30-year-old right side and there should be a productive season left.
French fries have evolved into a great guard as a strong run blocker and excellent pass protector. In the fifth week of last season, he suffered a terrible fracture of his tibia. He should still be coveted at a free agency, but injuries can prevent the team from overpayment.
Becton blossomed last season. The former Jets’ first round draft pick spent a strong season with the Super Bowl champion Eagles guard, starting all the games and helping Saquon Barkley get a 2,000-yard rush. The 363 pound Becton ranked 20th among the grade security guards in Pro Football Focus last season.
Godwin had a great career, but his 2024 season ended with a dislocated ankle in week 7. In 2021 he tore the ACL. He’s only 29 this season, but the history of his injuries is a concern. He is a productive, versatile receiver and is in demand.
Bolton is young (2025 Season 25), rarely out of the field, is productive, with over 100 tackles in three of the four NFL seasons. Off-ball linebackers like Bolton are in higher demand as the teams return to run the ball in 2024.
Koonce will be an interesting case of free agency. In 2023 he broke out with eight bags in his third NFL season. He then suffered from an ACL that was actually torn apart just before the 2024 opener. It puts him in danger. He is still a promising pass rusher in a major era, and some teams gamble about it.
Adams may not have led the Jets into the playoffs after a questionable midseason trade, but he played very late in Week 15, including a 198-yard two-touchdown game.
The lead was the “other” cornerback for the Jets alongside Source Gardner. He has become a solid player in its own right. He will turn 29 during the 2025 season, which is not ideal at cornerback, but can help in a valuable position.
Murphy made his first Pro Bowl of last season after getting six intercepts to defend the Vikings. He’s just 27 years old and should be one of the top defenders in the free agent class.
Dolphins probably won’t be able to afford to regain the Netherlands. This is good news for teams looking for young safety who have playmaking abilities and have excellent run support. The Netherlands will be just 25 years old this season and he will become a major target for free agency.
Sweat was chosen for the best time to make a big Super Bowl. Sweat was a good player even before that, but in 2021 he had the Pro Bowl and in 2022 he had the 11 sack season. He played seven seasons, but next season he is 28 years old. Considering Edge Rush’s premium, sweat is in high demand.
When Stanley plays, he is a very good left tackle. And he played all 17 games last season and made the Pro Bowl. In the previous eight seasons, he had never played a full season. The long list of injuries was just as much a part of his story as he did great plays.
Williams was a bit over the good tackles of his team, but maybe he was a secret. Then the Super Bowl happened. Williams had two bags and was dominant. He will be just 26 years old next season and the team was already interested in him. The Super Bowl raised the price of his next contract.
It didn’t end with high notes, but Darnold excelled for most of the 2024 season. And there’s a lot of despair around the NFL at quarterbacks. In Darnold’s case, it’s his draft, and the result he showed when he was finally in a good situation. The lawsuit against him is that it was a small sample of success and that the last two games were ughs. He gets paid and comes with risk.
