Jevon Holland isn’t coming off his best season, but he’s also still going to be the top safety on the NFL free-agent market.
In 2024, Holland and the Miami Dolphins didn’t have the seasons they were expecting. Miami missed the playoffs and Holland posted career lows in tackles (62), interceptions (0) and passes defensed (4). Still, he’s only 24 years old and one of the league’s better safeties, able to play both in the box and deep down the middle.
Considering the premium put on versatility in the modern NFL, Holland is a perfect fit for teams trying to improve on the back end. In that vein, he should command big dollars, especially with safety being a position of mediocrity in the upcoming draft class.
Here are three teams that should be at the top of the list in terms of interest for Holland, who is ranked third on Sports Illustrated’s top 50 free agents list.
1. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are trying to remake their defense after hiring Lou Anarumo to be the new defensive coordinator. While that’s a terrific start, it’s far from enough.
Last season, the Colts couldn’t stop anybody from throwing the football. Despite being in a lousy division where the passing numbers were largely rancid, Indianapolis ranked 26th in pass defense while allowing 7.6 yards per attempt. Only the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys were worse.
While Holland doesn’t fix everything, he would represent an excellent beginning to an offseason that must include multiple upgrades in the secondary. With Holland in tow, Anarumo can start devising ways to use his talents, much in the way Anarumo unlocked the potential of All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III when they were together in Cincinnati.
2. New York Giants
If the Giants are ever going to start moving in the right direction this decade, they have to shore up both sides of the ball.
For New York, the secondary is a major weak point. As aforementioned, the Giants couldn’t stop anybody from throwing, allowing 7.7 YPA, ranking 29th in the league. It was easy money for opponents, who had no corner to fear and safeties they could easily torch. Holland’s arrival would change at least some of that math.
Additionally, Holland is the right type of free agent for New York. He’ll be only 25 years old when the season starts, putting him in the current window for hypothetical contention for Big Blue. If general manager Joe Schoen is going to take some big swings this offseason, Holland fits both the timeline and roster.
3. Carolina Panthers
Although the Panthers won just four games in 2024, Carolina is beginning to turn the corner. First-year coach Dave Canales got the offense going with quarterback Bryce Young’s resurgence, and now it’s time to look at the defense as well.
Carolina was horrific defensively last season, ranking dead last in yards per game allowed and a below-average 23rd against the pass. While the Panthers obviously need a slew of playmakers infused into that side of the ball, Holland could solidify one position group while GM Dan Morgan starts looking at other spots.
With the Panthers being in the weaker conference, and in the weakest division within the NFC, there’s reason to believe they could shoot up the standings with a big offseason. Securing Holland would signify a major step in the right direction.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Free Agency 2025: Top Three Landing Spots for Jevon Holland.
