2026 NFL Free Agency: Top landing spots for the five best cornerbacks

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Season-long insights. Get 25% off PFF+ with code DRAFT. All NFL - current Fantasy College NFL Draft DFS Betting 2026 NFL Free Agency: Top landing spots for the five best cornerbacks By Mason Cameron
Posted Feb 19, 2026 6:00 am EST The Rams could find consistency with Jamel Dean: Having never produced a season with a PFF coverage grade below 72.0, Dean profiles as one of the game’s stalwart cornerbacks on the outside. Tariq Woolen’s tools should entice the Eagles: Although reckless at times, Woolen possesses unmatched measurables for a cornerback. He produced the second-highest lockdown percentage (65%) in the NFL this past season. 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

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Mock Draft Simulator 2026 NFL Draft Big Board Big Board Builder NCAA Premium Stats Subscribe As NFL franchises evaluate and reload their rosters this offseason, we're identifying key pieces at each position and plugging them into teams based on scheme and usage. 

Here are the best fits for each of the top five free-agent cornerbacks of the 2026 NFL offseason.

For more data on the 2026 free-agent class, check out the PFF free-agent rankings.

Jamel Dean Best Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams PFF Free-Agent Ranking: 5 As highlighted by PFF analyst Dalton Wasserman in his look at free agent fits, the Rams’ coverage efficiency plummeted late in the year, a significant contributing factor to their inability to reach the Super Bowl. From Week 13 onward, Los Angeles ranked 23rd in yards per attempt allowed (7.6) and 19th in explosive pass percentage allowed (15.1%). Over that span, none of the Rams' cornerbacks with at least 75 coverage snaps earned a PFF coverage grade above 52.0, presenting a clear need for the defense. 

Dean, having never produced a season with a PFF coverage grade below 72.0, profiles as one of the game’s stalwart cornerbacks on the outside, with his 86.9 outside PFF coverage grade over the past three seasons ranking in the 94th percentile. His instincts in zone coverage earned him the fifth-highest zone PFF coverage grade (85.9) among cornerbacks this past season, making him an excellent fit for a zone-heavy Rams defense. 

Jamel Dean Outside CB Metrics (2023-2025)

Jaylen Watson Best Landing Spot: New York Jets PFF Free-Agent Ranking: 21 The Jets are staring down the barrel of a defensive rebuild after trading away two franchise cornerstones: defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner. The coverage unit is in particular need of investment after the team ranked 31st in PFF coverage grade (32.2) and last in the NFL in EPA per dropback allowed. A complete overhaul doesn’t happen overnight but, rather, piece by piece, and this signing would go a long way toward that improvement.

Watson is a savvy cornerback with athletic traits to match, a combination that makes him formidable in press-man. His 76.2 man PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons ranks second among all cornerbacks with at least 100 snaps with man responsibilities. That would provide the Jets with a plug-and-play starter on the outside for head coach Aaron Glenn’s man-heavy coverage philosophy. 

Tariq Woolen Best Landing Spot: Philadelphia Eagles PFF Free-Agent Ranking: 46 The outside CB2 position was a weak link for the Eagles' secondary in 2025. Adoree' Jackson struggled, earning a 54.1 PFF coverage grade while being targeted on 18% of his coverage snaps, the third-highest rate among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps this past season. 

Elite coverage play helped pave the way for the Eagles' run to the Super Bowl in 2024, and this potential signing presents an opportunity to again reach those heights.

Although reckless at times, Woolen possesses unmatched measurables for a cornerback, ranking in the top percentile in height (6-foot-4), arm length (34 inches) and speed (4.26-second 40-yard dash). Those tools helped him produce the second-highest lockdown percentage (65%) in the NFL this past season. Those are traits that would fit well into Vic Fangio’s scheme and elevate the Eagles' coverage unit to championship caliber once again.

Lockdown Rate Leaders in 2025 Mike Hilton Best Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings PFF Free-Agent Ranking: 58 Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a reputation for running the most aggressive, blitz-heavy defenses in the NFL. That scheme requires multifaceted cornerback play, particularly in the slot, where the Vikings frequently deploy Byron Murphy Jr. Although talented, Murphy struggled inside in 2025, ranking in the sixth percentile in slot PFF coverage grade (49.3). Adding a full-time slot cornerback to better fill out the roster would allow Murphy to remain outside, where he’s far more effective.   

While Mike Hilton saw limited time on the field in 2025, his overall profile suggests he has far more to contribute in the right situation. Hilton could step in and man the slot role to a high level, evidenced by his 76.3 slot PFF coverage grade since the start of 2023 — the seventh-highest mark in the NFL over that span.

Additionally, the veteran cornerback could be used as a versatile weapon in blitz packages, as he has been in previous stops with the Bengals and Steelers, with whom he generated seven or more pressures in each full season of his career. 

Asante Samuel Jr. Best Landing Spot: New Orleans Saints PFF Free-Agent Ranking: 72 After dealing with a neck injury for the entirety of his career, Samuel underwent successful surgery in April. He signed with Pittsburgh once healthy and proved he can still play at a high level, earning a 70.1 PFF overall grade in 2025. Now a free agent, the 26-year-old cornerback can navigate the market for a solid opportunity to reestablish himself. One enticing franchise that should pick up the phone is the Saints, pairing Samuel with his former coach and current Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

Under Staley, Samuel enjoyed the best seasons of his career, earning 75.0-plus PFF coverage grades as a starter in both 2022 and 2023. 

While the Saints aren’t in dire need of outside cornerback help, with young players Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley already in the fold, Samuel would be a high-upside, cost-effective depth option as New Orleans navigates Alontae Taylor’s expiring contract and Isaac Yiadom‘s potential release.

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