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After a flurry of activity throughout the legal tampering period, 2025 NFL free agency's once robust current of contracts has slowed to a trickle. With the bulk of this offseason's top available veterans already signed, teams and players are left with plenty of time to figure out the right fits and hammer out contracts -- some of which could wind up being bargains for franchises that waited out the early spending spree.
A handful of available players remain from our top 104 free agent rankings. Let's take a look at who the best remaining NFL free agents are and which teams could be hankering to add them to their depth charts.
2025 free agent rank: 23
Samuel played just four games last season due to a stinger, but at 25 years old he's one of the youngest veterans on the market. With a passer rating allowed hovering around 90.0 in each of his four seasons, he's an above-average cornerback with room to grow. If fully healthy, he can be a reliable presence and potential bargain in a market where Paulson Adebo signed for $18 million per year.
Best fits: Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills
2025 free agent rank: 27
Cooper may no longer be a 1,000-yard threat at age 30 -- though he had 1,250 yards in 2023 alongside Joe Flacco. That's fine, because he proved he's willing to block and set screens as a Buffalo Bill even while serving a reduced role in the playbook. He remains a big bodied downfield threat who can lift his offense even if he's not targeted.
Best fits: Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals
2025 free agent rank: 31
Jenkins played for the Chicago Bears' cheesecloth line and has only played 45 of a possible 68 games in his four-year career. That's dented his value, but the former second round pick is a useful pass blocker who, at 27 years old, brings a solid floor and the potential for a higher ceiling outside of Chicago.
Best fits: Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens
2025 free agent rank: 37
Douglas turns 30 in August and coming off a disappointing season with the Buffalo Bills. But he played at a Pro Bowl level in 2023 and has rallied back from frustrating years before. In a big year for good-not-great cornerback contracts, he could ink one last big deal from a team willing to bank on his latest comeback.
Best fits: Dolphins, 49ers, Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders
2025 free agent rank: 39
Diggs's future is clouded by the torn ACL that ended his 2024 after only eight games. He remained a viable starter over that stretch, even if that wasn't the All-Pro form for which the Houston Texans had hoped. His 1.99 yards per route run ranked 33rd in the NFL among qualified wideouts last year -- right between Calvin Ridley and Tyreek Hill.
Best fits: Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks
2025 free agent rank: 41
In 2023, Blackmon put together a ridiculous season. Four interceptions in 39 coverage targets gave him a 43.9 passer rating allowed. He had 35 run stops in 409 run snaps. He was a useful two-way safety vital to the Colts' jump from also-ran to playoff team. He backslid in 2024 and Indianapolis struggled, leaving the possibility 2023 was an outlier (and based on the rest of his career, it seems that way). Still, his potential remains great enough to be worth a modest free agency bet.
Best fits: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings (as Harrison Smith insurance)
2025 free agent rank: 46
Smith hasn't played a full season since 2015. He could opt for retirement after a 10-game 2024. But if he sticks around to further bolster his Hall of Fame case, he'd be a proven protector for as long as he can stay on the field.
Best fits: Kansas City Chiefs, Bears, Miami Dolphins
2025 free agent rank: 47
Hilton is 31 years old and struggled along with the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals defense in 2024. He he's not far removed from being one of the best slot cornerbacks in the game and remains a valuable veteran presence.
Best fits: Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons
2025 free agent rank: 51
Dobbins's 115 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) rated him as the 12th-most efficient tailback in the league last fall. That's enough to assuage some -- not all -- of the concerns he's missed 29 games the last three seasons (and all of 2021).
Best fits: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
2025 free agent rank: 68
Simmons backslid a bit in Atlanta, even with a rangy free safety in Jessie Bates to give him more freedom out of the secondary. His 4.7 percent run stop rate was a career low, but he remained useful in coverage and, importantly, is a veteran presence who knows where to be and sets the tone with his discipline and physicality.
Best fits: Chiefs, Steelers, Raiders
2025 free agent rank: 63
Wilson's scrambling is no longer the factor it once was and he may be an average quarterback over the course of a full season. But he's still got some throwback moves, and the moon balls that lead to big gains -- either via completion or pass interference -- are still a vital part of his game.
Best fits: Steelers, Giants, Minnesota Vikings
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The 11 best remaining NFL free agents (and where they should sign)
Continue reading...
A handful of available players remain from our top 104 free agent rankings. Let's take a look at who the best remaining NFL free agents are and which teams could be hankering to add them to their depth charts.
CB Asante Samuel Jr.
2025 free agent rank: 23
Samuel played just four games last season due to a stinger, but at 25 years old he's one of the youngest veterans on the market. With a passer rating allowed hovering around 90.0 in each of his four seasons, he's an above-average cornerback with room to grow. If fully healthy, he can be a reliable presence and potential bargain in a market where Paulson Adebo signed for $18 million per year.
Best fits: Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills
WR Amari Cooper
2025 free agent rank: 27
Cooper may no longer be a 1,000-yard threat at age 30 -- though he had 1,250 yards in 2023 alongside Joe Flacco. That's fine, because he proved he's willing to block and set screens as a Buffalo Bill even while serving a reduced role in the playbook. He remains a big bodied downfield threat who can lift his offense even if he's not targeted.
Best fits: Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals
G Teven Jenkins
2025 free agent rank: 31
Jenkins played for the Chicago Bears' cheesecloth line and has only played 45 of a possible 68 games in his four-year career. That's dented his value, but the former second round pick is a useful pass blocker who, at 27 years old, brings a solid floor and the potential for a higher ceiling outside of Chicago.
Best fits: Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens
CB Rasul Douglas
2025 free agent rank: 37
Douglas turns 30 in August and coming off a disappointing season with the Buffalo Bills. But he played at a Pro Bowl level in 2023 and has rallied back from frustrating years before. In a big year for good-not-great cornerback contracts, he could ink one last big deal from a team willing to bank on his latest comeback.
Best fits: Dolphins, 49ers, Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders
WR Stefon Diggs
2025 free agent rank: 39
Diggs's future is clouded by the torn ACL that ended his 2024 after only eight games. He remained a viable starter over that stretch, even if that wasn't the All-Pro form for which the Houston Texans had hoped. His 1.99 yards per route run ranked 33rd in the NFL among qualified wideouts last year -- right between Calvin Ridley and Tyreek Hill.
Best fits: Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks
S Julian Blackmon
2025 free agent rank: 41
In 2023, Blackmon put together a ridiculous season. Four interceptions in 39 coverage targets gave him a 43.9 passer rating allowed. He had 35 run stops in 409 run snaps. He was a useful two-way safety vital to the Colts' jump from also-ran to playoff team. He backslid in 2024 and Indianapolis struggled, leaving the possibility 2023 was an outlier (and based on the rest of his career, it seems that way). Still, his potential remains great enough to be worth a modest free agency bet.
Best fits: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings (as Harrison Smith insurance)
OT Tyron Smith
2025 free agent rank: 46
Smith hasn't played a full season since 2015. He could opt for retirement after a 10-game 2024. But if he sticks around to further bolster his Hall of Fame case, he'd be a proven protector for as long as he can stay on the field.
Best fits: Kansas City Chiefs, Bears, Miami Dolphins
CB Mike Hilton
2025 free agent rank: 47
Hilton is 31 years old and struggled along with the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals defense in 2024. He he's not far removed from being one of the best slot cornerbacks in the game and remains a valuable veteran presence.
Best fits: Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons
RB J.K. Dobbins
2025 free agent rank: 51
Dobbins's 115 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) rated him as the 12th-most efficient tailback in the league last fall. That's enough to assuage some -- not all -- of the concerns he's missed 29 games the last three seasons (and all of 2021).
Best fits: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
S Justin Simmons
2025 free agent rank: 68
Simmons backslid a bit in Atlanta, even with a rangy free safety in Jessie Bates to give him more freedom out of the secondary. His 4.7 percent run stop rate was a career low, but he remained useful in coverage and, importantly, is a veteran presence who knows where to be and sets the tone with his discipline and physicality.
Best fits: Chiefs, Steelers, Raiders
QB Russell Wilson
2025 free agent rank: 63
Wilson's scrambling is no longer the factor it once was and he may be an average quarterback over the course of a full season. But he's still got some throwback moves, and the moon balls that lead to big gains -- either via completion or pass interference -- are still a vital part of his game.
Best fits: Steelers, Giants, Minnesota Vikings
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The 11 best remaining NFL free agents (and where they should sign)
Continue reading...
