The top 33 NFL free agents

NFL free agency is now underway with teams and players permitted to negotiate contracts for two days, and on Thursday, players can begin to sign contracts.

While the NFL's free agency is slightly more strict than, say, the NBA or MLB, players who don't get hit with the franchise tag can still cause bidding wars and earn big-time contracts from teams looking for a boost.

This year's free agent class is heavy on defenders and linemen, and while they aren't the flashiest positions, they're still crucial to any football team's success.

Below, we've collected the 33 best free agents this year, including some of the top names who have been hit with the franchise tag. After seeing what happened to Josh Norman and the Panthers last year, you never know!

Check out the big names below.

* indicates a player who's been given the franchise tag. "PFF grade" refers to Pro Football Focus' player grades.