Five veteran defensive backs still on the free agent market who can instantly upgrade a team’s secondary in 2025
The NFL has no shortage of talented wide receivers and quarterbacks waiting to light up the scoreboard in 2025. As such, teams should be asking the right questions as they're preparing to opening training camp. Questions like, "do we have enough guys in the secondary?" and "how are we going to cover 'so and so'?" If you're […]
The NFL has no shortage of talented wide receivers and quarterbacks waiting to light up the scoreboard in 2025. As such, teams should be asking the right questions as they're preparing to opening training camp.
Questions like, "do we have enough guys in the secondary?" and "how are we going to cover 'so and so'?"
If you're looking at your favorite team's roster from afar and worrying about the same things, there's no need for fear. At least not yet. Because the NFL's veteran market still boasts a number of viable contributors who can help upgrade a secondary from the moment pen touches paper — that is, of course, if you're willing to pay the price of admission to bring someone into the fray. So, who's left?
Prominent free agent defensive backs still available
Justin Simmons – 32 career interceptions, 1,017 snaps played in 2024
Simmons isn't the player that he was during the prime of his career in Denver, in which he averaged five interceptions per season from 2019 through 2022. But he's an incredibly cerebral talent with plus ball skills and has proven to continue to be durable as he has aged into his 30s.
Simmons is reportedly taking his time and hoping to sign with a contender. That may cut some teams out of the mix, but he should be considered experienced enough to help pick up and process the calls on the back end of a defense. Ideally he's asked to serve as the free safety and stay out of the box, where his impact will be best served as a coverage defender and not a run support player.
Stephon Gilmore – 32 career interceptions, 864 snaps played in 2024
Gilmore is set to turn 35 years old in September, making him a very high-risk proposition for teams that are banking on gaining a definitive answer at cornerback. He's sustained his play fairly well despite being a mature corner but the year-over-year predictability of his play could be deemed volatile for teams. That said, his wealth of experience would be invaluable to have young defenders available to tap into beyond his own contributions to suit up and play on the outside.
Asante Samuel Jr. – 6 career interceptions, 234 snaps played in 2024
Speaking of volatile investment opportunities, there may be no bigger boom-or-bust opportunity out there than Samuel Jr. This is a highly gifted player who is working his way back from shoulder/neck issues — he's only now on the verge of being medically cleared and ready to commit to a team. He's in the prime of his career as a twitchy cornerback and plays bigger than his size when he's at 100 percent.
There's red tape here and Samuel Jr. may want to be well-compensated for a "prove it" year as a 25-year old defender. But if his medicals do check out, this is a potential quality starter who can play inside or out.
Julian Blackmon – 10 career interceptions, 1,083 snaps played in 2024
I am admittedly surprised that Blackmon is still on the market midway through July. Perhaps his lingering shoulder injury is a bigger issue under the surface. He's a younger player who has played fairly well for the Colts over the past five years. He's coming off a season in 2024 that wasn't quite as strong as his play was in 2023 while playing through injury but he's still got plenty of football ahead of him as a well-established starter in the league.
Blackmon is perhaps facing an uphill climb to sign as teams wait for Justin Simmons to make his decision — but this feels like a great flier for a team to take if they need a safety.
Rasul Douglas – 19 career interceptions, 830 snaps played in 2024
Douglas is probably the most scheme-specific fit on this list. He's not the kind of defender who you'd ideally leave on an island on the perimeter — he's best served playing Cover 3 and staying leveraged overtop of routes. He's a plus tackler with good eyes and instincts but his turn-and-run ability could be a turnoff for teams that want to play man coverage without the safety of two-high safeties with consistency.
Honorable mentions: CB Jack Jones (Las Vegas), SAF Marcus Williams (Baltimore), Nickel Mike Hilton (Cincinnati), SAF Jordan Whitehead (Tampa Bay)
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