NFL Analysis
1/6/25
6 min read
2025 NFL Free Agency: Franchise Stars Who Have Played Their Last Down With Current Team
The playoffs are set for the 2024 NFL season, but some star players have potentially played their last down for their respective teams.
It's becoming increasingly rare in the NFL to see one player spend their entire career with one franchise. The only two players in the league to play at least 15 seasons with one franchise are Brandon Graham with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks.
A few players have been stars for their respective franchises during the last few seasons but could have already played their final snaps for their teams with the 2024 regular season completed.
Stars Who Could Move in 2025 NFL Offseason
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins 
Unlike the other players on this list, Tyreek Hill didn't spend his entire career with one team. Still, his impact in Miami during the last few seasons has turned the franchise around.
In three seasons with the Dolphins, Hill was a two-time first-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler. He amassed 319 catches for 4,468 yards and 26 touchdowns in that three-year span, and his 3.85 yards per route run in 2023 was the highest of any player over the last decade.
Unfortunately, Hill has made it clear that he's ready to move on.
"For me, I just have to do what's best for me and my family -- if that's here or wherever the case may be. I'm about to open up that door for myself," Hill told reporters after Sunday's game. "I'm out, bruh. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I have to do what's best for my career."
Hill will turn 31 years old this offseason, and his top-end play speed is bound to fall off sooner rather than later. Either way, it seems like the star wideout is ready to take on a challenge with a different team, and the Dolphins might have no choice but to move on from him.
Offseason Trade Destinations for Tyreek Hill
Nick Chubb leads the NFL in 20+ yard running plays in 2022-2023. Here are all 13 runs by the Cleveland Browns stud running back.#NFLFantasy #NFLFootball #Football #NFLStudy #Highlights pic.twitter.com/Qj4yiR2TzS
— NFL Film Study (@NFLFilmStudy) January 7, 2023
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
After such an exciting start to his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, Nick Chubb's time with the team that drafted him could be coming to an end.
The Browns took Chubb in the second round in 2018, and he quickly became a star. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2022, but a devastating leg injury just two games into the 2023 season kept him off of the field until the second half of this season.
Even when Chubb was back, he didn't look like the same player he used to be. The 29-year-old running back averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in eight games this season after averaging at least 5.0 YPC in every other season of his NFL career.
Chubb will be hitting free agency this year, and while he likely won't have a hot market for his services this offseason, the Browns will have trouble keeping their veteran running back around, given their cap constraints with Deshaun Watson still under contract.
GM Andrew Berry kept it vague when asked about Chubb's future but mentioned that he'll be a Ring of Honor player for Cleveland. That comment suggests that his time with the Browns has likely come to an end.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals likely want to keep Tee Higgins, but it's unlikely that they'll be able to afford him in free agency.
Higgins has played second fiddle to Ja'Marr Chase in recent seasons, but that hasn't stopped him from being a dominant receiver when healthy. He put up one of the best years of his career in 2024, catching 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging an efficient 2.05 yards per route run.
Those are incredible numbers for a No. 2 option, but now Higgins will have the opportunity to get a major payday in free agency and become the No. 1 option for a new team. Franchises like the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders have a huge need for wide receivers and plenty of cap space to offer Higgins top-of-market money at the position.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are actively figuring out how to keep Chase in Cincinnati with a long-term deal of his own to keep him with Joe Burrow. All of those factors make it increasingly unlikely for Higgins to stay in Cincinnati, as he'll likely become the No. 1 target for a new team in 2025.
Free Agent Landing Spots for Tee Higgins
#Colts Center Ryan Kelly joined us on our postgame show as he reflects on what could have been his final game in Indy after 9 seasons with the horseshoe.
— Anthony Calhoun 📺 (@ACwishtv) January 5, 2025
"I can't thank Jim Irsay enough...the trials and tribulations that my family has gone through...he's always there to pick… pic.twitter.com/GzMY0VaR4T
Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly sure sounds like a player saying goodbye to his longtime team.
The Colts drafted Kelly in the first round back in 2016, and he repaid the franchise with a second-team All-Pro selection in 2020 and four Pro Bowl honors. The longtime center for the Colts has been a stable presence on the offensive line, but age and an expiring contract could mean the end of his time in Indy.
On top of that, the Colts might have found their successor at center in last year's draft, taking Tanor Bortolini in the fourth round out of Wisconsin. While he's still a work in progress, he didn't allow a single sack in 211 pass-blocking snaps this season and could continue to develop into a long-term starter.
Kelly should still draw plenty of interest in free agency. Reliable centers can be huge for an offensive line, and Kelly has the resume to get a solid contract with a new team this offseason.
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It stinks that Chris Godwin suffered such a gruesome injury in the middle of a career year, especially after suffering a torn ACL earlier in his career. Those injuries, along with a hefty price tag, could mean the end of Godwin's time in Tampa Bay.
While Mike Evans has always been Tampa Bay's superstar receiver, Godwin has been a dominant WR2 when healthy. He was pacing for his sixth season with more than 1,000 receiving yards in seven years, but a fractured ankle prematurely ended his year.
Still, Godwin looked dominant this season, catching 50 passes for 576 yards and five scores in just seven games. His 2.36 YPRR ranked ninth in the NFL this season, ahead of the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown and CeeDee Lamb.
Despite the injury history, Godwin is still just 28 years old and capable of taking on a huge workload in the passing game when healthy. That skill set will make him one of the most coveted players at any position in free agency, and he'll likely draw heavy interest from a WR-needy team that isn't able to land Higgins.
