fbpx
Home / frontnfl / 2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

2022 NFL Free Agency Rankings


The NFL’s new league year begins tomorrow, and the unofficial start of free agency (via the legal tampering period) begins today at noon ET. Many moves were made already, including several high-profile franchise tags and the Seahawks’ release of Bobby Wanger, and it’s time for the 2022 NFL free agency rankings. I was planning on doing overall free agency rankings like usual, but this year is nearly impossible in my opinion. And with all the insane depth this year—even after guys like Chris Godwin and Mike Williams were franchise tagged—rankings could change drastically from team to team, especially with the older veteran depth that might be a better fit for top contending teams. So, instead I will be going with positional rankings. Again, this is an exceptionally deep year even if it is not top-heavy, so the order can certainly vary quite a bit for my 2022 NFL free agency rankings.

 

A few notes before the rankings:

 

  • As you can see from the number of players listed, defensive back in particular is incredibly deep, and the order could move a ton depending on team fit. Kyle Fuller and Desmond King are former All-Pros (2018 for both) outside the top ten at the position, indicating its depth. Using running back as an example, someone like J.D. McKissic might be much higher for a team looking for someone with his skillset out of the backfield.

 

  • Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson is my top overall free agent given his age (26) and production (interception totals of nine and eight over the past two seasons). I expect he’ll get the biggest contract of any player this year.

 

  • The three top off-ball linebackers all have a strong case for No. 1 at their position and would all be priorities depending on team situation. Similarly, the edge rushers became even stronger after the Packers released Za’Darius Smith. All of the top four have a case for No. 1 there, depending on the team (and Jadeveon Clowney is an excellent option, too).

 

  • If I were a team in need of a quarterback (like the Colts and Steelers), I would go hard after Marcus Mariota or Mitchell Trubisky. Both former No. 2 overall picks were able to rebuild themselves in good situations as backup quarterbacks, and I think they can play at a high level. If there were overall free-agent rankings, they would both easily be in the top ten for me.

 

Quarterback

1. Marcus Mariota, LV

2. Mitchell Trubisky, BUF

3. Jameis Winston, NO

4. Joe Flacco, NYJ

5. Cam Newton, CAR

6. Tyrod Taylor, HOU

7. Teddy Bridgewater, DEN

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick, WAS

9. Jacoby Brissett, MIA

10. Andy Dalton, CHI

 

Running Back

1. Rashaad Penny, SEA

2. Melvin Gordon, DEN

3. James Conner, ARI

4. Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL

5. Leonard Fournette, TB

6. Sony Michel, LAR

7. Marlon Mack, IND

8. Ronald Jones, TB

9. Chase Edmonds, ARI

10. Tevin Coleman, NYJ

11. Darrel Williams KC

12. Jordan Howard, PHI

13. Latavius Murray, BAL

14. James White, NE

15. J.D. McKissic, WAS

16. Raheem Mostert, SF

17. Boston Scott, PHI

18. D’Onta Foreman, TEN

19. Giovani Bernard, TB

20. Justin Jackson, LAC

21. Devonta Freeman, BAL

 

Wide Receiver

1. Allen Robinson, CHI

2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT

3. Odell Beckham Jr., LAR

4. D.J. Chark, JAX

5. Christian Kirk, ARI

6. Sammy Watkins, BAL

7. James Washington, PIT

8. Russell Gage, ATL

9. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB

10. A.J. Green, ARI

11. T.Y. Hilton, IND

12. Will Fuller, MIA

13. Emmanuel Sanders, BUF

14. Trent Sherfield, SF

15. Cedrick Wilson, DAL

16. Zay Jones, LV

17. Braxton Berrios, NYJ

18. Rashard Higgins, CLE

19. Jakeem Grant, CHI

20. Jamison Crowder, NYJ

21. Breshad Perriman, TB

22. Keelan Cole, NYJ

 

Tight End

1. Rob Gronkowski, TB

2. O.J. Howard, TB

3. Gerald Everett, SEA

4. Evan Engram, NYG

5. Mo Alie-Cox, IND

6. Robert Tonyan, GB

7. Jared Cook, LAC

8. Hayden Hurst, ATL

9. C.J. Uzomah, CIN

10. Tyler Conklin, MIN

11. Jimmy Graham, CHI

12. Kyle Rudolph, NYG

 

Offensive Tackle

1. Terron Armstead, NO

2. Trent Brown, NE

3. Billy Turner, GB

4. Duane Brown, SEA

5. Chukwuma Okorafor, PIT

6. Daryl Williams, BUF

7. Morgan Moses, NYJ

8. Eric Fisher, IND

9. Jason Peters, CHI

10. Germain Ifedi, CHI

11. Dennis Kelly, GB

12. Mike Remmers, KC

 

Interior Offensive Line

1. James Daniels, CHI

2. Brandon Scherff, WAS

3. Laken Tomlinson, SF

4. Quinton Spain, CIN

5. Connor Williams, DAL

6. Andrew Norwell, JAX

7. Trai Turner, PIT

8. Rodger Saffold, TEN

9. Austin Corbett, LAR

10. Alex Cappa, TB

11. Ben Jones, TEN

12. Brian Allen, LAR

13. Bradley Bozeman, BAL

14. Will Hernandez, NYG

15. Mark Glowinski, IND

 

Defensive Line

1. Akiem Hicks, CHI

2. Calais Campbell, BAL

3. B.J. Hill, CIN

4. Linval Joseph, LAC

5. D.J. Jones, SF

6. Nndamukong Suh, TB

7. Larry Ogunjobi, CIN

8. Bilal Nichols, CHI

9. Harrison Phillips, BUF

10. Tim Settle, WAS

11. Maliek Collins, HOU

12. Sebastian Joseph-Day, LAR

13. Folorunso Fatukasi, NYJ

14. Maurice Hurst, SF

15. Derrick Nnadi, KC

 

Edge Players

1. Haason Reddick, CAR

2. Von Miller, DEN

3. Chandler Jones, ARI

4. Za’Darius Smith, GB

5. Jadeveon Clowney, CLE

6. Randy Gregory, DAL

7. Lorenzo Carter, NYG

8. Jason Pierre-Paul, TB

9. Jerry Hughes, BUF

10. Dante Fowler, ATL

11. Justin Houston, BAL

12. Arden Key, SF

13. Charles Harris, DET

14. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, LAR

15. Derek Barnett, PHI

16. Uchenna Nwosu, LAC

17. Melvin Ingram, KC

 

Off-ball Linebackers

1. Foyesade Oluokun, ATL

2. Bobby Wagner, SEA

3. De’Vondre Campbell, GB

4. Jordan Hicks, ARI

5. Dont’a Hightower, NE

6. Anthony Barr, MIN

7. Leighton Vander Esch, DAL

8. Alexander Johnson, DEN

9. Josey Jewell, DEN

10. Keanu Neal, DAL

11. Kyzir White, LAC

12. Jayon Brown, TEN

13. Ja’Whaun Bentley, NE

 

Cornerback

1. J.C. Jackson, NE

2. Carlton Davis, TB

3. Stephon Gilmore, CAR

4. Rasul Douglas, GB

5. Patrick Peterson, MIN

6. Charvarius Ward, KC

7. Levi Wallace, BUF

8. Donte Jackson, CAR

9. D.J. Reed, SEA

10. Xavier Rhodes, IND

11. Kyle Fuller, DEN

12. Darious Williams, LAR

13. Casey Hayward, LV

14. Mike Hughes, KC

15. Anthony Averett, BAL

16. Eli Apple, CIN

17. Desmond King, HOU

18. Joe Haden, PIT

19. Kevin King, GB

20. Bryce Callahan, DEN

21. K’Waun Williams, SF

22. Sidney Jones, SEA

23. Jason Verrett, SF

24. Brandon Facyson, LV

25. Steven Nelson, PHI

26. Akhello Witherspoon, PIT

27. Jason McCourty, MIA

28. Robert Alford, ARI

 

Safety

1. Marcus Williams, NO

2. Tyrann Mathieu, KC

3. Jayron Kearse, DAL

4. Jordan Whitehead, TB

5. Quandre Diggs, SEA

6. Marcus Maye, NYJ

7. DeShon Elliott, BAL

8. Xavier Woods, MIN

9. Tracy Walker, DET

10. Malik Hooker, DAL

11. P.J. Williams, NO

12. Anthony Harris, PHI

13. Justin Reid, HOU

14. Jaquiski Tartt, SF

15. Jabrill Peppers, NYJ

16. Terrell Edmunds, PIT

17. Kareem Jackson, HOU

18. Ronnie Harrison, CLE

19. Duron Harmon, ATL

4 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *