Free agency is drawing near. On Feb. 3, the NFL's waiver system opens and teams can begin the process that leads into the opening of the 2019 free-agent market. Many of the best players with expiring contracts will re-sign with their current teams or be protected by the franchise/transition tags before the negotiating period opens March 11, and then free agency hits on March 13.
The following is a mouthwatering ranking of the NFL's 50 most notable players with expiring contracts. Baked into this list are a number of long-standing market variables. It isn't solely a ranking of talent. Age is a major factor; the sweet spot is 26. Quarterbacks are overvalued, and teams are more desperate for pass-rushers and outside receivers than they are for safeties. Veteran running backs are waaaay in the back (sorry, Mark Ingram).
Keep in mind several won't be on this list in March. We'll update this ranking throughout the offseason as new players become available and others are taken off the market.
1. DeMarcus Lawrence, DE
2018 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age entering 2019 season: 27
A year on the franchise tag appears to have paid off for Lawrence, who followed up his 14.5-sack performance last season with 10.5 in 2018. It's possible that the Cowboys could tag him again, but Lawrence would otherwise be among the rarest of commodities: an available elite pass-rusher.
2. Le'Veon Bell, RB
2018 team: Pittsburgh Steelers | Age: 27
Bell sat out the entire 2018 season, losing $14.45 million in the process, to get to this point. It remains to be seen if teams will view him as a top-end playmaker with fresh legs or a 27-year-old running back with 1,541 touches of wear and tear already baked into his body.
3. Dee Ford, DE/LB
2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 28
A perfectly timed 13-sack season has raised Ford's stock to elite pass-rusher level. If the Chiefs don't use the franchise tag on him, he would almost certainly be among the most-pursued free agents on the market.
4. Jadeveon Clowney, DE/LB
2018 team: Houston Texans | Age: 26
After two injury-filled seasons earlier in his career, Clowney has played in all but three games over the past three years. And he has 24.5 sacks over that period. Whether the Texans use the franchise tag could depend on if he is classified as a defensive end or linebacker.
5. Frank Clark, DE
2018 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 26
A total of 32 sacks in the past three seasons, including 13 in 2018, has pushed Clark to the elite tiers of NFL pass-rushers. It is difficult to imagine the Seahawks letting him leave, but it will take a premium deal or the franchise tag to keep him off the market.
6. Teddy Bridgewater, QB
2018 team: New Orleans Saints | Age: 26
Even after three seasons away from the field, Bridgewater still is young enough to be a longer-term starter. His 2018 preseason with the Jets (73.7 completion percentage, 316 yards, two touchdowns) was encouraging. Can his right knee hold up over 16 games? It hasn't been tested in that way. But almost any quarterback available in free agency comes with at least some drawback.
7. Trent Brown, OT
2018 team: New England Patriots | Age: 26
Brown started 16 games at left tackle for the AFC East champions after an offseason trade from the 49ers. At 6-foot-8 and 380 pounds, he is a formidable obstacle for opposing pass-rushers. And at his age and with some position flexibility, Brown will have many suitors.
8. Landon Collins, S
2018 team: New York Giants | Age: 25
A three-time Pro Bowler, Collins suffered an ill-timed shoulder injury that required surgery and at least four months of rehabilitation. Because he wasn't a first-round pick, Collins is a young free agent. The Giants could use the franchise tag to retain him, but estimating value for safeties on the open market is tricky.
9. Trey Flowers, DE
2018 team: New England Patriots | Age: 26
Flowers hasn't put up elite-level sack totals for a defensive end; his career high of 7.5 in 2018 brought his three-year total to 21. But he is one of the Patriots' top all-around defenders, and you wonder if they would let him leave a roster that already lacks young playmakers on that side of the ball.
10. Kwon Alexander, LB
2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 25
A torn ACL in Week 6 put contract discussions on hold, but the injury happened early enough that he should be ready for the 2019 season. Alexander is one of the NFL's top 4-3 linebackers when healthy. But the injury, plus the Buccaneers' coaching change, makes it difficult to predict how aggressively the team will pursue him.
11. Earl Thomas, S
2018 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 30
There is a history of elite NFL safeties playing well into their 30s. The Ravens' Eric Weddle is the latest example. But Thomas' injury history is significant. He hasn't made it through a full season since 2015.
12. Grady Jarrett, DT
2018 team: Atlanta Falcons | Age: 26
Teams place a premium on interior disruption, a skill Jarrett has consistently demonstrated. Traditional statistics for an interior defender don't often tell the full story, but it's worth noting that Jarrett hit a career high with six sacks in 2018. He also has played in all but three games for the Falcons in four seasons.
13. Tyrann Mathieu, S
2018 team: Houston Texans | Age: 27
Although he has expressed a strong desire to remain in Houston, the Texans have a long list of pending free agents, headed by Clowney. Mathieu has started 16 games in each of the past two seasons, a strong response to injury problems earlier in his career, but he still hasn't rebuilt his full profile as a dominant playmaker.
14. Matt Paradis, C
2018 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 29
A broken leg cut short his season after nine games, but Paradis is expected to make a full recovery. Depending on a looming evaluation from the Broncos' new coaching staff, he could be an upgrade for most teams seeking a new center.
15. Sheldon Richardson, DT
2018 team: Minnesota Vikings | Age: 28
A strong year on the field, and a quiet one off it, sets up Richardson with a fairly clean slate in the 2019 market. He played in 16 games for the first time in four seasons, finishing with 4.5 sacks and partial responsibility for a run defense that ranked No. 8 in the NFL in yards per carry (4.1).
16. Tyrod Taylor, QB
2018 team: Cleveland Browns | Age: 30
Taylor wasn't sharp with the Browns in 2018, completing 49.4 percent of his passes in three starts, but the issues with the scheme were made clear by the team's in-season coaching change. Taylor remains a viable option for a team that wants to create legitimate competition at the position.
17. Ezekiel Ansah, DE
2018 team: Detroit Lions | Age: 30
Age and a long injury history will limit his value. Most recently, two shoulder injuries cost him nine games in 2018. But he had 48 sacks in six seasons with the Lions, and a team with a plan to use him situationally could receive big dividends.
18. Anthony Barr, LB
2018 team: Minnesota Vikings | Age: 27
Barr is an elite athlete who has shown bursts of dominance. But from a value standpoint, Barr plays a position -- outside linebacker in a 4-3 -- that rarely gets paid top-end money.
19. Donovan Smith, OT
2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 26
Opinions vary on Smith's effectiveness, but make no mistake: Even competent left tackles rarely make it to the market. When they do, teams line up to pay them big money. Smith could be the next.
20. Tyrell Williams, WR
2018 team: Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 27
He might not be a household name, but since the start of the 2016 season, Williams has averaged more yards per reception (15.9) than all but six pass-catchers in the NFL (minimum 43 catches). He might be the best big (6-foot-4) deep threat approaching the market.
21. Ja'Wuan James, OT
2018 team: Miami Dolphins | Age: 27
The former first-round draft pick has been the Dolphins' right tackle for the past five seasons. After playing out his fifth-year option, he'll wait to see what the team's new coaching staff decides. But with the value of right tackles approaching that of left tackles, at least on the field, he would field significant interest on the market.
22. C.J. Mosley, LB
2018 team: Baltimore Ravens | Age: 27
A four-time Pro Bowl player who has missed only three games in five seasons, Mosley was a big part of the Ravens' defensive turnaround in 2018. He also plays a position that traditionally doesn't attract big free-agent offers. But every good defense needs the glue that Mosley provides.
23. Tevin Coleman, RB
2018 team: Atlanta Falcons | Age: 26
Coleman has relatively low mileage on his body after four seasons (528 rushes) and has been productive as a receiver. He has eight touchdown receptions since the start of 2016. That makes him attractive for teams willing to spend for a veteran tailback.
24. Za'Darius Smith, DE/OLB
2018 team: Baltimore Ravens | Age: 26
A part-time starter for the Ravens, Smith played 66.7 percent of their defensive snaps in 2018 and made an impact as a pass-rusher. He had a career-high 8.5 sacks, and Pro Football Focus credited him with 60 pressures, which ranked him No. 17 in the NFL.
25. Margus Hunt, DL
2018 team: Indianapolis Colts | Age: 32
If there is a profile for a valuable 32-year-old defensive lineman, Hunt might be it. A starter for the first time in his career, Hunt compiled five sacks in 15 games. Teams that always have loved his size -- 6-foot-8, 298 pounds -- might rationalize the native of Estonia as simply a late bloomer.
26. Dante Fowler Jr., DE
2018 team: Los Angeles Rams | Age: 25
Traded from the Jaguars at midseason, Fowler got plenty of work with the Rams. He played on at least 62 percent of snaps in all but one of his eight games with them. Though he managed only two sacks with them, and just 16 in three NFL seasons, he has enough youth and pass-rushing pedigree to draw interest on the market.
27. Devin Funchess, WR
2018 team: Carolina Panthers | Age: 25
Funchess went in the wrong direction after the Panthers traded for Torrey Smith and drafted DJ Moore in the first round last year. His catch totals (20 percent), yardage (34 percent) and touchdowns (50 percent) all dropped from 2017. But young 6-foot-4 outside receivers with 21 career touchdown catches tend to generate free-agent interest.
28. Bryce Callahan, CB
2018 team: Chicago Bears | Age: 27
Primarily working in the slot, Callahan started 10 games in 2018, and 29 in four seasons with the Bears. He would draw significant interest from teams looking to slow highly productive slot receivers. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks had a 78.9 passer rating when targeting Callahan in 2018 -- among the five lowest in the league.
29. Steven Nelson, CB
2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 25
It probably sounds odd to include any member of the Chiefs' pass defense, which allowed the NFL's second-most passing yards (4,374) and ranked No. 25 in Total QBR (60.6). But according to Pro Football Focus, Nelson held up better than most. He allowed a 53.1 completion percentage on passes thrown in his direction, and opposing passers had a 76.8 passer rating against him.
30. Henry Anderson, DL
2018 team: New York Jets | Age: 28
Anderson produced a career year after signing a one-year deal with the Jets. Playing in 16 games for the first time in his career, he compiled seven sacks and was credited with 48 pressures by Pro Football Focus. He is big (6-foot-6, 301 pounds) and versatile enough to play in most systems.
31. Mark Glowinski, G
2018 team: Indianapolis Colts | Age: 27
After moving over from the Seahawks, Glowinski started nine games for the Colts. He played well enough to merit more than a casual look on what is always a limited market for starting-caliber offensive linemen.
Update: Glowinski signed a three-year, $18 million extension with the Colts.
32. Lamarcus Joyner, S
2018 team: Los Angeles Rams | Age: 28
After playing the season on the franchise tag, Joyner seems likely to get to the open market. How much value will teams see in a 28-year-old converted cornerback who has four career interceptions? We shall see.
33. John Brown, WR
2018 team: Baltimore Ravens | Age: 29
Brown refreshed his career with the Ravens, doubling his 2017 catch total and ranking fourth in the league with an average of 17 yards per reception. In other words, he can still be a deep threat.
34. Daryl Williams, OT
2018 team: Carolina Panthers | Age: 27
A knee injury largely wiped out his 2018 season, and teams will need a full accounting of his condition before making decisions. But if he's healthy, Williams could be plugged in as an immediate starter at right tackle.
35. Adam Humphries, WR
2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 26
A career year in a contract season (76 receptions, 816 yards, five touchdowns) could make Humphries a hot commodity. He took the NFL's third-most snaps in the slot last season (588), and teams usually value outside receivers more. But production is important, too.
36. Golden Tate, WR
2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles | Age: 31
There isn't usually a mad rush for 31-year-old free-agent receivers, but Tate fits the mold set by the now-retired Steve Smith. He has used strength, route knowledge and precise fundamentals to continue producing on the north side of 30.
37. David Irving, DT
2018 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age: 26
Irving's immense talent merits a spot on this list, even though he has missed 22 games over the past two seasons because of injuries and other issues. He is still young, and there are plenty of teams that remember his seven-sack performance over eight games in the 2017 season.
38. K.J. Wright, LB
2018 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 30
A knee injury cost Wright 11 games, and his postseason comments suggest he will be playing elsewhere in 2019. A 30-year-old linebacker coming off a knee injury isn't the most attractive option, but he'll raise significant curiosity if nothing else.
39. Deone Bucannon, LB
2018 team: Arizona Cardinals | Age: 27
Once viewed among the new wave of hybrid safety/linebackers that teams value, Bucannon didn't have a great season in his contract year. He missed three games because of injury and played only 35 percent of the Cardinals' snaps. But teams with a clear plan for his unique skills could mount strong pursuit.
40. Ndamukong Suh, DT
2018 team: Los Angeles Rams | Age: 32
Suh had a quiet season by his standards in Los Angeles, even while playing next to All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. But he remains remarkably durable and hasn't missed a start in the past seven seasons. He has more years left in him as a contributing player, if not an elite one.
41. Brandon Graham, DE
2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles | Age: 31
Although his sack total fell to 4.5 this season after recording eight in 2017, Graham remains an effective pass-rusher and a durable every-down player. He was on the field for 72 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps in 2018. That's a good number to have on his free-agent résumé.
42. Preston Smith, LB
2018 team: Washington Redskins | Age: 26
Smith is the kind of all-purpose linebacker that teams increasingly value. He has at least four sacks in each of his four seasons but also runs well in coverage and has decent instincts there.
43. Adrian Amos, S
2018 team: Chicago Bears | Age: 26
A four-year starter, Amos has worked in the shadow of playmaking teammate Eddie Jackson. But he is an exceptionally sure tackler and would be a strong value signing.
44. Shaquil Barrett, LB
2018 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 26
The Broncos effectively nudged Barrett out by making Bradley Chubb their top pick in the 2018 draft (and understandably so). But Barrett considers himself a starter and teams can look back at his 2017 film to see it. Pro Football Focus credited him with 43 quarterback pressures that season.
45. Bradley Roby, CB
2018 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 27
After starting a career-high 15 games in 2018, his first as a full-time starter, Roby will wait to see if new coach Vic Fangio wants him to return. If not, he'll be viewed as a starting-caliber player on the market.
46. Eric Reid, S
2018 team: Carolina Panthers | Age: 27
Combine the unpredictable value of the safety position with the fact that the 27-year-old went unsigned until Week 4, and you have a pending free agent who might not have a team for a while. Reid is involved in two disputes with the NFL: one on whether owners colluded to leave him unsigned last offseason, and the other on the frequency of random drug tests. No one would admit it, but it would be foolish to think Reid is on the free-agent board of every franchise.
Update: Reid signed a one-year deal worth up to $2 million with the Panthers.
47. Markus Golden, DE/LB
2018 team: Arizona Cardinals | Age: 28
Golden had 12.5 sacks in 2016 but hasn't regained form after a 2017 ACL tear. He managed only 2.5 sacks in 11 games last season, but with pass-rushing at an annual premium, it isn't difficult to imagine significant interest on the market.
48. Donte Moncrief, WR
2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars | Age: 26
Moncrief's one-year, $9.6 million deal with the Jaguars last season was a surprise, but his 2018 numbers -- 48 receptions for 688 yards and three touchdowns -- must be considered in the context of the Jags' anemic offense. He'll draw interest once again.
49. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S
2018 team: Washington Redskins | Age: 26
The Packers' decision to trade him at midseason, rather than re-sign him this offseason, raised eyebrows around the league. What did they know about the 2016 Pro Bowl safety that everyone else didn't? He didn't make a major impact on the Redskins, but he'll be among the best safeties available.
50. Robbie Gould, K
2018 team: San Francisco 49ers | Age: 36
It's not often that kickers find their way onto a list like this, but Gould was the NFL's best in two seasons with the 49ers, leading the league with 72 field goals and a 96.0 conversion rate. As for his age: There were 20 players older than him in the league last season.