NFL Free Agency 2023: Ranking the 10 Best Unsigned Players Under 30
We are a good three months into free agency. Scores of players have found new teams. Hundreds of millions of dollars has changed hands.
But while the free agent cupboard may be pretty picked over, it isn't completely bare. There's some talent left on the proverbial bone. Some players were only recently released. Others still haven't found the right contract terms. Or are looking for more money than has been offered to date.
Quite a few of those players are aging vets looking for one last payday. One final run at a championship. But there are some players yet to find a team who are still in the prime of their careers.
It's those players we're going to focus on here—looking at a combination of talent, resume and positional value, we're going to examine the top-10 available free agents under the age of 30 as of the publication of this article.
10. LB Myles Jack
1 of 10
Pittsburgh Steelers center Ramon Foster played with Myles Jack in 2022. And while answering a question about Jack's future on his podcast, Foster said that he believes his former teammate may just be biding his time.
"Here's the thing, Myles Jack doesn't have to sign until July," Foster said. "He is a vet in that world now where, why would he go to OTAs (Organized Team Activities) if you know how to pick up a defense? That's just where he stands when it comes down to his play and his free agency. That's just the way I look at it."
Jack has been a productive player in the tackle column since the Jacksonville Jaguars took him in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. In four of the past five seasons, Jack has surpassed 100 total tackles, including a team-leading 104 with the Steelers last year. The Jaguars saw enough from Jack over his first few seasons to give him a four-year, $57 million extension back in 2019.
But Jack's current employment status may have more to do with his struggles in coverage than skipping OTAs—in three of the past four seasons, Jack has surrendered a passer rating against of over 100, including 107.4 in his lone season in the Steel City in 2022.
Given those deficiencies, Jack's days as an every-down starter may be over. But he's an experienced linebacker with 95 career starts yet to turn 28 who will eventually latch on somewhere as a depth piece or two-down run-stopper.
9. CB Anthony Brown
2 of 10
There's only one thing worse for a veteran player in a contract year than suffering a significant injury—suffering that injury late in the season.
But that's the unfortunate fate that befell Dallas cornerback Anthony Brown. After starting the first 12 games for the Cowboys opposite Trevon Diggs last year, Brown suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in December.
And make no mistake—that injury is the only reason that Brown remains unsigned this late into the offseason. There are a number of corners who have already signed new deals and found new homes who don't have Brown's ability or resume.
Two years ago, Brown was a 16-game starter for the Cowboys. He topped 70 total tackles, intercepted three passes and even scored a touchdown. Brown allowed just 65 of 122 passes thrown in his direction to be completed in 2021 and posted a passer rating against of 78.4.
For the record, that passer rating against is lower than Trevon Diggs' was last year. And Darius Slay of the Eagles. Brown's numbers weren't quite as good in 2022, but he was still a solid NFL starter.
Brown is no stranger to adversity—he was a seventh-round pick who rose from obscurity to a starting role.
And given that resilience, it's unwise to bet against him making it all the back from the Achilles injury.
8. LB Rashaan Evans
3 of 10
Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Just ask linebacker Rashaan Evans.
Last year, Evans signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Not only did the 27-year-old lead the team in tackles, but Evans posted a whopping 159 stops—seventh-most in the entire NFL.
Back in January, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot sounded like a man interested in bringing Evans back while speaking to reporters.
"Sometimes players won't end up back here - it kind of depends on what the market dictates," Fontenot began. "But there were a lot of guys that came here and did some really good things. We're going to always start here and start with our team. And you really want to bring back as many guys as you can if it works out. When guys are outside the building ... it's more risky and crazy."
Whether it was Evans' desired salary or a team decision, the Falcons appear intent on heading into the season with youngster Troy Andersen and free-agent addition Kaden Elliss as the team's top-two inside linebackers. And despite all that productivity, Evans is still looking for a new home—most likely because of a passer rating against in coverage last year of 112.6.
However, the two years' prior Evans' passer rating against was under 90, so at some point this summer Evans is going to latch on with a team.
.jpg?w=256 "Bills Jaguars Football")
7. RB Ezekiel Elliott
4 of 10
There was a time, not that long ago, when Ezekiel Elliott was widely regarded as the best running back in the NFL.
Now, the 27-year-old is just trying to find some place to play.
Elliott hit the NFL like a thunderstorm. As a rookie, he led the league in rushing with 1,631 yards, averaged over five yards a carry, scored 15 touchdowns and averaged almost 109 yards per game. Two years later, Elliott once again led the league with 1,434 rushing yards. Three times in Elliott's first four seasons, Elliott surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and made the Pro Bowl.
In 2019, the Cowboys rewarded Elliott with a whopping six-year, $90 million contract that included just over $50 million in total guarantees. All was right with the world.
But the 300-plus carry seasons started taking a toll on Elliott. After averaging 4.7 yards per carry in 2018, his average per tote dropped to 4.5. In 2020, Elliott averaged just four yards a pop and failed to hit 1,000 rushing yards.
Last year brought the bottom. Elliott logged career lows in carries, rushing yards and yards per carry. His 3.8 yards per carry was the lowest of all 22 backs who logged 200 carries. He was clearly outplayed by Tony Pollard. And in the offseason, the Cowboys released him.
A reunion with the Cowboys (at a lower salary) remains a possibility. And a rebound season can't be completely ruled out—Elliott topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored 10 times just two years ago.
But it's more likely that Elliott will just be one more cautionary tale in the short shelf-life of running backs in the NFL.
6. CB Ronald Darby
5 of 10
Ronald Darby is another free agent still the right side of 30 who wouldn't be on this list were it not for the ACL tear he suffered last October.
A second-round pick of the Bills back in 2015, Darby is also one of the elder statesmen of this list—he'll celebrate his 30th birthday next January. To a large extent, he's made the most of that time in the NFL—over eight seasons with the Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos, Darby has started 88 games. He's never been to the Pro Bowl, but Darby was a starter for the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII.
To be clear, Darby hasn't been a fringe starter, either. At his best, he was among one of the NFL's better players in coverage. Big plays have never been his thing (eight career interceptions), and durability has been an issue at times (he's played in all 16 games just one time), but in each of the past three seasons Darby has posted a passer rating against of less than 85. Before getting hurt last year, Darby was playing some of the best football of his career—in five games Darby allowed just 38.9 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed with a passer rating against under 70.
Darby isn't going to land the sort of contract the Broncos gave him back in 2021 (three years, $30 million), but if he can show his rehab is progressing well there are a number of teams who would benefit from a steadying veteran presence in the secondary.
5. DT Matthew Ioannidis
6 of 10
At first glance, the numbers posted by Matthew Ioannidis last year with the Carolina Panthers aren't especially inspiring—37 total tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
But those numbers don't tell the whole story with the 28-year-old. Playing opposite Derrick Brown last year, Ioannidis wasn't tasked with being a disruptive force or collapsing the pocket. His job was to occupy opposing blockers so that players like Brown and Brian Burns could wreak havoc.
However, we have seen Ioannidis play a more aggressive role in the past. Back in 2018, Ioannidis piled up 7.5 sacks during his third season in Washington. The following season was easily Ioannidis' best—in addition to racking up a career-high 8.5 sacks, Ioannidis also added 64 total tackles. Those numbers are almost identical to the stats posted by Washington's Jonathan Allen in 2022—a season in which he made a second straight Pro Bowl.
This isn't to say that Ioannidis is a player of Allen's caliber—since that big year in 2019, Ioannidis has managed just five sacks over the last three years combined.
But that drop in production can be attributed at least in part to an injury-shortened 2020 campaign and a change in role.
Ioannidis may not be a great player. But he's a good one at a position where teams can't have too much depth. The veteran may not get the deal he's seeking, but there are multiple teams who would likely be willing to bring Ioannidis in on a one-year pact.
4. OG Dalton Risner
7 of 10
Offensive linemen are immensely valuable in free agency—even average tackles often clear well north of $10 million a season with regularity. Young linemen cash in that much more.
However, in mid-June Dalton Risner is still searching for a new team, which could be due to a few reasons.
The first is simple—money. Just because many other offensive linemen have cashed in big this spring doesn't mean that teams want to break the bank for the 27-year-old Risner. The former second-round pick isn't a terrible guard, but he isn't a great one, either. He has struggled as a run blocker to this point in his career—an issue for an interior lineman.
However, as Jon Heath wrote for Broncos Wire, just because Risner hasn't landed a new deal yet doesn't mean that teams aren't interested.
"Risner is drawing interest from seven teams, according to a report from KUSA-TV's Mike Klis," he said. "Drawing that much interest and not having a contract signed could likely be a sign of two things. First, teams probably aren't offering Risner the kind of contract he is seeking and second, teams might not necessarily have starting spots on the table."
Risner might not be a worldbeater, but he's a capable pass protector who started 62 games over four seasons in Denver.
Whether it's as depth, an injury replacement or a one-year, "prove it" guy, Risner is going to land on his feet.
But his fifth professional season is going to be a pivotal one.
3. S John Johnson III
8 of 10
Among all the players on this list, John Johnson is one of the hardest to figure out. A quality safety in the prime of his career, it's a bit puzzling that Johnson is still on the open market.
In the opinion of ESPN's Matt Bowen, the 27-year-old is easily the best player at his position who has yet to find a new team.
"The on-the-ball production dipped last season for Johnson in Cleveland, as he finished with one interception and four pass breakups," he said. "The veteran safety still has the range from the post and split-field alignments, though, and that will open some doors for him on the market."
That drop in statistical production is likely what got Johnson shown the door by the Cleveland Browns two years into a three-year, $33.75 million contract.
But big plays tend to be fluky, and Johnson showed once again last year that even when they aren't there, the tackles can be. Johnson piled up 101 total tackles with the Browns in 2022, the third time since 2018 that Johnson has hit the century mark in stops.
Is Johnson going to get over $11 million a season again—unlikely. But you would need both hands to count the number of safeties penciled in as starters in the NFL right now who aren't the player Johnson is.
In fact, you would probably have to take off your shoes.
2. RB Dalvin Cook
9 of 10
Dalvin Cook is the "new guy" on this list, having only been recently released by the Minnesota Vikings. But there had long been speculation that the Vikings either wanted Cook to restructure his deal and/or were looking to trade the 27-year-old.
However, the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero told The Rich Eisen Show (via Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports) that Cook was amenable to neither. His position was simple—pay me or release me.
"There were scenarios, all the way through the process," Pelissero said, "in which the Vikings would've brought back Dalvin Cook. ... Cook got to a point where he did not want to take a restructure -- he was truly, never actually offered a pay cut. But he was not going to restructure his contract with the Vikings, nor was he going to restructure his contract to facilitate a trade."
Not only that, but if teams want Cook, it's going to cost them. There has also been speculation that he's angling for essentially the same compensation that he was set to receive from the Vikings in 2023—north of $10 million a season. If teams aren't willing to pay that, Cook's in no hurry to sign.
Cook is coming off an excellent season—his 1,173 rushing yards marked Cook's fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season on the ground. He's caught 170 passes over that four-year stretch and made the Pro Bowl all four seasons.
But Cook's yards per carry have dropped from 5.0 in 2020 to 4.7 in 2021 to 4.4 in 2022. And the cold reality is that Cook plays a position that has become significantly devalued in today's NFL.
If Cook really is dug in, this standoff (and Cook's 2023 status) could become one of the summer's bigger storylines.
1. EDGE Yannick Ngakoue
10 of 10
There have been five players in the history of the NFL who have accrued at least eight sacks in each of their first seven seasons. Yannick Ngakoue is one of them.
And yet, the 28-year-old is still on the market well into June.
To call Ngakoue well-travelled is an understatement—assuming he does find a home for 2023, it will mark his sixth in the past five seasons. And as Ngakoue told SiriusXM NFL Radio, via NFL.com, this time he's looking for somewhere he can stay—and win.
"For me, personally, I've been to a couple of stops and instead of doing these visits, I'm ready to have a stable home and just to be able to be on a multi-year deal, I can be able to ground myself and start on things, really focusing on my family and trying to start a family, things like that," Ngakoue said. "At this stage in my career, being in my later 20s, I definitely want to play for a contender, play for a team and organization that wants to win a Super Bowl. That's one of the things on my agenda is to be able to help and contribute to that. Hopefully, I can gain some great interest from a contender."
That wishlist might not be especially realistic though—especially this late in free agency. There are reasons that Ngakoue has bounced around so much, the biggest being that for most of his career he has been a non-factor in run defense. In seven seasons, Ngakoue has had more than 30 tackles once.
Still, as a consistent pass-rusher with tread left on his tires who has shown the ability to produce for a number of teams and schemes, Ngakoue is the best free agent left in the NFL who has yet to see his 30th birthday.
.jpg?w=480 "Bills Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
