Here are the top NFL free agents at each position in 2023

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The 2022 NFL season isn’t yet to its halfway mark, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason.

With the trade deadline now passed, the next major wave of transactions will come in free agency next spring.

There could be stars available across the league for the first time in years, which will make for an eventful start to the new league year in March.

Here’s an early look at the 2023 NFL free agents who could re-sign or receive the franchise tag before hitting the open market:

When does 2023 NFL free agency begin?

NFL free agency – and the new league year – officially opens on March 15, 2023 at 4 p.m.

Starting on March 13, 2023, teams can legally negotiate with players and agents beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Many deals will be agreed to and reported during this period before they can officially be announced at the start of the league year.

What quarterbacks are free agents next year?

It’s rare for a top-flight quarterback to switch teams in free agency, but that could actually happen in 2023. Nine teams – over a quarter of the league – started a quarterback on an expiring contract in Week 8.

Big names like Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson headline the list, and there are other capable starters having career seasons. Beyond that, there are a number of backups that have flashed when given the opportunity if a team wants to give them a chance.

Here are the best quarterbacks that could hit free agency in 2023:

Stars: Tom Brady (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

Starters: Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks), Daniel Jones (New York Giants), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers), Andy Dalton (New Orleans Saints), Jacoby Brissett (Cleveland Browns), Taylor Heinicke (Washington Commanders), P.J. Walker (Carolina Panthers)

Backups who have started: Teddy Bridgewater (Miami Dolphins), Baker Mayfield (Carolina Panthers), Sam Darnold (Carolina Panthers), Joe Flacco (New York Jets), Drew Lock (Seattle Seahawks), Gardner Minshew (Philadelphia Eagles)

Backups who have filled in: Cooper Rush (Dallas Cowboys), Tyler Huntley (Baltimore Ravens), Mike White (New York Jets), Brett Rypien (Denver Broncos)

Who is a free agent in 2023?

There’s still months to go before free agency opens, so everything is subject to change. Teams can negotiate with their free agent-eligible players leading up to March 13, 2023. From Feb. 21 through March 7, 2023, teams can designate the franchise tag to one player on their team. This ensures that a player won’t reach the open market, though they could still be traded like we saw with Davante Adams in 2022.

The list of potential top 2023 NFL free agents is impressive, though. Here are the 10 best players at each position with expiring contracts:

Running back

Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles

Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills

Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns

Damien Harris, New England Patriots

Jeff Wilson, Miami Dolphins

Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams

Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions

D’Onta Foreman, Carolina Panthers

Wide receiver

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs

Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers

Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots

Darius Slayton, New York Giants

Mack Hollins, Las Vegas Raiders

Noah Brown, Dallas Cowboys

Olamide Zaccheaus, Atlanta Falcons

Marvin Jones Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs

Nelson Agholor, New England Patriots

Tight end

Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins

Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings

Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars

Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers

Austin Hooper, Tennessee Titans

Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals

Jordan Akins, Houston Texans

O.J. Howard, Houston Texans

Marcedes Lewis, Green Bay Packers

Offensive line

Orlando Brown Jr., Kansas City Chiefs

Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay Packers

Jack Conklin, Cleveland Browns

Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles

Rodney Hudson, Arizona Cardinals

Wes Schweitzer, Washington Commanders

Dalton Risner, Denver Broncos

Mitch Morse, Buffalo Bills

George Fant, New York Jets

Isaiah Wynn, New England Patriots

EDGE/defensive line

Bradley Chubb, Miami Dolphins

J.J. Watt, Arizona Cardinals

Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants

Poona Ford, Seattle Seahawks

Marcus Davenport, New Orleans Saints

Robert Quinn, Philadelphia Eagles

Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles

A’Shawn Robinson, Los Angeles Rams

Yannick Ngakoue, Indianapolis Colts

Jadeveon Clowney, Cleveland Browns

Linebacker

Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Tremaine Edmunds, Buffalo Bills

Deion Jones, Cleveland Browns

Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rashaan Evans, Atlanta Falcons

Bobby Okereke, Indianapolis Colts

T.J. Edwards, Philadelphia Eagles

Cole Holcomb, Washington Commanders

Azeez Al-Shaair, San Francisco 49ers

Cornerback

James Bradberry, Philadelphia Eagles

Marcus Peters, Baltimore Ravens

Emmanuel Mosley, San Francisco 49ers

Rock Ya-Sin, Las Vegas Raiders

Tre Flowers, Cincinnati Bengals

Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Greedy Williams, Cleveland Browns

Byron Murphy, Arizona Cardinals

Jonathan Jones, New England Patriots

Patrick Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Safety

Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati Bengals

Jordan Poyer, Buffalo Bills

Vonn Bell, Cincinnati Bengals

Jimmie Ward, San Francisco 49ers

Adrian Amos, Green Bay Packers

Donovan Wilson, Dallas Cowboys

Devin McCourty, New England Patriots

LaMarcus Joyner, New York Jets

Mike Edwards, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Taylor Rapp, Los Angeles Rams

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