The top 40 NFL free agents

Lawrence has emerged as a truly elite pass rusher over the last two seasons for the Cowboys, with a combined 25.5 sacks. He was franchised by Dallas in 2018, and the team could use the franchise tag again in 2019.

The No. 1 overall draft choice in the 2014 draft, it seems unlikely the Texans would let Clowney get away without a fight. He has nine-plus sacks in back-to-back seasons, showing more durability recently.

Foles is expected to buy out his option, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Super Bowl LII MVP probably made himself richer with another strong run into the playoffs this year, and his playoff experience should make quarterback-needy teams excited. The Jaguars could potentially be the leader in the clubhouse after hiring John DeFilippo as their offensive coordinator, who was Foles' position coach in 2017.

The Bell soap opera will come to its conclusion after he held out the entire 2018 season in Pittsburgh. He was arguably the best running back in the game prior to holding out, with three 1,800-plus total yards seasons to his name. Any team needing a running back should be interested, among them the Jets, Buccaneers and Dolphins.

Flowers has been the best player on New England's defensive line over the last three seasons. He has at least 6.5 sacks in each of those campaigns and also plays the run extremely well. While the Patriots would love to have him back, former Pats assistant coaches in Detroit, Miami, and Tennessee could create stiff competition.

Ford had a breakout year at the right time. After years of injuries, he proved healthy last season and accumulated 13 sacks as one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. The Chiefs could franchise tag Ford despite the move from a 3-4 defense to Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 alignment.

Collins has made the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons and is clearly one of the top safeties in the game. However, he missed four games in 2018 due to injuries, so the Giants might not be as inclined to break the bank to keep him.

Mosley has become one of the most identifiable players on the Ravens defense since Ray Lewis' retirement and has more than 100 tackles in four of his five seasons. It would be a shock if Baltimore let him get away, but it will take a big payday.

Atlanta has already prioritized extending Jarrett's contract, as they can ill afford to lose talent up front after struggling last season. Jarrett is coming off a career year with six sacks and 52 tackles.

Thomas will almost certainly move on from Seattle after burning bridges last season. The six-time Pro Bowler played only four games before fracturing his leg, and his playoff experience would be extremely valuable for any contender.

Richardson played well in his one-year deal with Minnesota, finishing with 4.5 sacks and 49 tackles. He remains one of the top pass-rushing interior linemen in the game, and did well to rehab his value on a good defense .

Joyner played well in what could be his final season with the Rams, with a career-high 78 tackles in his 15 starts. The Rams would certainly like to have him back, but their funds are getting squeezed after paying Aaron Donald.

Barr would probably like to enter free agency on a brighter note after finishing with a career-low 55 tackles last season, but he still made his fourth straight Pro Bowl. He played through injury, but plenty of teams that need help stopping the run, like the Bucs and Chiefs, could be interested.

The oft-injured Mathieu has now played consecutive 16-game seasons and could be set to cash in going into his age 27 season. Once again, he was a playmaker in 2018, with two picks, three sacks and 89 tackles for the Texans.

The consistent Clark recorded 32 sacks over the last three seasons in Seattle, including a career-high 13 sacks in 2018. As always, pass rushers come at a premium in free agency, but it would be a surprise if the Seahawks allowed him to get away after losing Michael Bennett last offseason.

Smith wasn't quite as productive in the pass rush in his fourth NFL season, but he still had a solid year with four sacks and a career-high 53 tackles for the Skins. He has 25 sacks over the last four seasons, but the recent inconsistency could spur Washington to let him test the market.

Suh has fallen off from his former elite level, but he still had a quality year as the nose tackle in L.A. alongside Aaron Donald. Now 32, Suh has made five Pro Bowls in his nine-year career and has played all 16 games in eight of his nine years. Even with only 4.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons, there's something to be said for Suh's consistency and durability. It remains to be seen if the Rams can afford to keep him around for another year.

Baltimore seems to produce productive pass rushers at will, and Smith is the newest player after a breakout fourth season. Seeing more snaps, Smith had 8.5 sacks. It remains to be seen if the Ravens can afford to keep him around, given that they also have to re-sign C.J. Mosley and Terrell Suggs of their 2018 linebacking corps.

Darby has struggled to stay on the field in consecutive seasons, but there's no denying the former second-round pick is an excellent cover corner when he's healthy. It will be interesting to see if he can net a long-term deal after suffering a torn ACL in November. Philadelphia might not be able to afford him, with Carson Wentz's big check likely coming due soon.

Replacing Nate Solder in New England, Brown was outstanding in his first season after coming over from San Francisco. The former seventh-round pick is one of the biggest offensive linemen in the league and probably deserving of a Pro Bowl appearance through four seasons. Now proving he can handle the left side, Brown is in for a huge payday. It will be interesting to see how much interest the Pats have in retaining him, especially after spending a first-round pick on Isaiah Wynn in 2018.

Alexander has been highly productive in his four NFL seasons, yet he's managed to play more than 12 games only once in his career. That season netted him 145 tackles in 2016, but Alexander played only six games last season due to a torn ACL. A productive run stopper, Alexander could flourish in the right system.

At his best, Ansah is one of the top pass rushers in the league, peaking at 14.5 sacks in 2015. However, he's struggled to stay healthy in two of the last three seasons and played a career-low seven games in 2018. Given the shallow pool of elite pass rushers, Ansah is still likely to get paid, but it remains to be seen if Matt Patricia is willing to put out the money or follow the lead of mentor Bill Belichick and allow his elite pass rusher to walk a la Chandler Jones.

The pool of top pass-catching tight ends is thinning, but Cook is staking his claim after a career year in 2018. A longtime physical freak, Cook finished as Oakland's top receiver with 68 catches for 896 yards. It remains to be seen if the Raiders are committed to keeping their best players or going cheap, like they did with Khalil Mack.

A former first-round pick by the Texans in 2010, Jackson has started for the team ever since. Houston is looking thin in the secondary heading into the offseason, so it will likely make a strong effort to retain the soon-to-be 31-year-old, especially with his rare willingness to play the run.

Tate was traded from Detroit to Philadelphia early in the season, and it took him a while to get going in the new offense. He struggles to get separation but has excellent hands and YAC ability. Still, the market for a 31-year-old wideout coming off a mediocre year probably won't be overwhelming.

Bridgewater spent the year as Drew Brees' backup in New Orleans, but he is likely looking for a starting job. He hasn't been a regular starter since a catastrophic knee injury in 2016, but the former first-round pick showed enough in the preseason and Week 17 to potentially get another shot. Perhaps a rebuilding team like the Dolphins will give him a look.

Paradis played only nine games in 2018 due to a fractured right leg, but he was a 16-game starter in three consecutive seasons leading up to last season. Given that John Elway has been trying to develop the Broncos offensive line lately, it would be somewhat surprising if he allowed Paradis to get away.

Williams played only one game in 2018 due to a knee injury, which is certainly poor timing for his free agency. He was a solid 16-game starter at right tackle for the Panthers in 2017 and could come at a bargain for a team willing to take the risk.

The Legion of Boom could disband further this year, as Wright enters free agency. Seattle has wanted to get younger in recent years, and Wright played only five games in 2018 due to a knee injury. He had more than 100 tackles in four straight seasons before his breakdown last season, so some bargain shoppers will certainly have interest.

The 34th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Smith has been the picture of stability in his four seasons, having yet to miss a game. He played through a knee injury that he suffered during the 2018 preseason, showing further toughness.

After a career year in 2017, Graham's production fell last season at age 30. His four sacks were his lowest total since 2013, but Graham has long been a productive edge rusher.

Washington used a fourth-round pick to acquire Clinton-Dix in late October and would probably like to retain him, given that cost. The former Green Bay Packer made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and finished last season with 93 tackles and three interceptions.

A former first-round pick by the Dolphins, James was slow to develop but has come around as a solid right tackle. While he's had injuries during his career, James managed to start 15 games in 2018, so he's entering free agency at the right time.

Hicks has struggled to stay on the field over the last two seasons mostly due to a torn Achilles, but he was a playmaking machine when on the field last season. In 12 games, Hicks finished with 91 tackles and three sacks for the Eagles. 

A huge, mauling guard, Saffold had a strong year with the Rams, but the entire line didn't have the best Super Bowl performance vs. the Patriots. He's been relatively healthy over the last three seasons in L.A. and should have some tread left approaching his age 31 season.

As usual, FitzMagic had some brilliant moments and some that were forgettable in 2018. With a new coaching staff in Tampa Bay, it makes sense for Fitzpatrick to move on and possibly compete for a starting job elsewhere. The Harvard alum turned 36 in November and is a nice fit for a team developing a young quarterback.

Suggs has stated that he'd like to play in 2019, and there's no reason to think he won't draw interest after recording seven sacks last season. He's just a situational pass rusher going on age 37 but can still help a team in contention. Spending his entire career in Baltimore, it would be surprising if Suggs went elsewhere unless he priced himself out of the Ravens' plans.

Currently on the Commissioner Exempt List, Hunt is likely to be suspended for at least six games at the start of the 2019 season after video surfaced of an altercation between him and a woman. Still, he led the NFL in rushing during his rookie season with the Chiefs in 2017, and he was well on his way to another fantastic year before getting waived in November. Teams will have to weigh the inevitable PR firestorm and locker room distractions against his clear ability on the field.

Chiefs cornerbacks received plenty of criticism last season, but Nelson did a solid job as a starter in his fourth NFL season. Finally moving out of the slot, he finished the year with 68 tackles and four interceptions, but he also had issues drawing penalties.

Injuries have been an issue for Morse over the last two years, with a foot injury in 2017 and a concussion last season. However, he's been an elite pass-blocker when on the field, and the Chiefs might not be able to afford him after investing heavily at three other offensive line spots.