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NFL free agency kicked off at the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12 and after nearly two weeks the list of the best NFL free agents available has dwindled.
The offseason allows all 32 NFL teams to return to a level playing field and over the last two weeks, hundreds of free agents around the league have agreed to terms with new teams as every franchise searches for ways to tip the scale during the NFL's offseason.
Teams have ponied up the dough, agreeing to contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to improve the quality of their rosters. Some players earned surprisingly high figures on the open market.
Veteran offensive stars like wide receiver Chris Godwin and running back Najee Harris have agreed to terms for 2025 and beyond. However, plenty free agents remain including defenders who could be difference-makers. We've seen quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Justin Fields and Jameis Winston agree to contracts with new teams but who is the best remaining signal-caller available?
There are still dozens of notable players in free agency looking to sign who could be key contributors for teams in 2025. Here are the top 10 remaining players available in free agency as of March 23:
NFL FREE AGENCY TRACKER: Tracking every offseason transaction for all 32 teams
Diggs is a veteran and former All-Pro coming off a season-ending injury. He tore his ACL in Week 8 and will turn 32 next season. He's been one of the most reliable receivers over the last decade, finishing with over 1,000 receiving yards in six straight seasons before 2024. He has finished in the top 25 in PFF overall grade in every season. Many contenders with thin wide receiver rooms will be interested in his services despite the likelihood he will miss the start of the year.
STEFON DIGGS LANDING SPOTS: Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers the best fits
Some NFL fans would say the Jets went all-in last season. They supplied Rodgers with plenty of firepower including Davante Adams. Things folded quickly in New York but the four-time MVP showed signs of life in the second half of the season. Any team acquiring Rodgers would be on a timeline with the 41-year-old signal-caller. Rodgers is the oldest player in the NFL but his vision, accuracy and arm talent are still present although he's not the MVP he once was.
Bills GM Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have built an excellent core on the offensive and defensive lines, allowing tertiary players like Douglas to excel. Douglas has been a staple in Buffalo's secondary since arriving at the 2023 trade deadline. He's an impact player who is physical on the perimeter. He struggled at times in 2024 but he posted the fifth-highest coverage grade among cornerbacks from 2021-2023, per PFF.
Amari Cooper is a player many would have at the top of the list, but the receiver will be 31 in June and his role in Joe Brady's offense never gained traction. Buffalo traded for Cooper mid-season but the veteran wideout didn't have much impact. He suffered a wrist injury that likely slowed him down, as he missed two games. He offers a veteran presence and consistency for a team searching for a proven player to add to their receiving room.
The former second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft missed significant time last season for the first time in his four-year career, playing just four games. Like his father, he has a knack for ball-hawking, with six interceptions, 37 passes defensed and 26 pass breakups in 50 career games. He posted an average 80.8 PFF coverage grade from 2022 to 2023, ranking 12th among 67 qualifying corners.
The 13-year vet started 11 games with the Steelers in 2024, completing 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns. He posted a QBR of 51.4 (22nd) but the offense bottomed out in the last month of the regular season. He's not the same player we watched take the league by storm in Seattle but he remains one of the best deep-ball passers. Wilson had a league-high 56% adjusted completion rate on throws of 20 or more yards in 2024. He led the Steelers to a 6-1 record but lost the final five games, including a wild-card loss.
RUSSELL WILSON BEST FITS: Potential landing spots for QB Russell Wilson
Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase received record-breaking contracts. As a result, Hilton is on the outside looking in. He is a veteran corner who has solidified himself as one of the best in the slot in the NFL. It's a prime defensive position, and with the emergence of elite slot receivers across the league, many contenders will be eager to acquire the veteran with playoff experience.
There's a likelihood the Browns will select a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the draft, but with Deshaun Watson's albatross contract and injury looming over the team, Chubb remains the face of the Browns along with Myles Garrett. Chubb struggled at times returning from a brutal knee injury, but his elite and efficient production may return with a healthy off-season under his belt.
Scherff is in the latter stage of his career, but the former No. 5 overall pick remains a capable starter in the trenches. He had a pass block win rate of 93.8% last year, which ranked 14th among guards, per ESPN.
Simmons earned second-team All-Pro honors in four of his last six seasons, including three consecutive before 2024. He has 32 career interceptions and can provide a veteran presence to any defensive room searching for leadership and stability.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stefon Diggs, Aaron Rodgers lead best remaining NFL free agents
Continue reading...
The offseason allows all 32 NFL teams to return to a level playing field and over the last two weeks, hundreds of free agents around the league have agreed to terms with new teams as every franchise searches for ways to tip the scale during the NFL's offseason.
Teams have ponied up the dough, agreeing to contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to improve the quality of their rosters. Some players earned surprisingly high figures on the open market.
Veteran offensive stars like wide receiver Chris Godwin and running back Najee Harris have agreed to terms for 2025 and beyond. However, plenty free agents remain including defenders who could be difference-makers. We've seen quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Justin Fields and Jameis Winston agree to contracts with new teams but who is the best remaining signal-caller available?
There are still dozens of notable players in free agency looking to sign who could be key contributors for teams in 2025. Here are the top 10 remaining players available in free agency as of March 23:
NFL FREE AGENCY TRACKER: Tracking every offseason transaction for all 32 teams
Top 10 remaining NFL free agents
1. WR Stefon Diggs (Previous team: Texans) | Age at start of 2025 season: 31
Diggs is a veteran and former All-Pro coming off a season-ending injury. He tore his ACL in Week 8 and will turn 32 next season. He's been one of the most reliable receivers over the last decade, finishing with over 1,000 receiving yards in six straight seasons before 2024. He has finished in the top 25 in PFF overall grade in every season. Many contenders with thin wide receiver rooms will be interested in his services despite the likelihood he will miss the start of the year.
STEFON DIGGS LANDING SPOTS: Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers the best fits
2. QB Aaron Rodgers (Previous team: Jets) | Age at start of 2025 season: 41
Some NFL fans would say the Jets went all-in last season. They supplied Rodgers with plenty of firepower including Davante Adams. Things folded quickly in New York but the four-time MVP showed signs of life in the second half of the season. Any team acquiring Rodgers would be on a timeline with the 41-year-old signal-caller. Rodgers is the oldest player in the NFL but his vision, accuracy and arm talent are still present although he's not the MVP he once was.
3. CB Rasul Douglas (Previous team: Bills) | Age at start of 2025 season: 30
Bills GM Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have built an excellent core on the offensive and defensive lines, allowing tertiary players like Douglas to excel. Douglas has been a staple in Buffalo's secondary since arriving at the 2023 trade deadline. He's an impact player who is physical on the perimeter. He struggled at times in 2024 but he posted the fifth-highest coverage grade among cornerbacks from 2021-2023, per PFF.
4. WR Amari Cooper (Previous team: Bills) | Age at start of 2025 season: 31
Amari Cooper is a player many would have at the top of the list, but the receiver will be 31 in June and his role in Joe Brady's offense never gained traction. Buffalo traded for Cooper mid-season but the veteran wideout didn't have much impact. He suffered a wrist injury that likely slowed him down, as he missed two games. He offers a veteran presence and consistency for a team searching for a proven player to add to their receiving room.
5. CB Asante Samuel Jr. (Previous team: Chargers) | Age at start of 2025 season: 25
The former second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft missed significant time last season for the first time in his four-year career, playing just four games. Like his father, he has a knack for ball-hawking, with six interceptions, 37 passes defensed and 26 pass breakups in 50 career games. He posted an average 80.8 PFF coverage grade from 2022 to 2023, ranking 12th among 67 qualifying corners.
6. QB Russell Wilson (Previous team: Steelers) | Age at start of 2025 season: 36
The 13-year vet started 11 games with the Steelers in 2024, completing 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns. He posted a QBR of 51.4 (22nd) but the offense bottomed out in the last month of the regular season. He's not the same player we watched take the league by storm in Seattle but he remains one of the best deep-ball passers. Wilson had a league-high 56% adjusted completion rate on throws of 20 or more yards in 2024. He led the Steelers to a 6-1 record but lost the final five games, including a wild-card loss.
RUSSELL WILSON BEST FITS: Potential landing spots for QB Russell Wilson
7. CB Mike Hilton (Previous team: Bengals) | Age at start of 2025 season: 31
Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase received record-breaking contracts. As a result, Hilton is on the outside looking in. He is a veteran corner who has solidified himself as one of the best in the slot in the NFL. It's a prime defensive position, and with the emergence of elite slot receivers across the league, many contenders will be eager to acquire the veteran with playoff experience.
8. RB Nick Chubb (Previous team: Browns) | Age at start of 2025 season: 29
There's a likelihood the Browns will select a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the draft, but with Deshaun Watson's albatross contract and injury looming over the team, Chubb remains the face of the Browns along with Myles Garrett. Chubb struggled at times returning from a brutal knee injury, but his elite and efficient production may return with a healthy off-season under his belt.
9. G Brandon Scherff (Previous team: Jaguars) | Age at start of 2025 season: 33
Scherff is in the latter stage of his career, but the former No. 5 overall pick remains a capable starter in the trenches. He had a pass block win rate of 93.8% last year, which ranked 14th among guards, per ESPN.
10. S Justin Simmons (Previous team: Falcons) | Age at start of 2025 season: 31
Simmons earned second-team All-Pro honors in four of his last six seasons, including three consecutive before 2024. He has 32 career interceptions and can provide a veteran presence to any defensive room searching for leadership and stability.
More top NFL free agents available:
- WR Keenan Allen (Previous team: Bears) | Age at start of 2025 season: 33
- EDGE Za'Darius Smith (Previous team: Lions) | 32
- LB Kyzir White (Previous team: Cardinals) | 29
- RB J.K. Dobbins (Previous team: Chargers) | 26
- OT Jedrick Wills Jr. (Previous team: Browns) | 26
- WR Diontae Johnson (Previous team: Panthers) | 29
- G Will Hernandez (Previous team: Cardinals) | 30
- DL Calais Campbell (Previous team: Dolphins) | 39
- S Julian Blackmon (Previous team: Colts) | 27
- WR Tyler Lockett (Previous team: Seahawks) | 32
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stefon Diggs, Aaron Rodgers lead best remaining NFL free agents
Continue reading...
