Best remaining NFL free agents: Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins lead best available

Free agents aren't free, but they are fairly close at this stage of the offseason.

USA TODAY Sports

The first and second waves have come and gone, leaving a group of players looking for the right opportunity. It's bargain-hunting season or ring-chasing season, depending on your perspective. Players are trying to identify which teams give them the best chance to win. Teams are hoping to plug holes and build roster depth heading into the draft.

Some of the players remaining won't sign until after the2026 NFL Draft, when those needs become clearer. Others will try to ink a deal ahead of the massive influx of new players coming into the league.

After all, roster spots are finite and no career lasts forever.

Many of the best available remaining free agents are in the final years of their NFL careers. For quarterbacks likeAaron RodgersandKirk Cousins, those starting spots remain in short supply.

It wasn't long ago that it would've been unfathomable to see some of the following names on the free agent market. Now they are hoping for just one team to give them a chance. Here's a look at the best remaining players and other notables fromUSA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis' top 100in NFL free agency for 2026.

<p style=OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Top 10 remaining NFL free agents

1. WRJauan Jennings(Previous team: 49ers) | Age at start of 2026 season: 29

Jennings headlines the list after five productive seasons with the Niners. Drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the big-bodied receiver had to work for everything in the pros. Jennings' numbers won't jump off the page, but he is consistent and durable. That counts for something and he can easily be productive for a receiver-needy team in 2026.

2. QBAaron Rodgers(Previous team: Steelers) | Age at start of 2026 season: 42

Rodgers had some flashes of brilliance in 2025, reminding fans of why he is a four-time NFL MVP. However, anyone expecting to sign the quarterback with the idea that he could win a fifth in 2026 would be disappointed. There is nothing wrong with Rodgers continuing to play, but expectations should be realistic. He is an all-time great and will eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While that's nice, those facts don't win football games.

3. QBKirk Cousins(Previous team: Falcons) | Age at start of 2026 season: 38

The quarterback's career was on life support after a disappointing 2024 when he tied for the league lead with 16 interceptions. Relegated to a backup role in 2025, Cousins got his shot at redemption whenMichael Penix Jr.suffered a season-ending injury. He took full advantage of the opportunity, leading the Falcons to a 5-3 record in eight starts, totaling 10 touchdowns to only five interceptions. Cousins' best chance to start appears to be in Vegas or Pittsburgh, where he could serve as either a mentor or a bridge quarterback for one season.

Advertisement

4. DE/OLBJoey Bosa(Previous team: Bills) | Age at start of 2026 season: 31

The story of Bosa's career can't be told without mention of injuries, which have limited the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year's ability to make a consistent impact year-to-year. Bosa's one-year stint in Buffalo worked out nicely for the soon-to-be 31-year-old. He forced five fumbles, recorded five sacks and had 16 quarterback hits – the most since his 2021 season with the Chargers. Bosa still has something left in the tank to be a productive situational pass rusher.

5. LBBobby Wagner(Previous team: Commanders) | Age at start of 2026 season: 36

Wagner has been remarkably durable, especially in the latter part of his career. The 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker and six-time All-Pro might've lost a step or two, but you wouldn't know it at first glance. Wagner remains a tackling machine that would have no issues fitting into any defense. More importantly, the future Hall of Famer is a great leader who could instantly improve the locker room he walks into.

6. WRStefon Diggs(Previous team: Patriots) | Age at start of 2026 season: 33

Diggs quieted any concerns about his knee injury in 2025, turning in his seventh 1,000-yard season in eight years – the one exception being the torn ACL-shortened campaign in 2024. He served as WR1 for the Patriots and was a key piece of the team that made a surprising Super Bowl appearance. While those injury concerns are a thing of the past, the pending legal issues are a different story. Until there is some clarity on that front, expect the waiting game to continue.

7. DECalais Campbell(Previous team: Cardinals) | Age at start of 2026 season: 40

It has been nearly a decade since Campbell's career-year with the Jaguars in 2017, but that won't stop the 18-year veteran from seeking another opportunity to play. Already with 278 games under his belt, Campbell remains a great leader that fits every team, but make no mistake – this is still a productive player at this stage. He just posted 6½ sacks for the Cardinals in 2025 and hasn't missed a game since 2022.

8. WRDeebo Samuel(Previous team: Commanders) | Age at start of 2026 season: 30

Samuel made a living with his physical tools, starring as a jack-of-all-trades in Kyle Shanahan's offense. A chess piece that could be deployed all over the field, that wasn't the case for the receiver in 2025, who couldn't recapture the magic for Kliff Kingsbury's offense.

9. DE/OLBJadeveon Clowney(Previous team: Cowboys) | Age at start of 2026 season: 33

Clowney has been in the league for 12 seasons and remains on the open market in search of the squad that will give him lucky No. 13. He posted 8½ sacks and 12 quarterback hits for the Cowboys in 2025 despite playing in just 13 games.

10. LTTaylor Decker(Previous team: Lions) | Age at start of 2026 season: 33

A mainstay on the left side of the Lions' offensive line, Decker is after a new opportunity in free agency. The tackle requested and was granted his release from Detroit. He didconsider retirementthanks to a shoulder injury, but there is no denying that Decker's toughness and experience would be a boost to his next team.

More top NFL free agents available

  • G Kevin Zeitler (Previous team: Titans) | Age at start of 2026 season: 36

  • CB Rasul Douglas (Previous team: Dolphins) | 31

  • TE David Njoku (Previous team: Browns) | 30

  • DT DJ Reader (Previous team: Lions) | 32

  • TE Jonnu Smith (Previous team: Steelers) | 31

  • WR Brandon Aiyuk (Previous team: 49ers) | 28

  • WR Keenan Allen (Previous team: Chargers) | 34

  • DE Cameron Jordan (Previous team: Saints) | 37

  • OLB Von Miller (Previous team: Commanders) | 37

  • WR Tyreek Hill (Previous team: Dolphins) | 32

  • RB Nick Chubb (Previous team: Texans) | 30

  • G Will Hernandez (Previous team: Cardinals) | 31

  • CB Mike Hilton (Previous team: Colts) | 32

  • QB Russell Wilson (Previous team: Giants) | 37

  • G Mekhi Becton (Previous team: Chargers) | 27

  • LT Cam Robinson (Previous team: Browns) | 30

1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State <p style=3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=6. Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=10. Cincinnati Bengals – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State <p style=15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=17. Detroit Lions – Spencer Fano, OT/G, Utah

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=18. Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=19. Carolina Panthers - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 20. Dallas Cowboys – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia <p style=21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=22. Los Angeles Chargers – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=23. Philadelphia Eagles – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=24. Cleveland Browns – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=25. Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=26. Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah 28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson <p style=29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 31. New England Patriots – Zion Young, DE/OLB, Missouri <p style=32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection

All the NFL news on and off the field.Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Top available NFL free agents 2026. Who are best remaining players?

Best remaining NFL free agents: Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins lead best available

Free agents aren't free, but they are fairly close at this stage of the offseason. The first and second wa...
Who's in Women's Final Four? Updated March Madness bracket, NCAA Tournament schedule

Six teams remain in the Women's NCAA Tournament. Who will be moving on to the Final Four and playing for the national championship?

USA TODAY Sports

Each of last year's Final Four teams — UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina — are all No. 1 seeds this season, and are all still alive in Fort Worth, Texas and Sacramento, California.

UConn and UCLA advanced to Final Four Sunday. The other two teams will be decided Monday. Let's take a look at who is headed to Phoenix.

<p style=Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Denae Fritz #5 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts after a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts after a double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa. Forward Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes hugs her mother after the double overtime loss to the Virginia Cavaliers in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 23, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa. Chance Gray #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Kennedy Cambridge #3 sit on the bench as time runs down in the fourth quarter of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Second Round game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Jerome Schottenstein Center on March 23, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Notre Dame defeated Ohio Sate 83-73. Head coach Krista Gerlich of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Snudda Collins #0 of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders reacts during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. <p style=Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Audi Crooks #55 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament against the Syracuse Orange at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on March 21, 2026 in Storrs, Connecticut. The Vermont women's basketball team starters consoled each other as the Caramounts lost to Louisville at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026. Rhode Island Rams head coach Tammi Reiss gives a hug to Rhode Island Rams guard Sophia Vital (15) in the waning moments of the Rams' loss to Alabama in the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky, March 21, 2026. Comari Mitchell #5 of the Jacksonville Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the LSU Tigers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Bailey Burns #11 of the Jacksonville Dolphins exits the court after the game against the LSU Tigers in first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 20, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

March Sadness hits hard in the Women's NCAA basketball tournament

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in theNCAA women's basketballtournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

Who's in women's Final Four? Updated March Madness bracket

  • No. UConn (Regional 1 − Fort Worth)

  • UCLA (Regional 2 − Sacramento)

Women's Elite Eight schedule, March 29

Women's Elite Eight schedule, March 30

  • (1) Texas vs. (2) Michigan, 7 p.m. | ESPN

  • (1) South Carolina vs. (3) TCU, 9 p.m. | ESPN

Women's March Madness first-round and second-round results

Regional 1 − Fort Worth

UConn, Storrs, Connecticut | Gampel Pavilion

First round

Second round

Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee | Memorial Gym

First round

Second round

Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio | Value Center Arena

First round

Second round

North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Carmichael Arena

First round

Second round

Elite Eight

Regional 2 −Sacramento

UCLA, Los Angeles | Pauley Pavilion

First round

Second round

LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Pete Maravich Assembly Center

First round

Second round

Duke, Durham, North Carolina | Cameron Indoor Stadium

First round

Second round

Minnesota, Minneapolis | Williams Arena

First round

Second round

Advertisement

Elite Eight

Regional 3 − Fort Worth

Texas, Austin, Texas | Moody Center

First round

Second round

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan | Crisler Center

First round

Second round

Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky | KFC Yum! Center

First round

Second round

West Virginia, Morgantown | Hope Coliseum

First round

Second round

Elite Eight

  • No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 1 Texas, 7 p.m. Monday, ESPN

Regional 4 −Sacramento

South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina | Colonial Life Arena

First round

Second round

Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena

First round

Second round

TCU, Forth Worth, Texas | Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena

First round

Second round

Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma | Lloyd Noble Center

First round

Second round

Elite Eight

  • No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 3 TCU, 9 p.m., ESPN

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Women's Final Four teams: March Madness bracket, schedule

Who's in Women's Final Four? Updated March Madness bracket, NCAA Tournament schedule

Six teams remain in the Women's NCAA Tournament. Who will be moving on to the Final Four and playing for the national...
Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of shelling outskirts of eastern city, killing and wounding civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's government accused Pakistan's military of shelling the outskirts of an eastern Afghan city on Sunday, killing one person and wounding more than a dozen in the latest episode ofrenewed fightingbetween the two neighboring countries.

Associated Press Taliban police guard the area where a strike hit a house in the Momand Dara district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Hedayat Shah) A little girl and a woman watch as rescue workers and officials inspect the site of a late-Monday airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai) Afghan Taliban soldiers look toward the Pakistani side, on the Afghan side of the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan in Torkham, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Wahidullah Kakar)

Afghanistan Pakistan

The fighting, which erupted in late February, has been the most severe between Afghanistan and Pakistan in decades.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven for militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, especially for thePakistani Taliban. The group is separate but closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the allegation.

Afghan deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said that "mortars and other heavy weaponry" were used Sunday afternoon to strike rural areas and civilian homes on the outskirts of the city of Asadabad in Kunar Province.

In a post on X accompanied by photos of wounded children, Fitrat said that preliminary figures indicated that one person had been killed and 16 others were wounded, mostly women and children. There was no immediate response from Pakistan to the accusations.

The fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistanhas seen repeatedcross-border clashes as well as airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including several in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Advertisement

Earlier this month, Afghanistan said that a Pakistani airstrike hadhit a drug treatment hospitalin Kabul, killing more than 400 people. The U.N. humanitarian affairs office has said thetotal death tollis still under verification. Pakistan has disputed the claim and denied targeting civilians, saying that it struck an ammunition depot.

The fighting in February began when Afghanistan launched a cross-border raid into Pakistan, saying it was in retaliation for deadlyPakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areasthat it said had killed only civilians. Islamabad had said the strikes were targeting militants.

Last month, Pakistan declared that it was in"open war" with Afghanistan. The conflict has alarmed the international community, particularly as the area is one where other militant organizations, including al-Qaida andthe Islamic State group, still have a presence and have been trying to resurface.

The two sidesdeclared a temporary trucelast week before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, following mediation by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. The truce expired earlier this week, andrenewed fightingerupted on Wednesday, with Afghan officials saying that at least two civilians had been killed in eastern Afghanistan.

Tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been high for months. The most recent fighting has upended aQatari-mediated ceasefirein October that had halted earlier clashes between the two sides that had killed dozens of civilians, security forces and militants. The two sides differ widely on the casualty figures.

Peace talks held in Istanbul in Novemberfailed to reach a long-term solution.

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of shelling outskirts of eastern city, killing and wounding civilians

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's government accused Pakistan's military of shelling the outskirts of an ea...

 

GEAR MAG © 2015 | Distributed By My Blogger Themes | Designed By Templateism.com