NFL Free Agents Who Could Become Superstars on New Teams in 2023
Sometimes in the NFL, a change of scenery is the only thing needed for a player to go from "good" to "superstar level."
Pass-rusher Haason Reddick, one of the highlight players of Sunday's Super Bowl LVII contest, is a prime example. While Reddick was quite good with the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers—tallying 12.5 sacks in 2020 and 11 sacks in 2021, respectively—he's become a legitimate star this season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2022, Reddick logged a career-best 16 sacks to go with 41 quarterback pressures and his first Pro Bowl nod. He has also notched 3.5 sacks in two postseason games thus far.
Below, we'll examine six impending free agents who could make a similar jump to stardom in 2023. We'll focus specifically on players who don't have a Pro Bowl or first-team All-Pro on their resumes but who have that level of ability. We'll dive into what has been holding them back, what they might accomplish in a new environment and some ideal fits for each player.
Players are listed in alphabetical order.
Edge Marcus Davenport, New Orleans Saints
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2018 first-round pick Marcus Davenport has long held superstar potential. However, the Texas-San Antonio product has battled numerous injuries—including season-ending foot and shoulder injuries in 2019 and 2021—and spent the past two seasons on a middling New Orleans Saints team.
This past season, Davenport logged a mere half-sack, though he did have a respectable 14 quarterback pressures. In 2021, he had nine sacks and 21 quarterback pressures to go with 39 tackles and three forced fumbles.
To break through as a Pro Bowl talent, Davenport will, of course, have to stay healthy. However, he would also benefit tremendously from a roster that can score points and put opponents into passing situations. New Orleans ranked 22nd in scoring this past season.
The Buffalo Bills would be a prime landing spot for Davenport. They lost star pass-rusher Von Miller to a torn ACL in 2022 and might not have him to start the 2023 season. Buffalo may also lose defensive end Shaq Lawson (3.5 sacks in 2022) in free agency.
The Bills logged a good, not great, 40 sacks this past season, and Miller was responsible for eight of those. They could use a player of Davenport's caliber, and Davenport could benefit from Buffalo's high profile and the pass-rushing opportunities created by its second-ranked scoring offense.
The Bills, though, would have to clear cap space, as they're slated to be $20.5 million over the cap.
The Baltimore Ravens could also give Davenport a great opportunity. They're projected to have $27.8 million in cap space available—though re-signing star quarterback Lamar Jackson will alter their financial situation substantially—and could lose Brent Urban, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul in free agency.
Assuming Baltimore does retain Jackson, the Ravens should again be a playoff contender, will be frequently featured in prime time and could offer Davenport a chance to showcase his talents. With a big stage and double-digit-sack potential, the 26-year-old may finally get his own Pro Bowl nomination.
Edge Arden Key, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Arden Key, a 2018 third-round pick out of LSU, hasn't carried the draft status of Davenport. He also hasn't spent his entire career with one franchise, instead suiting up for the Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
While Key had just three sacks in his first three seasons, he had a breakout campaign with San Francisco last year, finishing with 6.5 sacks and 19 quarterback pressures. He had another strong season with Jacksonville in 2022, logging 4.5 sacks and 20 pressures to go with 27 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Key is starting to emerge, but he's largely been a role player to this point. With pass-rushers like Josh Allen and Travon Walker on Jacksonville's roster, the 26-year-old played just 41 percent of the defensive snaps this past season. He played only 35 percent of San Francisco's defensive snaps in 2021.
With a bigger role, Key could log double-digit sacks and enter the Pro Bowl conversation. The Cincinnati Bengals stand out as a logical landing spot for him.
Cincinnati has made two straight AFC title games but has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush—the Bengals logged just 30 sacks this past season. Key could potentially overtake Sam Hubbard (6.5 sacks while playing 82 percent of the snaps in 2022) as the primary edge complement to Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson in Cincinnati.
The Bengals, who have $35.7 million in projected cap space, would have little financial trouble adding Key.
The Houston Texans might also afford Key an opportunity to thrive. While the Texans were one of the league's worst teams in 2022, that could quickly change. Houston has $37.1 million in projected cap space and the second overall pick in the 2023 draft and added a promising head coach in DeMeco Ryans last month.
Ryans, by the way, was Key's defensive coordinator with the 49ers in 2021. Houston might not be a high-profile team, but it could be an improving one able to make Key the centerpiece of its pass rush. Jerry Hughes, who turns 35 in August, led the Texans with nine sacks last season, while impending free agent Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was second on the team with five.
LB David Long Jr., Tennessee Titans
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Linebacker David Long Jr., a 2019 sixth-round pick out of West Virginia, has emerged as an underrated gem for the Tennessee Titans. However, the 26-year-old has missed 12 games over the past two seasons due to injury and illness, including a season-ending hamstring injury in 2022.
"It was very tough. You put the work in all offseason, hopefully to end the season healthy," Long said, per Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. "But the ball didn't roll my way this year. I feel like the time I was on the field I gave it my all so I can't really be mad."
When Long has been healthy, though, he's been a tremendous do-it-all defender in Tennessee. In 12 games last season, he logged 86 tackles, two interceptions and six quarterback pressures while allowing an opposing passer rating (OPR) of only 74.1 in coverage.
As with every player, Long will have to stay healthy to become a star. However, the talented defender could raise his profile significantly by getting away from a Titans team trending in the wrong direction. Tennessee has probably reached its peak with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and it flopped down the stretch when he was injured (ankle) this past season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could offer a tremendous stage for Long in 2023. Pittsburgh narrowly missed the playoffs at 9-8, but it remains among the league's highest-profile franchises. The team could also use a linebacker with Long's pass-defending prowess.
The Steelers ranked 25th in yards per pass allowed (6.5) last season and could lose linebackers Devin Bush and Robert Spillane in free agency. Though they are projected to have less than $1 million in cap space, they'd undoubtedly make the room needed to fill one of their biggest needs.
The New York Giants, who reached the NFC's divisional round in 2022, could also use a linebacker who can defend both the run and the pass. New York logged a mere six interceptions in 2022 while ranking 31st in yards per rush allowed (5.2).
The Giants face the challenge of bringing back Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley this season, but they're projected to have $44.4 million in cap space.
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DT Dre'Mont Jones, Denver Broncos
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Had the Denver Broncos been a more relevant team this past season, Dre'Mont Jones might already be a Pro Bowler.
Jones, a 2019 third-round pick out of Ohio State, had a fantastic season in 2022. Despite missing four games with a hip injury, he amassed 47 tackles, a forced fumble, 6.5 sacks and 16 quarterback pressures. Those are very impressive numbers for an interior defender, and Jones should be squarely on the Pro Bowl radar heading into next season.
Will the Broncos become a legitimate contender under new head coach Sean Payton? Perhaps, but there's no guarantee. Quarterback Russell Wilson was a flop in his first Denver campaign, the Broncos traded away star pass-rusher Bradley Chubb, and Denver is attempting to claw out of the AFC West basement.
If Jones hopes to become a true superstar, he should search for a team that is already playoff-caliber.
The 49ers could be a terrific landing spot for Jones, as San Francisco could potentially lose interior linemen Hassan Ridgeway and Maurice Hurst in free agency. The 49ers also haven't gotten much from 2020 first-round pick Javon Kinlaw, who missed the bulk of 2022 with a knee injury.
San Francisco has a championship-caliber defense, and it could reunite Jones with former Ohio State teammate and likely Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. With $5.3 million in projected cap space, the Niners would have to clear some cap room. However, they are in a much better financial situation than, say, the Los Angeles Chargers.
L.A. is projected to be $19.8 million over the cap. However, if the Chargers could create the necessary financial wiggle room, Jones would be an ideal fit for them, and they desperately need help against the run. They made the playoffs this past season but allowed a league-high 5.4 yards per carry. Jones could help change that while becoming a fixture between pass-rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.
WR Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
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New England Patriots wideout Jakobi Meyers is one of the top receivers headed to free agency this offseason—perhaps the No. 2 option behind 2018 Pro Bowler JuJu Smith-Schuster.
However, Meyers has never been a legitimate star in New England. He's had strong numbers—he put up 804 receiving yards with six touchdowns and provided a 116.0 passer rating when targeted this season—but hasn't approached the 1,000-yard mark or sniffed the Pro Bowl conversation.
This may be largely due to New England's offensive scheme, though. The Patriots offense often lacked rhythm under the guidance of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in 2022 and did not provide many opportunities for Meyers to shine.
The Patriots ran just 1,006 offensive plays this past season, fifth-fewest in the NFL. They also ranked 22nd in pass attempts and 20th in passing yards.
In a more prolific offense—and especially a pass-heavy one—Meyers could be a breakout superstar. The Kansas City Chiefs would be an ideal landing spot for him if they don't retain Smith-Schuster this offseason.
In Kansas City, Meyers would land with a legit Super Bowl contender and a massive quarterback upgrade in Patrick Mahomes, with all due respect to Mac Jones in New England. The Chiefs are projected to have $11 million in cap space, and they'll likely want to re-sign or replace Smith-Schuster in free agency.
The Dallas Cowboys could also be a great landing spot for Meyers as they continue searching for a receiver to partner with CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Dallas added T.Y. Hilton during the season but could lose him, wideout Noah Brown and tight end Dalton Schultz in free agency.
Meyers would be a fabulous No. 2 target for the Cowboys, who reached the divisional round in 2022. Though there's some uncertainty in Dallas with Brian Schottenheimer replacing offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Meyers and Lamb would both have 1,000-yard potential. Plus, the Cowboys always provide a stage for stardom.
Of course, Dallas is projected to be $7.6 million over the cap and would have to clear some salary to make this particular pairing a reality.
CB Rock Ya-Sin, Las Vegas Raiders
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Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin was dealt to the Raiders in the offseason trade that landed Yannick Ngakoue with the Indianapolis Colts. While Ya-Sin only appeared in 11 games before suffering a knee injury, he flashed legitimate star potential.
Ya-Sin made nine starts and finished with 45 tackles and seven passes defended. While he didn't log an interception, he allowed an opposing passer rating of just 82.6 in coverage. If Ya-Sin can stay healthy and land in a more talented defense, the splash plays—interceptions and fumble recoveries—should come.
This past season, Las Vegas ranked 29th in passing yards allowed while tallying just 28 sacks and six interceptions as a team. Given that sort of environment, Ya-Sin's reliability in coverage was impressive.
The rival Chiefs would be a great landing spot for Ya-Sin if they could make it work financially. Kansas City's defense ranked 18th in passing yards allowed but generated 55 sacks on the season.
Ya-Sin could benefit from a strong Chiefs pass rush while playing under the brightest of spotlights in Kansas City.
The Bengals wouldn't offer the same high-caliber pass rush as Kansas City, but they could possibly offer Ya-Sin an immediate opportunity since cornerbacks Eli Apple, Tre Flowers and Jalen Davis are scheduled to hit free agency. Ya-Sin could be an immediate upgrade over Apple, who started 15 games but allowed an opposing passer rating of 96.9 in 2022.
In Cincinnati, Ya-Sin would have the chance to chase Super Bowls and perhaps an opportunity to thrive under standout defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo—though Anarumo is a finalist for the Cardinals' head-coaching job.
The Raiders are eyeing a rebuild without quarterback Derek Carr in 2023. If Ya-Sin is to become a superstar, leaving Las Vegas for a team like the Chiefs or Bengals would give him a much better opportunity.
*Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference. Cap information via Spotrac.
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