2025 NFL free agency live tracker: Signings, trades, rumors
NFL free agency begins with the legal negotiation window at noon ET on Monday. Players can officially sign with new teams after 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, which is the start of the new league year.
There has already been plenty of action this offseason, however. The franchise tag window closed at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and two players (Bengals receiver Tee Higgins and Chiefs guard Trey Smith) were tagged. Teams can also agree to terms on trades, as we saw with the Steelers’ deal for DK Metcalf and the Raiders’ move for Geno Smith. Plus, a few big names have been released over the past few days, including Jags tight end Evan Engram and Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa.
And of course, free agents can re-sign with their current teams (like Eagles linebacker Zack Baun and Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley) and players on existing deals can be extended — like pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett (who became the highest paid non-QB) — before free agency opens, too.
We’re tracking all of the action, including signings, notable trades, cap-saving releases and more. For more on NFL free agency, follow our coverage all week. “Free Agency Countdown” will start Monday at noon ET (ESPN2) with the latest news, and “NFL Live” will follow with reaction to the biggest deals at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN).
coverage:
Grading biggest deals | Ranking best free agents
Offense free agent tiers | Defense free agent tiers
Potential steals | Potential reaches
Adam Schefter joins “Get Up” to discuss how Aaron Rodgers emerging as a target for the Steelers could affect other teams looking for a quarterback in free agency. (1:54)
One day after trading for a star wide receiver, the Pittsburgh Steelers may be closing in on a big-name quarterback as well.
As the Steelers continue talks with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields entering this week’s free agency period, Aaron Rodgers also has emerged as a quarterback option for Pittsburgh, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Rodgers and the Steelers are expected to talk, sources told Schefter, and explore a union between the four-time MVP and longtime coach Mike Tomlin.
Rodgers, 41, is set to be a free agent after the New York Jets announced last month that they would be moving on from the 10-time Pro Bowler after two disappointing seasons. Jets general manager Darren Mougey said last month that the Jets likely will designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 release.
Despite the Jets’ 5-12 finish in 2024, Rodgers passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was 25th in QBR, 30th in completion percentage and 28th in yards per attempt among qualified passers, but could provide quarterback-needy teams like Pittsburgh with an established veteran.
Another potential quarterback solution for the Steelers would be re-signing Fields, who remains in talks with Pittsburgh and the Jets, sources told Schefter. New York cannot offer Fields a contract until noon ET Monday, so he will continue to mull his options and learn more about the Jets’ overall situation, sources told Schefter.
The Steelers went 10-7 last season despite inconsistent quarterback play from Wilson and Fields and a wide receiver room that lacked explosiveness and depth behind George Pickens. Pittsburgh solved the latter issue Sunday by reportedly agreeing to acquire star receiver DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
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The Steelers and Metcalf also agreed to a five-year, $150 million deal that makes the two-time Pro Bowler one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. Pittsburgh now must determine who will be throwing the ball to Metcalf — and they have multiple options to sort through.
Wilson and Metcalf both starred together in Seattle, with Wilson serving as Metcalf’s quarterback for the first three seasons of his career. The 36-year-old Wilson passed for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns last season but struggled down the stretch for the Steelers, who lost their last four regular-season games before being eliminated in the AFC wild-card round of the playoffs.
Fields started Pittsburgh’s first six games last season while Wilson was sidelined with a calf injury, leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record over that stretch.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.
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2S226W3 DETROIT, MI – JANUARY 05: Minnesota Vikings Quarterback (14) Sam Darnold tries to fend off Detroit Lions DE Levi Onwuzurike (91) during the game between Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions on January 5, 2025 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/CSM) Credit: Cal Sport Media/Alamy Live News
NFL free agency is always evolving, with surprise cuts and cap casualties adding to the pool of available talent.
Unlike PFF’s free agent rankings, which focus on impending free agents, this list includes the top 100 available players, factoring in recent releases. As teams make roster moves, this ranking will track the best options still on the market.
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S JEVON HOLLAND
WR CHRIS GODWIN
ED KHALIL MACK
CB D.J. REED
WR AMARI COOPER
QB SAM DARNOLD
ED JOSH SWEAT
WR STEFON DIGGS
ED HAASON REDDICK
CB CHARVARIUS WARD
CB RASUL DOUGLAS
S CAMRYN BYNUM
DI MILTON WILLIAMS
CB BYRON MURPHY JR.
ED MALCOLM KOONCE
T CAM ROBINSON
LB DRE GREENLAW
QB JUSTIN FIELDS
HB AARON JONES
CB CARLTON DAVIS III
C DREW DALMAN
S TALANOA HUFANGA
G WILL FRIES
G TEVEN JENKINS
CB KENDALL FULLER
CB ASANTE SAMUEL JR.
G KEVIN ZEITLER
CB MIKE HILTON
WR DEANDRE HOPKINS
G JAMES DANIELS
T TYRON SMITH
DI JAVON HARGRAVE
TE JUWAN JOHNSON
WR DARIUS SLAYTON
DI LEVI ONWUZURIKE
G MEKHI BECTON
ED DAYO ODEYINGBO
WR KEENAN ALLEN
QB RUSSELL WILSON
ED VON MILLER
T DAN MOORE JR.
ED ZA’DARIUS SMITH
HB NAJEE HARRIS
ED CHASE YOUNG
ED JOEY BOSA
S JUSTIN REID
ED AZEEZ OJULARI
DI B.J. HILL
DI CALAIS CAMPBELL
S HARRISON SMITH
ED DEMARCUS LAWRENCE
S TRE’VON MOEHRIG
T MORGAN MOSES
G BRANDON SCHERFF
HB J.K. DOBBINS
ED DANTE FOWLER JR.
G PATRICK MEKARI
ED CHAUNCEY GOLSTON
S JUAN THORNHILL
CB DARIUS SLAY
CB STEPHON GILMORE
S JUSTIN SIMMONS
T JEDRICK WILLS JR.
TE EVAN ENGRAM
ED MATTHEW JUDON
ED DENNIS GARDECK
G AARON BANKS
T KELVIN BEACHUM
CB JONATHAN JONES
DI JARRAN REED
T CORNELIUS LUCAS
DI POONA FORD
WR DIONTAE JOHNSON
S JEREMY CHINN
S ELIJAH MOLDEN
C RYAN KELLY
DI TERSHAWN WHARTON
TE TYLER CONKLIN
DI TEAIR TART
QB JAMEIS WINSTON
CB NATE HOBBS
CB PAULSON ADEBO
S ANDRE CISCO
LB ROBERT SPILLANE
HB NICK CHUBB
LB TYREL DODSON
S JULIAN BLACKMON
CB BRANDON STEPHENS
ED PRESTON SMITH
G WILL HERNANDEZ
ED JOSHUA UCHE
ED DEREK BARNETT
DI MALIEK COLLINS
DI D.J. JONES
LB ERIC KENDRICKS
WR MIKE WILLIAMS
WR TYLER LOCKETT
C COLEMAN SHELTON
CB KRISTIAN FULTON
WR JOSHUA PALMER
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