NFL free agency has passed its second wave as the best players have already signedand the next generation of free agents has found a home for 2024. There are still a few good players available, but the market has dried up considerably in recent weeks.
Teams focus on the draft before free agency expands into its third wave, when compensatory picks are no longer factored into the equation. Players expected to make the roster are still available, if a team can’t wait until after the draft.
These are the top three free agents available at each position.
Strategist
The best of the remaining free agent quarterbacks, Tannehill is likely waiting for an opportunity to compete for a starting job given his resume. Tannehill has 151 career starts over his 12-year career (81-70 record), throwing for 34,881 yards and 216 touchdowns with a 91.2 rating.
Tannehill, 35, will likely have to wait until after the draft to sign with a team, as his veteran presence as a starter and backup makes the quarterback room better. Tannehill can still compete for a starting job, even after his benching at Tennessee last season.
Hoyer actually made his debut with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, as the 38-year-old quarterback has 41 starts under his belt. A prototypical backup quarterback at this point in his career, it remains to be seen whether Hoyer wants to continue playing after 15 seasons.
Las Vegas released Hoyer last month. If Hoyer wants to continue playing, he’ll probably end up at quarterback somewhere.
Gabbert’s days in Kansas City appear to be over after Carson Wentz signed with Kansas City, so the former first-round pick is likely looking for a new team. Gabbert, 34, has started 49 games in his career, but just one in the past four seasons (Week 18 game last season in which he completed 50 percent of his passes and threw three interceptions).
A 13-year veteran, Gabbert is one of the most experienced backup quarterbacks.
To come back
Injuries have certainly limited Dobbins, otherwise he would have been signed by now. Before tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 1, Dobbins had averaged 5.7 yards per carry the previous season (92 carries, 520 yards, two touchdowns), this after a brutal knee injury that left him cost the 2021 season.
Dobbins was dominant in his rookie season (2020), leading all NFL running backs in yards per carry (6.0) while setting a Ravens rookie record with nine rushing touchdowns (third among all teams). NFL rookies). His 805 rushing yards were also third among rookie running backs as Dobbins finished with a Ravens franchise record seven straight games with a rushing touchdown.
If healthy, Dobbins represents considerable value to the team that signs him.
His best days may be behind him, but Elliott remains a threat in the end zone. Elliott rushed for 642 yards and three touchdowns last season, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry. Coming back at No. 2 at this point, Elliott is a great candidate for red zone packages – even though he will turn 29 in July.
Hunt was a red zone force as Cleveland’s No. 2 running back last season, scoring nine touchdowns in 15 games. He rushed for 411 yards and averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, but still adds value to a running back in short yardage situations.
Wide receiver
A two-time 1,000-yard receiver at Cincinnati, Boyd was a valuable third option alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He finished with 67 catches for 667 yards and two touchdowns (10.0 yards per catch), but the 29-year-old would be more productive with more targets.
Boyd has 6,000 career receiving yards and 31 touchdowns. He will find a place on a team that needs him.
One of the best options on a bad Carolina team last season, Chark had 35 catches for 525 yards and five touchdowns (15.0 yards per catch). The former Pro Bowl and 1,000-yard receiver can always stretch a defense and open things up for other wideouts.
Beckham wasn’t worth the salary he received in Baltimore last season. He was consistently productive in an offense that moved the ball, making 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns (16.1 yards per catch).
Still productive as a deep ball receiver, Beckham should have suitors among contending teams.
Tight end
A poor Washington offense limited Thomas to 55 catches for 496 yards and four touchdowns (9.0 yards per catch). Thomas isn’t a good separator, but Thomas, 32, is a reliable pass catcher as the No. 2 tight end.
Tonyan passed for 11 touchdowns in 2020, but has only four touchdowns since (including zero last year). He played in every game for Chicago, but had 11 catches for 112 yards last season. In Tonyan’s final season with Green Bay (2022), he had 53 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns.
Tonyan is not a good blocker, but he is a good pass-catching tight end in the right offense.
Slim pickings for the rest of the free agent tight end group, as the former Cincinnati playoff star had just eight catches for 58 yards for New York last season. At this point in his career, Uzomah has good depth at tight end.
Tackle
One of the best tackles in the game when healthy, Bakhtiari has missed 38 games over the past three seasons. First team All-Pro in 2020, Bakhtiari made five straight All-Pro teams before injuries caught up with him. He has allowed just one sack and 10 pressures in 11 games in 2022.
The former first-round pick is in dire need of a change of scenery, having allowed 12 sacks and 47 pressures in 613 pass blocks last season. Becton isn’t even 25 yet (his birthday is this month) and last season was his first return after missing 33 straight games with right knee issues. If Becton has knee problems on his side, it’s worth taking a course with the right trainer to develop him.
A veteran starter in the league, Smith allowed two sacks and 36 pressures in 476 pass blocks last season (7.6% pressure rate). Smith started all 136 games he played in the league, all at left tackle.
Guard
Peat can play left tackle, but his best position is guard. He allowed three sacks and 11 pressures with a 4.2% pressure rating in 310 pass blocks in his final season as a guard (2022). Peat started 12 games and allowed two sacks and 30 pressures (6.5% pressure rating) at left tackle in 2023. Peat’s versatility is valuable.
Risner didn’t allow a sack in 459 pass blocks last season, but allowed a 6.3 percent pressure rate and started 11 games for Minnesota. Perhaps a better situation would save Risner’s career as a starter, as he has started 73 games in the league.
Perhaps not having Zack Wilson under center will help Tomlinson, 32, who allowed seven sacks and 47 pressures in 695 pass blocks at left guard last season (6.8 percent pressure rate). Tomlinson only allowed one sack the previous season, so 2023 could be an exception rather than the norm.
Center
Another interior lineman capable of playing both guard and center, Williams is arguably the best left center in free agency. Williams, 26, allowed just one sack and six pressures in nine games last season with a pressure rate of 2.9 percent.
Chicago’s center last season, Patrick allowed no sacks and 23 pressures in 539 pass blocks last season (4.3% pressure rate). Patrick also played as a left guard, being versatile on the interior of the offensive line. Patrick is still above all a center and a better player, as evidenced by his pressure rate of 3.3% allowed in Green Bay in 2021.
The former Los Angeles starting center hasn’t been right since knee and thumb injuries limited him to five games in 2022. Coleman Shelton beat out Allen for the starting center job in 2023, and Allen was relegated to backup duties.
Allen started 32 of 50 regular season games for Los Angeles, but allowed nine sacks in his last 23 games started. There are still starting jobs available for Allen.
