This year’s NFL free agent market is filled with big names, from Dak Prescott to Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin. Not to mention the half-dozen defenders who can still be moved via trade, or the high-profile veterans – from Teddy Bridgewater to Von Miller – who can be eliminated as casualties. But big names are not the only veterans worth pursuing in the open market. Sometimes it’s the underestimated bargain additions or calculated surprise bets that more than make up for anyone.
Below, we identified 10 free agents who are flying at least slightly below the radar. Some will be beginners in 2021. Some will be deep reserves. But they all deserve a closer look when the off-season of 2021 officially begins on March 17:
Note: AAV denotes the average annual value.
AAV designed: $ 5-7 million
Logical claimants: Bears, Broncos, Chargers, Eagles, Jaguars, Patriots
For a guy who twice took over as a full-time emergency incumbent in Indianapolis, Brissett sure looks like an afterthought now, and Carson Wentz’s arrival via trade ensures he’s going elsewhere. No one should see him as an infallible number 1; in two years as a starter for 15 games, he was totally conservative – safe and stable, but rarely revolutionized the game. Still, his courage, underestimated mobility and experience in winning systems make him a cutting edge backup and / or bridge QB. He would be the perfect veteran to pair with a young number 1 or standby starter, and he is more than capable of holding the fort for weeks at a time.
AAV designed: $ 3-5 million
Logical claimants: Buccaneers, Dolphins, Falcons, Jets, Panthers, Seahawks
Running backs are increasingly taboo for the free agent, and the truth is that you can find useful reservations for almost any price. But if you’re looking for the sweet spot between spending a lot of money on a game creator like Aaron Jones and hitting an unproven rookie from the last round, this is Davis. Best known to fantasy owners as the guy who replaced Christian McCaffrey throughout 2020, he was never a home run threat on the ground, averaging 3.7 yards per load in his career, but more like a volume excavator. But it has also been one of the NFL’s most reliable pass-capture RBs when used – a plug-and-play, short and third down option.
AAV designed: $ 9-12 million
Logical claimants: Bears, Browns, Colts, Dolphins, Giants, Packers, Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Washington
Davis is not an anonymous figure by any means, reaching fifth overall in the 2017 draft and bursting with a career record of 984 yards and five scores in 2020. But in a crowded WR market with more flashy names like Allen Robinson and JuJu Smith -Schuster, he is probably not getting the attention he deserves. His eventual contract will probably suggest otherwise, but everything says it is worth betting: he is young (just turned 26), has been a rising threat from big play and endured an average QB game before Ryan Tannehill came along. In a competitor like Baltimore or Green Bay, he would be prepared for an even greater escape.
AAV designed: $ 8-10 million
Logical claimants: Chiefs, Colts, Dolphins, Giants, Packers, Patriots, Ravens, Washington
In terms of name recognition, he is even bigger than Davis. It is not surprising that he is now somewhat overlooked throughout the league, considering that he is 31 and injuries have undermined him in nine games in the past three years. But even though Hilton is not the same big sprinter who quietly eclipsed 1,000 yards in five of the six seasons of 2013-18, he still has more than enough energy to secure an initial job. You can’t count on production number 1 at this point in your career, but you could do a lot worse for a runner-up. Much. Like Davis, his ideal landing point would be with a contender, where he can relive a field-stretching role opposite other talents.
AAV designed: $ 8-12 million
Logical claimants: Bears, Colts, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots, Raiders, Washington
When the former first-round player made just over $ 1 million to join the Raiders before 2020, his business seemed curiously small, even for a guy whose mental mistakes made his Eagles career a roller coaster. This time, he will surely receive a salary increase, and deservedly: while Agholor had many hiccups to justify being the main target of a team, his escape in Las Vegas was the realization of a great athletics that appeared before. When your confidence increases and QB’s chemistry is present, your quick-twitch skills make you a threat with the ball in your hands. His best move may be a return to Las Vegas, but he has the natural talent to make it work elsewhere.
AAV designed: $ 3-5 million
Logical claimants: Eagles, Jaguars, Patriots, Texans
I bet you wouldn’t have guessed that he was one of the busiest tight end in the NFL in mid-2020. From weeks 7-11, the former Packers reserve replaced injured Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert to post 15 receptions for 246 yards and two goals. in five games. It’s an incredibly small sample size, but extrapolated to a full season, you’re looking at over 800 yards. Under no circumstances should Rodgers guarantee anything more than a chance to compete for a reserve seat. Its roof is low. In terms of reliability, though, he offered a bit like a seven-year veterinarian and a rotating part. If you need an experienced body, it can be trusted.
AAV designed: $ 9-12 million
Logical claimants: Bills, Broncos, Browns, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, Ravens, Texans
Of all the free agents on this list, Hendrickson may be the most likely to break the bank. His profile practically begs for a profitable payday: he’s a 26-year-old pass broker from an elite defense, and his 2020 contract resulted in a career record of 13.5 sacks with 25 QB hits. and 12 tackles for defeat. Still, as a surprise, it doesn’t carry the influence of a JJ Watt or Shaquil Barrett or Jadeveon Clowney. Anyone who needs a long-term pass rusher should be in place of the former Saints player in the third round, who shone in just three starts the previous year, when he recorded 4.5 sacks and nine QB strikes behind Cameron Jordan and Co.
AAV designed: $ 4-7 million
Logical claimants: Broncos, Cardinals, Eagles, 49ers, Panthers, Steelers
It remains to be seen whether Hilton is seen as well in the NFL as in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers rewarded his rise as an unsigned rookie with a restricted free agent bid in 2020 in the second round. The young corner is certainly not closing material; at 5 ft-9 and 184 pounds, he was restricted to the slot and posted moderate coverage notes. He is, however, a kind of torpedo (in a good way), making a name for himself as a blitzer and game maker. His physical limitations dictate that he will probably have to stay indoors, but he would bring consistent aggression in any defense.
AAV designed: $ 7-9 million
Logical claimants: Broncos, Cardinals, Colts, Cowboys, 49ers, Packers
It was not so long ago that Rhodes would have qualified as an overrated free agent. After bombing as an aging holder with the Vikings, who enjoyed their heyday as a burly No. 1 before paying big bucks, the former first-round player bounced back in great form with the Colts, progressing silently as 2020 passed. to become a staple of Indy’s petty defense. Entering his 31-year season, Rhodes cannot be considered more than a year-on-year response from the outside, but in today’s NFL, anything more than a useful corner game is a victory. In a comfortable system with talent around him, he can still be a top league holder.
AAV designed: $ 1-3 million
Logical claimants: Browns, Eagles, 49ers, Raiders, Vikings, Washington
Unlike Rhodes, his secondary partner Colts, Hooker bet on the past, not recent success, to boost his market. Two games in 2020, after Indy had already refused his fifth-year option, the former first-round player suffered a tear in his Achilles tendon and fell into the injured reserve for the second time in four years. The medical history is frightening: an ACL and MCL torn in 2017 limited him to seven games, hip and foot problems left him aside in late 2018 and knee surgery delayed his start in 2019. When healthy, however, he showed the ability to be a ballhawk, intercepting seven career passes. At just 24 years old, he is a low risk bet to start as a deep safety.