Where will Alec Pierce, the top wide receiver in NFL free agency, land? Which team will sign Stefon Diggs, who was informed of his release by the Patriots this week after he played in his first Super Bowl? What about five-time All-Pro Tyreek Hill? Or Bucs legend Mike Evans?
Here are the top 10 free-agent wide receivers and the team pairings that make the most sense:
Hill is 32, coming off a serious knee injury and has had the worst two-year stretch of his career. But if his medicals check out, a reunion with the Chiefs makes sense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes — recovering from a torn ACL of his own — needs more help at receiver. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy, who’s returning as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator after three years away, know how to use Hill, who would benefit from familiarity after a rough ending to his Dolphins tenure.
Tyreek Hill was a six-time Pro Bowler with the Chiefs before they traded him to Miami in 2022. Could he return to K.C. to team up with Patrick Mahomes (15) once again? (Tammy Ljungblad/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Evans has played his entire 12-year career with the Bucs, and it’d make sense for him to return to Tampa for a 13th. At 32 years old and coming off an eight-game season due to injuries, the veteran wideout may not get the kind of offers he feels like he deserves on the open market. And he’s long said that he wants to be a “Buc for life.”
Saints head coach Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier were both on the Chargers’ coaching staff in 2023, when Allen made his last Pro Bowl. And New Orleans desperately needs wide receiver help for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Outside of Chris Olave, who surpassed 1,100 yards receiving, the Saints didn’t have a wide receiver who finished the season on their roster reach the 300 yards mark.
The Titans desperately need quality, veteran receiver reinforcements around second-year QB Cam Ward. A strong option is Jennings, who had 1,618 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns over the past two seasons with the Niners. Signing with the Titans would mark a homecoming for Jennings, a Cowan, Tenn., native who went to high school roughly 30 minutes outside of Nashville and played his college ball at Tennessee.
Jauan Jennings breaks loose during the second half of San Francisco’s divisional round game against the Seahawks in January. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
New Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik was an assistant in San Francisco during Samuel’s first four seasons with the Niners (2019-22), including his first-team All-Pro campaign in 2021. Jaylen Waddle was the only Miami wide receiver to surpass 400 receiving yards last season, so Samuel could get plenty of touches in the Dolphins’ offense.
The Seahawks are reportedly prepared to let Shaheed hit free agency, but that could just be to get a proper feel for his market. Seattle gave up two middle-round picks for the Pro Bowl returner in November. It would be bad business to let him walk after just three months — especially after he delivered three special teams touchdowns en route to helping the Seahawks win their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
In Tennessee, Robinson would reunite with new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, his Giants head coach for the first 48 games of his career. Some of Daboll’s best NFL offenses have come when he’s had a dependable slot option, a role that Robinson could fill nicely for QB Cam Ward. A former second-round pick, Robinson has had 140 targets in back-to-back seasons.
The Jets need a WR2 alongside Garrett Wilson, and staying in the AFC East would allow Diggs to play the Patriots and Bills — two of his former teams — twice a year. A four-time Pro Bowler, Diggs went over 1,000 receiving yards in his lone season in New England.
Doubs has had to share targets throughout his career in Green Bay, but he’d have an opportunity to be a primary option with the 49ers, who have Jennings, Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore all hitting free agency. Star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) could also miss most or all of 2026.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen are firmly on the hot seat after last season’s collapse. So it’s not difficult to imagine Indianapolis finding a way to pay up for Pierce, a consistent, big-play threat and this year’s top free-agent receiver — even if it means giving him a deal upward of $30 million per year.
Pierce broke out last season as a favorite of Daniel Jones, who was given the transition tag by the Colts while the QB and the team work on a long-term deal. The Bills’ trade for Bears receiver DJ Moore on Thursday takes one potential suitor off the board for Pierce, who has led the NFL in yards per reception in back-to-back seasons.
