NFL free agency 2022 - Ranking the best remaining free agents still available on the market

This week began with the opening of the NFL free agency negotiating window, and it ends with a pretty substantial list of talented players still available.

What follows is the remnant of ESPN's original top 100 free agents. The list includes players whose contracts expired or voided, or whose deals were terminated early because of salary-cap or performance issues. It does not cover restricted or exclusive free agents, for whom the original teams have the right of first refusal. Players who have received the franchise tag are also excluded, even though they technically could be acquired in exchange for two first-round draft choices and the consent of the original team.

As always, our ranking is skewed toward players coming off their first contracts — at the free-agent sweet spot of about 26 years old — and takes into consideration that some positions are much more valued on the open market than others. Pass-rushers and quarterbacks are more sought after on the market than running backs and off-ball linebackers, at least for most teams, and we've tried to keep that in mind in establishing the rankings.

Let's jump in, with the best available players still unsigned. Who's next to join a new team?

2021 team: New Orleans Saints | Age entering 2022 season: 31

We don't tend to include many 31-year-olds in free-agent rankings, especially ones who missed more than half of the previous season and are planning to undergo offseason knee surgery. But if even a serviceable left tackle is available — and Armstead is well above that baseline when healthy — he will be heavily pursued.

2021 team: Kansas City Chiefs | Age entering 2022 season: 30

Mathieu has been named to the Pro Bowl in all three of his seasons with the Chiefs and was