NFL Free Agents Who Could Blow Up on New Teams in 2024
Sometimes, a fresh start is all that an NFL player needs.
Whether they've underachieved compared to their lofty potential, are losing reps due to a positional logjam, can't seem to stay healthy or aren't a schematic fit with their current squad, some beleaguered talents will soon get an opportunity to start anew by signing elsewhere in free agency.
Not every free agent will vault into stardom by joining a different club, but there's a good chance at least some will. There were several examples of this in 2023, as Philadelphia Eagles running back D'Andre Swift and Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III both shined following a change of scenery.
More free agents could head down that same path this spring. With that in mind, here are a few names who stick out as the most likely to break out if they land on a new team.
DB Jeremy Chinn
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Jeremy Chinn has endured one of the more surprising falls from grace in recent NFL history, but he'll soon get a chance to thrive in his second act.
Chinn immediately burst onto the scene after the Carolina Panthers traded up to get him in the second round of the 2020 draft, putting up some impressive numbers that helped him finish second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race. Unfortunately, the 117 tackles, two fumble recoveries—both of which he returned for touchdowns—and one interception that Chinn posted in his rookie season have been the high-water mark of his career thus far.
While Chinn remained a starter and key cog in Carolina's defensive plans through his sophomore season, injuries limited him to only 11 games in 2022. There was a seismic shift upon his return to action this past year, as Chinn only saw the field for a lowly 39 percent of Carolina's defensive snaps—a far cry from the 90-plus percent snap share he logged during his first three seasons—in the 12 games he played.
Although another significant injury contributed to that reduction in playing time, Chinn didn't seem to have a defined role in new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's system.
"Another thing I'm looking forward to is wherever I'm at, I know it's going to be with somebody that wants me," Chinn said after the season, per Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer. Somebody that wants to use me. And I think that'll give me a lot of confidence as a football player."
Chinn may not fit in every scheme as a 6'3", 220-pound hybrid defensive back. But at his best, he's an elite athlete who possesses explosiveness, great instincts and playmaking abilities in spades.
If Chinn signs with a team that can hide his coverage deficiencies while letting him attack the football, he'll quickly return to the upper echelon of NFL defenders.
OT Jermaine Eluemunor
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After bouncing around the NFL for the first half-decade of his career, Jermaine Eluemunor finally became a regular starter for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. The former swing tackle and backup answered the call at right tackle, starting all 17 games—he had just 14 starts combined over his first five NFL seasons—and earning a contract extension that kept him in Sin City for another season.
Eluemunor followed up his breakout season—one in which he earned a 75.3 grade from Pro Football Focus and allowed only three sacks across 940 offensive snaps—with another solid one, notching a 68.5 PFF grade and conceding six sacks in his 905 offensive plays across 14 starts.
There should be a bit more interest in Eluemunor during free agency this year now that he's established himself as a reliable starter. He's still relatively young—he won't turn 30 until December—and doesn't have nearly as much mileage as some of his contemporaries, having logged fewer than 3,000 snaps heading into his eighth NFL season.
While Eluemunor's next deal probably won't be the type of bargain the Raiders received—they paid him only $4.25 million during the past two seasons combined—the 6'4", 330-pound tackle will be worth the investment as a capable pass protector and run-blocker who keeps his quarterbacks upright and can handle any type of rush thrown at him.
TE Mike Gesicki
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Mike Gesicki was one of the NFL's best pass-catching tight ends for a good portion of his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. The 6'6", 245-pounder racked up over 2,000 yards and scored 13 times on 177 catches during a three-year run between 2019 and 2021. However, he ultimately fell out of favor in new head coach Mike McDaniel's system in 2022 and never got into Bill Belichick's good graces after signing with the New England Patriots this past season.
Gesicki will get a chance to re-establish himself as one of the premier weapons at his position on his next contract. While he's hauled in only 61 catches over the last two years combined—failing to even match his career-high 73 receptions from the 2021 campaign—the 28-year-old has been severely hamstrung by a lack of playing time during that span.
Gesicki saw the field for only 50 percent of the snaps in a dysfunctional New England offense this past season. That was slightly up from the 45 percent he logged during his final year in Miami under a head coach whose philosophy largely eschews tight ends as receiving threats.
Gesicki's subpar blocking skills make it tough for him to be an every-down player. But he can still be a real asset due to his catching abilities, size, availability—he's participated in 98 of a possible 99 games since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2018—and athleticism.
If Gesicki signs with the right team, his playing time and usage rate could return to 2021 levels. That year, he earned a career-high 72 percent snap share and was No. 2 on the 'Phins in receptions, targets and receiving yardage.
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DT Justin Madubuike
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Justin Madubuike may not be a household name yet, but it's only a matter of time before the Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle establishes himself as one of the NFL's top talents.
Madubuike emerged as an absolute force in his fourth professional season, racking up 56 tackles—including a career-high 12 for a loss—while generating 33 pressures and 13 sacks on his way to earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. The 26-year-old earned a 75.1 PFF grade for those outstanding efforts, just in time for him to test the open market.
Consistency was the most impressive part of Madubuike's breakout campaign. The Texas A&M product not only started all 17 regular-season games while logging a career-high 65 percent of Baltimore's defensive snaps, but he also recorded at least a half-sack in all but four of those contests.
He terrorized opposing quarterbacks on a weekly basis, including in the AFC Championship Game, when he notched a half-sack against Patrick Mahomes. He finished the Ravens' two-game playoff run with a total of nine tackles—one for a loss—and three QB hits.
While Madubuike isn't perfect—his run defense leaves something to be desired—he's a high-energy, big-effort D-lineman who packs a surprising amount of pass-rushing moves and athleticism into a 6'3", 305-pound frame. He'll likely cash in big this offseason, with Spotrac projecting his next deal to be worth more than $20 million annually.
That lofty figure could end up pricing out the Ravens from retaining Madubuike, but he should go on to star for whichever team is fortunate enough to sign him this offseason.
WR Darnell Mooney
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Darnell Mooney is only two years removed from capping off a breakout sophomore season and establishing himself as one of the league's up-and-coming wide receivers. He put himself on the map with an 81-catch, 1,055-yard, four-touchdown campaign in 2021, but he hasn't come close to matching those numbers since.
Mooney has totaled only 907 yards and three touchdowns on 71 catches across 27 games these past two seasons, a far cry from what he appeared to be poised for after that breakout 2021 campaign. A fresh start could be exactly what the impending free agent needs to get his career back on track.
A schematic shift in the Windy City left Mooney as an underutilized piece of the team's inconsistent offense over the last two seasons. Quarterback Justin Fields appeared to establish a rapid rapport with Mooney when he took over as the starter during his rookie season, but a head coaching change from Matt Nagy to Matt Eberflus—as well as injuries and a new system designed to showcase Fields' rushing skills—negatively impacted the battery's development in 2022.
The addition of D.J. Moore into Chicago's receiving corps relegated Mooney to a tertiary option for 2023, putting him well behind the new No. 1 wideout and tight end Cole Kmet in the pecking order. While Mooney was healthier this season and continued to flash his ability to create separation, a lack of volume prevented the 26-year-old from making much of an impact.
Mooney should bounce back if he lands on a pass-heavy offense in 2024. He can shine as a dangerous deep threat who is also able to move the chains and advance the ball by getting open on his intermediate routes.
RB Zack Moss
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Zack Moss spent the early portion of the 2023 campaign proving exactly why the Indianapolis Colts and many other franchises have been reticent to allocate big bucks to the running back position.
The fifth-year veteran came into the season as a depth option behind star Jonathan Taylor, but he emerged as Indy's feature back by Week 2 with Taylor sidelined. Moss spent the next few weeks piling up big numbers before eventually taking a back seat to Taylor again after he inked a long-term extension and was activated off the PUP list.
Between Weeks 2 and 8, Moss tallied an impressive 589 yards and five touchdowns on 125 carries while adding 123 yards and a score on 16 receptions. It was nearly the same level of production that Taylor had across seven appearances between Week 7 (when he recaptured the starting job) and Week 17. Taylor, who missed three games between Week 13 and 15 with another injury, posted 599 yards and seven touchdowns from scrimmage on 136 touches over that stretch.
Moss wound up having more 100-yard rushing games (two) this season than Taylor, who only breeched the three-digit mark in the season finale. The 26-year-old Moss may not have Taylor's upside nor an NFL rushing crown under his belt, but he's clearly a capable and versatile backfield talent who could break through if he gets the opportunity to become a starter.
With Spotrac estimating his market value to be just $4.6 million annually—well below the three-year, $42 million extension that Taylor signed back in October—some team might get a great deal on Moss this spring. If he finally gets the chance to start in what would be his third NFL stop, Moss could wind up being one of the best-value pickups of the offseason.
.jpg?w=480 "Browns Football")
