Where nine of the best remaining NFL free agents should sign: We found perfect landing spots

Many NFL players about to hit free agency dream of being the subject of a bidding war between teams. Those guys agree to deals in the first few hours of the negotiating period. By the time we get to Day 3 of the new league year (and Day 5 of the free agent window that opens with the start of the negotiation period), there aren't many of those bidding wars happening. Players who might have expected to pick between three or four teams might just be hoping the right one sends them an offer. The market flips from players to teams quickly.

Having said that, there are still plenty of useful players who can make a difference for NFL teams in 2026. The Eagles signed star running back Saquon Barkley early in the 2024 free agent window, but they waited until late April to sign Mekhi Becton, who played a key role for them up front as they won the Super Bowl. The 2025 Seahawks snapped up Sam Darnold and DeMarcus Lawrence quickly, but Cooper Kupp didn't sign with the future title winners until Day 5 of the window.

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Let's run through some of the players who are still available in free agency. Why are they still available? What do they have to offer? And is there a team that makes sense as a likely landing spot after what we've seen over the first few days of the 2026 offseason? I'll throw nine names out there and answer those questions for each player.

Jump to a fit for:
Cousins | Robinson | Jennings | Samuel
Njoku | Walker | Taylor | Teller | Bosa

Kirk Cousins, QB

Why is he still available? Timing. While it was public knowledge that the Falcons intended to release Cousins, Atlanta couldn't officially cut the 37-year-old until the start of the new league year Wednesday afternoon. Cousins became available at that point, and while he could have spoken with other teams in the days before then, the quarterback market was waiting to see what shook out with Kyler Murray before everyone else remaining found their own homes.

Cousins has made more than $321 million over the course of his career, so the first-ballot Bag Hall of Famer obviously doesn't need to keep playing for the money.

And while Cousins tore an Achilles with the Vikings in 2023 and was ignominiously benched in the middle of a streak of interceptions during his debut year with the Falcons in 2024, the veteran returned to the lineup to replace the injured Michael Penix Jr. in 2025 and played passable football, posting a 47.6 Total QBR across 269 pass attempts. Cousins was unlucky to spend most of that time without top wideout Drake London on the field; Cousins' Total QBR rose to a more respectable 57.1 mark with London between the lines in 2025, which was right where Jaxson Dart and Jared Goff finished over the full campaign.

It's difficult to imagine Cousins being handed a starting role. He averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt in 2025 and kept the offense afloat by avoiding mistakes. He posted a 1.9% interception rate and a 4.6% sack rate, both of which were better than league average. Cousins was at his best when he could operate with heavy doses of under-center play-action, and he had a 73.8 Total QBR when given the opportunity to do so in 2025, the fifth-best mark in the NFL.

For Cousins, the question might be more about what he hopes to accomplish than where he ends up. Is Cousins' goal to have the best opportunity to play? If so, the Browns or Steelers seem like obvious landing spots. Is he hoping to win a Super Bowl before retiring? If so, Cousins is probably looking at a strict backup role. A reunion with Kyle Shanahan seemed to be in the cards for years before the 49ers went down a different path, and unless San Francisco trades Mac Jones, there won't be any need for Cousins there. What about another perennial winner?

Where he could fit: Green Bay Packers. The Packers need a backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to the Dolphins in free agency. They run play-action at one of the highest rates in the league under Matt LaFleur. Jordan Love has missed two games to injury in each of the past two years, so the Packers have to be conscious of their need to have a backup they trust if Love can't go. While LaFleur might try to find value with another prospect in the same way the Packers once did when they traded for Willis, Cousins would be a solid option as the backup behind Love in 2026.

Brian Robinson Jr., RB

Why is he still available? A limited skill set. Robinson isn't the sort of well-rounded back modern teams typically want from their RB1. He doesn't catch the ball very often. He's not great in pass protection. Robinson also fumbled eight times on 570 carries over his first three years in the league, a career that was set back at its start when the then-Commanders back was the victim of an armed robbery attempt, getting shot twice weeks before the start of his rookie campaign.

What Robinson does is very traditional: He's an efficient, effective runner between the tackles. Robinson's yards per carry and success rate have increased across each of the past three years. Among backs with 400-plus carries over the past three seasons, Robinson's 43.3% success rate as a runner ranks 11th out of 34 backs, right alongside 2025 teammate Christian McCaffrey.

Traded to the 49ers before the start of the 2025 season, Robinson spelled his star backfield mate and showed some newfound explosiveness, as 10.9% of his touches went for 10-plus rushing yards or 20-plus receiving yards. While he touched the ball only 100 times, Robinson also went all season without fumbling, which would be a major step in the right direction. He's not going to be the lead back in an offense, but he can be useful in the right situational role.

Where he could fit: Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks need a replacement for Kenneth Walker III who can shoulder a meaningful workload, given that Zach Charbonnet is expected to miss the start of the 2026 season after tearing an ACL in the playoffs. The Seahawks signed Emanuel Wilson to a one-year deal this week, but Robinson would offer a more consistent rushing performance and ably serve as the lead back in the rotation while Charbonnet recuperates.

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Jauan Jennings, WR

Why is he still available? Age and market. Jennings is a useful player and thrives on third downs and inside the red zone, where teams really need their wide receivers to make plays. He can win on contested catches and in tight quarters, making him a reliable target for young quarterbacks with a habit of putting the ball (or their receivers) in danger. Jennings is also tough; the 6-foot-3 wideout famously told reporters last year that he was playing through five broken ribs and both low and high ankle sprains.

There's no doubting Jennings' toughness, but he has yet to complete a full 17-game season as a pro. He entered the league as a 23-year-old in 2020, didn't make his debut until the following season and is hitting free agency for the first time a few months before he turns 29, which isn't a point at which teams typically want to pay a premium to wide receivers. Jennings was also a third wideout for most of that time and has just one season over 700 receiving yards (a 975-yard effort in 2024).

We've seen teams pay for speed in free agency, as wideouts such as Alec Pierce and Rashid Shaheed garnered significant contracts quickly. The only veteran wideout nearing or past 30 to sign a sizable deal in free agency so far, though, is Mike Evans, who might have taken Jennings' job when he signed with the 49ers. In addition to Jennings, veterans Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, Keenan Allen and Christian Kirk remain available, and Brandon Aiyuk and Calvin Ridley might soon follow as cap casualties. Teams are focusing on youth and aren't prioritizing more experienced options, even if they've been more productive. That's a trend across positions around the league.

This is Jennings' best chance of cashing in after playing the past two years on a bargain deal worth just $11.9 million. He's still likely to get a raise on that $6 million average he made from 2024 to 2025, but it's probably going to include only one guaranteed season. With so many other options available, the league might wait out these receivers for a while.

Where he could fit: Las Vegas Raiders. They will be running a Shanahan-inspired offense under new coach Klint Kubiak, and while there's less money than expected in the coffers after the Maxx Crosby trade was rescinded, Vegas can't afford to scrimp on help for likely first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders added receiver Jalen Nailor in free agency and have young wideouts such as Jack Bech, Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Tre Tucker in the mix. But Jennings would step in as a reliable, valuable target for Mendoza in the short term, with the Raiders likely to find their eventual WR1 in the years to come.

Deebo Samuel, WR

Why is he still available? Wear and tear. Perpetually either the best or among the best yards-after-catch creators in football, Samuel is rarely seen at 100%. He has managed to regularly stay on the field over the past three years, missing just five games over that span, but he has been limited to a sub-50% snap share five more times over that span, including once in the postseason.

Samuel's first-team All-Pro performance in 2021 -- when he averaged 18.2 yards per catch, scored more rushing (eight) than receiving (six) touchdowns and racked up 1,770 yards from scrimmage -- is a clear outlier. He has never topped 900 receiving yards in any other pro campaign, and he has topped six touchdowns from scrimmage just once across his six other pro seasons, when he scored 12 times for the 49ers in 2023.

The 30-year-old has issues with fumbles and drops, but he's still a valuable playmaker in the right offensive scheme, where his ability to run away from defenders on crossing routes and run through them on screens would be a valuable addition.

Where he could fit: Denver Broncos. Samuel is a dream fit for the Broncos' offense, where Bo Nix wants to get the ball out quickly when he has a numbers advantage or throw the ball on digs and deep crossers off play-action. The Broncos have a crowded receiver room with Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr. and Lil'Jordan Humphrey, but Samuel would be a rugged addition who offers more physicality than just about anybody in that mix. He could also be a useful runner for coach Sean Payton as a changeup in short yardage or near the goal line, where Nix is often used on sneaks and designed runs.

David Njoku, TE

Why is he still available? Injuries. The veteran tight end missed 11 games over his final two years in Cleveland, most recently because of a knee injury. His route efficiency went way down over that stretch, as Njoku went from averaging 11.3 yards per catch over his three-year peak in Cleveland to just 8.2 yards per reception over the two most recent campaigns. Between 2021 and 2023, Njoku had 22 catches on throws traveling 15 or more yards in the air. He managed just five such catches in 2024 and 2025. He has also run the highest drop rate (6.0%) of any tight end in the NFL with 200 targets or more over the past five seasons.

At his peak, Njoku was able to create after the catch as part of the many multi-TE sets the Browns ran under coach Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland moved him around a bit to create mismatches, but Njoku was usually best as an inline tight end, which might limit his flexibility for teams that do want to run 12 and 13 personnel more often in 2026.

The 2017 first-round pick will be taking a pay cut from the $13.7 million he earned annually on his last contract, and he has battled knee issues throughout his career. But in a league in which the bar is so low for tight ends who can make an impact as a receiver, Njoku should still attract interest.

Where he could fit: Baltimore Ravens. While Mark Andrews was re-signed to be the move tight end in Baltimore, the Ravens lost Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar over the first week of free agency. The Ravens signed Durham Smythe to help fill in for Kolar, and I wouldn't be surprised if general manager Eric DeCosta used a Day 3 pick on a blocking tight end to develop over the next few years. But Njoku would be taking over for Likely here as the second tight end in Baltimore's offense.

Rasheed Walker, OT

Why is he still available? Likely the contract size. Young left tackles earned massive deals in free agency last season. Jaylon Moore, the backup to Trent Williams in San Francisco, signed a two-year, $30 million contract to join the Chiefs. Dan Moore Jr., a below-average starter in Pittsburgh, inked a four-year, $82 million pact with the Titans. The latter Moore allowed the most sacks in the league in 2024 (16.5), per NFL Next Gen Stats, then finished second behind Stone Forsythe in 2025 (13.5 sacks).

Walker, a three-year starter in Green Bay, was the latest young left tackle to hit the market. He is coming from a better offense and hasn't missed a game since taking over as the starter on Jordan Love's blind side in 2023. At 26, Walker had every right to expect that he would earn one of the largest deals in free agency. My expectation was that his deal could come in as high as $25 million per season, and ESPN's Seth Walder projected Walker's new contract to average $21.8 million per year.

Talking to people in and around the league about Walker before free agency, though, there wasn't a real excitement about an opportunity that should have been very appealing on paper. Was it a red flag that the Packers were letting a young player at a critical position walk out the door without really pushing too hard to re-sign him? Were the two Moore contracts from 2024 more of an outlier than a true indicator of what teams were willing to pay for young tackles?

Some teams with left tackle openings elected to head in a different direction. The Bears and Panthers will need left tackles to open 2026 after their incumbents (Ozzy Trapilo and Ikem Ekwonu, respectively) tore their patellar tendons in January. They both opted for short-term solutions, as the Bears re-signed Braxton Jones and the Panthers added Forsythe. Teams that might have signed a left tackle and moved their incumbents to the right side, such as the Browns and Texans, instead chose to acquire right tackles.

Walker might also be heading for a short-term deal. ESPN's Adam Schefter spoke with ESPN Milwaukee earlier this week and suggested that Walker might need to settle for a one-year deal before hitting free agency again in 2027. It looks like the significant market that many anticipated for Walker -- myself included -- never really materialized.

Where he could fit: Detroit Lions. A reunion with the Packers would make sense for both sides, but if Walker is going to leave for another team, the most obvious opening left on the board is in Detroit.

The Lions released Taylor Decker earlier this offseason, leaving a hole at left tackle. Detroit could move star right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side, where he played at Oregon, but there's something to be said for keeping a superstar in the position where he has excelled. Remember that Lane Johnson was a star left tackle in his final year at Oklahoma, but he has stuck on the right side for the Eagles as a pro. A one-year deal with the Lions would give Walker a shot at proving himself in a great offense. Two games against the Packers wouldn't hurt, either.

Jawaan Taylor, OT

Why is he still available? Penalties. Taylor is a good pass-blocking tackle, as he ranked 15th, 17th and seventh in pass block win rate across his three seasons in Kansas City. He hadn't missed a single game to injury during his pro career before an elbow injury cost Taylor the final five games of the 2025 season. While he turns 29 in November and isn't really an option to play on the left side of the line, he has the sort of résumé that should earn him a meaningful third contract.

The only issue? He has committed 92 penalties since entering the NFL in 2019, 19 more than any other player. His 35 holding penalties are 10 ahead of second-place Garett Bolles, and the only player with more false starts than Taylor's 31 is Laremy Tunsil (44). The league placed an emphasis on lining up at the line of scrimmage and started to flag Taylor for illegal formation during his time with the Chiefs, as he took 10 of those calls over three years in Kansas City.

That's the trade-off with Taylor, and given how furious coaches get about preventable mistakes, it's not going to make the 2019 second-round pick a very appealing player to add to the roster. There might be an offensive line coach here or there who believes he can help Taylor correct some issues, but after seven years in the league, it's probably worth accepting Taylor for who he is, flaws and all.

Where he could fit: Indianapolis Colts. They need to do whatever they can to protect the returning Daniel Jones in 2026, and they lost veteran tackle Braden Smith to the Texans earlier this week. Massive 6-foot-8 tackle Jalen Travis made four spot starts at the end of last season and should be the favorite to start on the right side if general manager Chris Ballard doesn't add a tackle, but Taylor would be a more reliable option in a season when anything short of a playoff berth could lead to widespread changes in Indianapolis.

Wyatt Teller, G

Why is he still available? Age. Teller is 31 years old, and while he made three straight Pro Bowls earlier in his career, the longtime Browns right guard saw his play slip a bit after the departure of legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Teller missed four games each in the 2024 and 2025 seasons because of various injuries, and there will be teams nervous about committing to a veteran who might not be as physically impactful or reliable as he once was. The Browns eventually moved him into a rotational role with Teven Jenkins late in the season as the veteran battled a calf injury, although he should be healthy to start in 2026.

With that being said, even a diminished version of the guy who ran over defensive linemen as a run blocker earlier in his career has to be more appealing than some of the guards who have signed elsewhere. Zion Johnson, who struggled badly as a pass blocker during his run with the Chargers, signed with the Browns for three years and $49.5 million. Dylan Parham, who was fifth in sacks allowed by guards over the past two seasons, signed with the Jets for two years and $20 million. Ed Ingram reupped for three years and $37.5 million in Houston. Those guys are younger than Teller, but they haven't been even league-average guards so far in their careers.

Veteran guards can end up having itinerant back halves, perpetually plugging holes as reliable options on one-year deals. Teller appears to be entering that part of his career. He can still be a useful contributor in the right offense.

Where he could fit: New York Giants. John Harbaugh has brought plenty of former Ravens to New York, so maybe he could add a former AFC North opponent to the mix, too. Greg Van Roten (2025 starter) and Joshua Ezeudu (reserve) are both free agents, and while the Giants re-signed 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal, he struggled badly at tackle and didn't play a single regular-season snap after moving to guard during the 2025 preseason. Teller would step in at right guard and offer some physicality in the short term protecting for Jaxson Dart.

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Joey Bosa, Edge

Why is he still available? Unavailability. Bosa has a brutal track record of staying healthy in recent years, having missed 23 games over his final three seasons with the Chargers. The 2016 first-round pick had a relatively healthy year with the Bills in 2025, but Bosa missed two games and didn't record a single sack down the stretch and into the postseason after suffering a hamstring injury against the Steelers on Nov. 30.

It's unclear whether he is the same caliber of player he was earlier in his career with Los Angeles. Bosa forced five fumbles in 2025, but he was one of many Bills front-seven players who failed to impress against the run. He had a 3.2% quick-pressure rate through the regular season, which was below the league average (4.1%) for edge rushers with 200 pass-rush snaps or more. Bosa also wasn't chipped or double-teamed at even a league-average rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats, so opposing lines weren't focused on slowing him down. To top it off, Bosa committed an absolutely unconscionable roughing the passer penalty on Bo Nix in overtime of the divisional round loss to the Bills, although it was declined by virtue of a pass interference call downfield on the same play.

The Bills signed Bradley Chubb to serve as their designated annual pass-rush addition, which probably closes off Bosa's path to a return in Buffalo. There's still a useful player here, but Bosa is probably best in a situational pass-rush role at this point of his career, and teams will worry about committing meaningful money to a player who might not see the field very often if he can't stay healthy.

Where he could fit: San Francisco 49ers. It's the obvious call, right? The 49ers are a team that's very comfortable taking aggressive swings on talented players with upside, even if that upside comes with injury concerns. They have an opening for a situational pass rusher after Bryce Huff retired Thursday, and Clelin Ferrell and Yetur Gross-Matos are free agents. Bosa would join up with his brother, Nick, who is recovering from the second torn ACL of his pro career. Joey Bosa would be in a part-time role on a 49ers team that should be heavily rotating its edge rushers throughout the season.