Age: 27 | FA Position Rank: No. 2 Safety

Key 2023 Stats: 2 INTs, 7 passes defensed, 109 tackles

Analysis: Kyle Dugger was a jack-of-all-trades in the secondary for the Patriots, bouncing between the box, slot and deep safety. While the movable safety can get overmatched because of size, especially in the box, that is no concern for the 6-foot-2, 222-pound frame on Dugger. He fit well in New England, partly because of how often the Patriots went to dime personnel, but Dugger can fit anywhere and would be a plus fitting into any defensive scheme.

Age: 26 | FA Position Rank: No. 1 Center

Key 2023 Stats: 9 starts

Analysis: Connor Williams could be higher on this list if not for a torn ACL suffered in December. After his injury, the Dolphins struggled to run the ball and missed Williams’ ability to get into space on many of their run plays. Williams has been a good center for the Cowboys and Dolphins, two very different systems, and will only turn 27 in May.

Age: 30 | FA Position Rank: No. 3 OT

Key 2023 Stats: 8 starts

Analysis: Trent Brown is massive (370 pounds) and can use that size to stand up pass rushers and immediately stop them in their tracks. That can become a slight issue against speedy and bendy pass rushers, especially on third down, where Brown allowed a 10.3 percent pressure rate instead of 2.7 percent on first and second down. He’ll be 31 in April, so his speed could continue to be an issue.

Age: 30 | FA Position Rank: No. 5 SAF

Key 2023 Stats: 53 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 3 INTs, 8 PBUs

Analysis: Justin Simmons has been a second-team All-Pro safety in four of the past five seasons and in each of the past three. He still has the versatility to move around the back end of the defense and make impact plays, where he has 53 passes defensed during the past five years. Over the past two seasons, he’s played more in the slot and as a single-high safety, adding to his roles. The main hang-up is his age — he’ll be 31 in November — but he’s yet to show signs of completely slowing down.

Age: 30 | FA Position Rank: No. 6

Key 2023 Stats: 36 tackles, 1 INT, 12 PBUs

Analysis: 2023 wasn’t a great season for Xavien Howard. He ranked 76th among 150 qualified cornerbacks in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap while he played 13 games. Despite two interceptions over the past two seasons, Howard still has ball skills, with 12 passes defensed in the past two seasons. Howard turns 31 years old in July, which is concerning for an outside corner, but there are enough instincts here to return value on a short-term deal for a team that needs help in the secondary.

Age: 31 | FA Position Rank: No. 7 CB

Key 2023 Stats: 4 INTs, 12 passes defensed, 48 solo tackles

Analysis: Steven Nelson is a veteran corner who arguably played his best ball in 2023 — while playing the fifth-most coverage snaps of any corner. Across from Derek Stingley, Nelson was 23rd in adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap, and he tied a career-high with four interceptions. Nelson also reached double-digit passes defensed for the first time since 2018. While he just turned 31, he can continue to be an effective zone corner as he ages.

Age: 28 | FA Position Rank: No. 5 OG

Key 2023 Stats: 11 starts, 19 total points (53rd of 80 qualifying OGs)

Analysis: Dalton Risner surprisingly had to wait for an opportunity to join the Vikings after the regular season started, but once he was in the lineup, he remained a plus guard, especially in pass protection. He was ninth among interior linemen in pass block win rate and didn't allow a sack. He has some uncharacteristic struggles in run blocking — a 3.2 percent blown block rate as opposed to a 1.4 one the year before — but not much about Minnesota's run game worked in 2023.

Age: 37 | FA Position Rank: No. 6 iDL

Key 2023 Stats: 6.5 sacks, 10 TFL, 17 QB hits

Analysis: Here’s hoping Calais Campbell plays forever. At 37, Campbell led the Falcons in pressures. That says a lot about the Falcons but also about Campbell, who continues to overpower offensive linemen as he did in his prime. His 17 quarterback hits were his most since 2019, and he can still defend the run. His average tackle was under a yard past the line of scrimmage. He played 86 percent of his snaps on the edge in 2023 but is probably better suited to split his time between there and the interior as he did in Jacksonville.

Age: 33 | FA Position Rank: No. 8 CB

Key 2023 Stats: 2 INTs, 54 solo tackles, 13 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble

Analysis: There was a lot of good from Stephon Gilmore after the 33-year-old veteran's trade to the Cowboys. He continued to be sticky in man coverage, which he played at a high rate, but he was also susceptible to some big plays in both man and zone coverage. He was 99th in yards allowed per coverage snap while he was targeted often because opposing offenses eventually stopped throwing at pick-6 machine DaRon Bland. Still, Gilmore showed off his high-level traits that should continue to age well.

Age: 30 | FA Position Rank: No. 5 OT

Key 2023 Stats: 12 starts

Analysis: Donovan Smith has been serviceable on the right side of Kansas City’s offensive line and has mostly stayed away from the penalties that plagued others on the line. His four holding penalties and one false start aren’t perfect, but they pale in comparison to Jawaan Taylor’s. Smith can also be a solid pass protector early in the down and was 17th among tackles in pass block win rate. He was, however, 51st in pressure rate allowed, which partly came about while having to hold up on extended plays.

Age: 31 | FA Position Rank: No. 8 WR

Key 2023 Stats: 35 receptions, 565 receiving yards, 3 TDs

Analysis: Odell Beckham Jr.’s $15 million price tag was flashy, and the Ravens probably overpaid. But Beckham was good last season when he was on the field. He was 31st in yards per route run and had 10 receptions of 20 or more yards. There were times when he looked like the player of old making big plays out of slants, but his burst to turn those slants into touchdowns was no longer there. Beckham faded down the stretch, but he can still flash high-level play from all over the field. He could be a better receiver with room to work in the slot; he had 2.62 yards per route run on limited snaps.

Age: 26 | FA Position Rank: No. 9 CB

Key 2023 Stats: 65 solo tackles, 7 TFL, 7 passes defensed, 1 INT

Analysis: Myles Bryant was 13th in yards per coverage snap when he was in the slot. He’s done a little bit of everything in the Patriots' defense. In 2023 alone, he played 64 percent of his snaps in the slot, 20 percent outside and 11 percent at safety. He can be versatile in coverage and aggressive downhill. Bryant had four tackles for loss against the run, which tied for eighth among defensive backs. His seven total tackles for loss tied for fifth.

Age: 25 | FA Position Rank: No. 9 Safety

Key 2023 Stats: 4 INTs, 65 solo tackles, 8 passes defensed, 5 TFL

Analysis: Julian Blackmon started his career as a true rangy single-high safety but has moved down to the box over the past two seasons. Putting Blackmon closer to the ball has helped as he was an effective tackler with five tackles for loss and still set a career-high with eight passes defensed. Blackmon tore his Achilles in the middle of 2021, and it looks like he has his quickness back. He still has that single-high safety agility in his bag, making him an asset for any type of defense.

Age: 27 | FA Position Rank: No. 13 EDGE

Key 2023 Stats: 10 solo tackles, 8 TFL, 3 sack, 17 pressures

Analysis: After barely getting on the field over the first half of the season with the Eagles, Derek Barnett had 11 quarterback hits in six regular season games with the Texans. His pressure rates in Houston would have been among the best at the position over an entire season. He also had seven tackles for loss against the run. Barnett never reached his full potential with Philadelphia, but his stretch of production in Houston could give a team hope that a true breakout is coming.

Age: 26 | FA Position Rank: No. 9 iDL

Key 2023 Stats: 15 solo tackles, 8 TFL, 1 sack, 10 pressures

Analysis: The Titans released Teair Tart midseason despite playing pretty well inside as a run defender. Tart’s seven tackles for loss against the run ranked tied for sixth among all defensive linemen and that was only from the 11 games he played with Tennessee. He’s not an explosive pass rusher, but Tart can take on double teams, blow through guards and read runs to blow up rushing plays as the nose or a three-technique.

Age: 33 | FA Position Rank: No. 11 Safety

Key 2023 Stats: 28 solo tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs

Analysis: Micah Hyde missed most of 2022 with a neck injury and missed some time as the neck acted up occasionally in 2023. His role shifted upon his return for 2023. He was good in his normal safety duties while needing to fill in some holes around other injuries; Hyde played more in the slot than in previous seasons with the Bills. That didn’t quite suit Hyde, especially as a 33-year-old, but he won’t be expected to play the slot again, even if he re-signs with the Bills. It doesn’t appear like a return is in the cards, though, and retirement could be on the table.

Age: 29 | FA Position Rank: No. 11 WR

Key 2023 Stats: 67 receptions, 667 yards, 2 TDs

Analysis: Few players have thrived in the slot more than Tyler Boyd during his tenure with the Bengals. With Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins out wide, Boyd has had plenty of space in the middle of the field because, despite his bigger frame (6-foot-2), he’s shifty and can get open. His production has dropped in the past three seasons — just 1.16 yards per route run this year — and he’ll turn 30 in November.