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Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers. Age: 25.
Le'Veon Bell is arguably the best running back in the NFL. He's a terrific runner, and he's also very dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield; he caught 75 passes in 2016. He'll also be just 25 in February. Ian Rapoport has reported that Bell will be franchised. -
Eric Berry, S, Chiefs. Age: 28.
It's astonishing that just recently, Eric Berry was battling for his life against cancer. Now, he's one of the top safeties in the NFL. Berry should continue to perform at an All-Pro level for at least four more years, as he just turned 28. -
Kevin Zeitler, G, Bengals. Age: 27.
Kevin Zeitler is one of the jewels of the 2017 NFL free agency class. He's been one of the top guards in the league over the past several seasons, possessing no weaknesses in his game. There's no reason for Zeitler to decline either, as he'll turn just 27 in March. -
Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Cardinals. Age: 27.
The Cardinals stole Chandler Jones away from the Patriots, and they'll be the clear winners of the trade if they manage to re-sign him. Jones is a stellar pass-rusher who routinely records double-digit sacks each year. He's only 27 in February, so he still has at least four seasons of high play remaining in the tank, so he deserves a huge contract. -
Kawann Short, DT, Panthers. Age: 28.
Kawann Short is an explosive defensive tackle who generates a great pass rush and also happens to be a force against the run. Short registered 11 sacks in 2015, a very high number for a defensive tackle, and while he didn't get to double digits last year, he was still an extremely potent player. -
Calais Campbell, DE/DT, Cardinals. Age: 31.
Calais Campbell is one of the top defensive linemen in the NFL. He's outstanding in every regard, placing tons of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and clamping down against the run. He would be a five-star free agent if he were a couple of years younger, but he turns 31 on the first day of September. -
T.J. Lang, G, Packers. Age: 29.
T.J. Lang missed some time with a foot injury this past season, but still performed as one of the top guards in the NFL. The one downside is that he'll turn 30 at the end of September, but interior linemen can usually play on a high level well into their mid-30s. -
Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, Chargers. Age: 28.
Melvin Ingram is a terrific edge rusher. He's collected close to 20 sacks over the past couple of years, and he's also a force against the run. He has about three more years of high-level play, so he's definitely deserving of a huge contract. -
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Giants. Age: 28.
Jason Pierre-Paul should be handed lots of praise for performing on a very high level despite his fireworks accident two summers ago. Pierre-Paul logged seven sacks in 12 games, but missed the end of the season when he needed hernia surgery. -
A.J. Bouye, CB, Texans. Age: 26.
A.J. Bouye came out of nowhere to have a Pro Bowl season for the Texans. Bouye was just a reserve/special-teamer prior to 2016, but he inexplicably turned into a shutdown cornerback. I'm hesitant to give him anything more than four stars because he could be a one-year wonder, but Bouye is set to earn a big contract this offseason. -
Jamie Collins, OLB, Browns. Age: 27.
Jamie Collins is an extremely talented linebacker with no physical liabilities. He excels the most in coverage, but can also blitz effectively and stop the run. The Patriots traded him because he clashed with the coaching staff, which is a concern, but Collins' overall talent makes up for that. -
Trumaine Johnson, CB, Rams. Age: 27.
Trumaine Johnson is an excellent cornerback who has about four more years remaining in his prime, given that he just turned 27. Johnson struggles to tackle, but he's phenomenal as a cover cornerback. -
Larry Warford, G, Lions. Age: 26.
Larry Warford had an injury-prone 2015 campaign, but he rebounded this past season, providing Matthew Stafford with some excellent blocking. Warford turns just 26 in June, so the sky is the limit for him. -
John Cyprien, S, Jaguars. Age: 27.
John Cyprien was a second-round pick in 2013 who had failed to live up to his billing - until this past season. Cyprien had an incredible 2016 campaign, as he performed as one of the top safeties in the NFL. Just 27 in July, Cyprien is going to receive a big contract if he's allowed to hit free agency. -
Tony Jefferson, S, Cardinals. Age: 25.
Tony Jefferson evolved into one of the better safeties in the NFL last season. Given that, as well as the fact that he turns just 25 at the end of January, Jefferson could be offered a huge contract this offseason. -
Brandon Williams, NT, Ravens. Age: 28.
Ozzie Newsome recently said that Brandon Williams is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL. Williams has played like it at times, though he had a bit of a down year in 2016. Still, he's a terrific, run-stuffing nose tackle. -
Chris Baker, DE/DT, Redskins. Age: 29.
Chris Baker was the lone bright spot on the Redskins' dismal defensive line this past year. He was a force against the run and also generated a good amount of pressure on the quarterback, collecting 4.5 sacks, which is a solid number for a player at his position. The downside is that Baker turns 30 in October, but he should be able to play on a high level for at least two more years. -
Logan Ryan, CB, Patriots. Age: 26.
Logan Ryan struggled to start the 2016 campaign, but bounced back and performed on a very high level once again down the stretch. Ryan has been great the past two years, and he's only 26 in February, so he should be able to play well for quite a while. -
Andrew Whitworth, OT, Bengals. Age: 35.
Andrew Whitworth would be rated at five stars if it weren't for his age. He's been one of the top left tackles in the NFL for a very long time. However, he just turned 35 and could begin to decline at some point in the near future. -
Terrelle Pryor, WR, Browns. Age: 28.
Terrelle Pryor didn't quite reach Charles Woodson's projected 1,800-yardage mark, but he established himself as a dynamic weapon and a legitimate No. 1 receiver in the NFL. Pryor is still learning the position and had to deal with pedestrian quarterbacks all year, so he could be even better in the next couple of seasons. -
Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins. Age: 29.
Kirk Cousins is very difficult to grade. Sometimes he plays like a 4.5-star player; over the past two years, he has thrown for 54 touchdowns and just 23 interceptions, completing 68 percent of his passes in the process. However, Cousins occasionally performs like a street free agent, melting down at the worst times possible. The Redskins have a very difficult decision to make regarding his contract, and I have to say that I'm happy I'm not in their shoes. -
Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears. Age: 27.
Alshon Jeffery is a very talented, big receiver, but he hasn't been able to stay on the field. Whether it's an injury or a PED-related suspension, the Bears haven't been able to trust him very much. The silver lining is that Chicago might be able to retain him at a reduced rate. -
Johnathan Hankins, NT, Giants. Age: 25.
Johnathan Hankins is coming off a down year, perhaps because he never recovered from a torn pectoral. Hankins is a very talented defensive tackle who generates pressure on opposing quarterbacks and stuffs the run effectively when healthy. -
Dontari Poe, NT, Chiefs. Age: 27.
Dontari Poe had one of the worst seasons in his career in 2016, thanks to a back injury. Poe is still a monstrous presence in the interior of the defensive line, and he'll only be 27 in August. -
Stephon Gilmore, CB, Bills. Age: 26.
Stephon Gilmore had been an excellent cornerback heading into 2016, but he struggled last year. It's unclear why he regressed, but it's likely that he'll rebound. He's only 26, so it's not like he has a declining skill set, or anything.
