All 32 teams -- whether they are alive in the playoffs or not -- are deep into personnel evaluations and roster planning for next season, as the window for taking action on 2020 NFL free agency opens in less than three weeks. The offseason waiver process begins Feb. 3, the day after Super Bowl LIV. Teams can begin to use franchise or transition tags on Feb. 25, and negotiations can begin March 16. Free agency officially opens March 18.
What follows is an early look at the 50 most valuable players set to qualify for unrestricted free agency. We've focused this list toward the philosophies of most teams rather than simply looking at skill level or 2019 production in a vacuum. Age is critical as teams attempt to project future performance -- 26 and 27 are the sweet spots -- and certain positions are always higher priorities. That's why this ranking includes quarterback Marcus Mariota, benched in Week 6 by the Titans, and not running back Carlos Hyde, who rushed for 1,070 yards at age 29 for the Texans.
There is no doubt that this list will look much different when the market opens. Some players will re-sign with their existing teams, while others will join the pool as roster cuts. But for now, consider this a wish list of the unrestricted free agents who NFL teams hope will be available. We did not include players who are likely to be cut but we did insert a few whose contracts are set to automatically void rather than simply expire. Let's jump in.
1. Dak Prescott, QB
2019 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age entering 2020 season: 27
Say whatever you want about Prescott's ceiling. If a 27-year-old quarterback coming off a 4,902-yard season ever reached the open market, he would be swarmed. It's hard to believe it will come to that. If the two sides can't reach a long-term agreement, the Cowboys almost certainly will use the franchise tag. But for now, Prescott is a pending free agent like everyone else on this list.
2. Tom Brady, QB
2019 team: New England Patriots | Age: 43
Retiring is "pretty unlikely," Brady said after the Patriots' wild-card loss to the Titans. That sentiment sets up a two-month guessing game about his 2020 team. The Patriots have agreed not to use the franchise tag on him, and without a new deal by March 18, Brady will become a free agent -- and deposit $13.5 million in dead money on the Patriots' cap -- for the first time in his career. The big unknown: Is there a franchise willing to offer a premium, short-term contract while also pairing him with the supporting cast he would want and need?
3. Drew Brees, QB
2019 team: New Orleans Saints | Age: 41
Brees produced the NFL's third-best QBR (72.0) after returning in Week 10 from a torn thumb ligament, trailing only Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes during that period. His performance was a strong signal that he could play at a high level in 2020, even after a shaky outing in the Saints' wild-card playoff loss to the Vikings. Brees has never been interested in leaving the Saints. Has anything changed? Would the Saints move on in favor of Teddy Bridgewater or Taysom Hill?
4. Yannick Ngakoue, DE
2019 team: Jacksonville Jaguars | Age: 25
Ngakoue turned down a long-term contract offer last summer and could be a candidate for the franchise tag. It's generally not good business to let 25-year-old pass-rushers leave town. Since entering the NFL in 2016, Ngakoue has recorded 37.5 sacks, good for No. 12 in the league during that period. His 14 forced fumbles rank No. 4.
5. Brandon Scherff, G
2019 team: Washington Redskins | Age: 28
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Scherff has missed 13 games over the past two seasons due to various injuries. The Redskins' long-term planning has changed with the hiring of coach Ron Rivera and the reorganization of their front office, so it's unclear where the team's priorities will lie. But Scherff projects as the best available offensive lineman if he makes it to the market.
6. Jadeveon Clowney, DE
2019 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 27
Rented on the cheap for the season by the Seahawks, Clowney reaffirmed most existing impressions of him: He is a difference-maker when healthy. He made it through 13 games in 2019, scoring touchdowns on separate interception and fumble returns, and was more effective as a pass-rusher than his total of three sacks would suggest.
7. Ryan Tannehill, QB
2019 team: Tennessee Titans | Age: 32
Tannehill appears to have resurrected his career in Tennessee, having produced the league's sixth-best QBR (65.2) over the final 10 weeks of the season. His 7.7% touchdown rate -- 22 in 286 attempts -- was second-best in the NFL. The Titans would be well-advised to at least use the franchise tag on him.
8. Shaquil Barrett, DE
2019 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 27
Rarely has a player raised his value more in a contract year than Barrett did. After signing a one-year contract with the Buccaneers worth $4 million, Barrett led the NFL with 19.5 sacks. Although not all sacks are equal, it would be difficult to record that many without displaying some exceptional pass-rush skills and playmaking along the way.
9. Hunter Henry, TE
2019 team: Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 25
Henry returned to full strength after a torn ACL cost him the 2018 season, catching 55 passes for 652 yards -- both career-highs. The dynamic role of tight ends in today's offenses suggests he will be highly sought-after if he reaches the market. The Patriots, in particular, seem like an obvious team of interest.
10. Jarran Reed, DT
2019 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 27
After serving a six-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy, Reed resumed his role as a starter during the remaining 10 games, but didn't come close to matching his 2018 sack rate. But there is always a market for inside pass-rushers.
11. A.J. Green, WR
2019 team: Cincinnati Bengals | Age: 32
Injuries have stalled Green's otherwise Hall of Fame-caliber career. He missed all of the 2019 season because of an ankle injury and seven games in 2018 because of a toe ailment. Assuming he can get his body right, Green almost certainly will hit the open market and could resurrect his career with a franchise that is closer to the playoffs than the Bengals.
12. Anthony Castonzo, OT
2019 team: Indianapolis Colts | Age: 32
Castonzo has said he will consider retirement, but he played well enough in 2019 to project as a starter for several more years. And if he ever got on the open market, he would find plenty of suitors. Starting left tackles, young or old, are rarely available.
13. Amari Cooper, WR
2019 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age: 26
Late-season disappointments aside, it's hard to imagine the Cowboys bidding farewell to a player they used a first-round pick to acquire in 2018. In the end, Cooper is a deep threat who has caught 329 passes since entering the league in 2015, ranking him No. 14 in the NFL over that period. And his 14.3-yard average per catch is better than all but two receivers ranked above him on that list (Julio Jones and Mike Evans).
14. Derrick Henry, RB
2019 team: Tennessee Titans | Age: 26
Henry's expiring contract provides yet another test of how teams value traditional veteran tailbacks. A market has emerged recently for those who are exceptional in the passing game, but Henry is primarily a (very hard) runner. He was the NFL's 2019 leader in rushing (1,540 yards), rushing touchdowns (16) and -- unfortunately for his potential trip into free agency -- rushing attempts (303).
15. Austin Hooper, TE
2019 team: Atlanta Falcons | Age: 25
The Falcons' tight salary-cap situation could make it difficult to bring back Hooper, whose eye-opening start to the 2019 season will no doubt attract multiple suitors who want to capitalize on tight end mismatches in their offense. Before being slowed by a knee injury, he caught 52 passes through the first eight weeks of the season. He is set to cash in somewhere.
16. Philip Rivers, QB
2019 team: Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 38
Rivers slipped in his 16th season, finishing No. 22 in QBR (48.9), and his teary Week 17 postgame press conference suggested he is ready and willing to move on. It's not outlandish to think he could put a playoff-ready team over the top. Remember, Brett Favre was 39 when he signed with the Vikings in 2009.
17. Arik Armstead, DL
2019 team: San Francisco 49ers | Age: 26
Armstead recorded 10 sacks in the 49ers' first 11 games and was one of the key reasons for their defensive turnaround. It took him a while to get to this point. Because of injuries, he really wasn't a full-time player until 2018. But his breakout year could not have been better-timed.
18. Chris Jones, DL
2019 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 26
Jones didn't put up the same sack numbers this season (9.0) as he did in 2018 (15.5), in part due to a groin injury that cost him three games. But at his age, and with his history as a pass-rusher, Jones is a valuable asset.
19. Kenyan Drake, RB
2019 team: Arizona Cardinals | Age: 25
Drake was wildly productive after arriving from the Dolphins via trade. In eight games, he rushed for eight touchdowns and combined for 814 yards rushing and receiving. Drake's age and receiving ability make him a rare valuable commodity at his position in free agency.
20. Markus Golden, LB
2019 team: New York Giants | Age: 29
Golden was one of the few bright spots for the Giants, recording 10 sacks -- including one that came as a result of a postgame stat change -- for a bad team. There weren't many takers for him on the 2019 market, but his sack total will generate a few more eyes this time around.
21. Matthew Judon, LB
2019 team: Baltimore Ravens | Age: 27
The Ravens have a long history of allowing productive players to leave via free agency -- see Za'Darius Smith and C.J. Mosley in 2019 -- in part because they are confident in their draft classes to replenish the talent. Will Judon be the next such player? He recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks during the regular season.
22. Byron Jones, CB
2019 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age: 27
It has long been thought that Jones would be the odd man out of the Cowboys' 2019-20 free-agency classes, but that was before they transitioned to coach Mike McCarthy. Will McCarthy have a different set of priorities? Jones has intercepted only two passes in his career, but he is highly athletic and has knocked away 43 passes. During the past two seasons, he has the fourth-best forced incompletion rate, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
23. Justin Simmons, S
2019 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 26
Simmons earned second-team All-Pro honors after intercepting four passes and defending a total of 15 in his third season as a full-time starter. Safeties don't always find success in free agency, but the Broncos might well use their franchise tag to keep him for 2020.
24. Melvin Gordon, RB
2019 team: Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 27
The Chargers' decision to stand firm during Gordon's 2019 holdout, and Gordon's career-low 612 rushing yards upon his return, seem to suggest a parting of ways this offseason. Gordon did manage to rush for eight touchdowns, and his total of 26 over the past three seasons ranks No. 6 in the NFL. His holdout reduced the mileage on his body, but at least some teams will view him as an aging running back whose best years have passed.
25. Jameis Winston, QB
2019 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 26
All you need to know about Winston is that in 2019 he became the first player in NFL history to throw 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season. His downfield explosiveness is undeniable, but his turnover rate is totally out of sync with today's passing-friendly league. It had been 31 years since a quarterback threw as many as 30 interceptions in one season. The Buccaneers, who have the No. 14 overall pick in the draft, might have no choice but to re-sign or franchise him.
26. Dante Fowler Jr., LB
2019 team: Los Angeles Rams | Age: 26
Fowler produced a career-high 11.5 sacks in his first full season with the Rams, finally putting behind him 3.5 seasons of disappointment with the Jaguars. The talent has always been there.
27. Chris Harris Jr., CB
2019 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 32
Harris is older than an ideal free-agent cornerback, but he was still playing at a high level in 2019, his ninth NFL season. The Broncos may choose to get younger at the position, which would put Harris on the open market for the first time in his career.
28. Vic Beasley Jr., DE
2019 team: Atlanta Falcons | Age: 28
The No. 8 overall pick of the 2015 draft, Beasley led the NFL in sacks (15.5) in 2016 and recorded eight in 2019. He has never been as much of a play-to-play force as the Falcons had hoped, but that doesn't mean there wouldn't be a market for his services.
29. Teddy Bridgewater, QB
2019 team: New Orleans Saints | Age: 27
If there were any doubts, Bridgewater showed he can play at a winning level over an extended period of time. Three years after a catastrophic knee injury, Bridgewater helped the Saints to a 5-0 record after Brees injured his thumb. Bridgewater was picky last offseason, turning down the Dolphins' starting job to return as a Saints backup. Would he do it again, assuming Brees returns? And can the Saints afford to give him a raise off the $7.5 million he earned this season?
30. Bud Dupree, LB
2019 team: Pittsburgh Steelers | Age: 27
A breakout season for a pass-rusher in a contract year often means big money. Dupree finally put it all together in 2019, starting all 16 games and recording 11.5 sacks while playing across from T.J. Watt. If he wants, Dupree could price himself out of the Steelers' budget by entering the open market.
31. Anthony Harris, S
2019 team: Minnesota Vikings | Age: 29
After three seasons as a backup/special-teams player, Harris emerged as a force in pass defense. He tied for the league lead in 2019 with six interceptions, and his nine picks since the start of the 2018 season are tied for the third-most. The Vikings are tight against the salary cap but could make room to re-sign him.
32. Joe Thuney, G
2019 team: New England Patriots | Age: 27
Thuney earned second-team All-Pro honors after completing his fourth season as a 16-game starter. And the Patriots' tight salary-cap situation leaves open the possibility that he will hit the market.
33. Jack Conklin, OT
2019 team: Tennessee Titans | Age: 26
Conklin returned from an injury-shortened 2018 season to start all 16 games this season and is eligible for free agency because the Titans declined his 2020 fifth-year option. Even if he doesn't return to his All-Pro form of 2016, the value will be there. Starting right tackles don't often enter the market.
34. Eric Ebron, TE
2019 team: Indianapolis Colts | Age: 27
Ebron caught 16 touchdown passes in 27 games after moving from the Lions to the Colts in 2018 and is young for someone who has played six seasons. But he has always struggled with dropped passes, and teams no doubt will want to investigate the circumstances that led Ebron to decide he needed season-ending ankle surgery. The Colts' public statements made clear they were surprised by the urgent need for surgery.
35. Robert Quinn, DE
2019 team: Dallas Cowboys | Age: 30
Quinn displayed high-end pass-rushing in 2019 for the Cowboys, his third team in as many seasons. He recorded 11.5 sacks, his highest total since 2014, and led the NFL in pass rush win rate, an ESPN metric using NFL Next Gen Stats data. If nothing else, Quinn can still provide high-level contributions as a situational pass-rusher.
36. Blake Martinez, LB
2019 team: Green Bay Packers | Age: 27
A tackling machine who hasn't missed a start in three seasons, Martinez has been a reliable and valuable member of the Packers' defense spanning two coaching staffs. Not every team values the inside linebacker position, but it only takes one.
37. Robby Anderson, WR
2019 team: New York Jets | Age: 27
A late-season push -- 27 receptions for 420 yards over the Jets' final six games -- pushed Anderson up the rankings of young receivers with expiring contracts. His emergence roughly tracked the Jets' offensive improvement over that period, and he would project at the top of the second tier of free-agent receivers.
38. Joe Schobert, LB
2019 team: Cleveland Browns | Age: 26
The previous Browns front office made little attempt to re-sign Schobert, their starting middle linebacker for the past three seasons. He produced arguably his best season in 2019, recording 133 tackles while also grabbing four interceptions, second-most among NFL linebackers. If he can find a scheme fit, Schobert will be a valuable signing.
39. Trae Waynes, CB
2019 team: Minnesota Vikings | Age: 28
Waynes didn't become a full-time starter until his third season with the Vikings, and after playing out his fifth-year option, he would be older than most first-time free agents. The Vikings' plans are not yet known, but 2016 second-round pick Mackensie Alexander and 2018 first-rounder Mike Hughes are both possible replacements.
40. Breshad Perriman, WR
2019 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 26
A career year in the Buccaneers' high-octane offense demonstrated that Perriman still has big-play ability after an injury-plagued start to his career. He set career-highs in receptions (36), yards (645) and touchdowns (six), and he should generate interest in a top-heavy pool of receivers.
41. James Bradberry, CB
2019 team: Carolina Panthers | Age: 27
Bradberry is a four-year starter who has spent his career matching up against the NFC South's battalion of elite receivers. He intercepted a career-high three passes in 2019 and could end up as the top corner available on the market.
42. Connor McGovern, C
2019 team: Denver Broncos | Age: 27
Centers tend to be highly sought-after in free agency, and McGovern has held down the Broncos' spot well after taking over for Matt Paradis during the 2018 season. He has also played guard during his NFL career.
43. Graham Glasgow, C/G
2019 team: Detroit Lions | Age: 28
Glasgow has started at both center and guard, and he has missed only two games in his career. But the Lions began platooning him at guard in 2019, and he could use a fresh start with a team that is ready to commit to him at a particular position.
44. D.J. Humphries, OT
2019 team: Arizona Cardinals | Age: 26
Humphries is one of the most intriguing candidates for the open market. His age and position will attract plenty of NFL teams. But Humphries, a 2015 first-round draft pick, struggled to stay on the field until his contract year. Is he past those issues?
45. Cory Littleton, LB
2019 team: Los Angeles Rams | Age: 26
A former undrafted free agent, Littleton developed from a special-teams standout to the Rams' leading tackler in 2019. He also intercepted two passes, recovered four fumbles and would get some looks based on his tackling skills and scheme versatility.
46. Javon Hargrave, DT
2019 team: Pittsburgh Steelers | Age: 27
Not many people outside of the Steelers' fan base know of him, and he doesn't show up on many stat sheets. But Hargrave has been a four-year starter who gets more of a push than you would think for a traditional nose tackle.
47. Quinton Spain, G
2019 team: Buffalo Bills | Age: 29
Spain made a successful transition to Buffalo in 2019 after spending four years with the Titans, but it was only on a one-year deal. The Bills would seem to be motivated to retain him, given the progress of their offense under a strengthened offensive line, but there has been no movement yet.
48. Germain Ifedi, OT
2019 team: Seattle Seahawks | Age: 26
The Seahawks declined their fifth-year option on Ifedi, a first-round pick in 2016, putting him on track to test the market after this season. He started all 16 games at right tackle, but has had some rough moments over his career in Seattle. With his age and experience, however, he should find plenty of interest.
49. Leonard Williams, DT
2019 team: New York Giants | Age: 26
The Giants acquired Williams at the trade deadline for an unusual eight-game tryout before the expiration of his contract. The No. 6 overall pick of the 2015 draft, he was largely disappointing for the Jets and didn't show much with the Giants, either, recording a half-sack to bring his career total to 17.5. But plenty of teams will take a look if the Giants don't re-sign him.
50. Marcus Mariota, QB
2019 team: Tennessee Titans | Age: 26
It's impossible to know what would have come of Mariota's career if he had been drafted into a stable coaching environment, rather than playing for three head coaches and four offensive coordinators over five seasons. Mariota could have adjusted better, but he appeared mismatched from the start. He won't get an immediate crack at a starting job, but the path of his successor (Tannehill) is enough proof of what can happen with a fresh start.
Next 10 (alphabetically listed)
Bryan Bulaga, OT
Carlos Hyde, RB
Brian Poole, CB
D.J. Reader, DT
Emmanuel Sanders, WR
Jimmie Ward, S
Daryl Williams, OT