In the span of the past week, the Arizona Cardinals announced they’re cutting ties with franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, the Las Vegas Raiders traded star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, and the Buffalo Bills landed a top target for Josh Allen in D.J. Moore as the Chicago Bears cleared a bunch of cap space.
And to think, this is only just the beginning.
The new league year, which officially opens on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, will bring with it a flurry of moves as free agents find new homes, but the bidding starts Monday with the league’s legal tampering period.
There is a ton of talent about to be on the move, but not all bring the same kind of intrigue.
This is not a list of the nine best free agents — though, if it were, you’d no doubt see some of these names on it — but rather the players who bring the most intrigue for reasons of earning potential, breakout and bounce-back possibilities, and enticing team fits we’d love to see.
Kyler Murray, Quarterback
He’s still officially an Arizona Cardinal for a few more days, but with the team informing him last week he’ll be cut as the new league year begins on Wednesday, Kyler Murray is free to find his next home.
Murray is a dynamic talent, but questions about his work ethic and leadership have cropped up on more than one occasion — most famously within the contract clause written into his monster 2022 extension requiring him to study. His stats since signing never really matched the high price of that contract, and when a foot injury sidelined him last year and led to backup Jacoby Brissett stealing the No. 1 gig, the writing was on the wall for the high-paid QB and his rebuilding team to part ways.
Making Murray all the more enticing to QB-ready teams looking for experienced help is the fact he’ll likely be playing 2026 on a one-year veteran minimum deal — much like the one Russell Wilson signed in Pittsburgh after being cut by Denver — as he’s still owed nearly $40 million in guarantees from the Cardinals.
Minnesota is the most obvious front-runner here, considering head coach Kevin O’Connell’s track record of one-year QB revivals, the team’s questions about J.J. McCarthy, and the presence of all-world WR Justin Jefferson. But there will be many suitors, making Murray a fascinating player to watch.
Malik Willis, Quarterback
Murray might be the most obviously talented starter on the QB market, but Malik Willis holds the power of NFL scouts’ favourite word: potential.
After Sam Darnold’s rise from Jets cast-off to Seahawks Super Bowl Champ, everyone’s looking for the next Darnold-ian reclamation project. Willis has emerged as the top candidate.
He fits the mould perfectly. Four years into his NFL career, we don’t really know the full extent of what Willis can do when given the right tools to succeed. He wasn’t exactly given much runway to thrive in Tennessee before being traded to Green Bay, where he waited in the wings as Jordan Love’s backup before getting a chance to reintroduce himself to the league during a two-game stint late last season. The sample size is small — just six career starts in total, and only three over two years as Packers backup — but his recent numbers show promise: A 78.7 completion percentage, a 3-0 TD-to-INT ratio and a 134.6 passer rating. It’s the difference between his time as a Titan versus a Packer that stands out most. The Willis we saw at the helm of Green Bay’s offence looked poised, mobile, and played a clean game. He looked more than ready for a second chance at a starting job, and that’s what he’ll get in his first stint on the open market.
Trey Hendrickson, Defensive end
After multiple trade requests, franchise tags, and the Bengals doing pretty much everything to keep their star pass-rusher in tiger stripes — minus actually giving him the money and term he’s sought for years, of course — Trey Hendrickson is free to go. But where? A first-time free agent at 31, Hendrickson is healthy after undergoing season-ending surgery in December and just a year removed from posting his second straight 17.5-sack season. The Chicago Bears, rumoured to be in on trade talks for Maxx Crosby before the Raiders sent him to Baltimore, just cleared up nearly $30 million in cap space and have an obvious need for a second star pass-rusher opposite Montez Sweat. Indianapolis could be an obvious choice, too, considering Hendrickson’s familiarity with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo — Hendrickson had his best seasons playing within Anarumo’s system. And we all know Dallas could use a new star on defence, though trading for Rashan Gary might rule Jerry Jones out of the running.
Mike Evans, Wide receiver
While 25-year-old Alec Pierce is considered the top wide receiver slated for the open market after proving himself as a No. 1 guy in Indianapolis, the most intriguing wide receiver right now is Mike Evans. Injuries hindered his ability to go for a twelfth consecutive 1,000-yard season last year, and health will understandably play a part in the 32-year-old’s earning potential. But his Hall of Fame resume speaks for itself. If the veteran is indeed moving on from Tampa Bay, it’s hard not to daydream about what he’d look like as, say, a deep threat in powder blue as the missing piece of the Chargers’ passing attack… or, perhaps as a sure-handed veteran playmaker for Josh Allen, whose Bills also brought in D.J. Moore via a trade with the Bears. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Riq Woolen, Cornerback
He’s a high-risk, high-reward defensive playmaker — sometimes both, within a single game — but considering his role in Seattle’s championship-winning defence, there will be plenty of eyes on Tariq Woolen as he ponders his options. When you boast the size and footspeed Woolen does, there will be no shortage of interested teams. A penchant for penalties presents a bit of a red flag, and his status as a starter in Seattle was far from a sure thing over the course of this past season, which points to an impending departure. So, too, does the Seahawks’ defensive depth, which likely means Woolen wouldn’t earn as much with the Seahawks as he would on the open market. Seattle just reminded everyone that defence does indeed win championships. Big swings at the position could be coming.
Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback
At the beginning of last year, all signs pointed to 2025 being Rodgers’ final go-round in the NFL. But he left the door open for a return at season’s end… so, now, we wait.
It’s Rodgers, so we could be waiting a while. If the 42-year-old does wish to play another campaign, will it be with the Steelers? That would make the most sense, considering the familiarity, and the intrigue of reuniting Rodgers and newly named Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is incredibly enticing. The Vikings also make some sense, given the team’s QB-friendly offence and perceived need for a short-term veteran to start while McCarthy takes a step back to develop. They’ve been on Rodgers’ radar before.
If he’s played his final game, it was a remarkable career more than worthy of the Hall of Fame. And if he hasn’t? It gives this year’s QB carousel an interesting dimension once again.
David Njoku, Tight end
He’s not the biggest name at his position poised to hit the open market on Wednesday — we all know that honour belongs to Travis Kelce, should he decide to continue his career (though, it’s hard to see him doing so anywhere but Kansas City). Dallas Goedert likely has the biggest earning potential, given his Eagles resume and the fact that he’s coming off season-highs in receiving touchdowns and catches. Cade Otton and Isaiah Likely are young guys with high earning potential on longer-term deals after developing into No. 1 options with the Buccaneers and Ravens, respectively.
But the intrigue around David Njoku is real. He’s a powerful athlete coming off two injury-hampered years, and poised for a bounce-back with a team with an actual starting quarterback at the helm. Nine years with the Browns have earned him league-wide respect but few opportunities to truly thrive. At 30, he’s got plenty of runway left and is finally in a position to select his destination. Choose well, and he could be a top candidate for a late breakout on a bigger stage.
Tyler Linderbaum, Centre
It’s not often you see a 25-year-old centre hit the open market, and Tyler Linderbaum is considered one of the best young players at his position right now. The earning potential is sky-high, so while the Ravens reportedly wish to re-sign him, it’s easy to see why he’d want to test the waters.
Interest in the Pro-Bowler knows few boundaries — we’re reminded each post-season of the importance of reliable o-line play, both for teams ready to contend and those looking to build a strong foundation, and the centre position is one of the most consequential in the game. Teams with young quarterbacks like the Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders would be wise to take big swings as they build up. Should Linderbaum choose to target a more ready-to-contend club, the Bears’ pressing need for OL help has been well-documented (as has their recent influx of cap space), while a reunion with John Harbaugh in New York could make a ton of sense, too, if he doesn’t stay put in Baltimore.
Jaelan Phillips, Linebacker
He won’t necessarily break a game wide open like the newly traded Maxx Crosby, and his earning potential doesn’t appear to be as high as that of Trey Hendrickson’s, but Jaelan Phillips’ do-it-all skillset makes him an enticing signing wherever he lands. He spent much of 2023 and 2024 sidelined by injuries, and enjoyed a bounce-back in Philadelphia last year to the tune of two sacks and 28 tackles in eight games after being acquired in November. At 26, his best football is likely still ahead of him. The Eagles surely know that after trading for him in November and watching him grow within Philly’s system. They could still hang onto the defender, and all reports state the team is trying. But with Phillips’ earning potential as a defender still on the rise, it could price him out of Philadelphia, where there is a growing list of other big-money defenders to be extended in the near future. Might Phillips choose fit over full earning potential? Can GM Howie Roseman work his magic again?
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