NFL free agency 2026: Top 5 players at each offensive position

The last two Super Bowl champions each made a splashy move in free agency leading up to the season that led to their title: the Eagles signing Saquon Barkley two years ago and the Seahawks acquiring Sam Darnold last year. What will be the move that wins the next Super Bowl? It’s coming soon.

Free agency in the NFL officially begins March 11 with the start of the league year, but teams can begin negotiating with available players on March 9. Plenty will change in the three weeks until that happens as various players are released, signed to extensions, or tagged by their teams, and trades are always on the table, so everyone will have to remain flexible through the process. Here, though, are the top 5 players at each position who are currently due to become unrestricted free agents and should be landing some of the bigger contracts in that first frenzy of activity… and perhaps a championship next February.

QUARTERBACKS

1. Daniel Jones. The former Giant proved he can be a strong starting option in the right setting during his first season with the Colts. How he returns from a torn Achilles will be a concern for whoever signs him as he may not be ready for the start of the season.

2. Malik Willis. He used his backup stint in Green Bay to not just help the Packers but prove he can be a starter for someone. In four appearances with one start in place of Jordan Love he completed 85.7% of his passes, rushed for 123 yards, and scored four touchdowns.

3. Marcus Mariota. A valuable backup for Washington the past few years may be able to find a situation where he can compete for a starting job. He did start eight games for the Commanders in 2025 and went 2-6.

4. Aaron Rodgers. It seems like it’s either a return to Pittsburgh or retirement for our old pal Rodgers, but if another team wants to swoop in and make an offer he’d probably listen. He was able to lead the Steelers to the playoffs in 2025, something he couldn’t do for the Jets during his two years with them.

5. Gardner Minshew. A proven backup who can step in as a juice-delivering starter; he missed the chance to showcase himself when he replaced the injured Patrick Mahomes then got hurt himself. His most recent starting stints came with the Raiders in 2024 (2-7) and Colts in 2023 (7-6).

RUNNING BACKS

1. Breece Hall. Coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season he deserves to go to a team that will name him its MVP rather than give the award to its punt returner. Hall can do a lot more than run too; he caught 76 passes for the Jets in 2023 and even threw a TD pass for them in 2025.

2. Kenneth Walker III. There will certainly be a Super Bowl MVP surcharge on whatever contract he signs. He also showed he can carry a team after fellow Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet, with whom he split time most of the season, tore his ACL early in the playoffs.

3. Javonte Williams. After signing with the Cowboys on a one-year prove-it deal for 2025 he posted a career-high 1,201 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 26 carries of 10+ yards and also averaged 2.6 yards after first contact.

4. Travis Etienne Jr. A slashing runner who put up solid numbers behind an offensive line that wasn’t always so helpful. Give him a better situation and he can become a star. In three of his four healthy seasons with the Jags he topped 1,000 rushing yards.

5. Rico Dowdle. There was a stretch in the middle of the season when he carried the Panthers offense. He’s probably best suited as part of a pairing with another back but he can be the main ballcarrier too. Besides his 1,076 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2025 he also had 39 catches for 297 yards and one touchdown.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. George Pickens. His 1,429 receiving yards were third most in the NFL in 2025 and he had 22 catches of 20+ yards (fourth in the NFL). His ability to line up all over the field and run routes at various levels will make him an appealing target for teams looking to build around their quarterback.

2. Alec Pierce. After leading the league in yards-per-catch among receivers with at least 10 receptions in 2024 (22.3) he did it again in 2025 (21.3). The big-bodied target stretched the field for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 2025.

3. Wan’Dale Robinson. The little guy (5-8) came up big for the Giants when Malik Nabers went down in 2025 and showed he can be more than just a slot receiver picking up first downs. He had a career-best 14 receptions of 20 or more yards this season, just in time to hit the market.

4. Mike Evans. Injuries in 2025 kept Evans from reaching 1,000 receiving yards for a 12th straight season. At 33 years old he may not be a No. 1 guy any longer but he can still be among the best No. 2s with his 6-5 frame ideal for red zone jump balls and his ability to maneuver on the sideline among the best of all time.

5. Rashid Shaheed. Not only will whoever signs Shaheed get a versatile, explosive receiver, but a special teams Pro Bowler who had touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns this season. Almost one out of every five of his career receptions (29 of 153) have gone for 20+ yards.

TIGHT ENDS

1. Kyle Pitts. While he never quite lived up to the “unicorn” label he had coming into the league as the fourth overall pick, Pitts certainly has elite abilities and put up his best season in 2025 with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns. A team that doesn’t need him to block much and can use him more as a receiver will get its money’s worth.

2., David Njoku. Nine seasons in Cleveland were enough for him as he announced in early February he would not be returning there. It isn’t an ideal time for him to hit the market coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season in which he had just 33 receptions but he did have at least 500 receiving yards in each of the three seasons before that one and even with last year’s dip he caught four touchdown passes.

3. Isaiah Likely. He had his best season in 2024 with 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns (plus another TD in the playoffs) but he gives teams good versatility and can line up next to tackles (although his blocking help is the weakest part of his game) or out wider where he can win routes.

4. Chig Okonkwo. For the Titans in 2025 he caught 56 passes for 560 yards and two touchdowns but he is most dangerous pulling in short passes and even screens; 61.8% of his total receiving production last year came after the catch. Teams can get creative with him.

5. Dallas Goedert. A career-high 60 catches with 11 of them for touchdowns made Goedert one of the top offensive weapons for the Eagles even though 2025 was the first year in his career he averaged below 10 yards per catch. He’s spent his whole career in Philadelphia so it will probably take a big offer to get him to leave.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

1. Tyler Linderbaum. A three-time Pro Bowler at center who has missed just two games in four seasons, the Ravens declined his fifth-year option when they had a chance to utilize it and now will have to pay up or see him walk away. According to PFF he allowed just two sacks in 2025.

2. Rasheed Walker. Good timing for Walker to become a free agent in a market in which he is probably the best left tackle available. The former seventh-round pick has developed into a solid starter; his pass block win rate of 93.8% ranked 11th among 68 qualifying offensive tackles.

3. Braden Smith. A big swing tackle who shows good power and quickness but injuries and other medical issues (he suffers from a type of OCD) have prevented him from playing a full season since 2019.

4. David Edwards. His 95% pass block win rate in 2025 ranked 12th among 65 qualifying guards in the NFL. Few offensive linemen at any position have his athleticism; he played option quarterback in high school.

5. Jermaine Eluemunor. After bouncing around early in his career – between teams and positions – Eluemunor came to the Giants two years ago and settled in as a very good starting right tackle. In 2025 he allowed four sacks in 593 passing snaps, a 97.9% efficiency.