NFL Free Agents Who Could Blow Up on New Teams in 2025

It's never too early to start talking NFL free agency.

With just four teams remaining in Super Bowl contention, it's the offseason for nearly 90 percent of the league anyway.

With that in mind, here's a January look at a handful of impending free agents who could explode and make tremendous impacts elsewhere in 2025.

There were signs.

Not enough of 'em for him to hold off Russell Wilson during a resurgent season for the veteran future Hall of Famer, but Justin Fields flashed his incredibly deep and unique athletic ability during a stronger-than-many-expected early-2024 run with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 2021 No. 11 overall pick threw just one interception on 161 attempts and posted a career-best passer rating of 93.3 while helping the Steelers win four of the six games he started.

Maybe Fields will never be a classically elite quarterback, but in the right environment he could absolutely work as a game-changing offensive weapon on a consistent basis.

Imagine him in a special role with the Vikings, for example?

Y'all see what Saquon Barkley just did when he was finally free of the New York Giants offense? I'm not saying Darius Slayton is another Barkley, but the guy truly has the game-breaking ability to excel to a whole other degree in an offense that is even remotely capable and consistent.

The 28-year-old Slayton still managed to go over 700 yards four times in a six-year run with the G-Men. It's possible that run isn't over, but considering the state of the Giants at the quarterback position, he'd be smart to get out of town as a free agent in 2025.

Slayton has averaged at least 14.5 yards per reception in five of his six seasons, and he's a veteran leader whose abilities span well beyond the threat he poses as a deep target.

I'm imagining him with Justin Herbert and the Chargers in '25. That would be juicy.

In 2023, Will Fries looked to be on track to become an All-Pro guard. Then, he fractured his tibia five weeks into the 2024 campaign, hurting his chances to continue to flourish but also likely costing him plenty of cash on the free-agent market.

The good news is the 26-year-old former seventh-round pick should be healthy enough to contribute in 2025 for whoever is willing to take a small chance on him in free agency.

Dude was the top-rated qualified right guard in the NFL by Pro Football Focus before that injury occurred, and that was no fluke considering how consistently effective he was throughout his breakout '23 season.

Fries isn't some sort of model athlete, but he's versatile, tough and consistently reliable. He rarely makes a glaring mistake, and it might only be a matter of time before that pays off in the form of him becoming a perennial Pro Bowler in Indianapolis or elsewhere.

A September knee injury cost Malcolm Koonce what very well could have been a breakout 2024 season for the Raiders, but the 2021 third-round pick will have had plenty of recovery time before his next team (or Las Vegas, if it brings him back) needs him in 2025.

The now-26-year-old posted six sacks, eight quarterback hits and two forced fumbles in the final four games of the 2023 campaign, which could be a major sign of things to come.

He's slightly undersized but with clear-cut playmaking skills.

If Koonce's 2024 injury keeps him under the radar this offseason, somebody could benefit greatly with an especially strong return on their investment in him in 2025 and beyond.

We've seen just how awesome Talanoa Hufanga can be.

As a fifth-round sophomore in 2022, he was a first-team All-Pro with four interceptions, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Injuries have marred his last two campaigns, which is why he'll likely have to accept a short-term, moderately priced deal somewhere as a free agent in the 2025 offseason.

The 25-year-old is tough and explosive and has serious ball skills. He just needs to stay healthy and well-supported, which is easier said than done but certainly within the realm of possibility for him to blow up next year.