7 Under-the-Radar NFL Free Agents Who Could be Steals on the 2025 Market

NFL teams don’t need to sign marquee playesr in free agency to start the new league year with a bang. A club’s best pickup may be an under-the-radar acquisition who grossly outperforms his contract.

In hindsight, let’s highlight a few of the free-agent bargain-bin steals from last year.

The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal. He helped lead them to 14 wins and finished third in the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year voting.

The Los Angeles Chargers signed J.K. Dobbins to a one-year, $1.6 million contract. He led the Chargers in rushing with a career-high 905 yards and nine touchdowns and was the runner-up for 2024 Comeback Player of the Year.

The Philadelphia Eagles inked linebacker Zack Baun to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. On a prove-it contract, he put together an All-Pro season as a key contributor for an Eagles defense that gave up the fewest yards and second-fewest points in the league.

Who could be the biggest free-agent steals in the 2025 class? Taking projected market value and production into account, let's run through seven potential options.

S Camryn Bynum

Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Camryn Bynum, a 2021 fourth-round pick out of California, has developed into a starter. He'll likely hold on to a lead role whether he stays in Minnesota or signs elsewhere.

At 26, Bynum heads into free agency as an ascending cover safety. After a disastrous 2022 season in which he allowed a 123 passer rating and eight touchdowns, he made significant strides in Brian Flores' system, registering five interceptions and 19 pass breakups over the last two seasons. 

Bynum has primarily played free safety as a deep-cover defender, though he's capable of lining up in the slot. In addition to his takeaways, Bynum has improved his passer rating allowed over the last two seasons and permitted a 77.6 rating in 2024.

Bynum won't garner as much buzz as Jevon Holland, Justin Reid and Tre'Von Moehrig on the safety market, but he's been in the same class as those players in production. 

Pro Football Focus projects that Bynum may get a deal worth slightly more than $14 million annually, which may be selling his stock a bit short on the open market.

OT Alaric Jackson

Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Rams struggled to find Andrew Whitworth's successor at left tackle after he retired at the end of their successful Super Bowl run in 2021.

Joe Noteboom hasn't been able to stay healthy. But over the last two seasons, Alaric Jackson worked his way up from an undrafted backup utility offensive lineman to a starting-caliber player on quarterback Matthew Stafford's blind side.

Though Jackson served a two-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy this past season, he shored up the left side of the Rams offensive line upon his return.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson allowed only three sacks in 893 snaps. He earned top-23 grades for his pass- and run-blocking performances among 141 tackles.

The Rams should sign Jackson to a lucrative extension, but he can earn starter money on the open market if they don't.

LB Ernest Jones IV

Jane Gershovich/Getty Images

Ernest Jones IV bounced around the league over the last two years, suiting up for three teams, but his high-level production has been consistent at every stop. 

In Jones' last season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, he recorded career highs in tackles (145), tackles for loss (14), pressures (14), sacks (4.5) and pass breakups (six). 

Last August, the Rams traded him and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for a 2026 fifth-round pick. Before the 2024 trade deadline, the Titans flipped him for linebacker Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Jones finished the 2024 campaign with 138 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception while allowing an 85.6 passer rating.

Jones doesn't play a premium position, but his three-down skill set and steady production in different systems should garner suitors willing to commit to him with a multiyear contract. 

Wherever Jones lands, he'll be a bonafide starter and a steal who can strengthen the middle of a defense.

Edge Malcolm Koonce

Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Malcolm Koonce experienced a mini breakout toward the end of the 2023 season, recording six sacks in the final four weeks of that campaign. He seemed primed to become Maxx Crosby's pass-rushing partner on the edge, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury before Week 1 this past year.

Koonce's injury in a contract year will hurt his market value, but he's still in his prime (he turns 27 in June) after showing some promise in a starting role.

Because Koonce plays a premium position, he may still get close to $10 million per year. Pro Football Focus projects that the pass-rusher will get about $18.8 million per year on a new deal.

In 2023, Koonce registered eight sacks. If he reaches the double-digit mark in a full breakout season, whichever team signs him would have a steal at a key position.

WR Darius Slayton

Elsa/Getty Images

As a 2019 fifth-round pick out of Auburn, Darius Slayton has exceeded expectations, racking up 724-plus receiving yards in four of six seasons with the New York Giants. Even more impressive, he's posted those numbers with Daniel Jones' subpar quarterback play for most of his tenure.

Slayton had his best season as a rookie, recording 48 catches for 740 yards and eight touchdowns. But as Jones and the offense struggled, the big-play receiver rarely found the end zone.

Still, Slayton has averaged 15 yards per catch and led Big Blue in receiving yards in four of the past six years.

If Slayton signs with a team with a quality starting quarterback, he could rack up 1,000-plus yards because of his ability to make chunk plays in the deep passing game.

Slayton could be one of the league's top No. 2 wide receivers in a pass-heavy offense with a stable quarterback situation.

RB Javonte Williams

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Javonte Williams showed promise as a featured running back as a rookie, but he suffered significant knee injuries in 2022 and played in a diminished role under Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, which has adversely impacted his production over the last three years. 

Since Williams' return from a torn ACL and LCL, he's averaged fewer than 3.8 yards per carry in back-to-back campaigns. He lost his starting job for the last four weeks of the 2024 season.

Now that he's three years removed from his knee injury, Williams could rejuvenate his career as the lead ball-carrier of a duo or committee on a new team. He has a three-down skill set, having rushed for 2,394 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 158 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns in 54 outings.

Behind Najee Harris, Aaron Jones, J.K. Dobbins and Rico Dowdle, Williams may be an afterthought on the running back market, but a change of scenery could result in a career season for the soon-to-be 25-year-old.

DT Milton Williams

Kara Durrette/Getty Images

Among the Philadelphia Eagles' impending free agents, edge-rusher Josh Sweat and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun will garner more buzz than Milton Williams. However, the defensive tackle could become a household name on a team that isn't loaded with quality talent across the front seven.

In Philadelphia, Williams has been mostly a backup, starting in only 19 out of 67 games while playing less than 49 percent of the snaps in each of his four seasons with the club.

However, Williams recorded 36 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks in 2022. Following a forgettable 2023 campaign, he bounced back with a career-high five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss this past season.

Perhaps Williams has benefitted from playing alongside six-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro Fletcher Cox and former first-rounders Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Still, he's worth the gamble with his pass-rushing upside going into his age-26 season. 

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.