Defensive end Cam Jordan has spent his entire 15-year NFL career with the Saints and he’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, but he may not be back for a 16th season in New Orleans.
Jordan is set for free agency after recording 10.5 sacks for the Saints during the 2025 season and he told TMZ Sports that there “could be a bright future” for the team after quarterback Tyler Shough’s rookie season. Whether he’s part of that future will come down to whether the two sides can find common ground on a new contract and Jordan said that he’s aware that his age means he’s not going to be looking to break the bank on his next deal.
“If you get a 10-sack season, if I was 26, I’d be asking for top dollar,” Jordan said. “Things I’ve never asked for is top dollar. All I’ve ever asked for is to be valued.”
The number that Jordan believes is his value might not be the same as the one the Saints have in mind and more clarity on where things stand for all involved should come in the near future.
The following are PFT’s top 100 free agents for the start of the 2026 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. Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
2. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones.
3. Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
4. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd.
5. Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson.
6. Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
7. Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce.
8. Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson.
9. Jets running back Breece Hall.
10. Packers quarterback Malik Willis.
11. Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean.
12. Seahawks WR/KR/PR Rashid Shaheed.
13. Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker.
14. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker.
15. Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith.
16. Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean.
17. Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe.
18. Packers linebacker Quay Walker.
19. Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal.
20. Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans.
21. Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant.
22. 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
23. Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
24. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
25. Broncos edge rusher John Franklin-Myers.
26. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
27. Eagles edge rusher Jaelen Phillips.
28. Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
29. Bills center Connor McGovern.
30. Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.
31. Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.
32. Chiefs safety Bryan Cook.
33. Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright.
34. Bills edge rusher Joey Bosa.
35. Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
36. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely.
37. Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh.
38. Steelers offensive guard Isaac Seumalo.
39. Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader.
40. Browns linebacker Devin Bush.
41. Bears safety Jaquan Brisker.
42. Rams safety Kamren Curl.
43. Bills offensive guard David Edwards.
44. Patriots edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson.
45. Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
46. Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor.
47. Chargers offensive guard Zion Johnson.
48. Browns offensive guard Joel Bitonio.
49. Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
50. Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone.
51. Panthers center Cade Mays.
52. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack.
53. Bears safety Kevin Byard.
54. Colts edge rusher Kwity Paye.
55. Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss.
56. Ravens edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones.
57. Browns offensive guard Wyatt Teller.
58. Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad.
59. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner.
60. Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.
61. Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
62. Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
63. Saints linebacker Demario Davis.
64. Panthers running back Rico Dowdle.
65. Falcons edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie.
66. Titans offensive guard Kevin Zeitler.
67. Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins.
68. Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson.
69. Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton.
70. Saints edge rusher Cameron Jordan.
71. Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe.
72. Giants offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
73. Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk.
74. Browns tight end David Njoku.
75. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
76. Giants offensive guard Greg Van Roten.
77. Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota.
78. Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown.
79. Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata.
80. Bucs linebacker Lavonte David.
81. Bengals guard Dalton Risner.
82. Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
83. Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
84. Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
85. Jets safety Andre Cisco.
86. Buccaneers running back Rachaad White.
87. Packers edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare.
88. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.
89. Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas.
90. Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.
91. Titans tight end Chig Okonwko.
92. Eagles safety Reed Blankenship.
93. Raiders offensive guard Dylan Parham.
94. Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins.
95. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton.
96. Broncos outside linebacker Justin Strnad.
97. Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco.
98. Colts cornerback Mike Hilton.
99. Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones.
100. Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier.
Quarterback Derek Carr is interested in playing for a Super Bowl contender. The Saints will have something to say about that.
Carr remains on the New Orleans reserve-retired list. He’s not a free agent. He can sign with a new team only if the Saints release him.
The Brett Favre (2008) strategy is available. Unretire. Show up in New Orleans. His base salary would hit the books again. Their options would be to release him or trade him.
The more practical outcome would go like this. First, Carr would find a team that is interested in acquiring his rights. Second, that team would contact the Saints to work something out. Third, if an agreement is reached, Carr would be traded.
Yes, there are elements of tampering included within that approach. But the Saints wouldn’t care. They’d end up getting a draft pick (or two) for a player who has moved on.
The Saints have moved on, too. Tyler Shough is their guy. The Saints won’t want to pivot back to Carr.
It’s a win-win, if someone trades for him.
The Saints also could handle the situation more directly, by granting Carr express permission to talk to other teams in an effort to work out a trade. Regardless, Carr doesn’t have the freedom that he’d have if he’d been released.
He hasn’t been. And while it shouldn’t be a huge issue, it’s still an issue that keeps it from being as simple as Carr finding a team and signing a contract.
Derek Carr has confirmed the report that he would consider playing in 2026, but he says it would have to be in the perfect situation.
Carr announced his retirement from the Saints nine months ago, but he said on his podcast on Thursday that he has always been open to playing again, provided the shoulder injury he struggled with last year feels good, and that a team with a chance at winning the Super Bowl is interested in him.
“Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr said. “I’d have to be healthy and I’d want a chance to win a Super Bowl. And obviously, that’s a tough thing to find. That’s hard to do. That’s not easy.”
The 34-year-old Carr hinted that he is healthy and that some teams have already reached out, but he didn’t think they were the right fit.
“I had to say no a couple times so far,” Carr said.
Carr was still under contract to the Saints when he retired, and it’s unclear whether the Saints have given permission for him to talk to other teams, and what if anything they would seek in a trade for his rights. So there are some hoops to jump through before he can return. But Carr sounds like he wants to play, if he can find the right team.
Derek Carr could find his way into the mix for a quarterback job this offseason.
Carr retired after the 2024 season rather than have surgery on his right shoulder and has spent the last year working to rehabilitate his injury. Carr said in September that he still was not well enough to play and wouldn’t rule out a return at some point in the future if his health continued to improve.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that teams that have inquired about the chances of a return have learned that Carr is no longer dealing with any limitations to his shoulder and is throwing regularly.
Per the report, it is believed that the right situation and coaching staff could lead to Carr returning to action. The Saints still hold Carr’s rights, but Tyler Shough’s play as a rookie has cemented him as the team’s starter and a trade could be worked out if Carr finds what he’s looking for in 2026.
As of now, though, it remains to be seen if such a situation will present itself.
