The physical nature of football ensures that talent acquisition never stops in the NFL, but the COVID-19 pandemic has gotten in the way for most of the 2020 offseason.
Teams can’t put free agents through workouts or physicals, and that has created a surplus of talented, productive NFL veterans — many of whom are aging or coming off injuries — who are still looking for work.
There are so many decent free agents still available, an expansion team could be created from them, and it might be good enough to produce a winning record with good coaching.
With training camps starting later this month, here is a look at the top 25 unrestricted free agents that can make just about any team better.
DE Jadeveon Clowney
This 27-year-old is a three-time Pro Bowl selection who has contributed 236 tackles and 32 sacks during his five-year career. He sought a mega deal as a free agent this offseason, but nobody stepped up and offered him the money he wanted because of a sports hernia injury he’s rehabilitating. Returning to Seattle is an option, but it seems as if Clowney is open to all options.
WR Antonio Brown
There have been a handful of teams that have shown interest in signing Brown, a South Florida native, despite his multiple off-field incidents that could lead to a suspension from the NFL. He spent all but one game out of the NFL last year after being released by New England. But Brown remains one of the NFL’s most dangerous receivers talent-wise and could boost a team that is a playmaker away from winning it all.
CB Logan Ryan
Ryan is a proven and productive defensive back who has the versatility to play on the boundary, in the nickel spot and at safety. He’s contributed 494 tackles, 17 interceptions, 11 sacks and forced nine fumbles in his seven-year NFL career. Last season, he contributed 73 tackles, four interceptions and 4.5 sacks as a 16-game starter for the Titans but priced himself out of the free agent market this spring.
OG Larry Warford
The three-time Pro Bowl guard was released by the New Orleans Saints after they drafted Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz, and he remains available. Any team looking to bolster the interior of its line should be interested in the 29-year-old, but they’ll likely be concerned about his weight, which could have skyrocketed because of the pandemic, and the limited ability to workout.
LB Vontaze Burfict
Burfict has spent the past eight years establishing a reputation as one of the most violent, dirty linebackers, and it’s cost him more than $4 million in fines and salary due to suspensions, which includes the final 12 games of Raiders’ season. But players as talented as Burfict, who has registered 622 tackles, 8.5 sacks and five interceptions in his eight seasons, usually get endless chances to redeem themselves.
S Reshad Jones
During his 10-year career with the Miami Dolphins, he’s recorded 776 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 21 interceptions and 10.5 sacks, but at this point the 31-year-old’s durability has to be a concern. He only played four games last season because of a chest injury that landed him on injured reserve. If healthy and motivated, this two-time Pro Bowl pick still has some good football left in him, especially if put in the right role and scheme.
QB Colin Kaepernick
The controversial quarterback last played in the NFL in 2016 before his national anthem protest got him being blackballed by the NFL for three years. There are reports that a handful of teams are interested in signing Kaepernick, who owns a 28-30 record as a starter, and making him a backup. Now 32, he’s completed 59.8% of his passes, throwing for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns, and rushed for 2,300 and 13 touchdowns in his six seasons.
S Eric Reid
Reid, 28, is coming off one of his more productive NFL seasons, but got released because the Panthers are rebuilding and didn’t view him as part of the young nucleus. Reid contributed 130 tackles and four sacks and forced two fumbles last season. The eight-year veteran has contributed 519 tackles, 11 interceptions and six sacks in the 99 games he’s played, starting all but one of them. Whichever teams signs him must be comfortable with his social activism, because he’s one of the original players who protested for social justice reform during the national anthem.
DE Everson Griffen
Even though he will turn 33 later this year, Griffen is still productive rushing off the edge. This four-time Pro Bowl pick has produced 74.5 sacks in his 10 seasons, and eight of them came last year with the Vikings. He might not be a good fit for a rebuilding team, but could compliment a contender for the next few seasons.
RB Devonta Freeman
Freeman has reportedly turned down $4 million offer to join the Seahawks because the 28-year-old believes he’s worth more. The problem is he has not played an entire 16-game season since 2016 and missed all but two games in 2018 because of a knee injury. In 2019, this former Florida State standout averaged a paltry 3.6 yards per attempt, scored two rushing touchdowns and had just 656 rushing yards.
DE Cameron Wake
Age hasn’t been kind to this five-time Pro Bowl pick, who missed most of last season because of a knee injury that got him placed on injured reserve. But this 38-year-old doesn’t plan to retire and hopes some team will give him an opportunity to add to his 100.5 career sacks. In the right role, Wake could serve as an effective pass-rushing specialist.
RB Lamar Miller
Miller missed all of the 2019 season because of a knee injury he suffered in the preseason, but the former Dolphins and Texans starter, who has rushed for 5,864 yards and scored 40 career touchdowns in his seven seasons, is ready to resume his career. Any team will likely need to put him through an extensive physical before finalizing the deal.
CB Trumaine Johnson
Johnson, whose release from the Jets saves the franchise $3 million, was a disaster in New York the past two season. But his eight-year career proves he’s a quality starter, and if healthy, this 30-year-old has the talent to serve as a solid boundary cornerback who can produce turnovers — such as his 23 interceptions and three forced fumbles in 102 games.
C Daniel Kilgore
Kilgore was a competent NFL starting center and a influential leader when he’s been healthy. However, he struggled with injuries in his two season with the Dolphins, which contributed to his release this offseason. Kilgore has started 56 of the 91 games he’s played in his nine seasons, and last season he allowed 16 total pressures (12 hurries, four hits), and gave up three sacks in 13 games.
DE Jabaal Sheard
A nine-year NFL veteran, Sheard has totaled 387 total tackles (70 for a loss) with 51.5 sacks, 92 quarterback hits, 27 passes defensed, 13 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 134 career games played. This former Hollywood Hills standout has never been the type of free agent teams break the bank to sign, but the 31-year-old has consistently been productive, no matter the scheme.
DE Ezekiel Ansah
Back in 2017, Ansah was considered one of the NFL’s most forceful defensive linemen, but injuries have slowed him down since. Last year in Seattle, ankle and neck injuries plagued this 31-year-old and rendered him ineffective, as he only delivered 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits in 11 games.
CB Darqueze Dennard
Dennard was supposed to sign with the Jaguars before that deal fell through, but he’s a starter-quality cornerback, someone who excelled in the nickel role. He has contributed three interceptions, 22 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, three sacks and 274 tackles in 77 career games he’s played for the Bengals the past six seasons.
CB Aqib Talib
Talib, the five-time Pro Bowl selection, has the veteran pedigree needed to make any secondary better and likely won’t break the bank on his next deal because of the injuries that limited his production in 2019. The biggest question is whether this 34-year-old, who has pulled down 35 interceptions in his 12 seasons, still has the speed and athleticism to be an NFL starter.
DT Marcell Dareus
Dareus is considered a risk-reward type option, because he could resurrect the Pro Bowl level performance he had in Buffalo. Or, he could be the underachiever he was in Jacksonville the past 2 ½ seasons. Last season, Dareus was limited to just six games after being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a core injury that required surgery.
DE Michael Bennett
Bennett, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, has bounced around the NFL, playing for three teams the past two seasons, serving as run-stopping defensive end. The 34-year-old’s experience level (11 seasons), and productivity (359 tackles and 69.5 sacks) hints he’ll eventually find work.
CB Dre Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick, who has started 67 games in his eight-year career, is coming off his worst season with the Cincinnati Bengals, when he played in only six games due to a knee injury. This 30-year-old’s inability to workout with teams this offseason due to the restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered his ability to showcase his health.
DT Timmy Jernigan
Jernigan, a former Florida State standout who has recorded 17.5 sacks in his six previous seasons, initially agreed with sign with the Texans but later announced he was no longer signing a one-year, $3.75 million deal with Houston. Jernigan, who was limited to 10 games last season because of the broken foot, contributed 10 tackles and two sacks.
TE Delanie Walker
Walker, who has played for 14 seasons split between the Titans and the 49ers, was released by Tennessee. Unfortunately, health has been a major concern for this 35-year-old. He played in just seven games last season, catching 21 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and only played in one game during the 2018 season.
RB LeSean McCoy
At one point, McCoy was considered one of the NFL’s elite backs, but age has caught up to the 31-year-old six-time Pro Bowl selection, who completed his 11th NFL season as a backup in Kansas City. McCoy rushed for 465 yards last season and ranks third among active players with 11,071 in his career.
TE Charles Clay
Knee and calf injuries hindered Clay’s production in Arizona, where he caught 18 passes for 237 yards and scored one touchdown. Clay, 30, must prove to his next NFL team that he can remain healthy for a full season and deliver the type of production he had in Miami and Buffalo earlier in his career.
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