Madden NFL 25is a game of strategy, so having the bestSafeties will be a key elementin outperforming the opposing team. There are two positions that can fill this role:Strong Safeties (SS)andFree Safeties (FS). Strong Safeties will be closer to the line of scrimmage and will be ideal for shutting down run plays. However, Free Safeties have more distance from the line of scrimmage and will be able to assist in deep passing plays.
Both of these positions will need to have high numbers in theirZone Coverage, Pursuit, Tackle, Hit Power,Awareness,Play Recognition,Stamina, and Acceleration. This all comes down to what plays a gamer plans to use, but a Free Safety’s extra movement makes them far more versatile. Players will want tohave the game looking as realisticas possible to get immersed in these key moments.
5Derwin James Jr
Overall Rating: 91
Derwin James Jr. is a player for the Los Angeles Chargers, and plays the Strong Safety position. This player’s best General attribute is hisStaminaat 95, with his best Defense attribute beingHit Powerat 92. This makes him perfect for getting hit-stick tackles to force the ball to fumble. This can lead to some stunning moments thanks tothe game’s new BOOM Techphysics.
Derwin James Jr. is aSuperstar X-Factorplayer, meaning he will develop faster than any other type of player. He will also make use of the Superstar X-Factor ability known asReinforcement. Once he enters the zone, this ability will raise the chances of him being able to disrupt catches through tackles, and defeating run blocks.
91
90
17
41
61
79
38
37
4Tyrann Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu is a player for the New Orleans Saints, and plays the Free Safety position. This player’s best General attribute is hisAwarenessat 96,with his best Defense attribute beingPlay Recognitionat 94. A player’s Awareness is an extremely important stat for a Free Safety, as it will determine their ability to react to different situations.
This is the only player to make this list who is neither a Superstar nor a Superstar X-Factor player. What he does have over other entries is the highest number of total points, with 3,087. This is 113 points higher than any other player on this list. This makes Mathieu slightly better as a whole, but what really matters about picking the best Safety will still be their General and Defense categories.
88
24
46
69
77
36
44
3Minkah Fitzpatrick
Overall Rating: 93
Minkah Fitzpatrick is a Free Safety player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His player’s best General attribute is hisZone Coverageat 95, with his best Defense attribute beingStaminaat 93. Zone coverage determines how well a player will be able to protect against nearby receivers. This synergizes very well with stamina, which will allow the player to sprint longer before getting tired.
Minkah Fitzpatrick may not be a Superstar X-Factor player, but he is still a Superstar player. These players have the second-best development, and will have access to some Superstar abilities. As a Free Safety, Fitzpatrick can make great use ofDeep Out Zone KOto react faster while outside the hash marks and at least 20 yards from the line of scrimmage. He will also be able to force more catch knockouts using this ability.
93
9
43
62
74
32
2Antoine Winfield Jr
Overall Rating: 94
Antoine Winfield Jr. is a player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and plays the Free Safety position. His best General attribute is hisPlay Recognitionat 97, while his Defense attribute isAwarenessat 95. This gives Winfield almost as much Awareness as Tyrann Mathieu, but his higher Play Recognition means he will be able to read the opponent team’s offensive players better.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is also a Superstar player, with access to the Tip Drill and Acrobat. This means he will have a lot of opportunities to increase the likelihood of catching the ball compared to non-Superstar players. Antoine Winfield Jr does everything a gamer could want in a Free Safety, making him atop pick among Safeties.
94
87
11
65
76
1Jessie Bates III
Overall Rating: 97
Jessie Bates III is a player for the Atlanta Falcons, and plays the Free Safety position. This player’s best General attribute is hisAwarenessat 99. Meanwhile, his best Defense attribute isPlay Recognitionat 98. This makes Bates better at doing what he needs to do, and the cherry on top is that Bates is a Superstar X-Factor player, just like Derwin James Jr.
Bates has access to several Superstar abilities, such as Pick Artist, Deep In Zone KO, and Acrobat. However, his best ability isShutdown. With this ability, he will see more frequent interceptions on contested catches while in the zone. Despite being the highest rated Safety in the game, Jessie Bates III only managed to get a 97. The Overall rating of a player is something that few players can get up to 99 —such as Travis Kelce.
97
14
39
57
72
