Star 2020 NFL Free Agents Most Likely to Switch Teams

The 2020 NFL league year is set to begin in just a few days, which means the free-agency period will finally open. It is expected to be a wild free agency, as there are several big-name quarterbacks that could be on the move, such as Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Ryan Tannehill, etc. 

Outside of just the quarterbacks, star players at every level could find new homes this month. But which ones are the most likely to actually leave their current teams?

Today, we are taking a look at eight players who are near locks to leave their previous teams for greener pastures at the start of the new league year. All are top-five free agents at their respective positions. 

Wide Receiver Robby Anderson

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The 2020 NFL draft has one of the best and deepest wide receiver classes in recent memory. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has given 27 receivers a grade between the first and third rounds. But while some top free-agent wide receivers will re-sign with their current teams and others will not get big contracts because of the depth of the draft, one likely to change teams could still be paid top dollar this offseason: Robby Anderson of the New York Jets. 

Despite not having a 1,000-yard receiving season, Anderson's market should be hot over the next month because he is the top speed receiver available in free agency. He doesn't necessarily project as a No. 1 receiver, but his ability to make plays down the field will be coveted by several teams. 

The Raiders could be interested again in Anderson, as Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden tried to complete a trade for the veteran receiver at the deadline last season. However, they decided to pass as the Jets asked for a third-round pick, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. But now that he is a free agent, could the Raiders try to sign him to be their top receiver? It's certainly possible, as the team needs to add talent at the position after the Antonio Brown trade failed last year. 

Another potential destination could be the Buffalo Bills, as they could try to steal a passing weapon from their division rival. Buffalo brought in two veteran receivers last year in John Brown and Cole Beasley, but it needs another deep threat to help develop Josh Allen. Anderson would fit well with Allen, who has arguably the strongest arm in the NFL. 

Expect several other teams to put in offers for Anderson, despite the Jets wanting to bring him back, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. He should be able to get over $10 million per season on the open market. 

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater

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With Drew Brees returning to the Saints in 2020 and Taysom Hill likely to be tendered as a restricted free agent, it's time for Teddy Bridgewater to test the free-agent market once again. At the age of 27, Bridgewater should be one of the hottest names on the free-agent market after performing well in his five starts with the Saints. 

However, finding a potential destination for Bridgewater is difficult with so many other quarterback situations unsettled. Could Bridgewater be signed to compete with Jacoby Brissett in Indianapolis? Sure, but it seems like Phillip Rivers might be the better fit there as they search for a proven veteran. 

What about in Tampa Bay, replacing Jameis Winston? That sounds great on paper, but Bridgewater doesn't appear to be a great fit in Bruce Arians' downfield passing offense. But could the Bucs be willing to change their scheme to fit Bridgewater's strengths? It can't be ruled out if they believe he is a better player than Winston. 

After only starting 34 games in his six-year career, Bridgewater will need to be picky when it comes to his next home, as it could be his last chance to become a franchise quarterback. That is why it wouldn't be a surprise if he tried to sign with a team like the Patriots if Tom Brady does leave.

Look for Bridgewater to ultimately leave the Saints, but it is anyone's guess as to where he'll land in 2020. 

Wide Receiver Emmanuel Sanders

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Emmanuel Sanders had quite the year in 2019 as he returned from his Achilles injury and nearly won the second Super Bowl ring of his career. His stats weren't overwhelming (869 yards on 66 receptions), but Sanders continued to show that he is one of the best route-runners in the NFL. 

While the 49ers would likely love to retain him, Sanders will likely have several suitors in free agency that can offer him more and a shot at being a team's No. 1 receiver. He would make a lot of sense with the Las Vegas Raiders, as they lack a dynamic outside receiver. In Jon Gruden's West Coast offense, it's not out of the realm of possibilities that he could see 130 or more targets. 

Another potential destination is the Philadelphia Eagles, who desperately lack speed and route-runners in their wide receiver corps. He would make for an excellent receiver for Carson Wentz and could draw some coverage away from Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. With the Eagles looking to trade Alshon Jeffery, per The Athletic's Connor Hughes, Sanders could slide right in as the team's top receiver. 

But maybe the best landing spot would be in New England, assuming Tom Brady stays in Foxborough. The Patriots signed Sanders in 2013 to an offer sheet, but the Steelers matched the offer. Sanders would give Brady another outside receiver who could be relied upon to beat man coverage. That's something Brady hasn't had outside of Julian Edelman in several seasons. 

Sanders will likely garner a ton of interest on the open market, as he is one of the top receivers expected to hit free agency. Look for him to sign with a proven quarterback on a one- or two-year deal. 

Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney

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One of the biggest names expected to hit free agency is defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. The Seahawks made the bold move to trade for Clowney before the 2019 season, and he was one of their best defenders despite only recording three sacks. Now, Clowney is looking to earn a monster contract in free agency that could reach near $20 million per season—which might price the Seahawks out. 

Clowney is expected to have a hot market, as nearly every team in the league could use an edge-rusher of his caliber. Look for the New York Giants, who are scheduled to have nearly $74 million in cap space, to pursue the 2014 No. 1 pick. The Giants have a fantastic interior defensive line, but they lack a dynamic edge-rusher.

Another potential destination is the Indianapolis Colts, who currently have the second-most cap space in the NFL, according to OverTheCap.com. Could they look to pair Clowney with another sack-artist in Justin Houston? That seems possible considering how aggressive they have been targeting defensive ends over the last few years. 

Expect Clowney to be one of the highest-paid defensive players in NFL history in the next few weeks. 

Tight End Austin Hooper

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One of the weakest positions in free agency and the draft this season is at tight end. There are very few quality tight ends that are expected to hit the open market, and the consensus is that there won't be a first-round pick at tight end in April's draft. 

A player who should benefit greatly from a weaker market is Austin Hooper. Hooper set career highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns this past season, as he has developed into one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL. But with the Atlanta Falcons likely saving money to upgrade their defense, Hooper could be on his way out when the free-agency period opens in the next few weeks. 

Hooper should gain a lot of interest on the open market, but keep an eye on the Chicago Bears as a potential landing spot. Chicago swung and missed on Trey Burton a few years ago in free agency, but it could be willing to take another shot this season. The Bears will have to move some money around to make a run at Hooper, but given how important the tight end position is in Matt Nagy's offense, look for them to show interest in the former Stanford tight end. 

Another potential landing spot is in New England with the Patriots. Their tight end situation was awful in 2019. Signing a free agent like Hooper could be enough to persuade Tom Brady to return to Foxborough next season.

Hooper should see a strong market during free agency, and don't be surprised if he winds up being one of the highest-paid tight ends in football in the next few weeks. 

Linebacker Joe Schobert

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Arguably the top free-agent linebacker set to hit the open market is Joe Schobert of the Cleveland Browns. According to Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns appear unwilling to pay Schobert more than $10 million per season, and thus, he will become an unrestricted free agent. 

Schobert has been one of the best overall linebackers in the NFL over the last three seasons, totaling nearly 380 tackles since 2017. He made the only Pro Bowl of his career in 2017 and has only improved since then. If and when he does hit the market, there will be several teams interested in his services. 

One that immediately jumps to mind is the Cincinnati Bengals, who have struggled to find competent linebacker play for years. According to OverTheCap.com, the Bengals are scheduled to have nearly $45 million in cap space and could free up another $17.7 million with the trade or release of Andy Dalton. Considering how bad of shape their linebacker corps is in, Schobert has to be one of their top priorities.

Another team that would love to add Schobert to their roster is the Green Bay Packers, who could be losing a starter in free agency (Blake Martinez). Like the Bengals, the inside linebacker spot has killed the Packers for years. Adding someone of Schobert's caliber to the middle of their defense could help take their defense to the next level. Given their aggressiveness in free agency last year, the Packers could decide to pursue another high-end talent on defense.  

Look for Schobert to have a big market, as most teams are searching for athletic linebackers who can cover as well as he can. Schobert should have no problem signing a deal worth more than $10 million per season. 

Running Back Melvin Gordon III

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This is certainly a buyer's market when it comes to free-agent running backs. Players such as Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake are expected to hit the market in the upcoming weeks. However, the big-name running back most likely to move on from his previous team is Melvin Gordon III. 

After a Pro Bowl season in 2018, Gordon held out for the first few weeks of the 2019 season, and that proved to be a mistake, as Austin Ekeler dominated in his absence. With just days until free agency opens, it was Ekeler who received a contract extension from the Chargers, not Gordon. It's assumed that the Chargers would like Gordon to return, but ESPN's Josina Anderson reported he will test the free-agent market. He'll likely find a home elsewhere. 

While there doesn't appear to be a ton of open running back jobs, the Dolphins, Lions and a few others could be interested in bringing in the two-time Pro Bowl running back. Both the Dolphins and Lions struggled to run the ball last season and would love to have an every-down back to rely on. Gordon is one of the more complete backs in the NFL, catching 224 passes in his first five seasons in the NFL. But as always, his price tag is going to dictate where he lands. 

Don't expect Gordon to get a record-setting deal or even anything close to $10 million per season. However, it's fair to anticipate that he will be switching teams after his bitter holdout from 2019. 

Cornerback Byron Jones

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Arguably the best defender who is slated to leave his former team in free agency is cornerback Byron Jones of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are scheduled to have several key free agents, such as Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper and Robert Quinn, and they might not prioritize Jones enough to get him back. 

While Jones hasn't been a turnover machine in Dallas, he is widely regarded as one of the league's top cornerbacks. According to Pro Football Reference, Jones allowed just 395 total yards in 15 games in 2019. Teams completed just 53.1 percent of their passes when targeting Jones and had a passer rating of only 87.7 despite no interceptions. 

With record-setting athleticism and elite length, Jones is just starting to reach his ceiling as a player. He is a former safety who was moved to cornerback during the 2018 season, when he made his first Pro Bowl. 

Jones' market in free agency should be massive, as just about every team in the league could use a player of his caliber. However, look for the Raiders and Eagles to be among his top suitors, as each team desperately needs to add a premier cornerback this offseason. Both have young cornerbacks they are intrigued by, but neither has as an elite corner like Jones. 

After the first week or so of free agency, expect Jones to become the league's highest-paid defensive back, as a dozen or more teams could be after the 2015 first-round pick.