This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed.
AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 56m ago
Ranking NFL's top 25 potential free agents in 2027
As NFL players begin work at training camp , it's difficult not to gaze a little further down the calendar.
Summer preparations have a way of stoking expectations for the upcoming season. But contractual matters inevitably cross over into on-field preparations. This week alone, a smattering of players have waged hold-ins while awaiting more clarity on negotiations, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield tabled talks to focus on the upcoming campaign.
More than seven months out, it's clear that free agency in 2027 could be quite compelling.
Yet as is the case every year, an extensive list of key figures set to hit the open market will inevitably thin out. Among the notable figures who reached extensions in recent months to avoid entering the final year of their respective deals: Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford , Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane and center Aaron Brewer, Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London . And more pacts could materialize before the Sept. 9 season opener.
With the landscape sure to change in the coming weeks and months, here's our early look at the top 25 potential NFL free agents for 2027:
1. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are littered with entries on this list, finishing with five overall. Nacua, however, stands alone among his teammates – and the rest of the league – with the unmatched value he can offer. In his All-Pro campaign last year, the former fifth-round pick led the NFL in receptions (129), receiving yards per game (107.2) and first-down receptions (80). At a staggering 3.16 yards per route run, he's truly without peer in the last two decades in efficiency. His physicality and versatility have also been integral to Sean McVay's efforts to throw opponents off tilt by evolving his personnel packages. Off-field issues – including an ongoing civil lawsuit from a woman alleging Nacua made an antisemitic remark and bit her – might be one of the few roadblocks standing between Nacua and a deal that eclipses the terms set by Jaxon Smith-Njigba's four-year, $168.6 million agreement .
NFL yards per route run leaders dating back to 2006, min 1500 routes (PFF) Puka Nacua is on a generational run pic.twitter.com/C0GpmjTSKl
— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) July 1, 2026 2. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don't be so sure about Mayfield hitting free agency . Whether it's via an extension reached next winter or a franchise tag, the simplest solution – and seemingly the one preferred by both sides – remains sticking around in Tampa. Still, if the Buccaneers end up rebooting at large or otherwise starting fresh behind center, the former No. 1 overall pick would be a fascinating test case in free agency. Even at 31, he almost inevitably offers wildly disparate results over the course of a season, as he did with last year's second-half nosedive. Injuries undoubtedly took their toll, but his proclivity for breaking structure and tempting fate with turnover-worthy throws leaves him somewhere around the middle of the pack as a starter. Still, the highs are scintillating enough to entice a would-be contender in search of an instant fix at quarterback – so long as the team is prepared to ride out his uneven play.
3. George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
When he was traded to the Cowboys last May ahead of the final year of his contract, Pickens appeared to be entering a combustible situation. Instead, the receiver was explosive in all the right ways. The downfield dynamo ranked third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards, exhibiting precision and composure not seen in earlier years. That approach extended to the offseason, when he shrugged off the Cowboys' refusal to negotiate a long-term deal before he played out the upcoming year on the franchise tag. Fitting Pickens in for the long term alongside fellow top earners Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb could be tricky, especially for a franchise known for being parsimonious in negotiations. With another output like last season's, however, Dallas would surely have a difficult time bidding farewell to the 25-year-old.
More: Cowboys taking calculated gamble with George Pickens: 'Best for everybody'
4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
This entry very well could be rendered moot by next March – or possibly next month. Taylor has more than delivered for Indianapolis since settling a bitter contract dispute in 2023, notching 3,016 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns in the last two seasons. The seventh-year veteran is the rare ball carrier capable of reeling off explosive gains while still serving in a bell-cow capacity for an offense that depends heavily on his contributions. Taylor has expressed optimism that an extension can be reached, and general manager Chris Ballard has said he hopes to keep his star back in the fold. Even if a deal can't be reached before the start of the season, however, it would make little sense for Indianapolis to let Taylor walk.
5. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis Colts
High-end offensive tackles are nearly impossible to find on the open market. Top interior offensive linemen, on the other hand, occasionally open up bidding wards. A paragon of consistency throughout his career, Nelson surely would have no shortage of suitors if he reaches free agency. Not only has he earned Pro Bowl recognition in all eight of his professional seasons, but he's only missed four games due to injury in his career. If the Colts continue to stay the course, re-upping Nelson should be a no-brainer. But if the organization cleans house, investing significant resources in a 30-plus offensive guard might not be a slam dunk.
6. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
While 2022 draft classmates Garrett Wilson and Drake London have already inked big-ticket extensions, Olave continues to wait on his. The smooth-moving receiver's f...
Ranking NFLBaker MayfieldNFL'sAs NFLSummerTampa Bay BuccaneersMoreYetAmongLos Angeles RamsMatthew StaffordMiami Dolphins
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.
