NFL free company is a year-round course of, as groups scout opposing gamers in an effort to defeat them in the course of the 12 months and maybe signal them within the offseason.
Now that we’re on the finish of the 2024-25 NFL season, the free company image is coming into focus, and groups are starting to establish potential targets to enhance their roster weaknesses.
Listed below are the highest guards slated to hit free company in 2025. Click on right here for PFF’s full checklist of the highest 100 free brokers.
1. G Trey Smith, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
2025 Free Agent Rank: 2
Smith’s 78.8 PFF total grade within the common season ranked eleventh amongst all guards, and he’ll nonetheless be solely 25 years outdated when free company opens. That is a superb mixture for an enormous payday, provided that a number of gamers on the place signed offers at or exceeding $20 million per 12 months in 2024.
The sophisticated component when projecting a contract for Smith is the rationale he fell to the top of the sixth spherical within the 2021 NFL Draft: He was identified with blood clots in his lungs. On the sphere, he’s each little bit of a prized free agent. Factoring in his well being is the important thing query.
Prime free agent comparability: N/A
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Trey Smith | 68.7 | 60.7 | 18.0% | ? |
| – | – | – | – | – |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
2. G Will Fries, Indianapolis Colts
2025 Free Agent Rank: 24
Fries made large strides over the length of his rookie contract and may very well be the subsequent guard to money in in the course of the free company interval after a wave of huge offers landed in 2024. Sadly, Fries fractured his tibia in Week 5 in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars and underwent rapid surgical procedure, however he had earned an 86.8 PFF total grade as much as that time on 268 snaps.
Prime free agent comparability: Damien Lewis, 2024
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Will Fries | 68.0 | 63.3 | 14.4% | ? |
| Damien Lewis | 68.5 | 63.0 | 13.1% | 5.2% |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
3. G Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears
2025 Free Agent Rank: 25
Jenkins is a power to be reckoned with on most Sundays; the problem over his profession to this point has been getting on the sphere on Sundays. There are some occasional whiffs to wash up in go safety, however it will probably’t precisely assist his pass-set footwork going from proper deal with to left deal with to left guard whereas additionally rehabbing a bunch over his rookie contract. Fellow 2021 second-round draft choose Sam Cosmi signed a four-year, $74 million extension with the Washington Commanders earlier than the 2024 marketing campaign, which might function a good comparability for Jenkins, as Cosmi additionally kicked inside from deal with to protect and missed a while to harm by his first three seasons.
Prime free agent comparability: Brian Winters, 2017
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Teven Jenkins | 73.7 | 67.6 | 15.2% | ? |
| Brian Winters | 75.0 | 66.0 | 12.2% | 4.7% |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
4. G Kevin Zeitler, Detroit Lions
2025 Free Agent Rank: 27
After spending the previous three years in Baltimore, Zeitler joined Detroit, which was a near-seamless match. His 86.8 PFF total grade within the common season was his greatest since 2014, and his 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade was a career-high mark. The 34-year-old may very well be an inexpensive but efficient guard choice on the open market.
Prime free agent comparability: Ramon Foster, 2019
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Kevin Zeitler | 78.8 | 74.2 | 13.9% | ? |
| Ramon Foster | 82.1 | 75.3 | 7.4% | 2.2% |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
5. G James Daniels, Pittsburgh Steelers
2025 Free Agent Rank: 28
Daniels was delivering a profession 12 months however, sadly, tore his Achilles in Week 4. The 27-year-old was stable in his first two years with the Steelers, recording PFF total grades above 61.0, however confirmed some liabilities in run blocking. There ought to nonetheless be a stable market, given Daniels’ age and expertise (already seven years).
Prime free agent comparability: John Miller, 2020
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| James Daniels | 61.6 | 50.3 | 13.4% | ? |
| John Miller | 65.4 | 59.3 | 10.5% | 2.0% |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
6. G Mekhi Becton, Philadelphia Eagles
2025 Free Agent Rank: 41
Becton is the newest in a really lengthy line of star pupils to attend Jeff Stoutland College in Philadelphia, working with arguably the league’s greatest offensive line coach to get his profession again on observe. A kick inside to protect for 2024 is probably not a everlasting transfer for Becton, because the Eagles have probably the perfect deal with tandem within the NFL, however his demonstrated versatility throughout the road is just a superb factor.
Prime free agent comparability: Ezra Cleveland, 2024
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Mekhi Becton | 61.0 | 49.1 | 14.3% | ? |
| Ezra Cleveland | 55.1 | 53.1 | 16.8% | 3.1% |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
7. G Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville Jaguars
2025 Free Agent Rank: 59
After a rash of accidents stored Scherff on the shelf for a handful of video games in every season from 2018-21, he bounced again in a significant means by beginning each sport over his three-year contract with the Jaguars from 2022-24. The highest-five choose doesn’t fairly have All-Professional/Professional-Bowl tape anymore, however he’s nonetheless a really succesful starter, significantly in go safety.
Prime free agent comparability: Ramon Foster, 2019
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing | |
| Brandon Scherff | 78.0 | 70.4 | 9.5% | ? | |
| Ramon Foster | 82.1 | 75.3 | 7.4% | 2.2% | |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
8. G Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
2025 Free Agent Rank: 60
Martin will likely be 34 by the point free company opens in 2025, and he’ll be coming off a season-ending ankle harm for which he underwent in Week 14. Whereas he wasn’t taking part in on the stage that noticed him dominate from 2014 to 2021, he’s nonetheless a more-than-capable participant on any offensive line.
Prime free agent comparability: Kevin Zeitler, 2021
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing | |
| Zack Martin | 70.4 | 67.4 | 9.5% | ? | |
| Kevin Zeitler | 73.0 | 67.8 | 12.0% | 4.1% | |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
9. G Patrick Mekari, Baltimore Ravens
2025 Free Agent Rank: 64
Mekari logged snaps everywhere in the offensive line, filling in wherever the Ravens wanted. In 2024, that meant taking part in almost each down at left guard for a revamped offensive line that markedly improved because the season went on after a rocky begin. The flexibility Mekari offers, with greater than 500 snaps at each deal with spots earlier than 2024, might drive his worth in a significant means in free company.
Prime free agent comparability: James Hurst, 2018
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing | |
| Patrick Mekari | 67.4 | 64.4 | 11.4% | ? | |
| James Hurst | 72.4 | 64.7 | 7.4% | 2.5% | |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
10. G Aaron Banks, San Francisco 49ers
2025 Free Agent Rank: 73
The previous second-round choose confirmed regular development over his four-year rookie deal, although he by no means eclipsed 90% of snaps performed in a season at a place the place you’d prefer to play as near 100% as doable. Banks strikes very nicely within the run sport for his measurement, which is presumably what made him most tasty to the 49ers within the first place, however nonetheless has room to develop in go safety.
Prime free agent comparability: Ezra Cleveland, 2024
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing | |
| Aaron Banks | 54.4 | 47.3 | 15.2% | ? | |
| Ezra Cleveland | 55.1 | 53.1 | 16.8% | 3.1% | |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
11. G Will Hernandez, Arizona Cardinals
2025 Free Agent Rank: 93
Hernandez appeared to have discovered an important match for his ability set within the Arizona Cardinals’ offense however, sadly, suffered a season-ending knee harm in Week 5 of his contract 12 months after one other stable begin to his third marketing campaign with the membership. Hopefully, the silver lining for Hernandez is that he was damage early sufficient within the 12 months that he may be nicely into his restoration earlier than free company begins. The previous second-round choose affords a excessive ground as a go protector on the inside.
Prime free agent comparability: Greg Van Roten, 2020
| Participant | Go-blocking grade | True go set pass-blocking grade | Optimistic run-blocking grade proportion | APY as % of Cap at signing | |
| Will Hernandez | 71.8 | 66.7 | 11.2% | ? | |
| Greg Van Roten | 72.0 | 71.3 | 9.1% | 1.8% | |
*All knowledge in tables displays two years previous to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Accessible in PFF’s free company rankings
