2025 NFL Free Agency matchmaking: One team fit for 12 notable free agents

It feels like 25 or so fan bases have longed for Tee Higgins to join their teams since he was franchise tagged a year ago, so I understand that my choice here will disappoint all of them. That does not matter to me. There seems to be an unusual amount of momentum behind Higgins staying in Cincinnati, and despite my cynical nature, I’m buying it. It might require the Bengals to tag Higgins a second time -- which won’t please him, of course -- but the reporting from NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero points toward these two staying together for at least 2025, if not longer. It obviously makes sense for all of the football reasons, too.

Jevon Holland and the Dolphins seem to be headed in different directions, but that doesn’t diminish his value as an up-and-coming safety with an early chance to cash in and improve his on-field situation. A move north would pair Holland with Aaron Glenn, who is very familiar with life as a defensive back, and would give the Jets' new regime an ascending talent who could help return the teeth to the defense. Plus, poaching a young playmaker like Holland from a division rival would only further fuel the animosity shared among the three AFC East teams staring up at the Buffalo Bills.

The math is going to make this difficult, but it sure seems like the Buccaneers are committed to keeping Chris Godwin. They recently extended the void date on his contract to March 12, at the cost of losing their ability to place the franchise tag on him (again), in order to buy more time to work out a deal. To be fair, they probably wouldn't have tagged him anyway because it would have sent his 2025 salary skyrocketing. But the extension does put a little extra pressure on the Bucs to get something done before the new league year begins. Godwin’s earning power took a hit in mid-October when he suffered a serious ankle injury that abruptly ended his promising 2024 season after just seven games. The ninth-year pro should still command around $22 million per year on the open market, meaning Tampa Bay will have to do some financial gymnastics to fit him under the cap. This pairing feels like a career-long one, though, and the Buccaneers learned how valuable he was to their operation after they lost him last season. I’m not guaranteeing this happens -- free agency gets wild, after all -- but as of now, I’m leaning toward Godwin staying in Tampa.

I could pair Khalil Mack with a number of teams in need of edge-rushing help, including two others in the NFC North alone (Chicago and Detroit). But I liken Mack's fit with Green Bay to Julius Peppers' back in 2014, when the Hall of Famer signed with the Pack at 34 years old (the same age Mack will be when free agency opens). Peppers racked up 25 sacks over three seasons with the Cheeseheads, earning his ninth Pro Bowl nod in the process. It feels like Mack is at a similar stage in his career. He proved last year he could still make a difference and now might want to join a team with a higher ceiling than the Chargers in 2025. Teaming Mack with Rashan Gary could help propel Gary back to upper-crust status to give the Pack a pair of edge rushers worth fearing. Currently possessing $49 million in cap room, Green Bay has the space to get a deal done, too.

Brian Flores maximized the return on his defense in 2024, winning with scheme and aggression over talent. He got solid play from Stephon Gilmore and Byron Murphy last season, but both are scheduled to hit free agency in the coming weeks, and Gilmore will be 35 years old in September. Getting younger with a proven corner like D.J. Reed, who is just 28, makes plenty of sense. He likely won't command top tier money and so he should give the Vikings the most bang for their buck, allowing them to spend their estimated $63 million in cap space wherever else they want.

Yes, 2024 was a forgettable campaign for the veteran receiver. Yes, he joined the Bills amid much fanfare and eventually receded so deeply into the background of their offense that his targets came as a surprise. But Amari Cooper proved in 2023 he can still be a top receiving option in an offense that likes to sling the football. Enter the Commanders, who need to add an experienced receiver to line up opposite Terry McLaurin. Cooper is at the stage in his career in which his sole focus may be to pursue a title, and after such a down year in Buffalo, he isn’t in a great position to command a ton of money in free agency. Washington could be able to add him at a relatively inexpensive price tag with the hope he returns to the Cooper of 2023 in their offense. It’s a low-risk move with legitimate upside. Plus, who wouldn’t want to play with Jayden Daniels?

More than 130 million people just watched Kansas City’s offensive line crumble beneath the sheer force of the Eagles’ pass rush in Super Bowl LIX. So I don’t care what it takes, but the Chiefs must retain one of their best blockers. It would be asinine to let Smith walk, and jeopardize the interior, when there are already massive issues at tackle; that Pro Bowl guard Joe Thuney had to kick outside just to settle the unit back toward an average level of performance says everything. If the Chiefs fancy themselves as Super Bowl contenders going forward, they cannot overlook the trenches. Use the tag or sign Trey Smith to a long-term, backloaded deal -- just don’t let him leave Kansas City.

The money might not make this free-agent fit feasible, but wouldn’t it be fascinating to watch Reid take a deal with a division rival because the Chiefs can’t afford to keep him? Reid is an instant upgrade over P.J. Locke and gives the Broncos the playmaker on the backend they’ve been missing since Justin Simmons became a cap casualty a year ago. Financially, Reid might eat up too much of Denver’s cap to make this an attractive pursuit for the Broncos, but they are looking to take the next step after ending their long playoff drought. In my dream world, it sure would be fun to watch Reid suit up against his former team twice a year.

Chicago has a ton of cap room and plenty of positions to address, but I could see them prioritizing a deal for Josh Sweat (likely spending a little too much) in order to pair him with Montez Sweat, which would give new coordinator Dennis Allen a formidable set of pass rushers to scheme around. (Plus, just imagine the fun marketing options the Bears would have with two Sweats up front!) Promotional material aside, this duo would cause problems for opposing quarterbacks in a division filled with high-flying offenses. Sure, the Bears probably should allocate the majority of their cap spending elsewhere (e.g. offensive line, receiver), and $42-43 million is a lot to spend on two edge rushers annually. But Josh Sweat is the type of edge rusher Chicago should pursue while still retaining most of their spending power to use elsewhere.

Rasul Douglas has had a knack for latching on with contending teams throughout most of his career (save for his 2020 season with the Panthers), so why not pair him with a club with Super Bowl ambitions and a desire to add depth on the defensive side of the ball? Detroit has plenty of cap space to address a spot like this, and Douglas won’t command anywhere near top dollar at corner anyway. A depth addition like Douglas makes plenty of sense for a team with five CBs scheduled for free agency, including starter Carlton Davis.

Baltimore enjoyed a nice bounce-back season from Ronnie Stanley in 2024, a performance made possible in part by Stanley agreeing to a restructured deal last March that reduced his base salary and contract length (making him a free agent in 2025). Stanley accepted the new terms because he said he hadn't played up to his standard, but he did in 2024 and now appears to be in line to make around $20 million per year on his next deal -- a number that could be even higher if the Ravens franchise tag him. Considering his injury history, the tag makes more sense than a multi-year contract, but the Ravens don't have much cap space to work with.

Baltimore could go in a different direction entirely, though, and pursue Cam Robinson, who could cost them potentially $5-6 million less per year. Only one year younger than Stanley, Robinson is coming off a productive 2024 season in which he served as Sam Darnold's blind-side protector after being acquired by Minnesota from Jacksonville near the trade deadline. His impact and effectiveness at tackle was immediate, as if he'd been with the Vikings for years. The Ravens could also look to the draft to address this need, especially after hitting on right tackle Roger Rosengarten in Round 2 last year. But with Baltimore in prime contending position, it seems unlikely that they would rely on another draft pick to step in and immediately contribute in Year 1.

The Raiders need a quarterback and might not end up being in position to take either of the top passers in this class. Though it's irrelevant to the Raiders' financial situation -- Las Vegas currently has nearly $100 million in cap space -- Justin Fields shouldn't cost much, and something feels right about pairing the playmaker with Pete Carroll. Perhaps it's memories of Carroll's success with Russell Wilson in Seattle, or maybe it's offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's recent run of success with Will Howard at Ohio State. Either way, I feel like this might be the perfect scheme and situation for Fields to use his natural talents and try to claim a starting job in the NFL.