If your favorite NFL team needs a defensive back this offseason, especially at the safety position, this is the offseason for you. A number of teams have been forced to release talented safeties this offseason because of cap concerns, and that has made the free agent safety market oversaturated with talent. If you need a safety, you can likely get one for cheaper than normal this offseason.
There are also some talented cornerbacks set to hit the open market. That position group might not be as deep as the safety position in free agency, but there are a number of talented players who will become free agents on March 13. This offseason we have been ranking the top 10 players at each position group that will become available at the start of the new league year.
This was extremely hard to cut down for defensive backs, because there are well over 20 upcoming free agent defensive backs who are starting-caliber players. That means that the 10 players who did make this list are all truly next level players and better than the players you would normally see available in free agency.
With that said, here are the 10 best upcoming free agent defensive backs.
10. Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks (S)
Jamal Adams has been the safety with the most name recognition for the Seattle Seahawks in recent seasons, but Quandre Diggs is arguably even better. He has certainly been healthier, and now, both players are set to hit the open market.
Last year was a down year for Diggs, as he only had one interception. It was also the first season since 2020 that he was not named a Pro Bowler. With Adams again facing injury problems, Diggs was asked to step his game up in run support. He actually had the most combined tackles (95) of his career. His improvement in run support will intrigue teams in free agency.
9. Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills (CB)
This has been a rough offseason for the Buffalo Bills, and especially their secondary. As you will find out later on this list, the team is losing their two best safeties, one of whom they were forced to release because of the cap space hell they are in. Tre'Davious White, a cornerback, is another star defensive back the team had to cut.
When healthy, White has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He was on an All-Pro team in both 2019 and 2020. Injuries have been a problem since, though. White tore his ACL in 2021 and his Achilles tendon in 2023. Injuries are worrisome for an aging player, but the hope is that White will be ready for the start of the season. He likely won't land a large deal, but he has the talent to warrant a one-year prove-it deal where he can try and reestablish his worth.
8. Jordan Poyer, Buffalo Bills (S)
For years, the Buffalo Bills have had arguably the best safety duo in the NFL. Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde have both been in the All-Pro conversation over the last handful of years, and either could have made this list of best free agent defensive backs. That duo has come to an end, though, as the Bills cut Poyer, and Hyde's contract has come to a close.
Hyde has been the team's free safety, while Poyer has played strong safety. We gave Poyer the nod to make this list over his longtime teammate simply because he is one year younger than Hyde. Hyde is more likely to command a defense and prevent and big plays, while Poyer is more likely to deliver big hits and stuff the run.
7. Xavier McKinney, New York Giants (S)
Xavier McKinney is one of the most exciting young safeties in the NFL. McKinney is only 24 years old, and he has already demonstrated that he can make tackles in the open field on top of defending the deep ball.
There are a lot of safeties available in this offseason, which means they will be competing against each other for contracts. McKinney, because of his age, likely won't have to compete against his peers as much, and he seems like a lock to get a long-term deal somewhere.
6. Geno Stone, Baltimore Ravens (S)
Geno Stone has impressed on a stacked Baltimore Ravens defense. His seven interceptions last season were the second-most in the NFL. Stone is a ball-hawking safety capable of making big plays, and that will be sought after in free agency.
The question with Stone is if he can replicate that production outside of the Baltimore system or not. The Ravens had the best defense in the league last season, and their great pass rush likely made life easier on Stone. His numbers are undeniable, though, and Baltimore has a history of producing great defenders.
5. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Detroit Lions (S)
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is uber-versatile and seems to contribute to winning wherever he goes. The upcoming free agent is a defensive back in the true sense of the term, as he can play cornerback, deep safety, or in the box. This versatility will make him attractive to a lot of teams, and it is super surprising that the defensive back is hitting the open market for the second year in a row.
Gardner-Johnson is in his prime, and this go around in free agency, he will look to land a long-term home. Gardner-Johnson was the NFL's interceptions leader in 2022. He plays the game with an energy and the passion that makes opposing fans hate him, but his own fans and teammates love him.
4. Kendall Fuller, Washington Commanders (CB)
A lot of teams are taking a major hit in their secondary this offseason with the potential loss of multiple high-level starters. The Washington Commanders are one such team. Their two best defensive backs last season were Kamren Curl (more on him later) and Kendall Fuller.
The cornerback position isn't as deep as the safety position this year in free agency, so Fuller will be highly coveted. This is especially the case, considering he can guard both outside receivers and slot receivers.
3. Xavien Howard, Miami Dolphins (CB)
Contract disputes and differences with the Miami Dolphins made it seem for years that Xavien Howard and his team would eventually go their separate ways, despite the fact that Howard has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL for the majority of his career. Howard actually became the Dolphins' longest-tenured player, though, and his 29 interceptions since 2016 have been the second-most in the NFL over that time.
It is evident that Howard can ball, but he was yet another victim of the cap. His release (which is not official yet) saves the Dolphins $18.5 million in cap space, but since they are contenders, it was somewhat surprising to see the team move on from him. Howard still had three years left on his deal, and Miami has spent the last few offseasons adding top-end talent, not subtracting it. The money just wasn't going to work, though, and the NFL is a business, after all.
On the field, Howard is an aggressive cornerback who can play press and make life miserable for opposing receivers. He gambles a lot, but it usually pays off.
2. Kamren Curl, Washington Commanders (S)
Kamren Curl was a seventh-round pick, so a lot of fans might not realize how good he is. In a stacked free agent class for defensive backs, Curl stands out as one of the most talented. He is equally as talented against the run as he is in coverage, and he works in both man-to-man and zone schemes.
Additionally, at only 25 years old, Curl can develop even more and establish himself as a household name at the safety position. A lot of the best upcoming free agent safeties were released by their respective teams, and in a lot of the cases this was because they were regressing as they were aging. Because Curl is only entering his prime, he might get a bigger contract than any other defensive back this free agency.
1. Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos (S)
Justin Simmons has been arguably the best safety in the NFL for years, which made his release from the Denver Broncos surprising to many. Talent had nothing to do with why the Broncos moved on, but instead, the release of the star safety was the clearest path to relieving some salary cap issues.
As a player, Simmons is one of the best ball hawks in recent memory. In an era where deep safeties are king, Simmons thrives targeting passes deep down the field. In fact, his 30 interceptions since 2016 are the most in the NFL during time. Simmons joined the Denver Broncos after they won Super Bowl 50, so he hasn't been able to enjoy a ton of team success. He has been perhaps the brightest spot of the team in that era, though, and one of the biggest reasons Denver has been able to stay afloat.
In addition to being a great talent, it is known that Simmons will bring leadership to whichever team he plays for next season. For these reasons, Simmons is not only the best safety hitting the open market but also the best free agent defensive back overall.
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