Trey Hendrickson headlines a 2026 free-agent class that could reshape multiple contenders’ defensive fronts. The Bengals edge rusher led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024 and posted another strong campaign before a hip injury ended his season, proving he remains one of the league’s most consistent pass rushers entering his age-31 season. He’s far from alone. This class features starting-caliber players at premium positions, from a two-time Pro Bowl center to a Super Bowl-winning cornerback, all hitting the market at the same time.
Here’s an early look at 10 names worth monitoring as the regular season winds down.
Trey Hendrickson, EDGE
The reigning sack champion should be the most sought-after defender on the market. Hendrickson has recorded 57 sacks since joining Cincinnati in 2021, third-most in the NFL during that span, and he’s proven it’s no fluke. He led the league in total pressures (92) and quick pressures (46) in 2024 while earning his first AP first-team All-Pro nod.
The Bengals restructured his deal last summer to keep him for 2025, but the relationship has been contentious, with Hendrickson holding out of training camp before returning. A hip injury requiring core-muscle surgery landed him on IR this season, but he’s expected to be fully recovered by free agency. At 31, he won’t get a long-term deal, but any team needing immediate pass-rush production should be calling.
Tyler Linderbaum, C
The Ravens’ anchor is the best center available and could reset the market at the position. Linderbaum ranks fourth among full-time starting centers in PFSN’s overall Offensive Line Impact grade and has earned two Pro Bowl selections in three seasons. Baltimore declined his fifth-year option due to its inflated price tag—the NFL’s grouping of all offensive linemen inflated his option to $23.4 million—but general manager Eric DeCosta stated the team’s “intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term.”
Whether that happens remains uncertain. The Ravens have been extending key pieces, locking up Mark Andrews and Travis Jones recently, but negotiations with Linderbaum reportedly aren’t close. Spotrac projects a four-year, $77 million extension. If he hits the market, he’ll reset what elite centers can command.
George Pickens, WR
The most talented receiver in this class also carries the most baggage. Dallas acquired Pickens from Pittsburgh in May for a 2026 third-round pick and a pick swap after the Steelers grew tired of his sideline antics and repeated disciplinary issues. Over three seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickens posted 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, including a 1,140-yard campaign in 2023. His 18.1 yards per catch that season led the NFL.
The Cowboys are essentially auditioning him for the league. Pickens has the physical tools of a true WR1—size, contested-catch ability, deep-threat speed—but he turns 25 in March and has never played with an elite quarterback or avoided controversy for a full season. The ceiling is tantalizing. The risk is real. Pickens went into Week 18 of the regular season as PFSN’s third-best-ranked WR, behind just Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua.
Tariq Woolen, CB
The Seahawks’ fifth-round gem has been the subject of trade rumors all season, and it’s easy to understand why. Woolen earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie in 2022, recording six interceptions while using his rare physical profile—6-foot-4, 4.26 speed—to lock down receivers. The production hasn’t matched since. He’s battled inconsistency and faced questions about his technique, leading Seattle to let him play out his deal rather than extend him.
Still, cornerback-needy teams will pay for the upside. Woolen is 26 and has the athletic traits that can’t be taught. He came into Week 18 of the regular season as PFSN’s 26th-ranked CB, according to our CB Impact metric. One team will bet on unlocking what made him special as a rookie. Woolen
Quay Walker, LB
Green Bay declined Walker’s fifth-year option, which would have paid him $14.75 million—inflated due to the NFL’s linebacker grouping that includes edge rushers. But the Packers have expressed interest in keeping him long-term, and Walker has responded with consistent production: 443 career tackles, including 100-plus in multiple seasons.
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He told reporters recently he’d “do anything to be here,” but Green Bay’s cap situation is complicated with Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, and others commanding significant space. Walker ranks 13th in PFSN’s LB Impact metric, with a top-10 ranking in QB hits (7). Spotrac gives him a projected market value of around $15 million annually. That might be more than Green Bay can afford.
Jamel Dean, CB
Dean took an $8.25 million pay cut in September to remain in Tampa Bay after the Buccaneers made clear they were prepared to move on. In exchange, he became a free agent after 2025 rather than 2027. A Super Bowl champion who has started for Tampa Bay since their 2020 title run, Dean is a reliable outside corner who graded as the seventh-best CB this year.
He turns 29 in October 2026 and won’t command top dollar, but teams needing a veteran presence in their secondary will find value in his experience and durability.
Germaine Pratt, LB
Pratt’s 2025 has been a rollercoaster. Cincinnati released him in June after six seasons despite his career-high 143 tackles in 2024. He signed with Las Vegas for $4.25 million, started four games, and was released again. Indianapolis claimed him, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
At 29, Pratt is a tackling machine who has started 88 of 96 career games and posted back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. He won’t break the bank, but he’s a dependable starter who brings institutional knowledge of Anarumo’s system—valuable for any team running a similar scheme.
Jaylen Watson, CB
The seventh-round pick out of Washington State has outperformed his draft slot considerably. Watson started 21 games over the past two seasons for Kansas City, showing the size (6-foot-2) and discipline that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo values.
Watson was placed on IR with a groin injury to end 2025, finishing with 64 tackles and two interceptions in 15 games. Kansas City has the least 2026 cap space in the league, making it difficult to retain Watson alongside fellow 2022 picks Bryan Cook and Leo Chenal. He could command $16-18 million annually based on recent cornerback deals.
Eric Stokes, CB
Stokes signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Las Vegas after four frustrating seasons in Green Bay. The 2021 first-round pick showed promise as a rookie, with 14 passes defended, but injuries derailed his trajectory. He missed significant time in 2022 (ankle/knee) and 2023 (hamstring), playing just 12 games across those two seasons.
He stayed healthy in 2024, playing all 17 games for the Packers, but the production never returned—no interceptions or pass breakups since his rookie year. At 26, he’s a bet-on-upside signing for a team with quality coaching and patience.
Alohi Gilman, S
Baltimore acquired Gilman from the Chargers in October, sending Odafe Oweh to Los Angeles in the deal. The former Notre Dame standout has been a solid box safety since breaking out in 2023, when he recorded 73 tackles and two interceptions while starting alongside Derwin James. He’s a physical tackler with good instincts against the run.
Gilman won’t command top safety money—his two-year, $10.13 million deal with Los Angeles was market-appropriate—but he’s a reliable starter entering his age-29 season. Teams needing a safety who won’t bust in run support will find him appealing.
