The Most Underrated 2025 NFL Free Agents Still Available
In the early waves of NFL free agency, teams signed top veterans across multiple positions. However, several underrated players left on the open market could help contenders and rebuilding squads.
Teams can still find starters in the second week of free agency. Many will be available at bargain-bin rates because of a down year in productivity, age (on the older side of 30) or recent injury history.
As clubs continue to fill remaining roster needs ahead of the 2025 draft, we've highlighted seven under-the-radar free agents here. These players aren't former first-rounders or players with Pro Bowl or All-Pro accolades on their career resumes, but they could still make an impact on the right team.
RB J.K. Dobbins
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Last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, J.K. Dobbins showed what he could do while mostly healthy. He ran for a career-high 905 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and he added 32 catches for 153 yards. The 26-year-old finished second in 2024 Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Between 2021 and 2023, Dobbins missed 42 games because of injuries, which stunted his early development. Despite sitting out four contests last year, he proved that he can lead a ground attack.
Dobbins would fit best in a backfield where he could share touches with a pass-catching running back who can also split the rushing workload. Dobbins isn't a prolific receiver, and he would take fewer hits and have a better chance of playing through an entire campaign if he split time.
The Cleveland Browns could be the ideal scenario for Dobbins with Jerome Ford in their backfield. Ford isn't a workhorse ball-carrier, but he's hauled in 81 passes for 544 yards and five touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Best fit: Cleveland Browns
Slot CB Mike Hilton
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At 31, Mike Hilton is still one of the league's best slot cornerbacks. Over the last two seasons, he's recorded 24 tackles for loss, 13 pass breakups and three interceptions. At his position, it's rare to see a defender log double-digit tackles for loss in back-to-back seasons.
Because of Hilton's ability to routinely make plays in the backfield, he's a unique nickelback. The 5'9", 184-pounder also fares well in coverage, giving up fewer than six yards per target in 2023 and 2024.
The Las Vegas Raiders could plug Hilton into their primary slot cornerback spot after they lost Nate Hobbs to the Green Bay Packers.
Along with Hobbs, Las Vegas lost safeties Tre'Von Moehrig and Marcus Epps in free agency. With eight years of quality NFL experience, Hilton could help lead the Raiders' revamped secondary.
Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders
OG Teven Jenkins
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Under a new coaching staff led by head coach Ben Johnson, the Chicago Bears made wholesale changes to the interior of their offensive line this offseason. They acquired guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trades and signed center Drew Dalman in free agency.
Thanks to the additions of Thuney and Jackson, Teven Jenkins isn't returning to Chicago. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, he visited the Seattle Seahawks on Monday. According to Sports Illustrated's James Rapien, the fifth-year veteran is also drawing interest from the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants.
Among the three teams reportedly interested in Jenkins, the Seahawks have the most cap space and could offer him more than the other suitors.
The Seahawks lost left guard Laken Tomlinson to the Houston Texans in free agency. They need a reliable pass-blocking guard.
Anthony Bradford allowed seven sacks in 578 snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. According to PFF, Jenkins gave up four sacks in 738 snaps with the Bears.
Best fit: Seattle Seahawks
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WR Elijah Moore
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In his four NFL seasons, wide receiver Elijah Moore has posted mediocre numbers. He averaged 35.4 receiving yards per game and scored nine total touchdowns in 61 contests.
However, the 24-year-old still has a ton of upside if he pairs up with a decent starting-caliber quarterback.
Moore primarily played with Zach Wilson during his two years with the New York Jets, and he saw most of his targets from Deshaun Watson over the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Both teams have had unstable quarterback situations due to poor performances and injuries.
Moore should be looking to sign with a club that has its franchise signal-caller and a need at his position.
Even though the Houston Texans are rebuilding their offensive line, Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud will remain under center as the offensive centerpiece. The Texans haven't re-signed Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell could miss the 2025 campaign as he recovers from a torn ACL, MCL and LCL and a dislocated knee.
In Houston, Moore would be the No. 2 receiver behind Nico Collins as the team tries to strengthen Stroud's supporting cast.
Best fit: Houston Texans
EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah
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Emmanuel Ogbah peaked with the Miami Dolphins between 2020 and 2021. In both seasons, the veteran edge-rusher recorded nine sacks and 36-plus pressures.
At 31, Ogbah is best suited for a rotational role off the edge. Last season with the Miami Dolphins, he recorded 49 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 19 pressures and five sacks while playing 73 percent of the defensive snaps.
Nonetheless, Ogbah has been a productive pass-rusher with the Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs in recent years, logging at least five sacks in five of the past six seasons. In the outlier year (2022), he missed eight games because of injury.
The San Francisco 49ers parted ways with several starters in a reset, including edge-rusher Leonard Floyd. They can probably sign Ogbah at a bargain-bin rate.
Best fit: San Francisco 49ers
CB Asante Samuel Jr.
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Asante Samuel Jr. is coming off an injury-riddled season in which he missed 13 games with the Los Angeles Chargers. However, he's capable of bouncing back.
Samuel registered two interceptions and at least 11 pass breakups in each of his first three seasons. In 2023 and 2024, he allowed a passer rating lower than 90.
Some teams may not see Samuel as a schematic fit because of his size and questionable ability to press in coverage. With that said, the Carolina Panthers desperately need a potential upgrade at cornerback.
The Panthers should be looking for a starter to line up opposite oft-injured cornerback Jaycee Horn, whom they signed to a four-year, $100 million extension. In 2024, Michael Jackson started in 17 games, allowing six touchdowns and a 106.5 passer rating in coverage.
Samuel could help Carolina's defensive unit after it gave up the 10th-most passing yards and most passing touchdowns last season.
Best fit: Carolina Panthers
LB Kyzir White
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In his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Kyzir White struggled to stay healthy and make impact plays on the field. He fared better in both aspects in his last year with the Chargers, but the team still let him walk in free agency in 2022.
White had a solid campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, but he had his most productive years with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 and 2024. In both seasons with the Cardinals, he registered a career-high nine tackles for loss and allowed only one touchdown in coverage.
The Las Vegas Raiders need a versatile linebacker who can line up in the middle, on the strong or weak sides as they retool the second level of their defense.
Las Vegas lost Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo in free agency to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, respectively. Though the Raiders signed a run-stopping linebacker in Elandon Roberts, they need a do-it-all player to shore up the second level of their defense.
Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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