NFL free agency kicks off this week, with the “legal tampering” window beginning Monday afternoon, and signings permitted to commence Wednesday afternoon when the new league year opens at 4 p.m. ET.
The wheeling and dealing has already begun, with a handful of veterans either re-signing with their current teams, or finding work shortly after getting cut by their previous organizations.
To set the table for this week, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper took a deep dive into this year’s free agency class, ranking the top 150 players on the market.
This is your home for the next couple of weeks as we keep track of all of the comings and goings across the league, and explain how these players do (or don’t) fit with their new destinations.
Chargers re-sign Khalil Mack for 1 year
Top 150 ranking: 13
Reported deal: 1 year, $18 million
Grade: B+
Mack signed the same deal with the Chargers last offseason. Though he is entering his age-35 season, Mack is still impactful as a run defender and pass rusher. He missed most of the first half of last season with a dislocated elbow, and that affected his production. Fully guaranteed one-year deals are not ideal from a cap standpoint. Spreading money over multiple seasons provides more flexibility. But Mack is absolutely worth this money. He enters 2026 with one missing item from his Hall of Fame resume: a playoff win. He believes he can get it done with Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert in L.A. — Popper
Bills hang onto C Connor McGovern
Top 150 ranking: 22
Reported deal: 4 years, $52 million
Grade: A
Josh Allen had to be thrilled by this development. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane got the deal done to keep the Bills’ starting center under contract before he had the ability to talk to other teams. The signing means Buffalo hangs onto one of the best pass-protecting centers in the league, and also one of its strongest leaders. The 28-year-old McGovern’s communication and recognition along the line is viewed as a massive help to Allen and the offense. — Jones
Rams bring back S Kam Curl
Top 150 ranking: 23
Reported deal: 3 years, $36 million
Grade: A
A steadily ascending player, Curl made a huge leap forward last season when he recorded a career-high 122 tackles and two interceptions in his second campaign with the Rams. He helps anchor a secondary that now features the newly-acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. Curl is extremely versatile and provides strong support against the run and is also viewed as a valuable leader for the defense. — Jones
Rams, TE Tyler Higbee run it back
Top 150 ranking: 58
Reported deal: 2 years, $8 million
Grade: B
Higbee might have been able to earn more money elsewhere. He now returns to the Rams for an 11th season as the team’s longest-tenured player. The Rams are deep at tight end. They drafted Davis Allen in 2023. They signed Colby Parkinson in 2024. They drafted Terrence Ferguson last year. There is a bit of a logjam. At the same time, the Rams used 13 personnel on 30.5 percent of their offensive snaps last season, the highest rate in the league, according to TruMedia. So if there is a team that needs four quality tight ends, it is the Rams. — Popper
Chargers add C Tyler Biadasz
Top 150 ranking: 75
Reported deal: 3 years, $30 million
Grade: A-
The Commanders cut Biadasz in February, and the Chargers jumped at the opportunity to bring in a reliable starting center. This was a smart move for a team that needed an upgrade in the middle of its offensive line. Bradley Bozeman, who retired earlier this offseason, was a weak point for the Chargers over the past two seasons. The Chargers could have shopped at the top of the center market and pursued Tyler Linderbaum. Instead, they signed a savvy, experienced player in Biadasz at a much lower price point, giving them additional flexibility moving further into free agency. — Popper
Jaguars re-sign CB Montaric Brown
Top 150 ranking: 101
Reported deal: 3 years, $33 million
Grade: A
The fifth-year corner displayed significant growth for Jacksonville, going from a seventh-round pick in 2022 to a starter last season, recording a career high 12 passes defensed and two interceptions. He would’ve had suitors on the market, but he wanted to remain in Jacksonville and got a deal done before the negotiating window opened. — Jones
Broncos keep TE Adam Trautman
Top 150 ranking: 112
Reported deal: 3 years, $17 million
Grade: B+
Trautman provides most of his value as a blocker. He is elite in pass protection and can be trusted one-on-one against edge rushers. He is also a high-quality run blocker with the patience in space to set up blocks on the move. Trautman slots in below some of the top-tier blocking-forward tight ends like the Vikings’ Josh Oliver ($7.75M APY) and the Commanders’ John Bates ($7M APY). This is a sensible deal for both sides. The Broncos keep their tight end group together, with Evan Engram offering more as a receiver and field-stretcher in the passing game. — Popper
T Trent Brown stays with Texans
Top 150 ranking: 116
Reported deal: 1 year, $7 million
Grade: B
A Pro Bowl selection in 2019, Brown remains a talented right tackle. The main problem with him involves durability. He hasn’t played a full season since 2022 with New England. Brown suited up for seven games with Houston last season, and the Texans won all seven, including the playoff matchup against Pittsburgh. He continues to rehab the ankle injury that hampered him much of the 2025 season. If healthy, he will help a still-evolving Texans line, and the one-year, $7 million deal will have been a bargain signing. — Jones
Asante Samuel Jr. returns to Steelers
Top 150 ranking: 139
Reported deal: 1 year, $4 million
Grade: B
If healthy, Samuel is a talented corner who has a nose for the ball. Injuries have limited him to just 11 games (including one playoff appearance) the last two seasons. He comes at an affordable price for Pittsburgh, but has the potential to deliver difference-making production, both against the pass and the run, that would make his $4 million salary a steal. — Jones