Finding Solutions for Biggest Remaining Hole on Every NFL Playoff Contender

Just because the major free-agent rush is done and the draft has now passed doesn't mean that teams aren't still looking to beef up their rosters. After they make their last pick and place frantic phone calls to the undrafted free agents they'd like to sign, coaches and general managers get right back to work on the remaining class of unsigned veterans who could still help them win, despite their "last at the dance" status.

There's no reason to assume that just because players weren't coveted right when free agency began, they're not still potentially valuable. Sometimes, players are released from their former teams after the prime free-agency period. Other times, there's a mass of players at a certain position, and the market softens accordingly. A player could come with red flags, or he might be holding out for more money than the market will bear.

Whatever the reason, there's a late free-agent fit for every potential NFL playoff contender in 2018. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Sign RB C.J. Anderson

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The Denver Broncos tried to trade running back C.J. Anderson to the Miami Dolphins before cutting him in April, saving $4.5 million against the salary cap and selecting Oregon running back Royce Freeman in the third round of the 2018 draft to try to match Anderson's production.

That Anderson is still on the market is interesting. Last season, behind an offensive line very much in flux, he gained 1,007 yards on the ground and caught 28 passes for 224 yards from a series of questionable quarterbacks.

Anderson isn't a franchise back, but he has talent and would perform well in a system with an above-average offensive line and credible signal-callers. The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have a need at the position, and they seem to prefer running back by committee. Right now, they have Jay Ajayi as the front-line power back and Corey Clement as the third-down specialist, while Wendell Smallwood and Donnel Pumphrey have provided few answers at the position.

The Eagles did not address the running back position at all in the draft, which leaves them a bit short. Of course, they ran the table with a relatively limited running back rotation, so head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Howie Roseman could credibly argue the positional need is overstated.

But should Ajayi go down for any length of time, the Eagles might have to avail themselves of the best talent available in-season or make a trade. Or, they could sign Anderson now and save the trouble.

Because Anderson does fit what the Eagles do. He's a quick first-cut runner with a gliding style and some power after contact. He's a decent blocker and can catch the ball on screens and quick swing passes. He'd be the ideal addition for an offense that doesn't need much to set things up for a potential repeat.  

New England Patriots: Sign WR Jeremy Maclin

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After trading Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams, the New England Patriots find themselves without a defined answer at the speed receiver position. Chris Hogan can catch the deep ball decently, and offseason acquisition Cordarrelle Patterson has the athleticism to do so, though his route awareness is nowhere near where it needs to be for him to thrive in a complicated offense.

Once Julian Edelman makes it back onto the field after losing 2017 to a torn ACL, he'll be Tom Brady's short-to-intermediate option route guy, as he was before. Phillip Dorsett, Jordan Matthews and Kenny Britt are all interesting names, but they're also project players in various states of disrepair.

The Patriots compensated for Edelman's injury by slinging the ball deep more often than they'd done in the last few seasons, and Brady responded well to that. What he's going to need to keep that idea alive is a veteran target with smooth acceleration downfield and above-average route understanding.

Jeremy Maclin would be an ideal candidate for that role. When he signed a two-year deal before the 2017 season, I went deep on his tape with the Kansas City Chiefs and discovered a player who, when healthy, has the stride to get deep and make adjustments against defenders in the deep parts of the progression.

More specifically for New England's offense, which requires its receivers to be on the same page with Brady at all times, Maclin is an eight-year veteran who plays like an eight-year veteran. He's great at getting open from tight coverage with subtle movement and adjustment, and his familiarity with option routes and post-snap adjustments would make him an ideal fit.

For the Baltimore Ravens last season, Maclin caught 40 passes for 440 yards and three touchdowns in a reductive offense led by quarterback Joe Flacco, whose efficiency and consistency have taken major hits over the years. Baltimore's decision to release Maclin in March shouldn't be seen as an indictment of his potential worth on a team with a more productive and multifaceted passing game.

Minnesota Vikings: Sign OT Austin Howard

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Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer should be lauded for building a roster so stacked, it's hard to see any real liabilities.

But the offensive line, something Spielman has focused on out of necessity over the last couple of years, could still use some reinforcement. Acquiring tackles Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers before the 2017 season certainly helped a position that had been disastrous before, and 2017 third-round pick Pat Elflein turned out to be a real steal at center.

Still, there are issues to address. The retirement of guard/center Joe Berger leaves a hole at the guard position that probably won't be filled in the long term by Nick Easton and Danny Isidora. With that in mind, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Vikings coaches are thinking of moving Remmers from right tackle to right guard.

The Vikings did select Pitt's Brian O'Neill in the second round, but O'Neill is an athletic project at this point. He was recruited as a 230-pound tight end, he has just three years at the tackle position, and he will need to overcome several bad habits (ducking and lunging) before he has the consistent leverage to deal with NFL pass-rushers.

The Ravens didn't pick up tackle Austin Howard's contract extension for 2018, but that isn't a reflection of Howard's play in 2017. He proved to be a strong pass-blocker, and given Remmers' power and athleticism inside, Howard could be even better with the Vikings. New offensive coordinator John DeFilippo comes from an Eagles offense in which the tackles must be able to fire out strongly on run plays and block credibly to the quarterback's front side on three-step drops, and Howard can do all these things.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Sign ILB Lawrence Timmons

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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier's appearance at the 2018 draft was the most inspiring moment of the three-day event. Seeing Shazier walk to the podium to announce Pittsburgh's first-round selection of Virginia Tech safety Terrell Edmunds after suffering a severe spinal injury last season was tremendous.

Whether Shazier will ever be able to play football again is a secondary concern as he continues to recover, but it does leave the Steelers with a position to fill—and given his awareness and athleticism when he was on the field, that will be a tall order. Edmunds can help with linebacker-depth coverage, but at 6'1" and 217 pounds, he doesn't really fit the inside linebacker template in a hybrid 3-4 defense, even as the position has favored lighter players in recent years.

In the short term, the Steelers might be well-served going back to the future. In his prime, 2007 first-round linebacker Lawrence Timmons was one of the league's best at blitzing, stopping the run and dropping into coverage. The team passed on re-signing Timmons before the 2017 season, and the Dolphins jumped in with a two-year, $12 million deal. Things started off in a complicated fashion when Timmons went AWOL early in the season, but he made his way back and amassed 58 solo tackles in 14 games.

If he came back to the defense in which he's most comfortable, Timmons might be able to end his career on a positive note.

Los Angeles Rams: Sign OLB Junior Galette

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The Los Angeles Rams have assembled a dream defense for Wade Phillips, their brilliant defensive coordinator. Adding defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters to a unit that was already stacked with talent and the best defensive player in the game in tackle Aaron Donald? That's a recipe for dynastic greatness if the personalities mesh.

Still, with the trade of defensive end Robert Quinn to the Dolphins, Phillips might like more pressure off the edge to complement the efforts of Donald and Suh. Oklahoma's Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, selected in the fifth round, could fit the prototype if he can develop movement skills designed to disengage from blockers.

A low-cost veteran would be a good addition here, and former Washington Redskins edge-rusher Junior Galette could pay off handsomely if he can stay healthy. Galette is coming off two Achilles tendon injuries, but he amassed 37 total pressures last season in just 257 pass-rushing snaps for Washington in 2017, and he could be a real asset in rotation for Phillips' defense.

Phillips likes a base 5-2 front in which the outside linebackers are free to pursue, and despite his injury history, Galette still has some speed off the edge and can fool tackles with inside counters to get to the quarterback.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Sign LB NaVorro Bowman

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Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell doesn't get nearly enough credit for turning his team around over the last few years. Once bereft of talent, this now may be the most stacked roster in the NFL, and it's a prime destination for free agents looking for a Super Bowl opportunity. Yes, the questions about Blake Bortles' viability remain, but outside of that, it's tough to find too many holes in Jacksonville's depth chart.

One thing Caldwell and executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin could do at this point is replace retired linebacker Paul Posluszny with another veteran linebacker who can get things done on the field. Posluszny was rightly respected for his mindset and ability to mentor his teammates on Jacksonville's young defense, but it was also pretty clear last season that when he was on the field in the Jags' base 4-3, he was an obvious liability in pass coverage—the veteran just couldn't get to the sideline and up the seam quickly enough anymore.

NaVorro Bowman, who played well in Oakland's defense last season after recovering from serious knee and Achilles tendon injuries over the last few years, would be a perfect addition.

Bowman doesn't have the wheels he did when he was one of the league's most dynamic linebackers for the 49ers, but he's still a very strong run defender, and he can still cover screens and flat routes. And according to Pro Football Focus, Bowman's 33 run stops tied him for seventh among all NFL linebackers last season.

Per ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther wants the veteran back with the Raiders.

"I think NaVorro is a prototype middle linebacker," Guenther said. "I love smart guys who love playing football. Hopefully we can get him back in the fold and keep him a Raider."

A nice thought, but if Bowman wants to finish out his career with a Super Bowl ring, there are few better teams to join for that opportunity than the Jaguars—and few teams with a clear need at Bowman's position. Imagine him patrolling the field on first and second down with fellow linebackers Myles Jack and Telvin Smith, two athletic marvels who cover a ton of ground, and you might have Jacksonville's secret weapon for the 2018 season.

New Orleans Saints: Sign OLB Connor Barwin

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The New Orleans Saints went all in on their outside pass rush in the 2018 draft. They traded their first-round pick in 2019, as well as their first- and fifth-round picks in 2018, for the right to move up from the 27th pick to the 14th and select Texas-San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport.

Davenport is a raw but incredibly gifted player who could redefine New Orleans' defense over time, but there's still a need at the linebacker position, as well as additional edge pressure while Davenport finds his feet in the NFL.

Neither A.J. Klein nor Alex Anzalone showed the athleticism and awareness required in coordinator Dennis Allen's defense, and as the Saints proved with the Davenport move, they believe they're all in on Super Bowl contention right now. Barwin has been in the league since 2009, and he played well for the Rams last season, though Los Angeles elected to move on.

Barwin can rush from the edge, but he's also savvy enough to know when to break off from that and either stop an outside run or drop into coverage. Barwin also has experience playing at the linebacker level with the Houston Texans and the Eagles in different coverage and run-stopping roles. He'd be an ideal low-risk fit in this defense.

Kansas City Chiefs: Sign DE Robert Ayers Jr.

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The Chiefs released outside linebacker Tamba Hali in March to save $7.6 million in cap space, which means that it's a new defensive line era in Kansas City. Justin Houston is still the team's best pass-rusher, and defensive end/tackle Chris Jones is one of the league's most underrated and gifted players.

Selecting Mississippi defensive end Breeland Speaks and Florida State defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi with their first two picks will help over time, but defensive coordinator Bob Sutton might like additional veteran awareness on the line.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Robert Ayers Jr. after two seasons to free up $6 million in cap room. He had just two sacks in a 2017 season affected by injuries, but as Pro Football Focus pointed out, his game was about far more than just sacks. Last season, he put up a team-high 45 pressures on just 364 pass-rushing attempts. In addition, Ayers has the ability to stop the run and move around to different gaps. He'd be an ideal rotational guy in Sutton's aggressive defense.

Carolina Panthers: Sign S Tre Boston

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The Carolina Panthers selected Tre Boston out of North Carolina in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, and for the next three seasons, he was a decent pass defender at linebacker depth and proved he could prevent the occasional deep pass.

But when he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, Boston became a revelation in coordinator Gus Bradley’s defense. Bradley, who prefers Cover 1 and Cover 3 base schemes, used Boston as his center fielder, patrolling the deep third of the field and occasionally crashing down to help stop the run.

It was a different role for Boston, but he proved very adept, grabbing a career-high five interceptions and showing estimable speed on vertical routes and to each sideline. Given the need for credible deep safeties, it’s a bit of a mystery as to why Boston remains unsigned, but the Panthers have a need in that department.

Though they took Tennessee free safety Rashaan Gaulden in the third round, it may be better to have Gaulden move around the defense as he did in college and set Boston up in a role he really defined in 2017.

Tennessee Titans: Sign S Eric Reid

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This may all be academic at this point.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Eric Reid filed a collusion case against the NFL on Wednesday, so the safety may have made himself unwelcome in the NFL. Certainly Reid is unhappy that he's gone unsigned this long after playing a linebacker/safety role for the San Francisco 49ers last season, and doing so effectively, but this action could push him further from a contract.

But if NFL teams are still interested in his services, Reid proved in 2017 that he could play the nickel and dime linebacker role Malcolm Jenkins played for the Eagles last season, and to nearly the same degree of effectiveness.

The Tennessee Titans have paired strong safety Johnathan Cyprien with free safety Kevin Byard. While Byard is one of the best in the game at his job, Reid would be a nice upgrade in intermediate run-stopping and coverage.

The only question is whether he'll get a chance.

Atlanta Falcons: Sign OG Luke Joeckel

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The Atlanta Falcons' offense regressed in 2017.

The 2016 NFC champs dropped from first to 15th in points and second to eighth in yards. The switch from Kyle Shanahan to Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator was the main issue; Sarkisian simply ran a more static offense than Shanahan did. If Sarkisian is to continue this trend, the Falcons will have to boast an execution-based offense in which the players do most of the work.

Another issue the Falcons had in 2017 was guard play. Andy Levitre played well on the left side, and Ben Garland was a good reserve. But Wes Schweitzer didn't win any awards on the right side, and the signing of former 49ers guard Brandon Fusco isn't a huge improvement.

Luke Joeckel proved to be a decent guard for the Jaguars before he was injured early in the 2016 season. He regressed in Seattle in 2017 under line coach Tom Cable, but that could be said for just about anyone under Cable's watch. In the right system, Joeckel can still push defensive tackles back and pass protect pretty decently, and line coach Chris Morgan has a solid history making his linemen better.

Buffalo Bills: Sign OG Jahri Evans

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Now that Buffalo Bills left guard Richie Incognito has apparently retired, new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will have to replace the guy who—interesting personality aside—was an estimable power blocker and pass protector.

Right now, Daboll has John Miller and Vladimir Ducasse as his starting guards. With new center Russell Bodine's liabilities in both of those departments, the Bills will have to find a way to upgrade—especially if rookie quarterback Josh Allen is going to get serious reps.

Jahri Evans played well for the Green Bay Packers last season, and while he's not the same player who used to head upfield to safety depth when he was with the Saints, he's still a really good run-blocker who can keep defensive tackles from the quarterback.

Evans will be 35 years old when the 2018 season starts, but he's said that he still wants to play, per Ryan Wood of Packers News, and he's good enough to do it. As a player and leader for a young offense, Evans would be a fine addition.

Los Angeles Chargers: Sign S Kenny Vaccaro

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The Los Angeles Chargers took Florida State safety Derwin James with the 17th overall pick in the 2018 draft. But given the team's decision to let free safety Tre Boston walk, there's a need when it comes to deep coverage, and James may project better as a multi-position player, as he did in college.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley requires an excellent deep cover safety in his Cover 1 and Cover 3 schemes, and while Boston fit the bill, if James isn't going to be that guy, then there's still a need.

Kenny Vaccaro isn't the most disciplined player—he gives up the occasional big play and is prone to penalties—but the former Saint covers as much ground as any safety in the NFL, and his ability to play both strong and free safety, as well as the slot defender role, would make him an asset in Bradley's defensive designs.

Seattle Seahawks: Sign WR Dez Bryant

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Head coach Pete Carroll may be all about a balanced offense, and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer may lean more run-heavy to align with Carroll's preferences. But no matter how Seattle's new offense works out, no team is making a deep postseason run without an impressive cadre of receivers.

The Seattle Seahawks have the always underrated Doug Baldwin, but with the departures of Jimmy Graham to Green Bay and Paul Richardson to Washington, D.C., Seattle's left with Tyler Lockett and Amara Darboh as Russell Wilson's secondary targets. Both players have potential, but given the ongoing issues with Seattle's offensive line, Wilson will need another veteran receiver like Baldwin, who can win contested catches and get open with physicality.

In a recent tape piece on Dez Bryant's potential, I posited that while his deep speed is pretty much gone, he can still win when he's running short-to-intermediate routes as long as his technique is solid. He also can be especially effective in the red zone. In a perfect world, the former Dallas Cowboy might take the role of Graham, who wasn't a traditional blocking tight end but did use his height and bulk to amass 10 touchdowns in 2017.

Green Bay Packers: Sign WR Eric Decker

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In his eighth NFL season, and his first for the Tennessee Titans, receiver Eric Decker caught 54 passes for 563 yards and a touchdown. These numbers would imply that his effectiveness has waned from the days when he was putting up 1,000-yard seasons for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets, but it's important to remember the Titans' offense was pretty reductive in 2017, with a minimum of big plays in the passing game.

On those rare occasions when he was able to get downfield either inside or in the slot, Decker proved he could still force safeties to turn and run, and he also showed the ability to sink into routes to leave defenders behind. Moreover, at 6'3" and 215 pounds, Decker has the physicality to be a better threat in the red zone than Tennessee's offense allowed him to be.

The Packers essentially replaced Jordy Nelson with Jimmy Graham when it comes to a big-bodied receiver who can get downfield, but one assumes that Aaron Rodgers might appreciate another one of those types, especially in an offense that lacks imagination and forces receivers to create their own openings. Decker can still do that, and he should be given the chance in an offense where big plays are the norm rather than the exception.

Detroit Lions: Sign DT Johnathan Hankins

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New Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia surely learned a lot during his time as the Patriots' defensive coordinator. One thing he undoubtedly learned from New England head coach Bill Belichick is that successful teams build from the lines out.

As things stand, Patricia is going to have his hands full with his new interior line. While 2016 second-round pick A'Shawn Robinson has shown potential, Patricia could really use a defensive tackle with the ability to both soak up double-teams and crash the pocket for pressures and tackles for loss.

As the Indianapolis Colts' best interior defender last season, Johnathan Hankins often dealt with double-teams at the line and a chip from the running back, yet he was still able to put up two sacks and 24 solo tackles.

At 6'2" and 325 pounds, Hankins can do more than just show power at the line: He can also run and chase backs to the sideline. He'd be an ideal fit as a nose tackle and occasional 3-technique player in Patricia's defense.