Ranking the Top 20 Available Players in NFL Free Agency

20. Dalton Risner - Minnesota Vikings

Left guard Dalton Risner is back on the market after one year spent with the Minnesota Vikings. The 2019 NFL Draft pick of the Denver Broncos started four seasons for the Broncos at left guard before being placed on the injured reserve list in January 2023 for a partial tear in his UCL. That injury ended his Broncos career, and he signed with the Minnesota Vikings in September 2023. Risner is only 28 years old and is a quality starter at guard when healthy. He should still have some good years remaining in his career, and the former Kansas State Wildcat could be a good value signing late in free agency.

1. Connor Williams - Miami Dolphins

Young interior linemen near the top of their position do not often hit free agency. Center Connor Williams is a rarity in a position that is difficult to value. He is coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered in December, making his market very tough to gauge. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams is rated as the number two center in the NFL. He'll draw attention from the Miami Dolphins to keep him snapping the ball to Tua Tagovailoa, but the Dolphins have a lot of cap needs. Can they afford to pay a center as much as a team like the Chargers will be willing to? 

Miami Dolphins 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +2200

2. Justin Simmons - Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos needed cap room and chose veteran safety Justin Simmons as a player to cut to begin that process. On March 7, Simmons was released after three consecutive second-team All-Pro seasons. He has 23 interceptions since the start of the 2019 season, tied for first in the NFL. He is good against the run and among the best for his position against the pass. Simmons has been durable, but his age is a concern, and it will give teams pause if he looks for a longer-term deal.

Denver Broncos 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +15000

3. Kyle Dugger - New England Patriots

Safety Kyle Dugger was hit with a transition tag by the New England Patriots. That tag operates as a one-year deal for 13.8 million dollars to stay with the Patriots, but other teams can still make offers to Dugger. Unlike with the franchise tag, teams do not have to surrender draft compensation when signing a player on a transition tag. Dugger is a versatile safety who played 98 percent of the snaps for the Patriots defense in 2023. He’s not a good pass defender as he struggles in coverage, but Dugger is good against the run, and the Patriots used him as a blitzer in many cases. He’s almost like an extra undersized linebacker and can be pretty valuable in a good scheme. He will likely stay put in New England.

New England Patriots 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +17000

4. Xavien Howard - Miami Dolphins

Defensive back Xavien Howard was released by the Miami Dolphins as the franchise tries to shed salary to sign Tua Tagovailoa to a long-term deal. Howard is now 31, and his best seasons appear behind him. Still, he has been to four Pro Bowls, and his 60 passes defended over the past four seasons ranks second in the NFL during that period. Last season was a down year for Howard, and a team wanting to sign him needs to judge whether or not that was an anomaly or the beginning of the age-related downturn for the corner. Corners older than 30 and excelling in the NFL are a rarity.

Miami Dolphins 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +2200

5. Quandre Diggs - Seattle Seahawks

In desperate need of salary cap space, the Seattle Seahawks waived captain Quandre Diggs. The veteran safety is now 31, but he started every Seattle game in the past four seasons and made three Pro Bowls. He had over 90 tackles in two of the past three campaigns and is a proven commodity with leadership skills. He joins fellow veteran safety Justin Simmons on the open market, but there has not been much activity for either player.

Seattle Seahawks 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +7500

6. Stephon Gilmore - Dallas Cowboys

Cornerbacks past the age of 30 are rarely successful. A cornerback still playing at a high level in his mid-30s is a rarity. Stephon Gilmore has been on short-term deals since leaving the New England Patriots, but he continues to perform. After Trevon Diggs was injured, Gilmore plugged the hole for the Cowboys. Gilmore is no longer elite, but a contending team with cornerback depth will get a solid player.

Dallas Cowboys 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +1300

7. Julian Blackmon - Indianapolis Colts

Safety Julian Blackmon struggled with injuries earlier in his career, but he started 15 games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023-2024 and led the team with four interceptions. Blackmon also had 88 tackles and has proven to be a versatile safety who can help against running and passing. His best season may have been his rookie campaign (2020), and after two down campaigns, he bounced back and nearly replicated that performance level last year. The Colts have room to bring him back if they choose to.

Indianapolis Colts 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +5000

8. Calais Campbell - Atlanta Falcons

Calais Campbell, now 37 years old, continues to play and produce. Campbell has been in the NFL for a remarkable 16 seasons and wants to play at least one more after spending 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons. Campbell had 6.5 sacks last season, a year in which he started every game for the NFC South franchise. A team needing a veteran defensive line depth piece will sign Campbell and likely be pleased with the return on investment.

Atlanta Falcons 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +3000

9. Tyler Boyd - Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Boyd has been in the shadow of his Bengals teammates as a wide receiver, but he’s a competent and productive slot receiver who could get a chance to earn a more significant target share on a new team. Boyd typically works out of the slot and has six straight seasons with at least 58 catches. He has been consistent and durable and could improve a team needing wide receiver help.

Cincinnati Bengals 2024 Super Bowl Odds: +1500

10. Odell Beckham Jr. - Baltimore Ravens

The veteran wide receiver market is flooded with quality options, but there is a reason guys like Tyler Boyd, Josh Reynolds, and Odell Beckham Jr. have not yet signed: they are players with downsides. For OBJ, the issues are age and availability. He has played in 28 games over the past three seasons, and his numbers have been modest. Beckham Jr. caught 35 passes on 64 targets for the Baltimore Ravens a season ago and averaged 16.1 yards per catch. Still, his market will remain depressed until more reliable options are off the board.

11. Bud Dupree - Atlanta Falcons

Outside linebacker Bud Dupree has battled injuries throughout his career, but he stayed healthy last season in Atlanta and started 16 games for the Falcons. Dupree had 6.5 sacks (his best total since 2020) and hit the quarterback eight times. He only had 39 tackles, but Dupree has never been a player who gets huge tackle numbers. His primary ability is pressuring the passer from the outside linebacker spot, and he did that reasonably well in his only season in the NFC. He will be 31 for the 2024-2025 campaign, but he could be a nice depth piece for a contending team.

12. Ryan Tannehill - Tennessee Titans

The time for Ryan Tannehill to be a starting quarterback appears to have passed. The former Tennessee Titan was replaced by Will Levis and is now exploring his options to be a backup quarterback in the league. Tannehill is well-liked and well-respected in NFL locker rooms, and he could be a good mentor and spot starter for a team. Something like the role that Gardner Minshew or Nick Foles have occupied would make a lot of sense for Tannehill. He might be selective and wait until after the NFL Draft before seriously considering his options for the next season.

13. Steven Nelson - Houston Texans

Defensive back Steven Nelson is now 31 years old and entering his tenth NFL season. He has played in a lot of different coverage schemes, with four years spent in Kansas City, two in Pittsburgh, one in Philadelphia, and the last two seasons spent with the Houston Texans. Pro Football Focus graded Nelson as the 29th-rated cornerback for the 2023 season with a pass-coverage mark of 73.4. A team needing a veteran corner that still has some gas left in the tank will be getting an above-average starter.

14. Micah Hyde - Buffalo Bills

Safeties, even premier ones, have had a tough time in free agency, and the position does not have the cache it had in previous eras. Micah Hyde was let go by the Buffalo Bills after two All-Pro seasons. He compiled 644 tackles with 24 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries during his career. Hyde is not in his prime, but he is still a solid starter who graded out above average in pass coverage. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets have expressed interest in the veteran.

15. Hunter Renfrow - Las Vegas Raiders

Former Clemson Tigers national title hero Hunter Renfrow was released by the Las Vegas Raiders after five seasons. The slot receiver made the Pro Bowl in 2021 but has seen his production and usage dip in the past two seasons. He’s not in his prime, but Renfrow is still shy of 30, closing in on 3,000 career receiving yards, and has proven to be a reliable route runner with sure hands. Renfrow will likely find a landing spot on a team that needs a veteran receiver, but it will probably be a short-term deal.

16. Andrus Peat - New Orleans Saints

Andrus Peat was not expected to contribute much to the New Orleans Saints in 2023, but the poor performance of Trevor Penning forced the team to turn to Peat at left tackle, and he finished the season as the starter. He allowed only two sacks on 476 snaps in pass protection. On the negative side, Pro Football Focus had Peat listed as allowing 30 total pressures and being penalized six different times. He stayed healthy and had a solid campaign but is now 30 and has not received much interest from his former team in New Orleans.

17. David Bakhtiari - Green Bay Packers

The franchise released longtime Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari on March 11. Now 32 years old and having battled injuries for the last several seasons, Bakhtiari was speculated to be retiring, but he insists he is rehabbing and intends to continue playing. The former Pro Bowl tackle has started 131 games during his career and has often provided above-average performance. Bakhtiari is a good player if he is healthy, but are those days behind him?

18. Marcus Maye - New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints released Marcus Maye to clear cap space. However, the seven-year starting safety is reportedly drawing interest from teams hoping to acquire veteran depth at a position that has largely been ignored during the free agency period. Maye had 37 tackles with the Saints in 2023, along with two interceptions. The former Florida Gator began his career with the New York Jets.

19. Chris Hubbard - Tennessee Titans

Chris Hubbard played 473 snaps for the Tennessee Titans during the 2023 season and graded out at 69 on Pro Football Focus, coming in slightly above average for offensive tackles. Hubbard was drafted in 2013 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played there through 2017. The Cleveland Browns signed Hubbard in 2018, and he spent five seasons there before playing for one season with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans started him nine times, and he now has 58 games as a starter in his career. Hubbard will be 33 during the 2024 NFL season.

20. Dalton Risner - Minnesota Vikings

Left guard Dalton Risner is back on the market after one year spent with the Minnesota Vikings. The 2019 NFL Draft pick of the Denver Broncos started four seasons for the Broncos at left guard before being placed on the injured reserve list in January 2023 for a partial tear in his UCL. That injury ended his Broncos career, and he signed with the Minnesota Vikings in September 2023. Risner is only 28 years old and is a quality starter at guard when healthy. He should still have some good years remaining in his career, and the former Kansas State Wildcat could be a good value signing late in free agency.