As NFL free agency approaches, talent is only part of the equation.
For teams looking to upgrade their roster, medical history will play a major role in how several notable players are valued on the open market. Some are coming off major surgeries. Others have missed significant time in recent seasons or carry durability questions that could affect contract length, guarantees and overall demand.
Below is a position-by-position look at key NFL free agents with injury concerns, listed with offense first and defense second.
Offensive free agents with injury concerns
Quarterbacks
Malik Willis
Willis dealt with shoulder and hamstring issues late in the 2025 season, creating some concern for teams evaluating him as a developmental option or backup.
Daniel Jones
Jones is coming off a torn Achilles suffered late in the 2025 season, one of the most significant injuries of any quarterback entering the market.
Kirk Cousins
Cousins continues to be evaluated through the lens of his recovery from a major Achilles injury, even after returning to play.
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers remains a health-risk evaluation because of his age, recent Achilles history and additional wear-and-tear concerns over the past two seasons.
Marcus Mariota
Mariota finished 2025 dealing with hand and quad issues, adding to a longer history of injuries that teams will have to weigh.
Running backs
Kenneth Walker III
Walker’s most recent notable concern was a foot injury, and his durability will remain part of any team’s long-term projection.
Breece Hall (FT)
Hall, who was franchise tagged, dealt with a knee issue late in 2025, while his previous ACL recovery still factors into his overall injury profile.
Wide receivers
Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed had a significant meniscus injury in 2024 and has also dealt with other lower-body concerns, making his health a key storyline.
Mike Evans
Evans suffered a broken collarbone during the 2025 season and also dealt with a concussion and hamstring issues.
Deebo Samuel
Samuel remains one of the league’s most dynamic players when healthy, but his history of soft-tissue injuries continues to follow him.
Jauan Jennings
Jennings has played a physical brand of football and enters the market with a reputation as a productive but hard-used receiver.
Tight ends
Kyle Pitts (FT)
Pitts dealt with knee-related concerns during 2025 and continues to carry injury questions despite his elite athletic upside.
Isaiah Likely
Likely had a foot injury that required surgery and later dealt with additional lower-body issues during the year.
Dallas Goedert
Goedert missed time with a knee injury late in the season and has a history of missing stretches because of various ailments.
Darren Waller
Waller’s recent seasons have been defined by repeated injury interruptions, which continue to cloud his value.
David Njoku
Njoku dealt with a knee injury late in 2025 and has continued to battle durability concerns despite his talent.
Offensive line
Alijah Vera-Tucker
Vera-Tucker missed the 2025 season with a torn triceps and has now stacked multiple significant injuries over the past few years.
Isaac Seumalo
Seumalo remains a dependable veteran, but age and accumulated wear on an interior lineman will be part of his evaluation.
Braden Smith
Smith is coming off a neck injury, one of the more concerning health red flags for an offensive lineman.
Wyatt Teller
Teller continues to be a tough, high-level run blocker, but recent injury interruptions may affect his market.
Braxton Jones
Jones is trying to regain momentum after multiple injury setbacks over the past two seasons.
Defensive free agents with injury concerns
Edge rushers and defensive linemen
Jaelan Phillips
Phillips carries one of the most serious injury profiles in this class after suffering both a torn Achilles and a partially torn ACL in recent seasons.
Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson is coming off a core-muscle injury that required surgery, a notable concern for one of the top pass rushers available.
Kwity Paye
Paye has flashed upside, but teams will still review his recent injury history before making a long-term commitment.
Joey Bosa
Bosa remains a high-end talent, but repeated lower-body injuries have become a major part of his free-agent profile.
Bradley Chubb
Chubb returned from a serious knee injury, but teams will still study whether he can consistently return to his previous form.
Malcolm Koonce
Koonce’s recent ACL tear remains the biggest medical issue tied to his market.
Sheldon Rankins
Rankins has dealt with both injury and illness-related setbacks in recent seasons, adding complexity to his evaluation.
DJ Reader
Reader’s injury history includes another significant quad issue, which will likely affect how teams structure any offer.
Linebackers
Devin Lloyd
Lloyd dealt with a calf injury in 2025, and teams will look closely at whether it becomes a recurring issue.
Nakobe Dean
Dean is working back from a torn patellar tendon, one of the more difficult injuries for any defender to overcome.
Devin Bush
Bush has a history that includes a torn ACL and additional shoulder and groin issues, making him a risk-reward option.
Defensive backs
Jamel Dean
Dean missed time with a shoulder injury and continues to carry durability concerns entering free agency.
Jaquan Brisker
Brisker’s concussion history remains the biggest medical concern attached to his name.
Cor'Dale Flott
Flott ended the 2025 season on injured reserve with a knee injury, which could affect his market value.
Greg Newsome II
Newsome dealt with a knee issue during the 2025 season and enters free agency with some health questions.
Kader Kohou
Kohou missed the 2025 season with a torn ACL, making his recovery a major point of interest for interested teams.
Trevon Diggs
Diggs returned from another knee-related issue late in the 2025 season and still carries a significant injury history.
Bottom line
This free-agent class includes plenty of proven talent, but several of the biggest names come with real medical questions.
Players such as Daniel Jones, Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Trey Hendrickson and Kader Kohou will likely face the most scrutiny because of the severity of their recent injuries. Others, including Mike Evans, Joey Bosa, Dallas Goedert and Jamel Dean, may still attract strong interest but could see teams prefer shorter deals, lower guarantees or incentive-heavy structures.
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