As the NFL season comes to a close, one of the most important parts of off-season preparations begins. On March 12, some of the best NFL players at the end of their tenures with their team will start their search for a new contract. Powerhouses may be assembled, and squads will change drastically in the span of just a day. These are some of the best players entering free agency and the teams that they are looking for.
Coming out of the Super Bowl-winning Eagles, career underdog and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Zack Baun prepares for a possible career year after he is signed in the off-season. The all-pro linebacker who formerly played mostly special teams for his career signed a one-year, 4 million dollar contract with the Eagles last year, which was not nearly representative of his performance on the field.
Baun tallied three and a half sacks, an interception, five forced fumbles, and a staggering 93 solo tackles on the season and is prepared to go from a backup to one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league. A reporter close to the Eagles stated “[The Eagles] made re-signing Zack Baun a priority ahead of free agency” (McLane). If the Eagles do indeed get Baun back, they will be looking at possibly going back-to-back as Super Bowl champions with the high caliber of their defense.
Another player in question to re-sign with his team is wide receiver Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals. In an interview with Joe Danneman of Fox 19 in Cincinnati, Higgins explained, “Yeah, of course, we all want to keep the core pieces what it is,” Higgins said. “We want to build something here in Cincy. But you know, it’s not in my hands right now. So, I gotta do what I need to do, and if that’s to go to another team, that’s what happens.”
If the Bengals want to build something too, it would be a good choice to re-sign Higgins as soon as possible. With a height of 6’ 4” and weighing 219 pounds, the wideout is an intimidating force. Although he played in only 12 games due to injury, Higgins grabbed 73 passes for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. The chemistry between quarterback Joe Burrow and Higgins is impressive as well. The duo have been together for four seasons and have even played together in Super Bowl LVI. If Higgins is not re-signed, teams showing interest in him include the Patriots, Commanders, and Broncos.
A player more likely to leave his team this free agency period is 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Greenlaw has played in two Super Bowls for the Niners. In Super Bowl LVIII, Greenlaw tore his Achilles while running onto the field, causing him to only play in two games in the 2024-2025 season. Despite this injury, Greenlaw has had a very solid career, totaling 455 tackles, three and a half sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and even a defensive touchdown.
The 49ers are coming off a truly disappointing season, with a record of 6-11 and the position of last place in the NFC West. The loss of Greenlaw could have contributed to this abysmal record as the team lacked consistency on defense. There were also a lot of moving pieces on defense as backups were switched in and out to replace Greenlaw, which could have changed the rhythm of the squad. In an interview about what the team plans to work on in the off-season, 49ers general manager John Lynch stated that, “Dre should go out and see what’s out there” Which is not exactly the best sign for the veteran linebacker to come back to the organization. So if the 49ers follow through with their plans, teams in the market for a new linebacker are the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and Los Angeles Rams.
Although it is easy to forget about football in the period between February and September, the combine, free agency, and the draft will always serve as a welcome reminder of the NFL during the off-season. The NFL draft will take place from 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 24, to Saturday, April 26, and can be watched on ESPN and NFL Network. Later, preseason will take place which will give a small preview of the season.