The Best Available NFL Free Agent at Every Position
We’re several weeks into free agency, and it has been a wild ride. The New England Patriots went on a massive spending spree. The Washington Commanders pushed their chips to the middle of the table, making a pair of big-time trades. Two players received over $100 million from new teams. Cleveland Browns edge-rusher Myles Garrett and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase both received massive guarantees on contract extensions.
However, while any number of players hit the proverbial jackpot, there are still some big names who have yet to find a gig for 2025. There’s a four-time MVP for whom it’s the Steel City or bust. A Super Bowl MVP edge-rusher. And a number of aging stars with multiple Pro Bowls on their resume.
A couple of those players may decide to call it a career and retire. Many more will probably get scooped up just after the NFL Draft as teams finish rounding out their rosters. But regardless of the individual situations, there are still numerous players available who could make a real impact in the NFL in 2025.
And here’s a look at the best at every position.
Quarterback: Carson Wentz
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First off, we aren’t including Aaron Rodgers as an “available” free agent. Yes, technically the 41-year-old is still without a team. But there are two ways that situation could play out. The most likely is that Rodgers eventually signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The other is that he calls it a career.
With Rodgers all but off the board, the pickings at quarterback are admittedly slim. NFL teams aren’t getting a starter at the position—it’s backups galore, from aging veterans like Joe Flacco to younger players who have failed to meet expectations like Trey Lance.
There was a time when it appeared that Carson Wentz was headed for stardom—in 2017 the second overall pick in 2016 was 11-2 as the starter in Philadelphia with 33 touchdown passes and seven interceptions before tearing his ACL.
Wentz hasn’t really been the same since. His last season as a full-time starter came with the Colts in 2021, and he barely played the past two seasons.
However, Wentz is a game over .500 as an NFL starter, he has over 90 starts under his belt and in that 2021 campaign, the 32-year-old threw 27 touchdown passes against just seven picks.
Running Back: JK Dobbins
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The running back position has become devalued in recent years across the NFL, and partly as a result there’s still a fair amount of meat left on the bone at the position—even if the available options all have question marks.
For Nick Chubb, it’s a pair of serious knee injuries and a 2024 season where the 29-year-old averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. JK Dobbins has had injury issues of his own, but he’s still just 26 years old, averaged 4.6 yards per carry with the Los Angeles Chargers last year and topped 1,000 total yards for the first time in his career.
For Christian D’Andrea of For the Win, Dobbins’ talent outweighs the durability concerns.
“Dobbins's 115 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) rated him as the 12th-most efficient tailback in the league last fall,” he said. “That's enough to assuage some -- not all -- of the concerns he's missed 29 games the last three seasons (and all of 2021).”
He’ll get no argument from us.
Wide Receiver: Amari Cooper
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On some level, it’s a bit surprising that wide receiver Amari Cooper is still without a team. Over a decade in the NFL, Cooper has surpassed 1,000 yards seven times. He’s been named to five Pro Bowls, including as recently as 2023.
But Cooper’s 2024 season was admittedly a mess—Cooper was traded to Buffalo during the season and never meshed with the Bills. At season’s end, Cooper had just 44 catches for 547 yards. Both were career-lows.
Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters mentioned a reunion in Las Vegas as a potential landing spot for the 30-year-old.
“Now, as Cooper's career begins to come to a close, running it back with the team that drafted him could be the best option,” Peters said. “Las Vegas has revamped its offense this offseason by trading for Geno Smith, but the Raiders could still use some help. They have a pair of solid receiving threats in tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, and Cooper could compliment those two well.”
Cooper’s immediate future likely lies in a short-term “prove it” deal. But as recently as two years ago he caught 72 passes for a career-best 1,250 yards.
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Tight End: Gerald Everett
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This wasn’t an especially deep class at tight end before free agency even started. Now, after a few weeks of players finding new homes, the remaining players are—uninspiring.
Gerald Everett was released by the Chicago Bears in a salary-slashing move following a 2024 season in which he was essentially invisible—eight catches on 13 targets for all of 35 yards.
However, in three straight seasons from 2021 to 2023, Everett caught at least 45 passes and surpassed 400 receiving yards. Brock Vierra of Sports Illustrated mentioned the 30-year-old as a potentially solid complimentary weapon for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Everett is cheap, a scheme fit, and a thorn in the side of defensive coordinators,” he said. He automatically provides Patrick Mahomes a safety valve in the passing game as Everett knows how to manipulate and exploit coverages, plus he is a handful to bring down. There are things in life that exist yet are unable to be seen with the human eye. Like an atom or a single grain of salt. Gerald Everett being tackled by one defender can be added to that list. Everett is a younger, faster Travis Kelce. He opens up the outside and when defenses focus their attention on the wide receivers, Everett eats linebackers up for breakfast. A smart move for all.”
Comparing Everett to Kelce is pushing it. But the veteran is the best tight end still without a team.
Offensive Tackle: Tyron Smith
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Per Pro Football Focus, last year veteran offensive tackle Tyron Smith played just under 600 snaps, allowing five sacks. It was Smith’s career in a nutshell—when the 34-year-old has been healthy, he has been a quality tackle—in 2023 he made 13 starts for the Cowboys and was a second-team All-Pro. But injuries have been a constant issue for Smith—his last full season came a decade ago, and Smith has averaged eight missed contests per season over the past three years.
Still, we are talking about an eight-time Pro Bowler with a pretty good case for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports sees Smith as a potential bargain addition for teams with a need up front.
“Yes, Tyron Smith is 34,” he said. “But last year, he was still a positive starter in a bad situation for the Jets. The veteran was 30th amongst tackles in PFF grade, which puts him as an average starter. The best part is the balance, as he's solid both in the pass and run game. Tackles tend to age just fine barring injuries, and injuries have been a problem for him. But when Smith is available, he is still a really good player.”
Smith’s availability may have as much to do with his mulling retirement as a lack of interest from potential suitors.
Interior Offensive Linemen: OG Brandon Scherff
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Like many of the free agents in this column, Brandon Scherff has more than a few candles on his birthday cake—the five-time Pro Bowler turned 33 this past December. But as Pro Football Focus pointed out, Scherff has been a capable, reliable starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars the past few years.
“After a rash of injuries kept Scherff on the shelf for a handful of games in each season from 2018-21, he bounced back in a major way by starting every game over his three-year contract with the Jaguars from 2022-24,” they said. “The top-five pick doesn’t quite have All-Pro/Pro-Bowl tape anymore, but he is still a very capable starter, particularly in pass protection.”
Per PFF, Scherff played just over 1,000 snaps last year without allowing a single sack. The 6’5”, 315-pounder graded outside the top 50 guards overall, but he was a top-20 option in pass protection.
It may take until after the draft for teams to make a more concerted effort to sign Scherff. And his days of big, multi-year contracts may be over. But if the 2024 season was any indication, Scherff can stay play at a high level.
Edge-Rusher: Von Miller
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The edge-rusher position is pretty picked over at this point—the remaining players generally fall into two categories. There are younger players with limited professional resumes and aging veterans on the downslope of their careers.
Von Miller most assuredly fits into the latter category—the MVP of Super Bowl 50 is 36. But despite a rather disappointing tenure in Buffalo, Miller isn’t ready to call it career. However, he told Up and Adams that landing somewhere with a chance to win is a priority for him as his career winds down.
"Fifteen years in the game, you just don't want to go through those growing pains of losing again. That'll drag you down faster than anything else. You can never predict what's gonna happen next, especially in the NFL. You never know what's gonna happen next. Winning football games is a huge priority for me and everything comes after that," said Miller.
There are a couple of younger proven veterans who are available in Matthew Judon and Preston Smith. But Miller has 129.5 career sacks and is a lock for induction into Canton after his career. He also quietly had six sacks last year in just 279 snaps.
That belies some gas left in the proverbial tank.
Defensive Tackle: Calais Campbell
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Noticing a theme?
Calais Campbell is even older than Von Miller—when the 2025 season kicks off, Campbell will be 39 years old. But the six-time Pro Bowler has given no indication that he intends to hang them up, and per PFF’s Zoltan Buday Campbell showed with the Miami Dolphins last year that he still capable of doing damage between the lines.
“Most teams have likely turned their attention to the 2025 NFL Draft when looking to bolster their defensive lines, as there are not many good options left in free agency,” he wrote. “Veteran interior defender Calais Campbell was still a force to be reckoned with last season at the age of 38, earning an 82.3 PFF overall grade that ranked sixth among players at his position. He is obviously not a long-term solution at this stage of his career, but he can be valuable as a situational pass rusher.”
Like many of the older players on this list, Campbell may have to wait until after the draft to find a new home with a team that missed at his position in Green Bay. He’s also past the days of being a full-time player.
But Campbell has had at least 5.5 sacks in each of the past three years—for three different teams. As consolation prizes go, NFL teams could do worse.
Linebacker: Eric Kendricks
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Stop me if you have heard this before—Eric Kendricks (by NFL standards) is old at 33. But the former Pro Bowler was effective in his first season with the Cowboys in 2024, pacing the team with 138 total tackles. In fact, Kendricks played well enough that Patrik Walker of the team’s website believes that it would be wise for Dallas to run it back again with the 11th-year veteran.
“The former First-Team All-Pro linebacker was a stabilizing force for the Cowboys in 2024, and served as a sensational mentor to young talent like Marist Liufau and DeMarvion Overshown as well,” he wrote. “Having poached him away from the 49ers in last year's free agency, the headline outside signing for Dallas, Kendricks deserves a second round with the same ask: play at a high level and stabilize a unit that will be without Overshown for a while.”
There are admittedly a couple of younger linebackers still on the market with considerable starting experience in E.J. Speed and Kyzir White. But there’s a reason why that duo is still looking for work—both are significant liabilities in pass coverage.
Kendricks might be a short-term fix. But in terms of all-around impact, he’s the best linebacker available.
Cornerback: Asante Samuel Jr.
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Had you said back in 2021 that Asante Samuel Jr. would be unsigned this far into his first foray into free agency, it likely would have earned you significant side-eye. Samuel starred at Florida State, and a combination of his tape and pedigree got the 25-year-old drafted in the top-50 by the Los Angeles Chargers.
However, Samuel never quite lived up to his potential or pedigree during his tenure in Los Angeles—in two of his four seasons with the Bolts, Samuel posted a passer rating against of over 95. His 2024 season was cut short after just four games by a shoulder injury.
Samuel admitted to reporters that his injury-marred campaign a year ago was a frustrating one.
“Just wanted to make sure for the long run I’ll be good, make sure my health overall is good,” Samuel said. “I wish I could have been out there with the team. It was killing me not to be out there with those guys. But I had to make sure my health was good.”
Whereas most of the top free agents still available are well past their primes, Samuel has yet to even enter his. If a change of scenery causes the proverbial lightbulb to come on with the young defensive back, he could emerge as one of the biggest bargains of free agency this spring.
Safety: Justin Simmons
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Over nine seasons in the NFL, Justin Simmons developed a reputation as one of the league’s best players at his position. Simmons has piled up 32 career interceptions, eclipsed 90 total tackles three times and was named either a Pro Bowler or first or second-team All-Pro five straight times from 2019 to 2023.
Simmons’ lone season in Atlanta wasn’t especially impressive—62 total tackles and a pair of interceptions. But there was still expected to be considerable demand for his services, with the 31-year-old pointing out Philadelphia as a place he’d like to continue his career.
"Man, having a chance to reunite with (defensive coordinator) Vic (Fangio), and then also defensive backs (coach) Christian Parker," Simmons told the Talkin' Ball podcast. "There's a lot of good things about Philly. ... To have an opportunity to go play in Philly, especially reuniting with [those guys], it's high on the list."
The Super Bowl champions. Go figure.
Simmons also expressed interest in the Washington Commanders, but right now he’s either waiting for the right fit or teams are waiting to see how the draft plays out.
But in any event, the team that finally signs Simmons will get a quality veteran safety—quite possibly at a discounted price.
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