While the first wave of NFL free agency is over, plenty of talented players remain available on the open market. Teams searching for roster upgrades might be able to locate bargains by signing low-cost veterans who can provide surplus value.
Let’s run through every club in the league and predict one additional signing that could make sense for each squad based on roster construction, positional need, and price point.
One More Signing Every NFL Team Should Make
Arizona Cardinals | Sign CB Kristian Fulton
A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Fulton won’t turn 26 until September and looked like a starting-caliber cornerback early in his run with the Tennessee Titans. Last year was a disaster for Fulton, who was briefly benched before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury.
Health issues have been a repeated concern, forcing Fulton to miss 25 games over four seasons. There’s plenty of inconsistency, but the Cardinals still need CB help even after signing Fulton’s former teammate, Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Atlanta Falcons | Sign EDGE Jadeveon Clowney
The Falcons landed the biggest fish in free agency, inking QB Kirk Cousins to lead the club’s refreshed offensive attack. Atlanta also signed WR Darnell Mooney and traded for gadget Rondale Moore, but GM Terry Fontenot hasn’t done much on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s change that. Clowney tied his career-high with 9.5 sacks in 2023 while ranking fifth in pass-rush win rate. He’ll generate pressure for a unit that has yet to re-sign front-seven defenders Calais Campbell or Bud Dupree and shouldn’t command more than a one-year deal.
Baltimore Ravens | Sign G Dalton Risner
Baltimore watched guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson depart in free agency, leaving voids on either side of Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. While the Ravens might trust incumbents like Ben Cleveland, Andrew Voorhees, or Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu to take over, Risner gives the club far more experience.
Risner, a 73-game starter, shouldn’t have to wait until September to find a new contract (like he did in 2023).
Buffalo Bills | Sign S Julian Blackmon
The Bills’ interest in Blackmon isn’t hypothetical — the Indianapolis Colts’ free agent safety met with Buffalo this week. While the Bills extended Taylor Rapp after parting ways with veteran defensive backs Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, they could use another piece in the back end. Blackmon can play a wide range of roles but could be most valuable as a post safety.
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Although the Bills signed safety Mike Edwards on Wednesday, his addition may not preclude a Blackmon contract. Buffalo sometimes uses three-safety looks and could still have room for another veteran in its secondary.
Carolina Panthers | Sign EDGE Yannick Ngakoue
Carolina posted the NFL’s third-worst pressure rate in 2023 — and that was with Brian Burns on the roster. With Burns traded to the New York Giants, the Panthers’ top pass rushers are now the newly signed D.J. Wonnum, former Jacksonville Jaguars bust K’Lavon Chaisson, and recent mid-round picks DJ Johnson and Amaré Barno.
Ngakoue was linked to Carolina last offseason but eventually signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears. He didn’t post his best season (just four sacks and seven QB hits), but Ngakoue is on the right side of 30 and has a demonstrable record as a designated pass rusher.
Chicago Bears | Sign EDGE Mike Danna
Montez Sweat bolstered the Bears’ pass rush after joining the club last October, posting six sacks in nine games. Chicago rarely blitzes, so it needs another edge rusher capable of winning 1-on-1 matchups.
The Bears could target a defense end with the ninth pick in next month’s draft, with prospects like Dallas Turner or Jared Verse potentially on their radar. Danna wouldn’t necessarily prevent Chicago from adding a first-round EDGE talent, but he’d give Matt Eberflus a reliable option who can stop the run and get after the passer.
Cincinnati Bengals | Sign CB Rock Ya-Sin
We want to send a nose tackle to Cincinnati to replace DJ Reader. However, free agent Teair Tart isn’t believed to be a Bengals culture fit, while the other available DT options are uninspiring.
Instead, Cincinnati should sign its second ex-Ravens DB in as many weeks. Ya-Sin would join safety Geno Stone as a new Bengals addition and could compete to become a backup cornerback behind starters Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner.
Cleveland Browns | Sign CB Myles Bryant
The Browns are among the few NFL teams with no obvious weaknesses remaining on their roster after one week of free agency. Still, no roster is perfect, and Cleveland could use additional CB depth behind starters Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, and Greg Newsome.
Bryant is stretched as an outside cornerback but is a feisty defender from the slot. He might make sense as a reserve for the Browns and could take over inside if those Newsome trade rumors ever come to fruition.
Dallas Cowboys | Sign RB J.K. Dobbins
Dallas has signed just one external free agent — LB Eric Kendricks — since the market opened last week. Jerry Jones and Co. should have their eyes peeled for offensive line upgrades, but we’re prioritizing a new RB for the Cowboys following the loss of Tony Pollard.
Injuries have limited Dobbins to just 24 of a possible 67 games since entering the NFL in 2020, but he’s always been effective when on the field. In eight games in 2022, Dobbins finished second in the NFL in evaded tackles per touch, while PFF charted him with nine runs of 15+ yards.
Denver Broncos | Sign QB Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill missed time and eventually lost his starting job with the Titans after suffering a high-ankle sprain in 2023. Denver is the only team that might be able to offer him a starting job this season.
He’ll be 36 in July, but Tannehill should still offer an improvement over Jarrett Stidham. The Broncos could wait to see if they land a QB in the upcoming draft before circling back to a veteran like Tannehill.
Detroit Lions | Sign EDGE Carl Lawson
While the Lions added former Minnesota Vikings DE Marcus Davenport on a one-year, $6.5 million pact, we’d like to see Detroit sign one more pass rusher to bolster its Aidan Hutchinson-led depth chart.
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Lawson missed the entire 2021 campaign after tearing his Achilles and was a regular healthy scratch in 2023. In between, he posted seven sacks and 49 pressures for the New York Jets. Lawson may never return to the force he was earlier in his career with the Bengals, but he’s a viable rotational piece.
Green Bay Packers | Sign LB Zach Cunningham
Former sixth-round LB Isaiah McDuffie appears poised to take over as a starter opposite Quay Walker after the Packers cut De’Vondre Campbell earlier this month. McDuffie made eight starts in 2023, but Green Bay needs more depth here.
Known primarily as a run-stopper, Cunningham received the best PFF coverage grade of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. He earned less than $2 million with the Eagles
Houston Texans | Re-Sign CB Steven Nelson
Although Nelson might not be a star, he’s rarely injured, has an incredible football IQ, and has spent time with a litany of winning teams. Another two-year pact in the $10 million range should be on the table, and a return to Houston might be in the cards.
The Texans signed CB Jeff Okudah to play opposite Derek Stingley Jr., but injuries and ineffectiveness have defined his career. While Okudah has occasionally flashed, Nelson is a steadier notion for a Houston team with Super Bowl hopes.
Indianapolis Colts | Sign CB Stephon Gilmore
The Colts already know Gilmore, having signed him in 2022 before trading him to the Cowboys in 2023. A reunion could make sense, especially given that Indianapolis is poised to rely on 2023 second-round pick JuJu Brents and former undrafted free agent Dallis Flowers at corner. Gilmore is 33 but proved capable of holding up in man coverage for the Cowboys last year.
Jacksonville Jaguars | Sign CB Avonte Maddox
The Jaguars would deploy 2023 fifth-round pick Antonio Johnson as their slot corner if the season began today. Let’s send them Maddox, one of the NFL’s best slots before injuries cost him 29 games from 2020 to 2023. Maddox played for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson with the Eagles and should be affordable.
Kansas City Chiefs | Sign OT David Bakhtiari
Donovan Smith is a free agent after making 12 starts for K.C. last season. Wanya Morris, a 2023 third-round pick, filled in for Smith when he was injured a year ago and could start at left tackle for the Chiefs moving forward.
But if Kansas City wants to go with a higher-upside choice, it could pursue Bakhtiari, who’s on the market for the first time in his career. Knee issues have forced the veteran OT to limit his workload, but a rotation with Morris could work for the Chiefs.
Las Vegas Raiders | Sign OL Andrus Peat
Peat’s versatility shined throughout his tenure with the New Orleans Saints, allowing him to line up at left tackle and left guard. That flexibility will be useful in Las Vegas, where Peat may need to be prepared to play the right side. He’d be a potential improvement over incumbent Raiders right guard D.J. Fluker and could compete with right tackle Thayer Munford Jr.
Los Angeles Chargers | Sign WR Chase Claypool
The Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers are in the midst of a teardown, so we could list several positions here. But we’ll go with wide receiver, where Los Angeles’ post-Keenan Allen/Mike Williams depth chart looks like one of the worst pass-catching situations in the league.
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One of the most athletic WR prospects in the history of the NFL Combine, Claypool’s stock couldn’t have fallen much further in 2023. But he’s still only 25 years old and could become an explosive weapon for Justin Herbert if he can keep his head on straight.
Los Angeles Rams | Sign DT Calais Campbell
Aaron Donald unexpectedly retired last week, and losing a first-ballot Hall of Famer will tend to deplete your depth chart. The Rams could use defensive tackle reinforcements, even if there’s no real way to replace a player of Donald’s caliber.
Campbell is 37 years old but still managed 6.5 sacks and 17 QB hits for the Falcons in 2023, his best totals since 2019. The on-field production is there, while Campbell would also be a valuable mentor for young Los Angeles defensive linemen like Kobie Turner and Bobby Brown III.
Miami Dolphins | Sign G Laken Tomlinson
While the Dolphins signed mobile center Aaron Brewer, brought back Isaiah Wynn to compete at guard, and signed versatile free agent Jack Driscoll, Mike McDaniel’s squad still needs more options on the interior.
Tomlinson thrived in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme during his five-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers. McDaniel was orchestrating the 49ers’ run game during that time and might be interested in a low-cost reunion with Tomlinson.
Minnesota Vikings | Sign DT Teair Tart
Tart was a versatile pass rusher for the Titans before a contract dispute hindered his relationship with the club. Tennessee waived him in December. The Texans claimed Tart, but he was inactive in three of five games to close the year and played fewer than 30 total defensive snaps.
But before things went wrong with the Titans, Tart was a powerful force at several spots along the team’s defensive line. He’s stout against the run and has legitimate pass-rushing moves for a 300-pounder. Tart is more productive than recent Vikings signing Jerry Tillery, but his culture fit is a legitimate question.
New England Patriots | Sign OT Donovan Smith
The Patriots figure to find their next quarterback in the draft, while their weekend signing of K.J. Osborn gave the club at least some depth at wideout. That leaves left tackle as an obvious weak point in New England, where journeyman Conor McDermott would likely start on the blindside if the season began today.
Smith is probably in line for another one-year deal after earning $3 million with the Chiefs in 2023. The Patriots boast the NFL’s most cap space and can outbid any other interested teams for Smith, who would not prevent New England from addressing tackle in the upcoming draft.
New Orleans Saints | Sign S Justin Simmons
Cap-strapped as usual, the Saints couldn’t be active on the free agent market and had to get rid of players like safety Marcus Maye. New Orleans is now counting on 2023 fifth-round pick Jordan Howden to start alongside Tyrann Mathieu.
Denver cut Simmons before the start of free agency, but that move was tied to the Broncos’ salary cap situation, not a drop-off in Simmons’ performance. The 30-year-old was named a second-team All-Pro in four of the past five seasons and would bring 108 games’ worth of starting experience to the Saints’ roster.
New York Giants | Sign CB Tre’Davious White
White was scheduled to visit with the Giants and Titans this week. New York general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll were with White in Buffalo for most of his Bills stint, so the connection is obvious.
The fit makes sense, too. While New York will start 2023 first-round selection Deonte Banks at one corner spot, it needs someone to replace Adoree’ Jackson, who has not been re-signed this offseason. White is coming off a litany of injuries and will probably ink an incentive-laden deal.
New York Jets | Sign WR Odell Beckham Jr.
The Jets reportedly remain interested in Beckham despite signing fellow free agent receiver Mike Williams to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $15 million earlier this week.
New York was linked to OBJ last offseason but never seemed interested in matching the $15 million guaranteed he received from the Ravens. Beckham was hardly consistent for Baltimore, posting just a 35-565-3 line in 14 games. He’s not the star he once was, but OBJ can be a WR3 for Gang Green.
Philadelphia Eagles | Sign CB Levi Wallace
The Eagles have to determine their post-Jason Kelce iOL alignment, but cornerback remains more pressing for GM Howie Roseman. While James Bradberry’s contract will keep him on Philadelphia’s roster, he struggled mightily in 2023 and was benched in the Eagles’ Wild Card loss.
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It’s hard to imagine Philadelphia signing an aging, expensive veteran CB like Stephon Gilmore or Tre’Davious White when it already has so much invested in Bradberry and Darius Slay. Wallace should be affordable and would give the Eagles another perimeter alternative in case its secondary collapses again.
Pittsburgh Steelers | Sign WR Tyler Boyd
The Steelers moved on from Diontae Johnson last week, trading the veteran WR to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a pick swap.
With a host of question marks behind George Pickens on its receiver depth chart, Pittsburgh could consider a familiar face in Boyd, who’s spent the past eight years with the AFC North-rival Bengals. Boyd, a Pittsburgh native, said in January that he “loves” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
San Francisco 49ers | Sign OL Connor Williams
The 49ers ranked 20th in pass-block win rate and 23rd in run-block win rate last year but have opted for OL continuity thus far this offseason. San Francisco re-signed right guard Jon Feliciano and gave right tackle Colton McKivitz an extension through 2025
Williams doesn’t have a timetable for finding a new team after suffering a “pretty significant” ACL tear in December, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told WSVN this week. Depending on how his recovery progresses this summer, the 26-year-old could become an upside play for the 49ers.
Seattle Seahawks | Sign LB Kyle Van Noy
New Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald hasn’t brought any of his former Ravens players to Seattle so far this offseason. Van Noy could be the first while providing depth at both linebacker and edge rusher. He’ll be 33 later this month, but KVN is still athletic enough to fill various roles for a revamped Seahawks defense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Sign CB C.J. Henderson
The Buccaneers got younger at corner this offseason, trading Carlton Davis III to the Lions for a third-round pick and installing Zyon McCollum as a starter alongside Jamel Dean and slot defender Christian Izien.
Adding depth to the secondary is a must for Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht. He’s never been afraid to take swings on cornerbacks in the draft, but Henderson can add experience to a young depth chart.
Tennessee Titans | Sign S Marcus Maye
Projected to start Amani Hooker and Elijah Molden at safety in 2024, the Titans are interested in adding new faces to their secondary.
Maye, released by the Saints at the start of the new league year, met with Tennessee on Monday. PFN Insider Adam Caplan reported Wednesday that first-year Titans DC Dennard Wilson — who coached Maye with the Jets from 2017 to 2021 — is “very interested” in signing the 31-year-old defensive back.
Washington Commanders | Sign OT Mekhi Becton
Washington will presumably find its franchise QB with the No. 2 overall pick in next month’s draft, but the club also needs a left tackle. While the Commanders signed Tyler Biadasz and Nick Allegretti this offseason, they’ll be hard-pressed to send Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye onto the field with a void on their blindside.
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After injuries limited him to just one game from 2020 to 2021, Becton finally managed to stay healthy for 16 games this past season. He missed one contest and part of another after spraining his ankle, but any intrigued team has to be encouraged by Becton’s stretch of availability in 2023. As long as he stays in shape, Becton has all the tools to be a high-end left tackle.
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