2023 NFL Free-Agent Signings That Should Happen After Week 1 Injuries
A rash of injuries swept through the NFL during Week 1 of the 2023 season. Stars and second-stringers alike all went down with various issues throughout the slate.
Some teams, such as the Baltimore Ravens, were hit hard, while others managed to escape the season opener relatively unscathed. Many general managers may have already started making calls to bring in some of the top available free agents for a look.
Those proven veterans can offer immediate relief for rosters in desperate need of help after losing a critical contributor.
With that in mind, let's highlight some of the most sensible free-agent signings that should occur in the wake of notable Week 1 injuries.
CB Bryce Callahan to Carolina Panthers
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The Carolina Panthers may need to find a replacement for cornerback Jaycee Horn, who has spent more time on the sidelines with injuries than he has on the field since he entered the NFL as a first-round pick in 2021.
After missing OTAs and minicamp with a sprained ankle, Horn was able to return and start in the 2023 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. However, he lasted less than a half before going down with a hamstring injury.
According to Panthers.com's Augusta Stone, head coach Frank Reich confirmed that Horn is dealing with a hamstring ailment and noted that the team is still determining the severity of it. Considering how tricky hamstring injuries can be—they often linger and can be easily aggravated—there is a real chance that Horn will miss some time.
Signing a cornerback like Bryce Callahan could help ease the blow if Horn is sidelined for a stretch. While the veteran has had injury problems of his own over the years, he's coming off the healthiest and best season of his career.
Callahan signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2022 campaign and went on to appear in 15 contests, including 11 starts. He matched or recorded new career highs with 47 tackles, six pass defenses and three interceptions—including one returned for a touchdown—while earning a respectable 64.2 grade from Pro Football Focus.
If the 31-year-old can continue to stay on the field and contribute at that level, he'd be a positive addition to a Carolina secondary that could use reinforcements. While the club still has CJ Henderson and D'Shawn Jamison as corner depth, a proven asset like Callahan could step in and immediately play a sizable role if needed.
OT Marcus Cannon to Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns blew out the rival Cincinnati Bengals to open the 2023 season, but they didn't emerge unscathed. Starting right tackle Jack Conklin, a two-time All-Pro, was carted off in the fourth quarter after he was unable to put weight on his left leg.
On Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed that Conklin tore his ACL and would miss the remainder of the campaign (per NFL.com's Nick Shook). Stefanski said that the team will be taking a "next-man-up" approach to replacing the star offensive lineman.
Rookie Dawand Jones, a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, looks to be the next man up at right tackle. He replaced Conklin in the immediate aftermath of the injury and kept Cleveland's offense humming. He was part of an offensive explosion that saw Cleveland add 11 more points to their total over the final 12 minutes of the contest, ultimately resulting in a 24-3 victory.
Jones may get the first crack at replacing Conklin, but the Browns need to find a proven option who can take over if he isn't ready for the job on a full-time basis. Enter Marcus Cannon, an 11-year veteran with 124 NFL games of experience under his belt.
Cannon spent the better part of a decade working as a swing tackle and starting on the right side of the New England Patriots' offensive line. His versatility, size and savvy make him an ideal backup for this Cleveland squad that could use an old hand right now.
Although the 35-year-old Cannon may be in the twilight of his career, he showed he can still hold his own during his five games with the Pats last season. Cannon earned a 63.7 PFF grade while giving up only one sack and being called for zero penalties across 207 offensive snaps.
Given his projected cheap contract and quality backup skills, the Browns should call Cannon as soon as possible.
Edge Carlos Dunlap to New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints will be without one of their most promising pass-rushers after Payton Turner exited with turf toe during their 16-15 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
In the second quarter, Turner landed awkwardly following a hold while generating pressure on Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He recorded only one tackle before going to the locker room.
Turner's toe injury is expected to require surgery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, and it's currently unknown how long the 2021 first-round pick will be sidelined for. This isn't the first time Turner will be absent for a stretch, either, as he's been active for only 14 of a possible 35 contests since entering the league.
The Saints will be forced to make some adjustments with Turner on the shelf. While their defensive end starters are set with Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson, they'll have to find out if second-round rookie Isaiah Foskey—a healthy scratch in the opener—is able to perform backup duties along with Tanoh Kpassagnon.
Even if he can, there is an opening for a fifth defensive end that New Orleans should fill with a reliable veteran. Carlos Dunlap would fit the bill, as he's been one of the healthier pass-rushers in the league over the last decade-plus.
The 34-year-old hasn't missed a game since the 2020 season and has played in at least 14 contests every year since the 2012 campaign. While his skills have started to diminish in the twilight of his career, Dunlap won a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs last year while contributing 39 tackles, four sacks, eight pass defenses and a forced fumble.
Dunlap may not be the Pro Bowler he once was with the Cincinnati Bengals anymore, but his 66.4 PFF grade in 2022 and 72.1 mark in 2021 show that he still has something left to offer. The Saints need some stability and reliability on the edge right now, and Dunlap could provide that in spades.
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RB Leonard Fournette to Baltimore Ravens
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Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins missed his entire sophomore season and most of last year because of a torn ACL. After suffering a torn Achilles on Sunday, he'll now miss the rest of the 2023 season as well.
Gus Edwards is now poised to take over as the lead option in Baltimore's backfield, with Justice Hill serving as the backup and short-yardage specialist. This tandem has proved capable in the past, but the Ravens could use some additional backfield help in the wake of Dobbins' latest injury.
The Ravens might promote Melvin Gordon from the practice squad, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, but they could also bring in another back for injury insurance. Leonard Fournette would be the right fit as a versatile talent who fits well with Baltimore's hard-nosed rushing style.
Fournette is only 28 years old and has been relatively healthy during the first six NFL seasons. He's appeared in 79 games since being taken in the first round of the 2017 draft, piling up 4,478 yards and 34 touchdowns on 1,132 carries. He's been a reliable pass-catcher as well, hauling in 312 receptions for 2,219 yards and seven scores with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Fournette lost his starting job to Bucs rookie Rachaad White last season, he can still be a serviceable option as part of a platoon at this stage of his career.
OG Dalton Risner to Minnesota Vikings
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wreaked havoc on the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line in Week 1, exposing a flawed unit that was struggling even before a wave of injuries knocked two starters out of the contest. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked twice and lost two fumbles while facing constant pressure in an embarrassing 20-17 upset loss.
It didn't help that starting center Garrett Bradbury was forced to exit in the first half with a lower-back injury and wasn't able to return. Things got worse when star left tackle Christian Darrisaw was out for a stretch in the second quarter with an ankle injury, but he was able to return in the second half after getting taped up.
After the game, head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters that Darrisaw should be sore but fine, while Bradbury is day-to-day and may be replaced by Austin Schlottmann again in Week 2 since the Vikings are on Thursday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Even if the entire offensive line is healthy and active, the Vikings must make some changes in the trenches. One player who could step in and immediately help is Dalton Risner, whom the Vikings brought in for a look during training camp but declined to sign at the time.
Risner failed to catch on with a team before the start of the 2023 campaign despite garnering plenty of interest following a solid run with the Denver Broncos. While he was never a Pro Bowl talent, the 2019 second-round pick started 62 games during his tenure in the Mile High City and never allowed more than four sacks—including giving up none in 2020—during any of his four seasons, per PFF.
The 28-year-old made it clear he was watching Minnesota's ugly defeat on Sunday, sending out multiple tweets—including one that said "I'm ready"—in response to fans imploring the organization to sign him.
While Risner may come at a heftier price than some of the other guards on the open market, he'd be worth the investment for a Vikings team that needs to reinforce its offensive line and hopes to build on its disappointing loss in last year's playoffs.
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