Dive deep into the 2026 NFL free agency class, highlighted by Trey Hendrickson, Malik Willis, and now Kyler Murray.
INDIANAPOLIS – The last significant hurdle for NFL players hoping to reach unfettered free agency was cleared – by most – at 4 p.m. ET on March 3, the deadline for teams to apply franchise and transition tags in bids to restrict the movement of stars on expiring contracts.
Now it’s full steam ahead to free agency, its official negotiating window opening at noon ET on March 9, when pending free agents can begin negotiating with teams aside from their own. In the meantime, clubs can continue trying to hammer out extensions exclusively with their own players while agreeing to trade others – though such deals can’t become official until 4 p.m. ET on March 11, when the new league year begins and free agents can also enter into binding contracts with other teams.
But make no mistake, plenty of transactional wheels were greased during the annual scouting combine, where teams often talk football business among themselves in addition to evaluating the upcoming draft’s prospects.
“The combine's become a little bit more about,” said Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider, “what the free agency and trades, and what's the spring gonna look like.
“Yeah, honestly, it's like a reset. Like, ‘Alright, here we go. We're moving,’ you know?”
Schneider himself will doubtless be doing plenty of moving and shaking given the number of key players he stands to lose from the reigning Super Bowl champions’ roster – not to mention the pressing needs to get young stars like WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and CB Devon Witherspoon under long-term extensions (both 2023 first-rounders currently stand to receive massive balloon payments in 2027 before becoming eligible for free agency in 2028).
As for the guys set to go free now, especially as the league crosses the tag threshold, USA TODAY Sports’ list of top 100 NFL free agents in 2026 has been updated – and we’ve put a little extra emphasis on the top 26 players in what is a somewhat uninspiring group overall (^denotes a franchise tag; *denotes a player whose contract was terminated, making him eligible to sign with a new team immediately; **denotes a player who’s been informed of his pending release):
The Dallas Cowboys have already franchised him, Pickens now due a guaranteed $27.3 million for the 2026 season – assuming he signs the tag at some point. Yet he could also still be traded or even potentially sign an offer sheet from another team – which the Cowboys would have the right to match or receive two first-round picks as compensation if they chose not to. But don’t bet on it.
“Very clearly, the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told a select group of reporters, including USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell, at the combine.
Regardless, Jones has a big decision ahead on Pickens, just as he did last year with former Dallas DE Micah Parsons. Pickens is coming off a career year (93 catches for 1,429 yards and 9 TDs, all personal bests) turns 25 on March 4 … and may be absent from the team’s offseason program as along as he’s without a long-term extension. Obviously a good fit in Dallas’ offense last season, Pickens isn't for everyone. But his 2025 effort strongly suggested his production and potential are quickly coming into alignment.
Full transparency, he was ranked third in this list’s first iteration – but his age and ability may render him the richest man to emerge from this year’s free agency cycle. Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta revealed at the combine that the team had made Linderbaum “a market-setting offer.” (Creed Humphrey’s four-year, $72 million pact with the Kansas City Chiefs is currently the financial benchmark among centers.) However, DeCosta wasn’t willing to franchise his 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowler because the lofty tag is based on all O-line deals, which would mean paying a center left tackle money. DeCosta is also trying to address QB Lamar Jackson's contract − he currently carries a cap charge of $74.5 million in 2026 and '27 – limiting the team’s financial flexibility to some degree. Now, an immediate (and likely frenzied) bidding war will doubtless commence around Linderbaum.
After registering 35 sacks between the 2023 and '24 seasons, including a league-leading 17½ in the latter campaign, the 31-year-old was limited to seven games by injuries last year − that in the wake of a contentious offseason with the Cincinnati Bengals. Regardless, his services should be in high demand.
It's hard to come by untethered edge defenders theoretically entering their prime. But Phillips, 26, could be one of the belles of the FA ball after being acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles at last year's trade deadline. He finished the season with five sacks and 63 quarterback pressures, per Next Gen Stats. More importantly, he appeared in 17 regular-season games for the first time since 2022 after injuries ruined his following two seasons. Strong against the pass and run, the 6-foot-5, 266-pounder should find a very robust market.
Jones was tagged March 3 − but with a transition tag, not the franchise variety, meaning he's especially exposed if another team swoops in with an offer the Indianapolis Colts aren't willing to match (or get compensated for). A torn Achilles last December cut short what had been his best season statistically (238.5 passing yards per game, 100.2 QB rating) to that point. The QB trend du jour that may be forming in the NFL could be finding a reclamation project who won't necessarily eat up a massive chunk of the salary cap − and Jones, 28, can thank Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield for their ongoing heroics. Hard to believe Indy will allow Jones to gauge his worth with the rest of the league, though ... especially when his previous team, the Minnesota Vikings, could suddenly become very interested if he's not secured soon.
He has 17½ sacks and 98 pressures as a part-time starter over the past two seasons, which were split between the Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. Heady numbers for a 27-year-old who should be ready for a bigger role ... and certainly a larger paycheck.
He could be this year's version of Justin Fields − a quarterback with intriguing skills but limited experience who can nevertheless capitalize financially given the high demand but low supply at his incomparably critical position. Willis, 26, has far fewer NFL reps than Fields but really impressed while filling in as a spot starter for the Green Bay Packers the past two seasons, completing nearly 80% of his passes while throwing six TDs and zero INTs. In addition to a 134.6 passer rating, Willis can also move like a tank. Keep an eye on the Dolphins, who just plucked their new GM (Jon-Eric Sullivan) and coach (Jeff Hafley) from the Pack, as a potential buyer. The Cardinals, too, given new coach Mike LaFleur is the brother of Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur. Willis is another passer who didn’t pan out after he was drafted yet could be a relative bargain now if his limited sample size proves reflective of his long-term prospects.
Similar to Rasheed Shaheed, he could be an elite No. 2 receiver in the right system. Unlike Shaheed, he doesn't bring any special teams value. However Pierce, 25, has led the league in yards per reception each of the past two seasons (21.8 ypc over the duration) and is coming off a breakout year with 47 grabs for 1,003 yards. He should get paid nicely, especially if a prospective employer views him as more of a deep threat.
He's been a solid, if unspectacular, starter for the Packers since 2023. But serviceable, 26-year-old left tackles don't grow on trees and tend to get paid outrageously well − maybe especially so in a year when there aren't any blue-chip incomers in the draft.
The big-play ability he flashed for years with the New Orleans Saints translated beautifully − and crucially − when the Seattle Seahawks obtained him last November. Shaheed, 27, seemed like the final piece for the 'Hawks' championship puzzle and delivered huge catches and returns in pivotal games down the stretch and in the postseason. However it should be captivating to see what Shaheed can fetch given he's never been a No. 1 receiver nor averaged 600 receiving yards during his four-year career. Still, his return ability − at a time when the kickoff is becoming an increasingly important component of the game − could really drive up his price tag.
The No. 4 overall pick in 2021 − the highest-drafted tight end ever − Pitts, 25, never seemed to fully reach his potential with the Atlanta Falcons, which isn't completely an indictment of him. But he was a second-team All-Pro in 2025 and did just put together his best season since he was a rookie, catching a career-high 88 passes and five TDs. Pitts could really take off in an offense that truly leverages his estimable abilities ... and maybe even has the foresight to feature him in the red zone. He stands to make $15 million under the tag in 2026, though it remains to be seen if new coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense will sustain Pitts’ production.
Though the New York Jets seemingly purged much of their talent at last year's trade deadline, they hung on to their 24-year-old back. And why not? Hall has averaged 1,260 yards from scrimmage and nearly seven TDs during his four seasons − and for a pop-gun offense. Explosive and an excellent receiver, Hall is the best runner on the market and may yet be a cornerstone for the NYJ as the lay the groundwork to welcome their next franchise QB … eventually. Hall’s 2026 tag is worth $14.3 million.
He offered a digital goodbye on X amid reports on Marcy 3 that the Arizona Cardinals will be officially releasing the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft. An Offensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowler, Murray’s talent has never been in question. But his durability and work ethic have been at issue during his career, and his play plateaued even though former coach Kliff Kingsbury’s offense was supposed to optimize Murray’s talents. Murray will be 29 when Week 1 rolls around and maybe he becomes the league’s latest successful franchise QB reclamation project if he lands in the right spot. If he doesn’t? His days as a starter could be numbered.
After struggling as a corner earlier in his Seattle career, he's flourished as a safety the past two seasons − and the 26-year-old should get a nice bump given the league's other teams always look to raid the most recent Super Bowl champions.
He's big (6-2, 197), young (27), still experienced (29 starts) and playoff tested. Watson is coming off his best season but is probably a luxury for the capped-out Chiefs.
A first-rounder of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, he blossomed into a Pro Bowler last season as the team blossomed around him. If the Jags don't pony up to keep their 27-year-old defensive quarterback, someone will.
He's emerged as a key component of Steve Spagnuolo's K.C. D in recent years. A steady, reliable player, Cook, 26, should be a stabilizing presence if not one who's going to make a ton of splash plays.
The 25-year-old Super Bowl MVP will get a hefty raise in Seattle or elsewhere. But Walker is not the second coming of Saquon Barkley, isn't as good an every-down player as Hall and has spent most of his career in a platoon. The guess here is that Walker won't come close to resetting the compensation scale at a position that generally doesn't command top dollar.
A 6-3, 212-pounder, the 28-year-old caught 132 balls (15 for TDs) over the past two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. Jennings' roots as a quarterback also make him quite a threat on trick plays. He's also the proverbial dog that some locker rooms covet ... and others won't.
He'll be 33 by Week 1 and is coming off the worst of his 12 NFL seasons. But 6-5 and 231 pounds don't fade like speed does, and a healthy Evans (he wasn’t in 2025) should be a dangerous offensive weapon, red-zone monster and top-tier leader again in 2026 − whether it's for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or someone else.
Best fits: Buccaneers, Patriots, Seahawks, Bills
He just turned 35 and is coming off (perhaps) the worst of his 12 NFL seasons. But 6-3 and 269 pounds worth of power don't fade like an agile pass rusher might, and a healthy Mack (he wasn’t in 2025) should be a dangerous defensive weapon and top-tier leader again in 2026 − whether it's for the Chargers or someone else.
Though he's already 27, he's hardly a finished product. He's also a 6-4, 199-pound corner who led the NFL with eight takeaways (5 INTs, 3 fumble recoveries) after becoming a surprise starter (and surprise first-time Pro Bowler) for the Chicago Bears. The upside and production spike are going to make Wright rich.
He's 25 with good size (6-2, 204) and has averaged roughly 50 receptions and 600 yards during four years with the Pack, who have widely dispersed their target share in the post-Davante Adams era. Doubs could be far more impactful as a 1A or second option elsewhere.
Last season was his best since 2021, his most recent MVP effort. Hard to imagine the 42-year-old legend playing anywhere besides the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just hired Mike McCarthy, formerly Rodgers' coach in Green Bay. Again, monitor the Vikings as a possible dark horse.
Given the structure of his reworked deal, the Falcons will let him go on March 11. More than a year removed from Achilles surgery, Cousins, 37, looked more like himself last season – after replacing injured Michael Penix Jr. – than he did in 2024. He could be a valued for stopgap for several teams.
Best fits: Browns, Vikings, Jets, Falcons
He'll be 31 this season and has a checkered injury history. But Bosa's 2025 campaign with the Buffalo Bills was his best since 2021. He had five sacks and 43 pressures in 15 games and led the league with five forced fumbles. He'd be wise to find a home where his snaps can be maximized but limited.
Despite being a rotational player in Seattle, he was still credited with 41 pressures even while playing fewer than half the defensive snaps. Only 27, he’s another who could get a Lombardi raise from an outside suitor.
He may be 5-8 and 185 pounds, but the 25-year-old was targeted 140 times each of the past two years with the New York Giants − and posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. Robinson isn't a No. 1 receiver, either − doesn't mean he won't heavily impact his next offense.
