2023 NFL Free Agents Who Teams Should Be Eyeing over Super Wild Card Weekend
The NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend is upon us, and 12 of the 14 playoff teams will be in action from Saturday to Monday night. The rest of the league will be at home, but that doesn't mean the other 18 teams should be idle.
With free agency slated to kick off March 15, franchises should already be eying the upcoming market. For many of them, the postseason will provide a prime opportunity to scout impending free agents who could address major needs.
Yes, several teams that we'll see on the field this weekend are built for the long haul. However, even they are likely to send one or two quality players to free agency in a matter of weeks.
Here, we'll dive into some of the best impending free agents teams should track over the weekend. We'll dive into why these players can be valuable and which teams should be interested, based on factors such as team needs, player production, projected cap space and market value.
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
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According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants are hoping to keep quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley beyond this season. Of the two, Barkley seems like the one more likely to reach free agency.
If the Giants believe at all that Jones is their franchise quarterback, he won't be going anywhere.
And teams should be very interested in seeing how the 25-year-old Barkley fares in his first postseason appearance. The Penn State product has shown himself to be a special back when healthy and one of the top dual-threats in the NFL.
Can he be special enough to carry New York to an upset win over the Minnesota Vikings? If so, teams could be dreaming about what Barkley could accomplish in their offenses.
With a projected market value of $11.9 million annually, Barkley won't be cheap. However, he could provide a lot for a team with a young quarterback, such as the Chicago Bears.
Chicago has a promising signal-caller in Justin Fields, but it hasn't done a great job of surrounding him with talent. Barkley could aid Fields on the ground and provide an elite outlet in the passing game. Chicago also happens to lead the league in projected cap space and could lose starting back David Montgomery in free agency.
The Houston Texans, who have $40.8 million in projected cap space, could also use a dual-threat such as Barkley. Rookie runner Dameon Pierce flashed a lot of promise in 2022, but he isn't quite the difference-maker Barkley can be.
Barring a surprise free-agent signing, the Texans are likely to use one of their two first-round picks on a quarterback. Having Barkley in the backfield would make that QB's early days in the NFL a whole lot easier.
Potential Suitors: Chicago Bears, Houston Texans
Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, S, Cincinnati Bengals
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When the Cincinnati Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Cincinnati will feature two talented safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell. Both have been playmakers this season and have been particularly impressive against the pass.
Bates has allowed an opposing passer rating (OPR) of 76.1 in coverage, while Bell has allowed an OPR of just 64.0. The duo produced a combined 16 passes defended and eight interceptions in the regular season.
Whether teams need a box safety such as Bell, 28, or a back-end defender such as Bates, 25, either could fill their needs.
The Philadelphia Eagles, who have a bye this week, should watch this game closely. The Eagles aren't loaded with cap space but are projected to have $10.5 million available. They could also have a couple of holes to fill with safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps both scheduled for free agency.
The New England Patriots are another team that should have interest in Bates, Bell or both this offseason. Safeties Jabrill Peppers and Devin McCourty are both set to hit the market in March.
That's if McCourty, who will turn 36 in August, doesn't retire.
The Patriots have $45.2 million in projected cap space, and it wouldn't be a shock to see them spend big in free agency. New England did so two offseasons ago—adding Matt Judon, Nelson Agholor and Hunter Henry—and the free-agency foray helped them reach the postseason.
If the Patriots are willing to be aggressive in free agency again, Cincinnati's secondary stars should be near the top of their wish list.
Potential Suitors: Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots
Tom Brady and Geno Smith, QBs, Buccaneers and Seahawks
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Daniels Jones probably won't be available in March, and it's looking like teams won't see Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on Sunday.
"From my understanding, this is something sources have said over the course of the past 24 hours is that Lamar Jackson faces an uphill battle to be able to get out on the field in the playoffs against the Cincinnati Bengals," Rapoport said on Good Morning Football.
However, teams will get a look at two quarterbacks who will potentially be available in March: Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks and Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady, who will turn 46 in August, won't be a fit for every team. However, a franchise with a strong roster, such as the Las Vegas Raiders, could view him as a one- or two-year option with which to chase a championship.
The fact that Las Vegas employs head coach and Brady's former Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels will do nothing to quiet Brady-to-Vegas buzz. The Raiders are looking to trade Derek Carr in the offseason, per Rapoport, and Brady would make a lot of sense as a placeholder.
The big question is whether Brady will play for another season and which team he believes can give him a shot at another title.
While Smith doesn't have the resume of the GOAT, he's been arguably better than Brady in 2022. During a resurgent season, Smith led the league in completion percentage (69.8) and posted an impressive 100.9 passer rating. At 32 years old, Smith could be a fit for virtually any team with an opening at QB.
The Indianapolis Colts should be particularly high on Smith, as they appear a quarterback away from being relevant in the AFC South. Indy has a star running back in Jonathan Taylor, a defense that ranked 15th in yards allowed this season and some good young receivers in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.
However, Colts quarterbacks posted a collective 79.2 passer rating and kept Indianapolis from getting into the divisional race.
The Raiders and Colts are projected to have $20.9 million and $19.8 million in cap space, respectively—though Indy's cap space will jump by $17.2 million if they dump Matt Ryan's contract before his roster bonus hits March 17.
Potential Suitors: Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts
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Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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One reason Brady may not be back in Tampa next season is the Bucs could lose several key players in free agency. Standout linebacker Lavonte David is one of them.
Though the 32-year-old is in the back half of his career, David remains one of the league's best all-around linebackers. He finished this season with 124 tackles, three sacks, five passes defended and a forced fumble.
While David wasn't spectacular in coverage, he did allow a respectable OPR of 90.9—down from 106.5 in 2021. With a projected market value of $9.7 million annually, David should be a target for any linebacker-needy team not looking to break the bank.
He should be near the top of the wish list for Seattle. The Seahawks struggled against the run in 2022, finishing with the third-most rushing yards allowed. With $47.5 million in projected cap space, Seattle could easily justify spending on David to help address its biggest defensive liability.
The Detroit Lions, who have $17.9 million in projected cap space, should also be high on David. Detroit came close to reaching the postseason this year, and with a better defense, it would probably be playing this weekend.
The Lions boasted the league's fourth-ranked offense. However, they ranked 29th against the run, 30th against the pass and dead last in total yards allowed.
Lions fans should expect their team to target defensive players almost exclusively in free agency and the draft. Signing David to help shore up the second level would be a tremendous first step.
Potential Suitors: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions
Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Cornerback Jamel Dean is another Buccaneer who is scheduled to be available in March. The fourth-year player out of Auburn has had a strong campaign and is the top impending free-agent cornerback we'll see this weekend.
Dean played 15 games during the regular season and finished with 57 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions and an OPR of 86.0—despite battling a toe injury late in the season.
Last season, Dean was even better in coverage, finishing with an OPR of just 50.0. The 26-year-old should be one of the top corners in the market, and his projected value of $8.7 million feels like a bargain.
Detroit should be right at the top of the list of teams looking to sign Dean. Not only did the Lions rank 30th in passing yards allowed, but they also ranked 31st in yards surrendered per attempt, 23rd in passing touchdowns allowed (26) and 19th in interceptions (12).
Dean could be a huge asset on the back end for Detroit.
The San Francisco 49ers should also take a look at Dean, who will play two days after San Francisco's Saturday matchup with Seattle.
While the 49ers have one of the better defenses in the league—first in both yards and points allowed—there's room for help in the secondary. San Francisco ranked 20th in passing yards allowed and a more respectable (but still not elite) 11th in yards surrendered per attempt.
The 49ers are projected to have $13.9 million in cap space available.
Potential Suitors: Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Buffalo Bills
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Tremaine Edmunds was a Pro Bowler in both 2019 and 2020 and had another fantastic season in 2022.
In 13 games, the fifth-year star out of Virginia Tech logged 102 tackles, a sack, seven passes defended, an interception and an OPR of just 71.2.
Now that the Ravens have locked up Roquan Smith long term, Edmunds might be the best young linebacker available in March. The 24-year-old's projected market value of $11 million annually reflects this.
We can pencil in Detroit among Edmund's potential suitors, given its defensive needs. Let's move on to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could use a linebacker of Edmunds' caliber—if they can free up the required cap space.
Pittsburgh is projected to have just $477,584 available.
The Steelers defense improved over the second half of the season but still ranked a good-not-great 13th in yards allowed. It could also lose linebackers Devin Bush, Robert Spillane and Malik Reed in free agency.
Don't rule out the Giants looking to pull Edmunds from Buffalo either. Head coach Brian Daboll knows the defender well after he spent four years as Buffalo's offensive coordinator. The Giants could also use an influx of talent at the second level.
They made the playoffs but not on the strength of their defense. New York ranked a dismal 31st in yards allowed per carry, 27th in rushing yards allowed and 25th in total yards allowed.
While New York is likely to spend heavily to keep Jones and/or Barkley, it is slated to have $55.4 million in cap space. That should allow the Giants to re-sign some of their own while still targeting a marquee defender such as Edmunds in free agency.
Potential Suitors: Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants
Poona Ford, DL, Seattle Seahawks
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Seahawks defensive lineman Poona Ford might not be a household name, but several teams should be tracking him ahead of free agency.
A versatile, productive interior defender, Ford has had three consecutive strong campaigns, averaging 42.6 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6.7 tackles for loss and 12.0 quarterback pressures in that time.
With a projected market value of $9.2 million annually, the 27-year-old is set to cash in.
The Cleveland Browns should make a concerted effort to snag Ford if they can clear some cap room. The Browns are projected to be $9.7 million over the cap, but they have a dire need on the defensive interior.
Cleveland lacks depth along the line and finished 2022 ranked 25th in rushing yards allowed and yards surrendered per carry. For the Browns, Ford is a much more realistic target than Washington Commanders star Daron Payne, who has a projected market value of $14.2 million annually.
The Texans should also take a long look at Ford, along with Payne and just about every available front-line defender. Houston has a good chunk of cap space to spend and desperately needs to address arguably the league's worst run defense.
This season, the Texans ranked 29th in yards allowed per carry and dead last in rushing yards surrendered. If they hope to take positive steps in 2023, they need to start containing opposing ball-carriers. Adding Ford could help Houston do that while also providing a pass-rushing presence on the interior.
Potential Suitors: Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans
Jordan Poyer, S, Buffalo Bills
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Bills safety Jordan Poyer has had an interesting NFL career, to say the least. A quality role player in Cleveland for the better part of four seasons, he emerged as a starter in Buffalo beginning in 2017. He was an All-Pro in 2021 and a Pro Bowler this year and is one of the top safeties headed to market this spring.
Poyer finished with 63 tackles, eight passes defended, four interceptions and a 60.1 OPR. At 31 years old and with a projected market value of $11 million annually, though, Poyer won't be a fit for every team.
He would be a fit for the Patriots, who could be thin at safety and would likely love nothing more than to weaken a division rival. New England should be competitive in 2023, and it has the cap space needed to make a run at Poyer.
The Bengals should also consider making a push to sign him. They used a first-round pick on Michigan defensive back Daxton Hill in April, potentially tapping him to be a successor to Bates or Bell on the back end.
However, Poyer is a proven commodity and the sort of defender who could help keep Cincinnati's Super Bowl window wide open. The Bengals are projected to have $48.4 million in cap space available, which should allow them to be major players on the open market. Poyer should be among their top targets if Bates and/or Bell depart.
Poyer has experience playing both strong and free safety.
It's worth noting that Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will be extension-eligible this offseason. However, recent contracts for extension-eligible quarterbacks—such as Kyler Murray's with the Arizona Cardinals—have been tacked onto rookie deals. Therefore, Cincinnati's cap space shouldn't be significantly impacted in 2023, even if the Bengals extend Burrow.
Potential Suitors: New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals
Dalton Schultz, Evan Engram and Mike Gesicki, TEs, Cowboys, Jaguars and Dolphins
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While the 2023 free-agent receiver pool isn't deep, a couple of quality pass-catching tight ends will be available. Dalton Schultz of the Dallas Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars' Evan Engram and the Miami Dolphins' Mike Gesicki top the list—and all of them will be on the field this weekend.
Schultz, 26, finished the regular season with 577 yards and five touchdowns. While Gesicki, 27, had just 362 yards this season, he also had five touchdowns, and he racked up 780 yards in 2021.
The 28-year-old Engram had a career-best 776 receiving yards to go with four touchdowns.
Practically every tight end-needy team should be watching all three pass-catchers over the weekend. However, we're going to focus on two for which a top tight end would be a bit of a luxury.
The Bengals and their fifth-ranked passing attack don't quite need another weapon. However, Adding one of these three could provide an upgrade over tight end Hayden Hurst (414 yards, two TDs), who is slated to be a free agent anyway.
The Lions could also look to target Schultz, Engram or Gesicki as a replacement for T.J. Hockenson, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings midseason.
Despite playing in only seven games for the Lions this year, Hockenson still finished fifth on the team with 395 receiving yards to go with three scores. While Detroit should focus heavily on improving its defense, adding a top tight end to replace Hockenson's production would make plenty of sense.
Potential Suitors: Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals
Dalvin Tomlinson, DL, Minnesota Vikings
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The Vikings defense has not been good. It finished the regular season ranked 31st in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed. The fact that Minnesota went 13-4 with that defense is remarkable.
So too is the fact that defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson had a terrific season despite being surrounded by a lackluster supporting cast. The 28-year-old tallied 42 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble while not missing a single tackle.
Tomlinson also logged 14 quarterback pressures for the second straight season.
With a projected market value of $8.5 million annually, Tomlinson won't be a top-of-the-market defender. This makes him a logical target for the Browns, assuming they can clear a bit of cap space.
Looking past Cleveland and its defensive-line needs, the Atlanta Falcons would be sensible suitors for Tomlinson. The Falcons ranked just 23rd in rushing yards allowed, and Tomlinson would be a great addition on the defensive line next to star Grady Jarrett.
With $56.4 million in projected cap space, Atlanta would have no trouble chasing Tomlinson on the open market.
He would also be a tremendous free-agent target for the Bears as well. Chicago has numerous needs on defense, especially after trading both Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith before the in-season deadline.
The Bears finished the regular season 29th in yards allowed and dead last in points surrendered.
While Chicago could draft a blue-chip defender such as Will Anderson Jr. or Jalen Carter with the No. 1 overall pick—the top two prospects on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board—it could stand to sign a player like Tomlinson as well.
The Bears could also lose defensive linemen Mike Pennel and Armon Watts in free agency. For them, pulling Tomlinson away from a division rival would make plenty of sense.
Cap, contract and market information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.
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