Starting March 11, all 32 NFL teams can begin negotiations with unrestricted free agents. A handful of the best talent will come off the market before then, thanks to teams exercising the franchise tag or reaching long-term extensions. But this year’s crop of veterans is chock-full of Pro Bowl-caliber starters on both sides of the ball, promising some splashy activity.
Which free agents are the best at their respective positions? We’ve sorted through all the big names to assemble a 2024 All-Free Agent Team — a full starting lineup consisting solely of standouts with expiring deals:
Offense
Note: Player ages are as of Sept. 1, 2024.
One glaring absence: Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, who was the first unrestricted vet to receive the franchise tag this offseason. Barring an extended holdout resulting in a trade, Higgins is tied to his team through 2024.
Between the offensive and defensive “starters” here, the offense is expected to send a clear majority to the actual market; in other words, most of these players should legitimately reach free agency and field offers from around the NFL. Only Pittman has been widely circulated as a surefire candidate to join Higgins on the tag, which would tie him to Indianapolis for at least another year.
Cousins is naturally the biggest domino, playing the game’s most important position, and while both he and the Vikings would like to stick together, both sides also have good reason to explore alternatives. It’s not often a starting QB of his caliber approaches the open market, and even coming off a serious injury, Cousins’ track record as both a player and businessman suggests he’ll still command a top-level contract — perhaps from a QB-needy suitor like the Atlanta Falcons.
Longtime Philadelphia Eagles stalwart Jason Kelce is technically the standard-setter at center, but if he doesn’t retire, he’s all but a lock to re-up in Philly, hence his omission…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-all-free-agent-team-antoine-winfield-jr-chris-jones-help-defense-headline-top-available-veterans/
Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2024-02-26 14:26:19
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