Predicting Where The ToP NFL Free Agents Of 2026 Will Land
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The 2026 NFL free agent market is deep on offensive linemen, pass rushers, and defensive backs. There are a handful of superstar-level offensive playmakers as well. Of course, it remains to be seen which ones will hit the open market and how many will be franchise tagged or extended by their current clubs.
With the 2026 NFL new league year quickly approaching, let’s dive into some fresh predictions on where the toP free agents will land.
Which NFL teams will these free agents land in 2026?
Trey Hendrickson: Baltimore Ravens
The dysfunctional Cincinnati Bengals obviously have no plans to keep Hendrickson long-term. He’ll be the most sought-after defensive player on the market, but the Ravens are the ideal landing spot for multiple reasons.
They’ve got the money to spend. There’s a pressing need for pass-rushing help. Stealing Hendrickson away from a division rival? A double-whammy for Baltimore.
A multi-year deal worth around $15 to $20 million annually feels reasonable for both sides.
Daniel Jones: Indianapolis Colts
If Jones didn’t suffer a season-ending Achilles tear, there would have been zero question about Indy extending him long-term. An extension is no longer a certainty, but the Colts would be foolish not to at least place the franchise tag on him.
The tag is probably Indy’s best option. See if 2025 was a fluke, or if Jones really found his niche here. If it’s the latter, Danny Dimes can sign his long-term extension next offseason.
Tyreek Hill: Kansas City Chiefs
Once the Miami Dolphins announced they were releasing Hill, he bolstered a relatively thin wide receiver free agent market.
Hill will be 32 next season and coming off a gruesome season-ending ACL tear. He won’t get a long-term deal, but reuniting with the receiver-needy Chiefs on a one-year contract with incentives makes sense for both sides.
Kansas City needs playmakers, and Hill will want to pursue a second ring in the final stretch of his career.
Devin Lloyd: Cincinnati Bengals
The pressure is on the Bengals to rebuild a contender around Joe Burrow, so notoriously cheap owner Mike Brown better be ready to spend in NFL free agency.
Lloyd will likely price himself out of Jacksonville after a career year that saw him record five interceptions, seven pass breakups, and 1.5 sacks. He can be the game-changing force the Bengals D will need with Trey Hendrickson on his way out.
Tyler Linderbaum: New York Giants
The fit just makes too much sense. Linderbaum can reunite with John Harbaugh, and the Ravens are likely to engage in a bidding war for the three-time Pro Bowler.
The Giants have money to spend and must protect rising star quarterback Jaxson Dart. And, oh yeah, Linderbaum’s elite run-blocking would help Cam Skateebo take his game to another level.
Jaelan Phillips: Buffalo Bills
Bills GM Brandon Beane could lose his job next year if they endure another early playoff exit, so expect him to be ultra-aggressive in free agency this year.
Beane has gotten a close-up look at the explosiveness of the ex-Dolphin and pending Eagles free agent in the NFL. Phillips would immediately slot in as the Bills’ top edge rusher under new head coach Joe Brady.
Odafe Oweh: New England Patriots
The Patriots’ lavish offseason spending spree a year ago led to an AFC Championship banner. They’ll be aggressive again this year, and adding another stud edge rusher like Odafe Oweh to complement Christian Barmore and Milton Williams on the d-line could take the defense to another level.
Kenneth Walker III: Seattle Seahawks
Walker’s beast-mode postseason — culminating in a championship ring and Super Bowl 60 honors — should land him a long-term deal from the Seahawks.
Yeah, Seattle could let Walker go and find a cheap replacement. But we haven’t seen a lot of running backs have the type of postseason he just had. Why not run it back with the same core on offense? Gotta think Walker stays in Emerald City.
Mike Evans: Buffalo Bills
We know how much Evans wants to finish his career in Tampa. But given his age and injury history, along with the emergence of Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs’ best bet is to let someone else overpay in free agency.
Josh Allen sorely needs a No. 1 receiver, and Evans is still one of the game’s best deep threats. He would open up Buffalo’s passing game and help Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir shift to the more suitable No. 2 and 3 pass-catching roles.
Aaron Rodgers: Pittsburgh Steelers
Early reports are that Rodgers loved his time in Pittsburgh and is keen on a return. Having a more offense-oriented head coach like Mike McCarthy, rather than Mike Tomlin, might further motivate Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh.
Another one-year deal with incentives is the play here for this well-known NFL free agent. Pittsburgh could even draft a quarterback and have him learn behind Rodgers before taking the reins.
Alec Pierce: Denver Broncos
The Broncos might have won the AFC Championship if they had a real secondary threat to complement Courtland Sutton. This is their chance to get their man, with Pierce likely to hit free agency.
Pierce had a career year in 2025, catching 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. As one of the game’s most dynamic deep threats, Pierce could be the final piece needed to fully unlock Bo Nix’s potential and get Denver back to the Super Bowl.
Travis Etienne Jr.: New York Jets
If the Jets don’t retain Breece Hall, they can lean on a solid “plan B” free agent option like Etienne, who has a similar career body of work in the NFL.
Etienne will likely price himself out of Jacksonville, and the Jets are loaded with cap space. They can afford to overpay Etienne here and have him slot in as their new RB1, setting up the Jets’ QB of the future with a nice offensive nucleus featuring the workhorse running back and Garrett Wilson.
Rasheed Walker: Cleveland Browns
Cleveland will have plenty of cap space to reshape its o-line. Veterans Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio, Cam Robinson, and Ethan Pocic are all pending free agents in the NFL, and we’d be surprised if more than one of them returned.
The Browns can commence the o-line makeover by signing the well-rounded Green Bay Packers star. Walker has been overlooked because of all the other stars around him, but he’s one of the NFL’s most steady pass-blockers.
And at 26, he can be a long-term building block on the young Browns offense.
Braden Smith: Green Bay Packers
Since Smith is four years older than Walker, Green Bay would probably be able to get the Colts’ star at a much lower price. And he would be a slight upgrade at offensive tackle here.
Green Bay could look at finding Walker’s replacement in the draft if he walks to free agency. But with the Pack in win-now mode, and with an intense NFC North arms race on the horizon, why not take one of the league’s more polished veteran tackles?
Rashid Shaheed: Seattle Seahawks
Shaheed added more explosiveness to Seattle’s passing game and special teams’ return game after coming over via trade. Having helped the ‘Hawks to a Super Bowl, it would be a surprise if they didn’t bring him back on a new deal.
Seattle won’t find a better special teams returner if he leaves. And with Cooper Kupp showing his age, Shaheed can slot in as a reliable No. 2 receiver to complement Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
Jauan Jennings: New Orleans Saints
The Saints’ offense started coming together in the second half under rookie QB Tyler Shough. Knowing how wide-open the NFC South is, the Saints’ front office should be aggressive in free agency this NFL offseason.
Finding a No. 2 receiver to help Chris Olave is one of the Saints’ main offseason priorities. Jennings put up strong numbers despite being stuck in a star-studded San Francisco 49ers unit. You better believe he can elevate his game in a Kellen Moore-coached offense.
Riq Woolen: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs’ secondary needs an overhaul, and they’re likely to lose reliable corner Jaylen Watson in free agency anyway.
Andy Reid loves his reclamation projects, and Woolen, fresh off a Super Bowl 60 victory, will seek a fresh start. He’s been shaky in coverage since earning Pro Bowl nods as a rookie in 2022, but perhaps Reid and defensive wiz Steve Spagnuolo could help Woolen regain that All-Pro-caliber form.
Not to mention that Kansas City has been a cornerback factory under “Spags.”
Wan’Dale Robinson: Pittsburgh Steelers
With Malik Nabers missing most of 2025, Robinson stepped up for the New York Giants and turned in a career year. The 25-year-old speedster caught 92 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. Now it’s time to cash in.
DK Metcalf was Aaron Rodgers’ only reliable pass-catching threat last season. And even Metcalf is good for a WR2 role at this phase of his career.
The fit in Pittsburgh just makes too much sense.
John Franklin-Myers: Miami Dolphins
With Miami cutting Bradley Chubb and already shipping away Jaelan Phillips at the trade deadline, the pass-rushing depth is very thin for new head coach Jeff Hafley.
Franklin-Myers is coming off a superb two-year stint with the Broncos, logging 14.5 sacks over those two years. He can join forces with rising star Chop Robinson and give Miami a new pass-rushing tandem, with Phillips and Chubb long gone.
Bradley Chubb: Carolina Panthers
Chubb was one of two high-profile roster cuts by Miami ahead of NFL free agency, along with Tyreek Hill. Chubb adds more star power to the edge rusher market and should draw plenty of interest.
The Panthers won the NFC South despite Derrick Brown and Nic Scourton sharing the team lead in sacks with only five apiece. Adding Chubb to that mix could turn Carolina’s front seven into a strength and help them close the cap with the NFC’s top dogs.
Quay Walker: Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are sure to make plenty of big moves after an embarrassing 2025 season. All the hype is on the inevitable No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, but we remind the Raiders to stay focused on fixing the defense first.
Walker, a supremely athletic linebacker and former 2022 first-round pick, never fully lived up to his potential in Green Bay. A fresh start is in the cards, and maybe lining up with Maxx Crosby would help Walker elevate his game in Sin City.
Malik Willis: Miami Dolphins
It’s been reported that the Dolphins are fully ready to move on from Tua Tagovailoa. With this year’s QB Draft class awfully weak, Miami’s best bet may be to take a chance on one of the few somewhat-appealing free agent QBs.
Willis has played well in relief of an injured Jordan Love over the last two seasons. The former Titans’ third-round pick has never gotten an extended look behind center. Miami may as well see what Willis could do in a new-look offense featuring Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane.
