8 Free Agents Who Should Wait Until After the 2024 NFL Draft to Sign with Teams
Even at this stage of the NFL offseason, top free agents could make a little more money or garner better offers if they sign with a team after the draft.
Typically, teams sign premier free agents in their prime between the legal tampering period and the first few days of the new league year. After that, most clubs sign second-tier players and look for bargain-bin acquisitions to fill roster voids before the draft.
Though edge-rusher Jadeveon Clowney recently signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Carolina Panthers, most notable players still available will likely wait until after the draft on April 25-27 when teams add players to address leftover roster needs.
Here, we'll highlight eight players who could maximize their earning potential on the open market or step into a starting role with a playoff contender if they're patient in finding a new team.
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
1 of 8
Last offseason, Odell Beckham Jr. signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens two weeks into April.
The Ravens didn't get their money's worth out of Beckham, who caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Yet he may have a decent market that will allow him to up his asking price.
While at the NFL owners meetings, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the team made an offer to the 31-year-old but "business takes time."
With one offer on the table, Beckham needs one more suitor to potentially boost his market price in a bidding competition.
Despite a strong incoming wide receiver class, contending teams may prefer Beckham's veteran savvy. He's also still capable of making big plays. He averaged a career-high 16.1 yards per catch last year.
Perhaps the Buffalo Bills show interest in Beckham after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. They may want an experienced wideout in a room with a group of young receivers.
WR Tyler Boyd
2 of 8
Primarily a slot wideout, Tyler Boyd is unlikely to ink an eight-figure deal. Yet he could draw interest from playoff-contending teams that need a receiver to line up on the inside in three-receiver sets.
The 29-year-old isn't flashy, but he's shown consistency throughout his career and continued to post solid receiving numbers while playing alongside three-time Pro Bowler Ja'Marr Chase and one of the league's top No. 2 receivers, Tee Higgins, over the previous three years.
Boyd has registered at least 58 catches and 667 receiving yards in each of the last three campaigns. In seven of his eight seasons, he's caught 54 or more passes for 603 or more yards.
Boyd may have a smaller market than Odell Beckham Jr, who's built a stronger reputation, but teams may reach out to him after the draft with a decent offer because he's reliable in terms of availability (he hasn't missed multiple games in a season since 2018) with steady production.
CB Stephon Gilmore
3 of 8
Stephon Gilmore may have an offer from the Washington Commanders to join his former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is the club's head coach.
He could reunite with several former Dallas Cowboys who followed Quinn to an in-division rival.
Even if Gilmore doesn't have an offer from the Cowboys, he has likely drawn interest from multiple suitors.
At 33 years old, he can still play at a high level. Last year, he recorded 13 pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing a 55.8 percent completion rate and an 82.7 passer rating in coverage.
Moreover, Gilmore has only missed one game over the previous two years after sitting out several contests between 2020 and 2021 because of injuries.
This year's incoming cornerback draft class has depth, but Gilmore could be one of the final pieces to a Super Bowl roster that has a void on the boundary of the secondary.
The Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions, who signed Gilmore's younger brother Steven to a three-year deal last offseason, could be interested in the five-time Pro Bowler.
CB Xavien Howard
4 of 8
In an X post, Xavien Howard's agent David Canter made sure to let everyone know his client should be atop every team's free-agent wish list.
"@Iamxavienhoward makes every team in the national football league an instant contender. Lock down corners don't hit the market often," Canter posted on X.
Though one can dispute if Howard is a lockdown cornerback, he can certainly help put a playoff team over the top with his ball-tracking skills.
The 30-year-old hasn't registered multiple interceptions in a season since 2021. However, he's recorded at least 12 pass breakups in four consecutive terms. Also, the four-time Pro Bowler and 2020 All-Pro has allowed a passer rating of 81.3 or lower in three of the previous four seasons.
According to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime, Howard is interested in the Houston Texans. If the appeal is mutual, he may receive a quality offer from Houston after the draft.
Keep in mind that the Texans haven't re-signed cornerback Steven Nelson, who started in 31 out of 32 games with the team over the previous two years.
The Texans could address the position in the draft or find a veteran upgrade over Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson, whom they signed in free agency.
CB Steven Nelson
5 of 8
Steven Nelson has aged well. After some struggles in coverage with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles between 2020 and 2021, when he allowed 12 touchdowns, he played some of his best football with the Houston Texans over the last two years.
Since 2022, Nelson has recorded 19 pass breakups and five interceptions while surrendering just three touchdowns. Last year, he finished second on the Texans in pass breakups (12) and interceptions (four), trailing ascending cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. by one in both categories.
At 31 years old, Nelson can shore up the secondary for a team that employs heavy zone coverage. Coming off a campaign in which he tied his career-high in interceptions, he can also make game-changing plays.
Nelson doesn't have the accolades that Stephon Gilmore and Xavien Howard have on their resumes, but he's a proven high-level starter and should have a strong market among teams in need of cornerback help.
Edge Yannick Ngakoue
6 of 8
Yannick Ngakoue finished the 2023 season on injured reserve with an ankle injury, and for the first time in his eight-year career, he didn't finish a season with at least eight sacks.
However, Ngakoue's one lone underwhelming campaign doesn't eclipse what he's done in his first seven years as a pro.
Ngakoue has been a highly productive pass-rusher with a handful of teams. While one has to wonder why he's unable to establish stability with a club, no one can question what he brings to a defense off the edge.
On the younger side of 30, Ngakoue could receive eight-figure offers from multiple teams if he's fully recovered from his ankle injury.
The 2024 draft class doesn't have many elite pass-rushing prospects. Bleacher Report's most recent big board lists four edge-rushers within its top 50 prospects, and only two, Florida State product Jared Verse and Alabama product Dallas Turner, seem like potential top-10 picks.
By the end of the draft, Ngakoue's agent could have multiple teams bidding for his client's services.
S Justin Simmons
7 of 8
The Denver Broncos didn't cut Justin Simmons because of a lack of production.
In his second year with the team, head coach Sean Payton is reshaping the roster at the expense of some older veterans and players with costly contracts, though that's not an indictment on Simmons' recent performances.
In 2023, the 30-year-old earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, leading the team in interceptions (three) and finishing second on the roster in pass breakups with eight.
He can start for most teams across the league. He's still one of the top ball-hawking safeties with at least three interceptions in six consecutive terms.
This year's incoming rookie safeties could be the most shallow position group in terms of overall talent.
So, regardless of what happens during the draft, Simmons should be on several teams' short list of free-agent targets in May.
According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Tennessee Titans already have their eyes on the Boston College product after they missed out on C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
IOL Connor Williams
8 of 8
Connor Williams missed more games last season than any other player on this list. In December, he tore his ACL and finished the campaign with nine appearances.
Because of his extended timetable for recovery, he shouldn't rush into a decision to sign with a club.
While on the mend from a significant knee injury, Williams probably signs a prove-it one-year deal. Yet if he's further along in recovery, a team may take a chance on him with a multiyear offer because of his quality performances at center over the last two years.
In his first four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas product played at the level of an average starting guard. With the Dolphins, he transitioned to center and solidified their offensive line.
Williams' versatility and quality snaps at the pivot could appeal to multiple teams, though his injury will likely impact his agent's negotiating power. That being said, he's 26 years old and a strong candidate to bounce back from injury.
Teams that pass up on a solid class of interior offensive linemen could prioritize Williams on the post-draft free-agent market.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
.jpeg?w=600 "Updated Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket")
.jpg?w=600 "Could Leafs Trade for McDavid in 2027? 🤔")
