NFL free agency is a year-round process, as teams scout opposing players in an effort to defeat them during the year and perhaps sign them in the offseason.
Now we're at the end of the 2023-24 NFL season, the free agency picture is coming into focus, and teams are beginning to identify potential targets to improve their roster weaknesses.
Here are the top cornerbacks slated to hit free agency in 2024. Click here for PFF's full list of the top 200 free agents.
1. CB JAYLON JOHNSON, CHICAGO BEARS
2024 Free agency rank: 9
Johnson wasn’t quite able to have the third-year breakout in 2022 he hoped for as nagging injuries kept him off the field for several stretches, and he and the team were unable to find common ground on an early extension. Johnson continued to push for a new deal right up to requesting a trade at the deadline this year, but after conversations with other teams, Chicago elected to keep him around. Now, with edge defender Montez Sweat extended and the franchise tag freed up, another negotiation looks to be on the horizon.
The physical, technically sound wide cornerback boasts ball production and lockdown coverage abilities that prevent targets as well as anyone, never allowing a 60% completion rate in any NFL season thus far.
Top free agent comparison: Byron Jones, 2020
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Jaylon Johnson | 86.8 | 90.1 | 16.7% | 68.5 | ? |
| Byron Jones | 78.1 | 77.5 | 13.2% | 73.7 | 8.3% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
2. CB L'Jarius Sneed, Kansas City Chiefs
Sneed was a fixture out wide in 2023 after lining up primarily in the slot over his first three seasons, and he held up quite well in several tough matchups. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo asks a lot of his cornerbacks, and Sneed is sticky in coverage, getting into receivers' hip pockets and becoming very hard to shake with lateral movement or in the air at the catch point.
Sneed could stand to cut down on penalties, but his aggressive nature would be welcome on many teams, and his inside-outside versatility is a nice benefit, as well.
Top free agent comparison: James Bradberry, 2020
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| L’Jarius Sneed | 71.5 | 69.9 | 13.3% | 47.7 | ? |
| James Bradberry | 62.5 | 72.8 | 13.3% | 48.9 | 7.3% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
3. CB KENDALL FULLER, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
2024 Free agency rank: 15
Fuller was the lone bright spot in the Commanders' cornerback room in 2023, and while he is plenty capable as a wide cornerback, perhaps his prior experience in the slot and at safety could be attractive to teams that desire the ability to move the savvy veteran around as he and his game ages.
Top free agent comparison: Sean Smith, 2016
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Kendall Fuller | 87.4 | 85.2 | 9.4% | 68.6 | ? |
| Sean Smith | 81.8 | 86.8 | 11.7% | 57.9 | 6.1% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
4. CB CHIDOBE AWUZIE, CINCINNATI BENGALS
2024 Free agency rank: 26
Awuzie was one of a series of slam-dunk free-agent acquisitions for the Cincinnati Bengals over the past few years, providing the team with a bona fide No. 1 outside cornerback for just $7.25 million annually. Awuzie tore his ACL in 2022, and the Bengals have used four Day 2 picks on defensive backs over the past two draft classes, which signals he should be testing out free agency once again. He returned to form nicely in 2023, though.
Top free agent comparison: Desmond Trufant, 2020
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Chidobe Awuzie | 80.2 | 79.9 | 15.6% | 65.6 | ? |
| Desmond Trufant | 73.9 | 71.8 | 13.0% | 73.4 | 5% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
5. CB STEPHON GILMORE, DALLAS COWBOYS
2024 Free agency rank: 33
Gilmore’s trade from the Indianapolis Colts to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason got him back to playing contending football, and he hasn’t skipped a beat at any point as he’s moved around over the past few years. Gilmore still thrives in single coverage and can jostle with the more physical receivers who play through contact, timing his leap well on contested catches and jumping routes with top-end play recognition.
A matchup with A.J. Brown in Week 14 had him playing inspired football after Brown allegedly called him old early on in the contest. Gilmore rose to the occasion and locked Brown down until the game was out of reach in the second half.
Top free agent comparison: Darius Slay, 2023
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Stephon Gilmore | 87.9 | 79.0 | 14.7% | 77.7 | ? |
| Darius Slay | 77.0 | 90.1 | 9.4% | 79.6 | 6.2% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
6. CB STEVEN NELSON, HOUSTON TEXANS
2024 Free agency rank: 35
Nelson was a great fit for the Houston Texans in back-to-back seasons, despite a defensive shift from Lovie Smith to DeMeco Ryans. He has logged a healthy dose of snaps in so many different coverage schemes dating back to his days with the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs.
The ever-consistent Nelson played 950-plus snaps for the sixth consecutive season in 2023, best suited in off coverage with great lateral agility and the instincts to click and close still popping up on tape in coverage and run support.
Top free agent comparison: Jason McCourty, 2019
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Steven Nelson | 72.3 | 87.3 | 11.2% | 63.9 | ? |
| Jason McCourty | 80.9 | 81.4 | 12.6% | 67.2 | 2.6% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
7. CB KENNY MOORE II, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
2024 Free agency rank: 41
Moore pushed for an early re-up on the four-year extension he signed in 2019, but his efforts were to no avail as the Colts worked to overhaul the roster and get younger in the secondary, in particular. Fortunately for Moore, he earned a career-high 79.3 coverage grade along with a 71.5 run-defense grade — his sixth straight season going above 65.0.
At 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Moore never backs down from a tackle opportunity, doing a good job as the force defender to keep ball carriers inside or running the alley to make the tackle himself when called upon — a key role in Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 defense.
Moore became just the 28th player in NFL history to record two pick-sixes in the same game with his outstanding Week 9 performance and can now look to capitalize on a strong season. However, it will be an uphill battle in a completely dormant slot cornerback market.
Top free agent comparison: Buster Skrine, 2019
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Kenny Moore II | 59.9 | 62.4 | 6.0% | 48.8 | ? |
| Buster Skrine | 63.8 | 58.9 | 13.7% | 58.5 | 2.9% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
8. CB ADOREE' JACKSON, NEW YORK GIANTS
2024 Free agency rank: 82
Jackson cross-trained this offseason for a move to a full-time slot role but ended up moving back out wide after just two games. The first half of the Giants’ season featured an aggressive defense that ranked second in blitz rate but still couldn’t get home on the quarterback with any consistency, leaving their cornerbacks on islands with extremely difficult assignments on a regular basis.
Wink Martindale’s unit turned a corner over the second half of the year, and Jackson looked improved once returning from injury. Injuries have limited Jackson in four of the past five seasons, but he has true inside-outside versatility with good lateral agility and a knack for making plays on the football, often laying out for acrobatic pass breakups after goading quarterbacks into the occasional throw into his coverage area.
Top free agent comparison: Leodis McKelvin, 2013
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Adoree'Jackson | 62.8 | 65.2 | 10.4% | 56.3 | ? |
| Leodis McKelvin | 67.6 | 69.6 | 9.1% | N/A | 3.4% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
9. CB Keisean Nixon, Green Bay Packers
2024 Free agency rank: 146
Top free agent comparison: Desmond King II, 2022
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Keisean Nixon | 56.0 | 56.8 | 3.4% | 62.1 | ? |
| Desmond King II | 55.3 | 59.6 | 4.2% | 40.2 | 1.7% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
10. CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, Tennessee Titans
2024 Free agency rank: 149
Top free agent comparison: Eli Apple, 2022
| Player | Coverage grade w/ no pressure | Cov. grade on throws in ≤ 3s | Forced incompletion rate | Single coverage grade | APY as % of Cap at signing |
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | 68.2 | 63.2 | 8.8% | 33.7 | ? |
| Eli Apple | 63.1 | 73.2 | 10.5% | 38.4 | 1.7% |
*All data in tables reflects two years prior to UFA contract signing
Contract projection: Available in PFF's free agency rankings
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