1 Bargain Player Each Team Should Target in Late NFL Free Agency
NFL free agency has reached the "bargain" period, where most of the headliners are already signed and teams must now scour through what remains to find helpful pieces at discount prices.
One bargain free agent might not make or break a team, but adding help at cheap rates can be beneficial, especially as the draft approaches and teams start to understand what positions need to be targeted.
In the following slides, we will highlight one potential bargain target for all 32 NFL teams. These players will be selected based on team needs and best potential fits.
Buffalo Bills: WR Percy Harvin
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Harvin remains an enigma, but it’s also easy to forget he caught 19 passes for 218 yards and a score—while also rushing for 31 yards and tallying 108 yards on kickoff returns—over five games with the Bills last season. When on the field, he’s still a versatile playmaker.
However, his inability to stay healthy (he’s missed 37 games since 2012) will guarantee a bargain if Harvin decides to continue playing. The Bills should give him one more chance with an incentive-laden deal.
Miami Dolphins: RB Arian Foster
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According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Foster will visit the Dolphins on Tuesday. He might not be healthy enough to sign now, but the 29-year-old running back should be ready to roll by training camp.
Foster makes a lot of sense down the road for the Dolphins, who have swung and missed on a bunch of runners this offseason. A torn Achilles tendon is nothing short of a devastating injury, but if healthy, Foster could combine with Jay Ajayi to create a formidable one-two punch for Miami.
New England Patriots: NT Terrance Knighton
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The 2016 draft is deep along the defensive line, but the Patriots could double down up front with a short-team deal for Knighton. A run-stuffer who is difficult to move on the interior, Knighton could provide some insurance for Malcom Brown, Alan Branch and Dominique Easley, especially after the Patriots lost Akiem Hicks in free agency.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Knighton, who turns 30 in July, visited New England on Monday. A deal could come together quickly.
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New York Jets: OLB Dwight Freeney
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The Jets need more pass rush on the edge, which is arguably the most difficult asset to find in the NFL outside quarterback. The draft is an obvious avenue for New York to find help, but adding a cheap veteran first isn’t the worst idea.
Freeney, 36, produced eight sacks over just 11 regular-season games for the Cardinals last season, proving he still has some quarterback-disrupting skills left in the tank. Adding Freeney and a young, promising rusher in the draft would dramatically upgrade the Jets’ edge rush.
Baltimore Ravens: CB Antonio Cromartie
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Despite signing Eric Weddle, the Ravens still have deficiencies in the secondary, namely at cornerback. Snagging Cromartie, a veteran who was released by the New York Jets, could help the depth at the position before the draft.
Cromartie is 31 and coming off a poor season, but he shouldn’t be expensive. The Ravens could give him a one-year, “prove it” deal, with the intention of playing him opposite Jimmy Smith while a younger option is developed behind him.
Cincinnati Bengals: WR Anquan Boldin
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The Bengals were raided at receiver in free agency, losing Marvin Jones to Detroit and Mohammed Sanu to Atlanta.
Boldin turns 36 in October, but he’s perfectly capable of playing the No. 2 receiver role behind A.J. Green. Still tough and dependable, Boldin was surprisingly productive (69 catches, 789 yards) in 2015 despite catching passes from Blaine Gabbert for most of the season. It’s hard to think of a better stop-gap option while the Bengals develop a young receiver in the system.
Cleveland Browns: C Stefen Wisniewski
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The Browns are in full rebuild mode, but signing Robert Griffin III and likely drafting a quarterback high should force Cleveland to prioritize the offensive line.
Gone are center Alex Mack and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Acquiring Wisniewski—who was drafted by the Raiders during Hue Jackson’s one season in Oakland—would provide some insurance at center, even if the Browns plan on playing Cameron Erving there. It’s possible Wisniewski, 27, could even play some guard.
Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Leon Hall
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Losing Brandon Boykin only deepened Pittsburgh’s need at cornerback.
The hole left by Boykin in the slot could be filled nicely by Hall, a veteran who excelled after making the move inside for the Bengals in 2015. He’s tough against receivers at the line of scrimmage and an excellent tackler. Hurting a divisional opponent in the process would only sweeten the deal.
Houston Texans: WR Anquan Boldin
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The Texans have Keith Mumphery, Jaelen Strong, Cecil Shorts and Josh Lenz behind All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins at receiver. It’s an uninspiring group, even if there’s some upside down the road.
Adding a veteran like Boldin would give the Texans a reliable, consistent No. 2 option for new quarterback Brock Osweiler. There’s still plenty left in the tank for a receiver with over 1,000 career receptions.
Indianapolis Colts: C Stefen Wisniewski
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The Colts need an upgrade at center, where Khaled Holmes is slated in as the starter.
Wisniewski isn’t an All-Pro, but he has started 77 games over the last five seasons—including all 32 over the last two years. Signing the 27-year-old to a deal would give the Colts more depth up front, while simultaneously providing general manager Ryan Grigson some additional freedom in addressing both lines during the draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Mike Neal
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A converted defensive lineman, Neal could easily transition back to the front four for head coach Gus Bradley and the Jaguars.
His best fit would be as an edge-setting defensive end, but Neal has also produced at least four sacks in four straight seasons. The Packers often lined him up at a variety of positions, including as an interior rusher in sub-packages. Neal could provide useful depth for little cost.
Tennessee Titans: G Louis Vasquez
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The Titans added center Ben Jones in free agency and may still draft top left tackle Laremy Tunsil with the first pick.
The team is obviously committed to upgrading the offensive line, which is a good thing with Marcus Mariota entering his second season and running back DeMarco Murray now in Nashville. While Vasquez wasn’t great for the Broncos last season, he’d be capable of starting at one of the Titans’ guard spots right away.
Denver Broncos: DE Jared Crick
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Crick could be a natural replacement for Malik Jackson, who left Denver for Jacksonville in free agency.
While Crick doesn’t have the natural pass-rushing abilities of Jackson, he is a stout, run-stopping defensive end who often did the dirty work up front for the Texans defense. Crick also has experience working under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
Kansas City Chiefs: OLB Mike Neal
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It’ll be impossible to fully replace Justin Houston, who may miss part or most of the 2016 season while recovering from ACL surgery. Fortunately, the Chiefs have some depth at outside linebacker, including Tamba Hali, Dee Ford and two former Packers—Frank Zombo and Dezman Moses.
Could former Packers executive John Dorsey bring a third to Kansas City? Neal isn’t a dynamic pass-rusher, but he’s played a bunch of important snaps for Green Bay over the last few seasons.
Oakland Raiders: RB Joique Bell
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There's nothing flashy about Bell’s game, especially after he labored through a difficult 2015 season.
However, he’s a tough inside runner, and he’s caught at least 20 passes in four straight seasons, including back-to-back 50-catch years from 2012-13. Bell could be a nice complementary piece behind Latavius Murray in Oakland’s backfield.
San Diego Chargers: C Stefen Wisniewski
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Wisniewski is a popular player on this list. He's clearly not highly regarded around the league, given his long waits on the open market during each of the last two offseasons.
But he's still a serviceable, dependable starter, and the Chargers could certainly use a player like that at center. Wisniewski would immediately slot in ahead of Chris Watt and Trevor Robinson for San Diego's front five.
Dallas Cowboys: DE Jason Jones
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According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cowboys are hosting Jones for a free-agent visit.
The fit makes perfect sense, as Dallas needs to add more depth and quality at defensive end. Jones, 29, isn’t going to threaten double-digit sacks, but he was very good in Detroit as a rotational pass-rusher. The Cowboys should be able to offer him a similar role.
New York Giants: S Reggie Nelson
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The Giants have already made a number of big splashes in free agency, so why not one more?
No one could have expected Nelson to still be available at this point in free agency, and New York could use a reliable player to team with Landon Collins at safety. Is that player on the roster? Nelson, who had eight interceptions last season, is a plug-and-play answer for a completely remade defense.
Philadelphia Eagles: G Jahri Evans
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There was temptation to put Arian Foster here, as the veteran could team up with Ryan Mathews to give the Eagles a strong combination at running back.
Evans also makes sense for Philadelphia. He’s past his prime and approaching age 33, but Evans remains a starting-quality guard. If healthy, he could create a good duo with fellow free-agent acquisition Brandon Brooks on the interior of the Eagles offensive line.
Washington Redskins: G/C Manny Ramirez
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Washington needs to get much better in the interior of the offensive line, but particularly at center.
The Redskins could use the draft to address the position, but Ramirez also makes sense as a quality veteran capable of playing center and both guard spots. He turned 33 in February, meaning he’ll likely come at a huge discount.
Chicago Bears: OT Will Beatty
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Injuries killed Beatty’s 2015 season, eventually leading the Giants to release him. However, he had started at least 15 games per year for New York from 2012-14.
The Bears signed tackle Bobby Massie to allow Kyle Long to slide back to guard, but Massie and Charles Leno—the likely starter on the left side—could use a strong backup option. Beatty fits the bill.
Detroit Lions: RB LeGarrette Blount
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The Lions have talent at running back in Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick, but the offense lacks a true power back after cutting ties with Joique Bell.
Blount—who averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored 16 touchdowns for the Patriots over the last three seasons—could fill the void. He’s almost 30 years old, but there’s an obvious connection between Blount and new general manager Bob Quinn—who was New England’s director of pro scouting from 2012-15.
Green Bay Packers: LB Karlos Dansby
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The Packers need playmaking at the inside linebacker position. Dansby wants to play for a Super Bowl contender. Better yet, Dansby was cut by the Browns, eliminating him from the compensatory pick equation.
Add it all up, and this sounds like a match made in free-agent heaven (if such a thing could exist in Green Bay). Dansby has all the makings of a Julius Peppers-like signing for Packers general manager Ted Thompson.
Minnesota Vikings: WR Anquan Boldin
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Minnesota wisely moved on from receiver Mike Wallace, who was inconsistent for the Vikings last season.
General manager Rick Spielman should now use the draft to add more depth at the position, but signing a veteran like Boldin would take some of the pressure off a high pick. Tough and resilient, he seems like the perfect receiver for a Mike Zimmer-coached team. Boldin, Stefon Diggs, Jarius Wright and a top draft pick could make a nice top four for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Atlanta Falcons: DE Chris Clemons
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The Falcons should continue to stockpile pass-rushers. While Clemons is 34 and nearing the end, he could provide quality depth at defensive end and help mentor promising pass-rusher Vic Beasley.
Safety Reggie Nelson should also be considered here. The longer he lasts on the market, the more sense he makes in Atlanta. The Falcons have an obvious need at safety, and Nelson is coming off a Pro Bowl season.
Carolina Panthers: CB Leon Hall
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The defending NFC champions have few holes, but slot cornerback looks like one the Panthers could fix before the draft.
Hall, who moved inside for the Bengals, should be a top option. He’s stingy in the slot, and Carolina hasn’t been shy about signing veteran cornerbacks in the past (see: Charles Tillman, Cortland Finnegan). Better yet, Hall may have the potential to move to safety at some point, and the Panthers could have another hole there with Roman Harper still a free agent.
Josh Norman, Bene Benwikere and Hall would make a very good cornerback trio for 2016.
New Orleans Saints: RB Tim Hightower
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Hightower was a revelation for the Saints to end last season, producing over 500 total yards in just eight games. He twice rushed for over 80 yards in a game, while also catching 12 passes for 129 yards (including two receptions over 20 yards).
The Saints have depth at running back, but bringing back Hightower would provide quality insurance for C.J. Spiller, who has missed 10 games over the last two seasons. The 29-year-old should come cheap.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DB Walter Thurmond
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A 16-game starter who successfully transitioned from cornerback to safety last season, Thurmond’s arrow appears to be pointing straight up. But does he want to keep playing?
Maybe Tampa Bay can convince him to stick around. The Buccaneers have both the need in the secondary and spending freedom to give him a nice offer, which could be all he’s waiting for. Opportunity and money are strong incentives.
Arizona Cardinals: LB Zach Brown
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A team with so few holes could afford to take a chance on Brown, who has the athleticism and playmaking ability to fit within Arizona’s diverse defense.
Keep in mind, the Cardinals are a team with Deone Bucannon excelling at inside linebacker and Tyrann Mathieu serving as the game’s ultimate chess piece in the secondary. If any team could find a way to get something special out of Brown’s game, it’s defensive coordinator James Bettcher and the Cardinals.
Los Angeles Rams: S Reggie Nelson
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Getting older at a position in free agency generally isn’t good business, but the Rams need to find a replacement option for Rodney McLeod at some point this offseason.
Nelson, 32, is probably the best player still available. He’s coming off a season with an NFL-high eight interceptions for the Bengals, and he could immediately slide in as a starter in place of McLeod. Signing a veteran would ease some of the pain of the Rams’ roster turnover in the secondary.
San Francisco 49ers: WR Percy Harvin
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As it stands now, the 49ers might have the worst collection of receivers in the NFL. The draft will almost certainly add to the group, likely with a high draft pick. And it’s still possible the 49ers will return veteran Anquan Boldin at some point.
However, Harvin remains the ultimate wild card, and he’d make an compelling complementary piece with Colin Kaepernick and Chip Kelly in San Francisco. Maybe, just maybe, Kelly’s sports science division could finally help keep Harvin on the field.
Seattle Seahawks: LB Karlos Dansby
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The Seahawks lost Bruce Irvin—a versatile, playmaking linebacker—in free agency. Dansby and Irvin might not be carbon copies as players, but the veteran could help replace some of his unique production as an outside linebacker in Seattle.
In fact, few players have been as consistently productive as Dansby, who owns 11 seasons with at least 80 tackles and eight with at least three sacks. He also has 19 career interceptions and 18 forced fumbles. Now 34, Dansby could still be a force with all the defensive talent already in place in Seattle.
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