Five notable NFL players who should stay put in free agency, five who should hit open market

Well, it's easy for me to say the guy should stay put; after all, it's not my money. As the best free-agent wide receiver in recent memory, Tee's poised to break the bank on the open market. You figure teams like the Broncos, Commanders and many more are looking to throw the bag at this 6-foot-4, 220-pound playmaker. But Higgins' situation in Cincinnati is just so perfect. Playing with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase has served him quite well to this point, so why not keep a good thing going? Injuries cost him five games this past season, and yet he still scored a career-high 10 touchdowns, so the individual production is there. And when you consider the Bengals are the only AFC team to have knocked the Chiefs out of the playoffs in recent years, Cincinnati offers the wideout plenty of team upside, too. If I'm in Tee's shoes, I re-up with the Bengals -- as long as they make a competitive offer. And I'm inclined to believe they will.

About to turn 34 years old, Mack likely has a ring mindset. In 2024, Los Angeles shocked the world -- or at least me -- by making the playoffs. It felt like the Chargers were ahead of schedule. Now, given Jim Harbaugh's track record of success, this team is firmly in its competitive window. So instead of doing the full Ohtani and joining a squad that's already reached the mountaintop -- yes, bitter Angels fan here -- why not stick it out with the Bolts? And for Los Angeles, you made the bold move for Harbaugh in order to get over the hump. With that in mind, you can't let guys like Khalil Mack walk.

I'm curious to see how this works out. I mean, Sam has an opportunity to cash in after a career season with the Vikings. He could end up going to a team that needs a quarterback and either doesn't like the top college prospects or doesn't draft high enough to get one. Think about the Titans, for instance. Sam goes to Tennessee, allowing the team to take edge monster Abdul Carter with the No.1 overall pick. Could be a winning approach. However, if I'm Darnold, I see if it's possible to stay in Minnesota. He just revived his career with Kevin O'Connell, and while J.J. McCarthy is waiting in the wings, there's no guarantee the second-year pro will be ready to take the reins after spending the 2024 season recovering from multiple knee surgeries. Running it back for another year could be best for all parties involved.

This one is tough. I thought the midseason trade for Cooper would be a major boon to Buffalo -- maybe it was the fantasy enthusiast in me wishcasting -- but the veteran wideout couldn't find a consistent role in the Bills' offense, catching just 10 passes over his last six games (playoffs included). With that in mind, I understand if he wants to bounce to another place. At the same time, he was a game away from the Super Bowl. Perhaps a full offseason with Josh Allen and the Bills could spark chemistry. Having played on some lackluster teams during his decade in the NFL, maybe Cooper wants to stay in a winning situation.

Last offseason, Sweat restructured his contract with the Eagles to play on a one-year deal for $10 million. That wound up being a steal for the team, as Sweat just capped off a stellar season with 2.5 sacks in Philadelphia's Super Bowl beatdown of Kansas City. So I totally understand if the 27-year-old wants to cash in while he's still in his prime. But selfishly, I'd really love to see him run it back with the Eagles, who could go back-to-back in 2025. Might be a pipe dream, but I could imagine the Eagles making it work. Philly is one of those organizations that always seems to get it right.

He's gone. There are going to be several teams out there looking to make Smith a very rich man, and the former sixth-round pick needs to take advantage of that. Chicago will be at the top of the list, and the connection to both Ryan Poles (Kansas City's executive director of player personnel when Smith was drafted) and Darnell Wright (Smith's college teammate at Tennessee) forms a good narrative. The Bears need offensive line help and they have a lot of money to spend this offseason.

Holland didn't enjoy his best season in 2024, but he's still going to be one of the most highly coveted defensive players available, especially considering he's only turning 25 years old in March. A versatile back-end weapon who's always been stout against the run, Holland has a lot to offer in an NFL that is trending back to the ground game. It's time for this safety to test the market.

Godwin had an abrupt and devastating end to his 2024 campaign -- dislocating his ankle in Week 7 -- but he still figures to garner plenty of interest on the open market. And following his injury, Tampa Bay was forced to turn the page, with rookie Jalen McMillan really coming on late last season. One team that could be a really nice fit for the well-rounded Godwin: the Rams.

After a number of injury-riddled seasons, Stanley started all 19 games (playoffs included) for the 2024 Ravens. Baltimore doesn't project to have a lot of cap space, and the soon-to-be 31-year-old tackle needs to cash in after a healthy campaign. This should be a very robust market for offensive linemen. Stanley could have many suitors, including teams like the Commanders, Bears and possibly the Chiefs.

Koonce suffered a season-ending knee injury just before the 2024 campaign kicked off, but he should be ready to go for the '25 season. If I were him, I'd take a one-year prove-it deal and look to re-enter the market next offseason, when he'll still be just 27. Sticking with the Raiders on such a deal is possible, sure, but I would like to choose a team closer to the Super Bowl. Make a run at a title and then make the move for BIG money in 2026.