• Sam Darnold leads the pack: The expected bridge starter has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks all year.
• The Eagles and Packers feature heavily near the top: Both teams landed two names inside the top 10.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
With only four games left in the 2024 NFL regular season, the 14-team playoff field is beginning to take shape. It’s no coincidence that many of those squads made waves with their free-agent transactions this offseason.
Considering there’s more than an ample sample size of evidence, below is a ranking of the best 20 free-agent acquisitions from this past offseason — which means that no re-signings are allowed (sorry, Leonard Williams).
When the Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal this offseason, few viewed him as anything more than a temporary starter — a placeholder until J.J. McCarthy would take the reins. Instead, Darnold has finally played like the top-flight quarterback prospect that some never gave up on. Among qualifying quarterbacks, Darnold ranks fifth in PFF passing grade (84.4), sixth in PFF overall grade (86.4), second in big-time throw rate (6.9%) and fifth in wins above replacement (2.50). Darnold’s play is one of the foremost reasons the Vikings sit at 11-2 and as a legitimate contender in a year where many expected a rebuild.
The Eagles invested almost $37.8 million in Barkley this offseason, but there have been absolutely zero regrets about doing so. In his first year in Kelly Green, Barkley has been among the NFL’s best running backs, ranking eighth in PFF rushing grade and ninth in PFF overall grade among qualifiers while amassing a league-best 1,623 rushing yards and 898 yards after contact. Barkley also ranks second at the position in PFF WAR, and his play has elevated a Philadelphia team that sits 11-2.
Who says signing running backs on the wrong side of 30 is risky? Henry has looked like his vintage self in his first year playing alongside MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson, leading all qualified players at his position in PFF overall grade (91.9) while sitting in the top five in yards after contact, missed tackles forced, yards per carry and runs of 15-plus yards. He isn’t ranked ahead of Barkley only because he benefits from playing in a passing offense that ranks first in EPA per play, whereas Philadelphia slots 15th.
When the Steelers inked Wilson to a one-year, $1.2 million deal at the start of free agency, few expected anything more than average play on a one-year trial. But the actual results have been starkly different: Wilson’s 78.5 PFF passing grade ranks ninth among qualifying quarterbacks, and his 1.2% turnover-worthy play rate is the lowest in football. Wilson is offering Pittsburgh its best quarterback play in nearly six seasons, proving the catalyst for an offense that has improved to 16th in EPA per play in 2024.
Take a bow, Howie Roseman. Adding Barkley was the Eagles’ big-ticket move, but Baun has also turned into a spectacular signing. The former edge rusher has feasted in his first real season as an inside linebacker, leading the position in PFF overall grade (90.0), PFF coverage grade (91.7) and stops (59). That’s a likely first-team All-Pro signed for only $3.5 million.
Paying safeties carries an innate concern, but everything has worked out swimmingly for McKinney in Green Bay. The ex-Giant slots second at the position in PF overall (88.0) and coverage (90.5) grades while having racked up seven interceptions and two pass breakups. McKinney’s emergence has fueled a Packers defense that’s 10th in EPA per play in Jeff Hafley’s first season.
At age 30, Hunter hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down in his new abode. Working alongside Will Anderson Jr. in Houston, Hunter has been one of the NFL’s more underrated pass rushers, ranking seventh in pressures (54) while adding 70.7-plus PFF grades in both run defense and tackling. Altogether, Hunter’s 0.27 PFF WAR ranks fourth among edge defenders, and his 84.7 PFF overall grade is 10th among qualifiers.
After a breakout 2023, Greenard has been arguably even better in 2024 in Minnesota. He has totaled a second-best 60 pressures to go along with nine sacks, 32 stops and two forced fumbles. Greenard has also compiled PFF pass-rushing and run-defense grades of at least 72.7, but his high missed tackle rate (27.1%) slots him just below Hunter despite equally impressive campaigns.
How does one of the NFL’s best offensive lines remain elite? Adding a player like Zeitler, who has slotted in seamlessly at right guard. In 2024, Zeitler has recorded career highs in PFF overall grade (90.0) and PFF run-blocking grade (88.7) while still posting a 97.8 pass-blocking efficiency. Zeitler sits as the third-best guard in PFF overall grade this year and is playing at a level transcendent to his one-year, $6 million contract.
If this offseason is any indication, contending teams should continue to pay big costs for star running backs. Jacobs has flourished playing under run game maestro Matt LaFleur, ranking third in PFF overall grade (90.7), second in missed tackles forced (58), fifth in rushes of 10-plus yards (27) and third in total rushing yards (1,053). Jacobs’ battering presence in the run game has complemented Jordan Love and Green Bay’s passing offense, propelling the group to rank seventh in EPA per play.
Despite heading east for the first time in his storied career — and although he’s played on a subpar defense — Wagner has proliferated his play. The 34-year-old slots third among qualified inside linebackers with an 83.3 PFF overall grade and a 90.3 PFF run-defense grade, all while accumulating grades of 80.5 or better in both tackling and pass rush. Wagner’s steadying veteran presence has helped the Commanders reach an 8-5 record and a likely wild-card spot.
Ford joined his third team in three seasons and has now fully broken out, playing at a level not seen since his first year in the NFL in 2018. His 83.1 PFF overall grade ranks fifth among interior defenders, and his 75.6 PFF run-defense grade slots seventh. Ford’s play on the inside has filled a long-standing gap in the Chargers’ defense, helping vault the unit to seventh in EPA per play.
Few considered Jones heading to Denver as a splash move, but the Broncos’ $20 million investment has been extraordinarily worthwhile so far. Jones’ 79.8 PFF overall and 81.7 coverage grades are not only career bests, but also are top-eight marks among qualified safeties. His play on the backend next to Patrick Surtain II has rendered the Broncos one of the most fearsome defenses in football.
Chicago’s 2024 season quickly derailed, but that’s not the fault of Byard, who has bounced back to star form with his new squad. Byard has recorded 78.2-plus PFF grades in tackling, run defense and pass rushing while securing a solid 71.0 PFF coverage grade. His play has galvanized a Bears defense that places 11th in EPA per play despite Jaquan Brisker missing considerable time and a mediocre pass-rushing group.
Like Wagner, Campbell just keeps on chugging along, no matter which uniform he dons. In his 17th season, Campbell has recorded an 82.1 PFF overall grade — his best since 2019 — with an 82.3 PFF run-defense grade and an 11.8% pass-rush win rate. The 38-year-old ranks 12th at his position in PFF WAR and has helped solidify the Dolphins’ defensive line in its first year without Christian Wilkins, not to mention down Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips for most of the season.
There hasn’t been much to write home about for the Jets’ offense in 2024, but Simpson has been an undeniable silver lining. After signing a two-year, $12 million deal to head to the Big Apple, Simpson has turned in career-high PFF grades in run blocking (79.7) and pass blocking (77.4), allowing only 12 pressures and one sack this season. Simpson quietly ranks as the ninth-best guard in football (minimum 300 snaps) and offers stability on a team set to face countless questions this offseason.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier hit the jackpot twice with veteran additions this spring and summer. After performing at a mediocre level in Atlanta and New England, Smith has found a fountain of youth in Miami’s explosive passing attack, notching a career-high 83.9 PFF receiving grade and 2.06 yards per route run. All told, Smith’s 77.6 PFF overall grade ranks sixth among qualified tight ends — which is more than the Dolphins could have hoped when they signed him for $8.4 million over two years.
Like Ford, Fulton was another unsung Chargers defensive signing who has helped completely revamp the team’s defense. Fulton has posted a career-high 72.6 PFF overall grade, buoyed by a 69.4 PFF coverage grade. Moreover, Fulton is one of four cornerbacks with an 80.0-plus PFF run-defense grade and a 69.0-plus coverage mark. He and Tarheeb Still have become a lockdown cornerback duo for defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Give it up for Chris Grier. In an offseason where several interior offensive linemen were rewarded with lucrative deals, Brewer’s may have been the best bang for the buck. His 76.2 PFF overall grade places fifth among qualified centers, and he’s displayed balanced blocking with 72.1-plus grades in both run blocking and pass protection. In fact, Brewer might be the only long-term staple of Miami’s offensive line, given Terron Armstead’s age.
Several receivers inked deals worth tens of millions this offseason, but Mooney’s currently figures to be the best investment. In his first season in Atlanta, he has generated a career-best 76.0 PFF receiving grade in addition to 1.97 yards per route run. Mooney sits in the 63rd percentile of PFF receiving grade against single coverage, turning into a legitimate WR2 for the Falcons next to Drake London.
