Super Bowl 2026: Ranking the top 10 potential free agents ahead of Patriots vs. Seahawks

The Super Bowl LX matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks showcases top talent on both sides. However, some of that talent may not be rocking their current jerseys in 2026 when the clock hits zero on the 2025 season Sunday night.

The AFC and NFC champions combine to have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents or have voids in their contracts in March: seven for New England and nine for Seattle. The Patriots may have to replace three defensive starters: safety Jaylinn Hawkins, edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. The Seahawks may have to replace five starters: running back Kenneth Walker III, safety Coby Bryant, cornerback Josh Jobe, cornerback Tariq Woolen and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed.

With significant change possible for both Super Bowl participants, here is a ranking of the top 10 free agents set to hit the open market after the finale of the 2025 NFL season at Super Bowl LX.

10. OT Vederian Lowe

Age: 26 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0    

Vederian Lowe's uneven play at left tackle in 2024 -- five sacks and 25 quarterback pressures allowed in 13 starts -- led New England to draft Will Campbell fourth overall out of LSU in 2025. In four starts in place of an injured Campbell this season, Lowe allowed one sack and 12 pressures.

He'll be 27 in the 2026 season, and an offensive tackle with 17 starts across the last two years could fetch a decent deal in free agency given the dearth of offensive line depth across the NFL.

9. DT Khyiris Tonga

Age: 29 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0  

Patriots defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga has emerged as one of New England's unsung heroes this season. His Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade of 75.1 ranked 18th among defensive tackles, just ahead of Colts Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner (74.9) and just behind teammate Milton Williams (75.5).

Tonga played 14 games with eight starts in 2025, and he could land a larger role elsewhere after hitting free agency this offseason.

8. EDGE Boye Mafe

Age: 27 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Boye Mafe fell down Seattle's edge-rusher depth chart behind Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu, but he still looked like a player trending into a solid pass rusher with regular playing time.

Mafe produced a career-high nine sacks in his second season in 2023, but he has just eight combined sacks across the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons. He could shine on a team with more snaps available.

7. CB Josh Jobe

Age: 27 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

After years of grinding, Josh Jobe has positioned himself to make some serious cash as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He went undrafted out of Alabama in 2022 and spent his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, starting a combined three games.

Jobe inked a two-year, $2 million contract with Seattle in 2024, and his playing time has taken off. He recorded his first career interception while starting six of the 10 games he played in 2024, then thrived as a full-time starter in Mike Macdonald's secondary in 2025.

Jobe played in 16 of 17 games and started 15 while recording another interception. His 60.4 passer rating allowed as the primary defender ranks 12th-best in the NFL among 53 players with at least 70 targets. He's ready for the spotlight that comes with being a well-paid free-agent signee.

6. EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson 

Age: 26 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, the 20th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, is breaking out with the Patriots. After four years in Jacksonville (2020-2023) and one with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, Chaisson posted career highs in starts (10), sacks (7.5) and quarterback pressures (54).

That made him one of just 19 players with at least 7.5 sacks and 50 quarterback pressures in 2025. Chaisson is hitting unrestricted free agency at just the right time.

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5. S Jaylinn Hawkins 

Age: 28 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Jaylinn Hawkins began his NFL journey as a 2020 fourth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons before stops with the Los Angeles Chargers and then New England in 2024. In 2025, he became an impact player for the AFC champions.

Hawkins filled the stat sheet with four interceptions, six passes defended, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 1.5 sacks in 15 games, all starts. Pro Football Focus grades him as its No. 5 overall safety with an 83.3 defensive grade.

He could make legitimate money in free agency this offseason, likely somewhere close to $10 million per year.

4. WR/KR/PR Rashid Shaheed

Age: 27 | Pro Bowls: 2 (2022, 2025) | First-team All-Pro teams: 1 (2023)

Rashid Shaheed is the only player this season with both a kickoff return touchdown and a punt return touchdown. His impact on Seattle's offense and special teams since arriving at the trade deadline from the New Orleans Saints has been undeniable.

Seattle is 11-1 since Week 10, clinching the NFC West title, the conference's No. 1 seed and the NFC crown. Shaheed's 58-yard punt return touchdown in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams helped propel the Seahawks to a 38-37 overtime win that swung the division and top-seed race. The play proved so costly that Rams coach Sean McVay fired his special teams coordinator after the game.

Shaheed did it again in the postseason, opening Seattle's 41-6 divisional-round win over the San Francisco 49ers with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown on the very first play.

Shaheed is one of the NFL's most explosive playmakers, with six career touchdowns of 50 yards or more since entering the league in 2022, tied for the third-most in that span with 2024 Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley. Only Ja'Marr Chase (nine) and Tyreek Hill (seven) have more. His electricity will make him a coveted free-agent target.

3. S Coby Bryant

Age: 26 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Coby Bryant is a versatile safety who began his career as a slot corner before head coach Mike Macdonald moved him to free safety.

He's one of eight safeties with at least seven interceptions and 10 passes defended over the last two seasons, alongside Kerby Joseph, Xavier McKinney, Calen Bullock, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Kevin Byard, Camryn Bynum and Jessie Bates III. Bryant could fetch around $15 million per year on the open market.

2. RB Kenneth Walker III

Age: 27 | Pro Bowls: 0 | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Kenneth Walker III is one of the NFL's most elusive running backs. His 286 tackles avoided rank second-most in the league since he entered the NFL in 2022, trailing only Josh Jacobs' 293.

Walker can truck defenders or blow by them in the open field. He has shared the workload with Zach Charbonnet since his second season, leaving plenty of tread on his tires.

Walker has dominated this postseason with 178 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 38 carries, including 116 yards and three scores in Seattle's 41-6 divisional-round win over San Francisco.

1. CB Tariq Woolen 

Age: 26 | Pro Bowls: 1 (2022) | First-team All-Pro teams: 0

Tariq Woolen's build (6-foot-4 and 210 pounds) is a physical marvel at cornerback. He thrived immediately as a rookie in 2022, co-leading the NFL with six interceptions in Pete Carroll's Cover 3 scheme.

Mike Macdonald's defense asks more with complex disguises, and Woolen hasn't quite recaptured the tantalizing potential of his rookie year.

He'll need to cut down on the mental mistakes that snowballed in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams. Facing fourth-and-12, Woolen picked up a taunting penalty that gifted Los Angeles a first down. On the next play, he surrendered a 34-yard touchdown to Puka Nacua down the left sideline.

Woolen apologized afterward and promised it won't happen again. Still, his traits could allow him to break out under a different scheme.

Woolen will look to avoid another "blackout" on Sunday against Maye, Diggs and the Patriots' offense.