NFL free agency opens at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 9. So, with the frenzy right around the corner, Gregg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling have combined forces (and their own personal rankings) to come up with NFL.com’s Top 101 Free Agents. These are the best players — across all positions — on the open market in 2017.
We’ll continue to update our Top 101 Free Agents below, removing the listed players who are signed and adding certain guys who get released. The rankings are based on answering one simple question: Which player would we want to sign most?
1) Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers running back: No one runs quite like Bell in today’s NFL. (Or yesterday’s NFL, for that matter.) That’s why the Steelers are almost sure to retain him with the franchise tag before working on a long-term deal.
2) Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers defensive tackle: Coach Ron Rivera might revolt if general manager Dave Gettleman allows Short to leave one year after Josh Norman was shown the door. Short ranks among the most disruptive down-to-down defensive tackles in all of football. (UPDATE: The Panthers have placed the franchise tag on Kawann Short.)
3) Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs safety: In a league in desperate need of versatile safeties, Berry does it all, with outstanding intangibles thrown in. An acrimonious contract standoff wouldn’t be a surprise after the Chiefs use the franchise tag on him.
4) Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins quarterback: In his “prove it” season, Cousins proved he’s a mid-level starting quarterback. That’s worth a lot in today’s NFL. If the 49ers pull off a move for Cousins this offseason, the quarterback carousel is going to get weird.
5) Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals linebacker: The Cardinals are on the record saying they will use the franchise tag on Jones, so expect his name to be taken off this list by 4 p.m. ET on March 1, when the tag deadline hits. (UPDATE: The Cardinals have placed the franchise tag on Chandler Jones.)
6) Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears wide receiver: Despite injury concerns, a PED suspension and a somewhat incomplete skill set, Jeffery could become the highest-paid receiver in football. No. 1 receivers with an uncanny ability to come down with 50-50 balls don’t become available often in their prime.
7) Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals defensive end: There’s no other player quite like Campbell, as thoughtful and savvy as he is physically overwhelming at 6-foot-8, 300 pounds. Still only 30 years old and able to play in any system, he would make a great “get over the hump” piece for a team looking for a title.
8) Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle: Teams can look for a one-man run-stopping solution in the draft, or they can pay Williams money similar to what Damon “Snacks” Harrison earned from the Giants last year.
9) Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker: Former Chargers general manager A.J. Smith’s final first-round draft pick in San Diego evolved into a big difference maker over the last two seasons.
10) Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants defensive end: Ranked in the top 10 on this list for a second straight year, JPP should finally get paid like a superstar after proving he can still disrupt post-fireworks surgery.
11) Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots linebacker: Author of two of the most important plays in the Patriots’ last two Super Bowl victories, Hightower also has emerged as the best blitzing inside linebacker in football and a leader on New England’s defense.
12) A.J. Bouye, Houston Texans cornerback: No NFL player raised his value more in 2016 than Bouye, who started the season as Houston’s fourth cornerback and finished as a Pro Bowl-caliber starter on the league’s stingiest total defense. He will emerge from the shadows to become a household name once he gets a mega contract.
13) Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo Bills cornerback: Gilmore has the reputation of a shutdown cornerback but was too often exploited in coverage last season. He boasts the starting experience and physical gifts to break the bank on the open market.
14) Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati Bengals guard: A nasty-tempered blocker who wins with strength, Zeitler is a great fit for a power-based ground attack.
15) Trumaine Johnson, Los Angeles Rams cornerback: Johnson took a step back after recording 17 pass breakups and seven interceptions in a stellar 2015 season, but he’ll draw plenty of attention as a physical cornerback with plus coverage skills.
16) Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland Browns wide receiver: It speaks to Pryor’s monstrous upside that he was already giving fits to established cornerbacks — such as Darrelle Revis, Josh Norman and Janoris Jenkins — in his first season as a full-time wide receiver.
17) Dontari Poe, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle: One of the most athletic big men in the game, Poe’s effectiveness waned last season as he was outplayed by rookie teammate Chris Jones. Is he reaching the stage of his career where he’s best served as a two-down run-plugger?
18) Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants defensive tackle: Hankins will never be an explosive pass rusher, but he teamed with Damon “Snacks” Harrison to shut down opposing rushing attacks in 2016. Few defensive tackles crash the backfield as consistently as Hankins.
19) DeSean Jackson, Washington Redskins wide receiver: Still in his prime, Jackson led the league with 17.9 yards per catch as a dangerous deep threat. In addition to the Redskins, he’s expected to draw interest from the Buccaneers, Rams and Eagles.
20) Tony Jefferson, Arizona Cardinals safety: One of the league’s unsung stars, Jefferson outplayed the more ballyhooed Tyrann Mathieu last season, consistently making impact plays at the line of scrimmage as well as in coverage.
21) T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers guard: A foot injury and a “minor” hip surgery complicates free agency for the No. 2 guard in this free agency class. Some team should still invest big in one of the better right guards in football over the last few years.
22) Nick Perry, Green Bay Packers linebacker: Perry was a more consistent pass-rush threat than teammates Clay Matthews or Julius Peppers last season, and he showed great toughness playing through a broken hand in the playoffs.
23) Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots tight end: Bennett impressed the Patriots by playing through injury and has the rare versatility to excel in the running game or as a receiver. He will be difficult for New England to retain.
24) Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle: It could be hard for Whitworth to get fair market value because he’s 35 years old and there’s an expectation he won’t leave the Bengals. Despite his age, he’s playing better than ever.
25) T.J. McDonald, Los Angeles Rams safety: Teams looking for a tone-setting presence in the secondary could do a lot worse than McDonald, whose de-cleating darts into opposing backfields make up for his allowing the occasional big play.
26) Riley Reiff, Detroit Lions offensive tackle: Reiff is pushed up this list by the scarcity at tackle. He can play on either side of the line and would upgrade plenty of blind-side situations around the league.
27) Zach Brown, Buffalo Bills linebacker: It’s unlucky for Brown that Rex Ryan is out of the league just after Brown’s breakout season playing in the Ryan brothers’ system. There is a big drop-off in the inside linebacker market after Brown.
28) Larry Warford, Detroit Lions guard: Teams pay for pass protection first, but Warford can be a huge asset to any offense’s running game at right guard.
29) Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins wide receiver: It’s just Garcon’s luck that he’s coming off a 1,000-yard season and two of his former coordinators (Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay) just got head-coaching jobs.
30) Logan Ryan, New England Patriots cornerback: One of the best tackling cornerbacks in football, Ryan has the versatility and smarts to play inside and out. A monstrous postseason run will raise his price.
31) Alan Branch, New England Patriots defensive tackle: A behemoth earth-mover at 6-foot-6 and over 320 pounds, Branch was the linchpin of a stingy Patriots run defense that didn’t allow a single running back to top 90 yards last season. At age 32, he’s playing better than ever.
32) Micah Hyde, Green Bay Packers defensive back: Hyde has been overshadowed on Green Bay’s defense, but he’s one of the league’s most versatile defensive backs, capable of playing cornerback and safety as well as returning punts.
33) Chris Baker, Washington Redskins defensive end: Still on the right side of the age-30 barrier, Baker is coming off back-to-back seasons as the Redskins’ most disruptive defensive lineman.
34) Ricky Wagner, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle: Strictly a right tackle, Wagner improved significantly during last season’s contract run, keeping heat off Joe Flacco in a pass-heavy Ravens attack.
35) Barry Church, Dallas Cowboys safety: Dallas’ beleaguered secondary outperformed its reputation last season, in no small part due to Church’s career year.
36) Jabaal Sheard, New England Patriots defensive end: Sheard’s consistency slipped from its 2015 heights, but he bounced back from a November benching to team with Trey Flowers as an effective edge tandem during New England’s Super Bowl run.
37) Nick Fairley, New Orleans Saints defensive tackle: A prime example of Bill Parcells’ planet theory, Fairley is one of the few humans alive capable of exploding through offensive lines with freakish power and speed at 6-foot-4 and more than 300 pounds. He did an excellent job of rebuilding his value last season.
38) Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver: Perennially a tease, Britt succeeded in reversing his reputation, recording the Rams’ first 1,000-yard receiving season in a decade. Not bad for a wideout corralling errant passes from Case Keenum and Jared Goff.
39) Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers running back: The good news: Lacy averaged a career-high 5.07 yards per carry in a small sample size of work before a season-ending ankle surgery. The bad news: Through a series of weight fluctuations, his footwork has not returned to the preternaturally nimble form that sparked his success in 2013 and ’14.
40) Jared Cook, Green Bay Packers tight end: One half of the best NFL play of the 2016 season, Cook proved in Green Bay that he can be a valuable piece to a Super Bowl contender.
41) Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback: Glennon was close to a league-average starting quarterback in his first two NFL seasons, which is especially impressive considering his coordinators were Mike Sullivan, Jeff Tedford and Marcus Arroyo. Glennon represents an intriguing blend of youth, experience and accuracy.
42) Michael Floyd, New England Patriots wide receiver: This ranking is more about the body of work from Floyd’s career than his lost 2016 campaign. His physical skill set is worth buying low on.
43) Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle: Logan is one of those no-nonsense run stuffers who inspire comments like “that guy is just a football player” by people trying to sound smart.
44) Kevin Minter, Arizona Cardinals linebacker: Minter proved to be an improved player in his second full season as a starter. Perhaps former coordinator Todd Bowles will show interest.
45) Prince Amukamara, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback: Amukamara strangely didn’t inspire much interest in free agency last year, then provided his usual above-average starting cornerback play. Guys like this usually get paid.
46) Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback: Kirkpatrick has what NFL teams pay for at cornerback: length and pedigree. Even though the former first-rounder’s play has been uneven as a pro, he’s likely to strike it rich.
47) Morris Claiborne, Dallas Cowboys cornerback: (See: Kirkpatrick blurb.) Claiborne played the best ball of his career before getting hurt in Dallas last season, but the injuries are not a new trend. He’s missed 30 games since 2013.
48) Johnathan Cyprien, Jacksonville Jaguars safety: Cyprien is at his best near the line of scrimmage and is ripe to get overpaid after his first quality season as a pro.
49) Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers defensive end: Johnson’s one-year, $3 million contract with Carolina last offseason was one of the best bargains in all of free agency.
50) Russell Okung, Denver Broncos offensive tackle: Okung was signed to solve the Broncos’ pass-protection woes. Instead, he was mistake-prone, contributing to another season of disappointment up front in Denver. He still has a chance to get paid in a weak tackle market.
51) Julius Peppers, Green Bay Packers linebacker: Peppers has notched at least seven sacks in 14 of 15 NFL seasons, an unbelievable mark of consistency. Will he return to Carolina to close out a Hall of Fame career?
52) Ronald Leary, Dallas Cowboys guard: Leary was an upgrade over La’el Collins as a powerful run blocker, but it remains to be seen how he will hold up in pass protection without the benefit of All-Pro performers on either side of him.
53) DeMarcus Ware, Denver Broncos linebacker: Ware remains a dominant pass-rushing force when healthy, but he’s seeing fewer and fewer snaps with each season. With Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett showing promise opposite Von Miller, will Denver welcome Ware back for another campaign?
54) James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker: At age 38, Harrison was still Pittsburgh’s most dominant defensive force in the playoffs. Expect him back in black and gold for another go-around.
55) Jared Odrick, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end: The versatile defensive lineman lived up to his mega contract in his first season with the Jaguars, but he struggled to play through an elbow injury in 2016.
56) Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker: Timmons’ closing speed and coverage ability have slipped from his peak years, but he remains proficient enough to play all three downs.
57) Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders running back: A younger version of LeGarrette Blount, Murray is an effective early-down power runner best kept on the sidelines during obvious passing situations.
58) Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins wide receiver: Previously a one-dimensional deep threat with inconsistent hands, Stills emerged as a trusted red-zone weapon for Ryan Tannehill last season.
59) Brandon Carr, Dallas Cowboys cornerback: The Cowboys kept trying to replace Carr, and the veteran cornerback kept fighting off the competition. Against all odds, he started all 80 games of the five-year, $51 million contract signed in 2012.
60) Lawrence Guy, Baltimore Ravens defensive end: Lawrence Guy is exactly the name you’d expect from a 300-pound rotational defensive lineman who can line up in multiple positions and stop the run.
61) LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots running back: Even the Patriots didn’t expect Blount to pound out 334 carries and 19 touchdowns, including the playoffs. He isn’t likely to languish on the market for a month like he did a year ago.
62) Mario Williams, Miami Dolphins defensive end: If you look past the name and the inflated price tag last season, Williams was a decent part-time player. But will he be willing to take a massive pay cut for a second straight year?
63) Chance Warmack, Tennessee Titans guard: A rocky tenure in Tennessee was speckled with stretches of excellent play. Warmack still has a chance to make good on his top-10 pedigree elsewhere.
64) Kendall Wright, Tennessee Titans wide receiver: Wright hasn’t been the same since catching 94 passes in his second season, but he has the short-area quickness to be a terrific slot receiver if he finds the right fit.
65) Dwight Freeney, Atlanta Falcons defensive end: He continues to create pressure in big games, no matter which contender signs him. Freeney was undecided about retirement after the Super Bowl.
66) Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts tight end: Doyle emerged out of nowhere as a sure-handed receiving option for Andrew Luck last season. Only 26 years old with good after-the-catch skills, Doyle’s upside ranks with that of any free-agent tight end.
67) Matt Kalil, Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle: The former top-five pick has given up a lot of sacks in his career but should be able to find a team still in love with his college tape.
68) Bradley McDougald, Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety: Once claimed off waivers, McDougald was a capable (if unspectacular) starter for the Bucs the last two years.
69) John Simon, Houston Texans linebacker: An unflashy outside linebacker who can handle a variety of roles at a high level, Simon is one of our favorite bargain free agents.
70) Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver: Patterson finally gained enough trust to assume a significant role in the passing game, but his poor feel for the nuances of the position limits him to manufactured touches on shorter routes near the line of scrimmage.
71) Nick Mangold, New York Jets center: Coming off an ankle injury at age 33 won’t help Mangold’s market, but he should still be able to contribute as a center with great leadership ability.
72) Kelvin Beachum, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle: Beachum was too often overpowered in the running game last season, but he should get another crack at a starting job with so many teams in need of experienced veterans at left tackle.
73) Andre Branch, Miami Dolphins defensive end: A washout as a second-round pick in Jacksonville, Branch salvaged his career by outplaying Mario Williams in Miami.
74) Datone Jones, Green Bay Packers linebacker: Jones enjoyed his finest season after transitioning to outside linebacker, but he’s perhaps best suited to defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.
75) JC Tretter, Green Bay Packers center: The second-best center on the market showed promise as a seven-game stand-in for starter Corey Linsley early last season. He’s athletic enough to succeed on a pass-heavy team with a zone-blocking scheme.
76) Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Bills linebacker: How improbable was Alexander’s age-33 breakout campaign? He was the oldest player ever to record his first 10-sack season. Teams have to be skeptical that he can duplicate that aberrant success outside of Rex Ryan’s defense.
77) Rex Burkhead, Cincinnati Bengals running back: A bit of a factor back/slot receiver hybrid, Burkhead outplayed Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill in Cincinnati’s backfield last season. His game is well-suited to today’s offenses, where spread looks proliferate. He could be sneaky effective on the right team.
78) Brian Hoyer, Chicago Bears quarterback: Taking over for an injured Jay Cutler, Hoyer reeled off four consecutive 300-yard performances before going down with a season-ending arm injury in late October. The ideal backup, he can move an offense with more proficiency than many starters, only to have his limitations come to the forefront when he’s overexposed.
79) Robert Woods, Buffalo Bills wide receiver: Between injuries and a lack of big-play ability, Woods has yet to top 700 yards in a season. In a best-case scenario, he’ll cash in like Mohamed Sanu did last offseason.
80) Ryan Clady, New York Jets offensive tackle: A career stuffed with surgeries has taken a toll on the former All-Pro.
81) Mike Remmers, Carolina Panthers offensive tackle: Remmers didn’t make Panthers fans forget about his performance in the Super Bowl during a so-so 2016 season.
82) Danny Woodhead, Los Angeles Chargers running back: A rare ex-Patriot to get better away from Tom Brady’s loving embrace, Woodhead is 32 years old and coming off a torn ACL.
83) Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets quarterback: Ranked in the top 25 of this exercise last season (whoops), Fitz makes more sense as a backup who could get hot for a few games off the bench.
84) D.J. Swearinger, Arizona Cardinals safety: The “Hard Knocks” instigator bounced around the league before the Cardinals showed what an asset he can be. He could wind up taking Tony Jefferson’s job.
85) Jahleel Addae, Los Angeles Chargers safety: There are more starting safety jobs open than there are quality free agents and draft picks to fill them.
86) Nolan Carroll, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback: You know him from his work as “the only solid Eagles cornerback.”
87) Erik Walden, Indianapolis Colts linebacker: Mostly a letdown as a free-agent pickup for the Colts, Walden quietly recorded 11 sacks last season.
88) Captain Munnerlyn, Minnesota Vikings cornerback: He should still have a few seasons left as a nickel cornerback at a reasonable price.
89) Geno Smith, New York Jets quarterback: Get past all the punchlines and back-page headlines and Geno is still a 26-year-old quarterback with some quality game film to his name.
90) Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver: LaFell exceeded expectations as the No. 2 receiver on the 2014 Patriots and 2016 Bengals, but he seems to leave his teams with a burning desire to upgrade at his spot.
91) Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins tight end: Signed as an afterthought in Washington, Davis proved he can still move as well as many tight ends 10 years his junior.
92) Christine Michael, Green Bay Packers running back: Michael’s explosive running talent is obvious, but he’s been undone by subpar footing, inconsistent vision and a poor mastery of the fundamentals in the passing game.
93) DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers running back: Williams was ideal insurance for Le’Veon Bell in Pittsburgh, but he turns 34 years old in April and managed just 3.5 yards per carry in 2016.
94) Devin Taylor, Detroit Lions defensive end: Taylor looks the part of a premier pass rusher at 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, but he posted a paltry 4.5 sacks as a 16-game starter in Detroit last season.
95) Malcolm Smith, Oakland Raiders linebacker: Smith has been a league-average three-down linebacker in Oakland, but he left his playmaking ability at Super Bowl XLVIII.
96) Terrell McClain, Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle: An afterthought for five NFL seasons, McClain emerged as Dallas’ most versatile defensive lineman, flashing big-play ability in 2016.
97) Karl Klug, Tennessee Titans defensive end: An undersized interior pass rusher, Klug would be the perfect rotational player if he weren’t coming off a torn Achilles tendon.
98) Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers wide receiver: Ginn has averaged nearly 750 yards and seven touchdowns as Cam Newton’s drop-prone, hit-averse deep threat the past two years. He’s been a disappointment outside of Carolina throughout his 10-year career.
99) Chris Long, New England Patriots defensive end: Long managed just four sacks last season, but he led New England’s defense in snaps and quarterback pressures.
100) William Gholston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end: Gholston isn’t much of a pass rusher, but he’s an excellent run stopper at defensive end.
101) Darius Butler, Indianapolis Colts defensive back: The veteran cornerback increased his market value by flashing versatility in the Colts’ depleted secondary last season, spending some time at safety and acquitting himself well.
Source:nfl.com