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NFL free agency is one of the best times of the year. It signals the start of a new season, and it gives pretty much every fanbase some hope that their new players can help turn things around.

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From the Las Vegas Raiders picking first overall to the Seattle Seahawks, who just won the Super Bowl, every team has needs. I dove into this free agent class earlier, ranking my top-50 free agents, and now it’s time to figure out where they could all end up. Here’s one free agent every NFL team must prioritize in free agency.

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And before anyone asks why George Pickens isn’t on here, I’m acting under the assumption he is going to be franchised tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, because that seems to be the most likely route for the top free agent available.

Note: I used a different player for every team, so there are no duplicates. Of course, multiple teams’ top target should be Trey Hendrickson or Kenneth Walker, so I wanted some variety.

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Arizona Cardinals: OT Rasheed Walker

The Arizona Cardinals need a ton of help along their offensive line. Paris Johnson has proven to be a solid option at left tackle, but the rest of their OL is a big mess. I know Rasheed Walker plays left tackle too, but he’s been a wall in pass protection for the Green Bay Packers (he could use some work in the run game, though). They could kick Johnson over to the right side and be set at the tackle positions for a few years.

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Atlanta Falcons: DE Boye Mafe

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This isn’t a super deep edge rusher free agent class, but the Atlanta Falcons need to find some help at the position. I wouldn’t be worried about it, but the James Pearce situation keeps getting worse by the minute, and there’s no guarantee he plays a snap for Atlanta again. Jalon Walker had a promising rookie season, but adding someone like Boye Mafe, who won’t demand too much money, opposite of him would be beneficial.

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Baltimore Ravens: DE Trey Hendrickson

One of the premier players in this free agent class is Trey Hendrickson. He’s been trying to get out of Cincinnati for a while now, and he’s finally going to get a new contract elsewhere. Everyone’s going to want a piece of him, but I think the Baltimore Ravens should go after him hard. They really struggled to get after the passer, but they have the pieces in the secondary and on offense to be a threat in the AFC. Getting someone like Hendrickson might push them over the edge.

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Buffalo Bills: WR Alec Pierce

If Pickens isn’t tagged, the Buffalo Bills should certainly go after him. But since I don’t think he’ll be available, Alec Pierce will be the next-best option. He really broke out this season as a deep threat, but he’s capable of being so much more than that. He may not be the dominant WR1 they need, but he’s better than everyone they have on their roster.

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Carolina Panthers: TE Kyle Pitts

The Carolina Panthers gave Bryce Young a receiver in Tet McMillan last season, and he had the best year of his career. Imagine what he could do with Kyle Pitts at tight end. I know he hasn’t lived up to the hype, but he’s still a really good playmaker at the tight end position, and if they want to keep getting the most out of Young while they think about signing him to a long-term deal, keep giving him more weapons.

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Chicago Bears: DE Odafe Oweh

The Chicago Bears are another team that needs edge help. They’ll be in on the Trey Hendrickson market, but if they miss, they should set their sights on Odafe Oweh. The Los Angeles Chargers defensive end set the second-highest sack total of his career with 7.5 in 2025, and if you remove last season, where he played five games, he’s logged 17.5 in his last two full seasons. He’s instantly help the Bears out defensively.

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Cincinnati Bengals: LB Quay Walker

The Cincinnati Bengals need help at almost every position on defense, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they target a lot of different positions, but Quay Walker is one of the best defenders available. He had a great run with Green Bay, and Cincinnati needs a replacement for Logan Wilson, so it makes sense for both sides.

Cleveland Browns: WR Wan’Dale Robinson

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This isn’t a great wide receiver group, but I think someone’s going to get some value with Wan’Dale Robinson. A lot of people have him ranked below Romeo Doubs, but I think he’s better. He just went for 1,000 yards, acting as New York’s WR1, and Cleveland has one of the worst receiving cores in the league. Robinson could get his wish of being a WR1 next season if he goes to Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys: S Coby Bryant

The Cowboys need a ton of help in their secondary, so they could target any one of the cornerbacks or safeties on the market. But after going through all the teams, I think Coby Bryant would best fit in Dallas. Bryant is coming off a Super Bowl win, and he played really well in the postseason. This would be a great addition and would free Dallas up a bit in the draft.

Denver Broncos: RB Breece Hall

The Denver Broncos were missing a consistent run game in their offense last season, so expect them to make a move for one of the free agent running backs. Kenneth Walker would be ideal, but I also think Breece Hall is more of a Sean Payton-type back. He can do a lot of things in the pass game (think Alvin Kamara) while still being productive on the ground. This would be one of my favorite pickups of the offseason.

Detroit Lions: C Cade Mayes

Graham Glasgow took over for Frank Ragnow this season, and he really struggled at center. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Lions went after Tyler Linderbaum, but there’s another team that I think could go after him harder, so I’m saying Detroit could target Cade Mayes, who is probably the second-best center in free agency.

Green Bay Packers: CB Nashon Wright

The Packers need help in their secondary, there’s no question about it. If they really want to make a run at the Super Bowl, they need to upgrade the cornerback position, and Nashon Wright is arguably the best one available. If they could steal him away from their NFC North rivals, it would be a big move.

Houston Texans: OT Braden Smith

The Houston Texans have needed help on their offensive line for years, and while they’ve gotten better, tackle is still a need. Braden Smith isn’t an all-star, but he’s been a solid tackle for Indianapolis for the better part of a decade and could really help keep C.J. Stroud upright.

Indianapolis Colts: QB Daniel Jones

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The Indianapolis Colts need to make sure they lock down Daniel Jones, but I don’t think it should be to a long-term deal. He played incredibly well for them last season, but he’s coming off a torn Achilles. If I were them, I’d look to bring him back on a one or two-year deal, but if there are others vying for his talents, they may be forced to give him a 3+ year extension.

Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd

Devin Lloyd has always been a solid linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he really broke out in 2025. He actually recorded a career low in tackles (81), but he improved so much in coverage, allowing just one touchdown while picking off five passes and breaking up two more. His 81.1 coverage grade is easily the best in his career. Part of the reason Jacksonville was so good this season was because of their defense, so they need to keep their core pieces intact.

Kansas City Chiefs: RB Travis Etienne

The Kansas City Chiefs need to put some weapons around Patrick Mahomes, especially at running back. Kenneth Walker and Breece Hall would certainly be options here, but the Chiefs don’t have much cap to work with, and of the three, Travis Etienne will be the cheapest. Plus, I think his receiving ability would add a lot to this offense.

Las Vegas Raiders: WR Rashid Shaheed

The Raiders are ready to make Fernando Mendoza their franchise quarterback, and every star signal caller needs a weapon on the outside. Right now, the Raiders might have the worst receiver room in the league, so adding someone like Rashid Shaheed, who probably won’t be too expensive, would help Mendoza out a lot. Plus, he’s an elite returner on special teams.

Los Angeles Chargers: OG Isaac Seumalo

The Los Angeles Chargers have their two star tackles, but they really need to bolster the interior of their offensive line. When Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater went out, they had the worst offensive line in the league, so bringing in a fairly cheap veteran offensive guard makes a lot of sense. Isaac Seumalo could step in for a year or two while they find a guard to take his spot in the draft.

Los Angeles Rams: DT John Franklin-Meyers

John Franklin-Meyers just logged 7.5 sacks for the Broncos, and he’s easily one of the best defensive tackles available in free agency. The Los Angeles Rams didn’t lose in the NFC Championship because of their offense; it was because of their defense. They have great edge rushers and could use some help in the secondary, but they need a game-changing defensive tackle like they had in Aaron Donald. I’m not saying Franklin-Meyers is Donald, but he can provide some pressure from the middle.

Miami Dolphins: CB Tariq Woolen

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Tariq Woolen did not play very well at the start of the season, and his playing time started to evaporate as the year went on. He still played 30+ snaps in most games, but that’s a big drop down from the 60+ he was averaging earlier in the year. His time in Seattle is almost certainly coming to a close, and the Miami Dolphins have a big need at cornerback. With Jeff Hafley heading over, he’s going to want to go out and spend money on defense, so this pairing makes a lot of sense.

Minnesota Vikings: CB Jaylen Watson

Brian Flores’ defense was pretty disappointing early in the season, but as the year went on, they got much better and finished in the top 10 in scoring. But there’s one glaring need on their defense, and that’s at the cornerback position. They’re in a spot where they could land one in the draft, but bringing in an experienced player like Jaylen Watson would make a ton of sense.

New England Patriots: OG Alijah Vera-Tucker

I’m not done believing in Will Campbell as a tackle, and neither are the Patriots, but I do think they need some help on the interior of their offensive line. Alijah Vera-Tucker is arguably the best guard available, but he carries a lengthy injury history with him. A team like New England, that’s already a Super Bowl contender, can afford to take a shot on someone like him. If it hits, he’s your starting guard for the foreseeable future. If not, try again next year.

New Orleans Saints: OG David Edwards

The New Orleans Saints also need a guard, but they can’t afford to take a shot on an injury-prone player. They need someone who will step in and play 15+ games, and that’s exactly what David Edwards can do. He’s been a solid guard throughout his time in Buffalo, so if the Saints can land him, they’ll have one of the better offensive lines in the NFC.

New York Giants: C Tyler Linderbaum

Tyler Linderbaum is going to be a hot commodity, but the New York Giants seem to make the most sense. They have a need at center, and Linderbaum’s former head coach, John Harbaugh, just made the move to the Big Apple. Linderbaum could follow him there and be a focal point of New York’s rebuild.

New York Jets: QB Malik Willis

With Dante Moore returning to Oregon, the New York Jets will probably not get their franchise quarterback in this draft. So, if I’m them, I’m taking a flyer on Malik Willis. He played really well for the Packers last season when he was called upon, so why not see if he has anything in him over 17 games? Worst case, you’re back picking in the top five and get your quarterback next year. Best case, he turns out to be great, and you got your guy.

Philadelphia Eagles: DE Jaelan Phillips

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The Philadelphia Eagles really struggled to get after the quarterback last season, but once they traded for Jaelan Phillips, that changed. He recorded 41 pressures in eight games, including three games with 7+. His sack numbers weren’t there, but that can easily change next year, so I’d do everything I could to re-sign him if I were Philly.

Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Mike Evans

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to get some help at receiver, especially if they want Aaron Rodgers to stick around for another year. DK Metcalf is great, but you know what isn’t? Everyone else around him. If they could go out and add a veteran like Mike Evans for a year or two, they could try to make a run in the AFC. It probably wouldn’t happen, but they don’t seem to want to rebuild, so this is their best shot.

San Francisco 49ers: WR Jauan Jennings

Jauan Jennings has really stepped up his game over the past two years, combining for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns since the start of 2024. Ricky Pearsall hasn’t panned out, Deebo Samuel is gone, and who knows what Brandon Aiyuk is doing. If they want to continue to compete in the NFC, keeping Jennings, who may be your best receiver, around makes a lot of sense.

Seattle Seahawks: RB Kenneth Walker

If I’m the Seahawks, my main focus is on retaining Kenneth Walker. He went off in the playoffs for 300+ yards and four touchdowns, including a 135-yard effort in the Super Bowl, which netted him the Super Bowl MVP trophy. His price tag has skyrocketed over the past month, and if Seattle wants to bring him back, they’re going to have to pony up.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Demario Davis

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a glaring need at linebacker. Lavonte David could end up retiring this offseason, so they need to find someone to replace him. Ideally, they would draft someone because this is a very deep off-ball linebacker class, and have them study under a veteran’s leadership. And who better than Demario Davis, a linebacker they’re all too familiar with. He’s aging like wine, but he also understands his career is coming to an end and will help coach up a young buck.

Tennessee Titans: TE Isaiah Likely

The Tennessee Titans really need to target pass catchers this offseason. I expect them to target a receiver, but I would love to see them get Isaiah Likely. He’s super talented, but hasn’t been given the opportunity to be a true TE1. Pair him with Cam Ward and see what kind of magic they can make.

Washington Commanders: S Bryan Cook

The Washington Commanders need help pretty much everywhere defensively. They just need to get younger, and Bryan Cook is an underrated player in this free agent class. He’s taken strides forward every year, and is coming off easily his best season in coverage. He’s only 26 years old, too, so that makes him even more enticing.

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