NFL Free Agency – Top 100 Free Agents
Top 100 Free Agents – Unrestricted & ‘Street’ Players
Frank Coyle/ Head scout
Does Not include Franchise or Transitional Players or Resigned players
Veteran Free Agents
Rank Player Pos Team Age
Top 100 Free Agents – Unrestricted & ‘Street’ Players
NFL Free Agency 2025 Mania Begins
NFL Free Agency and Trading Period 2025
Free Agents – Unrestricted & ‘Street’ Players
QB Geno Smith Traded to Raiders Wideout D.K. Metcalf Dealt to Steelers
Frank Coyle & Staff at draftinsiders.com
Salary Cap per Team – Approx $$ entering Free Agency Period
March 12 – Salary Cap Per team: $279.2M – Increase of $23.8M Per Team
Salary Cap and Compliance
Teams must be in full compliance with the salary cap by 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12.
Teams can carry over unused cap space from the 2024 season if they notify the NFL by the day
after their final regular-season game.
Trades and Signings To be Announced March 12th
Player signings will be continuous starting today
Retiring Players
G Zack Martin – Dallas
Edge Sam Hubbard – Cincinnati
TE Marcedes Lewis – Chicago
OL Mitch Morse – Jacksonville
OL Jon Feliciano – San Francisco
Unretiring Player
WR Michael Gallup – Las Vegas (last team)
Trades to be Annoucned after Period start
Traded Players Former Team New Team Draft Pick
Geno Smith QB Seat Las Vegas 3rd-round 2025
DK Metcalf WR Seat Pittsburgh 2nd-round 2025
Deebo Samuel WR SF Washington 5th-round 2025
Christian Kirk WR Jax Houston 7th round 2026
Joe Thuney OG KC Chicago 4th round 2026
Jonah Jackson OG LAR Chicago 6th round 2025
March Free Agency Newsletter – Top 125 Free Agents
Pro Prospect Positional Rankings – Top 300 Rankings
Available Now – Special Deluxe Package $59.95 – Order Today –
Re-signed Veterans
Offense
Andy Dalton QB Panthers 37
Jarrett Stidham QB Broncos 29
Aaron Jones RB Vikings 30
Marquise Brown WR Chiefs 28
Tutu Atwell WR Rams 25
Ronnie Stanley OT Ravens 31
Mike Gesicki TE Bengals 29
Tommy Tremble TE Panthers 25
Zach Ertz TE Commanders 35
John Bates TE Commanders 27
Tanner Hudson TE Bengals 31
Austin Hooper TE Patriots 31
Alaric Jackson OT Rams 26
Cody Ford OG Bengals 28
Defense
Baron Browning Edge Cards 26
Marcus Davenport Edge Lions 30
Jarran Reed DT Seahawks 32
Adam Butler DL Raiders 31
Zack Baum LB Eagles 28
Bobby Wagner LB Commanders 35
Nick Bolton LB Chiefs 27
Ernest Jones LB Seahawks 25
Lavonte David LB Bucs 35
Jamien Sherwood LB Jets 26
Amen Ogbongbemiga LB Bears 27
NFL Franchise Tag Deadline
NFL Franchise Tag Deadline
Frank Coyle
Wideout Tee Higgins & Guard Trey Smith Tagged
Today marks the official deadline for NFL teams to use a tag on players whose contracts are set to expire at 4 pm. Two teams, the Bengals and Chiefs have announced they will tag wideout Tee Higgins and guard Trey Smith.
Both players received the non-exclusive tender – meaning they are actually eligible to negotiate with other clubs yet also have until July 15 to sign an extension with their present employers in order to avoid the risk and uncertainty of playing on the one-year tag. In reality, it’s extremely rare for franchised players to move given it costs an outside team both contractually and a compensation package of two 1st-round draft picks to sign him from his original team is unwilling to match an offer sheet.
Other teams are rushing to sign potential free agents before the franchise deadline to avoid using the tag or lose a player in the Free agency market which starts March 12. Last year, eight players received the Franchise tag with most being running backs. This year only two players were tagged by the deadline, Higgins and Smith, the fewest in a number of years.
Franchise Non-Exclusive Tags
Cincinnati – WR Tee Higgins – $26.2M for 2025 related to his position plus the increase for a tag for the 2nd year in a row
Kansas City – RG Trey Smith – $23.4M for 2025
NFL Free Agency 2025 Newsletter – Coming up later this week
Deluxe Package includes Yearbook and all Newsletters
Three Round Mock Draft & Top Value Board
Pro Prospect Positional Rankings – Top 300 Rankings
Available Now – Special Deluxe Package $59.95 – Order Today –
Key NFL Re-signings
RB Saquon Barkley – Eagles – 2 year $41.2M
DT Osa Odighizuwa – Cowboys – 4 year $80M
WR Khalil Shakir – Bills – 4 year $60.2M
High profile players not tagged include, QB Sam Darnold, LT Ronnie Stanley, edge Josh Sweat, LB Zach Baum, wideout Chris Godwin, DT Milton Williams, safeties Jevon Holland and Marcus Williams and corners Carlton Davis. DJReed, Charvarius Ward and Byron Murphy are several of the marquee players who will be available in the strong upcoming Free Agency class.
There are three tender options: 1) Non-exclusive franchise tag; 2) Exclusive franchise tag; 3) Transition tag.
Non-Exclusive Franchise tag: The most commonly used tag. When most refer to the “franchise tag,” they generally talk about the non-exclusive version. This is a 1-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer or receive two 1st-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another club.
Exclusive Franchise tag: Unlike the non-exclusive version, the tagging team retains the sole right to negotiate with the player. The exclusivity raises the pay scale (current average salary versus averaging of the previous five years. This is a 1-year tender offer of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the current year, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. Few receive the exclusive tag. Generally, players for whom other teams would gladly give up two 1st-round picks receive this version of the tags.
Transition tag: The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position — as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. The tagging team is awarded no compensation if it chooses not to match a deal.
NFL Free Agency 2024 Opens
‘Word on the Street’
NFL Free Agency 2024
Frank Coyle/ Head scout
www.draftinsiders.com
The official start of NFL Free Agency period begins today at 4 pm with a few clubs expected to release more veterans to get under the new salary cap. The ‘legal’ tampering opened Monday midday and the player rush began with NFL clubs prepared to make huge offers to new free agents. The new $30+ million-dollar increase added to up a $255.4 million salary cap per team which made most club instant bidders on the open market.
The premier positions took the focus especially the QB market after the 2023 season saw 60+ starters at the position and raised the bar again at the game’s most important position. QB Kirk Cousin’s was again a huge winner in the open market with an incredible 4-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. His presence makes the Falcons dangerous in the NFC South with a young talented group of playmakers and a solid offensive line around him. Their defense will demand the focus of most future signings and many of the premier draft selections in April.
Most of the early FA movement at the QB spot has been the extensive change at the #2 role, following a season with multiple injuries and rotation at the position. The Browns actually made the playoffs last season, relying on the strong performance of backup Joe Flacco who signed late in the 2023 season after his release from the Jets. He stepped up big and delivered multiple 300-yard passing performances. He was the Browns 5th starter as they continue to stabilize offensively after a year of multiple injuries and erratic performances. Flacco is a FA and will not resign with the Browns. They have already signed vet Jameis Winston for their deep QB room.
The Browns’ blockbuster deal for QB DeShaun Watson three years ago is still highly questioned after his second season in Cleveland on a trade which costed three #1 selections and a whopping #230 million contract. He enters training camp hoping to justify the enormous bounty the Browns relinquished.
In addition to Cousins with a new contract, Baker Mayfield re-signed with the Bucs for $100M on a three-year deal. He directed the Bucs to the playoffs after coming off the QB scrap hill and not re-signed in Carolina last offseason. Veteran Russell Wilson was released by the Broncos after two horrible seasons in Denver, leaving a ton of dead money on their salary cap books. He signed with the Steelers where he will compete with young Kenny Pickett who the starting job.
Backup QBs moved quickly prior to the official opening with clubs determined to land veteran backups who can hold the fort during any interruptions of the long 18-week NFL schedule. The 2023 The NFL Draft will also see the QB movement dominate the early action with the top 3 selections expected to be young passers and possibly 5-6 chosen in the first round. The trade market will also be a factor in the domino effect at the position. The Bears’ hold two #1 picks, the first and #9 overall which makes Justin Fields expendable this offseason. His mediocre three-year early career will probably end in Chicago. Most clubs move on from incumbents when #1 overall pick allows them to add a top prospect to begin a new era. Fields may not command more than a 3rd round selection or possibly later with conditions. He was an expensive trade with the Giants to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft which cost two #1 picks plus a few middle round throw-ins.
The 2024 NFL Free Agency bell rings in minutes with many deals agreed upon over the past 48 hours. The upcoming player movement will change the landscape of NFL rosters for the season.
The impact of new additions will play a huge role in the makeup of the divisional races which bring many surprises annually in the ever-changing NFL.
NFL Free Agency Tag Deadline
NFL Free Agency Tag Deadline
Nine Players Receive Labels
Seven Defensive Players Head List
All Franchise Tags were Non-Exclusive labels
One Transitional Tag
Offense
Wideouts
Tee Higgins – Bengals
Michael Pittman – Colts
Defense
Edge Defenders
Josh Allen – Jaguars
Brian Burns – Panthers
Interior Linemen
Justin Madubuike – Ravens
Corners
Jaylon Johnson – Bears
L’Jarious Sneed – Chiefs
Safeties
Antoine Winfield – Bucs
Kyle Dugger – Patriots (Transition Label – Top 10 at position)
There are three tender options: 1) Non-exclusive franchise tag; 2) Exclusive franchise tag; 3) Transition tag.
Non-exclusive Franchise tag:
The most commonly used tag. When most refer to the “franchise tag,” they generally talk about the non-exclusive version. This is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The tagged player can negotiate with other teams, but his current team has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another club.
Exclusive Franchise tag:
Unlike the non-exclusive version, the tagging team retains the sole right to negotiate with the player. The exclusivity raises the pay scale (current average salary versus averaging of the previous five years). This is a one-year tender offer of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the current year, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. Few receive the exclusive tag. Generally, players for whom other teams would gladly give up two first-round picks receive this version of the tag — read: quarterbacks.
Transition tag:
The transition tag is a one-year tender offer for the average of the top 10 salaries at the position — as opposed to the top five for the franchise tag. It guarantees the original club the right of first refusal to match any offer the player might receive from another club. The tagging team is awarded no compensation if it chooses not to match a deal
NFL Sets New Salary Cap
NFL Free Agency 2024
NFL Sets New Salary Cap at $255.4 Million
Huge $30 Million Cap Increase Per Team
Frank Coyle / Head scout
www.draftinsiders.com
The NFL has surprisingly set the new salary cap for 2024 at $255.4M, an incredible $30.6 million increase from the 2023 team cap. That is the biggest cap increase since the salary cap started in 1994 when the original salary cap was only $34.6 million. This increase was a surprise to most NFL executives who expected an estimate in the $20 million dollar area. The announcement was also earlier than any year with the annual new cap always at the end of February. The recent caps since the Covid years have been held down by the paybacks.
This huge increase reflects the new television money where the NFL has expanded on multiple TV streaming platforms. The salary cap has grown at a steady pace until the Covid pandemic occurred. Future increases will probably be in the expected $25M range.
Teams over the salary cap will get some relief this year with 8 clubs in the red currently. They must be in positive cap money for the March 13th Free agency opening day. This offseason may see the biggest turnover of veteran releases on high contracts for teams to operate in the early FA period which starts March 13th. Tender offers will increase over expectations, in addition to proven performance escalators and rookie contracts.
DraftInsiders.com will have an extensive 2024 NFL Free Agency report in March
Free for Full subscribers
We are in the Franchise and Transitional tag period which numbers of veterans could increase with the enormous higher cap in place. Teams are diligently combing their roster to restructure veteran contracts to create more salary cap space. The Saints restructured QB Derek Carr’s contract saving $23M for the new cap period.
The upcoming free agency period will be a pivotal time for NFL teams to reload for the 2024 season. The increased cap and restructured veteran contracts can make an amazing new makeover for clubs to compete for the NFL playoffs. The early negotiating window allows teams to speak to free agents and sign them within the first days of the free agency period. It will change the NFL landscape tremendously along with the Trading period which begins the same day. Those additions and losses will be the foundation of rosters entering the important NFL Draft.
Visit – Overthecap.com
2024 Salary Cap Space
Cap Space = (Team Salary Cap) – (Active Cap Spending) – (Dead Money)
Team Salary Cap = (Base Salary Cap) + (Carryover) ± (Adjustments)
Effective Cap Space: the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster.
Base Salary Cap: $255,400,000 Statistics from Overthecap.com
Team Cap Space Effective Cap Space # Active Cap Spending Dead Money
Commanders $79,614,671 $67,806,345 49 $171,582,086 $11,933,514
Titans $78,655,381 $72,565,839 51 $152,102,981 $31,850,988
Bears $78,335,157 $66,248,878 51 $170,014,987 $10,539,071
Patriots $77,955,006 $69,213,592 55 $165,759,423 $11,707,888
Colts $72,337,573 $68,132,343 62 $181,109,345 $8,363,623
Texans $67,583,290 $64,174,292 54 $174,969,614 $13,778,652
Lions $57,614,821 $49,803,411 45 $177,167,136 $23,054,507
Cardinals $53,054,463 $41,905,110 62 $198,221,670 $14,151,579
Bengals $51,020,373 $45,584,242 49 $211,931,359 $1,775,689
Bucs $43,682,067 $40,566,748 52 $192,531,646 $21,888,078
Rams $43,110,695 $39,225,710 51 $212,388,824 $3,902,765
Raiders $42,936,109 $38,343,993 56 $204,052,911 $15,002,160
Vikings $35,807,132 $30,682,041 54 $222,260,496 $3,508,541
Panthers $34,572,274 $32,520,236 55 $215,359,328 $9,230,998
Falcons $33,004,013 $27,228,994 57 $223,994,196 $3,023,102
Giants $30,801,691 $22,999,424 51 $209,557,237 $17,542,850
Eagles $27,354,811 $23,244,756 64 $222,789,618 $7,278,900
Jaguars $24,683,167 $20,520,846 52 $237,026,468 $806,259
Chiefs $18,194,240 $15,451,427 54 $234,875,275 $3,857,097
Ravens $16,631,328 $12,871,589 50 $231,810,045 $9,096,530
Seahawks $12,969,647 $7,910,407 49 $247,867,087 $237,492
Jets $12,756,122 $8,169,238 52 $229,058,404 $18,331,968
Steelers $9,005,846 $5,304,852 63 $239,194,713 $9,539,633
Packers $2,340,288 ($2,179,969) 60 $244,695,581 $15,118,132
Teams currently over the cap
49ers ($5,066,251) ($8,344,657) 56 $287,715,903 $9,145,613
Browns ($7,458,897) ($8,634,913) 57 $279,131,620 $14,972,782
Cowboys ($9,933,127) ($12,985,490) 58 $255,464,019 $14,771,496
Broncos ($16,811,078) ($20,573,431) 61 $263,994,831 $9,693,124
Chargers ($25,607,797) ($35,160,383) 49 $263,988,882 $24,556,666
Dolphins ($27,919,894) ($36,468,784) 44 $267,655,998 $16,809,238
Saints ($42,089,497) ($46,149,348) 55 $297,076,846 $2,840,956
Bills ($43,815,909) ($47,064,828) 53 $288,533,131 $12,221,717
Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a member of the FWAA and voter in major college player awards – Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi, Thorpe, Biletnikoff etc. for the past 30 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season.
He has a new column ‘The Word on the Street’ dedicated for the NFL Draft and Free agency insight and news with unique content during January through May. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS and ESPN on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites