Will the Texans bring back Tyrann Mathieu? Could Clay Matthews move on from the Packers after 10 seasons? Which players could get the franchise tag?
NFL Nation reporters evaluate the biggest looming free-agent decisions facing all 32 teams.
Scan through each teams by division, or click here to jump ahead to your team:
AFC EAST
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander
Alexander, one of only eight unrestricted free agents for the Bills, finished second on the team with 6.5 sacks. He will turn 36 in May but continues to play his best football late in his career, and the team captain said that has led to a “natural collision” in contract negotiations. Alexander believes he is a “unique commodity in the league” given his play for his age but recognizes Buffalo might be hesitant to pay him at his age. — Mike Rodak
Offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James
James wasn’t optimistic that a long-term deal would get done with the previous Dolphins staff in place, but with a new regime it will be interesting to see whether the team values James as a piece to build around. The Dolphins’ offensive tackles, James and budding star Laremy Tunsil, are one of their biggest strengths, and the two have a great relationship. Good offensive linemen get paid handsomely on the free-agent market, and it’s possible that number could get too high for a Miami team not close to contention. James isn’t the perfect right tackle, but it will be difficult to replace him with someone as good or better given their resources. — Cameron Wolfe
Defensive end Trey Flowers
Flowers is a perfect fit for the Patriots’ multiple scheme because he can play a traditional role on the edge or move inside to play over a guard or center — and is equally as effective as a pass-rusher or defending the run. The Patriots value that as much as any team, which is why Flowers figures to be a top priority to retain, not to mention that he is a top “program” guy in the locker room. Because Flowers isn’t an elite speed rusher, he might not command a top-of-the-market contract, but a significant payday is coming his way. — Mike Reiss
Defensive end Henry Anderson
The Jets locked up their No. 1 priority by re-signing wide receiver Quincy Enunwa to a four-year, $33 million extension. Anderson isn’t a must-keep, but he’d be a nice player to keep as part of their foundation. He recorded a career-high seven sacks in his first season with the Jets, showing the ability to play inside and outside. Anderson is only 27, just entering his prime. — Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Linebacker C.J. Mosley
It’s surprising that the Ravens haven’t reached a deal with Mosley, who has reached the Pro Bowl in four of his five seasons and made the season-saving interception in the regular-season finale. He’s a core leader for the NFL’s No. 1 defense that could part ways with veterans Terrell Suggs and Eric Weddle. If Baltimore fails to keep Mosley, it would go against the franchise’s history. Of the Ravens’ 10 first-round picks who made the Pro Bowl, nine were re-signed to a long-term deal. The only exception was guard Ben Grubbs. — Jamison Hensley
Tight end Tyler Eifert
Although Eifert’s broken ankle this season was a freak accident, it’s yet another season that he wasn’t able to stay on the field. The Bengals signed him to a one-year deal with incentives for this very reason. The Bengals have to decide whether to gamble on Eifert for another year or move on in free agency or the draft. However, they do have several other needs and no true No. 1 tight end on the roster to replace him, so moving on from Eifert isn’t the easiest decision. — Katherine Terrell
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor
Taylor would be a good backup quarterback, but he said late in the season that he would not make a decision until he met with his agent. Taylor admitted he wants to play and might see what’s on the market. If he finds little, he does like Cleveland, and would be a good fit — though he won’t make anything close to the $16 million he earned in 2018. — Pat McManamon
1:09
Dan Graziano lists the 49ers, Jets and Colts as teams that could be fits for Antonio Brown in 2019.
Running back Le’Veon Bell
Though the relationship between Bell and the Steelers appears doomed, the team still faces a decision on Bell’s future that will shape their offseason. They can place the transition tag on Bell or let him walk in free agency and recoup a mid-round compensatory pick in 2020. Either way, the likelihood of Bell playing for the Steelers in 2019 is remote after Bell just skipped an entire season. The team must decide whether to re-sign guard Ramon Foster, tight end Jesse James and linebacker Anthony Chickillo, but those calls won’t be made until Bell’s future is mapped out. — Jeremy Fowler
AFC SOUTH
Safety Tyrann Mathieu
In one season in Houston, Mathieu quickly elevated himself to a team leader. He brought a veteran presence to the Texans’ secondary and served as a mentor for future star Justin Reid. The ability to move Mathieu around enhances the defense against both the run and the pass. — Turron Davenport
Kicker Adam Vinatieri
The 46-year-old hasn’t officially made up his mind on whether he wants to play a 24th season, but he said he’ll definitely listen to the Colts if they approach him about re-signing. Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time leading scorer, is still an effective 46-year-old kicker. He was 23-of-27 on field goals and 44-of-47 on extra points this season. It would be surprising if the Colts didn’t try to re-sign him. — Mike Wells
Kicker Josh Lambo
He’s the only key player who will become a free agent with whom the Jaguars should spend their time. Lambo has been fantastic since the team signed him off the street in October 2017, making 38-of-41 field goal attempts (including 6 of 7 from 50-plus) and 41-of-44 PATs. He was pretty much the only player the Jaguars could count on in 2018 to score points until he suffered a groin injury and missed the last three games, so he should be a priority to bring back in 2019. The Jaguars have used the franchise tag on a kicker before — Josh Scobee in 2012 — but don’t expect that to be the case with Lambo. — Mike DiRocco
Safety Kenny Vaccaro
The Titans were 9-4 when Vaccaro was in the lineup and 0-3 when he wasn’t. Vaccaro teamed with Kevin Byard to give Tennessee one of the top safety tandems in the league. Although Johnathan Cyprien is returning from a season-ending knee injury, retaining Vaccaro is a move the Titans have to make. His physical play sets a tone for the team every time he steps onto the field. The 27-year-old has taken to social media frequently to express a desire to return to Tennessee and enjoys playing for defensive coordinator Dean Pees. — Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Center Matt Paradis
The Broncos have a number of soon-to-be unrestricted free agents who might score higher on the glamour meter, such as cornerback Bradley Roby and outside linebacker Shane Ray — both former first-round picks who are not expected back. The 29-year-old Paradis suffered a fractured lower leg and ligament damage in the Broncos’ loss to the Texans in November, but he had not missed a snap in his 56 career games until that injury. The Broncos are looking at a makeover along the offensive line, but Paradis should return to form. The Broncos haven’t always broken out the checkbook for a player returning from an injury, but if the doctors like where Paradis is in his recovery, they should pay him. He has been one of the league’s best bargains for years. — Jeff Legwold
Linebacker Dee Ford
The 27-year-old Ford had a career season with 13 sacks in a contract year. The Chiefs can’t afford to let Ford go as he heads into the prime of his career. Look for the Chiefs to retain him whether on a long-term contract or as the franchise player at a cost of about $15 million. Ford recently said he wouldn’t hold out if the Chiefs made him the franchise player, saying the decision to sign the tender would be a “no-brainer.” — Adam Teicher
Wide receiver Tyrell Williams
Signed as an undrafted rookie out of Western Oregon in 2015, Williams has been productive as a vertical threat for the Chargers, totaling 155 reception for 2,530 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns in four seasons. Williams has an impressive career average of 16.3 yards per catch. The Chargers would like to have back the hard-working Williams, but they also have a replacement on the roster in second-year pro Mike Williams. With speedy receivers such as Sammy Watkins and Paul Richardson receiving lucrative contracts on the free-agent market last year, the price for Williams could get too steep for the Chargers. — Eric D. Williams
Running back Marshawn Lynch
The late-season play of Doug Martin might have made Oakland’s favorite son expendable. Lynch, who went on injured reserve on Oct. 22 and never returned, sure looked content to simply light the Al Davis Torch in the home finale — even if both players averaged 4.2 yards per carry, with Martin scoring four touchdowns and Lynch three. Moving on from Lynch would mean the Raiders probably have to re-sign Martin, who is also scheduled to be a free agent. Undrafted rookie Chris Warren, a big-bodied back who spent the season stashed on injured reserve, would figure to have a bigger role. — Paul Gutierrez
NFC EAST
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence
The Cowboys can use the franchise tag for the second straight year on their Pro Bowl defensive end, but they shouldn’t let it get to that point. Reaching a long-term deal is a must. Lawrence is the Cowboys’ best pass-rusher, the war daddy Jerry Jones has sought since DeMarcus Ware’s departure. Without Lawrence, the defense would lose a lot of its identity. It’s not just how he rushes the passer. It’s how he affects the run game, too. Without Lawrence, the Cowboys would have to find a pass-rusher in the draft and they don’t have a first-round pick because of the Amari Cooper trade. It will be costly, but the Cowboys have a history of keeping their own players off the market with high-end deals. — Todd Archer
Safety Landon Collins
He just turned 25 years old and has made three Pro Bowls. Think the Giants can afford to let him walk? Collins is a playmaker who led the team in tackles this past season even after missing four games. The franchise tag is in play here if the two sides can’t come to an agreement on a long-term deal. — Jordan Raanan
Defensive end Brandon Graham
The defensive hero of Super Bowl LII, Graham played through a high ankle sprain last postseason and wasn’t fully healthy for much of the 2018 campaign. He ended with four sacks — his lowest total since 2013 — but the 30-year-old picked up steam as the season went on. He can be a force both against the run and as a pass-rusher, and he has been a key figure in the locker room over the past several seasons. Graham loves it in Philadelphia. If the Eagles can get him at a discount, a deal could get done. But his best chance at a bigger payday will be elsewhere. — Tim McManus
Linebacker Preston Smith
Wide receiver Jamison Crowder is right there with him — and perhaps just a little higher on the list of guys they’d like to re-sign. But Smith provides a bigger conundrum: He recorded only four sacks this season, but he’s also just 26 years old so he’s just now entering his prime. It’s hard to let young pass-rushers leave. However, he’ll also be expensive because of the position he plays and the subsequent demand. It’s hard to see the Redskins going too high for Smith; if they switch to a 4-3 they can mitigate his loss, or they could draft someone else if they stay in a 3-4. Smith did not make enough big plays for them to automatically re-sign him, but it’s a difficult position to fill. — John Keim
NFC NORTH
Safety Adrian Amos
The Bears re-upped with starting cornerbacks Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara last offseason, but they appear content to let Amos test free agency. A former fifth-round draft pick, Amos carved out a nice career, starting 56 regular-season games since 2015. Amos had 71 tackles and a career-best two interceptions for the Bears’ top-ranked defense in 2018. The Bears likely want to keep Amos, but at their price. — Jeff Dickerson
Defensive end Romeo Okwara
This isn’t a star-power move, but Okwara’s contract situation makes him the most intriguing after his 7.5-sack breakout season. He’s a restricted free agent, so the Lions can either tender him and hope no team goes after him or they can give him a new contract on its own. After the way general manager Bob Quinn spoke about Okwara during his season-ending news conference, he seems like a player they want to keep around. The question will be the cost. He’s a tougher call than some of the bigger names heading toward free agency (Ezekiel Ansah) and some of the cap decisions they’ll have to make (T.J. Lang, Glover Quin) because of his youth and figuring out whether it was a one-season aberration or the start of the growth of a key player. — Michael Rothstein
Outside linebacker Clay Matthews
Look at the sack numbers — 3.5 last season and just 16 over the past three seasons — and you’d probably think it’s a no-brainer to move on. But if Matthews agreed to move to inside linebacker, where he’s been effective before, then it might be worth bringing him back. The Packers have plenty of holes to fill on defense and retaining Matthews — at the right price, of course — could help. — Rob Demovsky
Linebacker Anthony Barr
Because the Vikings chose not to extend Barr’s contract last offseason, the former ninth overall pick could soon be headed toward free agency. Given the restrictions they face with the salary cap, the Vikings aren’t likely to make a ton of moves in the offseason, and the cost to keep Barr (somewhere in the range of $11 million to $12 million) could mean Minnesota prices itself out of that sweepstakes. Placing the franchise tag on Barr is a possibility, but that, too, would be expensive. Barr’s fifth season was up and down, but he shined brightest when used to rush the passer (three sacks, four QB hits, eight tackles for loss). With that in mind, Barr might want to go play for a team that would allowed him to be a 3-4 outside linebacker tasked with pursuing the quarterback regularly. After all, Barr did say he feels like he’s better at going forward rather than going backward. He might have a better chance of fulfilling that role on a different team. — Courtney Cronin
NFC SOUTH
Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett
General manager Thomas Dimitroff said signing Jarrett to an extension is the top priority, though those talks were put off during the season. Jarrett could get as much as $17 million per year in a new deal. The Falcons just have to find a way to be creative with it so they have enough cap room for other priorities, such as taking care of wide receiver Julio Jones and upgrading the offensive line. Franchising Jarrett could be an option, but that seems unlikely based on the Falcons’ history. — Vaughn McClure
Safety Eric Reid
The decision to move on from 35-year-old outside linebacker Thomas Davis was a big one but somewhat expected. Finding a way to keep Reid, who at 27 has a lot of good football left in him, will be key for a secondary looking to maintain stability with strong safety Mike Adams not likely to be re-signed. The Panthers already have reached out to Reid’s agent. The question is will they be willing to give Reid the “fair market” price he wants when the organization hasn’t spent a lot of money at safety in the past? — David Newton
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater
I could have listed either Bridgewater or running back Mark Ingram, but Bridgewater is a bigger financial decision since he should cost somewhere between $10 million and $20 million per year. Still just 26 years old, Bridgewater would be an ideal successor to Drew Brees, who turns 40 on Tuesday. But the only realistic way for the Saints to keep Bridgewater is if Brees were to announce he plans to retire in the next year or two — and there’s no indication he plans to do that. More likely, Bridgewater will leave for big money and an opportunity to start right away. — Mike Triplett
Linebacker Kwon Alexander and offensive tackle Donovan Smith
Prior to Alexander suffering a torn ACL in Week 7, his representatives wanted $12 million per year, and the Bucs weren’t willing to go above $10 million, sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN. Now the Bucs have a scheme change under defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Will Bowles see Alexander as the “heart and soul of the defense” the way Dirk Koetter did? Then there’s Smith, who is still battling consistency issues but has not missed a single game in four seasons, which is so rare at the left tackle position. — Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Defensive end Markus Golden
Yes, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is a free agent, but the team won’t decide whether to re-sign him. He’ll decide whether to return or retire. Golden, however, might be the Cardinals’ tell when it comes to the first pick in the draft. If they re-sign him to a multiyear deal, it’ll be hard to believe Arizona will draft a pass-rusher first overall, since he and Golden play the same position and there are only two edges from which to rush. Golden was slow to return from an ACL injury suffered early in 2017 and finished with 2.5 sacks in 11 games. If the Cards believe Golden, who had 12.5 sacks in 2016, can return to form next year with an entire offseason healthy, then they could re-sign him and pass on Ohio State’s Nick Bosa in the draft. — Josh Weinfuss
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh
The Rams signed Suh to a one-year, $14 million contract last year as he was considered a one-year rental. His numbers didn’t jump off the stat sheet, with 4.5 sacks in a run defense that ranked last in the NFL, allowing an average of 5.1 yards per carry. Perhaps that means the Rams could re-sign Suh at a discount, or that they’ll look for a younger, less expensive option. — Lindsey Thiry
Kicker Robbie Gould
The Niners don’t have many incumbent starters set to hit free agency, but Gould is an important piece in a league in which kickers have become more and more unreliable. In two seasons in San Francisco, Gould missed just three of his 75 field goal attempts for a league-best 96 percent conversion rate. The 49ers want him back and Gould has said he’d like to return, but terms must still be reached and Gould would be a hot commodity if the 49ers don’t sign or tag him and he hits the open market. — Nick Wagoner
Defensive end Frank Clark
It’s not a question of whether Clark will be back with the Seahawks next season because there’s no way they’d let a 25-year-old pass-rusher with 33 sacks over the past three seasons leave in free agency. It’s a matter of whether they can agree to a multiyear deal or if Seattle will have to place the franchise tag on him. Remember, his agent told ESPN in October that Clark is willing to wait for the right deal, even if it means playing on the tag first. That line of thinking makes it hard to imagine Clark taking a deal this offseason that averages much less than the franchise number for defensive ends, which is projected to be upward of $18 million for 2019. — Brady Henderson
Source : ESPN
