The first waves of free agency are complete chaos. And I love it. Teams are rushing to sign the best players who hit the open market. Players are looking for the best place to go. Agents are searching for the best possible contract for their clients. Insiders are trying to get that big news before everyone else. Fans are refreshing social media every 10 seconds to know who their team will sign. Experts immediately say that a GM is stupid for giving that much money for “X” player or a genius for getting “Y” for so little. Everyone has a part on the frenzy that is free agency in March.
Would it be funnier if no one knew what happened until September? Definetly. Imagine the shock when we turned our TVs on in September 2020 just to see Tom Brady throwing to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in Tampa Bay. But the way it is now is pretty awesome too.
But after early April, when the biggest prizes have already been taken, things take way too long to happen. Front offices, insiders, analysts, and fans alike turn their attention to the Draft. Veterans on the market tend to get ignored for quite some time if they aren’t signed by early April. And we actually have some good players still on the market.
One important thing to note. Teams usually wait to sign players after the first couple of weeks because of the compensatory draft picks formula. After the Monday after the Draft, players don’t count anymore on the formula, so things heat up a little bit.
10: Za’Darius Smith, EDGE
Former team: Detroit Lions
Za’Darius Smith played for his third NFC North team last season, as the Lions traded for him to help a banged-up defense. His 9.0 sacks (5 with the Browns and 4 with the Lions) show he still has some gas in the tank. With him turning 33 at the beginning of the season, Smith may not be the beast he was in Green Bay, but he can still get after the QB.
9: Will Hernandez, OG
Former team: Arizona Cardinals
I was a little surprised that no one had signed Hernandez in March, and even more when I saw that he was still a free agent. I also had no idea he was almost 30 years old. His 2024 season was cut short due to a torn ACL in early October, but there should be few concerns about his availability for 2025. A good pass blocker and solid in the run game, Hernandez could help teams in the interior of the offensive line.
8: Julian Blackmon, DB
Former team: Indianapolis Colts
A former third-round pick, Blackmon has come to life in the past two years, with 7 interceptions, 12 passes defended, and 174 total tackles since 2023. He’s more suitable for a deep-safety role; however, he can be very good at that, with the range to cover downfield.
7: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT
Former team: Cleveland Browns
Wills had a troublesome stint with the Cleveland Browns, the team that drafted him 10th overall in 2020. To be fair to him, most players have had issues with the Browns. With only 13 games in the past two seasons, Wills must first stay healthy. He also had an off-field situation with the coaching staff last season. Although he didn’t become what the Browns hoped for, Wills is a young, athletic player who can still turn his career around.
6: Aaron Rodgers, QB
Former team: New York Jets
The opposite of being a young player, we land on the biggest story of the offseason. After being cut by the Jets, most expected that Rodgers would find a new team quickly. And then the days, weeks, and months went by. It was rumoured that Rodgers had suitors, but decided to wait and see what the Minnesota Vikings would do with their QB situation. With most teams having a starting QB and/or just drafted one, Rodgers’ options are very few right now. It’s hard to doubt a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, but Rodgers showed clear signs of regression in 2024.
5: J.K. Dobbins, RB
Former team: Los Angeles Chargers
Another player who missed a lot of time due to injury, Dobbins had a nice bounce-back season with the Chargers. In five seasons, he had a season-ending injury in two, suffering a brutal knee injury in a preseason game in 2021, and an Achilles injury in the first game of the 2023 season. In two other years (2022 and 2024), he missed significant time with injuries as well. Dobbins is a good player, but his injury history is understandably worrisome for teams.
4: Mike Hilton, CB
Former team: Cincinnati Bengals
One of the most underrated cornerbacks in the league, Hilton is one of the best slot defenders in the league. Recently turned 31 years old, Hilton has the spatial awareness to play in zone, can stick in man coverage, is a good run defender, and can blitz. On a very bad Bengals’ defense, Hilton was one of the few bright spots alongside Trey Hendrickson.
3: Rasul Douglas, CB
Former team: Buffalo Bills
A very physical corner, Douglas likes to put his hands on the receiver and can disrupt the pass at the catch point (40 passes defended between 2021-2023) and is a playmaker when he intercepts the ball, with three pick-sixes in his career. Quarterbacks respected him more in 2024, so his numbers took a dip, but Douglas is still a very good outside cornerback.
2: Amari Cooper, WR
Former team: Buffalo Bills
There was a point in time when Cooper looked like the next great wide receiver. He never reached quite that level, but he put up numbers with a handful of QBs and in four different teams. He has started to lose a step in athleticism and had a drop problem in 2024, but his route-running ability and capacity to find open space against zone are still at a high level.
1: Asante Samuel Jr., CB
Former team: Los Angeles Chargers
I doubt Samuel would’ve hit the open market if not for his shoulder injury. Most of the players on this list are surprising to be available, but Samuel is the only one that I just don’t know why. He is young, apart from the injury in 2024, has no significant injuries, and is a good player. He can be very useful and would at least be the CB2 on the vast majority of teams.
