Ranking the 10 Best NFL Free Agents Available After 2026 Draft

The 2026 NFL draft filled many of the remaining holes left rosters around the league, but not every team appears ready to contend for a Super Bowl. There are still plenty of weak points that clubs will be looking to shore up ahead of training camp.

Fortunately for these teams, there is no shortage of impact veterans lingering on the open market.

While the upper-echelon free agents all found new homes early in the offseason, there are still a slew of players from the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's initial free-agent big board—including 10 who earned spots within the top 51 of the 100-player list—up for grabs.

While these may not be stars at the peak of their powers and many have suffered injuries or regressions in recent seasons, each of them should still have something left to offer teams at this stage of their respective careers.

With that in mind, let's highlight and rank—based on their placement on the B/R Scouting Department's big board—the best available NFL free agents still on the market following the 2026 draft.

10. WR Deebo Samuel

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 51

Deebo Samuel has been on a downswing ever since his breakout campaign in 2021. After racking up 1,770 yards and 14 touchdowns from scrimmage that year, Samuel has regressed to post just 1,608 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns over the past two seasons combined.

Despite flaming out with the San Francisco 49ers and failing to rejuvenate his career during his lone season with the Washington Commanders, Samuel will still provide decent value to any contender seeking a dynamic, versatile rushing and receiving threat.

While unlikely he'll return to the All-Pro form he displayed earlier in his career, Samuel still averaged nine yards per touch in 2025 and could be an asset as a tertiary weapon for a talented team.

9. TE David Njoku

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 50

Injuries have cost David Njoku a chance to build on his long-awaited Pro Bowl campaign in 2023. He's missed 11 contests over the two seasons since and eventually lost his spot atop the Cleveland Browns' pecking order following the emergence of rookie phenom Harold Fannin Jr. in 2025.

While Njoku tallied a modest 293 receiving yards on 33 receptions in his 12 games last year, he still reached the four-touchdown mark for the fifth straight season. He could still have a lot left to offer on his next contract given Njoku is still just 29 years old despite having a whopping nine years of NFL experience already under his belt.

At 6'4", 240 pounds and packing a tremendous amount of athleticism into that frame, Njoku possesses almost all the qualities teams are looking for in a modern pass-catching tight end outside of the ability to stay healthy. While he's missed multiple games in all but one season, any squad in need of a rare playmaker at the TE position could do far worse than rolling the dice on Njoku.

8. OG Joel Bitonio

AP Photo/David Dermer

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 48

Joel Bitonio has been a stalwart in the Cleveland Browns' offensive trenches for 12 years. He was a fixture on the All-Pro list for much of his tenure with the organization too, earning three second-team and two first-team nods during his career.   

Bitonio would have rated higher on this list had he become a free agent after the 2024 campaign—his seventh consecutive year as a Pro Bowler. He regressed slightly during an age-34 season in 2025, with Pro Football Focus noting the guard allowed a concerning 31 pressures (ranking No. 67 out of 81 qualifying players at his position) in addition to giving up two sacks across 686 pass-blocking snaps.

Regardless, Bitonio has consistently shown the ability to pass protect and run block at a high level and would be a welcome addition along many offensive lines around the league.

While there's been speculation that he may opt for retirement rather than suiting up for another season, Bitonio will have plenty of suitors if he chooses to continue his illustrious career into the 2026 campaign.

7. WR Stefon Diggs

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 47

Stefon Diggs was a late addition to the free-agent pool, only joining in early March after the New England Patriots decided to release him in a cap space-saving maneuver.

Despite playing just one season for the club after signing a three-year, $69 million deal during the 2025 offseason, he made a huge impact and showed he can still be a high-level contributor.

During his lone New England campaign, Diggs put up 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 85 catches. It marked the seventh time in the last eight years that he breached the 1,000-yard receiving mark, having only missed it in 2024 when he suffered a torn ACL midway through the season.

Diggs' bounce-back showing earned him some Comeback Player of the Year votes, and more importantly for his future outlook, showed potential employers that he can still be a WR1 in the league.

The 32-year-old was a key piece for a Pats squad that made it all the way to the Super Bowl and he could have a similar impact for another team in 2026.

Teams will also factor in his off-field situation. According to NBC Boston, Diggs had a court date scheduled in early May related to an alleged incident involving his former private chef, and the league typically reviews such cases under its personal conduct policy.

6. LB Bobby Wagner

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 46

Bobby Wagner may not be the same perennial All-Pro-caliber player he was for much of his esteemed career, but he still has plenty to offer a Super Bowl contender in 2026.

Wagner is coming off an up-and-down year with the Washington Commanders. While he managed to ring up 162 tackles—giving him 2,000 for his career and making him just the third player in NFL history to reach that milestone—he became a liability in coverage and his lack of athleticism and speed were exploited at times.

Despite the regression, Wagner earned his 10th career Pro Bowl nod as recently as the 2024 season. He's long been and can still remain a huge boon to a team as a high IQ run-stuffer in the middle of a defense. His instincts remain unmatched, a trait that helps him offset his fading sideline-to-sideline speed.

The reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year winner would be a valuable addition to any locker room. Wagner may not have the stuff to be an every-down starter at the age of 35, but teams won't find a better depth option and leader at the off-ball linebacker spot.

5. QB Aaron Rodgers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 42

Aaron Rodgers' first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers may have resulted in an AFC North title and playoff berth, but it didn't play out exactly how the future Hall of Famer had hoped.

With his team quickly exiting in the Wild Card Round and longtime head coach Mike Tomlin departing at the start of the offseason, the veteran quarterback will have to take another shot if he wants to finish his career with a storybook ending.

Rodgers was a clear upgrade under center for a Steelers squad that was downright desperate for QB help last year.

He put up respectable numbers in an uninspiring offensive system, completing 65.7 percent of his throws for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. His 94.8 QB rating represented his best performance in that category since the last of his back-to-back MVP seasons in 2021.

While Rodgers is no longer an elusive, daring passer, he more than makes up for his immobility and waning arm strength with unparalleled intelligence. Few, if any, active quarterbacks can read a defense as well as Rodgers and his timing and ball placement remain elite.

There may not be much of a market for a 42-year-old QB on his way out of the league, but the Steelers remain optimistic that Rodgers will return for one more go.

With Mike McCarthy now at the reins, there's a chance Rodgers rekindles the magic of his earlier NFL years—he played under McCarthy between 2006-18 with the Green Bay Packers, winning Super Bowl XLV together in 2011—and lifts the Lombardi Trophy once more.

4. Edge Joey Bosa

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 41

Joey Bosa emerged as one of the most disruptive pass-rushers in the league after the Los Angeles Chargers drafted him No. 3 overall in 2016. However, injuries have limited his production in recent years.

Availability concerns and diminishing contributions led the Bolts to move on from Bosa after the 2024 campaign. Following an up-and-down season with the Buffalo Bills in 2025, he appears to be headed towards the mercenary stage of his career.

Bosa was relatively healthy last year, appearing in 15 games—his most since the 2021 campaign—and playing 64 percent of the defensive snaps in those contests, his highest snap share of the last four seasons.

While Bosa contributed a solid 29 tackles, five forced fumbles and five sacks in the regular season, he noticeably struggled in the playoffs. The 30-year-old managed to record just three tackles and little else across Buffalo's Wild Card Round win and divisional-round defeat.

While that postseason production was underwhelming, Bosa proved he can still be a quality rotational defensive lineman for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. He possesses a wealth of refined pass-rushing moves and still has a relentless motor, assets that will allow him to be a solid contributor into his mid-30s if he remains healthy and motivated.

3. OT Taylor Decker

AP Photo/Caroline Brehman

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 36

One of the most shocking stories of the 2026 offseason has been Taylor Decker's split from the Detroit Lions.

Decker had been an anchor in the offensive trenches since the club tapped him early in the 2016 draft, helping guide Detroit through some lean years before emerging as a contender during the Dan Campbell era.

While Decker had missed some time in each of the last three seasons—including three games in 2025—he finally broke through and earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2024. He appeared poised to remain a major part of Detroit's plans after confirming he would be back for an 11th NFL season, but a contractual dispute ultimately led the tackle to request a release.

Decker immediately became the most battle-tested left tackle on the open market. He's started 140 games during his career and still has what it takes to play at least 17 more at a high level this coming year. According to Pro Football Focus, Decker allowed just two sacks across his 551 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.

Decker may not be trending towards enshrinement in Canton at the end of his career, but he's reliable, consistent and technically sound. Those qualities, along with unequaled starting experience among free-agent offensive linemen, will make him an instant upgrade for whichever team is fortunate enough to get his signature.

2. DT D.J. Reader

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 28

D.J. Reader may not make highlight reels or stuff the stat sheet, but he's the type of sound interior defensive lineman that championship-caliber teams need to have in place.

Although he's entering an age-32 season and in the twilight of his career, Reader is still a tone-setter who demands double teams, clogs running lanes and sets the table for his linebackers. His athleticism has slipped and he's no longer as disruptive as he once was, but Reader's toughness and dependability cannot be understated.

While Reader failed to record a sack last season for the first time since 2022 and third time in his 10-year career, he deserves high praise for gritting through a back injury and still appearing in all 17 games while chipping in 28 tackles. If he's closer to 100 percent in 2026, Reader should be able to wreak some havoc in the opposition's backfield.

Any team looking to greatly bolster its run-stopping power and bring in a little pass-rushing juice from the interior of its defensive line would be wise to kick the tires on Reader. He'll bring a commanding presence to the teeth of a defense and simply help win football games.

1. WR Jauan Jennings

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

Initial B/R Ranking: No. 17

It's a surprise that Jauan Jennings is still available more than month after the start of free agency. While he didn't build on his breakout 2024 season, the wideout was still a reliable contributor for the San Francisco 49ers last year and should have plenty left in the tank for the 2026 season and beyond.

At 6'3", 212 pounds, he provides ideal size and physicality for an outside pass-catcher. He's an excellent route-runner and tough to bring down after the catch, assets that made him the second-highest rated wideout on the B/R Scouting Department's big board going into the offseason.

Although an awkward offseason contractual dispute and in-season injuries derailed Jennings' hopes of improving on the career-best 975 receiving yards he posted two years ago, he still finished 2025 on a heater. The 28-year-old racked up six of his nine total touchdowns on the season during its final six games.

Expect Jennings to play a large role wherever he ultimately signs. The big-bodied possession receiver has the talent and versatility to thrive in any system and will quickly become a top target for his next QB.