The 2025 NFL season has officially kicked into high gear, as Voluntary OTAs have begun and owners’ meetings are in full swing to decide on some rule changes for the upcoming year. However, despite many teams hitting the practice fields, there are still some high quality free agents waiting at home for a call from one of the league’s 32 organizations. There are terrific free agents on both sides of the ball that should have easily been signed months ago.
For one reason or another, though, these players are waiting the process out. Until they decide to sign with a team, we thought we would rank the best remaining free agents and match them with their ideal team for both the NFL and Madden 26. We have five current free agents that we’ll be talking about, and the team matches we’ve come up for them are based on a team’s needs and how the player fits into its offensive or defensive scheme.
The free agents are ranked on pedigree and how valuable they were in 2024.
Amari Cooper, WR
- Best Madden 26 fit: Seattle Seahawks
At this point, it’s almost baffling how a wide receiver as talented as Amari Cooper still hasn’t found a home for the 2025 season. Cooper spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills in 2024, playing a key role in Buffalo’s passing attack down the stretch. While Cooper might not be able to cross the 1,000-yard receiving threshold as he’s done so many times in the past, his skills are best utilized in the revamped Seattle Seahawks offense.
Seattle has a new quarterback in Sam Darnold, who consistently got the ball to receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in Minnesota. Cooper could slide right into the “Z” receiver role for the Seahawks following the departure of D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, while Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba would take over as the “X” receiver. This way, Cooper doesn’t need to be relied on as heavily and can instead work on getting open against lesser-talented DBs.
Aaron Rodgers, QB
- Best Madden 26 fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is easily the biggest name on this list and one of the only sure-fire Hall of Famers still waiting for a team. While it’s still possible that Rodgers will retire before the 2025 season, there’s an equal chance that he suits up for his third team in four years. There are a couple of different suitors that make sense for Rodgers, but none are a better fit than the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh, as of now, has Mason Rudolph as its number one quarterback on the depth chart. For a team that hasn’t had a losing record in over two decades, that’s certainly not a recipe for a winning season. The Steelers and Rodgers have been linked all offseason long, and Rodgers would make the Steelers an instant wildcard threat in Madden 26 if the two sides come together. Rodgers throwing to newly-acquired receiver D.K. Metcalf would be especially exciting to see.
Keenan Allen, WR
- Best Madden 26 fit: Arizona Cardinals
Keenan Allen is another highly respected and talented veteran wide receiver still without a home for the 2025 season. Allen didn’t have the best season with the Chicago Bears in 2024 amidst a flurry of coaching changes and a rookie QB at the helm, but he’s still as reliable as ever. He can be a terrific mentor to a young receiving room and be a solid number two/three option behind a bona fide stud. While there are a couple of teams that Allen could be useful on, the Arizona Cardinals might need his services the most.
Arizona has been middling in mediocrity for nearly the entire duration of Kyler Murray’s career, and the quarterback has yet to really put all of his tools together. Well, with the Cardinals entrusting the top of the wide receiver room to sophomore Marvin Harrison Jr., Keenan Allen could slide in as a trustworthy number two target to act as a safety net for Murray. While Harrison is maneuvering all across the field in Madden 26, Allen can run a solid route to get open underneath and rack up some YAC.
Nick Chubb, RB
- Best Madden 26 fit: Chicago Bears
Currently, there are two veteran, free agent running backs who have a troubling injury history. J.K. Dobbins is one, and Nick Chubb is the other. While Dobbins did have a career year in 2024, he still missed four games and has yet to play a full season in the NFL. Chubb, on the other hand, was a steady workhorse in Cleveland before a gruesome knee injury caused him to miss part of 2023 and nearly all of 2024.
Given the pair’s injury and playing histories, we feel Chubb has the best chance to make an impact in 2025. Where that will be remains to be seen, but the Chicago Bears might offer the best overall landing spot for the former Brown. The Bears currently have one of the more questionable running back rooms in the NFL, and could easily sign Chubb to a one-year “prove it” deal that could be extremely beneficial for both sides. Pairing Chubb with QB Caleb Williams, a revamped Bears offensive line, and new head coach Ben Johnson would be a dream scenario in Madden 26 at the very least.
Mike Hilton, CB
- Best Madden 26 fit: Miami Dolphins
Rounding out our list is cornerback Mike Hilton, who made quite a name for himself in Cincinnati after some shaky years in Pittsburgh. Hilton graded out as the 16th-best cornerback in the NFL in 2024, according to PFF. However, for whatever reason, cornerbacks haven’t been flying off the proverbial shelves during free agency. Hilton remains, as does Rasul Douglas, Asant Samuel Jr., and Stephon Hilmore.
Hilton had the best season out of those players in 2024, though, so he’s arguably the most desirable option from the bunch. In terms of Hilton’s best fit, the Miami Dolphins need desperate help at the cornerback position, especially if star player Jalen Ramsey ends up getting his trade request granted before the start of the season. Hilton would slide right into Ramsey’s CB1 role if that trade occurs, and even if it doesn’t, Hilton would be a fantastic addition to an underwhelming Dolphins defense.
Honorable Mentions
We wanted to list some honorable mention free agents and where we think they should end up as well. We talked about most of these players on the list already, but here are our picks for their best fit in Madden 26:
- J.K. Dobbins – Denver Broncos
- Rasul Douglas – Los Angeles Chargers
- Asante Samuel Jr. – Atlanta Falcons
- Stephon Gilmore – Minnesota Vikings
- Matt Judon – Washington Commanders
- Justin Simmons – Philadelphia Eagles
- Za’Darius Smith – Detroit Lions
That does it for our list of the best available free agents and where they fit best in Madden 26 for the 2025 season. Did we miss a free agent, or do you think a player fits better somewhere else? In the meantime, check out our list of Predicting the Best Rookies in Madden 26 and The Most Intriguing Position Battles in Madden 26.
