New England Patriots

NFL free agency 2017: Best wide receivers available

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:50 p.m. ET

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It’s officially the offseason in the NFL, and here are the five best free agent wide receivers right now.

The premium placed on passing in the NFL has enhanced the profile of wide receivers, and set a lot of guys up to be paid beyond what their talent can back up. The New England Patriots are an example of a team that gets it done without a proverbial No. 1 wide receiver, but they are the exception and not the rule.

The Super Bowl is in the books, so it’s officially the NFL offseason. The start of the 2017 league year and free agency is almost exactly a month away, and player movement will keep the league in the news.

With all of that, based on our NFL free agent “Big Board” here at FanSided, these are the top five free agent wide receivers for 2017.

5. Kenny Stills

Stills finished third in the league in yards per catch in 2016 (17.3), and he set a career-high with nine touchdown catches. The Miami Dolphins would surely like to keep him, but fellow wide receiver Jarvis Landry is also in line for a new contract and they may have to pick one.

The Philadelphia Eagles may also go after Stills, who won’t even turn 25 until April, if he is allowed to hit the open market. If Stills wants a big money deal (and why wouldn’t he?) he’ll probably find one, but he may wind up being overpaid.

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4. Kenny Britt

Lost in the stark ineptitude of the Los Angeles Rams’ offense in 2016 was the first 1,000-yard season of Britt’s career, as he also set a career-high with 68 receptions. A head coaching change has led Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports to suggest “Jeff Fisher guys” like Britt will be allowed to leave in free agency, but without knowing a bit more it’s hard to definitely say Britt won’t be back with the Rams.

The Washington Redskins have already been rumored to have interest in Britt, and depending on some other free agent dominoes they could have a big role available for him. If nothing else, Britt now offers some intrigue based on what he could do with a more capable quarterback throwing him the ball.

Britt may just be a late bloomer, or 2016 will stand as his career year, but nearly eight years after he was drafted he still won’t turn 29 until September. There’s serious risk-reward for any teams with interest in Britt this offseason, and as a New Jersey native he may want to return to the East coast.

Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Michael Floyd

A DUI arrest led the Arizona Cardinals to waive Floyd in the middle of the season, and he landed with the New England Patriots. He played two regular season games and one playoff game, but Floyd was inactive for both the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl 51. There’s a not a lot to read into being out of uniform for the two biggest games of the season, as a need for more options at other positions is likely what left Floyd out of the mix.

Floyd has consistently underachieved since being drafted 13th overall by the Cardinals in 2012, and the strict DUI laws in Arizona has him facing the possibility of 180 days in jail. Those two factors will automatically limit Floyd’s free agent market, without adding in the real possibility of discipline from the league at the start of next season once the DUI case is resolved legally.

That being said, Floyd could also prove to be a remarkable value in free agency this offseason. At 27 years old he should have plenty of good seasons left, and with the hope of greater maturity off the field things could finally fully come together on the field. A one-year deal seems most likely for Floyd as he hits free agency, but the team that signs him will be betting on increased motivation at the low-point in his value.

Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

2. Alshon Jeffery

Jeffery had a poorly-timed down season in 2016, with 52 receptions for 821 yards and just two touchdowns over 12 games. Knee and hamstring issues early on were a factor, but the four games Jeffery missed were due to a performance-enhancing drug policy violation.

Jeffery has now only played 21 of 32 games over the last two seasons, and he played last season on the franchise tag. The Chicago Bears could tag him again this offseason if they want to, but letting Jeffery explore the free agent market seems far more likely as that franchise should undertake some sort of roster rebuild.

Jeffery’s talent level is undeniable when he’s healthy, as evidenced by back-to-back seasons with 80-plus catches and over 1,100 yards in 2013 and 2014 as a 23 and 24-year old. But staying healthy is of course the No. 1 question going forward, and that alone may keep Jeffery from getting as big a contract as he could in free agency.

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1. DeSean Jackson

Jackson led the league in yards per catch for the second time in three seasons in 2016 (17.9, tied with Chris Hogan), as he also topped 1,000 yards for the third time in the last four seasons. But, as has become typical of his career, Jackson inconsistency was on full display with five 100-yard games and seven games with three or fewer catches.

There has already been talk of Jackson going back to the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent this offseason, with rumors of mutual interest in that reunion. The Los Angeles Rams have also been mentioned as a team with possible interest in Jackson, since they would likely be in the market for a wide receiver and he is a Los Angeles native.

Jackson does not appear to be losing his downfield speed yet at 30 years old, but once that starts to go his production will essentially go away very quickly. A field stretcher with game-breaking ability has value on the free agent market, and thus puts Jackson at No. 1 on this list, but the now occasional one-catch for five yards game may become far more frequent as he enters his 30’s.