Every major NFL free agent rumor heading into the new league year

This year’s NFL free agency is different than most years. Not only is the collective bargaining agreement proposal holding up contract negotiations, but we also have an excellent group of players hitting the open market. That includes some of the biggest names in the NFL, like Dak Prescott, Chris Jones, and even Tom Brady.

With such a strong class, there are plenty of rumors to keep track of — even if pending free agents can’t sign with teams until the new league year begins on March 18. While a number of these players will ultimately re-sign with their current teams or draw the franchise tag, others will land with new teams.

These are the free agents you need to know about and the latest rumors surrounding their 2020 destinations.

The biggest names

Tom Brady, QB

Landing spot: Buccaneers

March 17: After reported interest from the Chargers, Patriots and Raiders, Tom Brady is taking his talents to Tampa Bay, where he’ll join the Buccaneers on a deal worth $30 million per season.

Jadeveon Clowney, Edge

Rumored landing spots: Seahawks, Giants, Colts

March 20: General manager John Schneider confirmed the Seahawks want to bring Clowney back if they can, and Clowney also said he’d like to be back but is open to playing elsewhere. The Giants and Colts are among teams that could be interested in Clowney. However, there isn’t as much of a market for Clowney as he was hoping, which could be good news for the Seahawks. Clowney is reportedly looking for $20 million per season — high for a player who does his best work against the run — and is considering a one-year deal.

Amari Cooper, WR

Landing spots: Cowboys

March 16: The star wideout recently said he’d like to be “a Dallas Cowboy for life,” but that didn’t stop Washington from trying to lure him out east. Cooper stayed true to the Cowboys, though, and agreed to a five-year, $100 million deal.

Chris Jones, DL

Landing spot: Chiefs

March 16: The Chiefs gave Jones the franchise tag, which means he’ll be playing in Kansas City in 2020 unless the team pulls off another tag-and-trade.

Dak Prescott, QB

Landing spot: Cowboys

March 16: As expected, the Cowboys aren’t letting Prescott hit free agency. He was given the exclusive franchise tag to keep him for at least 2020. Dallas could still reach a long-term deal with him until July 15, however.

Philip Rivers, QB

Landing spots: Colts

March 17: Rivers agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts, who will still keep Jacoby Brissett.

The high-level starters

Robby Anderson, WR

Rumored landing spots: Jets

March 5: The Jets don’t want Anderson to hit the open market, where they may be priced out in a bid for his services, so they’re trying to work on a deal.

Arik Armstead, Edge

Landing spot: 49ers

March 16: Armstead was a top priority for the 49ers, who handed him a five-year, $85 million extension.

Vonn Bell, Safety

Rumored landing spots: Saints, Panthers

March 18: The Saints are interested in retaining the hard-hitting safety, but Bell is also being eyed by the Panthers. However, with Malcolm Jenkins reportedly heading back to New Orleans, Bell might land with a new team.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB

Landing spots: Panthers

March 17: There were talks between Bridgewater and the Bears, but NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo doesn’t expect Bridgewater to land in Chicago. The Bucs were also expected to pursue Bridgewater if they can’t woo Brady to Tampa Bay. However, now that the Panthers are moving on from Cam Newton, they’re set to give Bridgewater a three-year, $60 million deal.

Shaq Barrett, Edge

Landing spot: Bucs

March 16: Bucs coach Bruce Arians has made it clear he wants to retain Barrett, who broke through with 19.5 sacks last year in Tampa. The team ended up doing just that with the franchise tag.

Anthony Castonzo, OT

Landing spot: Colts

Mar. 15: Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Castonzo, who was mulling retirement, plans to play in 2020. He’ll do so in Indianapolis; Ballard locked his starting left tackle in for two years at $33 million before free agency could officially begin.

Kenyan Drake, RB

Landing spot: Cardinals

March 16: The Cardinals said they wanted to bring Drake back, which they did with the transition tag.

Bud Dupree, Edge

Landing spot: Steelers

March 16: Dupree did not hit the open market after the Steelers franchise-tagged him.

Melvin Gordon, RB

Landing spots: Broncos

March 20: Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said the Chargers would like to have him back. Instead, he ended up going to a division rival. Despite interest from teams like the Bucs and Bills, Gordon signed a two-year deal with the Broncos.

A.J. Green, WR

Landing spot: Bengals

March 16: Earlier, Bengals coach Zac Taylor says he’s confident Green will be on the team come September. They kept the receiver around with the franchise tag.

Everson Griffen, DE

Rumored landing spots: Seahawks

March 20: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters at the NFL Combine that the team has met with Griffen’s agent and “expect him to be back.” However, talks broke down and Griffen announced he wouldn’t be re-sign with the Vikings. One team Griffen is exploring is the Seahawks.

Austin Hooper, TE

Landing spot: Browns

March 16: The tight end had a lot of interest on the free agent market. He landed with the Browns, who gave him a four-year, $42 million deal, making Hooper the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

Malcolm Jenkins, S

Landing spot: Saints

The Eagles didn’t pick up Jenkins’ option, making the veteran safety a free agent. It didn’t take long for him to find a suitor— and it’s a team he knows well. The Saints are bringing Jenkins back to the place where he began his career.

Byron Jones, CB

Landing spots: Dolphins

March 16: The Cowboys couldn’t afford to keep Jones, who was a hot commodity on the free agent market. He was snatched up by the Dolphins on a deal that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league.

Devin McCourty, S

Landing spots: Patriots

March 15: At this point, it would be tough to envision McCourty in any uniform other than New England’s red, white, and blue. The Patriots agree — they’re giving him a two-year deal.

Yannick Ngakoue, Edge

Landing spot: Jaguars

March 13: Ngakoue, who is reportedly seeking $22 million per year, has said he doesn’t want to play in Jacksonville long term. The Jaguars plan to at least keep him for 2020 with the franchise tag, however, unless they pull off a tag-and-trade.

Jason Peters, OT

Rumored landing spots: None yet

March 5: The Eagles are willing to let Peters explore free agency after 11 seasons in Philadelphia. The nine-time Pro Bowler will hit the open market at age 38 this spring.

Bradley Roby, CB

Landing spot: Texans

March 15: Roby signed a one-year deal with the Texans last offseason and became their top corner in 2019. After that, Houston decided to hang on to him with a three-year deal.

Emmanuel Sanders, WR

Landing spot: Saints

March 20: The veteran receiver brought good value to the 49ers last season. One team that is hoping for the same is the Saints, who landed Sanders with a two-year deal.

Brandon Scherff, OG

Landing spot: Washington

March 14: Washington is keeping the right guard around for at least this season by placing the franchise tag on him.

Justin Simmons, S

Landing spots Broncos

March 13: Broncos general manager John Elway followed through on his promise not to let Simmons go anywhere. Denver is retaining him with the franchise tag.

Ryan Tannehill, QB

Landing spot: Titans

March 15: After Tannehill led the Titans to the AFC Championship Game this past season, they rewarded him with a four-year contract.

Jameis Winston, QB

Rumored landing spots: Buccaneers

March 16: Peter King on Pro Football Talk wrote that he doubts Winston will be the starter in Tampa Bay when the 2020 season starts, but where he might end up is unclear. Per Gregg Rosenthal “Jameis sounds like a fallback plan,” for the Bucs, who are still in communication with their former No. 1 pick.

The backups and aging veterans

Eric Berry, CB

Rumored landing spots: Colts

Feb. 28: NFL Network’s Jim Trotter reported the most likely landing spot for Berry is with the Colts. Berry sat out the entire 2019 season after suffering an Achilles tear in 2017 and complications in the season that followed.

Chase Daniel, QB

Landing spot: Lions

Feb. 26: The Browns were expected to pursue Daniel, but they signed Case Keenum. Instead, Daniel will head to Detroit to back up Matthew Stafford.

Taysom Hill, QB

Landing spot: Saints

March 16: New Orleans isn’t interested in letting Hill leave town — at least not without a healthy ransom. The Saints put a first-round tender on their restricted free agent quarterback, which means they’ll have the opportunity to match the terms of any contract offered to Hill this spring. If the club decides not to match, it would receive a first round pick in exchange for allowing the multi-use quarterback to sign elsewhere.

Case Keenum, QB

Landing spot: Browns

March 16: Keenum got a three-year deal with Cleveland to back up Baker Mayfield. He will reunite with his former Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, now head coach of the Browns.

Marcus Mariota, QB

Landing spot: Raiders

March 16: The Raiders have agreed to terms with Mariota. It’s no surprise he landed as Derek Carr’s backup — Raiders GM Mike Mayock rated Mariota as the top passer in the class of 2015 back in his analyst days.

Josh Norman, CB

Landing spot: Bills

March 9: The Bills confirmed at the NFL Combine that they have had “initial conversations” with Norman. That led to the club signing him one week before the free agency period officially starts.