2021 NFL free agents: Cornerback

With the NFL's franchise-tag deadline in the past, attention moves to the opening of the league's free-agent negotiating window on March 15.

These are the best cornerbacks slated to hit the market.

By position
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
DL | ED | LB | CB | S
Top 100

Cornerback

1. Richard Sherman

Sherman will be 33 this season and is coming off an injury-shortened campaign, but he made the Pro Bowl as recently as 2019. The Stanford product is looking to play two more seasons, and he'd fit perfectly on a team that runs a variation of the Cover 3 defense.

2. Shaquill Griffin

Griffin took a step back in 2020. However, he still made plenty of plays for the Seahawks over his first four campaigns, recording double-digit pass breakups in three of those seasons. He could break the bank as the best young cornerback available.

3. William Jackson

Opposing quarterbacks completed just 51.4% of their pass attempts for a rating of 88.2 when targeting Jackson in coverage last year. He'll soon be regarded as an elite corner if he maintains that level of play.

4. Patrick Peterson

While he's no longer a shutdown force, Peterson can still be an asset as a No. 2 or No. 3 corner. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons, but the Cardinals wasted most of those years.

5. Troy Hill

Hill didn't disappoint in his first season as a full-time starter. Despite drawing an astounding 91 targets in 2020 opposite Jalen Ramsey, Hill only surrendered 577 yards and one touchdown.

6. Mike Hilton

The versatile Hilton covers in the slot as well as anyone, he's willing to come down to stop the run, and he can get to the quarterback as a blitzer. The 27-year-old produced a career-best three picks in 2020 over 12 contests.

7. Chidobe Awuzie

Awuzie picked the wrong time for a down year. He spent a portion of the season on injured reserve and struggled when he returned to the lineup. The 25-year-old was better in 2018 and 2019, and he's historically thrived in zone schemes.

8. Desmond King

King was an All-Pro in 2018 when he split time between safety and corner, but he hasn't been as good since shifting more to the latter role. He finished 2020 covering the slot for the Titans following a trade from the Chargers.

9. Jason Verrett

Injuries have been the story of Verrett's career. He enjoyed a healthy 2020 season by his standards but still missed three games. The 29-year-old posted seven pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing a 76.2 passer rating in his first relatively full campaign since 2015.

10. Michael Davis

Davis often went unnoticed on a Chargers defense that had other stars drawing most of the attention. But the 26-year-old was a three-year starter and had a career-high 14 pass breakups with three picks in 2020.

11. Ronald Darby

Darby rebounded from a dreadful 2019 campaign with the Eagles by turning in a solid 2020 season for Washington. He isn't a lockdown corner, but he is a viable starter for a team that can hide his weaknesses with a strong pass rush.

12. Xavier Rhodes

Rhodes revitalized his career with the Colts in 2020, allowing a 84.5 passer rating when targeted in coverage. He looked to be on his last legs over the previous two years, though, so buyer beware.

13. Malcolm Butler

The Super Bowl XLIX hero recorded nine interceptions over three seasons with the Titans, but opposing quarterbacks also picked on him at times. Now 31, Butler is more likely to regress than improve going forward.

14. Quinton Dunbar

Dunbar's transition to the Seahawks' zone defense didn't go well, and he could be forced to take a one-year "prove it" deal. He previously excelled as a man-to-man corner with Washington.

15. Brian Poole

Poole outplayed a pair of one-year contracts with the Jets, and figures to seek a multi-year deal this time around. There's no reason to believe the 28-year-old won't continue to flourish in the slot.

16. A.J. Bouye

Bouye only made seven appearances for the Broncos last year and still has two contests left on a six-game ban for performance-enhancing drugs. The 29-year-old is no longer a No. 1 corner, but he could fit with a team that can use him in a smaller role.

17. Dre Kirkpatrick

A late signee last summer, Kirkpatrick wound up starting 11 games for the Cardinals in 2020. He re-enters the market as a decent depth option.