Predicting Which NFL Players Could Reset the Free Agent Market in 2025 Offseason

Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wirfs seamlessly slid from the right side of Tampa’s offensive line to the left last year and drastically increased his value in the process. He’s been a rock for this team since it drafted him in 2020, a year that he helped anchor a Super Bowl-winning offensive line.

Coming off Pro Bowl appearances in each of the last three seasons and proving he can adequately protect a quarterback’s blindside, expect Wirfs to become one of the highest paid offensive linemen in the near future.

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson has been a force since the Vikings landed him in the 2020 draft. He established himself as the NFL’s very best receiver in 2022, a year in which he came up just shy of breaking Calvin Johnson’s all-time single season yardage record.

Although his star slightly faded during an injury-plagued 2023 campaign, Jefferson still breeched the 1,000-yard mark despite missing eight contests. There’s no question that the Vikings will do everything in their power to keep him around, even if it takes shattering the $30 million per year wideout contract record that Tyreek Hill currently holds.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

There may be no better value pick in the 2021 draft than St. Brown, the wideout the Lions were fortunate to land early on Day 3 that year. He’s taken the league by storm since then, amassing 3,588 yards and 21 touchdowns on 315 catches while helping turn Detroit into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The Lions won’t have the luxury of picking up a fifth-year option on this fourth-round pick, making it imperative for the front office to hammer out an extension as soon as possible. While he may not set any records, St. Brown could easily earn as much as $28 million per year for his efforts.

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Lamb has been one of the NFL’s top pass-catchers since the Cowboys brought him in at No. 17 overall four years ago, but he truly took a leap in 2023. The star wideout took his game to new heights by posting career highs in catches (135), receiving yardage (1,749) and touchdowns (12) while serving as the top playmaker in Dallas’ high-powered offense.

There’s little chance the Cowboys will even consider letting the 24-year-old reach the open market after such a special start to his career. Don’t be surprised the club makes tendering a massive contract extension Lamb’s way its top priority this offseason.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

After years of waffling on Tagovailoa’s ability to become their franchise signal-caller, the Dolphins finally put an end to the trade rumors and made it clear they were committing to him ahead of the 2022 season. After arming him with one of the league’s best playmakers in Tyreek Hill that offseason, Tagovailoa truly flourished.

It’s now time to lock the 26-year-old up for the foreseeable future. There’s almost zero chance he’ll be allowed to test the market after amassing 8,172 passing yards and 54 touchdowns in his last 30 starts. Considering he’s also taken the ‘Phins to back-to-back playoff appearances following a half-decade hiatus, he’s all set to become one of the league’s highest paid players.