The NFL’s version of March Madness is nearly here.
The opening of NFL free agency coincides with the new league year, which starts Wednesday after 4 p.m. ET.
However, despite the start of the new league year officially marking the free agency signing period, teams also have another tool to enter negotiations with prospective free agents, commonly known as the ‘legal tampering period.’ The ‘legal tampering period’ begins Monday at noon ET. It is during this time when reports will emerge of teams agreeing to contracts with free-agent players.
Where might the top free agents land next week (or beyond)?
Here are predictions for the top free agents:
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1. Chris Jones, DT
Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs using the franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and not Jones, seems like an indication that the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are confident they can sign Jones to a long-term contract.
2. Saquon Barkley, RB
Predicted destination: Chicago Bears
The Bears appear set to jettison quarterback Justin Fields in order to make room for presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. And armed with a second top-10 pick, the Bears could add one of the draft’s premier wide receivers, too. Why not execute a complete offensive skill position overall? The Bears’ only other running back options are Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, so Barkley would be a significant upgrade.
3. Kirk Cousins, QB
Predicted destination: Minnesota Vikings
Why would the Vikings not want to keep Cousins around? The quarterback seemingly has a good rapport with head coach Kevin O’Connell and does a good job getting the football into the hands of all-world wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Cousins was injured during the 2023 season, but at full health in his first season under O’Connell led the Vikings to the NFC North title in 2022.
4. Christian Wilkins, DT
Predicted destination: Chicago Bears
Armed with oodles of salary cap space and a restart contract-wise (probably) at the quarterback position, the Bears are poised to make a lot of moves in free agency. Wilkins, who had a career-high nine sacks in 2023, would immediately fit a major area of need for the Bears.
5. Derrick Henry, RB
Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens came close to acquiring Henry from the Tennessee Titans at least season’s trade deadline. Now that Henry is free to sign with any team, this might be time for Baltimore to add an explosive piece to what it hopes will be a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards (plus, Dalvin Cook and Melvin Gordon, who each spent part of last season in Baltimore) are set to be free agents, thus opening the door for the four-time Pro Bowler Henry to team up with two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson in the backfield. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
6. Josh Jacobs, RB
Predicted destination: Houston Texans
Devin Singletary, the Texans’ leading rusher in 2023, is a free agent. That opens the door for the team to add Jacobs, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022, as a complement to incumbent Dameon Pierce. In five seasons with the Raiders, Jacobs posted three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. Jacobs’ addition would benefit the further development of second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, last season’s NFL offensive rookie of the year.
7. Tyron Smith, OT
Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs
Smith reportedly is unlikely to return to the Dallas Cowboys, ending a 13-season tenure during which Smith earned eight Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods. The 33-year-old Smith might not have a lot of suitors in free agency, despite his strong Pro Football Hall of Fame résumé. However, there is one team that could use a stop-gap option at offensive tackle − the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions. Left tackle Donovan Smith is a free agent and moving penalty flag-happy right tackle Jawaan Taylor over to quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side seems ill-advised.
8. Chase Young, DE/OLB
Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have cycled through veteran pass rushers in recent years, so why not add Young’s name to a mix that also included Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston and Calais Campbell?
9. Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB
Predicted destination: Arizona Cardinals
The paths of Hunter and Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon have crossed before, when Gannon was an assistant coach for the Vikings. The Cardinals have a massive need at edge rusher, and Hunter would sufficiently fill that need. The Cardinals own the No. 4 and 27 overall picks in the 2024 NFL draft, but this year’s class of edge rushers isn’t that strong. This presents the possibility that the Cardinals could use their first-round pick on a wide receiver and then use that second first-round selection on a pass rusher. However, Hunter is a proven commodity and likely would make an instant impact in Arizona.
10. Calvin Ridley, WR
Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs
The Jaguars used their franchise tag on DE/OLB Josh Allen, which frees Ridley to sign wherever he pleases coming off his most productive NFL season. The Chiefs might have won the Super Bowl, but the team endured a season of dropped passes from its receiving corps. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a free agent, so adding Ridley to pair with emerging talent Rashee Rice would be an upgrade.
11. Patrick Queen, LB
Predicted destination: Dallas Cowboys
The Ravens made Roquan Smith the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL in 2023, which makes keeping the highly productive Queen around a challenge. Down in Dallas, the Cowboys have a talent shortage at the position − look no further than the team’s embarrassing wild-card playoff defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. Yes, we know Micah Parsons is listed as a ‘linebacker,’ but his primary duties are getting to the quarterback and he shouldn’t have to play a traditional linebacker role as well.
12. Jordyn Brooks, LB
Predicted destination: Dallas Cowboys
No, the Cowboys aren’t going sign both Queen and Brooks. But, this is just an indication of how dire the team’s need is at linebacker. The Cowboys should sign one of these two linebackers after the Packers clearly exposed this glaring team weakness.
13. Jonathan Greenard, DE/OLB
Predicted destination: Chicago Bears
Greenard benefitted from the presence of NFL defensive rookie of the year Will Anderson Jr., registering a team-high 12.5 sacks after having 10.5 total sacks in his first three seasons. That was serendipitous timing for Greenard, who likely will cash in with a lucrative contract in the edge rusher-hungry NFL. Some team − probably not the Texans − will pay up, despite just one impressive season. Despite only playing half the season in Chicago after a trade by the Washington Commanders, Montez Sweat led the Bears in sacks (six) in 2023. Paired with Sweat, Greenard could enjoy the same level of production as he did in Houston while teamed with Anderson.
14. Leonard Williams, DE
Predicted destination: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks dealt a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round selection to the New York Giants in order to acquire Williams at the trade deadline. Giving up that much draft capital for a half season of work (which was impressive) would be a bad look for the Seahawks.
15. Mike Onwenu, OL
Predicted destination: Detroit Lions
Center Graham Glasgow and guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai are both free agents, which could set up some urgency in Detroit to bring in the versatile Onwenu, who can play guard or tackle. The prospect of teaming Onwenu — who started 56 games for the New England Patriots over four seasons — next to All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell would be enticing. Add in the fact that Onwenu played for the Michigan Wolverines, and this seems like a slam dunk.
16. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S
Predicted destination: Philadelphia Eagles
After leading the league with six interceptions during his lone season with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson left as a free agent to join the Lions. The Eagles’ secondary was injury-riddled in 2023, so a return to Philly could be in the offing for Gardner-Johnson, who could at the very least provide solid depth, if not start.
17. Marquise Brown, WR
Predicted destination: Tennessee Titans
Like DeAndre Hopkins before him, Brown could be another Cardinals wide receiver to make the transition to Tennessee. The Titans will lose Derrick Henry to free agency and need to build talent around second-year quarterback Will Levis.
18. Kendall Fuller, CB
Predicted destination: Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are solid up front defensively with Maxx Crosby wreaking havoc on opposing linemen and quarterbacks, so acquiring a solid back-end player would do this team real nicely.
19. Stephon Gilmore, CB
Predicted destination: Detroit Lions
With L’Jarius Sneed and Jaylon Johnson receiving the franchise tag, both Fuller and Gilmore could benefit tremendously as the next-best available cornerbacks on the market. While the Lions will lose the safety Gardner-Johnson to free agency, the team brings in Gilmore to team with 2023 second-round pick Brian Branch and Cameron Sutton. This pickup also would team Stephon up with his brother Steven Gilmore, who is a backup cornerback for the Lions.
20. Jordan Poyer, S
Predicted destination: San Francisco 49ers
Talk about the rich getting richer. Tashaun Gipson is a free agent, which creates a convenient slot for Poyer − one of the Buffalo Bills’ salary cap-saving cuts − to slide right into on the 49ers’ talent-laden defense.
21. Bryce Huff, LB
Predicted destination: Washington Commanders
The Commanders have a lot of team needs, and likely will use the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on filling the quarterback position. After dealing away pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat at last season’s trade deadline, the Commanders also need players who can get to the quarterback. Huff was the New York Jets’ team leader in sacks (10) and would fill Washington’s edge rusher need quite nicely.
Will players on the franchise tag stay or go?
Josh Allen, DE/OLB
Predicted destination: Jacksonville Jaguars
Allen, one of the league’s top pass rushers, trailed only league-leader T.J. Watt (17.5 sacks to 19) last season. Allen will be a vital piece for the Jaguars to retain as they look to put a disappointing finish to the 2023 season in the rearview.
Brian Burns, DE/OLB
Predicted destination: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers used the franchise tag on Burns, but could field trade offers for the two-time Pro Bowl selection. The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers all expressed interest in Burns at last season’s trade deadline.
Tee Higgins, WR
Predicted destination: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are wise to keep Higgins — a valuable complementary piece for Ja’Marr Chase in the offense — in the fold with quarterback Joe Burrow returning from injury.
Justin Madubuike, DT
Predicted destination: Baltimore Ravens
Madubuike registered a career-high 13 sacks last season. If Madubuike and the Ravens can’t agree on a long-term deal by mid-July, Madubuike will play the 2024 season under the one-year franchise tag tender.
L’Jarius Sneed, CB
Predicted destination: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are hoping to keep Sneed. However, one of the best cover corners in the NFL could receive outside interest, despite the fact that another team would have to pay dearly in a possible trade scenario. Sneed has permission to seek a trade despite the designation, a few teams have expressed interest in the cornerback, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon.
Antoine Winfield Jr., S
Predicted destination: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have a number of key impending free agents — quarterback Baker Mayfield, and linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White among them (receiver Mike Evans got a two-year extension) — but used their franchise tag on Winfield. Winfield is coming off an All-Pro season in which he recorded three interceptions and tied for the league lead with six forced fumbles.
Michael Pittman, WR
Predicted destination: Indianapolis Colts