2022 NFL Free Agent Top 100 Rankings | 86-100
Which NFL free agents round out our list of the top 100 available this offseason?
86) G Andrew Norwell
Andrew Norwell is over the 30-year-old hill, but he’s played at least 682 snaps in every season since his rookie year. He’s also never been anything but a good professional blocker at left guard. He even received first-team All-Pro honors in 2017 before moving on to Jacksonville.
He’s not the strongest run blocker in the world, but he can still operate at a sufficient level both in a zone and gap scheme. Any competing team with questions at the left guard spot should be calling Norwell during the free agency cycle.
87) TE Gerald Everett
Gerald Everett is a move tight end with great athleticism for the position. His hands are outstanding, and he can be a threat vertically and horizontally. Additionally, while he is a bit undersized for the position, Everett can survive as a blocking tight end. However, he has to be used with a bit of a runway as an H-back.
At just 27 years old, Everett still has room to grow technically while at his athletic peak. He signed for $6 million last season and could see a bit more heading into next season.
88) G Quinton Spain
Quinton Spain is a big, physical brawler at left guard who probably has a few solid seasons left ahead of him. Although the Bengals’ offensive line struggled mightily in 2021, Spain and left tackle Jonah Williams held things together with duct tape of the left side.
Spain doesn’t have a great first step or initial strike. But when he gets his hands in the proper place, he often overpowers interior defenders and sustains blocks while driving defenders downfield. He’s not the most agile blocker, which comes into play when he’s forced to try and counter.
89) CB K’Waun Williams
K’Waun Williams throws his body around really well for an undersized slot defender. More man-heavy teams won’t covet him. But he possesses a strong trigger to click and close on passes breaking underneath him and the athleticism to carry receivers downfield. Unfortunately, there is a bit of panic when the ball is in the air downfield, which can lead to penalties.
Williams is a starting slot defender for teams looking to upgrade at the position, but only the more zone-based teams. He can play in both country and match-zone schemes. He’s a quick processer of run/pass with excellent route recognition when working from space.
90) C/G Bradley Bozeman
Bradley Bozeman is a bit of a unicorn. He’s played multiple seasons at left guard before becoming the Ravens’ full-time center in 2021. No matter the position he’s played, Bozeman has been a solid blocker. So, he has position flexibility and youth on his side.
Bozeman’s lower on the list than some of the other veterans because, although he’s a solid player, he’s not as dominant as Spain and Norwell can be. He lacks the high-end athleticism and power to be a dominant player, but his technical prowess and positional leveraging keep him in a good position more often than not.
91) DT Harrison Phillips
Update 3/14/2022: The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with Phillips on a three-year, $19.5 million deal.
Harrison Phillips might deserve a higher ranking in the Top 100 based on his play on the field, but his availability issues put a damper on his value. Phillips played in a heavy rotation in Buffalo but has yet to play more than 500 snaps in a season. However, Phillips easily had his most productive professional season in 2021.
The defensive tackle’s wrestling background is on full display on the defensive interior. Phillips uses positioning and power to disengage from blocks and make plays. When he gets off the snap quickly, Phillips makes it almost impossible for centers not to be bubbled back in both pass protection and in the run game. He won’t bring much as a pass rusher but will add value to any run defense.
92) DT DaQuan Jones
DaQuan Jones is an older version of Phillips. He won’t offer much as a pass rusher, but the eight-year veteran is a solid run defender. He’s also different from Phillips in that he hasn’t missed a game since 2017. And as a pure nose tackle, he’s played in over 600 snaps in each of the past three seasons.
The difference between he and Phillips is that Jones plays more of a supporting role as a run defender, whereas Phillips is more of a natural playmaker. Jones has good recognition skills and gets into good positional leverage points, but his main role is to allow linebackers to flow freely, which he does well.
93) EDGE Uchenna Nwosu
Uchenna Nwosu is a bit underdeveloped as a pass rusher, but he plays with his pants on fire and has enough horizontal spring to cross the face of blockers and bend underneath. He simply doesn’t have much of a pass-rush plan more often than not. He doesn’t have great length, but he uses what he has well enough to hold up against the run.
His best attribute is his versatility. He is athletic enough to survive in space, and he’s good enough as a rusher and run defender to stay on the field. That versatility is also his downfall — he doesn’t necessarily have a calling card. He’s also scheme-dependent because he doesn’t have the skill set to be an every-down defensive end.
94) EDGE Arden Key
When the term “designated pass rusher” is thrown around on guys, it’s usually used with at least a hint of hyperbole. That is not the case with Arden Key. From Week 10 on, he was on the field for 31 run plays and 161 pass plays. The fourth-year player rushed from everywhere on the defensive line, proving his versatility as a rusher despite playing shy of 240 pounds.
95) LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
If your favorite football team needs a run-stuffing inside linebacker on early downs, then look no further. The former fourth-rounder still struggles as a coverage player at the NFL level, but he can offer valuable snaps as a run defender. His struggles against the pass aren’t for lack of trying. Bentley simply doesn’t possess the athleticism to stick with more athletic pass catchers.
96) DT Linval Joseph
Joseph isn’t the bear in the middle he once was. He must be used in a heavy rotation where he receives 20-30 snaps a game at this point. When fresh, he can still use his hands and agility to cross face and get through a blocker’s shoulder. However, if he’s on the field for too long, he gets bubbled back far too frequently. For the price, there are simply far too many better options.
97) CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Ahkello Witherspoon hasn’t had the smoothest start to his NFL career. He’s battled injury and up-and-down play since being drafted with the 66th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. However, he produced a stellar performance in 2021 (albeit in limited reps). Witherspoon allowed under a 50% completion rate against him in 2021 in nine contests. He possesses prototypical size and athleticism for the position.
98) DT Tim Settle
Update 3/14/2022: The Bills agreed to terms to reunite Settle with college teammate Tremaine Edmonds. The two-year deal is worth $9 million, with $7 million guaranteed.
Settle may just be this year’s diamond in the rough. He’s never truly gotten a chance to prove himself in a high-snap role. Since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by Washington, he’s been stuck behind the likes of Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne, and Matt Ioannidis. He had his most productive season in 2020, finishing with 5 sacks and 17 stops defensively in under 400 defensive snaps.
99) RB Sony Michel
Michel is a decent rotational runner who will bring a well-rounded game to whatever team he chooses. He won’t offer much as a pass catcher, but he’s an excellent pass protector, which keeps him on the field. He’s also a cerebral runner who can manipulate second-level defenders into choosing wrong. However, there isn’t much make-you-miss to his game, so his upside is limited.
100) WR Allen Lazard (RFA)
Lazard isn’t a flashy receiver. Barring a career explosion, he’ll never dream of hitting the 1,000-yard mark. However, there aren’t many better role players in the league at the position. With the Shanahan/McVay scheme sweeping the NFL, wide zone runs are going to keep climbing in popularity. That makes the importance of receiver blocking more valuable.
Lazard is one of the better blocking receivers in the league. At around 225 pounds, he is practically another TE on the field. He’s best suited as a team’s third target on a team with a good slot receiver because he’ll play primarily on the outside. He will also give snaps on special teams, which adds to his value.