The NFL rushing leader for the 2022 season could become an unrestricted free agent next month. But even if Josh Jacobs reaches the open market, the running back probably won’t be the player from an Alabama high school or college who lands the most lucrative contract in the league’s annual free-agent frenzy.

The NFL’s 2022 season ended on Sunday with Super Bowl LVII, leaving all 32 teams able to turn their full attention to preparing for the 2023 campaign.

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That team building will include free agency, which starts with the NFL’s 2023 business year on March 15.

Coming off his first Pro Bowl invitation and an 11.5-sack performance while lining up mainly at nose tackle, Daron Payne has reached the end of his contract with the Washington Commanders.

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An NFL player with at least four seasons of experience and an expiring contract will become a free agent at 3 p.m. CDT March 15 if he doesn’t sign a contract extension or his team doesn’t use its franchise tag on him before then.

The sports-financial website spotrac.com pegs Payne’s market value as a five-year, $97.461 million contract.

After leading the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards in his fourth season with the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacobs has a market value estimated as a four-year, $51.41 million contract.

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Two other players among the 46 with Alabama football roots who are on course to become NFL unrestricted free agents on March 15 have projected market values that are worth more per season than Jacobs – cornerbacks James Bradberry of the Philadelphia Eagles and James Dean of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The cost to land Bradberry is estimated at a three-year, $45.522 million contract, and for Dean, it’s a three-year, $49.671 million deal.

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The players from Alabama high schools and colleges headed toward unrestricted free agency in March include:

· Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood)

· Jets linebacker Kwon Alexander (Oxford)

· Raiders cornerback Anthony Averett (Alabama)

· Bears defensive lineman Angelo Blackson (Auburn)

· Bears fullback Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn)

· Panthers center Bradley Bozeman (Handley, Alabama)

· Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford)

· Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (Alabama)

· Colts defensive tackle Byron Cowart (Auburn)

· Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (Auburn)

· Ravens running back Kenyan Drake (Alabama)

· Falcons linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High, Alabama)

· Dolphins defensive end Trey Flowers (Columbia)

· Packers safety Rudy Ford (New Hope, Auburn)

· Titans defensive end Da’Shawn Hand (Alabama)

· Patriots running back Damien Harris (Alabama)

· Texans tight end O.J. Howard (Autauga Academy, Alabama)

· Browns offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (UAB)

· Cardinals center Rodney Hudson (B.C. Rain)

· Saints running back Mark Ingram (Alabama)

· Broncos safety Kareem Jackson (Alabama)

· Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama)

· Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (Alabama)

· Buccaneers wide receiver Julio Jones (Foley, Alabama)

· Bears linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville)

· Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park)

· Buccaneers defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Central-Phenix City)

· Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama)

· Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama)

· Packers defensive lineman Jarran Reed (Alabama)

· Steelers outside linebacker Malik Reed (Dothan)

· Rams defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson (Alabama)

· Chargers punter JK Scott (Alabama)

· Steelers offensive lineman Trent Scott (Lee-Huntsville)

· Commanders wide receiver Cam Sims (Alabama)

· Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn)

· Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama)

· Texans cornerback Tremon Smith (Saks)

· Texans defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth (Murphy)

· Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (Auburn)

· Seahawks long snapper Carson Tinker (Alabama)

· Vikings defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama)

· Forty-Niners defensive back Jimmie Ward (Davidson)

· Giants defensive lineman Nick Williams (Minor, Samford)

· Jets outside linebacker Quincy Williams (Wenonah)

· Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery, Alabama)

Two other NFL players from Alabama high schools and colleges are restricted free agents.

A restricted free agent is a player with three NFL seasons and an expiring contract. Like unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents can negotiate with any interested teams, but their original teams can tender restricted free agents with qualifying offers from four tiers. All the tenders give the original teams the ability to match any contract offer before losing a player and some carry draft-pick compensation if a player signs elsewhere.

The pending restricted free agents with Alabama football roots include:

· Steelers center J.C. Hassenauer (Alabama)

· Jets defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal)

Yet another type of NFL free agent is the exclusive-rights free agent. An ERFA is a player with fewer than three seasons and an expiring contract. If his original team offers the ERFA a contract, he cannot negotiate with other teams.

The NFL’s pending exclusive-rights free agents include one with Alabama football roots — Broncos punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama).

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.