They certainly aren’t free but they can enrich a franchise (and themselves) with one stroke of the pen.
Except for the NFL Draft, no other date on the calendar is more important than March 15, the start of free agency. Look at what Haason Reddick (three years, $45 million) did for the Eagles in 2022 or Za’Darius Smith (three years, $42 million) did for the Vikings.
Former Raiders QB Derek Carr already is on the market. Carr who had a no-trade clause in his contract refused to waive it after the Raiders unceremoniously benched him late in the season. Carr was so anxious to get out of Las Vegas he walked away from $32.9 million this season and $7.5 million in 2024.
BetBasics.com looks at the top agents on the market. Fans of teams can start drooling now.
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens – Not only is Jackson the top free agent, but he’s also the most unpredictable one. Let’s start with the fact that the Ravens QB, is representing himself. Then let’s remember that he couldn’t finish the last two seasons because of leg injuries, a byproduct of him being the most scramble heavy QB in the league.
He also is the only QB in NFL history to post two seasons of 1,000 yards rushing and 2,500 passing. He accounted for 38 touchdowns the last two seasons despite missing almost 10 games. Jackson is still only 26, which means barring injury, he will be a franchise QB for years to come.
2. Derek Carr, QB, Raiders – It’s hard to know exactly what Carr is. Is he the starter who has a career record of 63-79 or is he the QB who has thrown for more than 35,000 yards with 217 TDs (99 picks) and a rating of 91.8? Carr, 31, can be the final piece for a team such as the Jets – at least for a few years. He has a jump on the competition by getting his “freedom” a month before other free agents.
3. Javon Hargrave, DT, Eagles – Fletcher Cox is considered the man on Philly’s front four and Reddick was the sack master but the key to the unit that posted a league-high 70 sacks is Hargrave, 30. The 6-2, 305-pounder is a brutal run stopper who’s coming off a career-high 11 sacks.
4. James Bradberry, CB, Eagles – Forget that holding call in the Super Bowl. Bradberry (29) is coming off a three-interception, 18-passes defensed season. He’s a complete corner with a 6-1, 210-pound body and a terrific understanding of the game. A complete, professional player. Now, about that call.
5. Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Chiefs – Speaking of Hargrave and sacks, the Eagles didn’t get any in their Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. Brown, 26, has turned his “Zero Bleepin Sacks,” statement into a O Sacks T-shirt. Brown isn’t an overwhelmingly gifted tackle but he’s a 6-8, 340-pound sun blocker who plays the most important O-Line position. And he has cool T-shirts.
6. Jamel Dean, CB, Buccaneers – Carlton Davis, 26, was the Bucs big free agent signing last season and he’s worth it, but Dean, 25, is a year younger. He had two picks, eight passes defensed. At 6-1, 206, he has the prototype body for a corner.
7. Jessie Bates III, S, Bengals – Cincy already used the franchise tag last season on Bates and they used their first round pick last year on Michigan safety Dax Hill. Bates almost surely is on his way out of Cincy. Any team looking for a back end leader of the defense coming off a career-high four picks (and eight passes defensed) will jump on the 25-year-old.
8. Geno Smith, QB Seahawks – Why so low on our list? We fully expect Smith to stay in Seattle and we’re not as infatuated with Smith as others. He’s a great story and deserves every penny he gets for his perseverance. The 32-year-old had 30 TDs and 11 picks in 2022 but subtract those numbers and he’s 34/37.
9. Daron Payne, DT, Commanders – The former 13th pick in the 2018 draft made quite a statement in the final year of his rookie deal. Payne had career-highs in tackles (64), sacks (11.5) and passes defensed (5). Will he be as motivated after he gets his new deal?
10. Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants – When healthy, Barkley is the one back who can be compared to Christian McCaffrey. Finally healthy again after blowing out his knee in 2020, Barkley had a career-high 1,312 yards rushing (4.4 yards per carry) and caught 57 passes for another 338. A high-character player who upgrades any offense and locker room.