NFL free agency rankings 2024: Top 10 players at every position

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Let’s rank the best 2024 NFL free agents at every position.

Every great NFL team is built through the draft. It’s the foundation on which every championship rests. Even so, a foundation does not a house make — and it’s here where free agency makes its impact.

The decisions made when business opens on March 13th (or when the tampering period begins on March 11th) will have huge ramifications on the 2024 season. The best teams view the process as the fresh coat paint, the resurfaced floors to make everything pop once more and complete for the playoffs. The worst, well, they’ll overspend out of desperation trying to flip their property into something appealing, watching it all go up in flames in the process.

This duality of free agency is what makes this process so fascinating. In 2023, the class was headlined by two quarterbacks: Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo, neither of whom made a huge impact on their respective teams. Quarterbacks will again dominate the conversation this year, with Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson leading the charge — but it’s Chris Jones, the most critical element to the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl wins aside from Patrick Mahomes, who is the single best free agent on the market.

What happens with Jones will define Kansas City’s chances in 2024.

Beyond that we have a running back group deep with some of the biggest stars in modern football. Household names now cast aside as the league continues to move away from prioritizing running the ball. It’s a bizarre choice when the 49ers made the Super Bowl on the back of Christian McCaffrey, but the idea that “you can always find a back in the draft” still pervades NFL circles.

If we’re being totally honest, the 2024 free agent class is light on star power, but deep when it comes to rotational pieces, and potential breakout stars. This is a class that will truly separate the great front offices from the bad ones, and someone on this list is on the precipice of breaking out in a big way.

Whether your team is looking for that final piece to become a contender, or hoping to change your fortunes with an elite player, here are our Top 10 players at every position in the 2024 NFL Free Agency class with insight from our network of NFL writers.

NFL free agent QB rankings 2024

Kirk Cousins is the biggest domino here despite coming off a fairly significant Achilles injury at the age of 35. He seems like an ideal bridge QB for some franchises or a stabilizer for first-time head coaches or someone on the hot seat.

Russell Wilson isn’t yet a free agent but the Broncos have already told him he’s going to be released and they’ve even given him permission to talk to other teams. He’s going to sign a minimum contract with his new team, which potentially makes his value very high.

Three former Cleveland Browns quarterbacks have worked to revitalize their careers and hit free agency together this offseason. Baker Mayfield is expected to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but, along with Jacoby Brissett and Joe Flacco, could be pursued by the New England Patriots with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt familiar with all three from their shared time in Cleveland.

Kirk Cousins
Russell Wilson
Baker Mayfield
Gardner Minshew
Tyrod Taylor
Sam Darnold
Jacoby Brissett
Ryan Tannehill
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota

NFL free agent running backs 2024 rankings

If you play fantasy football, a bunch of these names are very familiar to you as some of the most successful backs of the last several years, led by the future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry.

The Giants would still like a Saquon Barkley reunion after six years in New Jersey. The Raiders want Josh Jacobs back, but they likely won’t overpay for the sixth-season veteran who had a down season and missed four games in 2024. The market value for the pair will dictate if they return.

Ezekiel Elliott showed he still has something left in the tank in his first, and possible lone, season as a Patriot. Despite arriving midway through training camp and sharing snaps, he finished with 955 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns.

Last offseason, we saw several running back deals get done in August, so these puzzle pieces may not fall into place for some time.

Derrick Henry
Josh Jacobs
Tony Pollard
Saquon Barkley
Austin Ekeler
Gus Edwards
D’Andre Swift
Ezekiel Elliott
Cordarrelle Patterson
Devin Singletary

NFL wide receiver free agent rankings for 2024

Mike Evans was far and away the top receiver option entering the offseason, but the Buccaneers locked him up with a contract extension. Two other top candidates were tagged as franchise players, leaving the rest of the field a little underwhelming.

Gabriel Davis has shown up in big games but has too many goose eggs on his game log to be considered a number one receiver.

Despite the drops in the NFC Championship game, the Lions really like Josh Reynolds for his versatility, hard-working mentality, fearlessness as a run blocker, and chemistry with Jared Goff.

Kendrick Bourne bounced back nicely from a down year in 2022, and was clearly the Patriots’ most productive pass catcher over the first half of the season. However, a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 put an untimely end to a once-promising campaign and will impact his market in free agency.

Calvin Ridley
Gabriel Davis
Darnell Mooney
Marquise Brown
Tyler Boyd
Rashid Shaheed
Josh Reynolds
Curtis Samuel
Kendrick Bourne
D.J. Chark

Free agent tight ends, ranked

The NFL Draft doesn’t have a lot of starting caliber tight end options in 2024. The free agent market took a hit when the top player, Houston’s Dalton Schultz, was re-signed by the Texans.

Virtually the entire Patriots tight end group is about to enter free agency, with Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown all out of contract come March 13. Henry is the most notable name, but with him and the other two, teams will have to answer whether their modest production was more the result of circumstance or them having lost a step.

Noah Fant had a down year in 2023, although part of it can be attributed to the Seahawks offense shifting a lot of receiving targets toward rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He’s a YAC threat in open space and has great hands, which will make him a FA target, but he’s not the smoothest route runner and has had some consistency issues as a blocker.

Despite injuries, at just 25 years old, Colby Parkinson’s best years figure to be ahead of him, and he might generate considerable interest around the league as a tall, big-bodied receiving option.

Hunter Henry
Gerald Everett
Noah Fant
Mike Gesicki
Colby Parkinson
Tanner Hudson
Adam Trautman
Pharaoh Brown
Drew Sample
Austin Hooper

Ranking 2024 NFL free agent offensive linemen

Multi-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler Tyron Smith will be moving on after 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. The tackle turns 34 this season but is still playing at a very high level.

The Patriots’ starting tackles are both on the market. Whereas Trent Brown is coming off an uneven season in terms of availability, Michael Onwenu showed once again that he can be a starter at both guard spots and at right tackle. One of the marquee options available, he could very well get upward of $16 million per year.

The team that signs Kevin Dotson will be getting a good interior player for both the run and the pass, but Rams fans are split on re-signing him because of the likely expense of the contract.

Andre James is a solid veteran center that may be on the move as the Raiders switch to a new offensive system.

Tyron Smith
Trent Brown
Kevin Dotson
Robert Hunt
Michael Onwenu
Kevin Zeitler
Mekhi Becton
Connor Williams
Andre James
Jonah Williams

Best NFL free agent edge pass rushers

With Josh Allen and Brian Burns tagged, there are fewer impact players on the list, but some intriguing talent can still be found.

Danielle Hunter is back at the top of the market after making $20 million in each of the last two seasons and finishing each year with a Pro Bowl trip.

Za’Darius Smith will be 32 early in this season which makes this is his last chance to sign a multi-year deal. The new expanded salary cap might lead to a bigger deal than expected for a player who was more impactful in getting pressures (60) than sacks (5.5). Leonard Floyd, Jadeveon Clowney, and Denico Audrey will also all be 31 or older when the season starts.

Josh Uche had a breakout campaign in 2022, but he was unable to build on his 11.5-sack campaign in the final year of his rookie contract. He finished the season with just three quarterback takedowns, while serving primarily as a designated pass rusher instead of a three-down defender.

Danielle Hunter
Bryce Huff
Chase Young
Za’Darius Smith
Leonard Floyd
Jadeveon Clowney
Josh Uche
Jonathan Greenard
Andrew Van Ginkel
Denico Autry

Ranking NFL free agent defensive tackles

We already said Chris Jones may be the best player on the free agent market this year, and the defensive tackle position might have the most talent from top to bottom, too, even with Justin Madubuike back to the Ravens on the franchise tag.

‘Big Cat’ Leonard Williams was one of the few bright spots on a bad Seahawks defense, and they have made re-signing him a priority. Seattle may not be enough of a contender to keep him and may not have enough cap space, either.

Bills fans really want to re-sign Daquan Jones, who was playing at a very high level before tearing his pectoral during the 2023 season. He made it back for the playoffs,s howing his work ethic and toughness.

Chris Jones
Christian Wilkins
D.J. Reader
Leonard Williams
Fletcher Cox
Grover Stewart
Sheldon Rankins
Teair Tart
Calais Campbell
DaQuan Jones

NFL free agent linebackers, ranked for 2024

Lavonte David just turned 34 but is still among the best options available at linebacker, which probably says more about the position group that him.

While Bobby Wagner’s formerly elite athleticism is waning, he’s still a sound tackler and remains valuable as a pass rusher and run defender. With a new head coach in Seattle, it’s more than likely the 34-year-old future HOFer is moving on.

The Seahawks have major decisions to make given both Wagner and Jordyn Brooks were their starting linebacker pair last season. Brooks emerged as a quality starting linebacker in 2022 and unless Seattle locks up a new deal before free agency begins, he’ll be one of the top, young options on the market.

Frankie Luvu
Lavonte David
Patrick Queen
Bobby Wagner
Jordyn Brooks
Devin White
Azeez Al-Shaair
Josey Jewell
Drue Tranquill
Blake Cashman

Ranking free agent defensive backs

Antoine Winfield, Jr. and Jaylon Johnson would have made this one of the deeper position groups, but the franchise tag took them off the table.

Kyle Dugger’s new role as more of a centerfielder rather than a box safety resulted in a less impressive statistical output. This, plus the fact that he will already turn 28 later this month, might impact the contract is going to get. The Patriots have the right of first refusal after assigning him the transition tag.

Stephon Gilmore is looking for his fifth team in five seasons, and he’s lost a step, but he is still one of the best cornerbacks on the market. He turns 34 in September.

Xavier McKinney is a 24-year-old safety who played every snap in 2023 and can do a lot of things. He wants to be PAID, and the Giants don’t seem to want to meet his asking price. Who will?

Kendall Fuller
Kyle Dugger
Kamren Curl
Chidobe Awuzie
Stephon Gilmore
Kenny Moore II
Xavier McKinney
Geno Stone
Adoree Jackson
Jordan Fuller