When the Philadelphia Eagles signed former New Orleans Saints backup linebacker and special teams demon Zack Baun to a one-year, $3.5 million contract before the 2024 season, it barely made a wave, even in the City of Brotherly Shove. But Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio saw much more in Baun than anybody else ever had, and Baun responded with an All-Pro season in which he became one of the most important players at his position for the Super Bowl champs. Baun just re-signed with the Eagles on a three-year, $51 million contract with $34 million guaranteed. Not bad when your guaranteed money is nearly 10 times the total value of your previous agreement.
Sometimes, all it takes to raise yourself from no-name free agent to franchise player is the best possible coaching, and the right team and scheme fits.
The 2025 free agency period will officially kick off at 4:00 p.m. EST on March 12, though the "legal tampering period," where teams and players can talk about everything but the type of pen used to sign the actual contract, two days before. Ahead of all that, here are 13 of our favorite imminent free agents who could have a Baun-like effect on their new teams if everything goes the right way. These players have already shown a ton on tape; now, it's just up to the NFL Gods to give them the ideal homes.
Running Back J.K. Dobbins
(Thomas Shea-Imagn Images)
Selected in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Ohio State by the Baltimore Ravens, Dobbins has been a great back when he's been on the field. Sadly, that's been a large conditional phrase. Multiple knee and ankle injuries have severely limited his ability to get on the field and do what he does, and even his marvelous 2024 season with the Los Angeles Chargers was marred to a point by an MCL sprain.
Still, Dobbins was a star in Jim Harbaugh's offense just as he'd been a star in John Harbaugh's offense when he was able. Last season, he totaled 931 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns on just 204 carries. The 5-foot-10, 215-pound Dobbins forced 39 missed tackles, had 611 rushing yard after contact, and 27 of those runs were for 10 or more yards. Add in his abilities as a receiver to ball out in the screen game, and this is a total third-down back whose injury history will likely have him signing at a bargain price.
The Chargers, who committed absolute larceny with the one-year, $1.6 million contract they got Dobbins for last year, could certainly attest to that.
J.K. Dobbins was one of my favorite backs to watch last season. Teams will be (rightfully) concerned about the injury issues, but he's worth a shot in free agency because the good tape is SO good. Patience, acceleration, explosion, and he's a factor in the passing game, as well. pic.twitter.com/sbToX2pnlx
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Receiver Darius Slayton
The Giants got Slayton in the fifth round of the 2019 draft out of Auburn. Unfortunately for Slayton, he's never had a credible quarterback to throw him the deep ball on a consistent basis at the NFL level. Last season, with Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito as his primary "quarterbacks," Slayton was able to grab just four passes of 20 or more air yards on 15 targets for 134 yards and a touchdown. That's terrible deep-ball efficiency, but any tape-watching will tell you that it was far more on Slayton's quarterbacks than it was on Slayton, who has every possible tool in the toolbox to be a great deep receiver given a guy who can actually hurl the ball somewhat accurately in an explosive fashion.
Overall last season, Slayton had 39 catches on 71 targets for 573 yards and two touchdowns. If you're just box-score scouting, you might assume that Slayton is a bad receiver in a bad offense, and the catch rates over the last few years won't lead you in a positive direction. But NFL teams that are more savvy about their processes could very well value Slayton as a missing piece in their passing games - as long as their quarterbacks can, you know, actually do the stuff they're paid to do more than a few yards downfield.
darius slayton should be a very happy free agent because he may actually be able to catch deep passes from a quarterback who knows how to throw them
what a concept pic.twitter.com/oJmkp75C2M
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean.USA TODAY NETWORK Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean.USA TODAY NETWORK
Similar to Slayton, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is a receiver with great vertical potential who will be able to show that potential given the benefit of quarterbacks who can actually do their thing. Last season, Westbrook-Ikhine caught four deep passes on just eight targets for 197 yards and three touchdowns. You'd think a guy like that would get more deep targets, but with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph as the main men under center... well, *shrug emoji*.
At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, Westbrook-Ikhine can win contested catches in compressed areas, as well - that's one reason he was good for nine touchdowns on 32 catches last season. Those 32 catches came on 56 targets, and Westbrook-Ikhine totaled a career-high 497 yards. Not blow-away numbers overall, but as is the case with Darius Slayton, Westbrook-Ikhine is a sleeper precisely because his quarterback situation has been kind of a dumpster fire of late.
If your team is looking for an explosive receiver in free agency, you could do a lot worse than Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Size, route cuts, get-up speed, acceleration to the ball. And he did it with a quarterback situation that was... suboptimal. Nine touchdowns on 56 targets. pic.twitter.com/MyVQS6tP05
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Tight End Zach Ertz
Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
A three-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013 through 2021, Zach Ertz also got a bit of consideration for AP Comeback Player of the Year in the 2024 season, and there's legitimate reason for that. Injuries limited Ertz to just seven games with the 2023 Arizona Cardinals, and as Ertz was already well into his middle thirties at that point, the Washington Commanders were able to sign him to a one-year, $3 million contract before the 2024 season. New Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was very familiar with Ertz's potential from when Kingsbury was Arizona's head coach, and he had Ertz as one of his primary offensive weapons for a time.
Still, we're doubting that even Kingsbury expected what he got out of the veteran tight end in an amazing season that saw Washington go from 4-13 in 2023 to the NFC Championship Game last season. Because Ertz performed at a level we hadn't seen from him since those Pro Bowl halcyon days. He caught 84 passes on 111 targets for 809 yards and eight touchdowns. Nearing 35, Ertz still has some explosive plays in his quiver, and he still wants to play. There should be little doubt that he can.
Zach Ertz will turn 35 in November, but he proved that he's still got it with the Commanders last season. A real red zone force, and a great security blanket for any quarterback (especially for any young quarterback). pic.twitter.com/FoJjd7ORNr
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Center Drew Dalman
Jamie Sabau/Imagn Images Jamie Sabau/Imagn Images
Centers are the oft-underrated glue of offensive lines. Unless you've managed to parlay your future Hall of Fame career into a media empire as Jason Kelce has, that is. In this free agency class, the best center available is Drew Dalman, who the Atlanta Falcons took out of Stanford in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. Dalman isn't the biggest or most powerful center at 6-foot-3 and about 300 pounds, but he's great on the move, he can hit second-level defenders with consistency and accuracy, and if you're a heavy outside zone running team (hello, Lions/Bills/Panthers/Steelers) with a possible need for a man in the middle who can get down to business laterally, Dalman is one of the best. And he is good in power situations for his frame.
Last season (he did miss several weeks with an ankle injury), Dalman allowed two sacks, one quarterback hit, and seven quarterback hurries on 295 pass-blocking reps, and that's pretty good considering that Kirk Cousins was Atlanta's starting quarterback for most of the 2024 season. Injuries rendered Cousins unable to make any second-reaction moves under pressure, which will affect one's offensive line. As for the run-blocking reps, the tape is pretty nifty.
If you're running a lot of zone, and you need a center who's quick enough to cross a defensive tackle's face and seal the edge, and has some mauling traits as well, Drew Dalman's probably already on your free agency dance card. pic.twitter.com/9sVMkSfhhF
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Offensive Guard Brandon Scherff
(Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images)
Scherff was selected by the then-Washington Redskins with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Iowa. To put that in perspective, he's one of just 20 guards in pro football history to be selected fifth or higher in any draft class. That's how highly the NFL thought of Scherff, and when healthy early in his career, Scherff was on his way to living up to it. Sadly, "when healthy" was too big a deal for Scherff - in his seven seasons with Washington, he played full seasons just twice.
But after the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to a three-year, $49.5 million contract with $30 million guaranteed in 2022, Scherff found a fountain of good health and worked it for all it was worth. He hasn't missed a game in any of his last three seasons, and while he will turn 34 the day after Christmas, the force is strong with this one. Last season on 625 pass-blocking reps, Scherff refused to allow a single quarterback sack, and he gave up just one quarterback hit and 16 quarterback hurries.
Scherff's age may limit his long-term earning potential at this point, but a smart team in need of veteran reinforcement of a high level at the right guard position should be looking to front-load something nice here.
It got a bit lost in whatever the Jaguars have been trying to do over the last three years, but Brandon Scherff's major injury concerns have become minor in that time. Over 1,000 snaps in each of those three seasons, and there's some really good 2024 tape. pic.twitter.com/xXALEzXEzV
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Edge Defender Dayo Odeyingbo
The 2025 draft class is absolutely loaded with talent all along the defensive line, and outside of Philly's Milton Williams, there aren't a ton of obvious rock stars in the free agency group. One inside/outside guy who should be getting attention when the new league year turns over, however, is Dayo Odeyingbo. The Indianapolis Colts took the Vanderbilt alum with the 54th overall pick in the second round of the 2021 draft, and that turned into one of the better moves Colts GM Chris Ballard has made.
Odeyingbo's real breakout season was 2023, when he totaled 12 sacks, 29 pressures, 19 solo tackles, and 25 stops. But it could be argued that 2024 was a better season for the 6-foot-6, 286-pound hybrid defender. He had just four sacks, but 42 total pressures, with 18 solo tackles and 19 stops. Defensive coordinators should be all over Odeyingbo's tape, because he has the frame and the athleticism to win from any gap along the line. Whenever you get a 286-pound lineman who runs like he's 260 and hits like he's 300, you want to take notice.
Daylight come, and the blockers who have to deal with Dayo Odeyingbo from any gap wanna go home. The pursuit speed at 6-foot-6, 286 is pretty crazy. pic.twitter.com/cwqQavaiq1
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Linebacker Nick Bolton
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Selected in the second round by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 draft out of Missouri, Nick Bolton has been a major component of Steve Spagnuolo's defense, which has morphed into one of the NFL's youngest and best, Super Bowl LIX notwithstanding. Not only has he turned into a true four-tool defender; he's also been Spags' green dot guy for years - the primary shot-caller, and the physical extension of the coaching staff on the field.
You can see that functional awareness all over Bolton's tape, and the metrics back it up. Last season, he had four sacks, 17 total pressures, 97 solo tackles, 57 stops, and he allowed 52 catches on 67 targets for 463 yards, 293 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, one interception, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 99.2.
As we've implied, Bolton's value to any team isn't just what he does on the field in a physical sense. This is a veteran linebacker entering his physical prime who can take the playbook onto the field as well as anybody.
Linebacker Nick Bolton was Steve Spagnuolo's green dot guy as quickly as Spags could make that happen. Both Spags and Andy Reid have said more than once that Bolton holds that defense together. He's also a four-tool defender, and an impending free agent. pic.twitter.com/3Q3wsPDMEu
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood
(Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)
If you're not familiar with New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood - even if you're a long-suffering Jets fan - it's okay. Sherwood's fantastic 2024 season got a bit lost in the team's inevitable ancillary drama, and the 2021 fifth-round pick out of Auburn really amped it up last season after three relatively quiet years. But based on his 2024 tape, Sherwood should be a highly-valued defender in free agency. He had two sacks, nine total pressures, 109 solo tackles, 59 stops, and he allowed 45 catches on 60 targets for 435 yards, 220 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, no interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 94.8.
Moreover, for a 6-foot-2, 216-pound athlete, Sherwood has a very good sense of how to blast through gaps as a running back would, and he is more than happy to create all kinds of anarchy no matter where you put him on the field. The arrow is really pointing up here, and some smart team is going to reap the benefits, perhaps at a bargain price.
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood had an under-the-radar great 2024 season for the Jets, because... well, Jets. But this dude is a freaking demon on the field. Total chaos generator. pic.twitter.com/zB7oHl3ulL
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Cornerback D.J. Reed
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Speaking of Jets defenders whose 2024 seasons went under the radar because of *waves hands everywhere*, there's cornerback D.J. Reed, who was quite the bargain for Gang Green when the former San Francisco 49er and Seattle Seahawk signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the team in 2022. Reed proved to be the perfect bookend for Sauce Gardner, and he helped that cornerback group somehow bypass all the internal dysfunction.
Last season, Reed allowed 35 catches on 60 targets for 431 yards, 123 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, no interceptions, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 91.7. Those aren't amazing metrics, but when you watch Reed's tape, something better shows up a lot of the time. Reed does have the occasional tendency to lose control of his frame in coverage, which will lead to some out-of-phase moments, but he's pretty clampdown when he has his feet under him.
So, he's not an obvious CB1, but he won't cost what a CB1 will, and in an era when nickel is the new base, your roster had better have more than a CB1 if you want to go anywhere.
D.J. Reed is one of those cornerbacks whose tape is better than his metrics. He'll get out of phase once in a while, but when he's locked in, he's a complete pain to opposing receivers. True press/off versatility, and match feet more often than not. Give him good coaching. pic.twitter.com/KJLpLKGDQN
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Cornerback Paulson Adebo
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
The New Orleans Saints selected Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo in the third round of the 2021 draft, and after two seasons in which Adebo was putting it all together, he had a 2023 season in which he became one of the NFL's most underrated pass defenders. That process amplified itself in 2024 until Adebo suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 7. But when fully healthy, Adebo has the potential to lead most cornerback groups in talent and shutdown force.
What really impressed about Adebo is that he's expanded his repertoire from pure aggressive press to more match and off-man concepts. The ability to become a truly well-rounded pass defender should be of primary value to the NFL. In that abbreviated 2024 season, Adebo allowed 34 catches on 57 targets for 428 yards, 180 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 67.0 As Adebo's 2023 metrics were very similar (50 catches on 88 targets for 753 yards, 238 yards after the catch, one touchdown, four interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 69.9), a fully-healthy Paulson Adebo should be on every team's free-agent list.
Including the Saints, of course.
Paulson Adebo suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 7, but he was on point from his great 2023 season before that. More than just an aggressive press guy; he can read the field, jump routes, and stay sticky with most receivers. pic.twitter.com/mgso5JqiI4
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Safety Camryn Bynum
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Over the last two seasons, Bynum has worked his way from little-utilized fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft out of California into a true force multiplier in Brian Flores' crazy-quilt defenses. Flores throws anything and everything at opponents - he'll tend to lead the league in blitz rate AND number of plays in which a defense sends just three rushers - so playing on the last line of that defense isn't an easy thing to do. But Bynum has done it very well.
Bynum can play all over the place, but his true value to the Vikings' defense has been as a deep-third defender. That's where he lined up on 917 of his 1,101 snaps last season, and overall, he gave up 29 catches on 45 targets for 395 yards, 159 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, three interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 94.2.
Any team looking to enhance its deep-third presence with a guy who can truly roll solo as a free safety should find Bynum to be worth a fairly fat contract.
Camryn Bynum isn't a big name per se, but I'm betting that he'll get a lot of love in free agency. Not a lot of safeties at any given time who can legitimately patrol the deep third solo, and he's pretty good when he's splitting that real estate, as well. pic.twitter.com/dZL5TK2htu
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Safety Tre'Von Moehrig
(Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
When teams are evaluating Tre'Von Moehrig, who the Raiders selected in the second round of the 2021 draft out of TCU, they'll have to separate the stuff from the stuff, so to speak. I'm not exactly sure why defensive coordinator Patrick Graham had Moehrig lined up in true press coverage on 80 of his snaps, but the tape will tell you that press really isn't Moehrig's thing, and that affected his metrics in ways that didn't help his future.
Overall last season, Moehrig allowed 37 catches on 52 targets for 354 yards, 177 yards after the catch, five touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 105.8. But press is where Moehrig allowed six catches on six targets and a touchdown, and this tells you that opponents knew when it was time to play "Spot the Huckleberry." Moehrig was much better when alternating between free safety, box, and the slot, and as long as that's where his next team puts him while throwing out the whole press coverage thing, this underrated defender will be just fine.
why did the raiders let tre'von moehrig get eaten up in press so often when he was doing all this cool stuff off the ball.
the nfl is very wtf sometimes pic.twitter.com/IsrxxtqzAo
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 5, 2025
Related: What Does Deebo Samuel Bring to Jayden Daniels and the Commanders?
Related: 2025 NFL Combine: Coaches, GMs on How They Fit Players to Their Schemes