Looking ahead to NFL free agency this offseason, the top NFL free agents in 2026 don’t exactly offer elite game-changing talent who can turn a playoff-caliber team into a Super Bowl contender. Instead, this offseason will be about filling offseason needs in the hopes of it leading to strong improvements on either side of the football.
Let’s dive into our early NFL free agency rankings right now.
1. George Pickens, Wide Receiver
George Pickens largely put concerns regarding his maturity and on-field antics to the side in 2025 with the Dallas Cowboys. In 17 games, he posted career-highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and receiving yards per game (84.1), all the while putting up more touchdowns (nine) than his previous two seasons combined (eight). All of that comes from a 6-foot-3 receiver who can stretch the field with the best of his peers (22 deep targets) and is a dangerous threat inside the 20-yard line, as evidenced by his 23 red-zone targets in 2025. However, Dallas is almost certainly going to use the franchise tag on Pickens this offseason, so he won’t even wind up being available in NFL free agency.
2. Tyler Linderbaum, Center
Of the top NFL free agents in 2026, Tyler Linderbaum is the likeliest to reach the open market. The Baltimore Ravens didn’t exercise the fifth-year option on him for the same reason they won’t use the franchise tag; it is based on the cost for a top-paid offensive lineman. No team is willing to pay a center $27.454 million a year, which is $5-plus million more than the highest-paid center makes. So, either Baltimore signs Linderbaum to a new deal this spring or he hits free agency. If he’s available, we’re talking about a three-time Pro Bowl selection entering his age-26 season.
3. Trey Hendrickson, Edge Rusher
Trey Hendrickson will likely be higher in consensus NFL free agency rankings. After all, the 6-foot-4 edge rusher finished second for Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and posted 112 QB hits with 57 sacks and 53 tackles for loss across four seasons from 2021-24. With that said, he is coming off core muscle surgery in December and will be 32 years old next December. Assuming the Cincinnati Bengals don’t franchise tag him, Hendrickson will likely have enough suitors to land a multi-year deal worth north of $35 million per season.
4. Jaelan Phillips, Edge Rusher
Durability is the primary knock on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. After being acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles at the NFL trade deadline, the 6-foot-5 edge defender recorded 17 pressures in 8 games to finish the year with 35 pressures and 5 sacks. He’s also a very capable run defender. At 26 years old, he should be entering the prime of his career. The only questions: Will the Eagles franchise tag him at $27.454 million? Can he stay healthy after suffering an Achilles injury in 2023 followed by an ACL injury in 2024?
5. John Franklin-Myers, Defensive Tackle
A stalwart on one of the league’s best defenses this season, John Franklin-Myers is easily the best interior defensive lineman available in NFL free agency this spring. He’s coming off consecutive seasons with 15-plus QB hits and at least 7 sacks, combining for 44 pressures in the last two years. He also finished this season eighth among defensive tackles in ESPN pass-rush win rate (10 percent). Able to make an impact both against the run and pass, Franklin-Myers has a massive payday coming this offseason.
6. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
Alec Pierce delivered his breakout season in a contract year—perfect timing. The Indianapolis Colts wideout delivered his first 1,000-yard season, doing so in just 15 games played on 47 receptions. He’s the very definition of a deep threat, demonstrated by the fact that he’s led the NFL in yards per reception (22.3 and 21.3) in each of the past two seasons. Standing at 6-foot-3, Pierce had the second-biggest average target distance (19.0) and deep target share (56.8%) in the NFL this season. Set to turn 26 years old in May, Pierce is expected to land multi-year offers worth at least $20 million annually, and it could push much higher than that.
7. Rasheed Walker, Offensive Tackle
The good news for teams in need of quality offensive linemen in NFL free agency: Rasheed Walker is hitting the open market. There’s no chance the Green Bay Packers re-sign him; he’s well out of their price range just a year after Dan Moore Jr. signed a four-year, $82 million contract last offseason. Walker, who turns 26 years old in February, probably won’t play at a Pro Bowl-caliber level for his next team. What the 6-foot-6 left tackle does offer is consistency, having played over 3,000 snaps in the last three years. Penalties (22 in the last three seasons) can be a slight issue and he’s not much of a run blocker, but he’s a steady presence on the blindside.
8. Devin Lloyd, Linebacker
Many of the top NFL free agents this offseason will be off-ball linebackers, so defensive coordinators should be very happy. Devin Lloyd, in his age-27 season, is coming off career-highs in interceptions (five) and quarterback hits (10). When targeted in coverage, he surrendered just a 57.1 quarterback rating and had just a 6.9 percent missed tackle rate. He’s looked like a Pro Bowl-caliber defender this season and while his best fit might be remaining with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Lloyd could follow defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile if he lands a head-coaching job elsewhere.
9. Daniel Jones, Quarterback
The biggest knock on Daniel Jones is obviously the lengthy recovery from a torn Achilles. With that said, it’s also worth noting that the 6-foot-5 quarterback posted just an 84.2 QB rating with a 6-5 TD-INT ratio, 3 fumbles and completed only 62.4 percent of his passes across the last five starts before going down. Even if Jones makes a full recovery in time for Week 1, Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers are evidence that quarterbacks tend to struggle in their first season back from Achilles surgery. So, what happens to a dual-threat quarterback whose game really depends on his athleticism? There are some very real risks with Jones.
10. Breece Hall, Running Back
Breece Hall is easily the best running back in NFL free agency this offseason. It also feels like a foregone conclusion that the New York Jets won’t be able to match the high market price to re-sign him. He’s coming off an outstanding season, given the circumstances, eclipsing 1,400 scrimmage yards for the second time in three years. Just as important, Hall has a career yards-per-carry average of 4.5 and he’s handled a workload of 265-plus touches in each of the last three seasons. If Hall can finally be put into a well-run offense with solid offensive line play, there’s a real chance he is one of the most productive running backs in the NFL next season.
