NFL free agency begins in March, and that’s when the vast majority of the money gets spent. However, the secondary waves of free agency linger into the late spring and summer, and this is where teams can find the real values.
With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, team needs are clearer than before, as organizations can no longer hope for the possibility of addressing them in the NFL Draft. Moreover, the deadline for free agents to count against the 2026 compensatory pick formula passed on Monday, April 28.
Therefore, teams are now free to sign free agents without worrying about it counting against them in receiving potential compensatory picks in next year’s draft. With a secondary wave of free agency potentially arriving, which remaining veterans represent the best fit for each team?
Arizona Cardinals: LB Kyzir White
After the draft, linebacker looks like the Arizona Cardinals’ greatest weakness. Akeem Davis-Gaither and Mack Wilson Sr. are the current projected starters, with fourth-rounder Cody Simon potentially getting an opportunity.
Regardless, none of those players have ever exhibited a sustained stretch as an above-average starter. Davis-Gaither has never started more than seven games in a season, while Wilson started 16 games last year but played more snaps at edge rusher (340) than off-ball linebacker (292) as a hybrid player.
Without White, the Cardinals have a glaring weakness in the middle of their defense. His 978 defensive snaps ranked second behind Budda Baker, and while he has some coverage limitations, he was a sure tackler with just a 5.5% missed tackle rate on 137 total tackles.
Reuniting with White would alleviate the pressure on Simon to play every-down snaps right away, but it’s unlikely the veteran would command such a significant contract that the Cardinals couldn’t move on if Simon proves ready to play.
Atlanta Falcons: CB Asante Samuel Jr.
After a draft that was heavy on front-seven players, the Atlanta Falcons still have significant needs on the back end of their defense. The cornerback spot opposite A.J. Terrell Jr. is a weakness, and even the nickel spot could use competition for Dee Alford.
One player who might fit schematically is Asante Samuel Jr. The former Chargers corner was limited to four games last season due to a shoulder injury, but he played all 17 games each of the previous two seasons. Like his father, Samuel has a knack for finding the ball, with two picks each of his first three seasons and 35 passes defended (one fewer than Terrell’s 36 from 2021-23).
Samuel is better suited for zone coverages, which the Falcons played at the second-highest rate in 2024. Assuming the medicals check out on his shoulder, it might make sense for him to play where his father finished his career with his final two seasons from 2012-13.
Baltimore Ravens: CB Stephon Gilmore
Even with one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens are likely to add a few vets in the upcoming weeks. The Ravens play the compensatory pick game as deftly as any organization, and past years have seen late-offseason additions like Jadeveon Clowney pay off.
Perimeter cornerback is one of the few remaining question marks on the roster. Their only selections at the position came in the sixth round with Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam.
Some of this could be solved by playing Kyle Hamilton more at nickel with Marlon Humphrey kicking outside more often. However, Baltimore’s defense stabilized last year when Hamilton became a full-time safety, so the Ravens might want to see if rookie Malaki Starks is ready for a full-time workload first before moving Hamilton around.
A veteran like Stephon Gilmore would be a starting-level player who would allow the Ravens to avoid depending on an unknown, such as Jalyn Armour-Davis or T.J. Tampa. Gilmore’s past experience in man-heavy schemes could translate well to a Ravens defense that played man at the ninth-highest rate in 2024. He’s still a quality starter, as evidenced by his 7.1 yards per target allowed with the Vikings last year.
Buffalo Bills: EDGE Von Miller
The Buffalo Bills have a pretty complete roster in terms of depth and all-around strength. At this point, any additions should be geared toward matchups in January, with veterans who could contribute in situational roles.
Von Miller still fits that criteria, even in the twilight of his career. Miller was never going to return to Buffalo on his previous contract, but the team has left the door open for a potential reunion. Even with the Bills supplementing the edge rusher spot in free agency (Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht, the latter of whom is serving a suspension) and the draft (Landon Jackson), there’s never been a team with too many pass rushers.
Miller was down to just 25% of the defensive snaps in 2024, but that’s all Buffalo really needs out of him. His six sacks were still tied for second-most on the team, and he had the highest pressure rate of any Bills defender with at least 100 pass rush snaps. Miller said he wanted to be in Buffalo after the season, so Brandon Beane should oblige.
Carolina Panthers: CB Mike Hilton
The Carolina Panthers invested heavily between free agency and the NFL Draft in fixing last year’s historically putrid defense. The pass rush should look better after double-dipping at edge rusher by drafting Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, while the new safety pairing of Tre’von Moehrig and Lathan Ransom is a huge upgrade over the replacement-level play they’ve gotten from that position for years.
However, cornerback still looks like a major weakness. In the short term, the more pressing issue is in the slot. Ejiro Evero can reasonably roll out Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on the perimeter, but Chau Smith-Wade is still penciled in at the nickel. The 2024 fifth-rounder is still relatively unproven after playing only 30% of the snaps as a rookie, though he only allowed a 75.4 passer rating in a small sample of 20 targets.
One veteran who could push Smith-Wade would be veteran Mike Hilton. Although he’s now 31 years old, the long-time slot corner for the Steelers and Bengals has held opponents below 6.0 yards per target in two straight seasons. If Smith-Wade beats out a player like Hilton, the Panthers could feel more comfortable playing the second-year pro based on merit rather than by default.
Chicago Bears: EDGE Za’Darius Smith
Za’Darius Smith has played for every NFC North team except the Chicago Bears. Now, it might be time for the 32-year-old to complete the division sweep by supplementing Chicago’s pass-rushing depth.
The Bears have a solid starting group on the defensive line, thanks to free agent additions Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo and second-rounder Shemar Turner. However, the depth is a little thin, particularly on the edge behind Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat. Adding Smith could not only control the snap counts of the starters but also allow defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to get creative with his pass rush packages.
Both Smith and Odeyingbo have experience rushing from the interior in sub-packages, but it might not be possible for Odeyingbo to kick inside on passing downs if the Bears don’t have a third edge rusher they trust. Rolling out a third-down package with Sweat and Smith on the edges and Odeyingbo and Gervon Dexter Sr. or Turner on the interior would make the Bears more versatile and dangerous in the pass rush department.
Cincinnati Bengals: S Quandre Diggs
How the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense will look under new defensive coordinator Al Golden is a bit of a mystery. Golden’s Notre Dame defenses relied heavily on Cover-1 man, a coverage in which the Bengals ranked 18th last year. That doesn’t mean he’ll blindly stick to the same scheme, but it does indicate his preference when the personnel is in good shape.
While the Bengals’ starting secondary is likely set, safety looks like an area where the depth isn’t ideal. There aren’t really clear options behind Geno Stone and Jordan Battle, particularly given that Dax Hill appears more comfortable at cornerback. Stone struggled during his first season in Cincinnati, while Battle has only started 13 games in his first two seasons and isn’t a proven full-time starter.
As such, bringing in a veteran third safety would raise the secondary’s floor. Quandre Diggs has plenty of experience as a deep safety in single-high schemes throughout his career.
He’s 32 years old and missed nine games last year with a Lisfranc injury, so the medicals would need to come back clean. However, he’s a proven ball hawk who had six straight seasons with three or more interceptions between 2017-22, and he would likely come cheaply on a one-year deal.
Cleveland Browns: WR Keenan Allen
With Elijah Moore receiving the rare unrestricted free agent tender, the Cleveland Browns will probably move on from their 2024 slot receiver in exchange for compensatory value. Diontae Johnson signed after the NFL Draft, but the mercurial vet played for three teams last season and has never played more than 21% of his snaps in the slot in a season.
With an inexperienced quarterback likely to soak up most of the snaps in 2025, the Browns could use a little more veteran reliability.
Keenan Allen was miscast in an every-down role with the Bears last year. However, in a more functional environment with the Chargers just two years ago, Allen ranked 12th with 2.37 yards per route. He’s always been a surprisingly effective red-zone weapon as well, with at least six TDs in seven of his last eight seasons.
Allen wouldn’t have to be one of the primary weapons in Cleveland and could play fewer snaps after playing 75% of them last year for the Bears. That might better enable him to be the security blanket he was supposed to be for Caleb Williams.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Amari Cooper
Late free agency can sometimes bring about cute reunion stories between teams and big names on the back half of their careers. However, both the Dallas Cowboys and Amari Cooper need each other, making this a potential signing borne out of necessity.
The Cowboys stunningly did not draft a single receiver, leaving Dak Prescott and the offense heavily dependent on CeeDee Lamb. There’s not much more volume the All-Pro slot receiver can take on, however, as Lamb was already in the top five in percentage of team receptions (28.6%) and receiving yards (33.6%) the last two seasons.
Cooper never fit in after a midseason trade to Buffalo, but he would be an upgrade over either Jalen Tolbert or Jonathan Mingo. New Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer didn’t overlap with Cooper in Dallas, as he arrived with the organization in 2022 (the year after Cooper’s departure). Still, the familiarity with Prescott would help, as well as Cooper’s 1,250-yard season in 2023, suggests he could still produce in a more stable environment.
Denver Broncos: ILB C.J. Mosley
The Denver Broncos got a post-draft scare but seem to have avoided a worst-case scenario with Dre Greenlaw’s quadriceps injury. Still, given that projected starters Greenlaw and Alex Singleton have both suffered major lower-body injuries in the last 14 months, it might be worth adding a more reliable veteran to the room.
After the Broncos didn’t draft an off-ball linebacker, their top two backups at the position are Drew Sanders and Justin Strnad. Sanders himself is also coming off a major injury (a torn Achilles that limited him to four games in 2024), while Strnad’s eight starts last year were more than he had in his first three seasons combined (five).
C.J. Mosley is available and the most proven off-ball linebacker left in free agency. Granted, Mosley himself was limited to four games with toe and neck injuries last year, so he doesn’t have the cleanest bill of health either. However, he missed just one game from 2021-23 combined, and fared well in coverage with 7.6 yards per target allowed in that span.
If healthy, he’d give the Broncos a higher floor if Greenlaw and/or Singleton miss time again.
Detroit Lions: EDGE Za’Darius Smith
The Detroit Lions traded for Za’Darius Smith out of desperation last season, then cut him due to salary concerns. Now, a position that many pegged as Detroit’s biggest pre-draft need remains that way after the Lions failed to draft an edge rusher until sixth-rounder Ahmed Hassanein.
However, a reunion with Smith has never been off the table, and both sides might be interested in that materializing based on the Lions’ current depth chart. Smith was productive with Detroit, leading the team in both sacks (4.0) and pressures (36) after his Week 10 debut. His 17.8% pressure rate was second-best behind Aidan Hutchinson’s dominant but abbreviated five-game season.
Smith is an ideal fit for a Lions defense that has preferred bigger edge rushers under Dan Campbell. And while the interior looks better with first-rounder Tyleik Williams in tow, Smith’s versatility to kick inside on passing downs only enhances Detroit’s pass-rushing potential.
Green Bay Packers: RB Nick Chubb
While cornerback and edge rusher might loom as the biggest remaining holes on the Green Bay Packers, the team does have some young options to play if Jaire Alexander ends up getting traded. Most of the top available edge rushers are also players who mostly rush from two-point stances, which isn’t an ideal fit in Jeff Hafley’s defense (part of the reason why Preston Smith was traded).
One surprising but logical addition could be veteran Nick Chubb. The former Browns star isn’t the All-Pro he once was, but he should improve on his abysmal 3.3 yards per carry average from 2024 with another year removed from his gruesome 2023 knee injury. Chubb is still only 29 and could have another solid year or two left.
Josh Jacobs would still be the unquestioned starter. However, Jacobs played the 10th-highest share of his team’s running back snaps (62%), so the Packers could improve their depth.
More specifically, Jacobs struggled in short-yardage situations, converting 56% of carries on 3rd- or 4th-and-short into first downs (9-for-16). That ranked 32nd out of 39 players with 10+ carries in that situation, so short yardage is a situational area where Chubb could help the Packers.
Houston Texans: EDGE Dennis Gardeck
We’ve repeatedly highlighted the interior offensive line as a clear remaining need for the Houston Texans. However, adding another veteran free agent to the mix doesn’t really do much with so many stopgap vets already in place. So, while time will tell if Houston was right to make Aireontae Ersery their only offensive line draft pick, anything short of a trade for a clear starting-level guard or center doesn’t make much sense.
Instead, the Texans could add some underrated defensive depth at EDGE. The tandem of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter is as good as any in the NFL, but there’s a huge dropoff behind the starters.
Last year, Anderson and Hunter both averaged around 70% of the snaps in games they played. While Anderson in particular could probably handle that workload again, there’s something to be said for keeping your stars fresh throughout the season.
Dennis Gardeck is a high-energy player who is well-suited for that No. 3 edge role at this point. He’s a sure tackler who recorded a 13.8% run tackle rate and 12.6% pressure rate, both of which were above average for edge rushers in 2024. Gardeck is a better fit for Houston than some of the bigger-name vets because he can be used beyond a designated pass rusher role, where the Texans already have strong options.
Indianapolis Colts: ILB Ja’Whaun Bentley
The Indianapolis Colts appear to have a lot of faith in second-year pro Jaylon Carlies. The former fifth-rounder has the inside track to start next to Zaire Franklin. That’s a fine Plan A if the Colts believe in his development, but a contingency plan would be wise, considering he only played 178 snaps as a rookie.
Ja’Whaun Bentley comes with extensive starting experience from his seven seasons with the Patriots, and he will still only turn 29 in August. Bentley wouldn’t even necessarily represent a possible starter over Carlies. Instead, the Colts could ease Carlies into the mix by letting the former college safety play more on passing downs, while allowing the thumping Bentley to play more early-down snaps next to Franklin.
Bentley does have two major injuries in his career, but both were to the upper body (torn biceps in 2018 and torn pectoral this past season). Between those, he played 78 out of 83 possible games from 2019-23 as a steady presence in the middle of the Patriots’ defense. The Colts wouldn’t need him to play as large of a role as he did in New England, allowing both Bentley and Carlies to play to their strengths.
Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Folorunso Fatukasi
The Jacksonville Jaguars had many problems that caused the defense to finish 31st in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last season. Among them was run defense, where the Jags ranked 24th in success rate. In a very deep defensive tackle draft, Jacksonville surprisingly didn’t add a single player at the position, leaving that as a roster weakness.
One solution could be bringing back old friend Folorunso Fatukasi. A one-trick pony, Fatukasi is a 0- or 1-technique who won’t bring passing down value. However, his teams have largely excelled in run defense wherever he goes, giving him a defined role that has allowed him to survive despite only 5.5 sacks in seven seasons.
When Fatukasi was on the Jaguars from 2022-23, Jacksonville ranked eighth in both yards per carry allowed and run stuff rate (percentage of runs for zero or negative yards). They dipped to 15th in both categories in 2024. Bringing Fatukasi back could rectify that regression, and he wouldn’t block any potential development from second-year pro Maason Smith on passing downs.
Kansas City Chiefs: CB Jack Jones
As the most reliable and proven organization in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs can afford to take the types of risks other teams can’t. That’s the perk of having an impeccable infrastructure with future Hall of Fame players and coaches, as the Chiefs can take big swings on talent with baggage and not have it sabotage the locker room.
Jack Jones would be a huge swing with significant risk for most franchises. Without any off-field issues, Jones might be one of the NFL’s premier young cornerbacks. His absurd ball skills have led to four of his seven career interceptions being returned for pick-sixes (including one off Patrick Mahomes on Christmas Day 2023). Last year, his 16 passes defended were tied for the fifth-most in the NFL.
Unfortunately for Jones, the character questions that sunk his draft stock have followed him into the NFL. That’s led to releases from both the Patriots and Raiders in just three seasons.
Kansas City has an uncertain long-term outlook at cornerback beyond Trent McDuffie, with Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams, and Nazeeh Johnson all entering contract years. The Chiefs are one of the only organizations that could take a chance on Jones, and it might be worth it given his demonstrated productivity.
Las Vegas Raiders: CB Michael Davis
The Las Vegas Raiders lost more than they gained at cornerback this offseason. Nate Hobbs departed in free agency, while Jones was released before the NFL Draft. Third-round rookie Darien Porter has all the tools and athleticism needed to flourish, but he also didn’t start playing significant defensive snaps until his sixth year at Iowa State.
With Porter the only cornerback Las Vegas drafted, they’ll need the rookie, along with some combination of Jakorian Bennett, Decamarion Richardson, and Eric Stokes, to step up.
That’s an extremely dicey proposition, especially when considering that the safety room lost four-year starter Tre’Von Moehrig and replaced him with Jeremy Chinn. Chinn has extensive starting experience as well, but he comes with a different skill set than Moehrig, serving as a pseudo-linebacker who doesn’t have as much range to play a deep-third.
One veteran corner who could fit would be Michael Davis. The Raiders should know Davis well after he spent seven years with the Chargers before playing for the Commanders last season. The 30-year-old Davis comes from a Washington team that played high rates of Cover-2 and Cover-3, which bears a resemblance to Patrick Graham’s coverage tendencies.
The Raiders were top-10 in both Cover-2 and Cover-3 rate in 2024, which would make Davis a translatable fit.
Los Angeles Chargers: DT Folorunso Fatukasi
Although we’ve highlighted the interior offensive line as the biggest remaining hole for the Los Angeles Chargers, there aren’t many great solutions at this stage of the offseason. The top remaining free agent offensive lineman is Brandon Scherff, who has only played the right guard spot that the Chargers signed Mekhi Becton to play.
Instead, the Chargers could probably fill out more of their front seven with some low-cost vets. After losing numerous defensive tackles, a run-stuffer like Fatukasi could help shore up a clear weakness. Although the Chargers were an excellent defense overall in 2024, they allowed the second-most yards per rush (4.8) and had the fifth-lowest success rate (59%).
Fatukasi is a one-tricky pony but is elite at that single skill. Since becoming a rotational player in 2019, Fatukasi’s teams have ranked in the top half of the league in yards per carry allowed in five out of six seasons (the 2021 Jets being the exception). With the Chargers’ lack of interior DL depth, Fatukasi would have a clear role.
Los Angeles Rams: CB Rasul Douglas
The Los Angeles Rams’ preference might be to slot Jalen Ramsey back into the secondary. Short of a trade with the Dolphins, however, the Rams could use an upgrade to a secondary that is essentially the exact same unit as last year’s that finished 27th in passing success rate.
Rasul Douglas remains available and is probably squeezed out of Buffalo after the Bills used their first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston. Douglas is coming off a down year in 2024 (8.8 yards per target allowed) but held opponents to a much stingier 6.4 yards per target the previous three seasons combined.
The weak spot in the Rams’ secondary looks to be Ahkello Witherspoon. While his size allows Witherspoon to be more aggressive in press coverage, he gave up 8.5 yards per target last season and has been above 7.0 yards per target allowed in three straight seasons. Douglas could represent an upgrade on that role, as it’s worth bringing in some competition for Witherspoon before handing him the starting job again.
Miami Dolphins: CB Stephon Gilmore
Cornerback was one of the Miami Dolphins’ top needs even before Ramsey’s trade request. If Ramsey does move on, the Dolphins would be looking at a perimeter cornerback duo of Storm Duck and Ethan Bonner, with former second-rounder Cam Smith and fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall Jr. behind them.
That’s not a workable situation, leaving the Dolphins in need of a cornerback addition regardless of what happens with Ramsey. Gilmore is getting up there in his 14th season, as he and Ramsey would make for one of the oldest cornerback duos in recent memory if no trade occurs. Still, he continues to be a high performer, as his 7.1 yards per target allowed ranked 11th out of 30 players to be targeted 80+ times in 2024.
Going from Brian Flores’ defense to Anthony Weaver’s scheme shouldn’t be a huge transition either. The Dolphins and Vikings had very similar coverage tendencies in 2024. Both ranked highly in percentage of two-high safety coverages (Vikings were first, Dolphins were seventh) and Cover-2 specifically (Vikings were second, Dolphins were fourth).
He’s not the long-term solution the Dolphins need, but Gilmore could lessen Miami’s immediate cornerback concerns.
Minnesota Vikings: CB Stephon Gilmore
Flores could be hard-pressed to help the Minnesota Vikings replicate last year’s third-place finish in PFSN’s Defense+ metric. The Vikings’ secondary feels incomplete even after bringing back Byron Murphy on a lucrative free agent deal. Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon project as their perimeter starting corners after no players were drafted at the position, a significant downgrade from 2024 on paper.
Of course, both Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin remain unsigned, so nothing’s stopping Minnesota from piecing last year’s cornerback room back together. Of the two, Gilmore would be the more desirable target, and is really only looking at one-year deals as he turns 35 in September.
Even at his age, Gilmore is still performing well. His 7.1 yards per target allowed were a reasonable number on 84 targets, and his three missed tackles were his fewest since 2021. Even if the Vikings feel strongly about giving the former third-rounder Blackmon an extended opportunity to play, adding Gilmore wouldn’t block him and would also raise the secondary’s floor.
New England Patriots: S Justin Simmons
The New England Patriots’ biggest need is probably at edge rusher, but that’s more of a long-term issue. Harold Landry III and Anfernee Jennings are starting-caliber players in the short term, while the Pats might not want to block Keion White from playing more edge snaps or rookie Bradyn Swinson from getting an opportunity.
Instead, we can turn our attention to the secondary, where the starters are set but the depth looks thin. At safety, Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers are set to start, but both are better utilized closer to the line of scrimmage. New England brought in veteran Marcus Epps, who has more experience as a deep-third player. However, Epps played only three games last season before tearing his ACL.
A safer bet would be Justin Simmons, who has been extremely productive in schemes similar to what Mike Vrabel and Terrell Williams have run in Tennessee. From 2018-23, the Titans played two-high coverages at the fourth-highest rate (32%) and Cover-2 at the fifth-highest rate (14%).
Even if the Patriots want to play more man coverage with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, a ball hawk like Simmons could play sub-package snaps and provide a little more security than what they have now.
New Orleans Saints: EDGE Von Miller
Some might argue that Aaron Rodgers belongs in this spot, given the uncertainty over Derek Carr’s shoulder. However, a second-round pick is a meaningful investment in a quarterback, and Tyler Shough’s extensive college experience should make him more ready for rookie snaps than if the Saints had drafted a more developmental prospect like Jalen Milroe.
So instead of quarterback, let’s pivot to the other side of the ball, where the Saints are thin on the edge.
The Saints’ only draft pick there was seventh-rounder Fadil Diggs. Cameron Jordan played 49% of the snaps, his fewest since 2012, as he’s probably not a full-time starter anymore in his age-36 season. Retaining Chase Young helps, but the Saints could use more help on clear passing downs.
With Brandon Staley potentially using more odd fronts with edge rushers in a two-point stance, a vet like Miller would make more sense than he did in Allen’s defense. Miller was still productive in a part-time role last year, producing six sacks and a healthy 16.1% pressure rate. He’s a designated pass rusher at this point, but that’s what the Saints need.
New York Giants: G Brandon Scherff
The New York Giants entered the draft with one of the NFL’s weakest offensive lines. The Giants ranked 27th in PFSN’s OL+ metric last year and didn’t make major free agent additions beyond swing tackles James Hudson and Stone Forsythe.
After drafting just a single offensive lineman — Purdue guard Marcus Mbow in the fifth round — the Giants also exited the draft with one of the worst lines. Apart from left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz Jr., the Giants could reasonably look for an upgrade at the other three spots.
Of course, late free agency doesn’t bring many quality starting options. Scherff might be an exception to that rule, though he’s 33 and last made the Pro Bowl in 2021. Still, he didn’t allow a single sack in 592 pass-blocking snaps this season.
Among guards, only Trey Smith of the Chiefs (665) had more pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack. The Giants could use that level of reliability, as Greg Van Roten is the team’s current projected starting right guard.
New York Jets: S Marcus Williams
We’ve listed wide receiver as the biggest remaining roster hole for the New York Jets. However, adding another vet to the mix wouldn’t really change the state of that position. In Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, and Tyler Johnson, New York already has a potpourri of experienced borderline startable vets to compete with unproven youngsters like Malachi Corley and Arian Smith.
Instead, we’ll flip to the other side of the ball, where safety looks like the defense’s biggest question mark. Tony Adams and Andre Cisco are penciled in as the starting safeties, with fourth-rounder Malachi Moore added to the mix. Cisco had a rough final season in Jacksonville, while Adams had a promising 2023 but regressed in 2024 (passer rating allowed in coverage rose from 69.5 to 102.2).
Of course, few safeties had a rougher 2024 than Marcus Williams. The Ravens benched Williams after repeated struggles against the deep ball, then saw their defense turn around with Williams out of the lineup. Still, his best days were in New Orleans with Aaron Glenn, who was Williams’ defensive backs coach during his first four seasons with the Saints (2017-20).
Glenn would know better than anyone how to get Williams back on track, making him a decent upside swing on a low-risk contract.
Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Von Miller
The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, but edge rusher does look like a weak spot. The only draft addition on the edge was sixth-rounder Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., the team’s last out of 10 picks.
Even if Nolan Smith Jr. ascends to a No. 1 edge rusher, Philly doesn’t have a clear starter to pair with him. Second-year pro Jalyx Hunt flashed as a rookie but played only 23% of the defensive snaps. Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche are decent sub-package options, though neither will contribute much on run downs.
However, if the Eagles really want to super-charge their pass rush, Miller makes sense as a ring-chasing vet. Miller is still a useful passing-down weapon, as he had six sacks and a 16.1% pressure rate for the Bills last season. That pressure rate ranked 11th out of 212 players to rush the passer 150+ times. For a team that should be playing from ahead most of the season, Miller would be an excellent situational weapon.
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Aaron Rodgers
Sometimes the most obvious answer is also the correct one. With the Pittsburgh Steelers repeatedly passing on Shedeur Sanders and not drafting a quarterback until sixth-rounder Will Howard, the red carpet is rolled out for Rodgers. If that doesn’t happen, the Steelers would be looking at starting Mason Rudolph or pivoting to a potential Kirk Cousins trade.
Neither of those is as desirable as Rodgers, who still provides better quarterback play than what the Steelers have rolled out in recent years. Even in a tumultuous year with the Jets, Rodgers averaged -0.02 EPA per play in 2024. The last time a Steelers quarterback had a better average was back in 2018, when Ben Roethlisberger averaged 0.15 during his final season with Antonio Brown.
Some Steelers fans might prefer Pittsburgh finally bottoms out and ends up with a high draft pick in 2026, which will likely bring a better crop of quarterback prospects. That’s not an unreasonable path, but it’s totally at odds with how Pittsburgh has always behaved. If the goal is once again to remain as competitive as possible for a playoff berth, Rodgers provides the Steelers with the best opportunity to do so.
San Francisco 49ers: S Chuck Clark
The San Francisco 49ers beefed up the defensive front seven in the draft, using each of their first five picks on defense. However, the Niners got an unwelcome piece of post-draft news when it was revealed that safety Malik Mustapha had ACL surgery after an injury in Week 18, leaving his status for the start of the season in doubt.
Should Mustapha miss time, the 49ers will need another option next to Ji’Ayir Brown. Veterans George Odum and Jason Pinnock are probably better suited for situational roles and special teams, while asking fifth-round rookie Marques Sigle to play right away might be a stretch. As such, this could be a spot where San Francisco brings in a veteran to help with the start of the season.
Chuck Clark was on the Jets the last two seasons, so he has familiarity with Robert Saleh’s scheme. The medicals would have to check out on Clark, as he missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL and the end of 2024 with a torn pectoral (which could be part of the reason he’s still unsigned). Clark turned 30 in April, so he should still have some gas in the tank and would require less of a transition to Saleh’s defense than other free agent safeties.
Seattle Seahawks: WR Amari Cooper
The Seattle Seahawks have a wide receiver depth chart that’s a bit hard to decipher. Their top two of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp have positional redundancy, with Kupp likely needing to play out of position out wide. Veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a one-tricky pony as a pure vertical speed threat, making him a better fit for situational usage than a heavy dose snaps in 11 personnel.
Seattle drafted a pair of productive Day 3 rookies in Tory Horton and Ricky White III, but it still doesn’t have an obvious replacement for DK Metcalf’s X receiver role. Cooper has never played in a Klint Kubiak scheme before, but he looms as the best remaining veteran option to fill that role.
Cooper was a poor fit in Buffalo after a midseason trade, but he had 1,250 receiving yards and averaged 2.31 yards per route in 2023 with the Browns. Cooper benefited from Joe Flacco’s willingness to give him downfield chances and thrived with a career-high 14.3 aDOT that season.
Sam Darnold has traditionally ranked in the upper half of the league in aDOT (he was 11th in 2024), and he could provide Cooper with that same opportunity in Kubiak’s play-action-heavy offense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Von Miller
In a mild upset, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t really address the edge rusher position in the NFL Draft. The Bucs took David Walker and Elijah Roberts on Day 3, but they passed on the front seven in the first two days.
Even if the rookies and second-year pro Chris Braswell are ready to contribute, the Buccaneers are hoping to contend with the NFC’s elite and could use a more reliable edge rusher behind YaYa Diaby and Haason Reddick. Enter Miller, who makes schematic sense in Todd Bowles’ defense and wouldn’t have to play more than a situational role.
Miller is 36 years old now and did not play more than 30 snaps in any game last season with Buffalo. However, he’s still an effective pass rusher, ranking 11th in pressure rate out of 212 players with 150+ pass rushing snaps in 2024. If Miller is producing two to three important pressures per game on the likes of Jalen Hurts and Jared Goff, that might be what Tampa Bay needs to truly threaten a Super Bowl run.
Tennessee Titans: ILB C.J. Mosley
The Tennessee Titans addressed a lot of their roster holes in free agency and the draft, but weren’t going to fix last year’s 3-14 roster in one offseason. A spot that still looks like a major weakness is at linebacker. Free agent signing Cody Barton will start, but there’s no clear second starter after the Titans passed on the position entirely in the draft.
The Titans could elevate former fourth-rounder Cedric Gray, who played just 48 snaps as a rookie last season. A safer solution would be signing a veteran like Mosley, who can soak up starter snaps next to Barton, but wouldn’t necessarily block Gray should he prove capable of occupying a much larger defensive role.
The Titans allowed the most receiving touchdowns to running backs last year (seven), a reflection of their coverage weakness at the linebacker level. Mosley has largely been an above-average coverage linebacker when healthy (7.6 yards per target allowed from 2021-23), and he could help address that weakness.
Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson overlapped with Mosley on the Jets from 2019-20, though the latter played only two games between a groin injury and COVID-19 opt-out.
Washington Commanders: G Brandon Scherff
Scherff was a five-time Pro Bowler in seven seasons as Washington’s right guard. With the position’s status up in the air following Sam Cosmi’s torn ACL in the Divisional Round, it’s possible Scherff could return to his original team for a second stint.
The position isn’t exactly a must-add for the Washington Commanders, but none of the current options are ideal. Brandon Coleman was a left tackle as a rookie and for the majority of his collegiate career at TCU. He’s the frontrunner to start at right guard and has only one college start back in 2021 at the position. Coleman actually has more experience at left guard, where he made 11 starts for the Horned Frogs.
Signing Scherff wouldn’t necessarily squeeze out Coleman, who could compete with Nick Allegretti to start on the left side. It would raise the floor at right guard for the year if Cosmi isn’t able to return. Given how much Washington has already invested in improving Jayden Daniels’ supporting cast this offseason, it makes sense to ensure the offensive line isn’t shorthanded on the interior.