10 Best Available NFL Free Agents

6. Justin Madubuike, DT, Baltimore Ravens

The value of an elite defensive tackle has never been higher and Madubuike elevated himself into that rare grouping with a tremendous 2023. The Ravens DT had 13 sacks and 33 quarterback hits while starting all 17 games last season. He was an absolute force for Baltimore and, at only 26 years old, there's plenty of reason to believe he can get even better. Hell, he was ninth in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting after not even being on the national radar the previous three seasons. Madubuike is an up-and-coming talent that the Ravens would be wise to retain.

That is, however, not really Baltimore's modus operandi and so it seems likely Madubuike will hit free agency. He'll be set up for a good chunk of change but there may be some hestitation given he had a breakout season in a contract year. Many teams have fallen for that trick before and Madubuike was not terribly remarkable in his first three years in the NFL. But the numbers he put up are more than your average contract year inflation so don't be surprised to see him walk away with a big check in March.

5. Brian Burns, DE, Carolina Panthers

Burns and the Panthers have not had a positive experience attempting to negotiate a contract extension over the last year, which is why an elite 25-year-old edge rusher is hitting the open market. He's a candidate for the franchise tag but things have been so contentious over his new deal that Carolina may just choose to move on, which would not be a smart move, but we haven't seen a lot of those out of the organization since David Tepper took over. So anything is on the table.

Burns could be in line for a massive deal if he hits free agency. He only had eight sacks this past season but recorded 12.5 in 2022 and could be the next star pass rusher if he ends up on a better-run defense/franchise. He's reportedly looking for a deal that would pay him $30 million annually, which is steep, but someone will probably be willing to pay it.