The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are the final two teams in the 2024 NFL season. The other 30 teams are already looking ahead to next year, starting with free agency. Here’s a list of some of the best available players on offense.
Wide receiver Tee Higgins seems to be the consensus top target. Overshadowed by Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati, Higgins will be the #1 option for any team that pays him well. He’s 26 years old, so he’s likely entering his prime.
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His quarterback doesn’t want him going anywhere. “A guy like that, you just can’t let him get out of the building,” said Joe Burrow. “He’s a one-of-a-kind person … and one that, you know, we really count on.”
Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a bit older than Higgins at 29, but he’s another wide receiver that should earn a big payday. Godwin was one of the leading receivers in the league before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in week 7. He’s got four 1,000-yard seasons in his career.
A couple of offensive linemen are next on the list of players who would improve any team. Guard Trey Smith has one more game to play with the Chiefs and did not allow a sack in the regular season. Ronnie Stanley is a similar talent. The left tackle allowed just two sacks all year and started every game this season for the Baltimore Ravens.
Teams looking for a quarterback may target Russell Wilson. He led the Steelers to the playoffs in his first season in Pittsburgh. Sam Darnold had a career year in Minnesota, leading the Vikings to a 14-1 record. He had trouble in the final two games, flaming out in the regular season finale and the playoffs. Those games cost him some money on the free agent market, but Darnold should still draw interest from teams desperate for a quarterback.
His head coach, Kevin O’Connell, was non-committal when asked if the end of the season would impact his decision on next season’s quarterback. “What gives us the best chance to win, what gives us the best chance to put the best version of the Minnesota Vikings football team on the field,” O’Connell said. “I think it’s way too early to, you know, in that process to really identify exactly what that looks like, but we’re going to go through every layer of it.”
The best of the rest features several wide receivers who are a bit long in the tooth but still productive at this stage in their careers. Stephon Diggs, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen could all change teams. The free agent signing period officially starts March 12, 2025. However, teams often negotiate with players several days or more before that deadline.
