Aaron Rodgers isn’t hanging up the cleats just yet — and he’s staying in the AFC.
The four-time NFL MVP plans to sign a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to multiple reports on Thursday. The move ends months of speculation about the 41-year-old’s playing future following his release from the New York Jets earlier this offseason.
But Rodgers wasn’t the last notable veteran remaining on the open market.
Here’s an updated look at the best available NFL free agents (players listed alphabetically by last name):
Keenan Allen, WR, Chicago Bears
In his first season with the Chicago Bears, Keenan Allen caught 70 of 121 targets for 744 yards and seven touchdowns over 15 games. The six-time Pro Bowler turns 33 in April.
Julian Blackmon, S, Indianapolis Colts
Julian Blackmon, 26, made 62 starts with the Indianapolis Colts over his first five pro seasons. The former third-round pick tallied three interceptions, four passes defended and 86 total tackles in 16 games last season. Blackmon’s PFF grade ranked 48th out of 170 safeties.
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb, 29, made his return last season from a gruesome knee injury suffered early in the 2023 campaign, but didn’t look back to his old self. The four-time Pro Bowler carried the ball 102 times for 332 yards (3.3 average) and three scores in eight games, adding five receptions for 31 yards and one score on a Cleveland Browns offense that ranked dead-last in scoring. In Chubb’s last full season in 2022, he averaged 5.0 yards per carry while racking up 1,764 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns.
Amari Cooper, WR, Buffalo Bills
Amari Cooper saw his numbers dip in 2024 as he split time between the Browns and Buffalo Bills. Following a midseason trade to Buffalo, the five-time Pro Bowler caught 20 of 32 targets for 297 yards and two touchdowns over eight games, giving him 44 total receptions for 547 yards and four scores on the year. Cooper, who turns 31 this month, has tallied over 1,000 receiving yards in seven of his 10 pro seasons.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
J.K. Dobbins, 26, got off to a blazing start last season in his return from an Achilles tear, tallying over 130 rushing yards in each of his first two games with the Los Angeles Chargers. But the former second-round pick didn’t reach the 100-yard rushing mark for the rest of the year, finishing with 905 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries (4.6 average) over 13 games, and adding 32 receptions for 153 yards. The 13 games played were the most for Dobbins — who has struggled with injuries — since his 2020 rookie season.
Rasul Douglas, CB, Buffalo Bills
Rasual Douglas had a down year in his first full season with the Bills. The 29-year-old didn’t record an interception over 15 games and allowed a career-worst 122.0 passer rating when targeted. His PFF grade ranked 132nd out of 223 cornerbacks. For comparison, Douglas had five picks with a 73.1 passer rating allowed in 2023, and four picks with a 88.5 passer rating allowed in 2022.
Matthew Judon, OLB, Atlanta Falcons
The New England Patriots traded Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons last August amid a contract dispute. But the 32-year-old pass rusher had one of his least productive seasons in 2024, tallying 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 41 total tackles and one interception in 17 games. Judon, a four-time Pro Bowler who had 15.5 sacks in his last full season in 2022, had a PFF grade last season that ranked 194th out of 211 edge defenders.
Eric Kendricks, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Eric Kendricks, playing for his third team in as many seasons, was PFF’s 27th-rated linebacker in 2024. The 33-year-old recorded 138 total tackles, two interceptions, three sacks and four tackles for loss in 15 games with the Dallas Cowboys.
Shaq Mason, G, Houston Texans
The Texans released Shaq Mason following a two-year tenure where he made 32 total starts. The 31-year-old, who has 147 pro starts under his belt, was graded by PFF as the 65th-best guard last season.
Von Miller, OLB, Buffalo Bills
Von Miller‘s three-year run with the Bills came to an end after he was released in a cost-saving move. The eight-time Pro Bowler, who had zero sacks over 12 games in 2023, tallied six sacks, seven tackles for loss, eight QB hits and 17 total tackles in 13 games last season. While those may not be the gaudy numbers Miller posted in his prime, he was still graded 15th among all edge defenders by PFF. Miller, 36, is eight sacks away from tying for 10th on the all-time NFL leaderboard.
C.J. Mosley, LB, New York Jets
C.J. Mosley was released by the New York Jets following a five-year tenure that was bookended by injury-shortened seasons. Mosley, who turns 33 this month, was limited to four games in 2024 due to multiple injuries, including a herniated disk in his neck. But the five-time Pro Bowler missed just one total game from 2021-23, ending that stretch with 152 tackles, two forced fumbles, one interception and seven passes defended in 2023.
Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Los Angeles Chargers
A shoulder injury limited Asante Samuel Jr. to four games last season. In 2023, the former second-round pick had two interceptions, 13 passes defended and 63 total tackles in 17 games, allowing a passer rating of 87.4 on 96 targets.
Brandon Scherff, G, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brandon Scherff, 33, is coming off three straight 17-game seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The five-time Pro Bowler was graded by PFF as the 53rd-best guard among 135 players, and he ranked 19th in pass-blocking.
Justin Simmons, S, Atlanta Falcons
Justin Simmons signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with Atlanta last offseason following eight years in Denver. The two-time Pro Bowler recorded two interceptions, seven passes defended and 62 total tackles over 16 games in 2024, with his PFF grade ranking 113th out of 170 safeties. Simmons, 31, has made 124 starts over his nine-year career.
Za’Darius Smith, DE, Detroit Lions
Za’Darius Smith, who split time between the Browns and Detroit Lions last season, tallied nine sacks, nine tackles for loss, 17 QB hits and 35 total tackles in 17 games. The 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was graded by PFF as the 33rd-best edge defender.
Kyzir White, LB, Arizona Cardinals
Kyzir White started all 17 games in his second season with the Arizona Cardinals, making 137 total tackles, one interception, 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and eight QB hits. White, 29, was ranked by PFF at 156th among 189 linebackers. He did, however, rank 50th against the run.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published on March 14.
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