With actual NFL free agency approaching at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, there are still plenty of top-tier talents waiting to be signed.
Here’s our top 10 available, accompanied by their rankings on our Top 50 big board entering the week:
1. Orlando Brown Jr., LT (Rank: 2)
Brown was our top tackle hitting the market after the Chiefs declined to offer him a second consecutive franchise tag. Only 26 years old, the four-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion is looking for his third home.
So far, Brown hasn’t been linked to any team specifically, but many believe the Bears are a good fit based on cap space and need.
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2. Dalton Schultz, TE (Rank: 8)
Schultz hit free agency after being tagged by the Cowboys in 2022. Last season, he posted 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns, down from his ’21 campaign.
With the Cowboys allowing Schultz to walk, he became the best free-agent tight end, but so far there has been little chatter about him landing somewhere. A bevy of teams make sense, especially considering his age (26) and durability, only missing two games over the past four seasons.
3. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S (Rank: 12)
Few positions were as stocked with talent as safety. The class included Jordan Poyer, Juan Thornhill, Vonn Bell, Jessie Bates, Marcus Epps and Gardner-Johnson, among others. Thus far, Bell, Bates and Epps have agreed in principle with new teams. Bates likely set the market for Gardner-Johnson, coming to terms with the Falcons on a four-year, $64 million contract.
After helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance, Gardner-Johnson is potentially going to his third team in as many years after being dealt from the Saints to Philadelphia last summer. Only 25 years old, Gardner-Johnson is the best defender left unsigned.
4. Bobby Wagner, ILB (Rank: 15)
Wagner was released by the Rams before free agency in a cost-cutting move. Los Angeles signed Wagner to a five-year, $50 million contract last year after he was cut by the Seahawks.
In 2022, Wagner posted 140 tackles, including 10 for loss, along with six sacks to earn second-team All-Pro honors. At 32, the eight-time Pro Bowler might be looking for his final significant payday.
5. Frank Clark, EDGE (Rank: 17)
After winning his second Super Bowl in four years with the Chiefs, Clark’s release saved $21 million against the cap. Clark, 29, was acquired by the Chiefs and subsequently signed to a five-year, $105 million deal prior to the 2019 season. He’s posted 23.5 sacks since, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl.
In the postseason, Clark ranks among the best sack artists of all time. In 12 postseason games in Kansas City, he has notched 10.5 sacks, including 2.5 in the Chiefs’ latest playoff run.
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6. Jordan Poyer, S (Rank: 22)
Poyer turns 32 in April, but his play is still top-shelf. Over the past two seasons, Poyer has made a Pro Bowl and been first-team All-Pro. Now with the Bills facing a cap crunch, Poyer is on the move after six seasons with Buffalo.
With Thornhill and Gardner-Johnson still on the market, Poyer could be waiting as younger players look to find a home. Poyer has already declared he would like to play somewhere warm and without a state income tax. Teams in Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas fit those requirements.
7. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR (Rank: 23)
Entering free agency, the trio of Jakobi Meyers, Allen Lazard and Smith-Schuster comprised the best receivers on the open market. With Meyers and Lazard both agreeing to terms, including $11 million per year, it seems the price has been set for Smith-Schuster as well.
Only 26, Smith-Schuster bounced back from an injury-riddled 2021 season, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns with Kansas City. While the former USC star isn’t a game-breaker, he’s an excellent possession receiver who can block and break tackles.
8. Lavonte David, ILB (Rank: 26)
David is 33 and unlikely to generate much of a bidding war. Still, he’s an experienced player who produced 124 tackles in 2022, his highest total since ’15. With a plethora of off-ball linebackers already off the board, David could find more suitors in the coming days.
The majority of interested parties should be contenders, giving David a chance to win another ring while getting a veteran in the middle of their defense.
9. Odell Beckham Jr., WR (Rank: 27)
Beckham Jr. missed all of last season coming off a torn ACL sustained in Super Bowl LVI. Now healthy, Beckham worked out for teams last week, giving a glimpse into the results of his work over the past 13 months.
It’s been reported Aaron Rodgers wants the Jets to sign Beckham, while another report has Beckham looking for $20 million annually. At that price point, he could be waiting awhile.
10. Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE (Rank: 30)
Ngakoue has been a journeyman in recent years, spending time with the Jaguars, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders and Colts since the start of 2019. Despite all the change, the 27-year-old has totaled 65 career sacks and 21 forced fumbles.
While Ngakoue struggles against the run, he’s one of the better pure pass rushers in the game, totaling at least eight sacks in all seven of his NFL seasons.
