NFL rosters are largely set as we head into training camp, but every team could still use an upgrade, and plenty of notable free agents are still available.
Which free agents could join AFC target between now and Week 1? Here’s a good fit for those 16 clubs.
1 Training Camp Free Agent Signing For Every AFC Team
Baltimore Ravens | Sign OL Connor McGovern
Few teams needed more offensive line help heading into the draft than the Ravens, who lost guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler and right tackle Morgan Moses over the offseason. Baltimore added a potential starting right tackle in second-rounder Roger Rosengarten, but there are still voids on either side of center Tyler Linderbaum.
While the Ravens might trust incumbents like Ben Cleveland, Andrew Voorhees, or Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu to take over, Connor McGovern would offer the club far more experience. He’s most recently been a center, but the 31-year-old boasts pro snaps at guard, and Baltimore might have to be willing to get creative.
Buffalo Bills | Sign S Quandre Diggs
Although the Bills could consider bringing in another edge rusher, they could also think about signing a veteran safety like Quandre Diggs, who’s surprisingly still available after being released by the Seahawks in the spring.
Diggs is 30 but hasn’t missed a game since 2019. He played the second-most snaps of any NFL defender last season and handled 200+ more deep safety snaps (1,020) than any other DB.
Diggs’ addition would move Buffalo’s other safeties — Taylor Rapp, Mike Edwards, and second-round rookie Cole Bishop — down a peg, strengthening both the top end and depth of the club’s defensive back room.
Cincinnati Bengals | Sign CB Jerry Jacobs
The Bengals appear content to let former Michigan teammates DJ Turner II and Dax Hill compete for their CB2 job opposite Cam Taylor-Britt. But Turner had coverage lapses during his 2023 rookie campaign, while Hill is converting from safety. In a potential Super Bowl season, should Cincinnati think about more depth?
Signing an established veteran to block Turner and Hill probably doesn’t make sense, but the Bengals could consider an option like former Lion Jerry Jacobs. While he fell out of favor in Detroit and was eventually non-tendered as a restricted free agent, Jacobs started 29 games over the past three seasons. The Arkansas product visited the Falcons and Vikings in May.
Cleveland Browns | Sign CB Adoree’ Jackson
The Browns are among the few NFL teams with no apparent weaknesses remaining on their roster after one week of free agency. Still, no roster is perfect, and Cleveland could use additional CB depth behind starters Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson, and Greg Newsome.
Adoree’ Jackson would be a strict backup for the Browns and would have to accept a steep pay cut from his $13 million annual salary with the Giants. He’s still only 28 years old, so Jackson may be willing to wait for an injury before finding a new home. But Cleveland could be a worthwhile destination if he hasn’t landed somewhere by Week 1.
Denver Broncos | Sign C Mason Cole
The Broncos are staging a center competition after watching free agent Lloyd Cushenberry walk out the door in March. 2022 fifth-round pick Luke Wattenberg will battle 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth for the starting job, while veteran Sam Mustipher is also on the roster.
Still, it’s worth wondering whether Denver rookie QB Bo Nix would be better off with a more experienced player handling the pivot. Mason Cole is 28, can play center and guard, and has 73 starts and 4,300 career snaps under his belt.
The Broncos could still hope Wattenberg or Forsyth emerges, but Cole could be valuable insurance.
Houston Texans | Sign G Greg Van Roten
After letting Steven Nelson walk in free agency (and eventually watching him retire), the Texans threw dollars and draft picks at their CB2 hole opposite 2023 breakout Derek Stingler Jr. Second-round rookie Kamari Lassiter looks like the early favorite to start, while free agent signings Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson are also in the conversation.
With Houston set at the corner, the club can turn its attention to the offensive line. The Texans are counting former first-round guard Kenyon Green, who struggled in his 2022 rookie campaign and missed all of 2023 with a shoulder injury.
Greg Van Roten is hardly a star, but the 34-year-old was effective in 17 starts for the Raiders last season. Houston is a realistic Super Bowl contender and should plan for all contingencies, especially with a veteran like Van Roten still available.
Indianapolis Colts | Sign CB Stephon Gilmore
Surprisingly, the Colts failed to draft a cornerback until the sixth round, when they landed Marshall’s Micah Abraham with pick No. 201. Indy CBs Jaylon Jones, JuJu Brents, and Darrell Baker each allowed a passer rating of at least 99.1 in 2023, so a veteran addition isn’t out of the question.
Indy already knows Stephon Gilmore, having signed him in 2022 before trading him to the Cowboys in 2023. A reunion could make sense. Gilmore is 33 but proved capable of holding up in man coverage for Dallas last year.
Jacksonville Jaguars | Sign EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah
The Jaguars signed DT Arik Armstead to push the pocket from the interior, but they still need more options behind EDGE starters Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Journeyman Trevis Gipson, and recent draft picks Yasir Abdullah and Myles Coles would be the team’s top backup pass rushers if the season started today.
At 6’4″ and 275 pounds, Emmanuel Ogbah has the size and power the Jaguars are looking for in their third edge option. He managed 5.5 sacks for the Dolphins in 2023 despite rushing the passer fewer than 150 times.
Kansas City Chiefs | Sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Trent McDuffie made first-team All-Pro last season, and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo can develop cornerbacks as well as anyone in the NFL. It’s hard to call CB a weakness for a team that pumps out competent defensive backs with Kansas City’s regularity.
However, after trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans in March, the Chiefs added just sixth-round CB Kamal Hadden. Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, neither of whom has hit a 60% snap rate through two NFL campaigns, will be relied upon as full-time starters in 2024.
Ahkello Witherspoon could be the perfect fit in Kansas City. While he started 17 games for the Steelers in 2023 and allowed a 75.7 passer rating, Witherspoon has spent most of his career as a backup. He’d likely be comfortable sitting behind the Chiefs’ incumbent trifecta and would represent estimable depth.
Las Vegas Raiders | Sign EDGE Charles Harris
2023 Raiders first-round pick Tyree Wilson is expected to spend more time on the interior in 2024 after thriving there near the end of last season. While Wilson could be more productive at DT, his position switch will leave Las Vegas with few EDGE options behind starters Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
KEEP READING: 1 More Free Agent Signing For Every NFL Team
Charles Harris saw his snap count for the Lions plummet last year and was injured in 2022. However, he posted seven sacks and ranked 20th in pass-rush win rate among edge rushers as recently as 2021.
The Raiders might actually feel comfortable giving Crosby a breather once in a while with a veteran like Harris around.
Los Angeles Chargers | Sign S Jayron Kearse
The Chargers probably won’t consider a high-profile safety like Justin Simmons or Quandre Diggs, given that they still have Derwin James on the roster and re-signed Alohi Gilman this offseason. Still, they could use more options in the back end. Tony Jefferson, who was out of the NFL in 2023, is Los Angeles’ top backup safety.
Jayron Kearse hasn’t generated any known free agent interest this offseason, so he should be cost-effective. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be useful. Kearse has plenty of experience in Big Nickel packages if new Chargers DC Jesse Minter wants to deploy that personnel grouping in 2024.
Miami Dolphins | Sign OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai
While the Dolphins signed mobile center Aaron Brewer, brought back Isaiah Wynn to compete at guard, and signed versatile free agent Jack Driscoll, Mike McDaniel’s squad still needs more options on the interior.
Injuries limited Halapoulivaati Vaitai to just six games and three starts for the Lions over the past two seasons. However, he can play both tackle and guard. Vaitai’s flexibility could be critical for Miami, who faces injury questions with LT Terron Armstead and may not be ready to put second-round rookie Patrick Paul in the starting lineup if health questions arise.
New England Patriots | Sign G Phil Haynes
While left tackle is a concern for the Patriots, Jerod Mayo’s team also has a problem at left guard. Cole Strange tore his patellar tendon in 2023 and could miss the start of next season. Fourth-round rookie Layden Robinson could be an option at LG, but New England might also think about a veteran solution.
Phil Haynes started eight games for the Seahawks in 2023 before being sent to injured reserve with an issue of his own. He wouldn’t necessarily displace Robinson or other young players the Pats want to get a look at, but Haynes could be in the club’s guard mix. He met with the Dolphins in March but didn’t sign.
New York Jets | Sign S Justin Simmons
Justin Simmons is probably the most talented player remaining on the open market. The 30-year-old was named a second-team All-Pro in four of the past five seasons and will offer 108 games worth of starting experience to his next club.
That team could be the Jets, who would deploy Tony Adams and Chuck Clark as starting safeties if the season began today. Adams has only started for one year, while Clark missed last season with a torn ACL. Gang Green is all-in for 2024 — why not add a playmaker like Simmons to tie a bow on the roster?
Pittsburgh Steelers | Sign CB Bradley Roby
Wide receiver is the Steelers’ most glaring problem as training camp approaches, but the free agent market doesn’t have many viable options.
Instead, Pittsburgh should focus on their defensive backfield, where the club has limited options at slot corner. Relatively anonymous NFL players like Grayland Arnold, Darius Rush, and Cory Trice are expected to compete for nickel duties, so Bradley Roby would represent an upgrade.
The 32-year-old primarily played slot for the Eagles in 2023 but would also become perimeter CB depth for the Steelers behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donta Jackson.
Tennessee Titans | Sign EDGE Tyus Bowser
Few NFL teams were as active during the 2024 offseason than the Titans, who brought in veterans like WRs Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, RB Tony Pollard, C Lloyd Cushenberry, CBs L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, and S Jamal Adams before selecting OT JC Latham and DT T’Vondre Sweat in April’s draft.
The one Tennessee roster spot that didn’t get much attention? The edge, where Harold Landry and Arden Key will return as starters.
New Titans DC Dennard Wilson worked with Bowser — who missed the entire 2023 campaign with a knee injury — in Baltimore. Bowser posted seven sacks as recently as 2021 and could be an affordable depth option for the AFC South hopefuls.
