NFL All-FA Team: The best remaining free agents at each position
It's almost July and several high-profile free agents remain available in the NFL on both sides of the ball. Here's what a team rostering the top current unsigned players at each position would look like:
OffenseQuarterbackTeddy Bridgewater
Bridgewater battled injuries and started only two games in 2022 while backing up Tua Tagovailoa on the Miami Dolphins. He finished the year with four touchdowns to four interceptions in 79 pass attempts. But the 30-year-old - who's reportedly generated interest from multiple teams, including the Detroit Lions - made 14 starts for the Denver Broncos in 2021, accounting for 20 TDs. He's the most reliable QB option in the market at the moment, having an edge over the likes of Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Joe Flacco.
Running backsDalvin Cook
Ezekiel Elliott
Multiple high-profile running backs are still available, with Cook headlining the list after being released by the Minnesota Vikings. The four-time Pro Bowler topped 1,000 yards on the ground for the fourth straight season in 2022 and finished the campaign with 10 scrimmage touchdowns. The 27-year-old also averaged 4.4 yards per carry - the lowest mark of his career - but is still capable of leading a backfield in 2023.
Available on the market are also Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, and Elliott, one of the league's best pass-blocking RBs who averaged 3.8 yards per rushing attempt with the Dallas Cowboys last season.
Wide receiversDeAndre Hopkins
Jarvis Landry
Not often do we see one of the best wide receivers of his generation available in free agency in late June, but that's the case with Hopkins, whom the Arizona Cardinals released last month after three seasons. Hopkins put on a show in his first year with Arizona and earned a second-team All-Pro nod. He hasn't been nearly as productive since, with a suspension and injuries limiting him to 19 appearances in the last two seasons, but his 79.7 yards per game in nine contests last year ranked 10th in the NFL.
Adam Bettcher / Getty Images Sport / GettyLandry, 30, struggled to stay healthy as a member of the New Orleans Saints, making nine appearances in 2022. With only 25 catches for 272 yards and one touchdown, he had easily the least productive season of his career. However, the five-time Pro Bowler showed he can still perform at a high level if healthy, posting 114 yards on seven receptions in Week 1.
Tight endCameron Brate
There aren't many good options left at tight end. But if your team is looking to add depth at the position, Brate is your guy. The 31-year-old, who's played all of his nine NFL seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was limited to only 20 catches and 174 yards last year but previously scored at least four touchdowns in five seasons from 2016-21.
Offensive lineLT Taylor Lewan
LG Dalton Risner
C Ben Jones
RG Trai Turner
RT George Fant
This O-line is actually not bad, especially in the interior. It's surprising that Risner and Jones remain available. The 27-year-old Risner is an above-average blocker who ranked 22nd in pass block among eligible guards in 2022, according to PFF. Jones, 33, was a top-20 PFF center and earned a Pro Bowl berth last year. Turner's prime is behind him, but the five-time Pro Bowler has 118 starts under his belt.
Lewan has three Pro Bowl nods on his resume. Though the 31-year-old played just two games in 2022 due to injuries, he's still a good player when healthy and allowed four sacks in 456 pass-blocking snaps in 2021. Meanwhile, Fant offers versatility and can play at both right and left tackle. The 30-year-old posted the best year of his career as a pass-blocker in 2021, according to PFF.
DefenseInterior linemenShelby Harris
Matt Ioannidis
Harris is a reliable defender who was one of the few bright spots in the Seattle Seahawks' interior defensive front last season. The 31-year-old racked up 44 tackles (five for loss) and two sacks in 2022, finishing the campaign as PFF's 17th-best lineman. Ioannidis has been an underrated interior pass-rusher for most of his career. The 29-year-old, who brings seven seasons of NFL experience, has recorded 20 QB hits combined in the last two years.
Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / GettyEdge rushersYannick Ngakoue
Jadeveon Clowney
Ngakoue has serious limitations against the run but has been able to generate pressure lately, amassing 39 QB hits and 19.5 sacks combined since 2021 while playing for two different teams. Meanwhile, Clowney only had two sacks last season and is now four seasons removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign. That said, the 2014 No. 1 pick remains a solid run defender.
LinebackersRashaan Evans
Kwon Alexander
The NFL market doesn't currently offer high-profile inside linebackers, but it does feature interesting depth pieces. Evans put up a career-high 159 tackles while playing in a subpar Atlanta Falcons defense in 2022. The 2018 first-round pick is fast but struggled in pass coverage. Durability has been a concern for Alexander, but the former Pro Bowler played all 17 games with the New York Jets last year. He was arguably N.Y.'s second-best LB and can add value as a pass-rusher or in coverage.
SecondaryCB Marcus Peters
CB Ronald Darby
S John Johnson
S Duron Harmon
DB Bryce Callahan
Peters is the most well-known defensive back available, with a pair of All-Pro berths on his resume. He played in 13 games last year after suffering a torn ACL in 2021. Though the 30-year-old's prime appears to be behind him, he still has something left in the tank. Darby, who finished second for Defensive Rookie of the Year to Peters back in 2015, is also years removed from his prime and was limited to five games in 2022. However, he's allowed a sub-90 passer rating in coverage for three straight years. Finally, Callahan set career highs with 47 tackles and three picks in Year 1 with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyAt safety, Johnson is the name to watch. It's the second time he tests free agency since 2021 after an unimpressive stint with the Cleveland Browns. The 27-year-old can still be a quality NFL starter if he lands in the right system. As a member of the Los Angeles Rams, he was PFF's fifth-best safety in 2020. Teams should also be looking at Harmon, who hasn't missed a game since his rookie year in 2013. A rotational defender in three of the New England Patriots' Super Bowl-winning teams in the past, Harmon posted one of his best individual seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, notching 86 tackles and two interceptions, including a pick-6. He's 32 but can still help a contender looking for a cheap DB on a short-term contract.
Let's say the over/under for our All-Free Agents Team would be 3.5 wins if the NFL season started today. We'll take the under. Leave your predictions in the comments.
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