The 2025 NFL free agency period kicks off Monday at 12 p.m. ET when legal tampering is permitted. Free agents are allowed to officially sign with teams at 4 p.m. ET on March 12, the official start of the new league year.
Many notable players on expiring contracts didn’t get a chance to hit free agency. The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins and the Kansas City Chiefs put the franchise tag on Trey Smith, making him the highest-paid guard in the league. While the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles inked linebacker Zack Baun to a big three-year extension.
Higgins, Smith and Baun were three of the top players in USA TODAY Sports’ original top 25 free agent list. Now that the three players are off the board, we have new free-agent rankings. Here are USA TODAY Sports’ top 25 free agents:
1. Jevon Holland, safety (2024 team: Dolphins)
Holland has a lot of range as a safety and is an anchor in the defensive backfield. At just 25 years old, Holland is just now entering what should be his prime years. 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.
2. 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.
3. D.J. Reed, cornerback (2024 team: Jets)
Reed is a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, but he has good coverage skills. He allowed a 57% completion percentage and two touchdowns when targeted during the 2024 NFL season.
4. 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.
5. 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’s been the Chargers’ best and most consistent pass rusher over the last three seasons. The only reason he’s ranked at No. 7 is because he is 34 years old. Mack did contemplate retirement this offseason but has since decided to play in 2025.
6. 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 sharp route runner.
7. Sam Darnold, quarterback (2024 team: Vikings)
The Vikings elected not to franchise tag Darnold after he posted career-highs in every major statistical category, including yards (4,319), touchdowns (35) and passer rating (102.5). Darnold, however, did revert 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.
8. Josh Sweat, edge (2024 team: Eagles)
Sweat led the Eagles with eight sacks and tallied 54 pressures during the regular season. He’ll be 28 years old at the start at next season and will be viewed as the top free-agent pass rusher available this offseason.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Milton Williams, defensive tackle (2024 team: Eagles)
Williams perhaps saved his best for last. He matched a career single-game high with two sacks in the Super Bowl. Teams will look at his 2024 tape and see a defensive tackle with high upside. He registered career-bests in sacks (5) and QB hits (10) in 2024. He turns 26 years old in April.
12. 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.
13. Aaron Rodgers, quarterback (2024 team: Jets)
Rodgers’ tenure in New York will ultimately go down as a failure. He suffered a season-ending Achilles tear just four plays into his Jets debut in 2023 and led the team to a 5-12 record in what was a tumultuous 2024 season. There is some silver lining, though. Rodgers performed better during the latter portion of the year. He had a 91-or-above passer rating in four of his final five contests.
14. 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 selection and a second-team All-Pro at cornerback, so the 28-year-old will likely be viewed as a strong bounce-back candidate.
15. 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.
16. Byron Murphy, cornerback (2024 team: Vikings)
Murphy enjoyed career-bests in interceptions (6), passes defended (14) and tackles (81) in 2024. He performance earned him his first ever Pro Bowl nod. He has the ability to play slot corner or on the outside.
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. Keenan Allen, wide receiver (2024 team: Bears)
Allen will be 33 years old at the start of next season. He saw his numbers decline during his first year in Chicago. Is the dip in production 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.
19. Joey Bosa, edge (2024 team: Chargers)
Bosa is still a productive edge rusher when on the field. He was limited to 18 total starts the past three years due to various injuries. His $36.4 million cap hit in 2025 made him unattainable for the Chargers. He’s tallied 72 career sacks in nine seasons.
20. Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle (2024 team: Commanders)
The Commanders released the two-time Pro Bowler after eight seasons in the nation’s capital. Allen missed action due to a torn left pectoral injury last season but was able to return to the field and help the Commanders reach the NFC championship game. Allen’s been durable prior to this past year. He’s only had two seasons in which he’s played less than 15 games. He’s compiled 401 tackles, 42 sacks and 60 tackles for loss in 109 career regular-season games.
21. 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.
22. Russell Wilson, quarterback (2024 team: Steelers)
Wilson helped the Steelers get into the playoffs, but the team’s passing offense never really got going. He averaged 225 passing yards per game for a Steelers club that had the 23rd ranked offense in the league. He still throws a pretty deep ball but has a propensity to turn down intermediate passes. The 36-year-old QB can still be a capable starter in the right situation.
23. 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.
24. Dre Greenlaw, linebacker (2024 team: 49ers)
Greenlaw played alongside of Fred Warner in San Francisco. He was the less heralded of the two, but he more than held his own. He produced at least 120 tackles in 2022 and 2023. He tore his Achilles in Super Bowl 58 and was affected by the injury upon his return. He’s an enforcer in the middle when healthy.
25. Justin Fields, quarterback (2024 team: Steelers)
Fields showed growth last year as a pocket passer in six starts. His completion percentage (65.8) and passer rating (93.3) were both career-highs, albeit in a short sample size. The dual-threat QB still has plenty of potential and is a quality starter in the right system.
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