While the 2024 NFL league year opened just over a week ago, free agency is essentially complete. Just 11 of Pro Football Network’s original top 100 free agents are still on the board.
Although high-profile free agents like QB Kirk Cousins, DT Chris Jones, and EDGE Brian Burns landed long-term deals with significant guarantees, other veteran players had to settle for one-year pacts.
Which teams landed the best one-year free agent contracts? Let’s run through 15 of the best bargains from this year’s free agent period.
Who Signed the Best One-Year Deal in Free Agency?
We didn’t include franchise or transition-tagged players, so WR Tee Higgins, EDGE Josh Allen, CB L’Jarius Sneed, S Antoine Winfield Jr., and S Kyle Dugger are not listed here.
Financial details for a few players on our list have yet to be reported. We’ll provide estimates based on their previous contracts and 2024 market value in those instances.
Russell Wilson, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
2024 salary: $1.21 million
The Steelers took a first-round swing on QB Kenny Pickett in 2022 and quickly moved on when that experiment failed. Placed in the odd position of trying to find a veteran QB to fit a readymade roster, Pittsburgh came up with arguably the best non-Kirk Cousins plan it could.
Russell Wilson is collecting $37 million in guarantees from the Denver Broncos in 2024, so he’ll only cost the Steelers a minimum salary. That’s a genuine bargain in a league where backup quarterbacks like Tyrod Taylor and Taylor Heinicke earn at least $6 million annually.
Whether or not Wilson will move the needle for Pittsburgh remains up for debate. Still, he almost has to represent an improvement over last year’s Pickett/Mason Rudolph/Mitchell Trubisky trifecta.
If Wilson struggles, it’s no harm, no foul for the Steelers. He’s costing Pittsburgh nothing, while Mike Tomlin can turn over the QB reins to trade acquisition Justin Fields whenever he wants.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, New England Patriots
2024 salary: $8 million
What else does Jacoby Brissett have to do to land a starting job? He finished eighth in QBR in 2022 while making 11 starts for the Cleveland Browns, then threw three touchdowns on just 23 pass attempts last season.
Brissett reunited with the Patriots, who will likely select either North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels with the No. 3 pick in next month’s draft. He might serve as an offensive caretaker while New England’s rookie QB develops or immediately be demoted to a No. 2 role — either way, Brissett represents a steal.
Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
2024 salary: $7 million
Injuries will be a never-ending concern for Aaron Jones, who turns 30 in December and missed six games in 2023 with hamstring and knee issues. But Jones — who ranked sixth in yards after contact per attempt (3.35)– is a perfect fit for the Vikings’ zone-running scheme.
Ty Chandler flashed after taking over Minnesota’s backfield at the end of last season, but he’ll cede touches to Jones, who should add a dose of explosiveness and efficiency to the Vikings’ rushing attack.
Hollywood Brown, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
2024 salary: $7 million (up to $11 million)
Rashee Rice made his bones as a run-after-catch threat during his 2023 rookie campaign, but the Chiefs needed a downfield threat to pair with him next season.
Enter Hollywood Brown, who remains one of the league’s most prolific speed merchants as he enters his sixth NFL season. Kansas City landed the 26-year-old for less money than the Texans are paying Robert Woods.
The Chiefs are getting good value on Brown, but this isn’t a one-sided affair. Brown will spend the year catching passes from Patrick Mahomes, hopefully bolstering his free agent stock before hitting the open market again in 2025.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
2024 salary: $2.5 million (up to $7 million)
The Bengals needed to start over at tight end after 2023’s Irv Smith Jr. disaster, and Mike Gesicki could be a perfect fit in Cincinnati. Gesicki’s new team is poised to lose Tyler Boyd to free agency, so the 28-year-old TE should see most of his snaps out of the slot.
Blocking isn’t Gesicki’s strength, but the Bengals already have TE Drew Sample around to play in-line and will likely add more tight ends in the coming weeks. While Joe Burrow already has red-zone weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Gesicki’s 6’6″, 245-pound frame should prove useful near the goal line.
Tyron Smith, OT, New York Jets
2024 salary: $6.5 million (up to $20 million)
The Jets will happily pay Tyron Smith $20 million — his ceiling via incentives — if he plays every snap in 2023. Smith’s age and injury history are troubling, but he’s still one of the league’s best pass protectors when healthy.
New York could still draft a franchise left tackle in Round 1. That’s the beauty of Smith’s one-year deal. If the Jets decide to select an OT at No. 10, that prospect won’t be forced into Gang Green’s starting lineup any earlier than required.
Coleman Shelton, C, Chicago Bears
2024 salary: $3 million
The Bears aren’t taking any chances with an offensive line that will block for presumptive No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams in 2024.
Chicago first traded for ex-Bills center Ryan Bates, whom the club attempted to sign as a restricted free agent in 2022. GM Ryan Poles didn’t stop there, handing Coleman Shelton $3 million to join the Bears after starting 30 games for the Los Angeles Rams over the past two seasons.
Bates has the inside track to start at center after Chicago gave up a fifth-round pick to acquire him. But Shelton should push him at the pivot, becoming overqualified depth at the very least.
Bradley Bozeman, C, Los Angeles Chargers
2024 salary: Unknown ($2.7 million estimate)
The Chargers were largely set at four of five offensive line positions entering the offseason but needed a new center with Corey Linsley set to retire. Bradley Bozeman quickly landed in Los Angeles after getting his walking papers from the Carolina Panthers.
MORE: 2024 NFL Free Agents by Position
Bozeman is reuniting with new Chargers OC Greg Roman, who held the same title when both men were with the Baltimore Ravens. Roman already knows Bozeman — and his hulking 6’5″, 325-pound frame — is a good fit for his gap running scheme.
Evan Brown, OL, Arizona Cardinals
2024 salary: $2.35 million (up to $2.9 million)
Forgive us if we highlight one more interior offensive lineman. Evan Brown started 40 games over the past three seasons, earning the trust of the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks’ coaching staffs while playing guard and center. Still only 27, Brown should be an upgrade over Elijah Wilkinson at left guard.
Josh Uche, EDGE, New England Patriots
2024 salary: $3 million (up to $8 million)
Yes, Josh Uche is a designated pass rusher who’s never played more than a third of New England’s defensive snaps in a season. But the delta between Uche and new Philadelphia Eagle Bryce Huff — another edge defender who sees limited snaps but received a $17 million AAV this offseason — isn’t as wide as the gap between their salaries.
Uche finished first in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity in 2022 while posting 11.5 sacks. He won’t turn 26 years old until September. The limitations are obvious, but the price point doesn’t make sense.
Foley Fatukasi, DT, Houston Texans
2024 salary: Unknown ($3.5 million estimate)
The Jacksonville Jaguars were paying Foley Fatukasi $10 million annually and owed him $7 million cash for the upcoming season before his early March release. We’re projecting he’ll earn roughly half that with the division-rival Texans in 2024.
Fatukasi was once a dominant run defender during his early-career run with the New York Jets. He can still flash in the run game, while his play style meshes well with a Houston defensive line that includes Will Anderson Jr. and fellow free agent additions Daniuelle Hunter, Denico Autry, Tim Settle, and Mario Edwards Jr.
Tyrel Dodson, LB, Seattle Seahawks
2024 salary: $4.2 million (up to $5.1 million)
While Tyrel Dodson didn’t win a starting job coming out of Buffalo Bills training camp, he met the call when fellow LB Matt Milano went down with a season-ending injury in Week 5.
Dodson’s explosive skill set stood out on tape and should make him a contributor in Mike Macdonald’s new Seahawks offense. There’s no reason Dodson can’t play as well under Macdonald next season as Ravens LB Patrick Queen did in 2023, which might set up the former undrafted free agent for a lucrative multi-season deal in 2025.
Isaac Yiadom, CB, San Francisoc 49ers
2024 salary: Unknown ($2.5 million estimate)
A 2018 third-round pick who’d bounced around the league in recent years, Isaac Yiadom started eight games for the New Orleans Saints in 2023 while setting career bests in yards allowed per target (6.9) and passer rating allowed (83.9).
The 49ers prefer to play Deommodore Lenior at slot CB but haven’t found a perimeter option they’re comfortable starting opposite Charvarius Ward. Yiadom could be that option if he continues his production from last season.
Jordan Poyer, S, Miami Dolphins
2024 salary: $2 million
Although Jordan Poyer undoubtedly looked like he’d lost a step for the Bills last season, he’s still a smart signing for the Dolphins at just $2 million. A former first-team All-Pro who boasts 24 career interceptions, Poyer brings experience and football IQ to a Miami safety depth chart that lost Brandon Jones and DeShonn Elliott this offseason.
With Jevon Holland roaming the back end, Poyer should be able to spend most of his time in the box. He’ll still be a valuable signing even if he reverts into more of a situational role as the 2024 campaign progresses.
Jeremy Chinn, S, Washington Commanders
2024 salary: $4.105 million
We called Jeremy Chinn one of the NFL’s forgotten free agents earlier this offseason, noting the former second-round pick’s absence from the Panthers’ 2023 defensive plans. He might’ve landed in a perfect spot last week when he signed with the Dan Quinn-led Commanders.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Free Agency Grades
Quinn always got the most out of unheralded tweeners like Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and Markquese Bell during his run as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
Chinn is cut from the same cloth. He can do a little bit of everything while lining up as a safety, nickel corner, or linebacker. This year’s safety market was crowded, but Chinn offers upside at this price point.
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