- Aaron Jones made the most of his one-year deal with the Vikings: The consistent veteran has never recorded a PFF rushing grade below 76.5 in a season and could be an option for the running back-needy Raiders.
- Anthony Richardson could use a reliable tight end: Juwan Johnson, PFF’s 37th-ranked free agent, is coming off the highest single-season PFF receiving grade of his career.
Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
RB Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 20
Potential Landing Spots: Las Vegas Raiders
With Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly at the helm for the Raiders, the expectation is that a renewed focus on the running game will become a priority this offseason. During his single season at Ohio State, Kelly headed one of college football’s top-graded rushing offenses (92.2, fourth in the Power Four).
Bringing in Alexander Mattison on a one-year deal was a failed experiment, and Zamir White was largely ineffective in 2024. Although Sincere McCormick showed some flashes down the stretch, he is far from a face to build around. Adding a consistent veteran like Aaron Jones, who has never recorded a PFF rushing grade below 76.5 in a season, would be just a drop in the bucket of Vegas’ $92 million in cap space.
TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 37
Potential Landing Spots: Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson‘s development as an NFL signal-caller remains the Colts‘ most important challenge heading into 2025. What better way to assist that process than to find an established safety blanket the young passer can lean on when plays break down and reads get muddy?
With Mo Alie-Cox’s contract expiring this offseason, finding a suitable replacement should be on the Colts’ list of needs. In 2024, Johnson produced the highest single-season PFF receiving grade of his career (71.3), a credit to his sure hands and large catch radius. But he’s not only a safety measure in the short passing game: His career-high 21 explosive receptions this past season also paint him as a real downfield threat.
RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 48
Potential Landing Spots: Los Angeles Chargers
Although Najee Harris may not be the most explosive or shifty ball carrier, he’s the model of health and consistency. In Harris’ four seasons as a pro, he has never missed a game and stands as the only back to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in each campaign.
As the saying goes, “Availability is the best ability.” Health and consistency were an issue for the Chargers’ backfield in 2024 after J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards spent time on the injured reserve, missing a combined eight games. While many may be down on Harris, Jim Harbaugh has seen how good the 27-year-old back can be when everything clicks. Back in 2019, Harris racked up 136 yards and a pair of scores for Alabama in the Citrus Bowl against Harbaugh’s Michigan defense.
RB J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 62
Potential Landing Spots: Minnesota Vikings
Dobbins returned to form in 2024, reunited with Greg Roman in Los Angeles, rushing for a career-high 931 yards, 39 missed tackles forced and 27 explosive carries. However, continued lower-body ailments plague his ability to stay on the field, which will likely diminish his value on the market.
The expectation in Minnesota was that Ty Chandler (2022 fifth-round pick) would be able to step into a more prominent role in the Vikings’ offense after showing flashes in 2023 (76.3 PFF overall grade), but that did not come to fruition, as Aaron Jones dominated the workload. With Jones likely to sign elsewhere in free agency, the Vikings will be tasked with finding a cost-effective replacement.
TE Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 77
Potential Landing Spots: Denver Broncos
Working with Joe Burrow this past season did wonders to build up Gesicki’s resume as he reenters free agency. Now firmly established as a big slot receiver — having earned a career-high PFF receiving grade (71.1) in 2024 — Gesicki could garner the attention of teams looking for a consistent outlet for their receiving game.
This offseason, Denver is geared up to add more weapons to its arsenal with the hope of amplifying the promising play of their young quarterback, Bo Nix. Sean Payton’s offense runs most effectively when the roster has a tight end he can trust to make plays in crucial moments and work the seam.
TE Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 83
Potential Landing Spots: Carolina Panthers
Carolina spent a fourth-round draft pick on Ja’Tavion Sanders last offseason, but the former Texas Longhorn didn’t quite flash as the big-bodied receiver many thought he would become. The first-year tight end accumulated just 1.04 yards per route run and notched only 13 first-down receptions, earning himself a 53.8 PFF receiving grade.
Finding consistent weapons whom Bryce Young can rely on while he continues to grow as a passer is paramount for Carolina this offseason. Tyler Conklin would undoubtedly provide that, as well as provide a veteran presence for Sanders to learn from.
RB Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 90
Potential Landing Spots: Pittsburgh Steelers
The fact that Nick Chubb was able to return to the field at all in 2024 after his devastating knee injury in 2023 is a modern marvel. While he was a shadow of himself, another full offseason to return to form could help the veteran back rebound in 2025 in a new uniform.
The Steelers have many free-agent decisions — and not a ton of cap space to facilitate significant additions — one of which is tendering restricted free agent Jaylen Warren. Even with Pittsburgh likely to do what they can to retain Warren, adding a cost-effective veteran to the mix would be a prudent move, as Warren didn’t completely wrestle away the workload from Najee Harris this past season.
Having been on the business end of massive performances from the former Brown, Mike Tomlin could be intrigued by Chubb’s remaining upside.
TE Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
Overall Free-Agent Rank: 95
Potential Landing Spots: Philadelphia Eagles
Of course, we have to include the feel-good story of Ertz returning to the team where it all started for one last ride. During his eight seasons in Philadelphia, Ertz produced six seasons of 75.0-plus PFF receiving grades.
Despite being 34 years old, Zach Ertz showed flashes in 2024 of what made him an effective in-line target and veteran pass catcher for Washington, playing with Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. This past season, Ertz totaled more yardage, touchdowns and first-down receptions than the prior two seasons combined while also producing the highest success rate when targeted (63.7%) of his career.
The Eagles ran the seventh-highest rate of 12 personnel in the NFL last season and could find Ertz as an upgrade over Grant Calcaterra, who has never been much of a threat in the receiving game.
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