The 2025 NFL free agency class looks to be shrinking as the Combine begins
As NFL head coaches and general managers spoke at the Combine on Tuesday, it became clear this already-underwhelming NFL free agency class could have even less talent than initially projected as players return to their current teams.
The New England Patriots enter the 2025 offseason with a lot of room to grow their roster, but also many resources at their disposal. One of their top resources is the projected $128 million in cap space they should be working with in free agency.
Having money to spend on players is one thing. But the players being available to spend that money on is another. Right now, that looks to be the Patriots’ bigger issue.
This year’s NFL free agency class was already projected to be on the weaker side. Based on what was said by head coaches and GM’s on Tuesday at the NFL Combine, the free agency class and veteran market as a whole (ex. trade candidates) could be shrinking even further.
Decision makers from most of the teams dealing with top departing free agents seemed committed to retaining those players. While a lot can change in the next two weeks before free agency officially begins, the plan right now seems to be to keep as many players in-house as possible.
Those comments were in line with something NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah noted leading up to the Combine. “I’ll be shocked if we don’t see a flurry of extensions done over the next 7-10 days. Teams have money/space & the [free agency] group isn’t very exciting,” Jeremiah noted on Monday. “Good time to lock up your key young guys.”
“I’ve been reading about this free agency class for the last few days and it’s making me even more fired up for the NFL Scouting Combine,” Jeremiah also noted. “Not a lot of excitement on the used car lot this year. It’s a good year to buy new.”
Which players got the show of support from their front offices? Here’s a quick run-through…
WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals enter free agency in an interesting spot. They have a decent amount of cap space (projected $61.9 million) with their quarterback already paid. However they have multiple players projected to get massive deals on contracts either expiring this offseason or next offseason, with their quarterback campaigning publicly for the team to keep those players in town.
One such deal is a no-brainer. Ja’Marr Chase has been one of the best wide receivers in football since being drafted in 2021, and will play on the final year of his rookie deal in 2025. He should be the Bengals’ top priority, and Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin told reporters on Tuesday Chase will likely become the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL.
Would the Bengals give two big-money deals to wide receivers? They’d have to if they want to keep Tee Higgins, who is currently projected as the top wide receiver and top overall player in this year’s free agent class.
Higgins is reportedly expected to receive the franchise tag (for the second year in a row), with the goal being to ultimately sign him to a long-term extension. As unlikely as that may seem financially, Tobin sounded committed to that plan on Tuesday.
“Obviously Tee is the one that’s not signed for the future right now, and so that puts the onus on us to do something,” Tobin said. “I think Tee Higgins is a fantastic football player and I want him on my football team. Whenever I’m in charge of a football team, I want Tee Higgins. So I’m going to do what I can to get Tee Higgins. Our preference with Tee Higgins is to do a long-term agreement. Always has been. It continues to be.”
“I’m optimistic until there’s reason not to be,” Tobin added on getting a long-term deal done. “I’ve always been optimistic with Tee, and I want a long-term deal. He fits with us and we fit with him. It’s a great match.”
The Bengals also will have to do something about star 31-year-old pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is entering the final year of his deal and could become a trade candidate if the Bengals want to open more money for Chase and/or Higgins. That being said Tobin also spoke highly about Hendrickson, saying re-signing him is also a goal.
“We’ve managed our cap well. We’ve got low dead money. We want a high payroll and low dead money so the people that are in Cincinnati playing for us can get all the money,” Tobin said. “We’re in a position to re-sign these guys. It’s a good position to be in. It really is. We’re going to attack it.”
WR D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
Metcalf isn’t a free agent, but entering a contract year on a Seahawks team that could be in position for a rebuild has led some to suggest that he could be available via trade this offseason.
Despite that, Seahawks general manager John Schneider seemed surprised when he was asked about Metcalf on Tuesday. Asked “where do things stand with D.K. Metcalf” he repeated the question back with a laugh.
“He’s on our team. He’s a big, strong, fast, physical receiver,” Schneider said with a chuckle before moving on to the next question.
If Metcalf is actually available, it doesn’t seem like Scheider is going to broadcast that to the public – but it’s very possible the Seahawks will just work out a deal with the 27-year-old on their own.
OT Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
From one major position of need for the Patriots to another. Tackles can be even harder to come by than receivers, with less collective talent in the league. High-level players are rarely traded, and hit free agency even less often.
If anybody is going to buck that trend this year, it’s Ronnie Stanley of the Ravens. However, with his team currently in a Super Bowl contention window Ravens GM Eric DeCosta made it sound like the team plans on keeping Lamar Jackson’s blindside protector.
“You never want to say 100%, but I feel good that we’ll have a good, healthy debate, a good process,” DeCosta said. “We’re going to meet with Kim [Miale, Stanley’s agent] in Indy this week and I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to get a deal done.”
Head coach John Harbaugh echoed that sentiment. “I think that we’ll probably keep Ronnie,” he said. “I’m hopeful that we will.”
The Eagles
There is one team that won’t be able to keep all of its pending free agents – the defending Super Bowl champions. The Eagles are projected to have $22.3 million in cap space with their pending free agents list including key players like defensive lineman Milton Williams, linebackers Josh Sweat and Zack Baun, and guard Mekhi Becton.
“It may look different — some of the moves that we may have to make here may not be what are necessarily on other people’s minds,” general manager Howie Roseman told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s probably not going to look like maybe the conventional wisdom thinks it should look. I would just ask our fans to just have patience throughout the offseason. The offseason doesn’t stop in free agency. The offseason doesn’t stop in the draft.”
The Eagles probably won’t lose all of their pending free agents. One or two top players should end up hitting the market though. Many of their top free agents play positions of need for the Patriots, so this could be a spot where Mike Vrabel and the front office can take advantage.
