Who Are The Top Unrestricted Free Agents At Every Position In The NFL In 2026?

With the “legal tampering period” less than two weeks away, that means that we are rapidly approaching the 2026 NFL league year, and with it, free agency.

The 2026 free agency signing period officially begins on March 11 at 4 p.m., and there are plenty of big names still looking for a new deal.

While a lot could change between now and then, we went through the list and took a look at the consensus top free agents at every position.

Top 2026 NFL Free Agents

This year’s free agent class is lacking a marquee name at quarterback, but it’s also plenty deep at positions like wide receiver, edge, and cornerback.

It also includes several Pro Bowl players, many of whom are eligible to play on the franchise tag next season, meaning they may not make it to free agency. But the deadline to do so – March 3 – is rapidly approaching.

After that, teams can still negotiate an extension with their own players before free agency hits. But the clock is truly ticking.

With that said, these are the top players at each position 2026 NFL free agency approaches.

Quarterback: Daniel Jones – Indianapolis Colts

Who would have imagined this one year ago, when the Colts, looking for someone to compete with young prospect Anthony Richardson, signed Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million deal after a rough ending to his stint with the New York Giants.

Not only did Jones win the starting job in Indy, he flourished, leading the Colts to the best record in the AFC midway through the 2025 season.

Sadly, the fairytale season came crashing back to earth when Jones tore his achilles in a Week 14 game against the Jaguars.

Still, Jones ranks as the No. 7 overall prospect, regardless of position, in the 2026 free agent class, and the Colts are reportedly working on a deal to keep him in Indianapolis.

Running Back: Breece Hall – New York Jets

The New York Jets used a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on running back Breece Hall out of Iowa State, and he’s more than repaid their faith in him.

Hall has contributed more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of the last three seasons, despite the fact that he tore an ACL in his rookie season.

Hall’s 1,065 rushing yards in 2025 were a career-high, and on a Jets team shy of bright spots, he’s undeniably one of them.

The latest reports suggest that New York will use the franchise tag on their star running back if a long-term deal can’t be reached.

Wide Receiver: George Pickens – Dallas Cowboys

Like Hall, it sounds like the Dallas Cowboys are prepared to use the franchise tag on star wide receiver George Pickens if need be.

Pickens, who came over from Pittsburgh last May in a deal that sent a 2026 third-round pick, a 2027 fifth-round pick, and a 2027 sixth-round pick back to the Steelers, is the No. 1 overall player in free agency this season.

Which is exactly why the Cowboys aren’t too keen to let him walk.

While Pickens’ talent was never in doubt, he had a monster first season in Dallas with star quarterback Dak Prescott. Pickens had career highs in receptions (93), yards (1,429), and touchdowns (9), landing him as a second-team All-Pro selection and earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Tight End: Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons

For years, fantasy football players have been wondering when former first-round pick Kyle Pitts was going to break out for the Atlanta Falcons.

Well, while it wasn’t quite as big as some expected, Pitts finally broke through in 2025 with a career-high 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns.

Now, Pitts enters the free agency market with a good amount of value attached to him. He’s still never going to be an elite blocker, which limits his value to a degree. But Pitts is undeniably a weapon in the pass game, and a number of teams would be happy to have him.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Falcons have since placed the franchise tag on Pitts, which makes Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely the top tight end in NFL free agency.

Likely has been the No. 2 tight end in Baltimore behind Mark Andrews the last couple of years and could flourish in a more featured role somewhere else.

Offensive Tackle: Rasheed Walker – Green Bay Packers

The Packers used a seventh-round pick on Rasheed Walker in the 2022 NFL Draft, and it more than paid off. Walker didn’t just make the team; he flourished into a starter in his second season and has made 48 starts over the past three seasons at left tackle.

While Green Bay would love to have Walker back, he won’t come cheap, and a number of teams are reportedly lining up to make a run at him, with left tackle being one of the league’s premium positions.

What could throw a wrench into this ranking is Adam Schefter reporting that the San Francisco 49ers and star left tackle Trent Williams could part ways if they can’t find a middle ground to restructure his contract. That would make Williams the top tackle in the free agency pool.

Offensive Guard: David Edwards – Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills face a tough decision with left guard David Edwards, who started 32 games over the past two seasons and helped lead one of the league’s top rushing attacks in 2025.

Edwards played tackle in college at Wisconsin before moving inside at the pro level, but his versatility and athleticism have shone through.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, it’s in a weird spot salary-wise, and Edwards could become a cap casuality as teams across the league look to add up front.

Center: Tyler Linderbaum – Baltimore Ravens

Surely, the Baltimore Ravens won’t let star center Tyler Linderbaum just walk away after using a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on him.

Linderbaum, an Iowa product, has been all that Baltimore could have hoped for and more over the past four seasons.

He’s made 66 out of a possible 68 regular-season starts and made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons. Those numbers are exactly why Linderbaum is listed as the No. 3 overall free agent in 2026.

The expectation is that the Ravens will either sign Linderbaum long-term, likely to a market-setting deal, or use the franchise tag for 2026. But as of now, the two sides have not reached a deal.

Defensive End: Trey Hendrickson – Cincinnati Bengals

After months and months of trade speculation, star defensive end Trey Hendrickson ended up seeing out the season and his contract in Cincinnati after undergoing a season-ending surgery to treat a hip injury just seven games into the 2025 season.

Now, the superstar pass rusher, who made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2021-2024 and combined for 35 sacks over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, is on the market, and he’s extremely highly coveted, ranking No. 2 overall on the consensus list.

The slight concerns with Hendrickson lie with age, 31, and the fact that he’s coming off of the hip surgery. But it only takes one team to clear him medically for Hendrickson to land a monster deal, and it certainly sounds like he’s headed out of Cincy.

Interior Defensive Lineman: John Franklin-Myers – Denver Broncos

Like the Bills and Edwards, the Denver Broncos have a tough decision to make with John Franklin-Myers, who was a key contributor to perhaps the league’s best defense in 2025.

Franklin-Myers’ options could be limited due to fit, as he played as a defensive end in Denver’s 3-4 scheme. However, his frame and ability should translate to playing in a system that uses multiple fronts. He can kick outside on run downs in a four-man front or inside in passing situations.

The 29-year-old had a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2025 to go along with 15 QB hits.

Linebacker: Devin Lloyd – Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a big step forward in 2025 under first-year head coach Liam Coen. But now they have to turn their attention to retaining 17 potential free agents.

Chief among them is star linebacker Devin Lloyd, who ranks as the No. 8 overall free agent in the 2026 class.

Lloyd, a first-round pick out of Utah in 2022, showed off his versatility this past season, making 81 tackles to go along with five interceptions (the most in the league among linebackers) and six tackles for loss.

His impressive play earned him not only a trip to the Pro Bowl but a second-team All-Pro selection as well. It’s hard to envision the Jaguars letting the heart of their defense walk away. But somebody is going to, and it’s going to hurt the team regardless of who it is.

Cornerback: Jaylen Watson – Kansas City Chiefs

Speaking of teams in difficult predicaments, salary-wise, the Kansas City Chiefs are facing a nightmare.

Not only are multiple Chiefs stars set to hit free agency (which will come up again in a moment), but the team is also aging, and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is going to be working his way back from a torn ACL and LCL.

Kansas City has multiple options. But none of them seem particularly good.

Perhaps Travis Kelce takes a sweetheart deal to wind down his career, which could ease the burden on the Chiefs a bit. But Watson started 15 games in 2025 for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense and made 64 tackles to go along with two interceptions.

It’s possible Kansas City tries to trade star corner Trent McDuffie instead, in which case it’s like Watson stays around. But it’s hard to imagine both playing for the Chiefs in 2026.

Safety: Bryan Cook – Kansas City Chiefs

About that predicament that the Chiefs are in…

Kansas City selected Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he’s developed into a key starter for one of the league’s top defenses. Cook started all 17 games in each of the last two seasons. But now he’s up for a new deal, and money is getting tight for the Chiefs.

Cook made 85 tackles for Kansas City a year ago, and his willingness to be a force against the run game is something that will be coveted across the league.

Like with Jacksonville, the Chiefs have a number of decisions to make, and whatever they decide, it’s going to result in good football players leaving the team.