Early Look at the Top Players in 2022 NFL Free Agency

While it doesn't boast major names at quarterback like the two classes that came before it, the potential 2022 NFL free-agent class still presents teams with an opportunity to dramatically overhaul rosters. 

Fans have seen the idea that free agency can complement strong drafting to build a Super Bowl contender go very well with teams like the New England Patriots in recent years.

Based on the headliners, that will also be the case in 2022 despite the presence of franchise tags and extension possibilities, even with some of the bigger names (Denver wideout Courtland Sutton, Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews, Philadelphia tackle Jordan Mailata, Cleveland guard Wyatt Teller) already wrapped up on extensions. 

Besides rare Tom Brady-style exceptions, the top players in 2022 unrestricted free agency are generally premium position players that teams will want to build around for years, which means they will be under 30 years old going into the 2022 season. That means omitting the likes of Terron Armstead, Calais Campbell, Brandon Scherff and more. 

Working within those parameters, these are the players that fans should have at the tops of their wishlists.

CB J.C. Jackson, New England Patriots

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Few things are more premium in the NFL than a lockdown corner. 

J.C. Jackson of the New England Patriots fits the bill, and he's on pace to become a household name if and when he flirts with resetting the market for his position this offseason. 

Jackson, a former undrafted free agent, finished second in the NFL with nine interceptions last season. He was so good that the Patriots were comfortable enough to trade away veteran Stephon Gilmore. 

Over his first 12 games in 2021, Jackson has picked off seven more passes, ultimately surrendering a 50.7 completion percentage with just one touchdown on 75 targets. As Pro Football Focus pointed out, he's clutch to the point of being the league's highest-graded defender in fourth quarters, too. 

With major names like Marshon Lattimore already receiving extensions, the 26-year-old Jackson is the top corner, if not defensive back, set to hit the market. 

Potential suitors: New England, Carolina, Pittsburgh

WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

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Perhaps the best wide receiver in the NFL and best player set to hit the open market, the Green Bay Packers' Davante Adams has division-, if not league-altering potential should he sign somewhere else. 

Adams, owner of 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns last year over 14 games while being PFF's highest-graded wideout, has 1,083 yards, five scores and the third-best PFF positional slot again over 11 appearances. 

This, despite defenses shading more coverage his way in an effort to stop him—and because the Packers don't have other serious threats considering Randall Cobb is second on the team in receiving with just 375 yards. 

Adams is effectively a lock to reset the wideout market despite the free-agency class he leads being pretty strong and upcoming draft classes boasting incredible depth at the position. Considering the chance Aaron Rodgers leaves Green Bay this offseason, Adams might just do the same. 

Potential suitors: Green Bay, Chicago, Miami

WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The 25-year-old Chris Godwin paces the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in receiving for what should have been the third year in a row had he not missed four games last season. 

Playing on the franchise tag after winning it all, Godwin has 67 catches for 806 yards and five touchdowns, averaging a healthy 12.0 yards per catch. He has averaged 14.0 yards per catch for his career and still has a chance of matching or passing career highs of 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns set in 2019. 

Godwin's age, plus his ability to make plays down the field independent of quarterback or scheme reliance will make him one of the rare wideouts to get a monster deal on the open market. There's a reason Spotrac projects his market value at $17 million per year, just a hair under Tyreek Hill and Amari Cooper. 

On paper, it would make sense for Godwin to leave Tampa Bay to get out of Mike Evans' shadow, be a passing attack's unquestioned No. 1 and maximize his earning potential, possibly in a bigger market. 

Potential suitors: Tampa Bay, Chicago, New England

Edge Haason Reddick, Carolina Panthers

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The Carolina Panthers took an affordable one-year gamble worth $6 million on Haason Reddick in free agency and wound up getting one of the top steals of the entire process. 

Reddick had a hard time getting on the field over three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after being a first-round pick in 2017. He and the Cardinals then committed to playing him on the edge as a pass-rusher, and he erupted with 12.5 sacks over 16 games. 

Now he's got 10.5 over 12 games with the Panthers. 

It goes beyond that one simple number, of course. Reddick is still just 27, and his 27 pressures and 11 hurries are on pace to beat career highs of 34 and 16, respectively, set last year. But he's tallied these numbers on just 40 blitzes, compared to 140 last year. 

Pressure might be the most important non-quarterback element in the NFL today, and now that Reddick has put together a strong year on a prove-it deal, he's about to rake in a top-five contract amongst his peers. 

Potential suitors: Carolina, Baltimore, Atlanta 

LT Orlando Brown Jr., Kansas City Chiefs

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Orlando Brown Jr. might be the unlikeliest of all the big names to hit the open market. 

While the gap between left and right tackles has closed in importance because the right side needs just as much pass-blocking skill these days to fend off pass-rushers, either way, top-tier tackles rarely make it to market. 

And Brown is not just top-tier; he's still only 25 years old. 

Brown, a third-round pick in 2018, got shipped from Baltimore to Kansas City in exchange for a first-round pick and other draft assets back in April. (The price was presumably lowered because the Chiefs will have to pay Brown a market-resetting extension to keep him.)

Since arriving in Kansas City, Brown has earned a 75.8 PFF grade (placing him in the "starter" category), gradually improving by midseason after a slow start in new surroundings. Plenty of teams with needs on the left edge will be more than happy to splurge on the best under-30 lineman set to hit the market. 

Potential suitors: Kansas City, Jacksonville, New York Giants

WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys

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It's easy to forget about Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup. 

Gallup falls behind CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott in terms of name recognition around Dak Prescott. Add in the fact he only played in five games through Week 12, and he just isn't getting a ton of attention. 

But Gallup, 25, still boasts a wicked blend of size and speed on the boundary that has helped him average 15.1 yards per catch for his career. Over his 2019 and 2020 seasons, he totaled 1,950 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging better than 14 yards per catch both times. And he did so in 2020 despite Prescott only making it into five games. 

Based on the above and the incredible plays he's already posting now that he's healthy again, it's safe to project Gallup as a No. 1 in nearly any system. Despite his missed time, he's still third in receiving from the 2018 class, behind only D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley—other guys sure to get No. 1 money. 

Potential suitors: Dallas, Jacksonville, Chicago 

S Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints

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Prototypical free safeties who can play deep and with range to cover either sideline are rare, which means Marcus Williams is well on his way to matching or exceeding the four-year, $61 million contract extension recently inked by Justin Simmons of the Denver Broncos. 

Williams spent this year playing on the franchise tag with the New Orleans Saints, and over his first 12 appearances, he has totaled 59 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble. 

That performance has earned him an 80.5 PFF grade ("starter" threshold) after grading behind only Simmons over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He's let up a 55.2 completion percentage on 29 targets and continues to excel in coverage as a chess piece coaches can move all over the place. 

Still just 25 years old, Williams' coverage abilities mean he won't disappoint the team that gives him a monster deal like recent whiffs such as Jamal Adams. And truthfully, there aren't any teams that shouldn't have an interest, provided they have cap space and don't roster Simmons or the next guy on the list. 

Potential suitors: New Orleans, New England, New York Jets

S Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati Bengals

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Like Williams, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates isn't a line-of-scrimmage player who could disappoint on a big extension; he's a rangy safety with elite coverage skills. 

In fact, Bates graded out at 90.1 at PFF in 2020. He tallied 109 total tackles, 15 passes defended, three interceptions and a forced fumble over 16 games. 

And while he's technically let up 21 catches on 26 targets this year, he's yet to allow a touchdown. Over his first 10 games, he still had 59 total tackles with an interception while admitting his slow start to the season partly had to do with the distraction of not getting a contract extension. 

Truthfully, even a struggling Bates is a better option in deep center field than most teams boast. The fact he's still just 24 and has played in 93 percent or more of his defense's snaps over his first four years will have teams lining up to possibly help him reset the market. 

Potential suitors: Cincinnati, New England, Seattle