The 2022 NFL Free Agent Field
What positions have the best talent set to become free agents?
We're just 10 days away from the official start of NFL free agency and every NFL fan will be curious as to who's going to be available.
As of this writing, no players have received the franchise tag and the deadline is March 8. One can expect some movement there in the next couple of days, but there should still be a few notable players hitting the open market.
With that said, whether a team can find a quality player in free agency depends on the position the team needs. At some positions, there's plenty of talent to be found, but at others, you may be looking at short-term solutions at best.
Let's go over each position and see what the free agent field for 2022 has to offer.
Quarterbacks
Top free agents: Teddy Bridgewater, Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky, Marcus Mariota
If you're looking for a quarterback, your options are short-term solutions at best. Because the pickings are slim, that's why you hear some teams talking up Trubisky and Mariota, under the belief that they can revive their careers with the right coaching. Throw in the fact that the trade market hasn't developed as expected, and it won't be surprising if some teams bid higher on the short-term guys hitting free agency.
Running backs
Top free agents: Leonard Fournette, James Conner, Sony Michel, Darrel Williams, Melvin Gordon, Chase Edmonds, Cordarrelle Patterson
The running backs that will hit the open market are best utilized in a split backfield. That's not unusual, given the days of the "workhorse" back are fading. The good news is that, because these backs split carries with others, there are plenty who should be able to contribute. The caveat is that some of them are getting older and you have to ask yourself how much you are willing to pay.
Wide receivers
Top free agents: Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Mike Williams, Christian Kirk, Allen Robinson, Odell Beckham Jr., Michael Gallup, D.J. Chark
Adams and Williams are likely getting the franchise tag, but there's still plenty of quality players who will be available, even if a couple are coming off injuries while others are coming off down seasons. Among these players, only Adams is expected to get a top contract, but others could push for near the top.
Tight ends
Top free agents: Tyler Conklin, Dalton Schultz, Mike Gesicki, Rob Gronkowski, C.J. Uzomah, Zach Ertz, Evan Engram, David Njoku
It could be a strong market for tight ends, with multiple players who broke out in 2021 and could cash in. Last year, the Patriots signed Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry to contracts that averaged $12.5M per year. Could one of the 2022 free agents hit that mark? It all depends on how much teams covet the position.
Offensive tackle
Top free agents: Orlando Brown, Duane Brown, Chukwuma Okarfor, Morgan Moses, Eric Fisher, Terron Armstead, Trent Brown
Orlando Brown is likely getting the franchise tag, but the rest are expected to hit the open market. Aside from Okarfor, many of the top options are older players. Of course, a lot of offensive tackles have been able to play well into their late 30s, so teams may be well served by signing one of those veterans.
Offensive guard
Top free agents: Alex Cappa, James Daniels, Laken Tomlinson, Austin Corbett, Will Hernandez, Brandon Scherff, Connor Williams
Guard is often one of the best positions to consider in free agency because so many of them tend to become available, simply because teams choose to retain players at other positions. It's not likely anyone gets the franchise tag, so we may not see a massive contract like Joe Thuney received last season.
Center
Top free agents: Ryan Jansen, Ben Jones, Bradley Bozeman, Brian Allen, Billy Price, Ted Karras
Center is another position in which there is plenty of talent available and, unlike guard, the market hasn't been re-set to an absurdly high level. A few of the top names are older players, but as with tackle, it's not unusual for centers to play for a long time and remain quality contributors.
Interior defenders
Top free agents: D.J Jones, B.J. Hill, Folorunso Fatukasi, Akiem Hicks, Ndamukong Suh, Quinton Jefferson, Calais Campbell
This may be the weakest positional group among defensive free agents. There are good rotational players available but not players who can make an impact. The upside is that teams in need of help should be able to find value, even if they don't find a top starter.
Edge rushers
Top free agents: Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Harold Landry, Hasson Reddick, Jadeveon Clowney, Randy Gregory, Emmanuel Ogbah, Justin Houston
The edge rusher market has a mixture of big names who are getting older and younger players who broke out in 2022 but don't have a strong track record. While I don't expect an of these players to re-set the market, you could see some contracts that approach the top. The older players are more likely to go to playoff contenders, while the younger ones may go to teams who see them as a good scheme fit.
Off-ball linebackers
Top free agents: De'Vondre Campbell, Dont'a Hightower, Foyesade Oluokun, Kyzir White, Jermaine Carter Jr., Damien Wilson
We've seen some crazy contracts handed out to free agent off-ball linebackers in the past, though this year's crop isn't particularly inspiring. Campbell is coming off a career-best season, but will that translate into a big contract? The rest are better seen as second-tier players and, thus, likely won't be in line for a lot of money.
Cornerbacks
Top free agents: J.C. Jackson, Carlton Davis, Casey Heyward, Stephon Gilmore, Eli Apple, Levi Wallace, Darious Williams, Steven Nelson
Jackson could be getting the franchise tag, which would make for a weaker pool of players hitting free agency. While plenty of these players saw significant snaps, they aren't necessarily standouts and some may be in decline. It's possible, though, that a team could be tempted and offer a lot of money to somebody who came up big down the stretch.
Safeties
Top free agents: Marcus Williams, Tyrann Mathieu, Jessie Bates III, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye, Xavier Woods, Terrell Edmunds
The safety market is a much deeper pool in terms of talent. It's possible a couple of players receive franchise tags, but there will still be several quality options. What will be interesting to see is if any safety pushes for the numbers Jamal Adams received, or if teams see that as too high and contract numbers settle down a bit.
If you want to know more specifics about the best free agents regardless of position, I recommend Pro Football Network’s list of the top 75 NFL free agents.