- The Steelers still need a starting quarterback: Veteran Aaron Rodgers has limited options at this point, making Pittsburgh his best fit unless he prefers to retire.
- The Dolphins could target Asante Samuel Jr. for their thin secondary: Pending an expected Jalen Ramsey trade, Miami’s cornerback depth chart lacks sustained production.
- Final chance to claim 25% off PFF+: Use code DRAFT25 and unlock access to player grades, fantasy tools and the 2025 Draft Guide.
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
The next big event on the NFL calendar, about two and a half months away, is the start of training camp, where we’ll learn more about each team’s roster construction and 2025 NFL Draft picks. Until then, rosters are far from finalized, and quality players are still available in the later stages of free agency.
Here are the top landing spots for the best remaining free agents.
QB Aaron Rodgers: Pittsburgh Steelers
When the New York Jets released Rodgers in March, it seemed likely that he would have one more opportunity as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Fast-forward nearly two months, and it now appears there are only two logical options for Rodgers: the Pittsburgh Steelers or retirement.
The Steelers make a lot of sense as a destination, as Rodgers and head coach Mike Tomlin have both publicly expressed interest in hammering out a deal. The rumors are heating up after the Steelers opted not to draft a quarterback until the sixth round (187th overall), selecting Ohio State‘s Will Howard. At the moment, Mason Rudolph sits atop the depth chart.
In George Pickens and D.K. Metcalf, whom Pittsburgh acquired from the Seahawks in March, the Steelers have two receivers who can take over a game at any moment. Since the start of 2022, Metcalf ranks fourth in the league with 48 contested catches and Pickens ranks 16th with 39. They would certainly benefit from playing with a quarterback like Rodgers, who will find the weaknesses in a defense and give his receivers a chance.
Rodgers is well past his prime, but the future Hall of Famer can still get it done, ranking 14th out of 41 qualifying quarterbacks with a 76.3 PFF passing grade this past season. The Steelers’ roster is good enough to make some noise with Rodgers in the fold; it just comes down to whether Rodgers is up for the challenge at this stage of his career.
Aaron Rodgers’ Career PFF Grades
WR Amari Cooper: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys put together one of the best 2025 NFL Draft classes as one of three teams (Cardinals and Panthers) to earn an A+ grade, landing multiple impact players and getting tremendous value compared to the PFF big board. Dallas’ best picks came on Day 2 in the form of Donovan Ezeiruaku (44th overall, 17th on PFF big board) and cornerback Shavon Revel (76th overall, 44th on the big board).
For as good as their draft was, the Cowboys did not address the wide receiver position, which is incredibly thin behind All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Jalen Tolbert (60.7 PFF overall grade) and the recently acquired Jonathan Mingo (46.8) sit atop the depth chart, but neither strikes fear into opposing defenses as second or third options in the passing game.
Cooper spent last season with the Browns and Bills but had a down year by his standards, dropping his most passes in a season (eight) since 2017. There is enough upside to take a chance on the soon-to-be 31-year-old, as he’s earned a PFF receiving grade of 70.0 or higher eight times in his 10-year career.
The best years of Cooper’s NFL career came in a previous stint with the Cowboys from 2018-2021. He earned a career-high 84.2 PFF overall grade in 2019, good for ninth best among 122 qualifying wide receivers that season.
AARON RODGERS’ FIRST TOUCHDOWN AS A JET ✈️ pic.twitter.com/U7gxy4E04p
— PFF (@PFF) September 10, 2024
CB Asante Samuel Jr.: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins entered free agency in desperate need of secondary help, and that was before news broke that All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the team have mutually decided to explore a trade. No trade was completed over draft weekend, but that wasn’t much of a surprise, given the team will save $5.9 million in cap space if they wait until June 1.
The top three cornerbacks on the Dolphins’ depth chart right now are Kader Kohou, Storm Duck and Cam Smith. Kohou has been reliable, averaging 887 snaps and grading out to no worse than 64.5 over his first three seasons. Duck played 359 snaps as an undrafted free agent rookie last year, finishing the year with a 55.5 PFF overall grade to rank 96th out of 116 qualifying cornerbacks. Smith was a second-round pick in 2023 but has struggled to earn playing time, totaling just 155 snaps over his first two years. The Dolphins prioritized the trenches early in the draft and did not take a cornerback until the fifth round (Jason Marshall Jr. out of Florida).
Samuel played just four games last season before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He was excellent in 2022 and 2023, ranking among the top 30 cornerbacks in PFF overall grade, breaking up 20 passes and intercepting four others over that span. Still just 25 years old, Samuel brings youth, pedigree and proven production at the NFL level — a potentially huge boost to the Dolphins’ secondary moving forward.
CB Rasul Douglas: Minnesota Vikings
Douglas is coming off a disappointing season in which he ranked 102nd out of 116 qualifying cornerbacks with a 53.9 PFF overall grade. He was strong the previous three years, earning a career-best 81.0 PFF overall grade in 2023.
The eight-year veteran has been a ballhawk in the NFL, recording at least seven pass breakups in six different seasons and picking off 14 passes from 2021-2023. Durability is a positive in Douglas’ game, as well. He has averaged 984 snaps per season since 2022.
The Vikings will need to replace Stephon Gilmore, and Douglas is a natural fit in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme. Minnesota had just five draft picks in the draft, and none were used on a defensive back, suggesting the team was confident it could address its cornerback depth through free agency.
Zach Wilson 🎯 Rasul Douglas pic.twitter.com/XyIWxkqC1X
— PFF (@PFF) November 19, 2023
CB Mike Hilton: Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders desperately needed to upgrade their secondary after they were the worst team in the NFL in PFF coverage grade (32.0) last season. Las Vegas added two offensive weapons with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and then selected talented cornerback Darien Porter out of Iowa State at 68th overall.
Porter is a former wide receiver who ranks above the 95th percentile in height and length but never played cornerback full time prior to 2024. He was excellent in his first year at the position, earning a 90.1 PFF coverage grade for the season.
While the sky is the limit long term for Porter, it’s worth noting he is inexperienced and will need time to transition to the NFL level. A veteran presence in the secondary — something free agent Mike Hilton brings — would be a welcome addition to the team.
Hilton has been one of the best slot defenders in the NFL over the past decade. He had his struggles in 2024 but ended the year on a high note, with four consecutive strong games to close out the season. Hilton turned 31 years old in March but has earned PFF coverage grades of 70.0 or higher in six of the past eight seasons and would provide an immediate upgrade for the Raiders.
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