The 2023 NFL free agent class looks loaded, especially at defensive line, offensive line, defensive back and running back. Depending on how the next few weeks play out, top-end quarterbacks could be available to join new teams when the negotiation period begins on March 13, and free agency officially opens two days later on March 15. Which playmakers and impact players will land big deals? We ranked the top 50 on track to hit the open market.
A few top players on expiring deals have already signed new contracts with their respective teams -- including Green Bay guard Elgton Jenkins and Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith -- since I ranked my top 25 free agents in November, and a few more will join them with extensions or franchise/transition tags before free agency officially opens. But this list is deep with talent. To make the 1-50 ranking, I factored in each player's age, positional value (QBs get a boost, explaining why six make the list), expected future production and scheme versatility.
Let's get to it, starting with the obvious No. 1 potential free agent.
Note: Tom Brady was originally No. 7 on this list but announced his retirement on Feb. 1. Derek Carr was also added to this list on Feb. 15 after the Raiders released him.
1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Jackson is the league's most electric player, with an upper-tier skill set that creates major issues for opposing defenses. Before a knee injury that sidelined him for the final six games of the season, he had 2,242 passing yards -- with 17 touchdowns -- and 764 rushing yards with three more scores. He's still young and can keep improving. With the positional value to demand a multiyear contract, Jackson is clearly the top player on the board. The Ravens have said they want to bring him back, and they could use the franchise tag next month.
2. Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Kansas City Chiefs
Age entering 2023 season: 27
At 6-foot-8, 340 pounds, Brown is a massive performer in the run game who uses his frame to compensate for average foot and body quickness in pass protection. During the regular season, he had a pass block win rate of 91.8% when blocking for Patrick Mahomes, which ranked 18th among all NFL offensive tackles. Brown played on the franchise tag in 2022 and surely is looking for a huge multiyear contract this offseason.
3. Javon Hargrave, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 30
Hargrave's 2022 tape has boosted his free agent profile. The veteran tackle had 11 sacks and 37 tackles this season. His 17.2% pass rush win rate when he was lined up on the interior ranked third in the NFL (behind Kansas City's Chris Jones and Houston's Maliek Collins). Slippery off the ball with an upfield burst, Hargrave can knife through protection to hit the quarterback or use his lower-body power to push the pocket. Hargrave had 23 sacks in three seasons with the Eagles. Plus, he has the ability to control a gap in the run front.
4. Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Payne posted career numbers in his contract season with 11.5 sacks and 32 solo tackles from the defensive tackle position. A big, powerful mover at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, Payne is a disruptive defender with foot quickness and lower-body agility who can play in multiple fronts. His pass rush win rate when lined up inside (12.7%) ranked 12th in the NFL. He could be in line for a big deal based on his 2022 film.
5. Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Age entering 2023 season: 32
Smith led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%) this season, and his QBR (60.9) ranked sixth among all quarterbacks. That's a big jump from the 58.8% completion rate and 43.6 QBR he posted over 46 games prior to this season. There's no denying that Smith played extremely efficient football this season, seeing things fast from the pocket. And those traits travel well in any passing scheme. Smith finished the season with 4,282 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. If he doesn't return to Seattle, he could be targeted to start elsewhere.
6. Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
Age entering 2023 season: 32
Carr was released from the Raiders after the Super Bowl and is now a free agent. He has the arm talent to make every throw in a pro offense, and he has good mobility on boot and second-reaction plays. He also makes smart decisions when he can throw from a clean platform. Carr's footwork was erratic in 2022, and his pocket poise declined when facing pressure, which contributed to a completion percentage of just 60.8% (second-lowest of his career). After his 55.5 Total QBR ranked 14th in his final year with Las Vegas, he's now a midtier starter who should have multiple options in free agency.
7. Mike McGlinchey, OT, San Francisco 49ers
Age entering 2023 season: 28
McGlinchey, a strong edge blocker who wins with angles and his ability to get off the ball, is the second offensive tackle in the top 10 here. The right tackle can handle power rushers, and he has the lower-body flexibility to match speed off the edge. McGlinchey's pass block win rate this season (89.6%) ranked just 32nd among all tackles, but his run block win rate (81.2%) was fifth overall.
8. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Age entering 2023 season: 26
I consider Barkley a top-three running back. He has regained his explosiveness and suddenness after injuries limited him to 15 total games over the previous two seasons. He's a difference-maker with big-play juice in both the run and pass game. Barkley had 32 rushes of 10 or more yards this season -- sixth most in the league -- and finished with 1,650 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. He's another candidate for the franchise tag if New York can't work out a deal with him.
9. Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Dean has the length and top-end speed to disrupt throwing windows in zone coverage or match down the field against vertical concepts. He fits best as an outside one-third defender in a zone scheme, where he can use his backfield vision to break on the ball. He had double-digit pass breakups in each of his first three seasons, and he finished this season with a pair of interceptions, 45 tackles and eight more breakups. Dean will have multiple options on the market.
10. Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Jones should be viewed as a midtier starter, with the mobility to produce as a runner on designed carries or scramble attempts. This season, his 60.8 QBR ranked seventh in the NFL, and we saw his throwing volume increase over the second half of the season. A quarterback who can play tall in the pocket -- and operate in the dropback passing game -- Jones' dual-threat ability (708 rushing yards) fits best with Brian Daboll's system in New York. The Giants have big decisions to make about Jones and Saquon Barkley, but general manager Joe Schoen said recently the team plans to bring back Jones.
11. Jessie Bates III, S, Cincinnati Bengals
Age entering 2023 season: 26
With post and split-field range over the top and a history of creating on-the-ball production (14 career picks), Bates is an easy fit as a versatile defender in both single-high and two-deep schemes. He had four interceptions, eight pass breakups and 38 solo tackles this season. He allowed 15 catches on 30 targets for 243 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, ranking third in the league among safeties who played at least 250 coverage snaps. Bates, who played on the franchise tag, will be coveted if he hits free agency.
12. Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Age entering 2023 season: 27
Schultz's postseason production -- 12 receptions, 122 yards and three touchdowns in two games -- should erase any questions about a knee injury that slowed him earlier in the season. He's a vertical seam stretcher who can be schemed on play-action or boot to use his ability to run after the catch. He has some speed when he gets free. Plus, Schultz -- another guy who played on the franchise tag -- won't turn 27 until July.
13. James Bradberry, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 30
Bradberry signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in the offseason and had a great season, picking up second-team All-Pro honors. He has terrific press-man traits and the length to close throwing windows, which helped him register three interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Bradberry, who can also fit as a zone defender because of his backfield vision, has the ball skills and the poise to win down the field, despite declining speed. Why is he ranked here? Because 30-year-old corners don't often get long-term contracts. Still, expect him to make an impact in 2023.
14. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 25
Here's another Philadelphia offseason addition. Gardner-Johnson is a safety who is versatile enough to play in the slot; he had six interceptions (tied for the league lead) in just 12 games this season. That's a valuable trait, especially for a player who hasn't reached his prime. He's an urgent defender on tape, with the coverage traits and ball skills to fit in multiple defensive schemes.
15. Jawaan Taylor, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age entering 2023 season: 25
Taylor is an easy mover at 6-foot-5, 312 pounds, and he has the ability to mirror speed and handle power rushers who try to test him on the interior. Taylor's pass block win rate (88.8%) this season was in the middle of the pack -- he ranked 37th among tackles -- but he has room to grow. Every NFL team wants a tackle with high-end traits and starting experience, which is why Taylor makes the top 15 here.
16. Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Denver Broncos
Age entering 2023 season: 25
A versatile player with inside/edge flex, Jones had 6.5 sacks and 28 quarterback pressures this season. At 6-foot-3, 281 pounds, he played 451 snaps at defensive tackle and 224 at end, with four of his sacks coming while lined up on the edge. Jones can be displaced at times in the run game, but he has disruptive upside as a pass-rusher with first-step quickness and short-area juice. His pass rush win rate when lined up inside (15.9%) ranked sixth among all defenders. He's an ascending player.
17. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Age entering 2023 season: 25
Jacobs posted career highs in rushing attempts (340), rushing yards (1,653) and receiving yards (400). He's a downhill runner with lateral agility and the game-breaking speed to create explosive plays. He had 41 rushes of 10 yards or more this season -- second most in the NFL -- while catching 53 of 64 targets in Josh McDaniels' offense. He led the league in rushing first downs (93) and had 24 more than Nick Chubb, who ranked second.
18. Tremaine Edmunds, ILB, Buffalo Bills
Age entering 2023 season: 25
The tape shows that Edmunds has improved as a coverage linebacker, with his route awareness and ability to get to depth as a zone defender. He's a long, 6-foot-5 linebacker with downhill acceleration against the run and second-level range to track the ball. Edmunds had 66 solo tackles, one interception and one sack this season. He's young, but the 2018 first-round pick has started 74 games in five seasons. That experience will be attractive for teams looking for an off-ball linebacker this offseason.
19. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Pollard slips down these rankings after he fractured his left fibula in the postseason loss to San Francisco. He showed during the season, however, that he has the traits of a lead back with a dual-threat upside. While splitting touches with Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard rushed for a career-high 1,007 yards while averaging 9.5 yards per catch on 39 receptions, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. When healthy, Pollard has big-play ability and formation flexibility in the pass game.
20. Marcus Davenport, DE, New Orleans Saints
Age entering 2023 season: 27
Davenport's injury history and lack of sack production this season (0.5) clouds his grade for free agency. But if we look at his numbers from 2021 -- nine sacks, three forced fumbles -- plus his physical traits (6-foot-6, 262 pounds), we know he'll have multiple suitors in free agency. He can play in both base and sub fronts, and he has the skills to rush with power or set an edge in the run game. Despite Davenport's low sack total, his 20 pressures this season point to his ability to disrupt the pocket, even if he doesn't always get home.
21. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
Age entering 2023 season: 26
A nuanced route runner with strong hands and a 6-foot-2 frame, Meyers caught 47 of his 67 targets on throws inside the numbers this season, setting a career high with six touchdowns. He's an intermediate target in the pass game with outside flex and has the ability to stretch defenses on seams and deep over routes. A former undrafted free agent, Meyers emerged as New England's No. 1 option over the past two seasons. He could get a chance to cash in this spring.
22. Lavonte David, ILB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age entering 2023 season: 33
David will turn 33 this offseason, but I'm still seeing a savvy, urgent player on tape. He is well schooled as a zone defender, dropping to depth to impact throwing lanes, and he still has the pursuit speed to track ball carriers. And we know he can find rush lanes to daylight as a blitzer, tallying 29 sacks in his career. He had 80 solo tackles, five pass breakups and three sacks this season. David, who has made nearly $79 million in his career since being drafted in Round 2 by the Bucs in 2012, can still be productive in 2023.
23. Jordan Poyer, S, Buffalo Bills
Age entering 2023 season: 32
It will be interesting to see how teams value a 32-year-old safety, but we still see the versatile ability of Poyer when he's on the field. With four interceptions and eight pass breakups this season, he showed that he's a productive defender who can play from post, split field or rolled-down alignments. He dealt with knee, ribs and elbow injuries this season and missed four games, but he has played in at least 15 games every season since 2017. Plus, his coverage skills still show on the stat sheet; he allowed just 14 catches for 102 yards as the nearest defender in coverage, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
24. Zach Allen, DE, Arizona Cardinals
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Allen is a player who can be moved around in sub packages to generate interior pressure. He had 5.5 sacks and 26 pressures from various alignments in the Arizona defensive front this season. He also had a run stop win rate of 37.9%, which ranked in the top 40 among all NFL defenders. The arrow is pointing up on the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Allen.
25. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Age entering 2023 season: 31
Garoppolo completed 67.2% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 games before a foot injury ended his season. He's still a good passer who can be a mid-tier starter on the market. He is a timing-and-rhythm thrower who fits best in an offensive system tailored around the play-action route tree. The injury history factors into his ranking here, but make no mistake: He will have suitors on the market.
26. Odell Beckham Jr., WR
Age entering 2023 season: 30
Beckham missed the entire season after he tore the ACL in his left knee during the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory last February. If the knee checks out in physicals, however, we know he can still make an impact as a No. 2 receiver. In 12 games with the Rams in 2021 -- including the playoffs -- Beckham caught 48 passes for 593 yards and seven touchdowns. Based on what I saw on that tape, Beckham has lost some of the explosion that made him one of the NFL's most dynamic players a few years ago. Still, there's detail to his route running; he can create immediate separation at the line of scrimmage.
27. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Smith-Schuster is best utilized as a physical slot target who can work the dirty areas of the field, though the Chiefs flexed him out wide at times to scheme him open. He's more explosive than most believe, with a skill set to produce after the catch. Smith-Schuster finished the season with 73 receptions for 933 yards and three TD receptions, and he has reached 900 receiving yards with seven or more touchdowns in all three seasons in which he played 15-plus games.
28. Cameron Sutton, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age entering 2023 season: 28
Sutton, a third-round pick in 2017, is coming off his best pro season, as he finished with three interceptions and 15 pass breakups. He's a scheme-versatile corner who can find the ball in zone coverage or stick to wide receivers in man, with the transition speed to close on throws. Defensive backs with this type of ball production don't stay on the market for long.
29. Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age entering 2023 season: 29
Engram was a volume target in Jacksonville this season, catching 77 passes for 766 yards and four touchdowns. Sixty of those catches were when he was lined up in the slot or out wide, so he's not a traditional tight end. He is best suited for a system that moves him around the formation, as he can get loose underneath or work the second and third levels of the route tree and run after the catch. Engram signed a one-year deal last offseason, but he could get a multiyear deal this spring.
30. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Minnesota Vikings
Age entering 2023 season: 29
Tomlinson is a 325-pound nose guard who can play in 30 or 40 fronts. He can clog up running lanes with his size and strength while using his lateral quickness to engulf ball carriers. With 13 sacks over six seasons, Tomlinson isn't going to bring high-end pass-rush production, but he will demand double-teams and provide an interior push to take away quarterbacks' throwing platforms.
31. David Long Jr., ILB, Tennessee Titans
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Long finished the season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, but the 5-foot-11, 227-pound linebacker was one of the best off-ball run defenders I watched on tape this season. With natural instincts to track the ball, he had 52 solo tackles and two interceptions in 12 games. What keeps him out of the top 25? He has some coverage limitations as a match/carry defender, and he can sometimes be influenced by run action that puts him out of position.
32. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Indianapolis Colts
Age entering 2023 season: 28
Ngakoue had 9.5 sacks in 2022, bringing his total to 65 over eight NFL seasons. Given his subpar tape as a run defender, however, he should be targeted as a situational pass-rusher, a role in which he can use his top-end traits to win on the edge: burst off the ball, hand usage and the ability to bend around offensive tackles. We know NFL teams value edge rushers, and so Ngakoue will have a market, even if he tops out as a pass-rusher on nickel snaps.
33. Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins
Age entering 2023 season: 27
Playing on the franchise tag this season, Gesicki caught just 32 passes, a big drop from the 73 he had in 2021. He just didn't fit well in coach Mike McDaniel's system in Miami. Given Gesicki's 6-foot-6 frame and ability to flex to the slot or out wide, however, he could be an attractive target in free agency for a team that uses him all over the field in the pass game. Gesicki has upside in the red zone.
34. Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Las Vegas Raiders
Age entering 2023 season: 27
I anticipate a stronger-than-expected market for Ya-Sin, despite the fact that he had just two interceptions over his four pro seasons. With press-man traits, zone awareness and a competitive playing style, he is a physical corner who can disrupt at the line of scrimmage and tackle. The 2019 second-round pick had seven pass breakups this season, and he allowed just one touchdown catch as the nearest defender in coverage, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
35. Isaac Seumalo, G, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 29
A technically sound blocker at 6-foot-4, 303 pounds, Seumalo has the foot quickness to redirect defenders. He has the body control to wrestle back against power rushers and create a firm base in the pocket. He had a pass block win rate of 93.6% this season, which ranked 15th among all guards, and his 72.6% run block win rate ranked 20th.
36. DJ Chark, WR, Detroit Lions
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Chark, a vertical stretch target, averaged 16.7 yards per catch in 11 games for the Lions this season. He can be schemed to attack intermediate windows on deep in-breakers. At 6-foot-4, he has the ability to win outside matchups as a boundary target. He has 18 touchdowns over five seasons.
37. T.J. Edwards, ILB, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 27
Edwards can key and diagnose quickly from the second level as a stack linebacker, finishing with clean lines to the ball and playing to depth in zone coverage. He had 99 solo tackles this season -- seventh most in the league -- and can be schemed as a blitzer. He improved in coverage in 2022, which means he could be more valuable in free agency.
38. Byron Murphy Jr., CB, Arizona Cardinals
Age entering 2023 season: 25
Murphy intercepted four passes and had 12 pass breakups in 2021, but his production took a hit this season. He had just four breakups and didn't pick off a pass. Even with the drop in on-ball production, he has the man-coverage traits to play inside or outside the numbers, and his youth will be intriguing for teams.
39. Brandon Graham, DE, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 35
Graham racked up a career-high 11 sacks in his 13th NFL season, playing as a rotational edge rusher. His age will factor into his market value and the length of his next contract. With his pass-rush history, however, he will be targeted as a sub-package defender for a contending team. Graham was a first-round pick by Philadelphia in 2010 and has never played for another team.
40. Ben Powers, G, Baltimore Ravens
Age entering 2023 season: 26
A road grader in the run game, the 310-pound Powers plays his best football in close quarters, where he can use his power at the point of attack. He was the league's second-best guard in run block win rate (78.8%) this season. He can get stressed on his edge as space expands, but he did have a pass block win rate of 93.2%, which ranked 10th among all guards. He could be a nice pickup on the market.
41. Nate Davis, G, Tennessee Titans
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Davis, a good mover at 316 pounds, can reach block or climb in zone-run schemes, delivering a strike in contact. And he can set an anchor to take on power rushers in pass protection. He had a below-average run block win rate this season but ranked among the top 25 guards in pass block win rate.
42. Kaleb McGary, OT, Atlanta Falcons
Age entering 2023 season: 28
McGary, a first-round pick in 2019, has some quickness off the ball, and he can use his movement skills to play speed off the edge. Longer pass-rushers can create conflict for him by compressing him back into the pocket. He had an average pass block win rate this season, but his 68% run block win rate ranked 61st out of 64 tackles who played in at least 10 games.
43. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Age entering 2023 season: 26
After missing at least four games in each of the previous two seasons, Sanders played in 17 games for the Eagles during the regular season, posting career highs in rushing attempts (259), rushing yards (1,269) and touchdowns (11). He showed big-play ability, too, putting up 34 rushes of at least 10 yards, fourth most in the league. A slasher with the ball in his hands, Sanders still has a tendency to bounce to the edge at times, and his lack of high-end receiving production -- he averaged just 3.9 yards on 20 catches this season -- pushes him down these rankings.
44. Drue Tranquill, ILB, Los Angeles Chargers
Age entering 2023 season: 28
Tranquill's 95 solo tackles this season were a career high, and he can be schemed as a blitzer from multiple second-level alignments. He had five sacks and added four pass breakups. A middle linebacker who has the movement traits of a weakside linebacker in space, Tranquill has upside in both base and sub-package personnel.
45. Dalton Risner, G, Denver Broncos
Age entering 2023 season: 28
Risner fits best in a gap run scheme as a close-quarters mauler with a strong and rugged play style. He ranked 10th in the league in run block win rate (74.4%) among guards. He can anchor in pass protection, but he has some issues when asked to redirect on his edges. He was just average in pass block win rate in 2022.
46. Vonn Bell, S, Cincinnati Bengals
Age entering 2023 season: 28
Bell has the ability to match up against tight ends, and he plays with a physical demeanor in the box. He's a dependable and tough veteran safety who can play top-down from split-field alignments and make plays on the ball. Bell intercepted a career-high four passes and added eight pass breakups this season. On nearly 500 coverage snaps, he didn't allow any touchdowns as the nearest defender in coverage, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
47. Arden Key, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age entering 2023 season: 27
With the positional flex to kick inside as a sub-package rusher, Key will have multiple suitors on the market, given his age and production over the past two seasons (11 sacks). With his length (6-5) and short-area closing speed, Key can be set up on the edge or schemed out of loaded fronts. He has some upside as a situational player.
48. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Cleveland Browns
Age entering 2023 season: 30
Clowney's production dropped off in Cleveland this season, as he had just two sacks in 12 games. He's a straight-line power rusher who can set a hard edge versus the run game given his physical tools. He never has fully turned those tools into production, however; the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft has zero double-digit-sack seasons. Clowney could be a rotational addition by a contender in the offseason.
49. Sam Darnold, QB, Carolina Panthers
Age entering 2023 season: 26
Darnold could be targeted as a low-tier starter or as a high-end No. 2 on the market. In six starts this season, he completed 58.6% of his passes for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and three picks. He's a good mover with arm talent and second-reaction ability. Yes, we still see Darnold's limitations late in the down, where his decision-making can slip, but he's still young. He could be an intriguing player for an offensive coordinator who wants to work with him.
50. Germaine Pratt, ILB, Cincinnati Bengals
Age entering 2023 season: 27
Pratt has the movement skills to play on the outside in a 40 front, can track the ball from the second level in the run game and creates coverage disruption as a three-down defender. He has logged over 90 total tackles in each of his past two seasons, while posting two interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 2022.