Top Remaining NFL Wide Receiver Free Agents: Late March

Past the middle of March, John Johnson breaks down his best remaining wide receiver free agents ahead of the 2025 NFL season. When could these WRs be signed?

Most NFL teams have recognized the importance of having a great group of receivers on their team in recent years, which is part of the reason why their salaries have been exploding over the past decade. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase, one of the league's best at the position, just signed a four-year, $161 million contract, becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, underscoring this.

It seems like so long ago that his teammate, wide receiver Tee Higgins, was also set to become a free agent, but the Bengals did the right thing by not letting that happen. What could've been one of the most massive free-agent departures in recent history instead was retained, which was a very smart move. And many of the most in-demand free-agent WRs have been signed.

But some remain, and as the days go by, it becomes more and more likely that their careers have either at least hit significant roadblocks, or might just be over. We can't be sure yet, but we can break down the best remaining wide receiver free agents ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

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WR Amari Cooper

I should probably preface this by saying that none of the remaining free agents are very good. If they were, they would have been signed already. Even former Kansas City Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman just got signed, and he's the definition of a non-factor in the passing game. Perhaps the remaining guys want bigger contracts, but usually, you don't get to dictate that when you're at the age that Cooper is at, for example.

Packers signing WR Mecole Hardman to one-year deal. (via @TomPelissero, @MikeGarafolo) pic.twitter.com/cXjvXuJTcJ

— NFL (@NFL) March 18, 2025

Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper will be 31 before the 2025 NFL season starts. And when you're coming off a season with poor production and a significant injury, that's when teams start getting mortified about signing you.

The Bills were reportedly initially interested in bringing him back, but it's possible they just haven't agreed to terms yet or would be giving him so little guaranteed money that he wouldn't be interested in taking it.

Look at this route by Amari Cooper at the bottom of the screen 🔥🔥🔥

And some #Panthers fans got the audacity to scoff at that.

Nobody on this current roster is doing that 😂

pic.twitter.com/aICmiJdRt2

— Panthers Culture 🥷🏽 (@PanthersCulture) March 17, 2025

The injury probably held him back last season, but he just doesn't get separation quite like he used to, so combine those factors and it makes sense that the market isn't super hot. Buffalo has some breathing room, likely banking on the emergence of WR Keon Coleman to happen in 2025. Its pass-catching corps will be led by him and wide receiver Khalil Shakir since tight end Dalton Kincaid is a complete bust who can't catch footballs very well.

Cooper should still be in at least some demand, though. This year's rookie WR group isn't viewed as very strong, so it's likely contract-related things that have kept No. 18 from joining a team so far. I'd be surprised if he didn't agree to terms with a squad before the season started.

WR Stefon Diggs

One player I'm much less confident in is former Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs. He's 31 years old and will turn 32 in late November, and he dealt with a much more significant injury in 2024.

An ACL tear ended his year last season prematurely, and he's been rehabbing since then, but signs of the decline were already evident, even though he was peppered with targets early on by quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Here is the non-contact knee injury suffered by Stefon Diggs pic.twitter.com/GSTvg1BqPd

— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) October 27, 2024

Diggs was used primarily as a short-yardage option, so his decline wasn't as readily apparent, but he'll spend his age 31-32 season recovering from his ACL tear and likely not be close to 100 percent. He probably won't even play in the first few games of the season if he is signed, and when he returns, his explosiveness should be significantly diminished.

Stefon Diggs is UNWANTED at this point. Whoever signs him will get a good discount, I would assume, but the market for the receiver has definitely dried up.

— Myles H (@mylespsu) March 16, 2025

Then, in the 2026 season, he'll turn 33 years old. There aren't many teams who are interested in the services of a 33-year-old wideout, and there are very few in the league as a result.

And Diggs will likely be looking for a contract that no team is willing to pay. He forced himself out of Buffalo, an arrogant move that likely cost him, and it seems reasonable that he wouldn't settle for just a one-year deal with very little guaranteed money.

His career is very close to being over.

WR Keenan Allen

Allen will turn 33 in April, making him the oldest of the receivers on this list. That alone will make it difficult for him to find a job.

His tape was decent, though inconsistent, with the Chicago Bears, though it's difficult to judge him fully considering the competition he had for targets (WRs DJ Moore and Rome Odunze and tight end Cole Kmet), the extremely poor quarterback play from Caleb Williams, and the overall mismanagement of Chicago's offense in 2024.

Routes like this are why Keenan Allen should be in @DallasCowboys. Notice the details of how he sold the "Out and Up."

Squared his shoulders to the sideline and caused the corner to peak (Details).

4 yards of separation on a go ball created from a route.#KeeAllen2Dallas pic.twitter.com/iHPFiYd49g

— BossCowboySports (@BossCowboySport) March 14, 2025

He didn't look like he was 32 years old last season, though. Then again, often, the fall-off for receivers can be very quick, sometimes happening within the year when guys his age have a few good games and then start to regress markedly. Or pick up more injuries, which is something he's been known to do in his career.

Keenan Allen spoke to the media on Friday. The veteran wide receiver shared what's been like dealing with his heel injury.

“It’s just irritating. It’s kind of like a hamstring pull; you can’t really do anything about it. You’ve got to wait until it heals up.” pic.twitter.com/FCUPppS1nj

— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 27, 2024

Allen described the heel injury he dealt with last season as a "wear and tear" thing, which I covered in an article many months ago that I struggled to dig up. NFL teams understand that a big part of aging being so destructive to players' careers is due to the body not being able to manage the lifelong injuries it has picked up from all levels of football. The sport does a lot of permanent damage to players' bodies, and they kick the can down the road through constant rehabbing during the season.

I suspect Allen has more than a few issues that are concerning because with the Bears he looked pretty solid. Doesn't make much sense that the teams that are still desperate for WR talent, like the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, wouldn't just sign him to a one-year deal otherwise.

WR Elijah Moore

Unlike the other players on this list, former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore isn't dealing with an age issue, but a skill issue, I guess. It's puzzling that he hasn't found a home yet because he really didn't seem that bad on the field and will still be just 25 years old at the start of next season.

Still think Elijah Moore has more juice than most of the remaining free agent options - Some phenomenal flashes despite quarterback purgatory in New York and Cleveland. Only 25 years old.

Curious to see where he lands, would be interested for Houston as a Z/slot option. pic.twitter.com/AcxwoL01rQ

— John Crumpler (@JohnCrumplerMD) March 13, 2025

Perhaps he'll be a gem of a signing for a team at some point. He doesn't have the size to play an "X" receiver, but could easily be a nice slot option. On a team with a good quarterback, he could make an impact immediately. Perhaps the teams that don't have enough talent at receiver already have a starter that fits his archetype.

Still, the fact that he hasn't signed with a squad like the Washington Commanders is interesting. Maybe we think he's better than teams think he is, or perhaps he wants too much money. It's hard to tell at this point. Then again, it's only been a few days, and sometimes these things work themselves out over time.

Elijah Moore is an interesting WR option in free agency for the Patriots. Real good athlete and like recently signed K'Lavon Chaisson, someone w/talent that is young & will likely out produce his contract. pic.twitter.com/7U6wrtmvKy

— Nik Athans (@NEdraftNik) March 14, 2025

I imagine he has the highest likelihood of all these players to land on a team soon, mostly because the age cliff isn't anywhere near him as it is with the other guys.

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