With the legal tampering window opening Monday and the new league year commencing Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, NFL free agency is in full swing.
Who are the best available players for your team to sign? We’re tracking all of them right here.
This story will be updated as free agents agree to deals and as other players are released. The number preceding a player’s name shows where he landed in our rankings before the start of free agency. Players who were released on March 11 or later will not have a ranking. Ages (in parentheses) are as of Sept. 5, the scheduled date of the 2024 season opener.
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NR. Arik Armstead, DT, 49ers (30)
When he’s on the field and playing hard, Armstead is very productive. He’s a big man with great agility and balance for his size, making him dangerous as a one-on-one pass rusher, even if his style is more finesse than power. He can be disruptive in the run game, too, shedding blocks, getting upfield penetration and showing tackle-to-tackle range, though he’s not the factor in pursuit that he once was. The downside is he turns 31 in November, and over the last two seasons, he’s missed 13 games while — even when healthy — playing a smaller share of the snaps than he had since the 2016 season. But for a team that needs a five-technique in a 3-4 scheme, he would be a really good fit. — Randy Mueller
Smith is still a high-level performer at the toughest position on the line. He just has not been able to stay healthy. He played in 13 games in 2023, but that equaled his highest mark since 2015, and he missed 33 of 50 games from 2020 to 2022. When on the field, he is strong, displaces defenders with an explosive punch and understands how to cut off angles. His lateral range has suffered some due to the injuries, but his physical presence sends a message to the opposition. — Mueller
A surprising cap-related release by the Broncos, Simmons is one of the few safeties who has both size and speed. He’s a very good tackler, but he also excels in coverage. He keys and diagnoses well, showing good anticipation and reactions. He still has fluid hips and transitions easily in space, although he’s not as adept at man-to-man coverage as he was early in his career. He should be sought after by multiple teams. — Mueller
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Young played well in the Super Bowl, but he ranked No. 24 of 43 qualifying edge rushers in Pro Football Focus’ pass rush productivity over his time with the 49ers and had pursuit issues in the NFC Championship Game against the Lions. Any concerns about effort seemed rectified against the Chiefs, and Young’s explosive performance should grab the NFL’s attention. Whether he returns will be a matter of price. — David Lombardi
Williams played in only three games last season before tearing his ACL. He was targeted 25 times and had 19 catches, so the production was there. But health is a big question mark, as he has played a full season just once in seven years and entered the league with back concerns, and he doesn’t have the suddenness to separate or the fifth gear that he did earlier in his career. His size is a positive in his entire game — he does an excellent job of presenting a big catch radius and using his body to screen off defenders on slants and other inside routes. It also helps him as a blocker and running after the catch, where he can break tackles. I think his skill set would fit in a Shanahan or McVay offense where the route tree complements his strengths. — Mueller
Don’t dismiss Reynolds because of his key drops in the NFC Championship Game — per PFF, he had only three drops during the whole regular season. He…
This article was originally published by a theathletic.com . Read the Original article here. .