NFL free agents 2025: Ranking top 25 from Tee Higgins to Russell Wilson

Posted by author February 3, 2025 NFL

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Super Bowl 59 is right around the corner, but many NFL fan bases have already started looking ahead to next season with their teams eliminated.

The league’s 2025 offseason will kick into gear not too long after the winner of the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles game is crowned champion. The NFL’s legal tampering period begins on March 10 while the new league year starts at 4 p.m. ET on March 12.

The NFL’s new league year customarily comes with a frenzy of moves that reshape the NFL, at least on paper. Plenty of impact players will switch teams, and well-known stars like Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin, Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson are just a few of the veterans who could find themselves with new homes in 2025.

Who are the best free agents available during the offseason? USA TODAY Sports ranks the top 25 free agents ahead of the 2025 season.

NFL free agency: Top 25 players, ranked

1. Tee Higgins, wide receiver (2024 team: Bengals)

Higgins is the big prize on the free agent market, as he would be a No. 1 wide receiver on most teams outside of Cincinnati. He’s an X receiver with good hands and a nice catch radius. He’s 26 years old, so he’s likely just entering his prime.

2. Trey Smith, guard (2024 team: Chiefs)

Smith is one of the best guards in the NFL. He posted a 75% run block win rate during the regular season, via ESPN, and didn’t allow a sack in the regular season in 1,115 snaps.

3.Chris Godwin, wide receiver (2024 team: Buccaneers)

Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7 but was one of the NFL’s leading receivers before then. He was on pace for 121 catches, 1,399 yards and 12 touchdowns over a 17-game season. The veteran already has four 1,000-yard seasons to his name will be 29 years old when next season kicks off. He can be a No. 1 wideout or a high-end No. 2 option depending on the situation.

4. Jevon Holland, safety (2024 team: Dolphins)

Holland has a lot of range as a safety and is an anchor in the defensive backfield. He had somewhat of a down year in 2024 but many players wearing a Dolphins uniform did. The safety has 301 tackles, 25 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and five interceptions in 60 career regular-season games.

5. D.J. Reed, cornerback (2024 team: Jets)

Reed is a bit undersized at 5-9, but he has good coverage skills. He allowed a 57% completion percentage and two touchdowns when targeted during the 2024 NFL season.

6. Ronnie Stanley, tackle (2024 team: Ravens)

Stanley has battled injuries during his career but was durable for the Ravens in 2024. He started every game for Baltimore and established himself as the top left tackle available in free agency. The 2019 first-team All-Pro allowed two sacks and 35 pressures in 1,062 snaps at left tackle this season.

7. Stefon Diggs, wide receiver (2024 team: Texans)

Diggs suffered a torn ACL during his first season in Houston and seems more suited as a No. 2 receiver at this stage of his career. Still, he racked up 47 catches, 496 receiving yards and three touchdowns in eight games and should be a high-quality secondary receiver as he prepares for his age-32 season.

8. Khalil Mack, edge (2024 team: Chargers)

Mack has long been a disruptive edge rusher, winning the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and making it to nine Pro Bowls. He has been the Chargers’ best and most consistent pass rusher over the last four seasons. The only reason he falls at No. 8 is because he turns 34 in February. Mack did contemplate retirement, but he is expected to play in 2025.

9. Amari Cooper, wide receiver (2024 team: Bills)

Cooper joined the Bills via trade in October but never connected with Josh Allen. He had 20 catches, 297 receiving yards and two touchdowns in eight regular season games and caught just six passes for 41 yards in the postseason. Cooper turns 31 in June but is still a very good route runner.

10. Zack Baun, linebacker (2024 team: Eagles)

Baun enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, racking up a career-best 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks while forcing five fumbles. Is this a flash in the pan or a sign of things to come for Baun? The 28-year-old was named a first-team All-Pro and is entering what should be the prime of his career, so his next contract will likely be based off his upward trajectory.

11. Sam Darnold, quarterback (2024 team: Vikings)

Darnold posted career-highs in every major statistical quarterback category, including yards (4,319), touchdowns (35) and passer rating (102.5). However, he reverted back to his journeyman QB form in his final two games of the season. He had season-lows in completion percentage and passing yards in Week 18 and his first playoff game was a disaster.

12. Josh Sweat, edge (2024 team: Eagles)

Sweat led the Eagles with eight sacks and tallied 54 pressures during the regular season. He will turn 28 years old in March and will be viewed as one of the top available pass rushers this offseason – though Myles Garrett’s trade request could may work against him.

13. Haason Reddick, edge (2024 team: Jets)

The most news Reddick made during the season came from his lengthy holdout. He recorded just one sack in 10 games after skipping part of the season, snapping a streak of four straight seasons with at least 11 sacks. Reddick’s holdout didn’t result in an extension, and he may have cost himself some free-agent money as a result.

14. Nick Bolton, linebacker (2024 team: Chiefs)

Bolton has been steady and productive for the Chiefs. He led the team with 106 tackles during the regular season and has recorded at least 100 tackles in three of his last four seasons. Bolton is athletic and wears the green dot for the Chiefs defense, so he will be coveted by teams needing a defensive leader.

15. Justin Reid, safety (2024 team: Chiefs)

Reid is an anchor in the defensive backfield for the Chiefs. He led the team in tackles in 2023. He’s a reliable safety and a sure tackler. He’s tallied over 80 tackles in all three seasons in Kansas City.

16. Talanoa Hufanga, safety (2024 team: 49ers)

Hufanga has been banged up the last two seasons, playing just a combined 17 games while dealing with a torn ACL and some other knocks. The physical ballhawk was named a first-team All-Pro in 2022 after tallying a career-best 97 tackles, four interceptions and two sacks. He failed to log an interception or sack in seven games this season.

17. DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver (2024 team: Chiefs)

Hopkins turned into Kansas City’s top wide receiver in 10 regular-season games. If Hopkins wasn’t 32 years old, he’d be much higher on this list. He’s not the prolific receiver he once was but is still a productive X receiver with sure hands.

18. Charvarius Ward, cornerback (2024 team: 49ers)

Ward allowed a 61% completion percentage and five touchdowns in 2024. It marked his worst year in three seasons in what was a down year all around in San Francisco. Ward was a 2023 Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro at cornerback, so the 28-year-old will likely be viewed as a strong bounce-back candidate.

19. Cam Robinson, tackle (2024 team: Vikings)

The Vikings traded for Robinson to help stabilize their left tackle position after Christian Darrisaw went down. Robinson filled in nicely in Minnesota. He started in 10 games for the Vikings. At 29 years old, he still has plenty of productive years left.

20. Aaron Jones, running back (2024 team: Vikings)

Jones produced a career-high 1,138 rushing yards in his first season in Minnesota. He also added 51 catches for 408 yards. The 30-year-old running back still has plenty left in the tank.

21. Keenan Allen, wide receiver (2024 team: Bears)

Allen will be 33 years old at the start of next season and saw his numbers decline during his first year in Chicago. Is that a sign of things to come, or was it a byproduct of Caleb Williams’ up-and-down rookie season with the Bears? It’s probably both, but Allen remains a savvy route runner.

22. Byron Murphy, cornerback (2024 team: Vikings)

Murphy earned his first Pro Bowl invitation after registering a career-best 81 tackles and six interceptions. The latter figure was tied for the third-most in the NFL. Brian Flores would probably like to keep Murphy, who was Minnesota’s best cornerback last season.

23. Carlton Davis, cornerback (2024 team: Lions)

Davis started 13 games for the Lions in 2024 and helped improve their cornerback room, which was a weakness in 2023. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured jaw late in the season, becoming one of the many Lions to miss the postseason because of injury. Davis remains a strong starting cornerback and allowed a 55% completion percentage this season.

24. Drew Dalman, center (2024 team: Falcons)

Dalman allowed two sacks and 10 pressures in 554 snaps at center. He missed time because of an ankle injury but finished the year with six straight starts.

25. Russell Wilson, quarterback (2024 team: Steelers)

Wilson helped the Steelers get into the playoffs, but the team’s passing offense never really got going. Wilson averaged 225 passing yards per game. He still throws a pretty deep ball but has a propensity to turn down intermediate passes. Wilson can still be a capable starter in the right situation.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.