Ranking the Top 10 2026 NFL Free Agents Ahead of the 2025 Season-Opener

As we approach the start of the 2025 NFL regular season, it may still feel too early to be looking ahead to 2026 free agency. It's never too early to look ahead, though, which is precisely why players like Micah Parsons, Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson wanted to get paid this summer.

Franchises will be looking ahead too, trying to decide which free agents they may be able to target in the spring, who's worth locking up early, and which current players might be worth replacing.

Here, B/R will take its own glimpse into 2026 free agency and rank the top 10 players slated to be available based on past production, player upside, age, positional value and player health. We'll also make some contract projections based on recent signings, projected demand and the rest of the upcoming free-agent landscape.

10. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Full disclosure: Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum was not on our original list. However, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who held the No. 8 spot, agreed to a four-year, $92 million extension on Sunday, August 31, which bumped Linderbaum into the top 10.

Like Bland, Linderbaum is highly likely to receive an extension before the offseason. The 2022 first-round pick has started 49 games in three years for the Ravens and has been named to two Pro Bowls. Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him fifth overall among all centers.

Baltimore declined the fifth-year option on Linderbaum's contract for financial reasons. The priced of the fifth-year option is the same all offensive line positions. This means, as ESPN's Jameson Hensley pointed out back in April, this would set up Linderbaum to be the league's highest-paid center by more than $5 million.

Linderbaum will still probably be the highest-paid center in the NFL by the spring. He may lack the positional versatility of some other impending free agents, but he's only 25 years old and fantastic at what he does.

Contract Value: Four Years, $78 Million

9. Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis, File

Several proven pass-rushers are scheduled to hit the 2026 market, which leaves Khalil Mack relatively low on our list—as does the fact that he'll turn 35 in February.

That said, Mack is still a highly productive defender who will garner the attention of playoff hopefuls in need of immediate help. While he saw his sack total drop from 17 in 2023 to six in 2024, Mack still logged 15 quarterback hits and 22 QB pressures last season.

For his career, Mack has recorded an impressive 107.5 sacks and 142 tackles for loss.

Assuming Mack's production doesn't dip further, the future Hall of Famer should command a fair salary. He'll likely need numbers closer to his 2023 campaign to match his current one-year, $18 million deal. However, the one-year, $12.6 million deal former teammate Joey Bosa signed in free agency this offseason would be a reasonable starting point.

Contract Value: One Year, $15 Million

8. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Tight end Mark Andrews will turn 30 before Baltimore's season opener, which will officially make him an "old" 2026 free agent. However, this doesn't mean that Andrews isn't an elite player or that he isn't deserving of one more significant payday.

Consider that the three-time Pro Bowler just wrapped a 55-catch, 673-yard, 11-touchdown campaign that came on the heels of a significant 2023 ankle injury that required surgery.

Also consider that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is still going strong at 35, and there's little reason to believe that Andrews won't land a multi-year deal in the spring.

However, Andrews' value will hinge on his performance. If he returns to pre-injury form (73 catches, 843 yards in 2023), he might command a contract not too far below his current $14 million-per-season deal. If his numbers are closer to those of 2024, Mike Gesicki's recent three-year, $25.5 million deal will serve as a solid baseline.

Contract Value: Three Years, $30 Million

7. Luke Goedeke, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Offensive tackles are always coveted when they hit the market. That will hold true for Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Luke Goedeke, assuming Tampa actually allows him to get there.

Goedeke certainly isn't on the level of teammate Tristan Wirfs, but the converted guard has settled in over the last two years and started 30 games over that span. Pro Football Focus graded him 30th overall among all offensive tackles in 2024.

At only 26 years old, Goedeke has a ton of long-term potential that will interest contenders and rebuilding teams alike.

From a compensation standpoint, Goedeke can probably expect something similar to the four-year, $80 million deal that Jawaan Taylor got in 2023. Zach Tom's four-year, $88 million deal is much more recent. However, Tom—who was graded fourth overall among tackles by PFF last season—is currently a tier above either Taylor or Goedeke.

Contract Value: Four Years, $80 Million

*Update: Goedeke and the Buccaneers agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension on September 2, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

6. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, New York Jets

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Availability has been the biggest issue for Alijah Vera-Tucker ever since the New York Jets drafted him 14th overall in 2021. The USC product started 16 games as a rookie but was limited by injuries to seven games in 2022 (torn triceps) and five games in 2023 (torn Achilles).

However, Vera-Tucker made 15 starts this past season and played well for an otherwise underwhelming Jets offense. Pro Football Focus graded him 15th overall among all guards for the season.

If Vera-Tucker can stay healthy in 2025, he'll have a chance to be the most coveted lineman in 2026 free agency. He won't turn 27 until next offseason, and he's showcased some positional versatility during his time in New York.

The five-year, $87.7 million contract that Will Fries signed this offseason will probably serve as a negotiation starting point for Vera-Tucker's camp. Fries landed that deal despite coming off of a season-ending leg fracture.

Contract Value: Four Years, $71 Million

5. Travis Jones, DT, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones could rank much higher on our list by the end of the season. The 25-year-old was in his first year as a full-time starter in 2024 and was simply fantastic.

The Connecticut product tallied 42 tackles, 22 solo stops, four tackles for loss and a sack. While the 6'4", 341-pound defender is more of a traditional run-stuffing tackle than a penetrating pass-rusher, his type has value.

With the NFL seeing a bit of a running back resurgence over the last couple of years, premier run defenders could soon be in high demand. Pro Football Focus graded Jones 15th in run defense among all interior defenders last season.

Now, finding a financial comp for Jones is a bit tricky because he doesn't regularly pressure the passer as the league's highest-paid interior defenders do. However, he should still expect a deal that isn't too far below the $20 million-per-year contract that Osa Odighizuwa got this offseason.

Contract Value: Four Years, $76 Million

4. Riq Woolen, CB, Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was more good than great in 2024, grading out as the league's 64th-best overall corner, according to Pro Football Focus. However, the 26-year-old is a proven playmaker who logged six interceptions as a rookie and 11 in his first three seasons.

Woolen will still only be 26 when 2026 free agency opens, and he'll likely be the top young cornerback on the market—especially if he rebounds in his second season under Mike Macdonald. The early signs are encouraging.

"Riq's locked in this year," fellow corner Devon Witherspoon said, per The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. "He just continues to be better."

Woolen probably won't reach the market-leading contracts of Sauce Gardner and Derick Stingley Jr. However, A.J. Terrell's $20.3 million-per-year contract would be a realistic goal if Woolen returns to Pro Bowl form.

Contract Value: Four Years, $81 Million

3. Trey Hendrickson, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

The Cincinnati Bengals did reach an agreement with Hendrickson that ended his offseason-long standoff. However, that agreement didn't add any extra years to Hendrickson's contract, meaning he'll be a free agent in the spring.

The NFL's reigning sacks leader will also turn 31 in December, which, along with a deep pass-rusher pool, keeps him from being ranked higher on our list.

It's hard to envision several teams not making substantial offers for Hendrickson's services, though. He's recorded 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons—with an impressive 89 quarterback pressures combined—and done it without the benefit of an even average supporting defensive cast.

While Hendrickson's age may prevent him from topping T.J. Watt's market-leading deal—even though Hendrickson is a couple of months younger than Watt—he should receive offers that aren't too far below it. Expect Hendrickson to net more than the $29 million he's scheduled to make this season on his revised contract.

Contract Value: Three Years, $100 million

2. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is over a year older than Hendrickson. However, he ranks higher because, as of now, the 2026 free-agent pool will be much deeper at edge-rusher than at receiver.

It doesn't hurt that Evans is a six-time Pro Bowler with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns on his resume. It also doesn't hurt that Evans' best traits are his size (6'5", 231 lbs), sure hands, route-running and contested-catch ability.

Evans can still be a very productive receiver, even if he's starting to lose a little in the speed department.

The real question is whether Evans has any interest in playing for another team after spending his entire 11-year career in Tampa. If he doesn't, he could be back on another relatively team-friendly contract like the two-year, $41 million deal he signed last offseason. He would likely command even more if he fully capitalizes on the open market after yet another 1,000-yard season.

Contract Value: Two Years, $43 Million

1. Nik Bonitto, Edge, Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis, File

To be fair, the top player on our list probably won't make it to the open market. The Denver Broncos have made it fairly obvious that they plan to make edge-rusher Nik Bonitto their next recipient of a long-term extension—even if they won't publicly talk specifics.

"We've done a good job of keeping these things quiet and respectful. We're just going to keep it that way," general manager George Paton said, per Trent Finnegan of 104.3 The Fan.

If Bonitto somehow becomes available, though, teams can expect to deal with an open-market offer frenzy. Set to turn just 26 in late September, Bonitto has the type of long-term upside that free-agent pass-rushers almost never possess—Hendrickson was a rare exception when he hit the market in 2021.

With 21.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, Bonitto has enough production to justify a deal that pays him somewhere between Hendrickson and Watt annually.

Contract Value: Four Years, $122 Million

*Update: Bonitto and the Broncos agreed to a four-year extension worth up to $120 million on September 4, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.