I\u2019ve made a consensus board of 14 different free agency rankings, which range from top-25s to lists that go on for hundreds of names. Why? Because I wanted to get a handle on what the perception of the 2026 NFL free agency class looks like, and I\u2019m not sure there\u2019s a singular data point that looks like the truth to me.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going to pick on Pro Football Focus here because they probably have the best and most exhaustive list on the internet, but even their rankings are wonky at times. For example, they have offensive tackle Braden Smith, widely regarded as a top-20 free agent, ranked 105th this year. They also listed linebacker Quay Walker, a consensus top-40 player, 139th. In their top-350, a name that didn\u2019t make the cut is cornerback Alontae Taylor, who is ranked 66th by our methodology (and that\u2019s including him being docked for missing PFF\u2019s board).<\/p>\n
So, I figured, why not throw all these rankings in a blender to get a feel for what the \u201cconsensus\u201d looks like?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how this consensus board works.<\/p>\n
I took every player\u2019s ranking into account for every board. To use PFF as an example again, if a player didn\u2019t make the cut on their 350-man board, that player was given a ranking of #351, one spot off wherever the list ended.After compiling all 14 rankings, I averaged a player\u2019s ranking and made a new ranking (we love lists, don\u2019t we?) based on that average.<\/p>\n
Here are the rankings I used:<\/p>\n
2026 NFL Free Agent Rankings Used<\/p>\n
And here are the results (with Green Bay Packers players being bolded):<\/p>\n
Consensus Top 100 NFL Free Agents – 2026<\/p>\n
George Pickens, WRTrey Hendrickson, EDGETyler Linderbaum, CJaelan Phillips, EDGEDaniel Jones, QBAlec Pierce, WRBreece Hall, RBRasheed Walker, TDevin Lloyd, LBJaylen Watson, CBMike Evans, WRKenneth Walker III, RBKyle Pitts, TEOdafe Oweh, EDGEMalik Willis, QBJauan Jennings, WRTariq Woolen, CBJamel Dean, CBTravis Etienne Jr., RBBraden Smith, TKhalil Mack, EDGEBryan Cook, SRashid Shaheed, WRAaron Rodgers, QBConnor McGovern, CDavid Edwards, GRomeo Doubs, WRIsaac Seumalo, GJavonte Williams, RBWan\u2019Dale Robinson, WRJoey Bosa, EDGEJohn Franklin-Myers, iDLDevin Bush, LBDeebo Samuel, WRKamren Curl, SNakobe Dean, LBCoby Bryant, SQuay Walker, LBIsaiah Likely, TEBoye Mafe, EDGEAlijah Vera-Tucker, GJoel Bitonio, GNahshon Wright, CBDallas Goedert, TETravis Kelce, TEDemario Davis, LBK\u2019Lavon Chaisson, EDGEJermaine Eluemunor, TJaquan Brisker, SKevin Byard, SJaylinn Hawkins, SDre\u2019Mont Jones, EDGEDavid Njoku, TEJalen Thompson, SLeo Chenal, LBRico Dowdle, RBWyatt Teller, GKaden Elliss, LBCalais Campbell, iDLEd Ingram, GDavid Onyemata, iDLMontaric Brown, CBBobby Wagner, LBReed Blankenship, SAlontae Taylor, CBKevin Zeitler, GAlex Anzalone, LBKwity Paye, EDGEJadeveon Clowney, EDGERachaad White, RBDJ Reader, iDLDylan Parham, GBraxton Jones, TRasul Douglas, CBEric Stokes, CBTyler Allgeier, RBAlohi Gilman, SCameron Jordan, EDGECade Mays, CArnold Ebiketie, EDGENick Cross, SChristian Kirk, WRJohn Simpson, GZion Johnson, GSheldon Rankins, iDLQuincy Williams, LBKenneth Gainwell, RBDaQuan Jones, iDLCor\u2019Dale Flott, CBMalcolm Koonce, EDGEChidobe Awuzie, CBCade Otton, TEJoseph Ossai, EDGEJ.K. Dobbins, RBAr\u2019Darius Washington, SChigoziem Okonkwo, TEGreg Van Roten, GGermaine Pratt, LBArden Key, EDGEMatt Milano, LB<\/p>\n
Below are the positional splits for the top-200 players, along with some Packers-specific analysis.<\/p>\n
#5, Daniel Jones#15, Malik Willis#24, Aaron Rodgers#109, Russell Wilson#113, Marcus Mariota#165, Tyrod Taylor#171, Kenny Pickett#193, Tyler Huntley<\/p>\n
Even after a torn Achilles, Daniel Jones is considered to be a top-five free agent on the market, which is a little surprising to me. Green Bay\u2019s Malik Willis is the second-ranked quarterback and should net the Packers a fourth- or fifth-round compensatory draft pick in 2027, depending on whether he\u2019s given an outright starting opportunity or if he\u2019s going to be used as a bridge quarterback to push a young player. If Jones and Aaron Rodgers are retained by their original teams, which at this point is the expectation, then Willis be QB1 on the open market \u2014 at least until Kirk Cousins is released by the Atlanta Falcons.<\/p>\n
#7, Breece Hall#12, Kenneth Walker III#19, Travis Etienne Jr.#29, Javonte Williams#56, Rico Dowdle#70, Rachaad White#76, Tyler Allgeier#87, Kenneth Gainwell#94, J.K. Dobbins#101, Brian Robinson#117, Najee Harris#148, Isiah Pacheco#187, Jeremy McNichols#188, Austin Ekeler#189, Kareem Hunt#190, Raheem Mostert#195, Nick Chubb#198, Khalil Herbert<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think that the Packers will be in the running back market this year, because Josh Jacobs is highly likely to return as the starter, they have two backs who were on the 53-man roster that are restricted free agents (and could probably be re-signed for cheaper than the roughly $3.5 million tender), two backs on the practice squad with a pretty high pedigree<\/a> and the staff seems to like 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd, despite his series of injuries.<\/p>\n #1, George Pickens#6, Alec Pierce#11, Mike Evans#16, Jauan Jennings#23, Rashid Shaheed#27, Romeo Doubs#30, Wan\u2019Dale Robinson#34, Deebo Samuel#82, Christian Kirk#105, Keenan Allen#125, Jalen Nailor#135, Marquise Brown#137, Calvin Austin III#143, Kendrick Bourne#168, DeAndre Hopkins#175, Tyquan Thornton#196, Brandin Cooks<\/p>\n Romeo Doubs is WR6 on consensus, but pay very close attention to the Alec Pierce contract. The Pierce contract will probably inform the Packers on what the market is for Christian Watson, as those two are probably the most similar players to each other that you can find in this league. If the Watson extension isn\u2019t done until after Pierce signs his contract, I assume that the Watson deal will look pretty close to a copy-paste job of Pierce\u2019s.<\/p>\n #13, Kyle Pitts#39, Isaiah Likely#44, Dallas Goedert#45, Travis Kelce#53, David Njoku#92, Cade Otton#96, Chigoziem Okonkwo#122, Charlie Kolar#128, Darren Waller#157, Chris Manhertz#167, Austin Hooper#170, Mo Alie-Cox#172, Tyler Higbee#183, Noah Fant<\/p>\n It\u2019s the Kyle Pitts show at tight end this year. Atlanta should probably just tag him.<\/p>\n #8, Rasheed Walker#20, Braden Smith#48, Jermaine Eluemunor#73, Braxton Jones#110, Jonah Williams#121, Trent Brown#132, Cam Robinson#161, Elijah Wilkinson#178, Jack Conklin<\/p>\n There is one (1) full-time starter looking for a second contract in this crop: Rasheed Walker. The scarcity at the position should help Walker get the $20.5 million per year (or more) that Dan Moore Jr. got last offseason. Walker\u2019s going to get paid, and the Packers will likely get a fourth-round compensatory draft pick in return.<\/p>\n #26, David Edwards#28, Isaac Seumalo#41, Alijah Vera-Tucker#42, Joel Bitonio#57, Wyatt Teller#60, Ed Ingram#66, Kevin Zeitler#72, Dylan Parham#83, John Simpson#84, Zion Johnson#97, Greg Van Roten#102, Dalton Risner#115, Daniel Faalele#134, Teven Jenkins#180, Trevor Penning#186, Chris Paul#197, Dillon Radunz<\/p>\n To no one\u2019s surprise, there are a ton more guards available on the market than tackles or centers. I doubt Green Bay will be active here, since they just gave Aaron Banks and Anthony Belton, their projected starters in 2026, four-year contracts last year. Many moons ago, the Packers brought in Ed Ingram for a pre-draft visit, but they often bring in players with off-field or injury concerns that they have no interest in actually adding to the team. Ingram, drafted in 2022, was suspended at LSU after he was arrested for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor in 2018, an event that allegedly occurred in 2015, but was reinstated by the program when the charges were dismissed in 2019.<\/p>\n #3, Tyler Linderbaum#25, Connor McGovern#79, Cade Mays#107, Ethan Pocic#184, Andre James<\/p>\n It is slim pickings if you\u2019re not the team that wins the Tyler Linderbaum sweepstakes, and that has to be music to the ears of Neil Cornrich and NC Sports. For what it\u2019s worth, Sean Rhyan just missed the cutoff here, as he ranked 202nd on the consensus free agent rankings. If the Packers aren\u2019t going to Linderbaum, they might as well bring Rhyan back, since he at least won\u2019t count against them in the compensatory pick formula. The center crop in the upcoming draft class needs a little time to cook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Interior Defensive Linemen<\/p>\n #32, John Franklin-Myers#59, Calais Campbell#61, David Onyemata#71, DJ Reader#85, Sheldon Rankins#88, DaQuan Jones#119, Levi Onwuzurike#120, Sebastian Joseph-Day#139, Logan Hall#158, Da\u2019Shawn Hand#173, Roy Lopez#181, Tim Settle<\/p>\n This is another weak position group, even on the relative scale of this class. The DT2 is a 39-year-old who played less than 50 percent of his defense\u2019s snaps, despite being active for every game last year.<\/p>\n If you want to know who is or isn\u2019t a nose tackle, we broke some of that down here<\/a>. After looking at the data, the under-30 nose tackles who make sense for Green Bay are really Roy Lopez (#173), Tom Settle (#181, but coming off a foot surgery) and Khyiris Tonga. I\u2019m surprised more people don\u2019t rank Tonga. PFF and Spotrac were the only publishers who even had him on their boards.<\/p>\n #2, Trey Hendrickson#4, Jaelan Phillips#14, Odafe Oweh#21, Khalil Mack#31, Joey Bosa#40, Boye Mafe#47, K\u2019Lavon Chaisson#52, Dre\u2019Mont Jones#68, Kwity Paye#69, Jadeveon Clowney#78, Cameron Jordan#80, Arnold Ebiketie#90, Malcolm Koonce#93, Joseph Ossai#99, Arden Key#104, Von Miller#126, A.J. Epenesa#133, Dante Fowler Jr.#142, Derek Barnett#144, D.J. Wonnum#147, Kyle Van Noy#153, Haason Reddick#159, Brandon Graham#160, Samson Ebukam#162, Kingsley Enagbare#166, Bradley Chubb#176, Joshua Uche#192, Al-Quadin Muhammad<\/p>\n There are TONS of edge rushers set to hit the market for teams that are looking for depth or number two options. Because of the high volume of contributors at the position with expiring deals, Green Bay\u2019s Kingsley Enagbare, who held his own as a three-game injury replacement starter in 2025, is 25th in the pecking order right now.<\/p>\n Pay no attention to the Bradley Chubb ranking. The Miami Dolphins just released him, and he wasn\u2019t on most lists. He\u2019ll almost certainly jump Enagbare if we ever do a post-first-wave-cap-casualty update.<\/p>\n #9, Devin Lloyd#33, Devin Bush#36, Nakobe Dean#38, Quay Walker#46, Demario Davis#55, Leo Chenal#58, Kaden Elliss#63, Bobby Wagner#67, Alex Anzalone#86, Quincy Williams#98, Germaine Pratt#100, Matt Milano#123, Alex Singleton#124, Lavonte David#141, Justin Strnad#164, Willie Gay#169, Elandon Roberts#174, Shaq Thompson#179, Eric Kendricks#182, Dennis Gardeck#199, Malcolm Rodriguez<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been told confidently that Devin Lloyd is going to hit the open market this offseason. He is going to be viewed as the top player at the position after he earned AFC defensive player of the month in September of 2025 under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, who got the best out of Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker in the second half of 2024 as the Packers\u2019 linebackers coach. Behind Lloyd, it\u2019ll be the trio of the young-ish Devin Bush, Nakobe Dean and Walker before the next tier of older players and subpackage players, like Sam linebackers for 4-3 teams, begin.<\/p>\n #10, Jaylen Watson#17, Tariq Woolen#18, Jamel Dean#43, Nahshon Wright#62, Montaric Brown#65, Alontae Taylor#74, Rasul Douglas#75, Eric Stokes#89, Cor\u2019Dale Flott#91, Chidobe Awuzie#103, Greg Newsome II#111, Roger McCreary#118, Trevon Diggs#127, Asante Samuel Jr.#131, Cobie Durant#138, Mike Hilton#140, Cam Taylor-Britt#149, Joshua Williams#150, James Pierre#154, Kader Kohou#163, Josh Jobe#177, Jonathan Jones#185, Jack Jones#191, Tre\u2019Davious White#200, Darius Slay<\/p>\n If the Packers swing in free agency, they almost always swing young (Marcedes Lewis, we will never forget you). If they want to swing big, both Watson and Woolen make sense. After that, the cornerback class gets a little weird<\/a>, especially if Green Bay isn\u2019t going to look at players 28 years or older, which they rarely do, especially at positions on the perimeter.<\/p>\n Green Bay doesn\u2019t have an expiring contract at the position, but there are some former Packers on this list in Rasul Douglas (#74), Eric Stokes (#75) and Trevon Diggs (#118). Green Bay also had Asante Samuel Jr. (#127) in for a visit this season before Samuel signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.<\/p>\n Little birdies have told me the Packers made calls about Alontae Taylor and Cam Taylor-Britt near the trade deadline, but the two sides clearly didn\u2019t agree on a price point. Taylor has cycled between being a slot cornerback and an outside cornerback throughout his rookie contract with the New Orleans Saints. The Cincinnati Bengals\u2019 Taylor-Britt is currently recovering from a Lisfranc surgery that stems from an injury that he suffered in November when he was involved in a rollover crash at 3:21 am<\/a>. Taylor-Britt was a backseat passenger at the time of the crash.<\/p>\n #22, Bryan Cook#35, Kamren Curl#37, Coby Bryant#49, Jaquan Brisker#50, Kevin Byard#51, Jaylinn Hawkins#54, Jalen Thompson#64, Reed Blankenship#77, Alohi Gilman#81, Nick Cross#95, Ar\u2019Darius Washington#106, Andre Cisco#108, Donovan Wilson#112, Jabrill Peppers#114, Dane Belton#116, Geno Stone#129, Nick Scott#130, Andrew Wingard#136, Kyle Dugger#145, Jordan Poyer#146, C.J. Gardner-Johnson#151, Chuck Clark#152, Harrison Smith#155, Tony Jefferson#156, Tony Adams#194, P.J. Locke<\/p>\n Four of Green Bay\u2019s top five safeties are still under contract in 2025, with the exception being Zayne Anderson, who the team could probably retain for pretty cheap. It\u2019s a great year to grab a spot starter at the position, but I don\u2019t think the Packers will be very interested in spending cap space and cash to pay a veteran to watch Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams and Javon Bullard play football.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve made a consensus board of 14 different free agency rankings, which range from top-25s to lists that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":758110,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2072],"tags":[7,41,345,9684,2514,2513,6,428],"class_list":{"0":"post-758109","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-green-bay-packers","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-green-bay","10":"tag-green-bay-packers","11":"tag-green-bay-packers-free-agency","12":"tag-greenbay","13":"tag-greenbaypackers","14":"tag-nfl","15":"tag-packers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116085656651914766","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=758109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758109\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/758110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=758109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=758109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=758109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}