The best available players, from Tyrann Mathieu to Odell Beckham Jr. – `
With NFL free agency under way, the list below offers the best remaining available players. These are players who have not yet signed or agreed to terms with a team.
This story will update as players sign or are released. The number preceding each player’s name is where they ranked in our original 150. Players who were released after the top 150 was published will not have a number. The age in parentheses indicates how old the player will be at the start of the 2022 season.
Factors taken into account: performance, age, durability and positional value.
Stats are courtesy of TruMedia and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted. Contract data is from OverTheCap.com.
Live updates: The latest NFL free agency developments
Predictions: Three good fits for every team
All-32: Biggest offseason needs for every team
4. Tyrann Mathieu, S, Kansas City Chiefs (30)
Teams in the market for a versatile, play-making safety will likely have Mathieu at the top of their free agency wish lists. Mathieu logged more than 200 snaps as a free safety, a box safety and a slot corner in 2021. His 13 interceptions over the past three seasons tied for second among safeties and tied for fifth among all players. Mathieu has been incredibly durable, having missed just two games in the past five seasons. Mathieu is older than some of the other free-agent safeties on the market, but he should still find a big deal. Harrison Smith got an extension from the Minnesota Vikings worth $16 million per year before the 2021 season at the age of 32. Mathieu could receive a similar deal.
10. Jadeveon Clowney, Edge, Cleveland Browns (29)
If it feels like he’s on this list every year, it’s because, well, he’s on this list every year. Clowney has been on four different teams in the past four seasons, and this will be the third consecutive offseason that he’s testing free agency. Last offseason Clowney was coming off a season in which he was limited to eight games and had no sacks and six QB hits. He still got a one-year, $8 million deal. Now he’s coming off a year in which he had nine sacks and 19 QB hits in 14 games, while finishing fourth in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric. He might settle for another one-year deal, but Clowney definitely set himself up for a pay bump.
11. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Los Angeles Rams (29)
His market is tough to project, given that Beckham suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl and underwent surgery in mid-February. Will Beckham still land a long-term deal, or will he wait to see what his options are in August or September and sign a one-year contract? After an in-season trade to the Rams, Beckham showed that he could still play, catching 48 balls for 593 yards in 12 games.
NA. J.C. Tretter, OC, Cleveland Browns (31)
The Browns released Tretter to create cap space, and he will likely be one of the most coveted offensive linemen on the market. Tretter has started 80 games in the past five seasons and played at a high level for a Browns team that has had one of the NFL’s top offensive lines.
21. Eric Fisher, OT, Indianapolis Colts (31)
I will repeat myself once again here: Left tackles get paid! Based purely on performance, Fisher should be nowhere near this spot. But supply and demand matter. Fisher was coming off of an Achilles injury last offseason and signed a one-year, $8.4 million deal with the Colts. He started 15 games and held up better as a run blocker than a pass blocker, where he allowed seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits. More half of the NFL’s left tackles (18 to be exact) are making at least $11 million per year. Charles Leno’s three-year, $37 million deal with Washington could be a good comp for Fisher.
23. Akiem Hicks, DL, Chicago Bears (32)
When he’s on the field, Hicks has been a consistently disruptive interior defensive lineman who can make plays against the run and provide pass rush. But he has two things working against him. One, he’s 32 years old. And two, he’s missed 20 games over the past three seasons because of injuries. A contending team will likely still find Hicks attractive, given his production when healthy.
NA. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns (29)
He battled injuries last year and finished with career lows in catches (52) and receiving yards (570) while starting 12 games. But Landry has had a productive career. His 3,560 receiving yards over the past four seasons rank 19th among wide receivers. Landry will be appealing to teams in the market for a tough, competitive slot receiver.
29. Larry Ogunjobi, DL, Cincinnati Bengals (28)
His three-year, $40.5 million deal with the Bears fell through because of a failed physical. Ogunjobi was a free agent last offseason and signed a one-year, $6.2 million deal with the Bengals. He should get a pay bump after turning in career highs with seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits. He started 16 games in the regular season but suffered a foot injury in the wild-card round.
50. Duane Brown, OT, Seattle Seahawks (37)
He’s been remarkably durable, having not missed a start over the past two seasons. Brown has missed just four games in the past four years (all in 2019). He’s obviously past his prime, but demand always outweighs supply for left tackles. Andrew Whitworth got a two-year, $17 million deal from the Rams at the age of 40 last offseason. That’s probably the contract to work off of for Brown.
51. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (33)
It’s unclear whether he’ll want to keep playing somewhere without Tom Brady, but Gronkowski was still plenty productive last season, finishing with 55 catches for 802 yards (seventh among tight ends) and six touchdowns. And he’s always been an excellent blocker. He signed a one-year, $8 million deal last offseason and could be in line for something similar if he wants to keep playing.
59. Will Fuller, WR, Miami Dolphins (28)
He was a free agent last offseason and signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Dolphins. Injuries limited Fuller to just two games and four catches for 26 yards. Durability has been an issue throughout his career as Fuller has played more than 11 games once. And he was suspended in 2020 for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. Fuller is a talented, field-stretching receiver, but he’s likely looking at another one-year deal.
62. Daryl Williams, OT/OG, Buffalo Bills (30)
The Bills signed him to a three-year, $24 million deal last offseason, but Williams didn’t play as well in 2021, and the team released him. He has experience playing both right tackle and guard and should find a starting job somewhere.
68. Terrell Edmunds, S, Pittsburgh Steelers (25)
He hasn’t lived up to his draft slot (28th overall pick in 2018), but Edmunds is one of the youngest players on this list, having just turned 25 in January. And he’s been incredibly durable, having missed just one game in four seasons. Edmunds is mostly a box safety, but he logged more than 250 snaps as both a slot corner and a free safety last season. A team could convince itself that Edmunds’ best football is still ahead of him.
NA. Joe Schobert, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (28)
It looks like he’ll be on his fourth team in four seasons. The Steelers acquired Schobert from the Jaguars before last season but released him after they signed Myles Jack. When he was last a free agent in 2020, Schobert signed a five-year deal with Jacksonville worth $10.75 million per season. He’s unlikely to get anything close to that this time around. But Schobert has 80 career starts and has produced 100+ tackles in five consecutive seasons. He should find a starting job somewhere.
72. Melvin Ingram, Edge, Kansas City Chiefs (33)
He was a free agent last year but was coming off of an injury-riddled season and had to settle for a one-year, $4 million deal from the Steelers. Pittsburgh traded Ingram to the Chiefs, and he played well there in a nine-game stint. He’s clearly in the declining phase of his career (two sacks in his past 22 games), but Ingram’s film is better than his stats. He’s probably looking at a one-year deal but still has value as a rotational edge defender.
73. Ndamukong Suh, DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35)
One of the most durable players of this era, Suh has started 191 of a possible 193 games during his 12-year career. He had six sackssol and 13 QB hits last year. Suh has signed four consecutive one-year deals. He got $9 million in 2021. Given his age, Suh might have to settle for less this offseason, but if he wants to keep playing, he should find a starting job.
74. Justin Houston, Edge, Baltimore Ravens (33)
He was a free agent last offseason and had to settle for a one-year, $2.075 million deal with the Ravens. Houston started 15 games and had 4.5 sacks with 17 QB hits. Given his age, Houston could be looking at another one-year deal. He’d be a fine short-term solution for a team in need of edge help.
75. Jerry Hughes, Edge, Buffalo Bills (34)
His numbers dropped to just two sacks and seven QB hits in 2021, but `’s Joe Buscaglia noted that Hughes’ pressure numbers were still impressive. Buscaglia called Hughes the Bills’ best defensive end last year by a wide margin. And he’s been durable. Hughes has missed just one game in nine seasons with the Bills. He’ll be an option for teams looking for a veteran rotational pass rusher.
NA. Jackrabbit Jenkins, CB, Tennessee Titans (33)
The Titans released him to clear up cap space. Jenkins started 13 games for Tennessee after signing a two-year, $15 million deal last offseason. Jenkins is one of a number of older corners likely looking at a one-year deal.
77. Joe Haden, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (33)
He’s another veteran CB whose best days are behind him. Haden started 11 games last season for the Steelers. He had no interceptions and six passes defended. Haden should still find a starting spot somewhere, but given his age, he’s likely looking at a one-year deal.
78. Kyle Fuller, CB, Denver Broncos (30)
It’s tough to know what the league is going to make of Fuller. The Bears released him before last season, and Denver signed him to a one-year, $9.5 million deal. But Fuller played poorly and ended up getting benched by Vic Fangio. Fuller might have to settle for a one-year deal, but he should still get an opportunity to start somewhere.
79. Jason Pierre-Paul, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (33)
He’s had a terrific career, but Pierre-Paul’s 2021 campaign was underwhelming as he finished with 2.5 sacks and five QB hits in 12 games. In 2020, he looked like his usual self with 9.5 sacks and 14 QB hits. Pierre-Paul is one of many veteran pass rushers in this class who could be looking at a one-year deal.
NA. Julio Jones, WR, Tennessee Titans (33)
The Titans traded for Jones last offseason, but he battled injuries, playing in 10 games and totaling 31 catches for 434 yards and one touchdown. Jones has appeared in just 19 games over the past two seasons. Given the lingering hamstring issue and his age, Jones might have to settle for a one-year deal.
84. Kyle Van Noy, LB, New England Patriots (31)
Van Noy becomes a free agent for the third consecutive offseason. In 2020, he signed with the Dolphins for $12.75 million per year, but they released him after one season. Van Noy rejoined the Patriots last offseason on a two-year, $12 million deal, but they released him to clear cap space. He played 81% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps and had five sacks to go along with a career-high 10 passes defended. Van Noy will interest teams that are looking for a versatile veteran who can do a little bit of everything.
85. Anthony Barr, LB, Minnesota Vikings (30)
Durability is a concern with Barr as he’s played in just 13 games over the past two seasons. But when he’s on the field, Barr has still been effective (72 tackles, three interceptions, 2.5 sacks last season). Barr will interest teams looking for a short-term fix at linebacker who can do a little bit of everything.
91. Riley Reiff, OT, Cincinnati Bengals (33)
He signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Bengals last offseason and started 12 games at right tackle before suffering an ankle injury. Reiff played left tackle for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. He will likely find another one-year deal similar to what he signed last year.
95. Eddie Goldman, DL, Chicago Bears (28)
Goldman signed a four-year, $42 million extension with the Bears in 2018, but the team released him this offseason. He played less than 50% of the defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons and missed three games last year with injury. Goldman showed some pass-rushing chops early in his career, but has just 1.5 sacks and three QB hits in his last 29 games. Given his age, Goldman should find a job somewhere as a starting nose tackle.
100. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (33)
The Panthers inexplicably gave Newton a $6 million deal in the middle of last season. He completed just 54.8% of his passes, averaged 5.4 YPA and threw four touchdowns with five interceptions. Newton continued to have value as a runner (230 yards, five touchdowns). He’ll likely have to decide whether he’s willing to accept a backup role at this stage of his career.
104. Trai Turner, OG, Pittsburgh Steelers (29)
He signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Steelers last offseason and started all 17 games. Turner should see at least a modest pay bump this year and will interest teams in need of a starting-caliber right guard.
NA. Ereck Flowers, OG, Washington Commanders (28)
He’s another player that Washington released. Flowers was a 16-game starter for the Commanders last season and has started 101 games in his career. He should find a market among teams looking for a competent starter at left guard.
108. Melvin Gordon, RB, Denver Broncos (29)
When Gordon was last a free agent in 2020, the Broncos gave him a two-year, $16 million deal. He totaled 1,131 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns last season. Gordon averaged 4.5 YPC and and finished 21st out of 58 backs with a 41.4% success rate. He’ll be another veteran option for RB-needy teams.
110. Dont’a Hightower, LB, New England Patriots (32)
He’s had an incredible career, but at 32, Hightower is a declining player. He could draw interest from teams looking for a downhill thumper against the run.
112. Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Buffalo Bills (35)
He signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Bills last offseason and was productive with 42 catches for 626 yards in 14 games. It’s unclear whether Sanders wants to continue playing. Given his age, he’d likely be looking at another one-year deal.
113. Keelan Cole, WR, New York Jets (29)
He signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Jets last offseason and had 28 catches for 449 yards. The previous season in Jacksonville, Cole caught 55 balls for 642 yards. He lined up outside on roughly 83% of his snaps last season but was in the slot more than 68% of the time in 2020.
118. Brandon Shell, OT, Seattle Seahawks (30)
Shell has battled injuries, having missed 12 games over the past two seasons. And even when healthy, he’s been an up-and-down right tackle. Given the league-wide need for tackles, Shell could still find a starting job, but his recent history suggests he’s unlikely to to be a quality long-term fix.
121. Sheldon Richardson, DL, Minnesota Vikings (31)
The Browns released Richardson in April, and he caught on with the Vikings on a one-year, $3.6 million deal. Richardson had 2.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. He has not missed a game in the last four years. Richardson will interest teams in the market for some interior pass rush.
NA. Cole Beasley, WR, Buffalo Bills (33)
The Bills released him after the start of the league year. Beasley caught 82 balls for 693 yards last season, but his yards per reception average dropped to a career-low 8.5, and he had just one touchdown. Beasley will interest teams who are in the market for a short-term fix at slot receiver.
NA. Trey Flowers, Edge, Detroit Lions (29)
The Lions signed him to a big deal in 2019 but released him this offseason. Flowers battled injuries the last two seasons, appearing in just 14 games and totaling 3.5 sacks and six QB hits. A team in need of pass rush help could take a “buy low” flier on Flowers.
NA. Landon Collins, S/LB, Washington Commanders (28)
He signed a big six-year, $84 million deal with Washington in 2019 but has battled injuries and missed 13 games over the past two years. The Commanders moved him to linebacker during last season, and that position switch could stick at Collins’ next stop.
137. Jared Cook, TE, Los Angeles Chargers (35)
His career is winding down, but Cook still had 48 catches for 564 yards and four touchdowns last season. He signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Chargers last offseason and will likely be looking for something similar this year.
141. Bryce Callahan, CB, Denver Broncos (30)
He’s been a very good slot corner, but Callahan has a couple things working against him. One, he’s played more than 12 games just once in his career and missed six games last season. And two, he turns 31 in October. Callahan will be an option for teams that are looking for a short-term fix and are willing to overlook the durability concerns.
146. Kevin King, CB, Green Bay Packers (27)
He was a free agent last offseason and got a one-year, $5 million deal to return to Green Bay. But King started just six games and played 48% of the snaps. Given how young he is, a team could view King as a “change of scenery” candidate, and he could compete for playing time somewhere.
NA. Carl Nassib, edge, Las Vegas Raiders (29)
He’s another player who was not on our original top-150 but then got released. Nassib signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Raiders in 2020. His playing time dipped last year, and he missed four games, finishing with 1.5 sacks and four QB hits. Nassib should find a role as a rotational defensive end.
(Photo of Tyrann Mathieu: David Eulitt / Getty Images)
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