2023 NFL Free Agency: The 10 Best 25-and-Under Players in This Year's Class
When free agency kicks off March 15, several NFL teams will add experienced and often high-profile veterans who can help them win right away. It's a tried-and-true approach that has yielded positive results over the last couple of years.
The Philadelphia Eagles, for example, added players like James Bradberry, Haason Reddick and Ndamukong Suh over the last year, and while they didn't win it all, they did reach Super Bowl LVII.
However, not every team will be in a position to go all-in on 2023. For those franchises, more value will be found in adding younger and perhaps less-experienced players who have yet to reach their peak. The Jacksonville Jaguars' 2022 addition of wideout Christian Kirk is a great example of the latter category.
Here, we'll dive into the top 10 impending free agents who will be 25 years old or younger at the start of free agency. We'll examine why these players are or can become stars and identify one team for each that would provide an ideal fit.
Factors such as past production, potential upside, player health, positional value and team needs were all considered. We'll also examine new teams for each player, as a return should already be viewed as logical in most cases.
Honorable Mentions
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LB Azeez Al-Shaair, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, LB Devin Bush, WR Mecole Hardman, TE Foster Moreau, RB Tony Pollard, S Taylor Rapp
Several young players will be available this spring, and it's worth diving into a few noteworthy names who didn't make our official list.
Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is probably the most notable. A fantastic dual-threat back, he earned his first Pro Bowl nomination in 2022. However, he also suffered a broken leg and high-ankle sprain in the divisional round of the playoffs.
While Pollard is expected to be at "full strength" before training camp, according to ESPN's Todd Archer, there's some injury uncertainty, and he just misses the cut because of it.
Linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Devin Bush are both quality defenders but are somewhat one-dimensional and may not move the needle for every franchise. Al-Shaair logged 44 tackles for the San Francisco 49ers this past season but had 102 and two sacks the previous year. Bush had 81 tackles for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting only started five games this past season but appeared in 12 and allowed an opposing passer rating (OPR) of only 59.6 in coverage. He could reemerge as a full-time starter in the right situation.
Safety Taylor Rapp tallied 92 tackles for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, while tight end Foster Moreau had 420 yards and two touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman is a bit of a sleeper selection, but he's listed here for two reasons. First, this year's receiver pool isn't particularly strong, with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers and Odell Beckham Jr. topping the list. There isn't a true No. 1 receiver among them.
Second, Hardman has shown flashes of being a speedy difference-maker. He logged 693 receiving yards in 2021 and had 297 yards and four touchdowns in eight games this past season. However, Hardman missed the majority of the year (including two of three playoff games) with abdominal injuries.
10. S Nasir Adderley
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While Derwin James is the star of the Los Angeles Chargers secondary, fellow safety Nasir Adderley has emerged as a reliable player. The Delaware product appeared in 16 games with 15 starts this past season, finishing with 62 tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions.
Adderley allowed an OPR of just 83.6 in coverage. He won't turn 26 until the end of May and is projected to have a market value of $8.7 million annually.
That's a fair price for a reliable defensive back, and just about every team in need of secondary help should have interest. The Cincinnati Bengals should be high on the list of intrigued parties.
Cincinnati's Super Bowl window is wide open, but the Bengals could lose safeties Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell in free agency this offseason. While they did use a first-round pick on Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill last April, he saw limited playing time (131 defensive snaps) as a rookie and remains a relative unknown.
The Bengals also happen to be among the league leaders in projected cap space with $36.5 million and should have little trouble paying a fair rate.
Best Fit: Cincinnati Bengals
9. RB Miles Sanders
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If Pollard were healthy, he might've bumped Eagles running back Miles Sanders from this list. It would be a tough call, though it's made moot by the fact that Sanders made it through the season and postseason healthy.
Pro Bowl running backs simply don't reach the open market often—Chris Ivory was the last Pro Bowl running back to sign with a new team the offseason after making the exhibition, and that was in 2016. Sanders is a Pro Bowl back who won't turn 26 until May and just played in the Super Bowl.
He finished the regular season with 1,269 rushing yards, 78 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. While he wasn't heavily utilized as a pass-catcher this past season, he does possess dual-threat ability, as evidenced by his 509 receiving yards in 2019.
With a projected market value of $7.2 million annually, Sanders should be able to fill a starting role for most running back-needy teams.
He averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2022 and would be a great fit for the Miami Dolphins, who have spent the past few seasons trying to patch together a committee backfield. Miami ranked a modest 19th in yards per carry (4.3) this past season and could lose Raheem Mostert, Myles Gaskin and Jeff Wilson Jr. in free agency.
The caveat is that Miami would have to clear cap space to make a move happen. The Dolphins are projected to be $12.7 million over the cap. If they could pull it off, though, head coach Mike McDaniel would have the featured back he didn't have in year one.
Best Fit: Miami Dolphins
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8. CB Byron Murphy
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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy had a bit of a down year in 2022, which will hurt his value somewhat in free agency. The four-year veteran, who just turned 25 last month, missed eight games with a back injury and was up-and-down as a starter.
Murphy allowed an OPR of 103.1 in coverage.
Still, young cornerbacks are valuable, and Murphy has shown a high level of play previously. He started 16 games in 2021, logged four interceptions and allowed an OPR of just 87.6. Murphy will be targeted as a starter in free agency.
The Las Vegas Raiders should be among the teams doing so. Las Vegas was atrocious against the pass in 2022, finishing 29th in yards allowed and 28th in yards per attempt surrendered (6.7).
The Raiders could also lose cornerbacks Rock Ya-Sin, Anthony Averett and Sidney Jones IV in free agency.
With quarterback Derek Carr off the books, Las Vegas possesses $46.3 million in cap space. Carr's departure likely signals the start of another rebuild for the Raiders, and Murphy is exactly the sort of young cornerback who could serve as a building block in their secondary.
Best Fit: Las Vegas Raiders
7. G Connor McGovern
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Interior offensive linemen don't always generate a lot of buzz during free agency, but they're integral to a team's offensive success. While they may not fend off opposing edge-rushers—and therefore don't get the same attention as offensive tackles—they still play a key role in protecting the quarterback and sparking the ground game.
Cowboys guard Connor McGovern did a little bit of both in 2022, making 15 starts and allowing only two sacks with one penalty, according to Pro Football Focus.
McGovern, who turned 25 in November, should get a lot of looks as a starting option this offseason.
The Denver Broncos desperately need to upgrade their offensive line and should take a long look at McGovern. Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked a whopping 55 times in 2022—tied with Justin Fields for the league lead—and Denver could lose several key players in free agency.
Left guard Dalton Risner, right tackle Billy Turner and backups Cameron Fleming, Tom Compton and Calvin Anderson are among the Broncos' impending free agents.
Retaining Risner would make plenty of sense if Denver can afford it, but that could prove difficult. He has a projected market value of $9.5 million annually, while the Broncos have $12 million in projected cap space. McGovern would be a fine budget replacement as Denver looks for other ways to improve Wilson's protection.
Best Fit: Denver Broncos
6. OT Jawaan Taylor
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Were we just discussing how tackles tend to get all of the offensive-line attention? Jacksonville's Jawaan Taylor might not be an elite right tackle, but he's been solid enough over his first four years that he'll see a good payday in free agency.
Taylor was responsible for seven penalties and five sacks allowed this past season, according to Pro Football Focus. However, he has also started every game since being drafted in 2019.
Reliability is a valuable asset, and Taylor, who turned 25 in November, has a projected market value of $14 million annually.
The Chicago Bears should be champing at the bit to land a reliable tackle such as Taylor in free agency. Chicago has a league-high $97.8 million in projected cap space and needs to improve a line that surrendered a fourth-worst 58 sacks in 2022.
The Bears may also look to move on from 34-year-old right tackle Riley Reiff in free agency.
Protecting the quarterback must be a priority for Chicago, which will either have third-year man Fields under center or perhaps a rookie yet to be named. According to Audacy's Jason La Canfora, multiple NFL general managers are "fairly convinced" Fields will be traded.
Either way, Taylor could help bolster the Bears' blocking for the foreseeable future.
Best Fit: Chicago Bears
5. LB Tremaine Edmunds
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Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is arguably the best linebacker headed to the open market, and he won't even turn 25 until May.
The 2018 first-round pick has already made two Pro Bowls, and while he wasn't an all-star in 2022, he had another strong campaign. Edmunds finished the season with 102 tackles, six tackles for loss, a sack and an interception while allowing an OPR of just 69.9 in coverage.
Expect Edmunds, who has a projected market value of $11 million annually, to see a hefty payday next month.
While the Steelers would need to clear some cap space to sign him—they're projected to have less than $1 million available—they would be an ideal landing spot.
Pittsburgh nearly reached the postseason in 2022 despite having rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett under center for most of the season. It also has a talented, aggressive defense that ranked 10th in points allowed.
The Steelers also happen to have a potential opening for Edmunds, as Bush, Marcus Allen, Malik Reed and Robert Spillane are all scheduled to become free agents. Linebacker Myles Jack could also become a cap casualty, as releasing him would save $8 million off the 2023 cap.
Edmunds would be an upgrade over Jack, especially in coverage, where Jack allowed an OPR of 107.4 this past season.
Bet Fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
4. RB Josh Jacobs
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Running backs have become somewhat devalued in the modern NFL, both because it's a quarterback league and because good backs are regularly obtainable late in the draft. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, for example, was a seventh-round rookie and just led all players with 76 rushing yards in Super Bowl LVII.
Josh Jacobs isn't your typical running back, though. The Las Vegas Raiders star is a legitimate every-down back who can help carry an offense as both a runner and a receiver.
This past season, he led the league with 1,653 rushing yards while averaging 4.9 yards per carry, logging 53 receptions and 400 receiving yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. His projected market value of $12.8 million annually is both unsurprising and justifiable. Jacobs will get paid, be it in Las Vegas or elsewhere.
"This is where I want to be, but at the same time, it's gotta make sense," he told SiriusXM NFL Radio during Pro Bowl weekend.
The Bears should be eager to make a play for Jacobs. They have the cap space to do so, and they could desperately use a high-end starter to pair with Fields or another young quarterback.
Not only could Jacobs help bolster Chicago's 32nd-ranked passing offense, but he'd also be a big upgrade over 2022 starter and impending free agent David Montgomery, who has averaged a mere 3.9 yards per carry in his career.
Best Fit: Chicago Bears
3. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
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While the Eagles didn't shy from older veterans while gearing up for a Super Bowl run in 2022, they did add safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson—who turned 25 in December—in an offseason trade.
However, Philadelphia has yet to extend his contract, and he should be one of the most sought-after defenders in free agency. Though he wasn't a Pro Bowler in 2022, Gardner-Johnson had an incredibly impressive campaign.
The 2019 fourth-round pick out of Florida missed five games because of a lacerated kidney. Yet, he still tied for the league lead with six interceptions while tallying 67 tackles, a sack and eight passes defended. He also allowed an OPR of only 78.4 in coverage.
Gardner-Johnson is a versatile defensive back who can play safety or in the nickel spot. His production and flexibility are reflected in his $13.3 million projected market value.
While the Detroit Lions have just $15.9 million in projected cap space, they'd be wise to make a run at Gardner-Johnson. Detroit ranked a dismal 31st in yards per pass attempt allowed (7.0), and it will likely look to replace impending free agent DeShon Elliott (125.3 OPR in 2022) at safety this offseason.
While adding Gardner-Johnson alone wouldn't fix Detroit's 32nd-ranked defense, pairing him with Tracy Walker III would give the Lions one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.
Best Fit: Detroit Lions
2. DT Daron Payne
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Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne won't turn 26 until May, but he's already emerged as one of the league's most disruptive interior defenders. This past season, the Alabama product logged 64 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 25 quarterback pressures.
He picked the perfect time to have his inaugural Pro Bowl campaign, and he's going to command a lot of money in free agency. He has a projected market value of $19.4 million annually.
That's a hefty salary, but interior defenders who can wreck both running and passing game plans are few and far between. The Seattle Seahawks, who ranked 30th in run defense this past season, could desperately use one along their defensive front.
Seattle has a solid defensive tackle in Poona Ford, but he and defensive end L.J. Collier are both scheduled to become free agents. Adding a disruptor like Payne to the line would help improve the run defense up front while freeing Seattle's linebackers to flow to the football.
The Seahawks are also one of the few teams that may be able to afford Payne. While things could change significantly if and when Seattle inks a new deal with quarterback Geno Smith, it's projected to have $31.3 million in cap space.
Best Fit: Seattle Seahawks
1. QB Daniel Jones
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There's a very good chance that Daniel Jones returns to the New York Giants in 2023. He just helped end a five-year playoff drought, and the Giants are interested in retaining Jones.
"Hopefully, we can get something done with his representatives," general manager Joe Schoen said, per Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic.
The fact remains, though, that Jones is an impending free agent, he plays the game's most important position, and he won't turn 26 until May. Given the value of a good young quarterback in today's NFL, he pretty much has to top our list.
Jones played well in 2022 (92.5 rating), even if he hasn't done quite enough to prove he's a legitimate franchise QB. Given his expected price point, though, he's going to be paid like one.
According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Jones' next contract is expected to "come in at over $35 million per season."
The New York Jets would need to clear a lot of cap space to sign him away from the cross-town Giants, as they're projected to be $2.4 million over the cap. However, Jones and the Jets would be a sensible pairing.
The Jets were only a quarterback away from being serious playoff contenders in 2022. They had offensive standouts Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Tyler Conklin and Corey Davis, plus a defense that ranked fourth in both yards and points allowed. However, 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson was a flop, and Jets quarterbacks posted a cumulative 75.0 passer rating.
Jones would be an immediate upgrade for Gang Green, and he'd provide more long-term stability than chasing an aging Aaron Rodgers on the trade market.
Best Fit: New York Jets
Salary-cap, contract and market information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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