One of the busiest weeks of the NFL offseason is here, as free-agency negotiations open Monday in the lead-up to the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and teams across the league face important decisions.
Last week’s franchise-tag deadline came and went with minimal drama. Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins were the only players tagged — the lowest total in 31 years and down from an average of 9.2 players tagged from 2020 to 2024.
The dip signals a relatively weak free-agent class that is especially thin at the top. It’s also a sign of organizations being more proactive in signing top players to long-term deals. The class got even thinner after a host of re-signings in the days leading up to free agency.
Quarterback questions loom for many organizations — the New York Giants, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns, to name a few — but no free agent or draft prospect comes without a few doubts. Sam Darnold (No. 4) is the only quarterback ranked among the top 10 free agents, but he did not make our top tier.
The strengths of this free-agency class are on defense, especially after re-signings removed several starting-caliber offensive linemen. Sixteen of the top 22 free agents are defensive players, with edge rushers and cornerbacks the two deepest positions with 22 each in the top 150.
When is the free-agency window?
The free-agency period officially opens at the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, but agreements will be reached well before then.
The legal tampering period — a 52-hour window in which teams can speak with representatives of unrestricted free agents but not officially sign anyone — begins Monday at noon ET. Contract negotiations can be discussed and agreed upon during that window. By the time the new league year opens Wednesday, dozens of agreements with top free agents will have already been reported.
These time restrictions apply to players who have accrued at least four seasons in the NFL and seen their contracts expire, making them unrestricted free agents. Released veterans are not subject to such restrictions. They can sign with other teams at any time after their release.
The opening of the new league year on Wednesday also allows teams to make trades (before then, deals can only be agreed to in principle) and release players with a post-June 1 designation for cap purposes.
Top available free agents
Between tags and re-signings, 20 of the top 89 free agents in our original top 150 never reached the open market. That group includes each of the top three and five of the top 15.
Other players have been added to the free-agency market since being released from their teams. That group was headlined by six-time Pro Bowl receiver Davante Adams, whom the Jets released last week, but he has already found a home with the Rams. The highest-ranked player to join the market via release is Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at No. 10.
The Athletic’s updated Top 150 free agents can be found here. It will be updated with reported agreements and contract details as they come. There are only three Tier 1 players:
- Milton Williams, defensive tackle, Eagles
- Chris Godwin, wide receiver, Buccaneers
- Josh Sweat, edge, Eagles
Here are the top available quarterbacks:
- Darnold, Vikings: No. 4
- Aaron Rodgers, Jets: No. 23
- Justin Fields, Steelers: No. 24
- Russell Wilson, Steelers: No. 43
- Daniel Jones, Vikings: No. 44
Teams to watch
Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings didn’t use the franchise tag on Darnold, who appears set to draw significant interest, especially from Seattle. Minnesota was able to keep RB Aaron Jones; can it also bring back other starters in its secondary in CB Byron Murphy, S Camryn Bynum? Expect a flurry of moves.
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks traded away Geno Smith on Friday and DK Metcalf on Sunday without any replacements on the roster. And no, they are not tanking. Will they land Darnold? If not, who will play quarterback? And what’s the plan at receiver?
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers just landed Metcalf, but they don’t yet have a starting quarterback, with both Wilson and Fields looming as free agents. The team has said it prefers to re-sign one, but can it avoid a bidding war?
Philadelphia Eagles: The reigning Super Bowl champions kept Zack Baun but could lose some talent, with 14 players hitting free agency, including two of the top three (Milton Williams and Josh Sweat) in The Athletic’s rankings.
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have already had an eventful offseason, tagging Smith and trading two-time first-team All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to Chicago. That move saved them $16 million in cap space, but they have more work to do to create room. They also brought back LB Nick Bolton, but can they keep S Justin Reid, too? What will they do at left tackle? Do they have another move up their sleeve?
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers have already shed talent by trading WR Deebo Samuel to the Commanders and releasing DTs Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins. Now they have a host of quality players hitting free agency and an owner who appears to be tightening the purse strings.
What about restricted free agency?
A restricted free agent is a player who has accrued three or fewer NFL seasons and seen his contract expire. These are typically players who were cut or injured during their rookie contracts or former undrafted free agents.
Restricted free agents can negotiate with other teams, but their current team has the right to match any accepted offer sheet. If their current club doesn’t match, it can receive a draft pick equivalent to the tender (essentially a one-year contract) the current team has assigned.
The deadline for teams to tender restricted free agents is 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Any untendered RFAs will become unrestricted free agents. Here are the RFA tender amounts for 2025, per Over the Cap.
- First round: $7,458,000
- Second round: $5,346,000
- Right of first refusal: $3,263,000
Some notable RFAs this year include:
- Jaylen Warren, running back, Steelers
- Jordan Mason, running back, 49ers
- Greg Dortch, wide receiver, Cardinals
- Kader Kohou, cornerback, Dolphins
- Nazeeh Johnson, cornerback, Chiefs
- Ar’Darius Washington, safety, Ravens
Required reading
(Photo of Sam Darnold: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
