Bama in the NFL, Week 13 Tracker: 5 Biggest Free Agents For 2025 Season

How to keep track and watch former Alabama players with the Ultimate Bama in the NFL database.

NFL Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The NFL season has hit the holidays, which means it's time for teams to start locking down playoff spots and/or start putting their plan for 2025 into action. For a lot of players it's a crucial time, especially those who are about to see their contracts expire.

Playing through a contract year is always risky for both sides, as the gap between a team liking a player and being impressed enough to use up significant space under the salary cap can be vast. Wrong moves can hurt teams not only for the next season, but have lasting impacts.

With that in mind, a number of players in the Alabama Crimson Tide community are due to be free agents at the end of the 2024-25 season. In some cases, it's pretty easy to tell that their current teams are interested in re-signing them, but in others the players are clearly better off seeing what's available in the open market.

Note that we're not including a notable player in the following list of Alabama's five biggest free agents for 2025, Mac Jones. When the Jaguars added him to the roster to back up Trevor Lawrence they didn't pick up the fifth-year option off his rookie contract, which would have cost $25.7 million. Instaad, he's playing for his base salary of $2.79 million.

What'll define his market is whether a team decides to give him a shot as a starter, although right now that doesn't seem likely, Instead, he'll probably take an incentive-filled offer or land behind a veteran who may be near the end of his career. Either way, the former first-round draft pick will likely be a backup again heading into next season.

1. Najee Harris

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) carries the ball against Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Steelers gambled when they didn't execute the fifth-year option on the 2021 first-round selection, which would have cost about $7 million this season and given them time to work out a long-term deal. Najee Harris expressed his disappointment, but then went back to work and is now poised to be one of the top players in free agency. He had three 100-yard rushing games during the Steelers' recent five-game winning streak. The more he can move up the leaderboard for rushing yards (Harris is 13th heading into Thanksgiving weekend), the more he can potentially make.

2. Ryan Kelly

Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly (78) warms up Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, before a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Robert Scheer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ryan Kelly was looking to extend his contract during the offseason but the Colts said no thanks. He's the longest tenured player on the roster, playing his ninth year with the team, during which he's anchored the line and been named to four Pro Bowls. However, Kelly is 31 and on the injured list due to a knee issue (his calf has been bothering him as well). Rookie Tanor Bortolini, who was drafted a possible replacement, is essentially getting an extended tryout at the position to show what he can do.

3. Jedrick Wills Jr.

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jedrick Wills Jr. has missed three of the last four games with another injury to his right knee. It's a new injury on the he same knee on which he had arthroscopic surgery last December. There's some growing stress with the team, though, because despite practicing Wills said he doesn't feel healthy enough to play in a game and at one point called it a "business decision." The team responded by benching him aftert making 57 starts. Wills told reports he still likes being in Cleveland but: "I like wherever I'm wanted," he said. "You know what I mean?"

4. Amari Cooper

Nov 17, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) makes a catch in front of Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It wouldn't be surprising if Buffalo's performance in the playoffs decides Amari Cooper's future. He's played in three games with the Bills, with seven catches for124 yards and a touchdown, which is not enough time to make a good assessment, although one of them was against the Chiefs. The Bills only gave up a 2025 third- and 2026 seventh-round draft pick to Cleveland for Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round selection (from Detroit), with an eye toward a playoff run. If they make one, the chances of the 30-year-old being offered an extension could grow dramatically.

5. Cam Robinson

Nov 10, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) battles against Minnesota Vikings tackle Cam Robinson (74) in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

What starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw was lost for the season due to a knee injury in October, the Minnesota Vikings quickly acted and traded for Cam Robinson. Despite being 29, he had made 91 career starts for the Jaguars and twice had the franchise tag. The Vikings only gave up a 2026 fifth-round draft pick that can escalate to a fourth-round selection depending on playing time, and he suffered a foot injury last week, but Robinson's proabbly going to have some interesting options for 2025.

NFL Week 13 Tracker

For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our Bama in the NFL Week 13 Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded.

Game of the Week

We don't want to pick the Ravens again, but let's face it there's a lot of bad games this week. Outside of Philadelphia (9-2) at Baltimore (8-4), there's only two games between teams with winning records, Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Atlanta (6-5), and Arizona (6-5) at Minnesota (9-2). The four holiday games, including the Black Friday game, include two teams that are 2-9, and two that are 4-7. Rain and snow is in the forecast for a good part of the nation, which can make for lousy traveling but entertaining football. In addition to the game featuring the league's two leading rushers in Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry (who were both signed as free agents this season), it'll have a bunch of key former Alabama players including Maron Humphrey and Jalyn Armour-Davis for the Ravens, and Jalen Hurts, Landon Dickerson, DeVonta Smith, Eli Ricks, and Anthony Steen (Byron Young is injured) with the Eagles.

Best Matchup

Tua Tagovailoa vs. cold weather. He's 0-7 record when the temperature is 40 degrees or colder, and 0-6 when playing in freezing conditions. The weather forecast in Green Bay on Thursday night is for snow showers and the temperature to drop to around 20 degrees. The quarterback has been training to be more effective in cold-weather games, but the Packers are coming off a 38-10 victory at Lambeau Field against depleted San Francisco. "Yeah, I mean I’m excited to kill narratives, so let’s go," Tagovailoa said after the 34-15 victory against the New England Patriots on Sunday per Miami Dolphins On SI. "Bring it on." However, the temperature for that game in Miami at kickoff was 77. Tagovailoa completed 29 of 40 attempts (72.5 percent) for 317 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 128.9 rating to lead the lead in touchdown passes and passer rating last week. For that he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time. Finally, Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions.

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Crimson Tide's Impact in NFL Nothing Short of Immense

Bama in the NFL: Week 13 Notes

• Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs got a lot of attention with two touchdown celebrations during Detroit's 24-6 victory at Indianapolis. The first, a tribute to Allen Iverson with his "step-over" celebration, was popular over social media. The other resulted in a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct for taunted Colts defender Samuel Womack III as he walked into the end zone. Meanwhile, Gibbs and David Montgomery became the first pair of running back teammates with at least 10 rushing touchdowns each in consecutive seasons in NFL history. The only other running back teammates to do so with scrimmage TDs were the legendary Paul Hornung andJim Taylor in 1960-61 with the Packers.

• Speaking of the Packers, when Josh Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers he became the fourth player since 2000 with at least 800 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in each of his first six career seasons, joining Ezekiel Elliott, Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson. With 944 rushing yards, he needs just 56 yards more to reach 1,000 for the fourth time in his career.

• Player to watch this week, part I: Jaylen Waddle. He's coming off having eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots last week. He had five receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown the last time he faced the Packers.

• Player to watch this week, part II: Will Anderson Jr. He had two sacks last week and has notched one in four of his last five games. Remember that thing about the Jaguars trading away left tackle Robinson?

• Player to watch this week, part III: Quinnen Williams. He had season-high seven tackles, including two for a loss and a sack, in Week 11. He's heating up as it's his fourth straight game with a tackle for a loss, and has a sack in three of his last four games. The Jets are coming off a bye, while the Seahawks have to travel coast-to-coast.
  

How to Watch: NFL Schedule Week 13

Thursday's Games

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 11:30 a.m., CBS
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, 3:30 p.m., Fox
Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Friday's Game

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs, 2 p.m., Amazon

Sunday's Games

Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons, noon, CBS
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, noon, CBS
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars, noon, Fox
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings, noon, Fox
Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots, noon, CBS
Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets, noon, Fox
Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders, noon, CBS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, 3 p.m., Fox
Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints, 3 p.m., Fox
Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 3:25 p.m., CBS
San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Monday's Game

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

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