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Top 50 国产外流网free agents in 2024: Tee Higgins headlines deep receiver crop; pass rushers aplenty!

With the 2023 国产外流网season right around the corner, which top-tier players are in a contract year? Well, here's my way-too-early ranking of the top 50 free agents in 2024.

Now, obviously this list will look completely different by next March. New long-term contracts will be signed, franchise tags will be applied and, of course, the 2023 campaign will impact player value.

With that in mind, a few guiding principles helped me make the preliminary list below.

  • I vastly prefer players headed for their second 国产外流网contract, rather than their third. It's a rare breed that makes it to the end of a third contract.
  • Positional value matters. That's why Kirk Cousins is relatively high on this list, why some cornerbacks get pushed up and why some running backs/safeties rank lower despite their talent.
  • Market dynamics matter, too. There are a lot of edge rushers and running backs available for the list at this stage. That hurts the value of mid-tier defensive ends that usually would be pushed up (guys like Marcus Davenport) and RBs in general.
  • Older veterans still have value on short-term deals. One or two years of quality-starter play is worth a lot!

Alright, enough preamble. To the list!

Rank
1
Nick Bosa
San Francisco 49ers · Edge

Bosa is currently holding out of 49ers training camp. I fully expect a contract that guarantees more money than any other defensive player before the start of the season.

Rank
2
Tee Higgins
Cincinnati Bengals · WR

With Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow's deals looming, would the Bengals consider not placing the franchise tag on Higgins next March? He's a top-15 国产外流网receiver.

Rank
3
Chris Jones
Kansas City Chiefs · DT

Ready for his third bite at the contractual apple, the league's best defensive tackle not named Aaron Donald should get a new deal before the '23 campaign kicks off.

Rank
4
Christian Wilkins
Miami Dolphins · DT

Wilkins has improved every season and is now one of the best interior defenders in football. New Dolphins DC Vic Fangio should only further his progression.

Rank
5
Danielle Hunter
Minnesota Vikings · Edge

Hunter scored a massive win by earning a hefty one-year raise from the Vikings on a July 30 and a promise they won't tag him in 2024. He's the most likely player to be No. 1 on my list by the time free agency actually begins and could reset the edge market if he's coming off a strong 2023 season.

Rank
6
Brian Burns
Carolina Panthers · Edge

Burns would be a few spots higher on this list if he weren't coming off .

Rank
7
Montez Sweat
Washington Commanders · Edge

Sweat's combination of raw strength and a fast first step is a blast to watch. Only six edge rushers had more combined sacks and quarterback hits in 2022, per Pro Football Focus.

Rank
8
Calvin Ridley
Jacksonville Jaguars · WR

In a timing offense that should suit Ridley's excellent quicks and route running, the former Falcon could put his gambling suspension behind him for good with a 1,000-yard season in Jacksonville.

Rank
9
Rashan Gary
Green Bay Packers · Edge

A great development success story for the Packers, Gary played at an All-Pro level in 2021 before tearing his ACL last season

Rank
10
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings · QB

Turning 35 years old this month, Cousins will be a risky long-term signing. He still has a ton of value, however, until he stops performing at an above-average level.

Rank
11
Michael Pittman
Indianapolis Colts · WR

Whether Pittman is a No. 1 or a No. 2 receiver is irrelevant. He's a young boundary wideout who can make plays at the catch point in a league that needs more of them. Think of him as a younger, poor man's Mike Evans.

Rank
12
Mike Evans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · WR

There's that man! It's always risky to give an over-30 receiver a huge third contract, but Evans' consistency (SEE: 1,000-plus yards in each of his nine pro seasons) is impossible to ignore.

Rank
13
Josh Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars · Edge

Somewhere between Pro Bowler and above-average starter, Allen is a consistent pass rusher coming off his most complete season.

Rank
14
Antoine Winfield Jr.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · S

Like running backs, top safeties rarely get much love as free agents. But if Jessie Bates III can strike it rich, Winfield's all-field play should be sought after in the open market.

Rank
15
L'Jarius Sneed
Kansas City Chiefs · CB

Charvarius Ward proved last offseason that Chiefs cornerbacks as free agents and that they can thrive away from Steve Spagnuolo. Sneed's possibly been even better in his rookie contract than Ward was.

Rank
16
Saquon Barkley
New York Giants · RB

I'm less interested in the never-ending RB-value debate when evaluating Barkley and more interested in whether he can stay a consistent difference-maker given his boom-or-bust five seasons thus far.

Rank
17
Jonathan Taylor
Indianapolis Colts · RB

Big plays are big plays no matter what position they come from. Taylor just has to prove he can still make them coming off an ankle injury.

Rank
18
Kristian Fulton
Tennessee Titans · CB

Above-average starting cornerbacks just entering their prime are awfully hard to find in free agency; Fulton qualifies despite his low name recognition.

Rank
19
Chase Young
Washington Commanders · Edge

More than any player on this list, Young could rise a ton or fall off based on his 2023 play. He hasn't looked the same since his knee injury.

Rank
20
Ryan Tannehill
Tennessee Titans · QB

I know he's getting old, having just turned 35, but Tannehill has held up better than anyone has given him credit for behind a truly miserable offensive line over the last few years.

Rank
21
Kyle Dugger
New England Patriots · S

Dugger is that Everything Everywhere All at Once safety that most teams are looking for, with a penchant for big plays.

Rank
22
This is a photo of C.J. Gardner Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles 国产外流网football team. This image reflects the Philadelphia Eagles active roster as of Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. (AP Photo)
Detroit Lions · S

SEE: Kyle Dugger's blurb. While didn't get the free-agent deal he wanted this past offseason, his versatility in coverage is highly valuable.

Rank
23
Josh Jacobs
Las Vegas Raiders · RB

Jacobs can make you miss on the ground and excel on passing downs. Like Saquon Barkley -- and to a lesser degree, Jonathan Taylor -- he just hasn't been as consistent on a year-to-year basis as you want an elite back to be.

Rank
24
Darnell Mooney
Chicago Bears · WR

While Mooney lacks ideal size, he has the routes, deep speed and hands to make up for it. Playing in Chicago has depressed his numbers, but the skill set is there to be a quality starter.

Rank
25
Odell Beckham
Baltimore Ravens · WR

If Beckham plays in Baltimore like he performed during the 2021 season with the Rams, he'll be ranked higher on this list come March.

Rank
26
Josh Uche
New England Patriots · Edge

Few players are faster off the ball than Uche, who is primed for a big contract year after rounding out his game during his rookie deal.

Rank
27
Mike Onwenu
New England Patriots · OG

Onwenu's been a top-five guard over the last two years, per PFF's rankings, but it's hard to imagine the Patriots giving him top-five-guard money.

Rank
28
Leonard Williams
New York Giants · DL

Williams has made it to the end of a massive second contract, which says it all about how consistent he's been.

Rank
29
Chidobe Awuzie
Cincinnati Bengals · CB

Awuzie was a great value signing from the Bengals, although his recovery from a torn ACL clouds his status entering this season.

Rank
30
Devin White
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · LB

Someone will probably fall in love with White in free agency. He can do it all and makes big plays, but is too often in the middle of giving up big plays for my taste.

Rank
31
Jeremy Chinn
Carolina Panthers · S

The depth of quality safeties could hurt Chinn's market value, but he's a playmaker who can line up at safety, linebacker and nickel back.

Rank
32
Jaylon Johnson
Chicago Bears · CB

I struggled with where to rank Johnson. He showed impressive skills as a rookie and has been inconsistent since, like a lot of cornerbacks. The ceiling is high here.

Rank
33
J.K. Dobbins
Baltimore Ravens · RB

One of the league's leading rushers down the stretch last season, Dobbins has vision and instincts that are hard to teach.

Rank
34
Zach Sieler
Miami Dolphins · DL

The real heads know. Watch any Dolphins tape, and Sieler shows up repeatedly as an ascending player who does a lot of the dirty work.

Rank
35
Austin Ekeler
Los Angeles Chargers · RB

This ranking is not an indictment of Ekeler's incredible production throughout his career, but his next contract will be his third after a few years of heavy workload.

Rank
36
Justin Madubuike
Baltimore Ravens · DT

Madubuike's role and production have increased every season in Baltimore.

Rank
37
T.J. Hockenson
Minnesota Vikings · TE

It sounds like Hockenson could get a deal before the season starts. He has proven to be a quality starter, if not a true difference-making top-10 pick.

Rank
38
Teair Tart
Tennessee Titans · DT

It takes a while to develop interior defensive linemen, so rotational players with upside (like Tart) are great targets in free agency.

Rank
39
Tyler Boyd
Cincinnati Bengals · WR

One of the better slot receivers since he entered the league, Boyd figures to be low on the Bengals' priority list, with contracts for Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and possibly Tee Higgins coming up.

Rank
40
Derrick Henry
Tennessee Titans · RB

Perhaps Henry is really a cyborg who can defy all trends at his position, but the 29-year-old has more value to the Titans than anyone else. He's led the league in carries in three of the last four years.

Rank
41
Jonah Williams
Cincinnati Bengals · OT

Expected to play right tackle for the Bengals in 2023, Williams should follow the Mike McGlinchey path of serviceable starting play to life-changing riches.

Rank
42
Marquise Brown
Arizona Cardinals · WR

Lapses in concentration aside, Brown offers rare speed and likely would've posted a second straight 1,000-yard season in 2022 if not for a broken foot that cost him five games.

Rank
43
Tony Pollard
Dallas Cowboys · RB

It will be fascinating to see if the Cowboys lean on Pollard more despite the back coming off ankle surgery. He was plenty valuable already in his old role.

Rank
44
Grover Stewart
Indianapolis Colts · DT

One of the most underrated interior defenders of the last few years, Stewart should still have good football left in him into his 30s.

Rank
45
Tyron Smith
Dallas Cowboys · OT

The arrow has been pointing down for Smith over the last two seasons when he's been on the field. Health will determine the 32-year-old's free-agent value.

Rank
46
Curtis Samuel
Washington Commanders · WR

You had to watch Samuel's 2022 season to realize how effective he was when he got the ball in his hands. He'll still be pretty young when he hits free agency again.

Rank
47
D.J. Reader
Cincinnati Bengals · DT

The Bengals' defense is drastically worse when Reader misses time. That sentence helps explain his value and his considerable risk as a free agent.

Rank
48
Xavier McKinney
New York Giants · S

McKinney appeared to lose his mojo last season under coordinator Wink Martindale; before that, he was one of the most promising young safeties in football.

Rank
49
Stephon Gilmore
Dallas Cowboys · CB

I'll rank Gilmore as if he's suffered some big decline when that actually happens, but to this point, he's remained a sturdy option.

Rank
50
Michael Thomas
New Orleans Saints · WR

Thomas' availability is anyone's guess, but he's too talented to ignore.

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