The free-agency period entails a storm of reports regarding new contracts, with all of them painted in the light most favorable to the sources for those reports — the players’ agents.
The truth inevitably follows. The challenge is to make time to get it and to scrutinize it.
For new Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs, his reported four-year, $48 million contract is a one-year deal with three one-year, team-held options.
We’ve seen the full breakdown. The contract pays out $16 million to sign and a non-guaranteed base salary of $1.2 million for 2025. He can earn a $400,000 workout bonus, and up to $600,000 in per-game active roster bonuses.
There are no guarantees beyond the signing bonus. On the third day of the 2026 league year, Hobbs earns a $6.25 million roster bonus. If it’s exercised, he’ll be on track to receive a $1.8 million base salary in 2026, with the same $400,000 workout bonus and $600000 in per-game roster bonuses.
After 2025, the Packers can rip the deal up and pay out $17.2 million, plus up to $1 million more in workout and per-game roster bonuses. The 2026 roster bonus forces them to do it early.
That’s the truth of the contract. It’s one four-year contract for the player. It’s four one-year contracts for the team.
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. (Franchise tagged by the Bengals on March 3.)
2. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 10.)
3. Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith. (Franchise tagged by the Chiefs on Feb. 27.)
4. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Cardinals on March 10.)
5. Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bucs on March 10.)
6. Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Ravens on March 8.)
7. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Lions on March 10.)
8. Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 11.)
9. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Chiefs on March 9.)
10. Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Cowboys on March 4.)
11. Chiefs safety Justin Reid. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Saints on March 11.)
12. Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
13. 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Colts on March 10.)
14. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Broncos on March 10.)
15. 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Broncos on March 10.)
16. Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. (Agreed to three-year extension with the Rams on February 28.)
17. Vikings offensive tackle Cam Robinson.
18. Falcons center Drew Dalman. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bears on March 10.)
19. Lions cornerback Carlton Davis. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Patriots on March 10.)
20. Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Eagles on March 5.)
21. Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Jets on March 9.)
22. Jets edge Haason Reddick. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Buccaneers on March 10.)
23. Eagles offensive guard Mekhi Becton.
24. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
25. Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Vikings on March 10.)
26. Colts offensive guard Will Fries. (Agreed to five-year deal with the Vikings on March 11.)
27. Packers center Josh Myers. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets on March 12.)
28. Vikings safety Cam Bynum. (Agreed to terms on a four-year deal with the Colts on March 10.)
29. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Commanders on March 6.)
30. Eagles defensive lineman Milton Williams. (Agreed to sign with the Patriots on March 10.)
31. Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike. (Agreed to new deal with the Lions on March 12.)
32. Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel.
33. Vikings running back Aaron Jones. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Vikings on March 9.)
34. Jets wide receiver Davante Adams. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Rams on March 9.)
35. Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig. (Agreed to terms with the Panthers on March 10.)
36. Saints tight end Juwan Johnson. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Saints on March 11.)
37. Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper.
38. Steelers running back Najee Harris. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
39. Lions offensive guard Kevin Zeitler. (Agreed to one-year deal with Titans on March 12.)
40. Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Chiefs on March 8.)
41. Cardinals linebacker Baron Browning. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Cardinals on March 9.)
42. Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Steelers on March 12.)
43. Steelers offensive guard James Daniels. (Agreed to three-year deal with Dolphins on March 10.)
44. Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson. (Agreed to three-year deal with Panthers on March 10.)
45. Saints edge rusher Chase Young. (Agreed to three-year deal with Saints on March 10.)
46. Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
47. Colts edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bears on March 10.)
48. Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton.
49. Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
50. Chiefs defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Panthers on March 10.)
51. Falcons safety Justin Simmons.
52. Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 10.)
53. Buccaneers offensive guard Ben Bredeson. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Buccaneers on March 10.)
54. Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Chiefs on March 11.)
55. Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 9.)
56. Vikings edge rusher Patrick Jones. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Panthers on March 10.)
57. Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bucs on March 7.)
58. Commanders edge rusher Dante Fowler.
59. Vikings safety Harrison Smith. (Agreed to one-year deal to return to Minnesota on March 12.)
60. Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas.
61. Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bills on March 11.)
62. Steelers quarterback Justin Fields. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Jets on March 10.)
63. Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Raiders on March 10.)
64. Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Bengals on March 10.)
65. Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Raiders on March 10.)
66. Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane. (Agreed to sign with the Patriots on March 10.)
67. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
68. Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins.
69. Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins.
70. Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Jaguars on March 10.)
71. Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Falcons on March 11.)
72. Ravens offensive guard Patrick Mekari. (Agreed to sign with the Jaguars on March 10.)
73. Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen.
74. Cowboys defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 12.)
75. Commanders tight end Zach Ertz. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders on March 8.)
76. Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill. (Agreed to a three-year deal with the Bengals on March 10.)
77. Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Seahawks on March 9.)
78. Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. (Agreed to one-year deal with Ravens on March 11.)
79. Colts center Ryan Kelly. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Vikings on March 10.)
80. Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis. (Agreed to sign with the Jaguars on March 1.)
81. Colts safety Julian Blackmon.
82. Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Bengals on March 8.)
83. Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo. (Agreed to sign with the Giants on March 10.)
84. Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
85. Falcons edge rusher Matthew Judon.
86. Colts linebacker E.J. Speed.
87. Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff.
88. Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore. (Agreed to four-year deal with the Titans on March 10.)
89. Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Rams on March 10.)
90. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.
91. Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Panthers on March 12.)
92. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.
93. Cardinals outside linebacker Kyzir White.
94. Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson. (Agreed to two-year deal with the Chargers on March 10.)
95. Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs. (Agreed to a four-year deal with the Packers on March 10.)
96. Jets offensive tackle Morgan Moses. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Patriots on March 10.)
97. Broncos inside linebacker Cody Barton. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Titans on March 10.)
98. 49ers defensive lineman Javon Hargrave. (Agreed to terms with Vikings on March 11.)
99. Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills.
100. Rams defensive tackle Bobby Brown. (Agreed to terms with the Panthers on March 10.)
101. Jaguars safety Andre Cisco. (Agreed to a one-year deal with Jets on March 10.)
102. Cowboys edge rusher Chauncey Golston. (Agreed to three-year deal with the Giants on March 10.)
103. Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones. (Agreed to one-year deal with the Colts on March 11.)
104. Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell. (Agreed to a one-year deal with the Steelers on March 11.)
It’s been more than three years since someone with access to Jon Gruden’s emails to former Washington executive Bruce Allen deliberately leaked them to major publications in an effort to force Gruden out.
Gruden still wants back in.
“I miss it,” Gruden said on the latest edition of the Fitz & Whit podcast. “I’m scratching that itch, though, right here — I’ve had more people come in here in the past few weeks than probably any coach in the league. College guys, NFL guys. I’m studying every day, scratching that itch. I would like one more chance to do it because I thought we had that team on the right trajectory. We were 3-0, we beat three straight playoff teams, and I thought we had a good young team and it really crushes me to see how everybody went different directions real fast. So deep down I’m kind of hoping someday I get a chance, but I’m definitely not counting on anything. So I’ve reinvented myself.”
Regardless of whether Gruden’s emails that were sent when he was working not for the NFL but ESPN should have prompted the end of his second run with the Raiders, the powers-that-be had access to those materials no later than June of 2021. If he was going to be pushed out, it should have happened then. Or it should have waited until after the 2021 season ended.
For a league that is supposedly obsessed with the integrity of the product, someone undermined the integrity of an entire season by deliberately throwing a wrench in the Raiders’ gears after the season started.
Hopefully, the truth will come out. That’ll happen only if Gruden is able to keep his litigation against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell in open court, and not in the league’s preferred forum — the secret, rigged, kangaroo court of arbitration.
Still, with each passing year, it’s becoming less likely that Gruden will get back in. It’s still not impossible, but it remains unlikely.
Cornerback Eric Stokes entered the NFL as a 2021 first-round pick of the Packers. His rookie contract has expired, and he’ll be officially joining a new team on Wednesday.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Stokes has agreed to terms with the Raiders. It’s a one-year, $4 million deal.
As a rookie, Stokes appeared in 16 games with 14 starts. Injuries limited him to nine games (nine starts) in 2022 and three games (two starts) in 2023.
Last year, he appeared in all 17 regular-season games, with seven starts.
The contract is modest, but it gives Stokes a chance to have a solid year under the tutelage of Raiders coach Pete Carroll and hit the market again in 2026.
Defensive end Malcolm Koonce did not want to leave Las Vegas, especially with the way his 2024 season ended. Koonce tore an ACL in practice before the season opener, ending his season before it began.
Now, he gets a second chance in a contract season.
Koonce re-signed with the team on a one-year, $12 million deal, and he’s working his way back from his knee injury six months ago.
“I’m in a good place in rehab,” Koonce said Tuesday, via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I feel good.”
Koonce, 26, had eight sacks in 2023 and was set to prove himself in a contract year in 2024 when his injury happened. Now, he’s got to do it again.
Along with Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, Koonce said he’s in position to do just that.
“The sky’s the limit for us,” Koonce said. “All we’ve got to do is take it one step at a time, one game at a time. Be true to ourselves and play like we know how to play.”
The Falcons are adding a linebacker.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Divine Deablo has agreed to sign a two-year deal with Atlanta.
Rapoport notes Deablo’s contract is worth $14 million with $8 million in 2025.
Deablo, 26, just completed his rookie contract with the Raiders. A third-round pick in 2021, Deablo appeared in 54 games with 42 starts over his first four seasons.
In 2024, Deablo tallied 63 total tackles with four tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and a sack in 14 games.
He was on the field for 75 percent of defensive snaps in games played.
Deablo was No. 70 on PFT’s list of the top 100 free agents of 2025.
On Wednesday, quarterback Geno Smith will officially become a member of the Raiders. And Smith will arrive in Nevada without a new contract, we’re told.
The effort to get a new contract is what prompted the Seahawks to trade Smith. Due to make $31 million in the final year of his three-year deal with Seattle, Smith wanted $40 million or more per year.
Usually, it makes sense for a team that trades for a player who wants a new contract to make the trade contingent on the successful negotiation of a new agreement. It’s not as critical here, since the Raiders gave up only a third-round pick to get Smith.
Still, it’s something the Raiders will need to address. Will they do it soon? Will they do it in August or early September? Will they wait to see whether Smith continues to perform for the Raiders the way he performed for the Seahawks?
There’s also a chance Smith is a short-term insurance policy at the position. The Falcons did it last year, giving Kirk Cousins $90 million fully guaranteed — and another $10 million vesting soon — before picking Michael Penix, Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Given that G.M. John Spytek and minority owner/majority influence Tom Brady reportedly didn’t love the available veterans and that coach Pete Carroll didn’t want a rookie, the compromise could be Smith for now, with a deeper dive over the next six weeks at the incoming class.
Regardless, the lack of a new contract for Smith gives the Raiders both certainty and flexibility. Unless he boycotts the offseason program, the Raiders can take a wait-and-see approach on a one-year, $31 million commitment.
The Raiders have agreed to terms with free agent defensive back Lonnie Johnson, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports. He adds depth in the secondary and is a core special teams player.
The Raiders lost cornerback Nate Hobbs to the Packers earlier in the day.
Johnson spent last season with the Panthers, where he played 15 games with one start. He saw action on 13 defensive snaps and 339 on special teams.
Johnson made seven tackles last season.
The Texans drafted Johnson in the second round in 2019, and he appeared in 44 games with 19 starts in his three seasons with the team. He then went to Tennessee for one year, New Orleans for one year and Carolina for one year.
In his career, Johnson has recorded 199 tackles, four interceptions and 155 passes defensed.
It won’t make the same splash as last week’s Maxx Crosby extension, but the Raiders reached an agreement on a new deal with another one of their defensive ends on Monday.
According to multiple reports, they have agreed to re-sign Malcolm Koonce. It is set to be a one-year, $12 million deal.
Koonce, who was a 2021 third-round pick, is coming off of a knee injury that kept him from playing at all during the 2024 season. He had 43 tackles, eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits, and three forced fumbles while appearing in every game during the 2023 season.
The Raiders also agreed to sign safety Jeremy Chinn and re-sign defensive tackle Adam Butler on Monday, but cornerback Nate Hobbs, safety Tre’von Moehrig, and linebacker Robert Spillane have agreed to terms with other clubs.
The Packers have agreed to terms with cornerback Nate Hobbs.
The deal is for four years and $48 million, with $16 million guaranteed, via multiple reports.
Hobbs is 94th on PFT’s top-100 free agents list.
The Raiders made Hobbs a fifth-round pick in 2021, and he spent his first four seasons with the team.
He played 11 games with seven starts last season and totaled 49 tackles, one interception and five passes defensed.
In his career, Hobbs has recorded 281 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and 19 passes defensed.
