With the NFL's franchise tag deadline in the past, attention moves to the opening of the league's free-agent negotiating window on March 16.
These are the best off-ball linebackers slated to hit the market.
By position
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
DL | ED | LB | CB | S
Top 100
Linebacker
1. Cory Littleton
Teams around the league are desperate for athletic linebackers who can provide dynamic coverage against top tight ends and running backs without being liabilities in the run game. Littleton, who went undrafted in 2016, fits that modern-day linebacker role better than most.
2. Joe Schobert
The Browns will reportedly let Schobert hit the open market after balking at his $10-million price tag. The linebacker regressed in coverage in 2019, but he remains a tackling machine after finishing last season tied for sixth in the league in solo stops.
3. Kyle Van Noy
Van Noy took on a hybrid role in his three-plus seasons in New England, but he was used mostly as a pass-rusher last year. The linebacker responded by easily setting a career high in QB hurries.
4. Blake Martinez
Martinez plays like a man possessed. His 284 solo tackles since 2017 lead the league by a fair margin. But linebackers in the modern NFL need to be more than just downhill bowling balls, and Martinez's throwback style could hurt his value on the open market.
5. Jamie Collins
Collins' return to New England in 2019 was spectacular: seven sacks, six turnovers, 81 total tackles, and one touchdown. But is the 30-year-old only good under Bill Belichick?
6. Nick Kwiatkoski
Kwiatkoski amassed 76 tackles, three sacks, and two forced turnovers despite playing fewer than 50% of the Bears' defensive snaps in 2019.
7. Nigel Bradham
Bradham was a vital cog in the Eagles' defense over the past four seasons, but he became a liability as a run defender in 2019 and is 30 years old.
