It’s been almost four weeks since the start of NFL free agency, and a majority of the top targets have already signed with their next team. While there are still some good players on the market, such as Jauan Jennings, Aaron Rodgers and Taylor Decker—among others—for the most part, the best players available are already locked up through at least the 2026 season.
So let’s rank them.
These rankings factor in the player’s quality, the team’s need at the position and the value of the deal. Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim, Mike Kadlick and Karl Rasmussen each put together their own lists, which were then combined into the top 50 free-agent signings of the 2026 offseason.
50. Jalen Nailor, WR, Raiders
Contract: three years, $35.03 million; $23 million guaranteed
Nailor joins a Raiders offense in need of depth at wide receiver after trading Jakobi Meyers to the Jaguars. Nailor had a career-high 444 yards and four touchdowns in 2025.
49. Jaquan Brisker, S, Steelers
Contract: one year, $5.5 million; $4.285 million guaranteed
A bargain for the Steelers, Pittsburgh managed to shore up its secondary with a one-year deal for Brisker, who has four interceptions, 21 passes defensed and seven sacks in 52 career games.
48. Demario Davis, LB, Jets
Contract: two years, $22 million; $15 million guaranteed
Davis returns to the Jets 14 years after the team selected him in the third round of the 2012 draft. Davis is remarkably durable, having started 131 of 133 games during his eight-year tenure in New Orleans.
47. Reed Blankenship, S, Texans
Contract: three years, $24.75 million; $16.5 million guaranteed
Blankenship spent his first four NFL seasons in Philadelphia, racking up 204 tackles and nine interceptions while helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX. He’ll now join a Texans secondary that allowed a league-low 277.2 yards per game last season.
46. Jalen Thompson, S, Cowboys
Contract: three years, $33 million; $22 guaranteed
Defensive upgrades were nothing short of a requirement for the Cowboys this offseason. Thompson has started 62 games over the past four seasons, all with the Cardinals, and has logged five interceptions.
45. Wyatt Teller, OG, Texans
Contract: two years, $16 million; $8.5 million guaranteed
Teller is the latest addition to the Texans’ reworked offensive line. A two-time second-team All-Pro, the 31-year-old will bring a quality veteran presence in front of C.J. Stroud.
44. Cordale Flott, CB, Titans
Contract: three years, $45 million; $32 million guaranteed
Another former Giant is following Brian Daboll to Tennessee. Flott landed himself a three-year deal with the Titans after starting 14 games last season. The former third-round pick had an interception and 11 pass defenses in 2025.
43. Rico Dowdle, RB, Steelers
Contract: two years, $12.3 million; $5 million guaranteed
The Steelers have “buckled up” by adding Dowdle to the running back room. Pittsburgh parted ways with Kenneth Gainwell in free agency, but managed to sign Dowdle, who’s coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons.
42. Kwity Paye, edge, Raiders
Contract: three years, $48 million; $32 million guaranteed
Paye signed with the Raiders before knowing that Maxx Crosby would end up back in Las Vegas. The two edge rushers have the opportunity to wreak havoc on opposing offenses in 2026 and beyond.
41. Chig Okonkwo, TE, Commanders
Contract: three years, $27 million; $16.7 million guaranteed
The Commanders found a replacement for Zach Ertz in Okonkwo, who is an excellent pass catcher despite having just eight touchdowns in his first four seasons. Jayden Daniels will be the best quarterback Okonkwo has played with as a pro.
40. Dre’Mont Jones, edge, Patriots
Contract: three years, $36.5 million; $23.1 million guaranteed
The signing of Jones marks the second consecutive offseason in which the Patriots have added a former Titan to their edge rusher room on a three-year deal. Jones, 29, tallied a career-high seven sacks in 2025—2.5 of which came after he was dealt to the Ravens at the trade deadline.
39. Nahshon Wright, CB, Jets
Contract: one year, $3.5 million; fully guaranteed
The Jets have a good chance to end their no-interception streak after signing Wright, who picked off five passes last season.
38. Joseph Ossai, edge, Jets
Contract: three years, $34.5 million; $22.5 million guaranteed
Ossai is headed to the Jets after spending his first five NFL seasons in Cincinnati with the Bengals. Just 25, he brings 73 career tackles, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles with him to Aaron Glenn’s New York defense.
37. Cade Mays, C, Lions
Contract: three years, $25 million; $14 million guaranteed
The Lions weren’t super active in free agency, but they shored up one of their biggest needs by signing Mays at center.
36. Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Giants
Contract: three years, $36 million; $23.7 million guaranteed
The Giants added Edmunds to a new-look defense under coordinator Dennard Wilson and coach John Harbaugh. The 27-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler and tallied 14 interceptions and 8.5 sacks throughout his career with both the Bills and Bears.
35. K’Lavon Chaisson, edge, Commanders
Contract: one year, $11 million; $10.3 million guaranteed
Chaisson is heading to Washington after one season with the Patriots, during which he had a career-high 7.5 sacks.
34. John Simpson, G, Ravens
Contract: three years, $30 million; $17.5 million guaranteed
After losing center Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders, Baltimore added a veteran guard in Simpson to help shore up the interior of its offensive line. The 28-year-old had previously spent 2022 and ’23 with the Ravens before signing with the Jets in ’24.
33. Riq Woolen, CB, Eagles
Contract: one year, $12 million; fully guaranteed
Woolen had a sensational rookie season but hasn’t lived up to expectations since then. He’ll have a great bounce-back opportunity with the Eagles, joining a cornerbacks group that includes Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
32. Alontae Taylor, CB, Titans
Contract: three years, $58 million; $42 million guaranteed
Overlooked for much of his four years in New Orleans, Taylor is a sneaky good addition for the Titans, who were in need of help at cornerback after finishing the 2025 season 23rd in passing yards allowed per game.
31. Kaden Elliss, LB, Saints
Contract: three years, $33 million; $23 million guaranteed
Elliss took full advantage of his increased snap count over the past three seasons in Atlanta, becoming an integral part of the defense. He’ll now bring that to a Saints unit that just saw DeMario Davis leave for the Jets.
30. Leo Chenal, LB, Commanders
Contract: three years, $24.75 million; $12.4 million guaranteed
Chenal tallied 218 total tackles over four seasons in Kansas City and will now give the Commanders a Bobby Wagner replacement in the middle of their defense.
29. Tyler Biadasz, C, Chargers
Contract: three years, $30 million; $20 million guaranteed
Biadasz joined the Chargers in 2026 after being cut by the Commanders this past February. He’ll give Justin Herbert & Co. a steady presence in the middle of their offensive line.
28. Braden Smith, OT, Texans
Contract: two years, $25 million; $13.5 million guaranteed
The Texans have revamped their offensive line this offseason, and their best addition has been Smith. The veteran spent the past eight seasons with the Colts, helping form one of the league’s top lines during his tenure in Indianapolis.
27. Nick Cross, S, Commanders
Contract: two years, $14 million; $6.05 million guaranteed
The Commanders plugged a hole in their defense with the signing of Cross, who is only 24. It was important for the Commanders to get younger and better on defense this offseason, and Cross matches that criteria.
26. Kevin Byard, S, Patriots
Contract: one year, $9 million; $6.17 million guaranteed
Mike Vrabel will reunite with one of his former players as the Patriots sign Byard, who’s aged like a fine wine, playing well as he prepares to enter his age-33 season.
25. Coby Bryant, S, Bears
Contract: three years, $40 million; $25.75 million guaranteed
The second-highest paid safety this offseason, Bryant joins the Bears fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Seahawks. Bryant had seven interceptions over the past two seasons and will join a Chicago secondary that paced the league in that category in 2025.
24. Bryan Cook, S, Bengals
Contract: three years, $40.25 million; $14 million guaranteed
The Bengals made defense a priority in free agency, and they fortified the secondary by bringing in Cook, who has two interceptions and 11 pass defenses over his past two seasons, both of which were spent with the Chiefs.
23. Romeo Doubs, WR, Patriots
Contract: four years, $68 million; $35 million guaranteed
The Patriots got Drake Maye a solid weapon to funnel the offense through. Will they pair him with A.J. Brown?
22. Quay Walker, LB, Raiders
Contract: three years, $40.5 million; $28 million guaranteed
Operating under the assumption that Maxx Crosby was headed to Baltimore, the Raiders made some splash moves on defense. Walker, a former Packers’ first-round pick, has recorded 2.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons.
21. Isaac Seumalo, OG, Cardinals
Contract: three years, $31.5 million; $19 million guaranteed
The Cardinals might not have a franchise quarterback, but they do have better protection for whoever is in the backfield by signing one of the best guards on the market.
20. Nakobe Dean, LB, Raiders
Contract: three years, $36 million; $20 million guaranteed
In addition to the Walker signing, the Raiders also brought in former Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean. Injuries limited him to just 10 games last season, but he impressed when healthy, racking up four sacks, 55 tackles and seven tackles for loss.
19. Isaiah Likely, TE, Giants
Contract: three years, $40 million; $20.5 million guaranteed
It’s a Ravens reunion in New York as John Harbaugh improves his offense by bringing his former tight end to the Giants.
18. Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Titans
Contract: four years, $70 million; $36.98 million guaranteed
Cam Ward gets a much-needed weapon as Robinson reunites with Brian Daboll in Tennessee.
17. Jamel Dean, CB, Steelers
Contract: three years, $36.75 million; $12 million guaranteed
Dean had three interceptions and nine pass defenses in 2025, his final season with the Buccaneers. He’ll join Jaquan Brisker as a newcomer in Pittsburgh’s new-look secondary for the ’26 season.
16. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, Patriots
Contract: three years, $42 million; $21 million guaranteed
The Patriots found an upgrade for their offensive line after Drake Maye was sacked 21 times in the playoffs. Now the question is if Vera-Tucker can stay healthy.
15. Jaylen Watson, CB, Rams
Contract: three years, $51 million; $25.99 million guaranteed
The Rams snatched the Chiefs’ corner duo as they shore up their secondary to better their Super Bowl odds.
14. Rasheed Walker, LT, Panthers
Contract: one year, $4 million; $3.215 million guaranteed
The Panthers found a replacement for the injured Ikem Ekwonu at an incredible price, ensuring Bryce Young’s blind side is protected heading into his fourth NFL season.
13. Boye Mafe, edge, Bengals
Contract: three years, $60 million; $19 million guaranteed
Another marquee defensive addition for Cincinnati, Mafe enjoyed four productive seasons with the Seahawks before signing with the Bengals in the offseason. He had 20 sacks and 36 QB hits in four years, despite a somewhat reduced role in 2025.
12. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Saints
Contract: four years, $48 million; $24 million guaranteed
The Saints’ addition of Etienne is meant to be. Etienne is from Louisiana, has a son named Saint and looks to take over for Alvin Kamara as the Saints’ lead back.
11. Odafe Oweh, edge, Commanders
Contract: four years, $100 million; $68 million guaranteed
The Commanders may have overpaid for Oweh, but at least they managed to improve their pass rush in the first wave of free agency.
10. John Franklin-Myers, DT, Titans
Contract: three years, $63 million; $42 million guaranteed
Robert Saleh will reunite with one of his former Jets as the Titans landed the best interior defender available in free agency.
9. David Edwards, OG, Saints
Contract: four years, $61 million; $45 million guaranteed
The Saints’ offensive line got an upgrade with the signing of Edwards, who has spent the past three seasons on one of the best offensive lines in Buffalo.
8. Mike Evans, WR, 49ers
Contract: three years, $42.5 million; $14.3 million guaranteed
Kyle Shanahan has a new weapon to scheme for as the 49er lured the great Evans from Tampa Bay.
7. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Chiefs
Contract: three years, $43.1 million; $28.7 million guaranteed
The Chiefs didn’t make the Super Bowl for the first time in three seasons, but they still landed the Super Bowl MVP to ignite their rushing attack.
6. Trey Hendrickson, edge, Ravens
Contract: four years, $112 million; $60 million guaranteed
The Ravens had to pay a pretty penny to sign Hendrickson, but they no longer have to cough up two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby.
5. Malik Willis, QB, Dolphins
Contract: three years, $67.5 million; $45 million guaranteed
The Dolphins secured a high-upside quarterback in Willis while they begin their rebuild. The only question is if he has anyone reliable to throw to.
4. Jaelan Phillips, LB, Panthers
Contract: four years, $120 million; $80 million guaranteed
Along with linebacker, the Panthers addressed their need in the front seven by signing one of the best available pass rushers in Phillips.
3. Kyler Murray, QB, Vikings
Contract: one year, $1.3 million; fully guaranteed
What a bargain for Minnesota, which gets a potential top-10 quarterback on clearance.
2. Devin Lloyd, LB, Panthers
Contract: three years, $45 million; $25 million guaranteed
The Panthers filled their pressing need at linebacker with a breakout star on a team-friendly deal. Lloyd earned second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in 2025 after racking up 81 total tackles and five picks for the Jaguars.
1. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Raiders
Contract: three years, $81 million; $60 million guaranteed
At an exorbitant price, the Raiders landed the best center available to start the Fernando Mendoza era.
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- Best, Worst Value Signings in NFL Free Agency Belong to a Pair of QBs
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Top 50 NFL Free-Agent Signings of 2026.
