Matt Johnson
Following the trades of A.J. Brown and Myles Garrett, the focus of fans hoping for their teams to improve this summer shifts to free agency. There are still some quality top NFL free agents remaining, enough for every club to strengthen their roster before training camp.
Let’s dive into our list of one NFL free agent we’d like to see each team sign.
Arizona Cardinals: Marcus Davenport, EDGE
In 2025, the Arizona Cardinals had the fourth-lowest pressure rate (18.2 percent) in the NFL. However, the pass-rushing situation really was not addressed adequately in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft. Enter Marcus Davenport. Durability (14 games played over the last two seasons) is a massive issue for him, but the former first-round pick has still demonstrated he can at least provide depth as an edge defender. It would be a low-risk, moderate-reward move for Arizona.
Atlanta Falcons: DeAndre Hopkins, WR
Behind Drake London, the Atlanta Falcons’ receiver room is headlined by Jahan Dotson, Zachariah Branch and Olamide Zaccheaus. It is not exactly an ideal situation. Atlanta could also use some more size at receiver, given its secondary wideouts are all under 6 feet. DeAndre Hopkins is not anything close to what he used to be, but the 34-year-old still offers good size (6-foot-1), and he could provide some nice veteran mentorship to work with London and Branch.
Baltimore Ravens: Jonah Williams, OT
Looking at the Baltimore Ravens’ depth chart, one area of concern is the lack of alternative options at offensive tackle. If Roger Rosengarten or Ronnie Stanley goes down, the next man up is the untested Carson Vinson. A more experienced swing tackle feels necessary. Veteran Jonah Williams is not a starting-caliber right tackle anymore, but he is a great depth option who would be fine as a fill-in starter for a short stretch if Baltimore needed him.
Buffalo Bills: Marshon Lattimore, CB
We do not love the Buffalo Bills’ situation right now at outside corner. Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston are the obvious starters, but defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard needs rotational defensive backs behind them. NFL free agency is a bit thin, but all we are looking for is solid depth. Marshon Lattimore is years removed from being a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback, but he is an experienced starter who could still be viable in a situational role. Last season, he allowed just a 59.5 percent completion rate in coverage with a 93.0 passer rating allowed when targeted.
Carolina Panthers: Jonnu Smith, TE
The Carolina Panthers seem satisfied with Tommy Tremble and Ja’Tavion Sanders as their tight ends. It is a situation with room for improvement. David Njoku would have been ideal for Carolina, but we would also like it if the club signed veteran tight end Jonnu Smith. He is a classic “move” tight end for Dave Canales, giving Bryce Young another underneath option in the passing game.
Chicago Bears: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE
You can never have enough pass-rushing depth in the National Football League. The Chicago Bears are not even within the same state lines as having quality depth. That is probably why the club recently brought in edge rusher A.J. Epenesa for a visit. The 6-foot-6 edge defender generated 20 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons with 28 pressures. It will only take a one-year deal to bring him in, so this feels like the best option for Chicago and it is cost-effective.
Cincinnati Bengals: Bobby Wagner, LB
Publicly, the Cincinnati Bengals have expressed confidence in their young linebacker room. We do not share that sentiment. Experience is needed in that room, and while there are a few intriguing options in NFL free agency, Bobby Wagner is the best fit. For one thing, the veteran linebacker can offer some guidance for Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. As for his on-field impact, he can still be an effective two-down player as long as Cincinnati recognizes it needs to mask his severe athletic limitations in coverage.
Cleveland Browns: Kenny Moore, CB
The Cleveland Browns don’t seem to have any intentions of further tearing the roster apart, so we’ll assume Denzel Ward remains with the team in 2026. Still, cornerback is an area where the team could improve and it feels even more pressing now that the pass rush is weakened without Myles Garrett. Cornerback Kenny Moore could replace Myles Harden as Cleveland’s starting nickel, providing first-year defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg with someone a little more capable in coverage.
Dallas Cowboys: Antonio Gibson, RB
We love the additions the Dallas Cowboys made to their defense this offseason and it should yield a nice turnaround for the unit in 2026. Now we’d just like to see Jerry Jones round out this offense a bit more. Antonio Gibson doesn’t bring much as a ball-carrier, but the veteran can still be an effective third-down back. He should be available for a cheap one-year deal and he’d be an RB2 upgrade over Malik Davis.
Denver Broncos: Yosh Nijman, OT
If Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey stay healthy, the Denver Broncos offensive line is just fine. The worry is what happens if an injury strikes. Frank Crum and Matt Peart have barely seen the field in the last two years. On the other hand, Yosh Nijman has 466 snaps at offensive tackle over the last two seasons. He’s simply a more stable option if an injury strikes.
Detroit Lions: Elandon Roberts, LB
The Detroit Lions know better than anyone how frequently injuries can strike a defense during the season. It’s particularly been felt by Detroit’s front seven, including at off-ball linebacker. Jack Campbell is an excellent player and Malcolm Rodriguez holds his own, but the options behind them (Damone Clark, Joe Bachie and Jimmy Rolder) are wildly underwhelming. Elandon Roberts, age 32, brings 10 years of playing experience. He’s a better backup option for Detroit.
Green Bay Packers: Eddie Goldman, NT
While the Green Bay Packers added both Javon Hargrave and Chris McClellan this offseason, both interior defenders aren’t primary nose tackles. That’s still an area Green Bay would be wise to address before training camp. Eddie Goldman, age 32, isn’t a starting-caliber nose anymore. However, at 320 pounds, he does provide the size to be a space eater on the interior. At a minimum, he gives Green Bay the depth they need at nose.
Houston Texans: Germaine Pratt, LB
With E.J. Speed lost for the season, the Houston Texans need to find more depth at linebacker. Germaine Pratt has bounced around the league the last two seasons, playing for three different teams. He doesn’t offer anything special on the field, but he has been a steady contributor on early downs. It’s better than the likes of Jamal Hill and Wade Woodaz getting extended snaps.
Indianapolis Colts: Deebo Samuel, WR
Deebo Samuel is one of the top NFL free agents remaining and we’d love to see him land with the right play-caller. An ideal situation would be adding him to the Indianapolis Colts offense, bringing him in as an added underneath weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones. As Samuel showed last year, he’s still capable of getting some yards after the catch and he remains tough to bring down. Shane Steichen feels like one of the best play-callers out there for Samuel’s skill set.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Bobby Okereke, LB
After losing Devin Lloyd this offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile seem prepared to move forward with Ventrell Miller at linebacker. It’s a risky gamble. What NFL free agency offers Jacksonville, at the very least, is legitimate competition to add at linebacker for training camp. Bobby Okereke struggled in 2025, but he’s been a quality starter before that. Ultimately, we think Okereke could beat Miller in a battle for the starting job and he’d help Jacksonville’s defense.
Kansas City Chiefs: Stefon Diggs, WR
Examining the Kansas City Chiefs depth chart, wide receiver is still a glaring issue. Rashee Rice is dealing with medical and off-field issues, Xavier Worthy is trending toward being a bust and there aren’t any compelling options behind them. Stefon Diggs, as he proved last season, can still be a viable No. 2 receiver. He would instantly be the second-best receiver on the roster when everyone is healthy and he’d make life easier for Patrick Mahomes in his first season back from an ACL tear.
Las Vegas Raiders: DaQuan Jones, DT
Wide receiver is one of the remaining needs for the Las Vegas Raiders, but there isn’t a viable big-bodied wideout who can really fill the void. So our focus shifts to defensive tackle. Veteran lineman DaQuan Jones, at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, is coming off his third consecutive season with at least 2.5 sacks. While he doesn’t offer much as a run defender, Jones could still be an effective interior pass rushes for Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Chargers: Rasul Douglas, CB
We’re not quite as confident in the Los Angeles Chargers’ cornerback room as the coaching staff seems to feel. Jesse Minter helped mask a lot of talent deficiencies with this unit and we’re hesitant to believe that Cam Hart, Donte Jackson, Rodney Shelley and Deane Leonard are good enough options for Los Angeles. This past season, Rasul Douglas allowed just a 73.0 QB rating in coverage and 5.6 yards per target. Even with the volatility that comes year-to-year at corner, Douglas is a worthy investment for Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Rams: Keenan Allen, WR
The Los Angeles Rams are all-in, so part of this is wanting Keenan Allen to close out his NFL career with a Super Bowl contender. There’s also a strong case to be made that the Rams’ depth at wide receiver behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua–Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, CJ Daniels and Konata Mumpfield–falls well short of sufficient. In his age-33 season, Allen still had 777 receiving yards with 49 first downs on 81 receptions. He’d be an upgrade at WR3 for Los Angeles.
Miami Dolphins: Josh Reynolds, WR
Take a look at the Miami Dolphins depth chart. Among the primary wide receivers, only one (Jalen Tolbert) measures in at 6-plus feet and is healthy. The other, Chris Bell, is recovering from an ACL tear. Miami needs more big-bodied receivers. Josh Reynolds brings a veteran presence into the receiver room, which Miami could use, and he brings size (6-foot-3) the team is lacking at the position.
Minnesota Vikings: Leonard Floyd, EDGE
After the trade with the Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings really don’t have much pass-rushing depth behind Dallas Turner, ANdrwe Van Ginkel and Levi Drake Rodriguez. Given how much defensive coordinator Brian Flores relies on his edge rushers, it would be wise to add another veteran into the fold. Leonard Floyd only had 3.5 sacks last season in Atlanta, but it also came with 19 pressures. Furthermore, he averaged 9.6 sacks and 28.8 pressures per season from 2020-24. Even if he can’t quite recapture that form at 34 years old, he can be a good rotational pass rusher for Minnesota.
New England Patriots: Xavier Woods, S
Review: Now that the A.J. Brown trade is behind them, the New England Patriots should turn their focus to adding a little more depth via NFL free agency. Kevin Byard is a very good player, but he’ll be 33 years old in Week 1, while fellow safety Craig Woodson is just entering his second season. Enter Xavier Woods. He only played 526 snaps this past year, but prior to that he averaged over 900 snaps per season from 2020-24. He could be an ideal third safety for New England and a great insurance plan behind Byard.
New Orleans Saints: Cameron Jordan, EDGE
Review: Cameron Jordan needs to end his career with the New Orleans Saints. This isn’t about good will and a storybook ending either, he recorded 22 pressures and 10.5 sacks in his age-36 season. While he’ll be 37 in July, the Saints would be wise to strengthen their pass-rushing options. Plus, Jordan is a proven locker room guy and it feels like he could help this team at least be in the mix to win the NFC South.
New York Giants: Kyle Van Noy, LB
The New York Giants roster isn’t necessarily in fantastic shape, but they do have depth at a lot of positions. So, for this, we’ll project that edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux is traded later this summer. That could open the door to the club reuniting John Harbaugh with Kyle Van Noy. While the 35-year-old only netted 2 sacks in 2025 after earning a Pro Bowl selection the season prior, he’s a versatile linebacker who might even be more suited for that No. 3 role in New York than Thibodeaux is.
New York Jets: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB
The New York Jets should turn their attention in NFL free agency to Jimmy Garoppolo. Geno Smith is a fine starter, but Cade Klubnik shouldn’t be seeing the field in 2026 and the looks we got at Brady Cook last season were more than enough. Give Garoppolo a one-year deal and provide Aaron Glenn and the Jets coaching staff with an alternative option who can make good reads and on-target throws if Smith falters.
Philadelphia Eagles: Mekhi Becton, OG
A return to the Philadelphia Eagles makes the most sense for Mekhi Becton, even if there’s a new offensive coaching staff. This is the team that he thrived with, if even for one year, and the Eagles need to improve their options on the interior offensive line. Becton might not win a starting job, but he is without a doubt a better option than Hollin Pierce and Micah Morris.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Matt Milano, LB
Review: Matt Milano is far, far removed from the player he used to be. Last season as a 31-year-old starter for the Buffalo Bills, though, he did net 7 TFLs with 6 QB hits and 3.5 sacks in 12 games. At a minimum for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he may be a blitzer who defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can deploy in a rotational role.
San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, G
The San Francisco 49ers need to give Kyle Shanahan some better options at guard. Fortunately, there’s a great option available in NFL free agency. Kevin Zeitler still rated as a viable starter this past season and he’s undoubtedly an upgrade over the options San Francisco has at left guard going into the summer.
Seattle Seahawks: Von Miller, EDGE
Von Miller turned down an opportunity to play with the Seattle Seahawks last season. The two sides should revisit a deal this summer. Mike Macdonald already has some viable options at edge rusher, but the rotation at the position means depth is always a good thing. Coming off a season with 19 pressures, 15 QB hits and 9 sacks, Miller represents the best pass-rushing option among the top NFL free agents remaining.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: L’Jarius Sneed, CB
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did a nice job improving defensively this offseason. However, there’s still something missing in the secondary. Depth is our concern and while there aren’t many quality options in NFL free agency, there are options to take a chance on. L’Jarius Sneed struggled this past season with the Tennessee Titans, but perhaps a change of scenery and being another year removed from injuries allow him to be a viable option behind Zyon McCOllum and Benjamin Morrison.
Tennessee Titans: Joel Bitonio, G
This is all about helping out Cam Ward. Veteran offensive lineman Joel Bitonio is now 34 years old and nowhere close to being his former self. However, he still proved quite effective in pass protection this past year for the Cleveland Browns. He could both be a mentor for Peter SKoronski and start over Cordell Volson.
Washington Commanders: Trevon Diggs, CB
The Washington Commanders seem ready to roll with corners Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil and Amik Robertson in 2026. It’s not an ideal situation. Maybe Trevon Diggs can’t return to form and he’ll just bounce around the league for the next 2-3 years as a reclamation project that different teams try to fix. It’s a no-risk, moderate-reward move for Washington.
