2025 NFL Free Brokers: Predictions for High Stars Amid Tremendous Wild Card Bracket Playoffs

The NFL offseason is as soon as once more setting as much as be one of many busiest in latest reminiscence, with a plethora of headline-making free brokers who won’t solely set the bar for others on the place but additionally doubtlessly pressure their incumbent groups to spend through the franchise tag.

Two such gamers are Sam Darnold of Minnesota and Tee Higgins in Cincinnati.

Each have been important to their groups in 2024 and, on paper, needs to be the primary gamers both of these franchises speak to.

Will they get tagged and proceed with their present squads or will they transfer on, taking their skills to the best bidder? And the place do different, veteran rivals proceed their careers amid expiring contracts?

Discover out with these early predictions for NFL free company.

There isn’t any approach the Minnesota Vikings let Sam Darnold stroll this offseason.

The previous No. 3 total choose had a unprecedented season for the NFC North runners-up, compiling 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions whereas main his staff to a 14-win season that will have assured a division title in another 12 months.

With renewed confidence and a system beneath head coach Kevin O’Connell that fits his strengths, Darnold reminded everybody why he was thought of such a sizzling prospect popping out of USC.

Whereas the Vikings did choose Michigan’s JJ McCarthy tenth total in final spring’s NFL Draft, there may be loads of alternative for the previous Wolverine to study behind Darnold in order that when his time involves be the unquestioned starter, he can step in and be extra ready than he could have been in any other case.

Or the staff can discover a commerce with a quarterback-hungry membership.

Regardless of the case, count on the Vikings to train the franchise tag that OverTheCap.com estimates may land Darnold simply over $41 million in 2025, which is way from a nasty quantity for the group if he can repeat his degree of play from 2024.

Prediction: Vikings tag Darnold

Joe Burrow despatched a message to the Bengals entrance workplace close to large receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, telling reporters after a Week 18 win over Pittsburgh, “That is why you gotta do the whole lot you may to get these offers performed early.”

Higgins performed 2024 on a franchise tag after the staff did not ink the dynamic wideout final offseason. Now, he’s a free agent and Burrow has made it abundantly clear he desires to see him return to the staff.

After a season that noticed him play in simply 12 video games as a consequence of harm whereas nonetheless amassing 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, it isn’t shocking to see why.

The Bengals can, and sure will, tag Higgins for a second 12 months, a transfer that can value the staff approximately $26 million.

The query is whether or not the staff can get a deal performed earlier than it has to use the tag, doubtlessly structuring it in a approach that saves it some cash in 2025 and permits the staff so as to add mandatory items to construct on the momentum it had on the finish of this season.

No matter the way it performs out, each as a result of he makes the staff’s offense higher and Burrow has been vocal about wanting to maintain him with the staff, Higgins seems like somebody destined to put on the orange and black in opposition to subsequent season.

Russell Wilson is an fascinating case in that he performed properly sufficient to get one other look from Pittsburgh in 2025 however not nice sufficient to make anybody who helps the black and yellow imagine he’s the man to get them over the hump and again to the Tremendous Bowl.

The veteran QB hurled 16 TDs and 5 interceptions for the staff this season, hardly numbers which can be going to generate pleasure. He performed properly sufficient to information the staff to the playoffs however couldn’t be the catalyst in reversing a four-game skid to finish the common season, nor in successful the staff’s first playoff sport since 2016.

The staff can apply a transition tag to Wilson, which provides it the best to match any supply that comes his approach. It’s cheaper than making use of a standard franchise tag and permits the Steelers to discover different quarterback choices.

Particularly with Justin Fields additionally hitting free company this 12 months.

With no different apparent suitor for Wilson, the previous Seattle Seahawk and Denver Bronco could also be greatest off staying with Pittsburgh because the staff at the least has the feel and appear of a playoff contender once more subsequent season.

Prediction: Wilson stays in Pittsburgh on a transition tag

Chris Godwin is a beloved member of the Buccaneers locker room and one of many staff’s hottest gamers amongst followers, however he’ll hit free company this offseason and might be one of the coveted large receivers out there so long as his injured ankle heals.

Godwin was in the midst of one in all his greatest seasons so far, a possible Professional Bowl season that noticed him catch 50 balls for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns earlier than he suffered a devastating dislocated ankle on a Monday night time in opposition to Baltimore.

Tampa Bay has the cash to pay Godwin ($22.6 million market worth in line with Spotrac) however one has to surprise if large contracts for Tristan Wirfs, Baker Mayfield, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Vita Vea have the staff in a scenario the place they choose to let Godwin stroll in hopes of releasing up area to deal with different wants.

That might very properly be the case and in that case, Godwin could have no scarcity of groups wanting so as to add his expertise. The Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Payments, and Inexperienced Bay Packers are simply the playoff groups that would make the most of a receiver of his caliber.

Godwin would not drop the ball (simply 22 since 2018) and was properly on his technique to his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Think about what the Payments, a Tremendous Bowl-contending staff with out him, may do with a stud receiver just like the veteran wideout.

Prediction: Godwin continues his profession with a contender, however not in Tampa Bay