The following are PFT’s top 100 free agents for the start of the 2025 league year. The rankings include prospective unrestricted free agents and released players. The list will be updated as events warrant, with signings, tags and re-signings denoted when announced and/or reported. Players released after initial publication may be added and all 100 players initially on the list will still be listed after any additions.
1. Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins
2. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold
3. Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith
4. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat
5. Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin
6. Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley
7. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed
8. Dolphins safety Jevon Holland
9. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton
10. Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa
11. Chiefs safety Justin Reid
12. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack
13. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward
14. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga
15. 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw
16. Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson
17. Vikings offensive tackle Cam Robinson
18. Falcons center Drew Dalman
19. Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis
20. Eagles linebacker Zack Baun
21. Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood
22. Jets edge Haason Reddick
23. Eagles offensive guard Mekhi Becton
24. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers
25. Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy
26. Colts offensive guard Will Fries
27. Packers center Josh Myers
28. Vikings safety Cam Bynum
29. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner
30. Eagles defensive lineman Milton Williams
31. Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike
32. Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel
33. Vikings running back Aaron Jones
34. Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig
35. Saints tight end Juwan Johnson
36. Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper
37. Steelers running back Najee Harris
38. Lions offensive guard Kevin Zeitler
39. Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown
40. Cardinals linebacker Baron Browning
41. Steelers offensive guard James Daniels
42. Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson
43. Saints edge rusher Chase Young
44. Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs
45. Colts edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo
46. Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton
47. Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari
48. Chiefs defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton
49. Falcons safety Justin Simmons
50. Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton
51. Buccaneers offensive guard Ben Bredeson
52. Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton
53. Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones
54. Vikings edge rusher Patrick Jones
55. Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David
56. Commanders edge rusher Dante Fowler
57. Vikings safety Harrison Smith
58. Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas
59. Steelers quarterback Justin Fields
60. Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce
61. Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai
62. Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn
63. Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane
64. Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins
65. Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins
66. Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown
67. Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo
68. Ravens offensive guard Patrick Mekari
69. Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen
70. Cowboys defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence
71. Commanders tight end Zach Ertz
72. Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill
73. Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed
74. Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
75. Colts center Ryan Kelly
76. Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis
77. Colts safety Julian Blackmon
78. Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki
79. Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo
80. Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell
81. Falcons edge rusher Matthew Judon
82. Colts linebacker E.J. Speed
83. Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff
84. Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore
85. Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford
86. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson
87. Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle
88. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston
89. Cardinals outside linebacker Kyzir White
90. Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson
91. Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs
92. Jets offensive tackle Morgan Moses
93. Broncos inside linebacker Cody Barton
94. 49ers defensive lineman Javon Hargrove
95. Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills
96. Rams defensive tackle Bobby Brown
97. Jaguars safety Andre Cisco
98. Cowboys edge rusher Chauncey Golston
99. Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones
100. Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell
The Cardinals went 2-5 down the stretch in 2024, which left them with an 8-9 record and out of the playoffs when the season came to an end.
Late season fades have been a frequent occurrence during quarterback Kyler Murray’s time with the team and his eight interceptions in the final seven games didn’t do anything to help Arizona avoid this one. That makes it easy to understand why General Manager Monti Ossenfort said on Arizona Sports 98.7 on Friday that “we have to finish” in 2025.
Ossenfort said it’s on the whole team to improve on that front and said Murray “absolutely” has to be better in the tightest moments of the season, but Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill left no doubt that the team is still making Murray the centerpiece of their plans.
“What he is is a dual-threat quarterback,” Bidwill said. “When he’s healthy he scares every defensive coordinator and he has a chance to change the game with his feet and with his arm. When you look at it, we’ve got to continue to rely on him and he’s got to play at a high level. He knows that. He’s working hard. . . . He needs to take the next step and we’re excited about our future with Kyler. He’s a great quarterback. I think we need to continue to build around that offense for him.”
Murray’s contract gave the Cardinals little choice but a commitment to Murray in 2025, but 2026 will look different in terms of salary cap savings and the offseason confidence in Murray will have to pay off to guarantee a future in Arizona.
Earlier this month, another lawsuit from a former employee was filed against the Cardinals and owner Michael Bidwill. Beyond issuing a perfunctory statement acknowledging the case and strongly denying its allegations, the Cardinals have said nothing.
Bidwill, however, added some more quotes in a recent interview with Greg Moore of the Arizona Republic.
“This is not an uncommon experience, particularly in high-profile industries like sports, entertainment and business,” Bidwill told Moore regarding the civil action filed by his former personal assistant, Brittany Neuheisel. She alleges constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination based on age, gender, and religion, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
“Allegations can be made, and they get a lot of attention,” Bidwill told Moore. “But they’re just that: They’re allegations. We strongly deny them. We will strongly defend ourselves against them. And we believe that when the process is complete, the facts will reveal that reality. And the reality is completely different than what’s alleged.”
As Bidwill explains it, he understands that criticism goes with owning a professional sports team.
“When you’re in an industry like sports . . . there’s pressures that come with that,” Bidwill told Moore. “I’ve been around it for a while. But it’s a privilege to be in this position, and I’m fortunate. There are going to be critics, and that just comes with it.
“It’s a competitive industry. Fast-paced. You understand that there’s going to be some criticism.”
Still, there’s a difference between criticism and allegations regarding violations of civil legal protections for employees. While Moore’s article mentions that this isn’t the first instance of it, Moore makes no reference to the $3 million arbitration award that resulted from the shameful scorched-earth P.R. campaign the team waged after former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough filed an arbitration claim alleging wrongful discharge.
The over-the-top personal attack on McDonough contradicts Bidwill’s current “it goes with the territory” vibe. And that case isn’t over, despite a recent Associated Press article that misconstrued the impact of a court order.
Besides, plenty of sports owners are criticized. That’s not the same as being sued by multiple former employees. And it’s definitely not the same as reacting to a lawsuit by green-lighting an effort to retaliate with a press release that tries to drag through the mud the person who dared to use the available means of redressing grievances.
Fortunately for Neuheisel, Bidwill learned his lesson through the misadventures with McDonough. Still, a vow to strongly defend the Cardinals might not mean simply showing that what is alleged didn’t happen. Often, companies sued by former employees opt to go on the attack within the confines of the pre-trial discovery process, digging into every possible shred of evidence that can be used to make the plaintiff regret lighting the fuse, all in the hopes the plaintiff will drop the case or accept a settlement equal to or less than what the company will spend on legal fees in securing an eventual win in court.
After former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough won a $3 million arbitration claim against the team over an over-the-top press release published in response to allegations of wrongful discharge, McDonough, his wife, and his daughter filed a fresh lawsuit against the team and others.
A federal judge issued a ruling in the case on Thursday. The item from the Associated Press on the decision is, frankly, confusing and incomplete.
Per attorney Mike Caspino, who represents the plaintiffs in the case, the judge found that McDonough’s claims must be resolved in the league’s preferred forum of arbitration. The claims made by his wife and daughter were dismissed without prejudice and, per Caspino, they have been permitted to refile them. Caspino says that the claims as articulated in the civil complaint lacked sufficient information, in the opinion of the court.
As to the ruling that the case should go to arbitration, Caspino said McDonough will appeal.
McDonough specifically avoided suing the team and Bidwill, focusing instead on the external law firm and P.R. firm that crafted the attack on McDonough. The goal surely was to avoid arbitration. The lower court found that the arbitration obligation extends to the outside entities.
The Cardinals announced the hiring of five assistant coaches and the promotions of two others.
The new coaches are:
Offensive line: Justin Frye
Defensive line: Winston DeLattiboudere III
Linebackers: Cristian Garcia
Outside linebackers Matt Feeney
Defensive quality control: Alec Osborne
The team promoted Connor Senger to pass game specialist and Blaine Gautier to offensive quality control.
Frye spent the past three seasons (2022-24) as the offensive line coach at Ohio State.
DeLattiboudere coached the defensive line the past two years (2023-24) at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, and added the title of assistant head coach in 2024.
Garcia arrives in Arizona after spending last season with Cowboys as an assistant defensive backs/quality control coach.
Feeney spent the past three seasons with the Raiders, including in 2024 as the team’s assistant defensive backs coach.
Osborne was the inside linebackers coach at his alma mater, the University of Louisiana-Monroe, last season. He previously worked as a defensive quality control coach at Baylor (2022-23) after coaching for three seasons (2019-21) as a defensive graduate assistant at LSU.
Senger was the Cardinals’ assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024 after working as an offensive quality control coach in 2023.
Gautier spent the past two seasons (2023-24) with the Cardinals as a participant in the team’s Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship.
