{"id":22499,"date":"2026-03-05T18:05:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T18:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-free-agent-top-150\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T18:05:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T18:05:31","slug":"2026-nfl-free-agent-top-150","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-free-agent-top-150\/","title":{"rendered":"Updated 2026 NFL free\u2011agency rankings: Trey Hendrickson and Malik Willis lead refreshed top 150"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>Lead: The NFL free\u2011agency negotiating window opens at noon ET on Monday, and our top\u2011150 list has been revised to reflect roster moves and expected cuts ahead of the March 11 new league year. The Athletic\u2019s February rankings were updated after franchise tags, re\u2011signings and late\u2011winter roster churn; Trey Hendrickson and Malik Willis now headline the refreshed top tier. This tracker retains players with expected but unfinalized releases (for example, Kyler Murray and Kirk Cousins) and will be updated with reported signings and contract details throughout free agency.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Negotiating window: NFL teams may begin contract talks at noon ET on Monday; the 2026 league year \u2014 and unrestricted free agency movement on rosters and cap \u2014 begins March 11.<\/li>\n<li>Top of the board: Trey Hendrickson is projected at a 3\u2011year, $99M deal (age 31) after totaling 74.5 sacks since 2020 and 15 career forced fumbles.<\/li>\n<li>Quarterback upside: Malik Willis (projected 2 years, $46M) showed rookie\u2011starter flashes in Weeks 16\u201317 (422 pass yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT) and is rated as an NFL\u2011ready starter candidate.<\/li>\n<li>Market changes since February: Two top\u201115 players (Breece Hall, Kyle Pitts) were franchise\u2011tagged; Dalton Risner and Javonte Williams re\u2011signed; the available pool expanded as teams cut veterans ahead of March 11.<\/li>\n<li>Injury and roster caveats: Several high\u2011profile players have recent surgeries or limited 2025 snaps (Hendrickson, Evans, Linderbaum); projected deals reflect health risk discounts.<\/li>\n<li>Transition\/Tag notes: Jonathan Taylor (example) and others remain in technical limbo when clubs apply transition or franchise designations; some tagged players can still negotiate offer sheets.<\/li>\n<li>Data sources: Rankings and pressure stats are derived from The Athletic\u2019s scouting, with TruMedia (pressures, snap rates) and Pro Football Focus pressure metrics informing the evaluations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>Free agency in the NFL is a compressed, high\u2011stakes marketplace where small timing differences and cap maneuvering shape outcomes. The negotiating window that opens Monday lets teams speak directly with agents and present offers even before the league year locks in on March 11; signing and cap implications are finalized when the new league year begins. This cycle built off The Athletic\u2019s February top\u2011150 list, and the updated version here accounts for in\u2011season trades, late re\u2011signings and roster clearances teams made in February and early March.<\/p>\n<p>Several franchise and transition tags have reshaped the upper portion of the market: two players who ranked inside the top 15 in the original list were franchised, removing them from immediate availability; other starters re\u2011upped with their clubs, narrowing the pool of proven, ready starters. Simultaneously, teams cutting veterans ahead of March 11 enlarged the list of potential targets, leaving evaluators to weigh age, injury history and scheme fit more heavily than in a quieter offseason.<\/p>\n<h2>Main event: how the updated list moves the market<\/h2>\n<p>Trey Hendrickson rises near the top because of sustained production as an edge pass rusher. He has 74.5 sacks since 2020 and 15 forced fumbles, and his 2025 season was limited to seven games by a core\u2011muscle operation; still, his burst, hand work and consistent pressure generation drive a high market projection (3 years, $99M). Teams buying premium pass rush often tolerate short recent injury samples when year\u2011over\u2011year production is this strong.<\/p>\n<p>Young, ascending rushers such as Matthew Phillips (projected 4 years, $98M) and Odafe Oweh (projected 4 years, $92M) populate the upper tier behind Hendrickson; both combine pass\u2011rush burst with run\u2011game utility and schematic flexibility that appeals to coordinators. Phillips finished fourth in pressure rate among qualifiers last season, and Oweh tightened his pass\u2011rush toolkit after a midseason trade, producing more consistent pressures down the stretch.<\/p>\n<p>At quarterback, Malik Willis\u2019 brief starting run (complete rate 85.7% on 422 yards with 3 TDs and 0 INTs across relief and a start) has shifted him into starter\u2011candidate conversations; he projects as a short\u2011term starter or high\u2011ceiling bridge, with a projected two\u2011year, $46M market. Conversely, veteran quarterbacks whose releases are expected (Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins) remain in a gray area until official moves are logged on or after March 11.<\/p>\n<p>Role players and veteran specialists \u2014 from interior rushers to blocking tight ends and left tackles \u2014 form the bulk of the middle of the top\u2011150 list. Contract projections reflect positional market norms, age and injury histories: older veterans often receive one\u2011year, incentive\u2011heavy offers while young ascending players are priced for multi\u2011year commitments.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; implications<\/h2>\n<p>Pass rush remains the premium priority for many clubs this cycle. With Hendrickson and several high\u2011pressure young rushers available, teams seeking a quarterback\u2011protecting answer will likely spend early and heavily. That pushes mid\u2011level edge defenders to the periphery of multi\u2011year deals and creates value for teams that prefer situational rushers on shorter deals.<\/p>\n<p>Quarterback valuations will be bifurcated. Young QBs with demonstrable flashes (Willis) can command multi\u2011year starter bets from teams prioritizing upside, while veterans with injury or declining accuracy (Murray, Cousins) may only draw short, low\u2011guarantee deals because of offsetting guarantees already on earlier contracts. The Ryan\u2011to\u2011Falcons\/Cousins precedent (Cousins\u2019 4\u2011year, $180M after injury) offers one template, but clubs now scrutinize post\u2011injury accuracy and mobility trends more than before.<\/p>\n<p>Interior line and center depth is thinner this year; Ravens\u2019 centers like Linderbaum (reported market\u2011setting offer) are expected to command premium deals when healthy, driving teams to pay up for run\u2011proficient anchors. Conversely, swing\u2011tackle and move tight ends are cheaper, enabling roster architects to allocate cap to a smaller set of difference\u2011makers (edge rush and center) while filling role spots with one\u2011year deals.<\/p>\n<p>From a cap construction perspective, teams with early cap space will have a leverage advantage in free agency\u2019s first wave. Clubs that delay will chase remaining veterans or pursue trades and draft day replacements, potentially increasing the market for stopgap veterans and hybrid schemers in late March and April.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Player<\/th>\n<th>Pos<\/th>\n<th>Age<\/th>\n<th>Proj. Contract<\/th>\n<th>From<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Trey Hendrickson<\/td>\n<td>Edge<\/td>\n<td>31<\/td>\n<td>3 yrs, $99M<\/td>\n<td>Bengals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Matthew Phillips<\/td>\n<td>Edge<\/td>\n<td>27<\/td>\n<td>4 yrs, $98M<\/td>\n<td>Eagles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Malik Willis<\/td>\n<td>QB<\/td>\n<td>27<\/td>\n<td>2 yrs, $46M<\/td>\n<td>Packers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>David Lloyd<\/td>\n<td>LB<\/td>\n<td>27<\/td>\n<td>4 yrs, $76M<\/td>\n<td>Jaguars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><figcaption>Figure: selected top\u2011tier projections and origins from the updated top\u2011150 list. Data: The Athletic\/TruMedia (2025 regular season).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The table above isolates representative top names to clarify how production, age and injury work together in contract modeling. Hendrickson\u2019s sack history and forced\u2011fumble rate justify a near\u2011nine\u2011figure projection despite recent surgery; Phillips\u2019 ascending profile and pressure rate place him in similar territory. Willis\u2019 projection is shaped by two clean NFL appearances and exceptional athletic traits but limited sample size.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; quotes<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We\u2019ve already put market\u2011setting offers on the table for key interior guys \u2014 that\u2019s how you build a line that can protect a franchise quarterback.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Eric DeCosta, Baltimore Ravens (general manager) \u2014 public comment at NFL Scouting Combine<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Context: DeCosta\u2019s combine remarks (reported publicly) signaled the premium the Ravens are willing to pay for a reliable center; that directly informed Linderbaum\u2019s projection and the wider center market.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Hendrickson\u2019s numbers since 2020 \u2014 74.5 sacks and 15 forced fumbles \u2014 make him one of the rare consistent pressure producers available this cycle.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>The Athletic scouting report (team evaluation)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Context: Scouting reports emphasize Hendrickson\u2019s combination of hand\u2011work, speed\u2011to\u2011power and finish rate as primary reasons teams project him as a top paid edge.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Willis showed starter traits in Weeks 16\u201317; a club that values mobility and play\u2011making might give him a short\u2011term starting opportunity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Pro scouting analyst (league evaluator)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Context: Independent evaluators view Willis as a candidate to start for a team comfortable tailoring a scheme to his strengths \u2014 mobility, off\u2011platform accuracy, and play\u2011design that leverages RPO and read\u2011keepers.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: negotiating window, franchise and transition tags<\/summary>\n<p>The negotiating window opens 48 hours before the 2026 league year; during that window teams can negotiate and agree to terms, but contracts typically become official when the new league year begins (March 11). A franchise tag prevents a player from becoming an unrestricted free agent for a year unless released; a transition tag gives the original club the right to match any offer sheet another team signs the player to. These designations affect leverage, guaranteed money and the timing of reported releases.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h3>Unconfirmed<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Kyler Murray: Cardinals have informed Murray he will be released March 11 \u2014 widely reported but not official at the time of this update.<\/li>\n<li>Kirk Cousins: Falcons are expected to release Cousins before his March 13 roster bonus; details of any post\u2011release deal remain speculative.<\/li>\n<li>Late releases after March 5: players cut on or after March 5 are not yet folded into this ranked list and will be added to the best\u2011available tracker on Monday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>The 2026 free\u2011agency market centers around reliable pass rushers and quarterbacks with upside \u2014 Hendrickson and Willis personify those two priorities. Teams with cap flexibility and clear schematic fits will dictate early spending; clubs that wait can still find value in role players and one\u2011year veterans but risk missing premium edge and interior options.<\/p>\n<p>For readers and front offices: watch health clearances, guaranteed money structure and timing. Official releases on March 11 will reshuffle availability, and the first 48 hours of negotiated deals will reveal how clubs value injury history versus recent production. We will continue to update this tracker with reported signings, contract terms and shifts in availability throughout free agency.<\/p>\n<h3>Sources<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7058500\/2026\/03\/05\/nfl-free-agent-tracker-rankings-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times (republished The Athletic rankings) \u2014 media<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Athletic (scouting &#038; rankings methodology) \u2014 sports journalism<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pff.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pro Football Focus (pressure and grading metrics) \u2014 analytics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trumedia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TruMedia (snap rates, pressure counts) \u2014 data provider<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead: The NFL free\u2011agency negotiating window opens at noon ET on Monday, and our top\u2011150 list has been revised to reflect roster moves and expected cuts ahead of the March 11 new league year. The Athletic\u2019s February rankings were updated after franchise tags, re\u2011signings and late\u2011winter roster churn; Trey Hendrickson and Malik Willis now headline &#8230; <a title=\"Updated 2026 NFL free\u2011agency rankings: Trey Hendrickson and Malik Willis lead refreshed top 150\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-free-agent-top-150\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Updated 2026 NFL free\u2011agency rankings: Trey Hendrickson and Malik Willis lead refreshed top 150\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"2026 NFL free\u2011agency rankings \u2014 Updated top 150 | Pro Football Brief","rank_math_description":"Updated top\u2011150 free\u2011agent rankings for 2026: Hendrickson and Malik Willis headline a refreshed market as the negotiating window opens and teams reshape rosters ahead of March 11.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"NFL free agency, Trey Hendrickson, Malik Willis, 2026 free agents, top 150","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}