Below is a look at the best un-signed NFL free agents. Players will be removed from this list as they sign with teams, so keep this one refreshed. The number next to each player’s name is where they ranked in the original top 150. An asterisk indicates that the player was not in the original top 150. The number in parentheses is their age at the start of the 2021 season.
The latest: Updated deals around the NFL
Grades: Our reaction to free agency moves
Predictions: Sheil Kapadia’s free-agency forecast
Needs: Holes each team must fill
Spenders: Ranking the salary cap space available
Fantasy: Implications of skill position moves
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19. Justin Houston, Edge, Indianapolis Colts (32)
He’s on the wrong side of 30, but Houston continues to produce. He was eighth among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate and had eight sacks to go along with 12 QB hits.
30. Trai Turner, OG, Los Angeles Chargers (28)
It’s tough to know exactly what his market will be. Turner has 89 career starts and is a five-time Pro Bowler. The Chargers traded for him before last season, but Turner was limited to just nine games because of injuries and did not perform well when healthy. He could look to sign a one-year deal to build his value back up and re-enter the market next offseason.
32. Melvin Ingram, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers (32)
It was a tough contract year for Ingram. He appeared in seven games before heading to injured reserve with a knee injury. Ingram has had a very good career, but he finished 2020 with no sacks and four QB hits. If healthy, Ingram is a disruptive player and a versatile pass rusher capable of lining up in different spots. His market will likely come down to whether teams are confident he can bounce back from the injury.
37. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs (32)
He was limited to six games in 2020 because of a back injury but hadn’t missed a start the previous eight seasons. Schwartz developed into one of the league’s better right tackles during his time in Kansas City. If he is healthy, Schwartz is probably the best available right tackle. But given his age and the back injury, there are obviously some risks.
40. Richard Sherman, CB, San Francisco 49ers (33)
He’s a tough player to slot. Sherman will be 33 at the start of next season and appeared in only five games in 2020 because of injury. He was 30 when he signed with the 49ers in 2018 and delivered two great years, making the Pro Bowl in 2019. If healthy, Sherman can still be effective. But given his age, he might be looking at another incentive-laden deal or a one-year contract.
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48. Kwon Alexander, LB, New Orleans Saints (27)
He signed a big deal with the 49ers during the 2019 offseason but ended up playing just 13 games for them. San Francisco traded Alexander to the Saints during last season, but he tore his Achilles’ in December. If healthy, Alexander would be among the top off-ball linebackers in this class. But he’s missed 22 games over the past three seasons.
49. K.J. Wright, LB, Seattle Seahawks (32)
Wright has 140 career starts, and 2020 was one of the best seasons of his career. He had 11 tackles for loss, 10 passes defended (tops among linebackers), two sacks and three quarterback hits. Wright is a great teammate and probably knows the Seahawks’ defense better than most of the coaches, having played in the same scheme for 10 seasons.
49a.* Steven Nelson, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (28)
The Steelers gave him permission to seek a trade and then released him. Nelson started 30 games for Pittsburgh over the past two seasons and previously spent four seasons with the Chiefs. He is a quality starting cornerback who should appeal to teams looking for secondary help.
62a.* Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals (33)
Atkins’ best days are behind him. He’s 33 years old and missed eight games last season because of a shoulder injury. But the eight-time Pro Bowler should still get one more opportunity to prove he’s a quality starter.
69. Bashaud Breeland, CB, Kansas City Chiefs (29)
He was a free agent last offseason and did not find a big market, settling for a one-year, $3 million deal to return to Kansas City. Breeland started 11 games. He will interest teams that are looking for a physical press corner on the outside. Breeland ranked 61st out of 106 corners in yards per snap allowed in man coverage. He’s shown that he’s a competent starter, but it’s tough to come up with a reason why Breeland’s market will be much different than last offseason.
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82. Golden Tate, WR, New York Giants (33)
He appeared in 12 games, played 44 percent of the snaps and had 35 catches for 388 yards in 2020. Tate lined up in the slot 82 percent of the time. Since released by the Giants, he’s clearly in the decline phase of his career, but Tate could compete for playing time as a slot receiver on a one-year deal.
85. Jurrell Casey, DT, Denver Broncos (31)
The Titans traded him to Denver last offseason, but Casey appeared in just three games before suffering a season-ending biceps injury. He had five sacks and 10 QB hits in 2019. If healthy, Casey should be able to land a starting job at defensive tackle.
86. Everson Griffen, Edge, Dallas Cowboys/Detroit Lions (33)
Griffen signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Cowboys last offseason and then was traded to the Lions. He’s likely to see a reduced role going forward but still produced as a rotational pass rusher with six sacks and 14 QB hits.
87. Ryan Kerrigan, Edge, Washington Football Team (33)
The four-time Pro Bowler got phased out last season, playing just 38 percent of the snaps. But he still produced 5.5 sacks. Kerrigan will likely look to catch on somewhere as a rotational pass rusher, although it’s possible he could find a starting job.
95. Russell Okung, LT, Carolina Panthers (32)
He’s had trouble staying healthy with just 13 starts over the last two seasons. But Okung is a crafty veteran who could be a short-term option for a team in need of a starting left tackle.
97. Tre Boston, S, Carolina Panthers (29)
He was released just one year into a three-year, $18 million contract. Boston has started 76 games in seven seasons. He’s typically been a free safety but played more than 400 snaps in the box last season. Boston did not have his best season in 2020, with 15 missed tackles — third most among safeties, according to Sportradar. But he offers a veteran starting safety option for teams that don’t want to spend at the top of the market.
99. Kenny Vaccaro, S, Tennessee Titans (30)
Vaccaro has made 109 career starts, including 13 last season. He split his time at strong safety and free safety and also played 100-plus snaps as a slot corner, according to Pro Football Focus. Vaccaro will be among the options for teams that are in need of a starting safety.
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100. Bradley McDougald, S, New York Jets (30)
McDougald was part of the Jamal Adams trade. He started seven games last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. McDougald has 82 career starts and can play free or strong safety. He should be a low-cost option for teams in need of a competent starter.
102. Brian Poole, SCB, New York Jets (28)
He was limited to nine games last season because of a shoulder injury. Poole was a free agent last offseason and settled for a one-year, $5 million deal. Given that he’s a year older and coming off of an injury, it seems unlikely that Poole will find something better this time around.
116. De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Arizona Cardinals (28)
He was a free agent last offseason and signed with the Cardinals on a one-year, $6 million deal. Campbell was a 16-game starter, played 79 percent of the snaps and had 99 tackles. He’s a starting-caliber player who can offer competence across the board but doesn’t stand out in any one area. It seems unlikely that Campbell’s market will be much different this time around.
122. Rick Wagner, OT, Green Bay Packers (31)
He’s made 96 career starts and played 59 percent of the snaps last season. The Packers released Wagner in February, so he’s free to sign whenever he wants. Last offseason, Wagner signed a two-year, $11 million deal to be Green Bay’s swing tackle. He has dealt with a knee injury and is reportedly considering retirement.
126. Austin Reiter, OC, Kansas City Chiefs (29)
He’s started 33 games in five seasons, including 12 last year. A zone-blocking team could see Reiter as a relatively inexpensive starting option, but it’s also possible that he has to compete for playing time or settle for a backup role.
138. B.J. Goodson, LB, Cleveland Browns (28)
The Browns signed Goodson to a one-year, $2.4 million deal last offseason and got good value. He started 14 games, played 84 percent of the snaps, was their defensive signal-caller and had 91 tackles. Goodson will be an option for teams that need a relatively low-cost starter.
148. Duke Johnson, RB, Houston Texans (28)
He had 484 yards from scrimmage in 11 games for the Texans in 2020. Johnson has never had more than 410 rushing yards in a season, but he’s been valuable as a receiver with 307 catches since entering the league in 2015. Johnson has averaged a healthy 9.2 yards per reception in his career. He’ll be attractive to teams that are looking for a complementary pass-catching back.
(Photo of Trai Turner: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
