The Most Underrated 2023 NFL Free Agents Still Available
There may not be many stars left on the open market during the second week of free agency, but there are still some solid players up for grabs.
While these free agents may not be the cream of the crop, they could be important roster-building blocks who play a big role for a contending squad.
Many of these talents aren't getting the respect they deserve. Whether teams are leery of their injury history, one-dimensional skill set or some other factor that is keeping them from having their pick of suitors, these players are still waiting to sign a new deal long after some of their name-brand peers.
With that in mind, here are five of the most underrated free agents still available as of Wednesday, March 22, as well as some squads that represent the best fits for their abilities:
Edge Yannick Ngakoue
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At this point in his career, Yannick Ngakoue is a known entity who does one thing at a high level: rush the passer.
While Ngakoue isn't a perfect edge defender—his lack of contributions in the run game limits his usage—he's a fantastic pass-rusher who regularly tallies up sacks year-in and year-out.
Soon to be 28 years old and now looking for his fifth team in his eighth NFL season, Ngakoue is surprisingly still on the open market despite a strong 2022 performance.
He spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts, racking up 9.5 sacks for the club. It was a solid follow-up to his 10-sack campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.
Ngakoue has notched at least eight sacks each year since entering the league as a third-round pick back in 2016. There's no question he's a quality disruptor and deserves to be paid as such this offseason.
It remains to be seen if the Maryland product will sign a long-term deal or continue to work as a mercenary by signing yet another one-year contract.
Regardless of his contract length, there seems to be plenty left in this free agent's tank, and it would hardly be a surprise to see Ngakoue once again record a double-digit sack count in 2023.
Best fits: Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams
WR DJ Chark
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There is a glaring lack of speedy wideouts remaining on the open market. There is at least one quality burner available, however, as DJ Chark. is still seeking his next deal after a full week of free agency.
Chark is one of the top available veterans at the receiver position thanks to his rare blend of size and speed. At 6'4", 205 pounds, Chark has the size to win battles against nearly any defensive back if he doesn't blow by them first.
While Chark has shown the ability to be a high-end weapon at his best, injuries have limited his effectiveness in recent years.
The LSU product has been dealing with lingering ankle issues that first cropped up during the 2021 campaign. Chark was limited to just four appearances during his final season with the Jacksonville Jaguars—the team that drafted him in the second round back in 2018—before signing with the Detroit Lions last year.
Although Chark was able to get on the field for 11 contests, his ankle problems cropped up again and hindered his ability to contribute. He finished the year with a meager 30 receptions for 502 yards and three scores, a far cry from the 73-catch, 1,008-yard, eight-touchdown season he had as a sophomore in 2019.
Still only 26 years old, there is a chance that Chark regains that early-career form on his next contract. If he can get back to full strength, he'll be a great bargain pickup for a team during the second wave of free agency.
Best fits: Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers
CB Rock Ya-Sin
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Veteran cornerbacks are at a premium during the 2023 offseason, which makes it surprising that Rock Ya-Sin remains unsigned at this juncture.
Ya-Sin had been a steady force since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2019. He spent the first three years of his career with the Indianapolis Colts—appearing in 41 games and starting 29 of them—before he was dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders for Yannick Ngakoue last March.
That trade didn't slow Ya-Sin down at all, as he slotted in as a regular starter for Vegas and was having one of the better seasons of his young career before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in Week 13.
Ya-Sin may not be much of a ballhawk—he has just two career interceptions—but he's a tough, physical corner who has shown consistent improvement each season. He's coming off a campaign in which he allowed a career-best 82.6 QB rating in coverage, improving from an 88.8 the prior season.
Teams in need of some toughness at the line of scrimmage could do far worse than signing Ya-Sin. The 6'0", 190-pound corner is willing to battle with wideouts every snap and works hard to avoid being beaten.
Given the number of big-bodied receivers regularly feasting on defenses, Ya-Sin is an ideal counter for them and should be a solid value for his next club.
Best fits: Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders
S Taylor Rapp
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Taylor Rapp may not have evolved into the big playmaking safety the Los Angeles Rams envisioned him becoming when they selected him No. 61 overall four years ago, but he's proved to be a versatile defender capable of fulfilling a variety of roles.
Rapp has been a tackle machine since entering the NFL. He's amassed 330 across 57 career games, a testament to how few he misses.
According to ProFootballReference, Rapp whiffed on just 6.1 percent of his tackles last year and even had a career-low 2.9 percent miss rate as a rookie.
The 25-year-old is strong in coverage, too. He's broken up 23 passes and has reeled in nine interceptions over the last four seasons.
Teams will be able to comfortably deploy Rapp at either safety position after he proved adept at handling the various duties the Rams tasked him with.
Given his good instincts, upper-tier athleticism and capable coverage skills, it's rather surprising that Rapp remains unsigned. He represents an upgrade at the safety spot for numerous teams and seems to be a shoo-in starter for the life of his next contract.
Best fits: New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs
TE Irv Smith Jr.
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Irv Smith Jr. is one of the more intriguing free agents remaining on the open market. He's hardly had a chance to showcase his talents since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2019, but he could finally get a shot to show out in 2023.
His career with the Minnesota Vikings was marred by injuries and a logjam at the tight end position, factors that have severely limited the amount of action he's seen.
Smith started his career as the No. 2 tight end behind Kyle Rudolph, but the Alabama product still managed to snag 36 receptions for 311 yards and a pair of scores as a rookie. Rudolph was still in the picture the following year—a major reason why Smith saw less than two-thirds of the offensive snaps—but Smith displayed growth on the way to 30 receptions for 365 yards and five touchdowns.
Finally out of Rudolph's shadow and set to take over the TE1 role for the Vikings in 2021, Smith suffered an unfortunate meniscus tear in the preseason finale that cost him the entire season. He returned this season, but he seemed to be limited by the injury still and caught just 25 balls for 182 yards and two touchdowns in eight games before landing on injured reserve again with an ankle issue.
Smith gets an "incomplete" mark for his work in Minnesota, but he could change his story by staying healthy and landing with a squad that could use a hyper-athletic pass-catching tight end. The 24-year-old still has plenty of upside and has only scratched the surface of what he can bring to the table.
Best fits: New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins
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