NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - The Top 101 Free Agents of 2026!

Episode Date: February 20, 2026

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Ollie Connolly to reveal Gregg's Top 101 Free Agents of 2026 list. Find out who is ranked number one and what the guys have to say about the impending free agency for Malik Willis (18:12), Alec Pierce (20:20), Rashid Shaheed (23:01), Mike Evans (25:34), Joey Bosa (29:50), Jauan Jennings (37:30), Reed Blankenship (57:40), Deebo Samuel (01:03:30), Bobby Wagner (01:10:10) and more! Note: time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL offseason. This is where teams are built.

Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters. From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together. Quarterback movement. Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means. And who really.

really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app, search 40s and free agents and listen now. It's a tough sport. It's not for everybody. You've got to be a little sick to love this game and we've got some sickos. Welcome to NFL Daily where, yeah, we're going to get sick today. We're going to break down the top 101 free agents of

2026. I'm Greg Rosenthal in a rainy Los Angeles garage and talking to my friend Ali Connolly from across the pond in Manchester. It's a big day. The first time we're ever exclusively debuting the free agency rankings on the podcast, at least until the moment my editor realizes it and takes this episode down.

What a day. Everyone's been waiting on 10 to hooks. You've been completely frazzled going back and forth. Should this guy be 79? Should you be 63? Finally, we've reached it. I had an idea, and I might do this next year with you and others, that we should just do a minute on.

every person in the top 101, which I would have fun doing that. Like, and I think, I think the listeners who are listening to us at this point in the offseason and want to hear about our Cam Curl versus Kobe Bryant debate as safety, are they safety one in this free agency crop in the 40s somewhere, I think they would be into it. This is a show for sickos, and we are going to try to get through all top 101, at least the names. And we also have a bunch of different categories.

that I asked Ali to fill out because it's a due date right now and I haven't even written the profiles, this thing is fluid, it still might change. Ali said my most Trumpian quality is that I'm impacted. I told him that a lot

by the last person that I've talked to. So, Ali, you have a chance to change history and change these rankings one last time. It's a lot of pressure. I enjoy having that kind of power of you right now. It's great leverage to have. Let's see how we can change this thing up.

Okay, let's start with the top 10. And I made a big change the night before we're taping this. I move Malik Willis up to number one. And I'll explain it after I give you my entire top 10. Let's actually go in reverse order. And then we'll talk about Malik at one. And we'll talk about the whole thing. Number 10, Boye-Maffey, the edge rusher of the Seattle.

Seahawks coming off a Super Bowl, been in a rotation, great player. Devin Lloyd coming off his career year, a guy Ali had as a second team all pro, I believe. year. So the come up was happening. Daniel Jones, number eight on my list coming off that Achilles terror, Addafe Owe, my top young edge rusher at number seven, but we do have Trey Hendrickson a spot above him at number six. Alec Pierce, the big playmaker, Patrick, Patrick Claibon's favorite wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. Number five, Tyler Linderbaum, a rare multi-all all pro coming off his rookie contract. The center for the Ravens is number four.

Jalen Phillips made himself a lot of money. Number three, the edge rusher, who was traded to the Eagles last year. Number two, I have George Pickens. The expectation is he's going to get franchise tagged. Of course, that could happen to some other players here. But it's not happening to Malik Willis, who I decided to go number one with.

And I just thought about the exercises. If it's my team, what am I? doing. And I know it's a small sample size. And I know the other players are safer. But I started to think about it like the draft. Once I had him at five or six, Ali, it's like he's the quarterback. He's number, if I think he's good enough to be four to eight, which is where he was at various iterations, he's good enough to be number one, because I do think he's good enough to be a franchise quarterback. And to me, that's enough. I'm excited about his future if he lands in the right spot. What are the qualities that get you from being kind of an exciting launch?

Let's see what we've got, Bridge Starter, to where you're pushing it to franchise. Because I rewatched his tape from last year, and it's just electric. And he's the best running quarterback in the league right now. That's a great starting point. And he showed a lot of variety and ability to hit throws in the scheme that is the most popular in the NFL right now. And I imagine, like, can I see Malik Willis as a, you said bridge starter like it's a bad thing. Let's say he's like a little plus that. Like, let's say he's a bridge starter plus.

He's like the 12th or 13th best quarterback in league. That's worthy me of putting him number one. And I think that path is absolutely there for him. I could see a path where it's almost like Daniel Jones to the cults where the perfect right environment. Could you just have an electric opening nine, ten weeks of the season? I could for sure see that happening. and that's worthy to me of being the number one guy on the board at that position. The thing that jumped out to me is beyond the armed talent, the speed, the electricity

that was evident going back to college, is just the poise that's grown with him, the navigation of the pocket, the feel for getting through the reads, quickly going boom, boom, boom, one, two, three, get the ball out. And a lot of that comes in the schemed up environment, and he was in a pretty ideal scheme, I think, for his development, but also just the feel on the fly of this place is a disaster. the pocket is broken down. I've got to find an escape valve and no one can keep up with me.

He's a guy who would fit really well in Arizona where his last coach assistant, Nathaniel Hackett is. Obviously the brother of Matt Lafleur, Mike is coaching the team and some Cardinals fans are already pushing back because now I'm driving this train. I don't know if it's the best spot for Malik Willis, but I do think it makes sense for the Cardinals

and I think they're going to have the capacity to make it happen. Minnesota would be another fun fit. If he gets in the right system, I really think he could be absolutely electric. So I feel good about him at number one overall. Are you concerned at all with Tyler Linderbaum? I decided to save asking you this on the show. You know, he's at number four overall.

I ended up putting Jalen Phillips over him, but that's a minor tweak. there are some different opinions about whether he's like a future Hall of Famer, which I know you're going crazy. Come on. Well, here's why I'm just going to say that. For the Normies who aren't really watching, and I'm somewhere between Normie and like an offensive line tape head.

I'm not an offensive line tape hit is what I'm saying. If you just look at like his Pro Bowls and all pros as a young player, that is the path of a guy who ends up getting considered for Canton someday. The fact that the Ravens are letting him hit the market, and then the fact that other people that I respect a lot have differing opinions, obviously that's not a Hall of Fame track. But where do you think he is in the center landscape? In the center landscape, I think he would probably round out,

and it's a pretty thing group in the league right now, in the top seven, top eight range. Okay. And this idea that he's going to get a market resetting, deal for the position, I think is pretty laughable. He will get it because of the reputation and because of the highlight flashes and he is a true weapon in the run game, I just can't fathom paying someone $80 million at the pivot position who is, I think, solid to above average in pass protection and for a guy who's called all the shots and the protection for a team that

has consistent breakdowns and protection in an era where that is the main job right now, right? That's the main responsibility. There is so much on the plate of these centers. And you see a guy like Hoyt Frohl, who is nowhere near the kind of technical master that Lindabom is, nowhere near the athlete that Lindabom is, but can have a serviceable level of replacement to Lindelbaum because he just understands the position, understands the protections, understands the responsibilities. He just isn't good enough to me in Pass Pro to be paid at that top, top of the market rate. Well, that's where the non-tape head eye can see him getting pushed back. and not in a way that you think he's some massive weakness,

but also not in a way that you don't notice it at all. And you started to think, I started to think this last season. It's like, okay, that's not necessarily the best center in the league if I'm noticing that enough where he gets pushed back. And it'll be really fascinating to see how the Ravens value him, how John Harbaugh values him, Todd Monkins in Cleveland. because the part where it's not laughable to me that he would get that market resetting contract,

Ali is, well, if he is what you say he is, the seventh or eighth best center in the league, that is the guy who gets a market resetting contract. That's just kind of how it works if they actually get to free agency because it's so rare.

It's that sort of type of player, a guy who's not quite top three or four because he already would have been resigned, but gets out there. And that's how we get, like Jimmy Garapolo as the highest paid quarterback in the league for a couple weeks. I think what you'd have to do is just be a team that's comfortable with.

There's not going to be a lot on his plate in terms of the mental side of the game. You shift that more to the quarterback. And can you put him into a situation like Drew Dolman in Atlanta who had these very similar qualities, which is sensational in run blocking, getting off the ball, first step quickness, a lot of breakdowns in past protection can get run through at the point of attack? Can you get him into that kind of situation? And Dolman got paid quite heavily in Frayncy, too, but it's not going to be quite the scale of a Lindelbaum.

And I just think that the reputation far out strips the actual play you get. And you're going to bought such a percentage of cap into a play who isn't really that much of a needle mover. He does a lot for you in the run game. You can get to a really diverse run scheme and have a lot of fun drawing that stuff up. But is it really worth what the price tag is going to be? I don't know why I haven't seen L.A. connected to him because that sounds the chargers, that is. That sounds like a fun bit for the run scheme that Mike McDaniel would be. running and they have all the cap space in the world and an incredibly huge need.

So there. Now I have a favorite fit. And look, all these guys have warts. And I think what you said about the communication issues or their struggles in pass protection is really spot on. And that's where the pro personnel scouting and people are going to do their homework on where his responsibilities really are there. I want to keep going, though.

I bumped up slightly throughout the process like he started at 9 or 10 and he goes ahead of Trey Hendrickson. I do think it's okay to point out. Trey Hendrickson is coming off an injured year. He's 32 years old. Even in those four games, maybe he was playing through something. I don't remember, but he wasn't popping quite as much. But all these guys in the top 10 are flawed in some way. Adafioi was coming off a half season where he wasn't doing much.

You know, Linderbom, his quote-unquote flaws is he's just the seventh or eighth guy. People are complaining about this free agency class. It's not amazing at the top. like the top 20 to 30, probably worse than usual. I will argue throughout this episode, it's actually a very good class. I think it's better 80 to 140 than maybe I've ever seen. I really like a ton of players who didn't even make by 101, and that never happens. But at the top, it's not great.

What do you think about kind of the order here of the rest of the top 10 with Hendrickson at 6, Daniel Jones, who I have some concerns about, you know, a little further down coming off that injury? Yeah, I think it's the middle class is very strong and isn't it great when the middle class is doing well. And so it's just trying to find the guys who maybe have a little bit more of a pop, a little bit more of an X factor, a little bit more of a dynamic game changing factor. You know, as you mentioned at the top, the aisle of Devin Lloyd. I would push him maybe above Belinda Barnes. Make the case for him because he's very divisive or as you would say they're divisive.

He is the one that probably more people think he's too high. And I know you think the opposite. And I really love that tape. I really love Devin Lloyd. So I can be convinced for him to be moved up. But he's someone where some people in the league think he was a product of just getting the ball thrown to him a couple of times and making big plays. And what do you think was special and why he should be higher? I think that is valid and fair criticism that he was probably more down-to-down consistent the year before in a pretty ill-fitting scheme where I thought he was better.

as just a run defender and all around impact on the defense and then was allowed to be more of a playmaker and attack the line of scrimmage last season and then got more of the highlight flashy plays where people start recognizing the game more and he went from being criminally underrated in my opinion to maybe slightly overinflated. And it's such a deep linebacker free agent class

that the dollar amount to go get Devin Lloyd when you could go and find two pretty good starters deep into your like 1.30s, 140s. I think that's pretty fair criticism. I would just like to have one-on-on-on-one. of the maybe three or four best blitzing linebackers in the NFL in an era where we're blitzing like maniacs all the time. Yeah, we'll get to Caden Ellis, who's kept rising too, and that was one of the reasons I did have him keep rising because you want a guy who can blitz. All right, there's my top

10, and I feel good about it. Daniel Jones, I'll get to. He's part of one of my categories a little later, but let's go with the next 10. Kenneth Walker, the third is 11th. Rashid Shaheed is 12. So that's actually three straight Seahawks, Mafay, Walker, and Shaheed. Explosive players, obviously. So is Breece Hall, who I do like, and I don't think he's going to get to free agency. His teammate, Elijah Vera Tucker, I have quite high coming off a injury. You should be able to come off and be totally fine, a torn biceps. He's been a versatile, really good starter on the offensive line.

David Edwards, the guard for the bills, is going to get paid. Jamel Dean is higher than maybe when I first set you this list. I ultimately decided he's the best quarterback available. Mike Evans and Cade Aten and Kyle Pitts, I believe, is rounding out my top 20, or is it Travis Eton is the guy in my top 20? So a lot of offensive players, nothing got more anger from people than Cade Aten in this high. Like KDaten over Pitts, K'd Aten this high at all. I heard from a couple people that he's not even in the top 100 of some other lists.

We spent a lot of time on tight ends, so I don't want to spend too much on the KDOT. But make me feel better because I don't rank this based on how you're going to get paid. Obviously, the running backs and the linebackers and the tight ends are going to get paid. I'm doing off of who I'd want on my team, and if they're plus starters, and I'm factoring in some guys I think are going to make big money. But basically, are they plus starters at their position? Would I want them on my team? And KDOT, and I think fits almost any offense, and I would want him on my team. And even just a little bit over two other really good tight ends who had really wanted my team to, Kyle Pitts and Isaiah likely.

I agree with you. I do think that, and this may be dripping in condescension, I apologize. But Kyle Pitts is like, do you want to win the fantasy football championship? And Kay Donners are we trying to win the Super Bowl? Do you want to have a globalized offense than it can attack the defense in every single blade of grass who makes us right and makes us whole in everything we want to do? He's just, to me, about as solid as a start and everything you want with real plus attributes. as a run blocker and a move blocker and all these play action elements

that people talk about and they love the play action game, you've got to have a tight end who can be really effective as a move blocker. And that's what often is. Is he at the level of a game breaker

that you may be traditionally hunting for in this kind of element of the for agent list? He's not quite that, but we just mentioned it's this really deep middle class and middle band. So someone might be 40th

in someone's eyes, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to have him 18th third. I really struggled with the, this part of the list more than any one. else. After the top 10 or so, I was just like 11 to 40 or so to use that number. It could have been sprinkled different ways. Now, I really like Isaiah likely.

The one I would pick you up on slightly is Kenneth Walker, because if you are hunting for who could kind of change the fortunes of the team and he maybe will drive you crazy every once in a while. But we really just want explosivity and top end production and maybe we'll take over a playoff game for a single-handedly. I feel like that pushes him right into that Alex Pearce category. Okay. Maybe a little bit more reliable. But over the OAs, over the Daniel Joneses, I think I would maybe move Walker.

Interesting. Yeah, the position and the fact that it's inconsistent, and I feel good having a running back that high at 11. I could see him being higher. Shehid, I struggled with because he helps an offense. The production wasn't there in Seattle. Is he limited, perhaps, but ultimately a premium position? And I think the guy I would want the most at that position after Pierce.

I felt okay about it. How do you feel about the offensive lineman Edwards and Veritaka kind of leading the way there? I think it's solid. I think Verituka is really, really, really solid. I think you're not looking for the high-end explosive upside of someone like a Lindabom, but he's certainly more solid than Lindabom and past protection. And so if you're just looking for a capable starting guard, there's probably, I mean, it goes pretty deep this season in the free agent camp where you're probably not going to have

to go and overpay to go and get a serviceable guard the season. I think I would have Veritooker. That's probably the right order. I would say Veritooker than Edwards. By the way, to pick up on something you said a minute ago, the condescending Ali is the best out. I mean, that's what I want. Like condescending Ali number one, number two is just like on no sleep whatsoever.

and flaming the rest of the NFL. Let's do a segment here. So let's give some fits to some of the top players. Some of them we've mentioned already, but you can get into some players we haven't mentioned that we will get into on the list. And yes, it is time for charging into free agency presented by Apple Card for all your game day purchases.

We can just go back and forth here. You did have some fits for Pierce and Willis specifically near the top of the list. Yeah, let's know if Willis, I love the fit of Malik Willis to the Steelers. Now, it's a little bit of a leap of faith in the offense and in Mike McCarthy, who I do still believe in my bones as genuinely an excellent quarterback developer,

and it's not just him coming up with a PowerPoint presentation about Joe Montana in his 40s and how he helped that guy out with his footwork. And if he's dialed in and locked into actually coaching day to day, and I'd be really beneficial for Willis continuing his development. I just think that offensive line is so underutilized, so athletic, so explosive, You could do so many creative things if you start to fuse in the quarterback run game with

Malik Willis with the dropback deep passing game of Mike McCarthy. I think you can kind of picture in your mind those two worlds together. And I think that would be excellent for the Steelers and just have some idea, some blueprint for the next two, three years will look like a quarterback that aren't rolling it back with Aaron Rogers. I'd like to see it. They did spend last year. Are they going to continue to be that sort of team?

It's a little bit of a sea change. but they have a new general manager, relatively new, and Omar Khan, and maybe they'll surprise everyone. It really sounds like they're just going to bring Aaron Rogers back. They're quote-unquote waiting and they're happy. But I would love for them to surprise us. We might ask Omar Khan about that.

He is penciled in as a guest next week on NFL Daily. I'm sure he'll just tell us what's going to happen. I do, like, Malik Willis in Arizona, it's partly Minnesota would be even better, but Arizona feels like. is more realistic. It's partly just for my own entertainment. It's just like, okay,

I'm not really thrilled about the Mike Lafleur, Nate Hackett, Cardinals, and I want better for Malik Willis, but great left tackle, maybe not great. Very good left tackle, very good weapons to start with. I just think it could be fun.

So I think that could make a team that doesn't seem that interesting to me right now, interesting immediately. You have Alec Pierce to the Titans, which would absolutely devastate Colts fans. and yeah, it would be a fun mix. I had Wondale going to the Titans because Brian Daibble,

I don't know how he felt about Wondale, but he's there and in the end he got a lot of production with Brian Dable. I don't think they could get both, but why do you like Alec Pierce there with the Titans? Just like adding a real field stretcher to Brian Dable who wants to get vertical down the field, give Cam Ward the kind of easy option.

If you're going to go hunt the big play, we've got the best field stretcher, we could possibly find the market, then we can maybe play some, you know, rhythm football after that, I just think it'll be a nice fit. Yeah. I also like your Nick Cross to the Bills. We're going to start getting a little deeper. And I'm going to read off these names, but when we're doing the segments, we can kind of reveal them.

Nick Cross, I think, is in the 40s for me as an underrated Colts safety. You have him going to the Bills. I also have the Bills would be a fun signing. But all right, you go with Crossers. Yeah, I mean, the Bills, I mean, open. and I think in their press conferences that the goal of the defense is to be more multiple

and not in the kind of generic sense but truly be able to shape shift before the snap. Take it as late as possible into the snap. How can we move around? How can we rotate? How can we adjust the front?

You've got to find one of these hybrid players who is comfortable playing on the line of scrimmage at linebacker when needed at safety. I just think Nick Cross is one of the most criminally underrated players

at being able to change what you can do in terms of switching the front around changing the structure of the defense. They're going to move a ton pre-snap. I don't think he's going to an awful lot of money.

And if they're trying to maybe cheap it out defensively, just the way Jim Leonard is signaling it and he's got a safety background and he wants to bring a bunch of pressure from the safeties while having this kind of mobile moving from, their defense doesn't fit that right now. But one of the kind of linchpin pieces you need is that hybrid safety.

And it can kind of correct some of the issues you may have by having to invest heavily in the defensive line. So I just think it'll be a home run pickup for them. Yeah, I know the safeties are going to go cheap and it's going to annoy me when I see some linemen that I've ranked below the safeties, getting quadruple of the money. But that's just how I like to do my rankings, just thinking about the plus starters, because you get those deals.

Cam Curl went two years, $9 million two years ago. I mean, that contract aged amazingly, and he played really well. I have him just ahead of Nick Cross, I believe. We'll get to that. And he maybe could double that and go two for $18 million, but safeties are cheap, but they're still important to have plus safety. So you had Boye Maffi to the Niners. You had, yeah, the Niners making a big move there.

I have Rashid Shaheed to the Niners. I think that would be fun. They sneaky have a monster wide receiver need now. There's no Brian DeNayuk on the roster. There's no Joanne Jennings on the roster. It's really just Ricky Pearsall, who's not always healthy, and that's about it. So what do you think of Shaheed?

Because I could see him on the bills too. Like would he be a guy that that's where they try to address the receiver position, at least in free agency as a field stretcher for Josh Allen? That would almost feel like Brandon Bean coutowing to public pressure. Like, let's go get the guy. Oh, it's going to happen. It's just who's it going to be? Yes.

Who's it going to be? Yes. It's a weird way Shahid. I thought he was a more developed, more nuanced player in New Orleans. And I was kind of driving that line. Like, hey, he's more than you think. he's not just the field stretcher. Then he got to Seattle and people may have been correct and it may have been wrong that maybe that really is the core element of his game. And particularly

if you're the Niners and the bills too, frankly, I just think they need a little bit more reliability. Someone who can just go and get it off the break along the sideline, tough contested catches. I just think more of a chain mover with a bit of a vertical presence, which is what makes Alec Pierce so different, is that he is that kind of speeds to down the field, but has become way more adaptable at attacking the middle of the field too and being more possession-based in his game. With Shahid, it would feel like adding the fireworks in, but how are we actually going to, like, systematically drive the ball down the field would be fun with Shannon Ann, but I just think they need a little bit more reliability. They need a lot, and I think we're both hitting on something

that I think they're going to be aggressive. So whether it's a pass rusher and a receipt, like, I think they will get a pass rusher and a receiver. Obviously, we're talking about guys at the top of the market. Mafé would be a fun fit there. Some guys lower in the market, I thought a Dan Quinn, Trayvon Diggs reunion in Washington would be fun. I have Trayvon Diggs maybe a little too high. I did move him down throughout the week. I always just think if a guy, and I know he was a little lucky in the interception year,

but the year after he kind of backed it up with just better coverage overall, you could see lightning strike twice with some of these cornerbacks. And you're buying low is why I kind of like him with Dan Quinn. It'll just be a cheap one-year contract. I could see Joey Bosa, his old defensive line coach is with the Rams. I could see the Rams having just kind of some mercenary types for one year.

And to me, he would make a little sense there. You have Mike Evans with the Chiefs, which is a lot of fun. What do you think about what the Chiefs are going to do this offseason? And why do you like Mike Evans? Who's part of another category that we're going to do in a little later, which is like guys that I just would want to sign? Because X receivers, they still matter. And I don't think you're going to have to totally break the bank for Mike Evans.

And I think when he played last year, he still looked like Mike Evans. He looked really good. I love Mike Evans. I want for Mike Evans. If he's going to end his career, can he end it with one of the great ones? And so, if it's Josh Allen, Patrick Myr Holmes, almost the money is obviously very relevant to Mike Evans,

but for me it's not that relevant. I just want him to win his career catching passes from one of the great ones. And I love the idea of the chiefs having an adult in the room at receiver would be, I think, important. And that idea of reliability of we have a precise special quarterback who can just throw it to a spot on the field on third and eight when we're in the mud,

and Michael just go grab it. and it'll come down with everything. And we can build in with all the fun creative playmakers, all the shot plays down the field. But when we just got to get it on third and six for the game, we can just throw the ball to Mike and he'll come down with it. A better version of what DeAndre Hopkins was like with the Chiefs, which I had to just Google quickly.

I was like, that really happened, right? He played in the Super Bowl. I was there. A little bit of a bummer that that didn't work out. But I think the Mike Evans' shoutout would be a lot more fun. All right, that was charging into Free Agency, presented by Apple Card. Apply for Apple Card in the wallet app today. Start earning daily cash back on all your game day purchases from tickets to tailgate munchies to merch subject to credit

approval. So we've gotten through the top 20. We got a long way to go. Let's take a break. We're going to come back and start firing through the rest of this list. This month, IHeart Radio is celebrating the stars of the 2026 Winter Games. Douglasville, Georgia should be proud of Ilana Myers-Taylor, who is rewriting the definition of longevity as the most decorated black winter Olympian in history, she returns to the driver's seat for her fifth games, determined to chase one medal she has yet to win. Gold. Balancing motherhood and elite competition, she navigates the icy track with veteran precision. Myers-Taylor isn't just sliding for a medal. She's sliding for a legacy. For more winter games gold, search Olympics on the IHeart Radio app.

I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeart Radio Network or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents.

The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the Combine, the NFL Draft, Pro Days, trades. this is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits.

To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season. Yeah, absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise,

and what it means for your favorite. team. Smart analysis, real conversations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Back on NFL Daily, wondering if we did miss an opportunity to do that one player per minute. We're doing it next year, Ollie. Signing us up and putting it down. I like that idea. But we're going to, we're going to rattle through these and we're going to talk about quidipay, the number 30 player in the top 101 free agents. Been all up and down the board.

Do I really want quidipay on my team? Probably not. I think he's going to get paid. Maybe he should be a little lower, like for the money, but he's still a young potential ly difference-making pass rusher from the Colts. Alante Taylor, a favorite of mine at 31 slot cornerback, but can play outside, but probably best in the slot. Isaac Siamalu, the guard from the Steelers.

Tarek Wullen, who's moved down during the week, number 34. Nkobi Dean at 35, the linebacker for the Eagles. Connor McGovern, the center for the bills, has been sneaking up the list. His teammate last year, Joey Bosa, who I talked about, is next. Then Kalevon Chase-on, who had a breakout year for the Patriots, and Caden Ellis, the linebacker for the Falcons. Wrapping up the top 40 is Khalil Mack. So I kind of have him and Bosa grouped.

maybe too highly. Man, this is where the, I said that after the top 10, but this is really where the list, like, it's tough. You could make the argument, like one-year mercenaries like Bosa and Mac should be much lower compared to younger guys, so you're going to have a longer timeline like pay, but I think they're probably better players than Quitty Pay right now. Maybe a Connor McGovern who's been, I think, pretty rock-solid as a starting center should be a little higher.

Tariq Willan and Nkobi Dean are both boom or bust type of players. What stands out to you? I want to actually start with Seamalu, and then I'll ask you what stands out. Because am I overrating Seamalu? I keep hearing he's going to get a lot of money. Like, is it why? Like, should he?

Should he is a different question. I think he will because of just how lacking in solid interior line play. The league is across the board. I would not let him go about as the Steelers. Okay. That makes me feel better about the ranking. What about what about Barique Willen who I think is on a list of years coming up and so we might as well unveil that now guys you would be wary of you have Tarik Willen and Joey Bosa on that list. Joey Bosa first would just be the health track record. I thought the effort fluctuated

massively down the stretch this season. He just was not interested in an awful lot of play and just took a bunch of plays off, which is not something you were traditionally associated with his game, and he just didn't finish the way he has done traditionally, and if you start removing and stripping back the elements that used to make him an impactful player who always took some plays off,

and would kind of just have eyes only for the pass rush, eyes only for the quarterback, and you would kind of live with the downsides of his game. If you start ripping away five, six snaps a game of the good stuff, I just start to wonder, like, what are we paying for it? I think I'm maybe a prisoner of, you know, a couple tweets I sent, where, or midway through the year, I'm like, man, he was one of the best free agent signings, because there were a couple games where it felt like Joey Bosa was kind of the difference,

which it's hard to find in free agency. I think it was much better than the numbers, but the playoff performance was ghastly. And, yeah, hearing what you said, like I said, you have a chance to influence. I think Joey Bosa is going to move down in these final ranking. So these are not official. Joey Bosa missed a third of his tackle attempts last season. and probably missed 50% of tackles he should have been in position to make but had no interest in. That's what I mean is he gets there and just the, like, you could see the old Joey Bosa

sometimes the get off. Like, and so that was exciting. And I think he really helped, but I think, yeah, it's good to keep him in context. Freak Willen is a total boomer bust pick for, for this group. And the top of the cornerbacks, let's talk about, like, overall, like, Jamalon. Mel Dean's up there. Jaylen Watson, I like a lot, but I don't know if I love. And then Wollin is kind of this X factor who seems like he should be like a big time free agent contract. But do you want him, let's say, over Josh Job, who the Seattle Seahawks who had a Super Bowl

winning coaching staff basically chose to start over Tariq Bullen. Yeah, and I follow more that Mike McDonald, Jesse Minter ideology of corners. so I've just given me the dependable, reliable guys. Most interceptions, most turnovers are either breakups in the middle of the field or just a quote about making a bad decision and you catch the ones they throw to you. They throw you a bad ball, you pick that one off,

you hope you can corral it in. I think it's almost like a old school 2000s, big for agent contract type mindset to think, oh, we'll go and find the playmaker at corner. I think it's a really nice added benefit if one of your corners can go and high point the ball and make some ridiculous play outside of his assignment. I'd rather just have the assignment.

I'd rather just have the assignment sound cornerbacks. And I think Wollin just goes to sleep for far too many plays a game, including an NFC championship game where there's a Super Bowl on the line and he's going to sleep consistently worrying about everything else that's happening, not on the field. So he would just be a cross-off for me and you would just have to

live with the fact that he'll probably have a season where it's seven, eight interceptions, and he's become really famous and makes the pro-ball, but is it really impact winning on a down-to-down basis? I mean, if you get seven to nine interceptions, that year he'll impact winning. But I hear what you're saying these cornerbacks pop up.

It's such a hard position to predict in general. All right, I asked you for some guys you'd want to sign, and one of them is in this tier. I like your idea that's related to McGovern. I like the idea of pairing Connor McGuven and David Epwoods together with the Raiders. I thought the Vikings tried this last season, right, with Will Fries and the center as well, Ryan Kelly. And it didn't go quite so well for them more because of a health.

concerns, I think, than anything else. Though, Fry's played better down the stretch of the season. But if you're going to be drafting Fernando Mendoza, which we expect them to do, I love the idea of bringing two veteran steady hands who've played together, who are teammates, who have the chemistry and kind of a wink-wink connection. And you look at what they've been asked to do,

and Josh Allen is a freak, and he sorts a lot of things out for you and he makes you look a lot better. They had, by far, over the past two seasons, the highest individual one-on-one blocking rate in the league the bills did. They don't blow any assignments. They don't allow any free.

runners. They have a really low time to pressure, which does not involve Josh Allen holding onto the ball and getting rid of the ball quickly. So I just think the idea of saying, let's bring the two vets in. We've got all this cap room. The line has been a mess for years. We keep chasing the high upside guys in the draft. Let's go get two solid plus starters in the middle of the offensive line. And Fernando can at least be stable from center to left guard. And the longer this has gone, the more I've thought I should move McGovern up. What do you think about him in the 30s here where he is? I like McGovern.

I like McGovern a lot. I would bump him a decent amount up. Yeah. There just aren't many guys that are going to be able to start at that position right away that would normally be available in free agency. And so I'm glad I gave this week to really think about it because I think he's going to keep moving up and up. All right, let's go to the next 10.

And Brian Cook should have been somewhere in there. The problem is I got too many lists. copying and pasting back and forth. The official list Brian Cook is the top safety on, and we haven't even mentioned him yet. He should have been in there somewhere. Number 40 is Kobe Bryant, who is the next safety I have on this list, the Super Bowl winning safety for the Seahawks hitting free agency

right in the middle of his prime. Number 41, Quay Walker, first round pick of the Packers. Number 40, Chig O'Conquo, the tight end of the Titans. Cade Mays, who a lot of people might not know, started at center last year for the Panthers. Nick Cross, who we talked about. Leo Chanel, always a dynamic player, but never playing more than like 500 snaps for the Chiefs is an interesting young player.

Braden Smith, the right tackle for the Colts. He's an interesting case because I think his overall play as a pro would have him even higher, but there's issues with concussions and concerns about retirement. So I sort of split the difference and put them around here. I don't even know for sure if he's playing football this year. Cam Curl is next, the safety for the Rams. Joseph Assai, pass rusher for the Bengals, and then Joanne Jennings in the mix,

the wide receiver for the 49ers. And I asked you to come up with some guys you want to sign. We just talked Edwards and McGovern. Another couple of them, Cade Mays, and Brian Cook on your list. Yeah, I'd rather have Cabe Mays at $7 million a year than Linda Baum at $18 million a year. Right.

Mays is not getting Cade Mays at 7 though. You don't think so? I don't think so. I think that's out of the barn. I think there's other teams that are going to be interested, and I think the Panthers are going to have to pay up it. I think he's just going to get paid as a starter, which is like that starting double digits per year, I think.

Better pressure rate than Linda Baum last year, fewer snaps, but better pressure rate, fewer one-on-one pressures than Linda Baum last year, fewer one-on-one sacks than Linda Baum last year. I just think he has better slicker feet. feet and he's given credit for for someone who was 6-6-325. He was a college tackle playing now at center in the NFL. And I think he's really switched on, particularly in the run game more than anything else. But I think he's solid enough in pass pro in terms of the mental side of the game. And it's just a big unit, big lump that is difficult to move off the spot in pass pro.

And he's another one where if you can get him to one of these more protective systems like the Bears, where it's a lot of double teams to help out the center, you'd then feel very little of the downside of his game and just get all the other. side. So I love that. And there were some guys that I'd like to sign out of this group or that we've mentioned so far. But Joanne Jennings at the end of it, like Mike Evans, it depends on the price. I don't think the price is going to be that much. So I think it could be Robert Salah in Tennessee. We'll see like the former Joanne Jennings guy. But that's a guy you're looking to execute your offense and block.

And if he needs to pop up as a guy who, I don't know about carries you, but has a bigger target share for a little while, he's a perfect value slash talent. You know what you're getting. When you look back at these lists year after year, really the best hits are the guys in the middle that you signed a two-year, $14 million contracts. And they just come in and they can play good football for you. And I think Joanne Jennings, to me, is like a lesser version of Mike Evans, not similar in terms of players, but just the type of.

wide receiver. I said I like Mike Evans. I also, I like Joanne Jennings. I agree with you. I think when you go for those reliable guys who you know what you're getting and can plug into basically any system, that's your best bet and you're not paying top of the market thinking you're bringing in a dynamic difference maker. Those sides are talking about whether it's the chiefs or the bills, the true contenders who are hunting for like one extra piece in the receiver or maybe two including the draft. That is the kind of guy I would focus it on. When you know exactly what you're getting, can play in every single alignment, every single position of you, really reliable, very smooth down the field.

And if you get him with someone like a Josh Allen, there may be more upside there than we've already seen. So I mentioned Caden Ellis as a guy that I would like for the right amount of money. You know, Isaiah likely or Cada and I'd be really excited to sign as well. And then I'm looking at my list of guys I'd want to sign. And one of them is Jermaine Illumina. And I realized, Ali, a perfectionist would say, stop the tape right here, and we'd go back, and we'd fix the fact that we completely skipped

numbers 20 through 30 on the list. Because that's where Illuminaur is for me. But we're going to just keep rolling. I'm going to read it for you. And this is what happens when you're just a mess this week. I had Jalen Watson, number 21, on the list, the cornerback from the Chiefs, so, you know, quite high up there. That is where Isaiah likely is number 22.

Zion Johnson, who I think. made some strides as a run blocker at Guard, I think will get paid in free agency. Wondale Robinson kept sneaking up my list throughout the course of the week, the slot receiver productive for the Giants. Jonathan Franklin Myers, probably the best option of a pretty weak defensive tackle group in free agency, although there are a lot of guys who can just help you out for five to 600 snaps. He's probably the best of those.

Brian Cook, who I mentioned just briefly, Rashid Warn. Walker, the left tackle of the Packers, who kind of is maybe the rich man's Braxton Jones, like a late round guy who just gave you, like, good enough left tackle production. I'm a little worried about him because I think he's going to get paid big money. Jermaine Illumanor, who I mentioned, more of a guy who's been around, but is playing his best football at right tackle right now is with the Giants last year. And then Romeo Dobbs is at 29. That big group I just gave you.

what stands out to you the most players that you like, players that are a little too high, too low, what do you think? I think the two tackles together, Illuminaur is so solid and has gone from being, I think, a little bit flaky with more high-end plays to really struggling reps, now just being straight across the board,

just really clean all the way around. Walker, I think, is similarly solid. He's actually 14th among left tackles and pressure rate last season, but has a higher athletic upside to be a bit of a factor for you in the run game, whereas most of Illumononon, Illuminaur's game is just like keeping the pocket as clean as possible in past protection.

So if you're maybe looking for a solid right tackle and you're more of a past-centric offense, I think Illuminaur is the guy you want to go get. And I think he's probably going to get significantly more money than it's being projected. I agree with that. Maybe I just undersold him. I don't think he's going to get as much as Walker. And I love to see it. I am absolutely biased. We all are, you know, like in different ways. And the fact that, that he is one of the pride and joy of our friend Henry Hodgson and the International Pathway Program. And I've been tracking Illuminaur's career from the beginning.

And there was a minute, like, he almost was struggling to stay in the league, which seemed crazy because he had a lot of good tape out there. So it's a really big success story development-wise for him to be at this point where he's really going to cash in. So I'm really happy for him. Do you have any takes on Jalen Watson? A guy, I just didn't know where to rank him. A cornerback, maybe similar to Brian Cook,

who he's been in that system for Kansas City, and I think he's going to get a good deal in free agency, but I might be over-rating what kind of deal he's going to get and maybe where I have him ranked here. Yeah, he's one where I'd be worried about him being out of Kansas City. He's not someone I would go and pay good money to, to extract him away that maybe you would do. Someone like a Chigua, somewhere.

if I'm in a bidding war, I'd really want to just buy into the fact we could probably get more out of Chigaconkwo. I'd be worried about not necessarily just the Legerisneed side of things, but I think paying those kind of sticky man coverage guys that Spacknolo gets in, all those guys play really well and technically sound. And so you bring them to another system where most of the league is so zoned dense now and he's just not as clean in that area of the game that I'd be worried about paying him solid money. Okay. Yeah, it's a good perspective. And yeah, he might be moving down. down the list, just a little bit, just a little bit. All right, let's get outside the top 50 here. Now we're really going deep, and we'll talk about just some big picture stuff. But Bradley Chub is here.

He just got cut by the Dolphins. Devin Bush, who was on some second team all pro, you know, considerations, including, I believe, from Ollie, came off a monster season out of nowhere for the Browns. His teammate last year, Wyatt Teller, who I'm struggling with has plenty of good tape out there, but was benched at one point last year by the Browns. He announced this week, you know, he's moving on from the Browns. One of one of the many players who have void years and is going to be costing money to the Browns, but he'll be available and I think he'll be starting for someone this year.

AJ Epinessa, the edge for the bills. Colias Campbell, who probably is still ranked too low every year. Travis Kelsey and Aaron Rogers are next. I just like to having those three guys all in a row. That was kind of by accident. But I think it's where they deserve to be. because Kelsey's a very unique case. Aaron Rogers, I don't think is going to be playing winning football at all,

but you absolutely get a bump positional value as a quarterback, and he could get you by certainly in the right system. Justin Stranad, one of your favorites. And then Jaquan Bristker, Justin Stronad, kind of an edge, I mean, not an edge, a linebacker who can use just bum rushing the quarterback. I mean, talk about your beloved, because he is on your list of guys you would want to sign Justin Stronad. Yeah, I think only me and Mrs. Stranard care about Justin to this degree.

He is the best technical blitzing linebacker in the NFL, flat out simple, particularly mugged up, mug drop, blitzing from depth, everything. People I think would think more of Ivan Pace, Frankie Louvre, more the smaller, talked-up type blitzers. In terms of just technique, never selling it, always getting home, Justin Strannard to me is the best, the NFL. Him and Bobby Wagner are probably the two best. And Bobby Wagner's coming up. I might be underrated him too. I do send this list and talk to some friends, a few people in the league and a lot of the media friends.

And you weren't the only Stranad fan. So that helps me feel confident. Me and Vance. Every year, Payton is trying to find new linebackers for Vance to work with. And he says, don't worry about it. We got Justin out here. Okay. And I think that's a strategy that could win.

You had some guys that you were wary of. And I'll give you some of mine too. but Devin Bush was on that list. So was Bradley Chubb. So we just hit two of those guys. Chubb, I think, speaks for itself, just a guy who's had a lot of injuries, maybe a little inconsistent down to down,

and the production maybe outweighs, like, the impact. Devin Bush, where he at with where he's at? Yeah, it's a tricky one, because I thought he had an all-pro-calibre season, as you mentioned last year, just paying for that one season in that system, playing behind that defensive line alongside Swessinger with the unbelievable protection behind him because Delpit was absolutely out of control last season for the Browns and covered up some

of Bush's mistakes. I'd be really wary about bringing him into another situation based on all the stuff in Pittsburgh. He was a transformed player and it's just, I struggle to think that's going to carry over for a two-year, three-year contract. Yeah, I have precepts. I try to do these rankings by one of them is don't just rank off the last year. That's, that's what all, I feel like is a mistake in the draft a little bit where people really ignore the junior years entirely. I think it's a mistake doing these lists. The entire body of work should be considered. And, and that makes me feel better about maybe bringing Bush even lower. He started quite high. But there are other good players at that position. This is where it's just, you're picking favorites here, because from 60

to 120, 130. There's not a huge, huge difference. All right, I'm going to go 60 to 70. DJ Reeder. Still an effective enough nose tackle for the Lions, but definitely on the back nine of his career. Javante Williams was great for the Cowboys last year for a one-year pickup.

You want a rugged running back. I think he's a good option. Ed Ingram coming off a career year, guard for the Texans. Cordale Flott, who, man, seeing him up here, he started around 12, 1.30. I started thinking more about it. Arnold Abacetti is another guy who's moved up my board throughout the week, last few weeks. Dremont Jones had a lot of production when he was traded to the Ravens. Sneaky Young. That partly did it. When I was comparing him and Hassan Reddick, who will get to, I was like, wow, he is younger. Josh Job is here who we talked about. Kingsley and Iqbari, who's a solid young player for the Packers. Asante Samuel Jr., who I might have too high.

And Kenny Gainwell, the, you know, famous team MVP from the Pittsburgh Steelers. I had guys I would be wary of. And Ed Ingram was kind of on my list here. And yet I'm putting him in my 60s. But I just know he's going to get good money. We've talked so much offensive line. I can almost hear Eric's, you know, saying, do the sizzle positions. So how about some of these sizzle positions out of these 10?

Who stand out to you? We got Javante Williams there. We got Cordell Flot up in the mix. Do you think Eboketti or Draymond Jones or Enigbari could get big money in terms of, like, the defensive linemen? Ebiketti interests me. I think you have to be a really blitz-centric defense to cover up some of his concerns. He's not kind of the speed bend off the ball where if it's, you know, third and nine, the playoffs

of the Super Bowl, we want him truly in the rotation. But I think he can give you good, solid, all-out effort type stuff. And if you look at what's at the top end of your list with OA and those guys, I don't think it's that stark a decline, depending on your defensive system, to go all the way down there. Well, then why weren't they playing them more? That's the biggest issue I have is... Because they invested two first round picks and everyone's job was on the line.

Right, but that means they think those two first round picks were better than him. Is James Pierce better than him? No. You don't think so. Okay. Quick off the ball. That worried me more than anything that... The way they were playing...

they required first step quickness that Eboketty does not have. If you just say we're going to put in with the Niners, with the Eagles, and it's going to be more four down and go rush, just run out to in through someone's chest for 35 snaps. Everyone else will feast. He is willing to do that for you, and that's the kind of play of those teams need. I don't know how I landed on Cordell-Flaught Island.

I'm not even sure why I am. He was pretty good last year when I saw. Right? He's young. He's coming off his rookie contract, and he's been like a slow progression. Cornerbacks are inconsistent, and I just feel like he got better and better. So, okay, I don't feel that bad about that.

The Ingram one, the Ingram one, I know you said we're doing too much offensive line play, but I do think that his development was legit, that it wasn't like flashy and just, he wasn't making such obvious mistakes where guys just, you know, turnstiling him immediately off the snap, which is what most of his career was. I do think he was a lot more solid. And so I could buy into, based on the pre-draft record, what teams will have had about him pre-draft and kind of seeing it come together right before Frayden's, yeah, I could see him getting some more money.

Oh, I think he'll do well. I was just a little worried, but I like hearing that. I think he's, I feel good about where he's at. By the way, I mentioned Jaquan Bristker before. He's a really unique situation. If you're just going off his tape and his age and his pedigree and the way he plays football, he'd be even higher on this list for me, but his history of concussions are just so worrisome that I kind of split the difference and put him in the middle.

But he might be a cross-off for a lot of teams. And hopefully the Bears just treat him well, keep him there. I think he belongs there. And that would be great. Asante Samuel Jr. being this high, I know he's not much of a run stop or anything, but he came back out there last year. And I thought he played pretty well. And if you're just going to give me like replacement level, like solid starting

cornerback value, do you think I have him too high? And am I being too sentimental because I went back to check the first top 101 free agents list that Chris and I put together? I actually was doing this. I don't think it was 101 at Pro Football Talk. I don't know if it was every single year. So that wasn't the first time I ever did it. But it was the first time we did at NFL.com, me and Chris Wesleyan. And on the first one we did together, which was 2014, we had Assante Samuel.

I think it was number 68. He was at the end of his career. And I just like the fact that this has to be the first father-son pairing to make the list. I think I put them at the same number just for fun, which only I would know. But now our listeners know. I like that you're trying to gas up the replacement level corner and the coverage stuff. You just can't play in the league in 2026 if you ask out of anything in the primitive game, run game, screen game. And you can be fine running and turning down the field and do all the swipes.

and hand swipes when there's an incompletion around you. He's not interested in the fight, and that's a player I would cross off the board. This is tough. You know, the list, it can change quickly. Guys can go from 60 to off it, because there's so many guys I really love, and we will get to that.

This is going to be a long show. Sorry, Eric and Chris. We're going to make a meal out of the top 101. I don't want to rush it. But there's so many guys out of the 101, and it's like, you know, I get some feedback. like, oh, they should be higher, they should be higher, they should be higher from people. People don't ever want to say they should be way lower for some reason.

They should be higher. Well, it's like, yeah, but you got to start just taking people completely off the list if you're going to be moving all those guys you like. But maybe Asante is one of those guys. I am happy to hack your list apart for you if you would like. Kato Kohu, I don't believe makes your list. He should probably be. No, he's on the list.

He's on the list. He made on the list, okay. He should certainly be above Samuel. He actually started in the 70s. Now he's down to 91 right now, but he's on. the list, but I could move him up. I know he is one of your favorite. I had a list and and I mentioned Ingram was on it, but I want to go through it and we're going to take one more break of the guys to be wary of. We gave yours. The rest are guys we mentioned towards the top.

I want to, you know, I want to swing big here. Kyle Pitts, I'm a little wary of for the money that he's going to get as just like a big receiver and you just saw him at his best and are you going to keep getting that. I'm a little wary of Daniel Jones, which is funny because I think overall, I have been higher on him from day one and I've been consistent than average that I thought in the right situation, I think he can be like a, you know, a replacement plus level, like the 16th best quarterback in the league, which is, which can be, that's valuable. And he was an even better situation last year. Coming off in Achilles, all the injuries that he has, I am worried about him. Seamala, we talked about Quiti Pei Pai, we talked about, Quay Walker is another guy. You're a linebacker

guy I put on my be wary of because he just feels like the profile of a guy who's going to get huge money when there's other guys available at the position. Yeah, I agree with you. The thing people are hoping for from him is, oh, if you get him to a completely different system where he's unlocked as this attack-based player and it's a ton of blitzing, look at the athleticism. He's just never really showing it on the field. Snap-snap. He's never been the best linebacker in his own tandem. So I just think it's chasing the player that was really exciting coming out of college rather and evaluating the pro film and going based on that. If you're looking for impactful blitzing player,

you can go and get yourself a Justin Strannard, a Devin Bush, someone that will be, I think, far cheaper than teams that will default back to. We wish we drafted him in the second round and he wasn't available to us. This has been a very useful exercise with me, for me. I'm going all the way to the end. Let's take one more break, and then let's hit the end of the list before we leave. I'm Dylan Playfair.

And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is Bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeart Radio Network or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

And I'm Greg Rosenthal. And this is 40s and free agents. The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. This is my favorite part of the calendar. Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine, the NFL draft, Pro Days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future. This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money.

On 40s and free agents, we break down every move that actually matters. From my draft evaluations, mock drafts, and team fits. To my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts, and all the tough decisions included. You got quarterbacks on the move. We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season. Yeah, absolutely.

It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team. Smart analysis, real conversations every week. I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we are back on NFL Daily. We're up to number 70 on the list. Ali Connolly is with me.

He said he's ready to go four hours. I don't know if that's a threat or a promise. We will see. Number 70, Monterec, aka Buster Brown. Love watching him this year. Had a career year in his contract year. Maybe he's too high, but I like me some Monteric Brown. Nashon Wright, talk about a guy who timed just a year out of nowhere well.

Really curious to see what his market is, but I'm a little afraid of giving him big money. DeMario Davis, still playing well. We're into the aged guys who can give you one more good year. year. Kevin Zaitler is probably still in that category. Guard for the Titans. I had no idea where to put Tyree Kill. He would be a cross-off for me because of the off-field issues plus the injury stuff. There's a sliding scale for off-field issues in the league. And by off-field issues, we're not just talking even about driving fast. We're talking about domestic violence. We're talking about what he was suspended for back when he was the chiefs. And you saw in some reporting and you heard,

about this stuff of being a quote-unquote distraction, to put it nicely, didn't really stop when he was on the dolphin. So that plus the injury, which is a dislocated knee and a broken leg, is just a cross-off for me. That said, he's still Tyree Kill. Someone's going to give him a shot at some point. I don't know how early it'll be this year. That was a long Tyree Kill Jack.

Logan Hall, the defensive tackle for the Bucks, Reed Blankenship Safety for the Eagle. Al-Qahid Muhammad coming off of extremely productive year for the Lions at 30 years old. He's bounced around the league. David on Yamada, who's out there for Dennis Allen to go pick up

and it wouldn't surprise me if he does. And Marcus Mariotta, who's putting up good film as he gets older as a backup quarterback. That is my 70 to 79. Who stands out to you the most out of that group? I'm not a blank and ship guy. I think he is significantly,

a product of the system, and even within that system, is just an all-time gambler. He just gambles a whole bunch, and when you're playing with the cropper plays he's playing with, you don't always see the gambols exposed so much. I'd be really wary about him going into another system, unless it was specifically a kind of fan show copy, would Brandon Staley pick him up to kind of bring more experience

to the same secondary? I would be cool with that. But as an across-the-board, putting a ranking together, I just wouldn't be on Blankenship. I thought I was putting him quite low, but you're making me think, and I haven't checked all the other lists. I've seen a little bit of the PFF list,

but maybe I'm not lower than content. I kind of want to be lower than consensus, so maybe I'll check that out. Logan, do you have any Logan Hall thoughts? Not many interior defensive linemen coming up at the end of their rookie contract. Almost none.

He's the best one that shows any promise and a little bit of improvement. He was an interesting one for me. He fits the profile of a guy who would get paid more than people expect that. I'm just not sure if he will or not. No, I just think he's so stiff and doesn't offer an awful lot for you

on passing downs, other than being big enough and physical enough to command a double team that gets someone else free, but you can just go and find that with like an undrafted free agent. I don't think it's necessary to invest good free agent dollars

in that kind of player. Okay. I mean, you said you're going to hack my list. We might just have to get on the phone after this, or we could just do it as a podcast. DiMario Davis, I moved up through the process. I just kept feeling bad. I was like, he's still helping.

He's the best. I know it'll stop one time, but like, it's not stopping. I asked you for boomer bus players. We're going to hit yours after the next 10, because one of yours is in that next 10. But Nashon Wright was in my group. Practically every cornerback almost felt like a boomer bus. Maybe not Josh Job.

I don't think he's boomer bus. But a lot of these. cornerbacks are boomer bust. Quincy Williams, who we haven't gotten to, feels like a boomer bust. If Robert Salas signs him in Tennessee, which I fully expect, he'll probably play really well. So he'll outplay the ranking. Nicopi Dean was the one I wanted to circle back to. I think he's a bit of a boomer bust because of the injuries. Where do you think Nicopi Dean is at in the linebacker sphere?

I talked to some people, Bo Wolf, I'll put his name on it, just like, you know, that cover the Eagles. He was surprised like I was as high on Nikobi Dean as I was. What do you think? I have him in the top 40. Yeah, I think he got a lot of national attention from being from the Georgia defense then those Eagles groups being so great and he's

such a psychopath and so explosive. You get really excited about the possibilities. I love the idea of him moving to a different system where it's not so read and react where he's not on the first line of scrimmage as often as he's being forced to be with the Eagles and getting him to warn these complete blitz freaksoids.

out there. If he's with Brian Flores, I'm all kinds of excited about the turbo charge and getting off the ball so quickly and maybe being able to conceal some of the concerns with the dropping back and reading and reacting type stuff. And we've got so many of those defense in the league right now. I would like to see that, but it's not a league filled of all out full throttle pressure and attack. It's kind of showing it and backing out and it's a bit more complex and sophisticated and I think his game has developed enough to truly handle. So I have him locked in as I think he's going to get a ton of money because teams yeah i think he's going to get way more than you think now it's a deep class and maybe i'm off with that but i do think he's got unteachable first step quicks

and people adored him so much in the draft that being able to get a chance to get the hands on him there'll be three or four teams who push the price up well and he pops he pops on on film when you watch him and he really did this year when it was going well there was like you could if you pick his two best games this year it's awesome and so i think and there are so much and there are so of these teams now who've got solid lineback of tandems, but they're just slow. And their good teams are slow. So even the good teams, the Patriots, I look at someone like the Panthers, who might say, we just need speed at the position. And he's the most explosive guy available. Let's go 80 to 89. Hassan Reddick, who me and you have already talked about offline,

who still had some good performances last year. I know the production wasn't there. I think he could help a team. RICO Dowdo, who I felt bad ranking this low. Sheldon Rankins, who has been on this list more than any player in top 101 history other than Deveon Clowny, who we're going to get to. But Sheldon Rankin's is always here, and he always, like, fulfills the value that they wanted just about. Devo Samuel is here. Felt bad about ranking him this low. This is where I landed with Trevon Diggs.

Braxton Jones, if I'm looking for guys to, like, get out of the top 101, like, it wouldn't hurt me to get Braxton Jones out. so maybe I'll do that even though he's at 86. Rashad White, the backup running back for the buck, so I think he's a good player. Greg Newsom, a boomer bust, cornerback. Kobe Durant, who started a lot of games for a team that's won a lot of games and is young, and then Quincy Williams, who I mentioned.

I thought one of your boomer bust was in this crew. I was wrong. So let's stay with this crew for a second. Braxton Jones, I keep asking about offensive linemen because that's where I feel like I need the most help. Maybe a replacement level guy, but ultimately wasn't the guy that the Bears wanted. But we've started a lot of games for him.

What do you think about him? Even making it onto this list. I think making onto the list is fine. We're getting into the crop, as you said, of old hired hands one-year deals. Maybe there's more potential there with him where could he develop into a solid, capable starter? He's just so maddeningly inconsistent.

And he's probably going to be one of those pickups where beat writers and fans start saying, well, they've solved this position, so we don't have to worry about it for the draft. And then in week four, you're just, you know, flaming him online about how, how is this the guy that we brought into the team?

I don't think Debo is going to have a great market. I said that on our, around the NFC program, and I got some pushback on that. I was surprised. I thought you played really well to open last season. Could you play more of a pitch count? I think if you get into the charges with Mike McDaniel,

I'd be all sorts of intrigued. And could you just design six specific touches a game, bit of a decoy on some other stuff and kind of navigate through the season and get them healthier down the stretch of the year. Again, I'm always influenced by the last thing I heard and I do love me some divo. It just feels like it's two games at a time,

three games at a time, then it's three bad games at it. And it's just been like that for years. That's hard. But you're right in the right system. He could be interesting. Let's go 90 on. Oh, we're really doing it here.

I mean, we're at the end of this list. Dallas Goddard is number 90 Peter Kohoo Your slot receiver from the Dolphins Who missed all of last year with an injury But was great the year before Bobby Wagner The disrespect getting down here

Malcolm Kuntz Christian Kirk Could potentially take him off the list But it is Christian Kirk Jalen Thompson the safety from the Cardinals Who's had a pretty good year I mean a good career Darren Waller

Who moved great last year when he returned? Kevin Byard, who I feel really bad about putting this low. I feel bad about all these guys. Cam Jordan, Alex Anzolode, David and Joku, and then number one is Jedevian clowning. We have a lot more to talk about here, but let's talk about the 101 options. Ali, are you familiar with how I do the 101? Please inform me. Okay. So players will be cut. Players will be franchise tag. Players will be added. Players will resign. We have editors taking care of the list, and I have to add players on when they become available. The list is always changing. So the 101 is always changing.

I need to make like 120 write-ups because more players are going to resign and get franchise tag than get cut and put on list. But it's always changing. But the 101 is an honor where that player is just, you just affix him there. And he somehow represents something that I like about the league, that I just feel can carry the weight of being the 101. And so we had some different options this year. Injoku, interesting guy,

had a big moment overseas, you know, like loving it up with the fans. That was cool. Cam Jordan, I think he would take it as an insult. He's a colleague. I think he's going to take this ranking as an insult if he finds out about it. Hopefully he won't.

Jimmy Garapolo was a pretty strong option. We haven't mentioned him yet. He's after that. I think he's been 101 before. Patrick Ricard, who I kind of forgot about because I just sorted by running backs might need to be much higher on the list.

We'll talk about him too. He would be a fun option. But I settled on Jedediwi and Clowny because to me he, more than anyone, has defined this list over the last decade. Always on it,

sometimes near the very top. He's been as high as I think number three, number two in some years. Usually returns pretty good on investment as long as he's healthy and just like the ultimate free agent. He defines free agency.

He does define. I'm afraid. He rocks up week one. Don't worry about training camp. I'll just turn up and get you seven sacks and a couple of pressures and we'll all have fun. I don't think he was on the list last year and I thought he was finally done. And like I did see on some other list like he was top 50 or something. And I was like, okay, that's too far. But he was so productive that I think he deserves the respect of even being on the list. To me, he's the perfect 101. So I'm not going to be talked out of this one. And there's not that much edge juice. You mentioned some of these young guys and the untapped potential. I just don't see.

I think a lot of those guys are just flame outs who are taking too high in the draft and people are defaulting to pre-draft expectations. At least with Clowny, you know what you're getting. I think the same with Derek Barnett. You know what you're getting with Derek Barnett. The one guy who's not there who I think would be a good 101 is Charlie Kohler who fits with where the league is that.

You're missing the point here. I know. I know. You want more meme-fied stuff. I'll put them in at 99 or something if we wanted to make the case. Yeah. I accept that. Clowny is the perfect.

Thank you. No, sorry for cutting you off on Kohler. saying, Coler can't, could be a great player. He can't carry, he can't carry that weight, Charlie Kohler.

He needs to be someone that people recognize. But he was one of your, was he one of your sleepers? There were a bunch of different lists out there. He was one of your guys that you would sign, would be Charlie Kohler.

So you can talk about him a little bit, but you also had Kohu as one of your sleepers. Dennis Gardek as one of your sleepers. Jalen Naylor, Roger McCreery. and Derek Barnett Nailer, the receiver. He was on the list initially for the Vikings. I think he might get a pretty good contract.

McCreary, who the Rams traded for, the cornerback, Derek Barnett, the pass-wresters. So these are guys that didn't make the 101 right now that you like as sleepers. Yeah, Kowoo for sure, I think if you're looking for a slot corner who can attack in the run game, attacking the blitz game, hang well enough in man coverage. He's one of the guys out there.

I mean, their whole blueprint for the team fell up part the Dolphins when they lost Kato Kau. In training camp, he was so essential to the whole structure of their defense. They started having to trade and pick up late for agents, trying to figure out a new structure. With where the league is at right now, a bunch of two titans, a bunch of heavy personnel.

Slot Corner has to be so invested in the pressure game, in the run game, and Co-U to me is right up there probably the top 12, 14 of slot corners defending and attacking into the flat. It would really be interesting to see his market, but those guys, you just haven't gotten paid enough over the years, even Kenny Moore when he was available.

I mean, he did well, but it's all relative and coming off an injury. Yeah, that would be a great bargain pick. I do want to go through the end of this list because some of these guys could be susceptible to getting kicked off the list if we're moving guys up. Between, you know, let's say,

Braxton Jones, Greg Newsom, Kobe Durant, then we get into the final guys on the list, Bobby Wagner, Christian Kirk, Jalen Thompson, Kevin Byard, Cam Jordan, Alex Anzolone, and Jok. I mean, these are good players. Darren Waller,

give me a couple that you would boot off the list. I'm putting you on the spot. Okay, well, Jalen Thompson, I would move up probably 14 or so of spots. I think he's going to be in high demand. I would take,

and this hurts me to my soul, I would take Bobby Wagner out. Wow, just off the list entirely. I think he is, transformed his game in ways I truly admire and appreciate, but he is just so frozen these days that it's just almost not worth having him on the field at this point. Yeah, there were a lot of tough moments of the ball flying over his head

and just, yeah. But here's the thing with him. I can take the easy way out mentally into the listeners that he might be retiring. And like I didn't even put Harrison Smith or Joel Botonio down because I assume they are retiring. until proven otherwise. And I think you could kind of say that about Bobby Wagner.

You just won Walter Payton the end of the year. So then I don't feel as bad about it. You got to give me more, though, because you have all these guys you want on the list. You want, you want Kohler moving up. You know, you probably, do you want Pat Ricard moving up? He was a painful omission. It's a painful admission.

He's not the play he was two seasons ago. So I would rather have Charlie Kohler than I would. Pat Ricard. Right, but you also got your sleepers, Gardek, Nailer. These are guys who are in my top 130. Certainly, Derek Barnett is in there, too. Quietly been pretty good for the Texans

the last few years. All right, no one seems to stand out to you as like they have to get off. No one offends you. Not offensive, but I think Anzolone is pretty grossly. That's how I felt too. So actually, I feel good about it.

Like, he has moved down and down. Like, he started much higher. And I think it's more of a, you know, to quote the great Chris Wesley, name over game situation when we're making this list. He's just like a name that I know. He's played a lot for a good team.

But yeah, he maybe doesn't make sense on this list. Greg Newsom is a guy I would be wary of, but I think he might get paid a lot. I was torn of, he was a cornerback that the Jaguars traded for during the season from the Browns. If I had made this list a year ago of prospective free agents, like he's probably in the top 40 because I just think of him as a young rising really talented

cornerback. So I think he could get a pretty big contract. I could be wrong. And yet, like it wouldn't kill me to take him out of the top 101. Now, he terrifies me as a signing. He's just so up and down. But he will put together like three straight weeks. So board line all pro level where you might kick yourself if one, he's not on this list.

That's enough. That's enough. You got to make the 101. Yep. I think he is, to me, the only true fit outside of Cleveland, where he was before, where it would make sense is the jets, the volume of man coverage, the system they run. That would be why I'd be willing to say we could maybe bring him in, plug him in for two seasons. Otherwise, I think someone's going to have real bias remorse where they pay him.

He's such a poor scheme fit that he's not even on the team in a season. So I asked you for some boom or bust players. You put Malcolm Coontz, who wasn't great last year coming off an injury, but now he's a year further removed. Could be interesting. You put Hassan Reddick, which the fact that you think he could be a boom is all I need to hear in terms of where he is. I tend to agree. Rashid Jihad, we talked about.

Chigo Konko is a guy that we agreed for that category. And a guy, I would be intrigued to sign absolutely. Like, what do you think his market will be? I think it's going to be really high with these teams moving to as much too tight-end as possible. I think he'd be an excellent fit for the Patriot. for Josh McDaniels. He's just, the reason where it's been more bust to me is I have such a feel just like deep in my football bones that there's way more in there.

But you might get to like week three and just look around the rest of the staff and go, actually we weren't really wrong about the untapped potential. And we thought the Titan staff were bozos. Actually, they were onto something. And you would just know it in your gut really early. Well, he, I know there's some different strengths and weaknesses, but he's just playing out the, that's what I always thought about Johnny Smith. why I thought that signing by the Patriots was fantastic.

And then it turned out, I think what you see was what you got. And actually, they're kind of similar in terms of they looked really good as rookies and just stayed that way. So that's an interesting guy to think about. You put Christian Wilkins down, which I'm glad he mentioned, a guy who had a hundred million dollar contract from the Raiders then got cut. There was that whole story about like that he made people uncomfortable in the locker. The injury was devastating, but he is out there. And he's just a reminder. I did write him down with a big question mark like in my 120s,

but I just don't know what his deal is, but he was a guy who earned a $100 million contract in the NFL. So I'm glad we mentioned him on the show. Yeah, and played at a level that probably could have even got a little bit more than that. The year he got the contract. It's just, is he okay mentally? How is the foot health? If he's dialed in and there's a, you know, sound medical check,

you're going to get him on cheapest contract imaginable if he wants to play. And so I think if you're one of the contenders looking for subbrush help, if you just imagine him going to the Texans and it's like week seven, it's like the Texans brought Christian Wilkins in, I feel like it would terrify everyone. The Texans got their hands on him. So if I was a team who was like rebuilding, looking for some juice up front,

I would certainly be making the call early to find out what's going on. Texans is a great bit for him to rebuild his value because you could get him on one of those Selden ranking, or Tim Settle Derek Barnett deals or it's like one for five or whatever and Selamon the idea of rehabbing his value, play for a good team. He's someone I'm going to be looking for.

All right, the last thing we'll talk about is just the painful omissions. These are also kind of sleepers for me. A sleeper would be Buster Brown, who I mentioned earlier, but the painful omissions, Jack Jones is not on my list. Pat Ricard is not on the list.

Jimmy Garoppolo is just outside the list. he probably should be. Why are you upset about leaving Jimmy Garoppolo off? Why would you pay Jimmy Garoppolo money? He's going to have a market. Why? To do what? Don't you to play to be a good backup quarterback?

I think back. I always say backup quarterbacks are so undervalued because it's so valuable to have a guy who could play three pretty good games for you. Don't you think that's Jimmy Garapola? No. You don't. No.

I mean, you know who disagrees with you? Sean freaking McVey. that and I appreciate Sean's perspective. I like Tom Moore's perspective about Peyton Manning. If Payton goes down, we're effed. Don't worry about the backup. I believe in that side of things. I would rather just go into the draft and throw a dart, throw at Ty Simpson or Garrett Nussmeyer,

one of the day to you guys, then I would be interested in bringing Jimmy Gropa. I was, like, wanting to love his preseason with the Rams. And then it was like, I guess they were always afraid to play him. So then you never really saw it. Or even his practice. I'm thinking of like when I saw them do the move the ball field for an entire day. And I was like, okay, they love Jimmy Grabo. But I, yeah, it's a big difference watching him and Matthew Stafford in the same practice.

So it's maybe unfair. Kairas Tonga, I felt bad about leaving off the list. Snoop Huntley put up some good film last year. I felt bad about leaving out the list. Najee Harris was, you know, pretty highly ranked on this list a year ago. Bradley Pinyon is a good punter, justice for punters. Maybe he should be on the list. I think he led the NFL and punts inside the 20 this year if you care about a state.

Like he's a good directional punter, but, but, you know, I don't know if he deserves to make the list of, are there any guys I didn't leave on? Maybe the group I just said that you really love that you would put on or anyone else. I guess you gave your sleepers of guys that we haven't mentioned. Yeah, I mentioned Goddek, who I think should be on there. And then Jalen Naylor, not making the top 101, I find a little bit peculiar. I think he's got, we mentioned about the Juwon Jennings signing of, can you find someone who's more in that reliable category.

I don't think Neil is quite at the Jennings level, but could I see him having a super productive season for a very good offense? Absolutely good. Having a quarterback who is willing and capable and allowed to throw to the middle of the field would really help Jalen Naylor and you swim. Good dig there. I think it's because

I have these relationships in my mind, you know, parasocial relationships with these guys who I've watched for so long and I've ranked them sometimes on this list. And it's like, you know, can I really leave old Dallas Goddard off list? No, I, you know, I haven't hit Kevin Byard or Cam Jordan. And it's like, I got to get all these guys on. And then I don't feel as bad about Jaylen Naylor,

who I don't really know as well, you know. But even like you've got Tyreek on the list, who is in the Tyson zone, you mentioned all the off the field problems anyway, but is in the sense of you're going to bring him into the locker room and not know what's going to happen day to day, whether he'll be there on Monday, whether you've got to cut him on Friday. That is not a concern with Jaylen Naylor, who I think can be a really productive player. you've done it. You're right. And Tyree Kill specifically, I didn't even put on the list initially.

And then I was just like, I'll just throw him in at the 70s. But I don't feel that. I don't feel that in my soul. And I did some digging on him this week. And nothing came back in the type of way where it's like, oh, it's not good. You know, like, I don't know if he's playing football anytime soon anyways. Like this like we don't know just injury alone. We know that NFL teams are craven.

And if Andy Reid has a chance to give Tyree Kill another shot for $3 million, I mean, he's definitely doing that, whatever it is. But he just might not even be able to play. All right. I'm going to look for some guys to take off, but you're right. Jalen Naylor fits the profile. Would you rather have Jailen Naylor or Christian Kurt? Jailen Naila.

Yeah, I think so too. Kirk was that one game, but it was pretty schemed up for, for the Texans. And before that, he was struggling to produce, to get on the field. We've done it. And this will maybe be the last

top 101 episode that we ever do that isn't every single player one minute per. Thank you, Ali Connolly. You can catch Ollie at the Reed Optional podcast.

He's also, you're writing a lot these days, right? So what can they, what can they find there in terms of the podcast and what you're writing? We are in full draft season,

full scouting reports as deep as you could ever imagine it's almost like uncomfortable how how deeply go on the prospects the scheme fit the strengths the weaknesses the grades all of it so it's my dream to get you on a podcast with jeremiah and see what happens you know just like throw some red meat out on players that i know you guys disagree and and see what happens but you know we're we're going to be tapping into your your draft expertise uh if we can the next couple of months. And of course, we're thinking draft over the next week. We are going to the combine. That's the next show you're going to hear is me from Indianapolis with Ian Rappaport on Monday, unless he backs out last second. And then this will be a document that he did that.

It'll be me and Ian. The top 101, the written version comes out Monday morning. Thank you, Ollie. Thanks to everyone for listening. I'm Daniel Jeremiah. And I am Greg Rosenthal. I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL offseason. This is where teams are built. Free agency, combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters. From my draft boards and mock drafts to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together. Quarterback movement.

Surprise signings. We'll tell you what it means and who really wins. Open your free IHeart radio app. Search 40s and free agents and listen now. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human