Despite being just days away from the start of free agency in the NFL, the offseason has already gone off the rails. You want All-Pro caliber players like DK Metcalf and Trey Hendrickson on the trade block? You got it. You want the receivers like Deebo Samuel and Christian Kirk traded? Done. Heck, it feels like a decade ago when we were talking about Matthew Stafford and his possible departure, then reunion with the Los Angeles Rams. Needless to say, it’s already been a wild offseason across the league, and things are just getting started.
On Monday, the free agent negotiating period — informally known as the legal tampering window — opens up. At that juncture, teams can reach out to unrestricted free agents and agree in principle on contracts. Those can then become official on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET when the new league year rings in.
So, as we begin this game of musical chairs in the NFL, we’re going to look over each team in the AFC and play matchmaker, identifying one free agent that makes sense for them to sign as soon as next week. Ready? Let’s get to it!
The Bills currently don’t have a lot of wiggle room from a cap perspective as they are roughly $8.6 million over the cap. Even when they get their books in order, they might not be able to go big game hunting in free agency. However, that may not preclude them from bringing in a notable name like Khalil Mack. The 34-year-old pass rusher isn’t at the peak of his powers at this stage of his career but is still more than capable of making an impact off the edge. Last season, Mack put together a Pro Bowl year where he tallied six sacks and 15 quarterback hits.
Buffalo was able to apply pressure onto the quarterback last season but was pedestrian at accumulating sacks. The defense overall was also abysmal on third down, so injecting Mack into the club could help boost that inefficiency.
Mack also has ties to the area after playing his college ball at the University of Buffalo, so this could be a homecoming of sorts as he links up with a Super Bowl contender.
There are greater needs on Miami’s roster that they’ll need to address in free agency like the offensive and defensive lines and the secondary. However, the club shouldn’t ignore the QB2 position, especially with Tua Tagovailoa’s history of head injuries. The Dolphins quarterback suffered another concussion last season and the team’s lackluster plan at the backup position became apparent. With Tagovailoa, the club was 6-5 and averaged 24.1 points per game. They went 2-4 with either Tyler Huntley or Skylar Thompson and the offense cratered.
That should light a fire under the front office to better solidify that backup position going forward, and Mariota makes a lot of sense. The 31-year-old has 74 career starts under his belt and should be able to keep a team afloat in a pinch.
The Jets are entering a new era with recently hired head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. While there is a clear need for a franchise quarterback, they are not in the best position to draft one at No. 7 overall. On the flip side, it wouldn’t make much sense for them to break the bank for old friend Sam Darnold in free agency either. So, signing Fields at a cheaper rate does seem to be the most shrewd approach to their quarterback situation. If Fields flourishes, he’s the latest QB castoff to have a late-career bloom and the Jets will have answered the biggest question to their rebuild. If he falters, it comes as no great loss. With Fields, New York could still take stabs at taking a quarterback on Day 2 of the draft but it lessens the pressure of reaching for one in the first round.
New England has far and away the most cap space in the league this free-agent cycle at $125.1 million. While it’s fun to connect them to some high-profile receivers or edge rushers, the offense line is priority No. 1. The Patriots were fortunate to find their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye and now it’s time to create a wall in front of him after he was sacked 34 times in 13 games last season. Stanley would come in and immediately provide elite protection at left tackle after allowing just two sacks in 2024.
2025 NFL free agency bold predictions: Sam Darnold back with Jets, Cowboys spend money and more
Garrett Podell
Baltimore’s defense dramatically improved down the stretch after being at the bottom of the barrel through the first 10 weeks. While they were the best unit in the league in points per game allowed, totaling yards per game, and on third down from Week 11 through Week 18, there is still room for improvement in the secondary. Murphy may not be as expensive as some other defensive backs set to hit the market, which fits well with Baltimore as don’t have a ton of cap space to work with entering free agency. Still, Murphy enjoyed a breakout season in 2024 where he was named to the Pro Bowl after totaling 14 pass breakups and six interceptions. In a conference littered with elite quarterbacks, bolstering the secondary is vital for the Ravens in their hopes of getting over the hump and into the Super Bowl.
I think Pittsburgh reached its ceiling with Russell Wilson last season, and it resulted in another one-and-done in the postseason. While they also have Justin Fields hitting the open market, I have a hard time believing that they believe in him going forward. After all, wouldn’t they have started him last year if they did? With the idea that they are not in love with their quarterback situation from last year, let’s have the Steelers going for broke by signing Sam Darnold.
Pittsburgh has $63.6 million in cap space, which creates an avenue for them to ink the former Vikings quarterback. Meanwhile, Darnold was largely stellar for Minnesota last season, helping them to a 14-3 record while throwing for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. His struggles down the stretch and in the playoffs do bring a level of concern that his year was a flash in the pan, but the Steelers are desperate to get their QB situation in order. With that in mind, it’s a calculated gamble that they should take.
Cincinnati has loads to take care of in-house from a Trey Hendrickson trade request, Tee Higgins getting franchised, and the looming extension for Ja’Marr Chase. While those are more notable items on the offseason to-do list, there’s also a need along the offense line, especially after releasing Alex Cappa for cap purposes. Jenkins is just 27 years old and has been one of the better interior guards in the league, allowing four sacks and logging a respectable pass-blocking grade for Chicago last season. If Cincinnati is going to invest heavily at receiver, they better make sure Joe Burrow has enough time to get them the football.
We’re allowing ourselves one exception to stretch the parameters of this free-agent matchmaking exercise here with the Browns. Kirk Cousins is technically not a free agent at the moment and is still a member of the Atlanta Falcons, but his future with the organization is cooked after being benched for Michael Penix Jr. at the end of last year. The Falcons will have to eat money if/when they release Cousins, but they have a first-round quarterback playing on his rookie deal, so it’s not that lethal of a maneuver.
Meanwhile, Cousins has a working relationship with Kevin Stefanski from their shared time in Minnesota, and the Browns are desperate for some stability at quarterback. Is Kirk Cousins going to lead the Browns to the Super Bowl? Probably not. Would his presence be worlds better than the quarterbacks they’ve rolled out over the last few years? You bet. Because Cleveland may be one of the few places to give Cousins a starting job, it could lead to the veteran taking less to land in a situation where he knows he’ll play right away.
One of the key issues for the Texans last season was their inability to protect C.J. Stroud, particularly on the interior. Dalman, Pete Prisco’s No. 7 ranked free agent, would come in and immediately strengthen Houston’s line, limiting how much Stroud will have to extend plays with his feet due to a broken-down pocket. Dalman is an above-average blocker both in pass-blocking and run-blocking sets.
The Colts have guards Will Fries and Mark Glowinski set to be free agents, creating a need at right guard. Becton — who is still just 25 years old — turned into a high-caliber player after kicking in from tackle to guard with the Philadelphia Eagles, and proved to be a key piece in the team’s Super Bowl LIX run. While Colts head coach Shane Steichen didn’t have any overlap with Becton when he was the offensive coordinator from 2021-2022, he does know the system he’s coming from, which gives a better picture of how he’d fit in Indy.
The Jaguars certainly need some secondary pass-catching help after unloading Christian Kirk (via trade) and Even Engram (release). However, the secondary also is a position that is worth investing in, particularly at corner opposite of Tyson Campbell. Last season, the Jaguars gave up a league-worst 257.4 passing yards per game. No matter what weapons Liam Coen and James Gladstone put around Trevor Lawrence, it won’t mean much if he’s constantly playing catchup due to a porous secondary. Adding Reed, arguably the top free agent on the market, would go a long way in stabilizing the secondary, especially if he can keep up his 2024 production where he broke up 11 passes and allowed a 57.1 completion percentage when in coverage.
My gut tells me that the Titans are going to end up sticking at No. 1 overall and taking at quarterback (possibly Cam Ward). With that in mind, I have them forgoing addressing QB in free agency and opting to bolster its edge presence instead. Last season, Tennessee had a 16.7% pressure rate, which was the second-lowest in the NFL, while their 91 total pressures were dead last in the league. With Harold Landry — who led the team with nine sacks last season — permitted to seek a trade, that need is only more apparent. They should look to break the bank with Sweat, who tallied 2.5 sacks in the Super Bowl.
What became utterly apparent for Kansas City in its Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia is that their offensive line isn’t up to snuff. Down the stretch, the team was forced to kick Joe Thuney — a guard — to left tackle. Now, they need to find a more permanent fix to that issue, particularly on the blindside. Robinson is set to hit the open market after being traded from Jacksonville to Minnesota last season. While he isn’t as talented (or costly) as Ronnie Stanley, the 29-year-old should be serviceable enough to get the K.C. O-line back to a respectable level.
The Chargers have $90.6 million in cap space to spend this free-agent cycle, and some of that should go toward the wide receiver room. While Ladd McConkey put together a tremendous rookie season, the position group still needs an added boost, which could come in the form of Davante Adams. After being released from the Jets, reports indicated that Adams preferred to go back out west, so Los Angeles fits that bill. It’s also a team with an elite quarterback under center and head coach at the helm, and a sizable enough target share to be had. This addition could help take the Chargers offense to a new level in Year 2 of Jim Harbaugh.
The Broncos got next to no production from the tight end position last season with Adam Trautman leading the group with 188 yards receiving. On top of potentially adding another receiver, Denver needs much more at tight end in 2025, and Juwan Johnson is a fascinating piece for them to consider. There’s already familiarity built in with the Broncos as Johnson comes from the Saints and was drafted by Sean Payton in 2020. Despite having inconsistent quarterback play, Johnson has flashed potential as a legit threat in the passing game from the tight end spot and has big play potential down the field.
If Tom Brady is really pulling the strings in Las Vegas, I can’t see him giving the green light to the Raiders to back up the Brinks truck and give Sam Darnold a monster contract. Instead, I think Las Vegas goes for a more familiar and cheaper option in Russell Wilson. Brady played against him and Pete Carroll coached him, making this a logical landing spot for the veteran quarterback and likely one of the few opportunities for him to start. Meanwhile, an addition of Wilson wouldn’t prevent the Raiders from taking a quarterback at the NFL Draft.
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