Hope is a powerful emotion.
One of the reasons that the National Football League manages to dominate the sports conversation year-round is how it packages and sells hope to its fans. Through free agency, the draft, and then schedule releases, the league manages to build up a strong sentiment of hope in virtually every single fan base as the crescendo builds to the start of a new season.
When free agency kicks off in just under a week, 32 fan bases will start to believe that their team is putting together a winning roster, and that this year will finally be the year.
Of course, we know it does not always work out that way. There are many teams that have “won the off-season” but such victories do not always translate into Super Bowl banners.
But with free agency nearly upon us, let hope live on.
Here is a free agency acquisition for each of the 32 NFL teams to strongly target next week. Given how team needs overlap, there are a few names listed twice. Scheme fit and salary cap considerations play a critical role in these selections (looking at you Pittsburgh and Minnesota). They are grouped by division, and in alphabetical order. Additionally, these are all additions. Many teams have in-house needs that need to be addressed first, and for the most part those are discussed in the team’s write-up.
Buffalo Bills: Robby Anderson, WR (New York Jets)
The Buffalo Bills took a big step forward in Josh Allen’s second season as a quarterback in the National Football League. While Allen still has room to grow as a quarterback, acquisitions such as Cole Beasley and John Brown helped Allen become a better timing- and rhythm-based passer.
One area where Allen could stand to improve is in the deep passing game. Among qualified passers last season, Allen ranked 23rd (out of 24) in Pro Football Focus’ adjusted completion percentage on downfield throws (defined as throws of 20 yards or more downfield). While the vertical passing game was a strength of Allen’s coming out of the University of Wyoming, that aspect of Buffalo’s offense was lacking last year.
Beasley and Brown were solid acquisitions for the Bills, but adding Anderson would give the Buffalo offense a huge jolt, specifically in the downfield passing game. Anderson has been a dangerous vertical threat for the New York Jets the past few seasons, and according to PFF’s grading he has the 15th best grade in the NFL on throws of 20 yards or more downfield since 2016. In addition, last year he was targeted six times on throws of 20 yards or more over the middle, and he caught four of those passes, three of which went for touchdowns.
Adding Anderson would give Allen a vertical option downfield, while creating space for Beasley, Brown and emerging tight end Dawson Knox room to operate in the intermediate passing game. Plus, it would wrestle a valuable commodity away from a division rival.
Miami Dolphins: Kyle Van Noy, OLB (New England Patriots)
The Miami Dolphins have three first round selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, and a number of needs they can address. Offensive line, every level of the defense and of course quarterback are positions most commonly linked with the Dolphins with those three early-round selections.
Adding Van Noy in free agency would enable the Dolphins to address a position other than EDGE/OLB with one of those selections. Players like K’Lavon Chaisson from LSU and Zack Baun are familiar names associated with Miami, but Van Noy would give head coach Brian Flores an experienced linebacker who can function both as a pass rusher off the edge or as an outside linebacker in space.
Van Noy seemed to be a potential bust after being selected in the second round by the Detroit Lions in the 2014 draft. Van Noy was then acquired by the New England Patriots via a trade, in which the Patriots acquired the linebacker and a seventh round pick in exchange for just a sixth round selection. But during the past few years in New England, Van Noy has settled into a hybrid role in the Patriots’ defense much more suited for his abilities. On any given down you can see him rushing the passer off the edge, dropping into coverage in space, or even aligning on the inside and letting players like Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower attack the pocket on the outside.
Flores has seen up close and personally what Van Noy can bring to a defense, and how he can be best utilized in the NFL. Acquiring a player with his trait set will allow Miami to address other positions of need early in the draft
New England Patriots: Hunter Henry, TE (Los Angeles Chargers)
Obviously the Patriots are one of those aforementioned teams that have some decisions to make about their own free agents before looking outward. Van Noy, as previously discussed, is a free agent who plays a critical role on their defense. Other defensive free agents include Collins and free safety Devin McCourty, as well as left guard Joe Thuney.
And of course there is that Tom Brady guy.
Regardless of how the organization deals with those decisions, tight end remains a massive hole for this team. The decision by Rob Gronkowski to retire last season late in free agency left the franchise behind the eight ball when it came to acquiring a veteran player before the draft. A year ago the Patriots tried to sign Jared Cook during free agency, but according to Mike Reiss of ESPN the uncertain status of Gronkowski had Cook look elsewhere. Then during the draft, the Patriots passed on picking a tight end despite the general consensus that the 2019 tight end class was a very strong group.
Instead, New England tried to piece the position together on the secondary free agency market, with players like Benjamin Watson and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, as well as relying on younger players already on the roster like Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse. That experiment failed, and the tight ends in New England failed to come anywhere close to the production the team lost with Gronkowski’s retirement.
This year, the picture looks much different. The rookie tight end class has some questions, and that makes Henry a very enticing option. The Chargers tight end has struggled with injuries, but when healthy he is a very impressive option in the passing game, and he can also contribute as a blocker which is something the Patriots value at the position. Adding Henry and then drafting a tight end later in the draft would put New England in position to finally restock their tight end room.
New York Jets: Amari Cooper, WR (Dallas Cowboys)
Last off-season the New York Jets were active in free agency by making two big splash signings: Linebacker C.J. Mosley and running back Le’Veon Bell. While those acquisitions made headlines, they failed to translate into wins on the field. The Jets started the season with four-straight losses (hampered in large part by illness sidelining quarterback Sam Darnold) and they were 1-7 at the midway point of their season.
But they finished strong, winning six of their final eight games, and that has brought a bit of hope back to Gang Green. But they still have holes to address on both sides of the football. They need to add some help up front on the offensive line – and many expect that the Jets will draft one of the “big four” offensive tackles with the 11th overall selection – and they could use some help at cornerback on the defensive side of the football.
Additionally, they could use help at the wide receiver spot. Bringing Robby Anderson back would make sense, but even then they could use some help. Especially if Anderson leaves town, however, a player with Cooper’s skill-set would make a great deal of sense for the Jets. If you look at the growth the Cowboys saw in Dak Prescott after acquiring Cooper, you will see what a WR with the ability to consistently get separation can mean for a quarterback. Cooper has been a well-rounded route runner since his time at Alabama, and his ability to get separation will give Darnold some big windows to attack in the passing game, boosting not only his play but the level of execution for the entire Jets’ offense.
Baltimore Ravens: Jadeveon Clowney, OLB (Seattle Seahawks)
The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2020 NFL off-season without a ton on needs. They could perhaps add to the wide receiver room, but they should have a number of potential options available to them via the draft. They could look to add depth on the interior of the offensive line, in the wake of Marshall Yanda’s retirement, making Joe Thuney and Brandon Schreff enticing options as well. But there is an area where they could look to improve: Generating pass rush without relying on the blitz.
According to charting from PFF, the Ravens blitzed on 55% of their defensive snaps, the most in the history of PFF charting. They were extremely effective when they blitzed, allowing just 4.6 yards per play when they brought pressure, but having a pass rusher who can create pressure on his own would given the defense more flexibility from a schematic standpoint.
Clowney can do that, and is probably one of the premier pass rushing talents available in free agency. Last season ESPN rolled out their new metric “Pass Rush Win Rate,” and Clowney was one of the best at winning his pass rush battles among all EDGE defenders, winning on 24% of his opportunities, seventh-best in the league. The Ravens do have Matt Judon as one top-flight pass rusher, but he is currently a free agent. Baltimore is expected to either work out a long-term deal or even use the franchise tag on him, but pairing Judon with Clowney would give the Ravens two tremendous pass rushers off the edge. On a team with not many holes and Super Bowl aspirations, a move like this makes sense.
Especially with Lamar Jackson on his rookie contract.
Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Jones, DL (Kansas City Chiefs)
The Cincinnati Bengals are also a team with a number of needs. First among them is the quarterback position, but the organization is expected to address that with the first overall selection in the draft.
Cincinnati also needs to work out a deal with A.J. Green to keep their wide receiver room intact, and to add some help up front to protect their rookie quarterback. On the defensive side of the ball, they could use a talent boost up front, and that is where Chris Jones could fit in.
The Bengals have two aging stars on the defensive line, with defensive end Carlos Dunlap and defensive tackle Geno Atkins. Adding Jones to this defensive line gives Cincinnati some serious ability to generate pressure up front. Jones played in a number of alignments for the Chiefs last season, aligning both as an interior defensive tackle and also being used as a defensive end. Jones could be used in both roles for the Bengals, giving defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo a ton of flexibility up front. In addition, Jones can line up as a shaded nose tackle at times given his mix of power and explosiveness, and a four-man front with Sam Hubbard and Dunlap on the edges with Atkins and Jones in the interior has some serious potential.
Cleveland Browns: Anthony Harris, S (Minnesota Vikings)
The Cleveland Browns entered 2019 with astronomically high expectations. With Baker Mayfield finding his own down the stretch of his rookie season and the acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns were poised to make a huge leap forward.
That leap never materialized, and the team is looking to rebound under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. They have a few needs to address this off-season, specifically at the offensive tackle spot, and expectations are that Cleveland will look to draft one of the “big four” offensive tackles with their pick at ten overall, much like the Jets are, who sit behind them in the 11th spot.
But the Browns could also use help on the defensive side of the football. They would be wise to retain linebacker Joe Schobert, who has emerged as a solid second-level defender, but if he leaves Cleveland a linebacker such as Cory Littleton would make sense as a replacement. The need for Littleton might have increased over the past 24 hours with the decision to release another linebacker, Christian Kirksey, who has struggled with injuries. The Browns also could use an infusion of talent at safety, as one of last year’s starters Damarious Randall might not be returning to the team, and given the cap situation in Minnesota, Anthony Harris would be a very intriguing option.
Harris plays primarily as a single-high free safety, although he was used at times down in the box and even as a blitzer last season for the Vikings. Last year according to PFF Harris played about 40% of his snaps in the box or over the slow, showcasing his flexibility.
Acquiring Harris would enable Woods to keep Morgan Burnett in more of a strong safety role, where he is much more comfortable. Burnett has also been used as a safety/linebacker hybrid, making Harris’ ability to play as more of a deep safety a great pairing between the two players.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jacob Hollister (Seattle Seahawks)
First things first: The Pittsburgh Steelers are in salary cap hell at the moment. They currently have just $1.6 million in cap space, and if they are going to even be a player in free agency there will need to be some cost controlling moves made prior to exploring the market. In addition, should decide to place the franchise tag on EDGE defender Bud Dupree, as has been reported, they’ll likely be forced to move on from defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. They also have needs at cornerback, but those might need to be addressed in the draft.
That brings us to the tight end position. One of the ways that the Steelers could create cap space would be moving on from tight end Vance McDonald, which would free up nearly $5.7 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com. That’s a good start, but if they are going to tag Dupree and potentially find a way to keep Hargrave, they will not have a ton of money to use to entice a player like Hunter Henry to the AFC North.
Enter (potentially) Jacob Hollister. The Seattle Seahawks signed tight end Greg Olson this offseason, and with Olson and Will Dissly in the fold, Hollister might be looking at more of a depth role.
What makes this a difficult needle to thread is that Hollister is a Restricted Rights Free Agent. and the Seahawks could place a free agent tender on him this off-season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent, meaning an original-round tender would not require the Steelers to send draft pick compensation to sign him to an offer sheet. However, if Seattle places a first- or a second-round tender, that might leave the Steelers without any options, as they lack a first round selection and might not want to use that second rounder on Hollister given some of their other needs. But if they could find a way, Hollister would be an intriguing option. He caught 41 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns over the final 10 games in 2019, and seems to be growing into the tight end the Patriots thought he could become when he was in New England.
Houston Texans: Trae Waynes, CB (Minnesota Vikings)
The Houston Texans have money to spend this off-season, and a few different needs they could address. Running back is an issue, as both Carlos Hyde and Lamar Miller are free agents, but spending money on this position in free agency seems…unwise given what we now know about the position. Adding running back depth seems to be ideal for one of Houston’s fourth round selections. Tight end was potentially a need, but the team has reached an agreement to bring Darren Fells back for with a new contract, according to reporting from Ian Rapoport.
They could also stand to address the cornerback spot as well, as a number of their current CBs (Bradley Roby, Johnathan Joseph and Phillip Gaines) are entering free agency. Houston has a pair of early round selections waiting in the wings, with last year’s second round pick Lonnie Johnson Jr., and Gareon Conley, who was acquired via a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders but originally selected in the first round by the AFC West squad.
But even with Johnson and Conley waiting in the wings, the Texans might want to bring in additional help on the outside. That makes a one-year, “prove it” type of deal with Waynes and enticing option. Waynes was solid last season for the Vikings in man coverage situations, allowing just 71 yards receiving on 134 man coverage snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He struggled a bit more in zone coverage situations, but Anthony Weaver, the Texans’ new defensive coordinator, is expected to maintain Romeo Crenel’s reliance on man coverage schemes. That would play to Waynes’ strengths as a man coverage corner, and make him an ideal fit in Houston on a “prove it” deal.
Indianapolis Colts: Tom Brady, QB (New England Patriots)
Could it happen?
Perhaps. But we do know that the Indianapolis Colts have a decision to make about the quarterback position. Jacoby Brissett, despite some flashes on the field, as well as the leadership role he has taken with the team, does not seem to be the long-term answer at the position. However, the Colts are just a season removed from a playoff spot, back when they had Andrew Luck at the helm.
Could the acquisition of Brady push them back into contention? Perhaps, given the nucleus around the quarterback spot in Indianapolis and some other smart moves in free agency and the draft. As discussed a few days ago, Brady would be a very good fit in Frank Reich’s offense, and his ability to quickly read and diagnose defenses would put a receiver like T.Y. Hilton in position to generate big yardage after the catch.
Another veteran quarterback like Philip Rivers might be an option, and Rivers has worked with both Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni in the past, but Brady showed last season that provided he has talent around him, he can still play at a high level. He might not be at the point in his career where he can will a team to a deep run in the playoffs, but with weapons around him like Hilton, an emerging Zach Pascal, and talent at running back like Marlon Mack and Nyheim Hines, Brady could be in a position to do enough in Indianapolis to put the Colts back into contention overnight.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Joe Schobert, LB (Cleveland Browns)
A few seasons ago the Jacksonville Jaguars were minutes from a Super Bowl appearance with a dominant defense that included players like Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Bouye, Malik Jackson, Dante Fowler, Marcell Dareus and Paul Posluszny. Those players are now departed, with talented EDGE Yannik Ngakoue seemingly the next to leave Duval County.
With these losses, the Jaguars are in need of rebuilding on the defensive side of the football. They could benefit from additions at all three levels of the defense, and with two first-round selections they are in position to address at least some of these needs in the first round of the draft.
A level of the defense they could stand to improve is in the second level. After signing a big contract extension last off-season Myles Jack struggled at times in 2019. Fellow linebacker Telvin Smith stepped away from the game last year and did not play in the NFL, although he has not filed retirement paperwork with the league. As such, adding an off-ball linebacker would be one area the Jaguars could address in free agency.
The Cleveland Browns are going to let linebacker Joe Schobert go in free agency, and adding him to the defensive side of the football would be a strong move for Jacksonville. The free agency class at the linebacker spot is a bit thin, with Schobert and Cory Littleton probably the two biggest names. In the draft, players like Isaiah Simmons, Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen are the names to watch, but Simmons will likely be off the board when the Jaguars pick at nine.
What does Schobert bring to the table? Great coverage skills on the second level. He notched back-to-back multiple interception days last season and posted a third straight 100-plus tackle season. He also has a background as a pure pass rusher, as he played on the edge at Wisconsin, so he would bring some versatility to Jacksonville as well and give them some pressure production off the edge.
Tennessee Titans: Shaquil Barrett, EDGE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
After a magical run to the AFC Championship Game, the Tennessee Titans have some decisions to make about a few of their own free agents. Most notably, the organization needs to look at the status of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and running back Derrick Henry. In the modern NFL paying a bruising running back might not make a great deal of sense, but the team is reportedly exploring the idea of applying the franchise tag to Henry.
Regarding Tannehill, the team is probably waiting for the big quarterback domino – Tom Brady – to fall. The Patriots quarterback has been linked with Tennessee throughout this off-season, and footage of Brady and Julian Edelman face-timing with head coach Mike Vrabel has done nothing to quell that line of thinking.
Putting decisions about Henry and Tannehill aside, if there is another need the Titans need to address it is pass rush. Cameron Wake was productive off the edge for Tennessee, but the 38 year-old veteran is nearing the end of his career. The Titans drafted Harold Landry a few years ago and he is another piece of their pass rush, but like pitching, a defense cannot have too many pass rushers.
Barrett is coming off a career year for the Buccaneers, where he notched 82 total pressures, including 20 sacks and 44 hurries. He was dominant in a Week 3 game against the New York Giants, sacking Daniel Jones four times, and he had multiple sack games against the Carolina Panthers, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Atlanta Falcons as well. Adding Barrett to the defensive front would give the Titans one more pass rusher and a big boost to their ability to consistently pressure the opposing QB. A year ago the Titans were near the bottom in terms of pressuring the passer, as they got pressure on the QB just 21.1% of the time, eighth-lowest in the league. For a team with not many needs, Barrett addresses a big one.
Denver Broncos: Amari Cooper, WR (Dallas Cowboys)
Now we have our first repeat player, and it will not be the last time we see Cooper in this piece.
With a good deal of cap space available to them, the Denver Broncos are poised to make some big moves in free agency. At the outset they need to look at some of their internal options, as cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and safety Justin Simmons are both entering free agency, and the organization would be wise to bring both back to the AFC West.
Beyond those decisions, John Elway needs to start helping his young quarterback. Elway did a fantastic job working his draft board last season, trading down and still coming away with Noah Fant, Dalton Risner and Drew Lock (that young quarterback) with his first three selections. Risner has been a stalwart up front for the Broncos sicne Week 1, starting all 16 games last year for Denver. Fant showed why he was a first round selection as the year wore on, showing some explosiveness in the passing game. Lock, when the team turned to him, showed flashes as well.
Now it is time to build around him. The Broncos have a solid receiver in Courtland Sutton, but after trading Emmanuel Sanders a season ago they need to get Lock another weapon and Sutton a running mate. Cooper would be a huge addition to this offense that can help in a number of ways. First off, defenses would be unable to simply double or rotate coverage to on side of the field, given what both Sutton and Cooper bring to the table. Additionally, teams might consider playing more two-high safety looks against this pair of receivers, which A: Lightens the box for the running game and B: Creates an opportunity for Fant to attack the middle of the field. Adding Cooper gives this offense a number of ways to attack a defense, and goes a long way towards setting Lock up for that sophomore quarterback jump.
Kansas City Chiefs: Chris Harris, Jr, CB (Denver Broncos)
Having the emerging face of the league in Patrick Mahomes cost controlled for a few more seasons puts the Kansas City Chiefs in position to compete for years to come. But the defending Super Bowl Champions do have some decisions to make, and not a ton of cap space to put to use. They would be wise to retain defensive lineman Chris Jones, but if they look outside of the organization to help, adding a cornerback would be a smart play for them.
The Chiefs are set to lose both Morris Claiborne and Bashaud Breeland in free agency, and replacing them should be the first thing the Chiefs look to accomplish after getting Jones back into the fold. It does seem that he will be available given the Broncos’ recent acquisition of A.J. Bouye via trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is coming off what was – for him – a down season, but last year the Broncos used him almost exclusively as a boundary cornerback after he spent the bulk of his career in the slot. Adding Harris in free agency and then drafting a corner at the end of the first round would go a long way towards shoring up a secondary that stands to lose players over the next few weeks.
Plus, with Mahomes in the fold, the KC defense does not need to be perfect week in and week out…
Las Vegas Raiders: Tre Boston, S (Los Angeles Chargers)
Scheme fit is something we have discussed regarding quarterbacks over the past week or so, with both the draft quarterbacks and the free agent quarterbacks. But it is also something to consider when you think about the defensive side of the football, especially with how teams play in the secondary and their pairings of safeties.
The Raiders are set to see Karl Joseph, a starter for them a season go, leave in free agency and the options currently on the roster to replace him might not be incredibly attractive. A season ago the Raiders drafted Johnathan Abram, a hard-hitting safety who operates best down in the box. But Joseph was also a safety best suited to play either down in the box or as part of a two-high scheme. With these two safeties, the Raiders and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther often struggled to implement single-high coverages.
Adding Boston gives the Raiders a true, top flight free safety, who can play in that single-high role and give Las Vegas a defender who can get sideline-to-sideline on a given play. That would free up Abram to play more down in the box, where he was most comfortable and effective while in college. Over the past three seasons Boston has tallied 11 interceptions and 16 pass breakups from that free safety spot, impressive numbers for a player used almost exclusively in that role.
Los Angeles Chargers: Jack Conklin, OT (Tennessee Titans)
The Los Angeles Chargers are widely expected to address the quarterback position with the sixth overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they have been linked to players such as Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa.
But regardless of which quarterback they choose, they will need to dedicate a lot of resources towards protecting that passer as they embark on their rookie season. The Chargers have already agreed to trade last year’s starting left tackle Russell Okung to the Carolina Panthers for guard Trai Turner, but that creates a hole at left tackle. They also would be wise to try and upgrade at right tackle, given the pass rushing EDGE defenders they see in the AFC West such as Von Miller and Frank Clark.
That makes Jack Conklin an enticing option. While the current Titan spent time on injured reserve in 2018, he started every contest for Tennessee last year during their run to the AFC Championship Game. While Conklin got some help early in his career through scheme, such as alignment and running back/tight end chips to help him on the edge, last year he was of the top tackles in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate, posting a winning percentage of 92%, eighth-best in the league among tackles. Adding Conklin would give the Chargers one very good tackle, and they could look to add another with their second round selection at 37 overall. Players such as Josh Jones from Houston or Ezra Cleveland from Boise State could be options at that selection.
Dallas Cowboys: Justin Simmons, S, (Denver Broncos)
The Dallas Cowboys face three critical internal decisions before they can start looking outside of the organization. Quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver Amari Cooper and cornerback Byron Jones are all entering free agency, and while the Cowboys do have a big chunk of cap space available ($77.3 million according to OverTheCap.com) it is expected that at least Jones tests free agency. Reports surfaced on Monday that the organization was exploring the option of using the franchise tag on Prescott and the transition tag on Cooper, which would equate to at least $43 million of combined 2020 cap space.
Looking at outside acquisitions, the Cowboys would be smart to try and bolster the back half of their defense. Prior to last year’s trading deadline Dallas looked at trading for Jamal Adams, the standout safety for the New York Jets. Those negotations failed to get off the ground, but they signal what position the Cowboys are looking to improve on the defensive side of the football.
Simmons has grown into a great weapon on the back half of the Denver Broncos’ secondary, and while John Elway has indicated that the organization will use the franchise tag on Simmons if a long-term extension cannot be worked out, Simmons would be a critical addition for the Dallas defense. He is a versatile safety who can align all over the field, both in single-high and two-high coverage schemes. Pairing him with Xavier Woods gives Dallas two very talented and versatile safeties. Last season Woods played in the free safety role on 702 of his 883 defensive snaps, but he also saw 138 snaps in the box, 35 in the slot and even seven as a defensive linemen. Versatility is critical to defenses, particularly at the safety spot, and Simmons and Woods would make for a great tandem.
New York Giants: Byron Jones, CB (Dallas Cowboys)
It is widely expected that out of their three big free agents, the Dallas Cowboys will retain Prescott and Cooper and allow Jones to test free agency. He would likely have many suitors on the open market, including at least two teams in the NFC East as well.
The first would be the New York Giants. Dave Gettleman has a number of options available to him both in the draft (with the fourth overall selection) and via free agency where the Giants have nearly $74 million dollars in available cap space. They could look to address pass rush or offensive tackle, but with that early draft pick they might have their choice at either position in the draft.
Cornerback is another need. There is a chance that Jeffrey Okudah, the consensus top CB in the draft, would be available at that spot but the Giants would be wise to address that position in free agency, especially if Jones is available.
Jones over the past two seasons showed the ability to play as an outside boundary cornerback over the past few seasons, and according to PFF’s grading his 74.1 coverage grade in single coverage is 11th best in the league over the past two seasons. Now, you can take PFF’s grading with a grain of salt, but that shows that Jones can be a lockdown corner in this league. Pairing him with with last year’s first round pick Deandre Baker would allow Jones to lock down on the opposition’s top target, and give Baker some more favorable matchups. In addition, Jones has some positional flexibility, as he can also align at safety, or be used to cover tight ends. Given the tight ends New York sees each season, such as Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz, that flexibility would be key in some of the Giants’ games next season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Byron Jones, CB (Dallas Cowboys)
Again, the Giants would not be the only team looking to bring Jones into the mix in the NFC East.
The Philadelphia secondary was a mess last season, and it started right out of the gate. Case Keenum hung 380 passing yards and three touchdowns on the Eagles in the season opener, and things honestly got worse from there. Quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins, Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick and even Eli Manning had great outings against this porous Eagles’ secondary, with Manning coming off the sideline to put up two touchdowns against Philadelphia on a rainy Monday night.
Michael Kist, who covers the Eagles for SB Nation, put their secondary woes best:
Seems to make sense for the Eagles.
Washington Redskins: Eric Ebron, TE (Indianapolis Colts)
Washington has a lot of needs as free agency beckons. They need help on the offensive line, and while re-signing guard Brandon Scherff would be a smart first move, they will likely need to address offensive tackle, as the organization has granted Trent Williams the freedom to seek a trade. They might also need to address defensive line, although it is widely assumed that help will arrive in the form of Chase Young with the second overall selection in the draft.
Washington also needs to address tight end, given the recent release of Jordan Reed. Reed showed the ability to be a dynamic tight end who can both attack the middle of the field and serve as a matchup nightmare, but mounting injuries forced the organization to move on from Reed. Given the questions about the 2020 draft tight end class, acquiring a veteran to address the position would be a very smart move for Washington.
Ebron rebounded from a slow start to his career with the Detroit Lions to emerge as a weapon in the passing game under Frank Reich with the Indianapolis Colts. Ebron is more of a contributor in the passing game than in the running game, but pairing him with Jeremy Sprinkle, who is more of a traditional, in-line tight end, that would give Scott Turner some 12 personnel packages that can still stress defenses in the passing game. When Turner took over as the interim offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers late last season, he utilize 12 offensive personnel on 19% of the Panthers’ offensive snaps. Having a tight end like Ebron would fit with where Turner is likely to take the offense. In addition, if the organization is going to build around Dwayne Haskins – which was the recommendation I made recently – adding a security blanket in the form of a receiving tight end would be a big acquisition.
Chicago Bears: Marcus Mariota, QB (Tennessee Titans)
The Chicago Bears enter the 2020 off-season with a few different holes to patch, and not a ton of cap space. The Bears currently have $16.6 million to spend on the open market, and they would benefit from adding pieces on the offensive line (guards Joe Thuney or Brandon Schreff would be ideal but perhaps cost-prohibitive) as well as tight end.
However, there is also the quarterback position. Mitchell Trubisky has not lived up to the billing, and everyone around the league believes that the organization is going to at least acquire a veteran passer to push Trubisky from the backup spot. Andy Dalton could make a great deal of sense for Chicago via a trade, but if they go the free agent route, Mariota needs to be their target.
What is lacking right now from the Chicago offense is a quarterback who can simply run the system, make the right decisions quickly, and keep the offense on track. Mariota, despite some of his other shortcomings as a quarterback, can do that. He also brings some mobility to the position, which is a growing necessity in the modern NFL. Signing Mariota to an incentive-laden contract would make a great deal of sense, and if Trubisky continues to struggle Matt Nagy can turn to a quarterback who likely runs his offense more efficiently in the long run.
Detroit Lions: Chris Harris, Jr, CB (Denver Broncos)
Harris returns to the board here, for another team that is in need of boosting their talent in the secondary. Scan through any mock draft, and you will likely see Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah penciled in with the Lions’ selection in the third spot. While that certainly makes sense, the organization might want to double down at the CB spot and acquire Harris as well.
Why? It being with Darius Slay. The current Lions cornerback is entering the final year of his contract and is looking for a long-term deal, but he is coming off a subpar season a year ago. Trade rumors are swirling around the Detroit CB, and if the team does move him via trade, the Lions would need another corner.
Harris can step into the Detroit defense and serve a variety of roles. He can be a slot corner, as he has been for much of his career, but he has shown the versatility to serve on the boundary as well. Pairing Okudah with Harris would give Matt Patricia some flexibility in the secondary, with the ability to play matchups in the secondary. Patricia’s former boss, Bill Belichick, loves to play matchups in the secondary, sometimes taking his best cover cornerback and putting him on the offense’s number two option, and then dedicating safety help over the top of the offense’s most dangerous threat. Patricia, with Harris and Okudah, could do something similar in Detroit, while also having a player in Harris who can slide into the slot and handle dangerous slot players such as Davante Adams, who was moved into the slot down the stretch last season.
Green Bay Packers: A.J. Green, WR (Cincinnati Bengals)
The Green Bay Packers need to find a running mate for Davante Adams. They can certainly wait to accomplish that in the draft, and with the deep wide receiver class coming out this season there is a chance a very solid WR option falls to them at the 30th overall selection. Players such as Brandon Aiyuk from Arizona State or Denzel Mims from Baylor are such options.
But when healthy, A.J. Green remains a game-breaker at the wide receiver spot. Green has the size, length and burst to fill the X receiver role in the Packers’ offense, and if the Packers want to maximize what is left of the Aaron Rodgers window, they need to add an explosive downfield element to their offense. Green can work to stretch defenses vertically, while also creating space underneath for Adams and other options such as Allan Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and tight end Jace Sternberger.
The Packers could go in another direction, and address linebacker with either Joe Schobert or Cory Littleton, or tight end with Hunter Henry, Eric Ebron or Austin Hooper. But their best impact could come in the form of Green. A pair of top-flight options in Green and Adams would force the defense to play more two-high coverages, also opening up the running game as well as the middle of the field for Sternberger, who excelled at attacking the seams while in college.
Minnesota Vikings: Graham Glasgow, G (Detroit Lions)
The Minnesota Vikings are up against it from a salary cap perspective. They enter free agency with just $1.4 million available, and while they have needs at cornerback and up front on defense, they might need to address those via draft.
Minnesota also has a need in the interior of the offensive line. Garrett Bradbury, their second-year center, could use use a solid running mate alongside him. That makes upgrading at offensive guard a smart play for the Vikings. The two main options, Brandon Schreff and Joe Thuney, might be difficult to acquire given the salaries they will command and Minnesota’s current cap picture. But Glasgow would be a solid option what will not hamstring Minnesota from a cost perspective. Glasgow slid into the right guard spot for the Lions last season and he did not allow a single sack a year ago. His experience and solid play would be a boost to both the Minnesota offense as well as a great influence on the Vikings’ young center.
Atlanta Falcons: Ted Karras, C/G (New England Patriots)
The Atlanta Falcons might be limited in what they can accomplish in free agency, given that they currently have just $4.3 million available under the 2020 salary cap. They have needs on the defensive side of the football, with cornerback and pass rush looming, but they might need to address those via the draft. Players such as K’Lavon Chaisson, A.J. Epenesa, Jeffrey Okudah and CJ Henderson are commonly linked to the Falcons.
Another area of quiet need is the interior offensive line. Last year the Falcons used two early draft picks on the OL, drafting both right tackle Kaleb McGary and guard Chris Lindstrom in the first round. McGary struggled at times while Lindstrom battled injuries through the season. In addition, while center Alex Mack remains a steady option in the middle, he is entering the final year of his current contract.
To be sure, Ted Karras is not the sexiest name in free agency, nor is he the most enticing New England Patriot on the OL to be testing the open waters this off-season, as that would be guard Joe Thuney. But Karras has been a steady presence in the New England offensive line room for a few seasons now. He has started for them at guard, and last year when David Andrews was lost for the year with health concerns he stepped into a critical spot and performed very well. He would provide depth at both guard and center, and could even be looked at as a potential starter at left guard coming out of training camp. With limited financial resources, the Falcons could still acquire an immediate contributor up front to protect Matt Ryan and help both Lindstrom and McGary develop. This would be a schematic fit as well, as Karras showed good footwork in New England’s zone designs, as well as some strength at the point of attack when the Patriots employed more gap/power schemes.
Carolina Panthers: Teddy Bridgewater, QB (New Orleans Saints)
Bridgewater joins Tom Brady as just the second quarterback on this list, and similar to Brady the reasons are schematic. The Carolina Panthers currently have a full quarterback room, with Cam Newton, Will Grier and Kyle Allen in place. (On Tuesday the Panthers announced a new contract for Allen). However, nothing beyond Allen’s new deal is set in stone given the new regime in town. While new head coach Matt Rhule has said all the right things about the trio of passers, new offensive coordinator Joe Brady might have his own ideas about the right quarterback to run his offense.
That might just be a quarterback who will be very familiar with his playbook.
Bridgewater and Brady were together for a period of time with the Saints, and the run/pass option offense rooted in West Coast concepts will be almost an ideal schematic fit for Bridgewater. When he was pressed into action last season when Drew Brees suffered a thumb injury, Bridgewater showed the ability to make quick decisions and involve the running backs in the passing game. That makes him a great choice to run Brady’s offense.
Acquiring Bridgewater might not foreclose the option of bringing Newton back to Carolina. The Panthers might look at Newton’s injury history and believe that if nothing else, an improvement behind Newton is a solid investment. Or, the team could turn the keys over to Bridgewater and still look to acquire a rookie in this draft class. Or, they could give Bridgewater a shot in 2020 and then reassess the position prior to 2021. Either way, Bridgewater fits the Brady offense and would give Rhule more flexibility at the position going forward.
New Orleans Saints: Emmanuel Sanders, WR (San Francisco 49ers)
With Drew Brees returning to the fold for one last run at a Super Bowl, the New Orleans Saints desperately need to find him another target in the passing game, one that can serve as a running mate for Michael Thomas. Sanders, coming off a run to a Super Bowl of his own – one which fell short – could be the perfect complement to Thomas.
Thomas is perhaps the league’s most dangerous slot receiver, and Sanders has also seen a lot of time in the slot, but both players have also seen a lot of time aligned on the outside. In 2019 Thomas actually saw the bulk of his snaps, 33.4%, aligned along the boundary to the left, and 20% of his snaps along the boundary to the right. That means the majority of his snaps were as an outside receiver. Thomas also had 77 receptions from the outside, with 71 coming from the slot.
For his part, Sanders was used more from the slot last year, and the bulk of his production came from that inside alignment. Sanders had 49 receptions from the slot, against just 18 coming from other alignments. But he was still used on the outside, with 27.9% of his snaps coming as a boundary receiver.
With these two receivers on the roster, Sean Payton would have a ton of flexibility with how he aligns the offense. He could use them out of stack slot alignments, use one in the slot and one on the outside, and come up with a number of different ways to attack a secondary. Then he could use Ted Ginn and/or Tre’Quan Smith in more of an X receiver role, and such a trio of receivers would be difficult to cover. Additionally, Payton could use some more isolated formations with Thomas as a single receiver to one side with running back Alvin Kamara staggered to that side as well, while creating an advantageous one-on-one matchup for Sanders on the opposite side of the formation.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Yannick Ngakoue, DL (Jacksonville Jaguars)
With the Jacksonville Jaguars seemingly in the midst of turning their entire defense over, perhaps another Florida organization could be in position to swoop in and make Yannick Ngakoue a part of their defensive front.
Obviously the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a massive question to deal with as free agency kicks off, and that is the status of current starting quarterback Jameis Winston. Whether Bruce Arians decides to run it back with Winston or explore other options at the quarterback spot remains to be seen, but either way there are other areas the Buccaneers could address, including the defensive front. Shaquil Barrett is a free agent, Jason Pierre-Paul is a free agent, and Ndamukong Suh is a free agent. Even if Tampa Bay inks Barrett to a new deal, pass rush is an area of need.
Ngakoue could fill a big role for Tampa Bay in that aspect of the defense. While the past two seasons did not match his production in the 2017 campaign, when he notched 14 sacks and 82 total pressures, he is still a very talented and productive pass rusher. If the Buccaneers were able to pair him with Barrett up front, that would allow Tampa Bay to remain near the top of defensive pressure statistics as they were during the 2019 season.
Arizona Cardinals: Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay Packers)
The Arizona Cardinals have two needs they can address with the eighth overall selection, but each point to one main goal: Help second-year quarterback Kyler Murray. They could draft one of the top offensive tackles in the upcoming class to address a need at right tackle, or they could look for a true #1 type wide receiver.
Having re-signed left tackle D.J. Humphries to a three-year deal in February, the Cardinals have a bigger need at the right tackle spot. They could fill that need with Tristian Wirfs from Iowa, or perhaps Jedrick Wills Jr. from Alabama, but a wiser move would be to pry Bryan Bulaga away from the Green Bay Packers. Bulaga is a steady veteran with a number of years of experience under his belt, but is coming off two very impressive seasons protecting Aaron Rodgers.
A savvy player, Bulaga is very adept at using his hands to win one-on-one battles against elite edge rushers. Brandon Thorn, who does tremendous work covering the offensive line for outlets such as Establish the Run and The Athletic – Denver, highlighted some of Bulaga’s hand work in this video breaking down his matchup this season against DeMarcus Lawrence:
Pairing Bulaga with Humphries would give the Cardinals two NFL bookend tackles to protect Murray, and enable Arizona to grab perhaps the receiver of their choice with the eighth overall selection in the draft. That would give Murray a lot of help to be sure.
Los Angeles Rams: Joe Thuney, G (New England Patriots)
For the New England Patriots’ offensive line, this is one task that matters above all else: Protecting #12.
Critical to accomplishing that goal is protecting the A-Gaps. Those creases on either side of the center that allow the interior defensive linemen an immediate path to the QB. Over his long career, the one thing that frustrates Brady above all else is immediate A-Gap pressure. For a passer of his ilk that relies heavily on timing and getting the ball out of his hand quickly, when he is forced off his spot immediately after the snap Brady can struggle.
That makes what Joe Thuney has done the past few seasons so remarkable. Thuney has been a rock in the interior protecting Brady the past two seasons, and over that period of time has allowed just one sack. During New England’s run to a Super Bowl Title during the 2018-2019 season Thuney did not allow a single sack – including in his matchup against Aaron Donald as featured above – and he has yet to allow a sack in ten post-season starts.
Thuney would immediately give the Rams’ passing game a boost with his ability to protect in the interior, but he would also be a strong presence in the running game. The Patriots relied on Thuney as one of their pullers on a variety of running plays, and that coupled with his footwork and effort in the zone run game would make him an ideal fit with Sean McVay’s running designs.
The Rams do not have a ton of cap space to work with, but if they are going to make it count this off-season, Thuney should be a prime target.
San Francisco 49ers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S (Chicago Bears)
The San Francisco 49ers do not have a lot of holes to address this off-season. They could stand to bolster the cornerback position, but given their cap situation they might be out of the running for some of the premier talent at the position. Finding a way to re-sign safety Jimmie Ward is another priority, but if the organization cannot find a way to get him back into the fold, Clinton-Dix would be an ideal replacement.
Clinton-Dix is a very solid coverage safety for the back half of the secondary, and is coming off two very strong seasons, the most recent with the Chicago Bears. Last season opposing passers had a passer rating of just 69.2 when targeting him in the secondary, and he tallied two interceptions with just eight missed tackles on the season.
Schematically, Clinton-Dix can play a variety of defensive roles. He is probably most suited to play as a single-high free safety, as he allowed just one first down when in such a position last season according to PFF. That would make a potential pairing with Jaquiski Tartt, given his prowess down near the line of scrimmage. But he can also function as a two-high half field safety, or down in the box if necessary. Obviously the team would like to retain Ward as a first option, but if they cannot, Clinton-Dix would be an ideal Plan B.
Seattle Seahawks: Brandon Schreff, G (Washington Redskins)
If you tune into any Seattle Seahawks’ game, you will likely see at some point quarterback Russell Wilson running for his life.
Part of this Wilson brings upon himself. Not all pressures (or sacks) are the fault of the offensive line, and there are times when a quarterback can make life tougher for the guys up front. There are times when Wilson is guilty of such an act, by pulling the football down and looking to create outside of the pocket.
But there are also times when Wilson is running for his life because he simply has to. For example, in a late season meeting against the Arizona Cardinals the quarterback was sacked five times and pressured throughout the contest, turning in perhaps his worst performance of the season in a losing effort. During that outing there were many times when he was pressured quickly after the snap, leaving him almost no chance to make plays from the pocket.
While left tackle seems to be locked down, with the presence of Duane Brown, the Seahawks could use a boost along the rest of the offensive line. That is where Schreff potentially comes in. He and Thuney are the premier free agent guards available this free agency period, and Schreff could step in and immediately bolster the interior of the Seattle OL.
He does come with some injury questions, as he missed eight games in 2018 with a torn pectoral muscle and he missed five games in 2019 with elbow and shoulder injuries. When healthy, he is one of the top interior offensive linemen, and if you do not believe me, let Mr. Thorn show you his work:
