NFL free agency isn’t too far away, starting on March 12, and this leaves many fans excited for the next season. Many great players will be looking for new homes in a few weeks, and there are some big-name players involved. Here are five predictions on where some of free agency’s biggest stars will land before next season.
Chicago Bears sign Kansas City Chiefs RG Trey Smith
Possibly the biggest free agent out on the open market (unless Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins makes his way out there), Trey Smith is going to get a fortune this offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs do not seem inclined to spend the money on the All-Pro guard, so he seems destined to find a new home.
The Chicago Bears would be a dream fit for the right guard, as they had an extremely poor season up front in 2024. Smith, turning 26 years old, is going to be a cornerstone of whatever offensive unit he joins.
New Bears HC Ben Johnson had an elite offensive line while he was the OC of the Detroit Lions, so he obviously knows that great success comes with a great line. Adding Smith on the inside would be big, as they could possibly look to spend their 10th overall draft pick on another position, locking up two potential cornerstones of the franchise. He will be expecting a major contract, but Chicago has the money to let some go, and this is the talent you do it on. Trey Smith to the Bears.
New England Patriots sign Baltimore Ravens OT Ronnie Stanley
The Patriots had the worst offensive line in football. Period. They had an extremely poor unit, which had dealt with injuries, changes, and straight madness all season. Getting a proven veteran in Baltimore Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley would be so helpful for the development of Drake Maye.
Stanley has proven over the years that, when he is healthy, he will be one of the most consistent tackles in the league. He brings great physicality to the field and would be a great fit on the Patriots’ offensive line.
They also pick early with the No. 4 overall selection in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. If Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter and Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter do get selected before their selection, they could be looking at selecting one of the top linemen available.
Signing Stanley gives them the ability to look elsewhere, but it also gives them the opportunity to trade back and accumulate talent later in the draft. This would create a bunch of choices for the front office, and with a team that had a 4-13 record, they need change.
Las Vegas Raiders sign Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold
It seemed throughout the season that Colorado QB prospect Shedeur Sanders is the Las Vegas Raiders’ main target in the draft. And by the end of the season, they were given the sixth overall pick, seemingly knocking them out of the running for him, or his top quarterback counterpart in Miami’s Cam Ward. Now, this leaves new head coach Pete Carroll searching for a quarterback. Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold can be just that.
Signing Darnold to a contract similar to Baker Mayfield’s three-year, $100 million deal could work out in favor of the Raiders. Darnold would have talent around him in TE Brock Bowers, WR Jakobi Meyers, and the sixth overall pick. This would be an outstanding fit.
Darnold would now get the opportunity to have more freedom than he ever had, even after a season where he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record. With the sixth overall pick, adding an offensive talent would help create a dynamic offense that could turn the outlook of the Raiders around.
Washington Commanders sign Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin
The Commanders are coming off of a season where they exceeded all expectations. WR Terry McLaurin and rookie QB Jayden Daniels were two major components of their success, alongside their outstanding running game.
One way to make this team even more deadly would be to add the likes of Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin, who was having a phenomenal season pre-injury in 2024. Adding him to play the slot alongside Scary Terry would create a scary duo.
This season, the secondary wide receivers of the Commanders were not the greatest, although still talented. Dyami Brown, Noah Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus are all talented and bring a different aspect to the field, but none are as well-rounded as Godwin. He brings a skillful route runner on the inside, who could receive a bunch of targets while McLaurin takes on two defenders. This seems like a match made in heaven for the Commanders.
New York Giants sign Miami Dolphins S Jevon Holland
One of the Giants’ biggest needs this offseason is their secondary, especially after last offseason. Losing Xavier McKinney hurt them badly, and it hurt even worse after he was second in the league in interceptions.
Seeing that, the Giants may be more inclined to go out there and sign a deep safety, which could be Jevon Holland of the Miami Dolphins. He will be able to play an over-the-top look, which the Giants desperately need, since their corners haven’t played up to par. Holland would be a big signing for the Giants in this upcoming boom-or-bust season for HC Brian Daboll and company.
The Giants have the third-overall pick in this year’s draft. They seem like a lock to get one of the three top prospects in Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter.
Yes, Travis Hunter is a defensive back, but it will not hurt them gaining another defender in the back end. Adding Holland to possibly Hunter and a good defensive line, the Giants could be trying to build a good defense which could also be set up for the long run. Holland would be a big piece there, as he is young, and would fit the timeline of the Giants.