Biggest Under-the-Radar NFL Free Agents Who Can Still Make an Impact in 2018

NFL free agency and team-building never end.

"It's a 12-month process to build this roster," Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane told reporters in March. "We have to make sure we have the team the way we want it [in September]. ... There are plenty of times where guys come available after the draft, in June. ... So we still got a lot of time."

Organizations exhaust all options to improve, but opportunities are scarce. Every franchise enters the regular season with concern areas due to roster and talent limitations.

Of course, teams can still pursue big-ticket free agents like Dez Bryant and Adrian Peterson. Someone from the over-the-hill gang, like DeMarco Murray and Darrelle Revis, can be added as well.

Even one of the league's best young safeties, Eric Reid, is available, but for entirely different reasons.

Seven individuals—all 28 years old or younger—are flying under the radar and free to sign. Each fits a specific role to create an impact this fall.

WR Eli Rogers

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Timing is not on Eli Rogers' side, hence why a 25-year-old wide receiver with slot and return capabilities is still available.

Rogers suffered a torn ACL with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and underwent surgery in January, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Such an extensive injury can require up to nine months of rehabilitation. As such, Rogers may not be a viable option for a team until September or October. But he hopes to be ready earlier than expected.

"I should be ready by [training] camp," Rogers told Steelers.com in February, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Chris Adamski. "I keep seeing progress."

When healthy, the wide receiver caught 66 passes for 743 yards in 27 career games after earning Ben Roethlisberger's trust. He's quick in and out of his routes and works through traffic well. Rogers doubles as a specialist with an average of 7.3 yards per punt return.

The Steelers are still considering the possibility of re-signing Rogers before training camp, according to ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. Other franchises would be wise to keep a close eye on the Florida native's progress.

OL Brian Schwenke

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Quality offensive line depth is evaporating around the league. The current state of line play eroded due to less focus on fundamentals and a greater emphasis on conditioning to play with increased tempo at the collegiate level. As such, blockers aren't nearly as prepared for the professional ranks as they once were.

To combat the lack of development, franchises place a greater emphasis on acquiring readymade veterans who can immediately step into the lineup.

Brian Schwenke is an ideal swing lineman for an organization in need of a reliable option beyond its front five. This doesn't exclude Schwenke as a starting option, though. The 6'3", 318-pound blocker can play all three interior positions with 30 career starts in five seasons.

Inevitably, an injury will occur that will place some team's offensive line in flux. No other available blocker presents Schwenke's combination of experience and position flexibility, and he's only 27 years old.

Extra insurance along the offensive front is always a smart investment.

DT Johnathan Hankins

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Johnathan Hankins' last two free-agency tours are classic cases of a player and his representation overvaluing the individual's skill set. Hankins is a young and talented defensive tackle, but he's not a three-down defender worthy of a premium payday.

Why?

His ability to stop the run drives his value. According to Pro Football Focus, the 26-year-old defender ranked among the league's elite.

But interior defenders who demand monster contracts must also be able to rush the passer. Hankins isn't on the same level as Aaron Donald, Geno Atkins or Ndamukong Suh in this regard. The 2013 second-round pick has 12 career sacks in five seasons, and seven of those came four years ago.

Hankins played well for the Indianapolis Colts last season, but the organization underwent coaching and schematic changes. The franchise also saved $8.468 million by releasing the lineman, according to the Indianapolis Star's Stephen Holder.

A confluence of circumstances placed one of the league's best run defenders on the open market. A team may have to pay Hankins a little more than market value, but his addition can improve any defense.

CB Bashaud Breeland

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A freak injury prevented cornerback Bashaud Breeland from signing a deal during free agency's opening week. He agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers before the team nullified the contract based on a failed physical.

Breeland suffered a cut on his left heel after being hit by a golf cart while on vacation in the Dominican Republic. That reaggravated an injury the cornerback had in elementary school that required a skin graft.

"It's an old injury from the fourth grade," Breeland told ESPN.com's David Newton. "I don't understand it. I've been through this before. I got over it at a young age. It's a lot of money on the line. A lot of things going on."

A team has an opportunity to land a premier nickel corner. According to Pro Football Focus, Breeland allowed a league-low 63.9 passer rating from the slot in 2016. The fourth-year pro bumped outside last season and still excelled.

ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reported two weeks ago the defensive back is now healthy and expected to pass medical tests. While Breeland may have missed out earlier, he's too talented not to be signed by the start of training camp.

CB Leonard Johnson

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Like Breeland, Leonard Johnson is a standout nickel corner with the ability to start for multiple franchises. Unlike Breeland, Johnson doesn't provide as much position flexibility.

Multiple-receiver sets force defenses to field three or four cornerbacks a majority of the time.

The 5'10", 194-pound cornerback with 4.71-second 40-yard-dash speed doesn't project well to outside corner. He's much better working in tighter spaces because it allows him to take advantage of his physicality and route recognition.

Johnson's skill set is narrow yet important. He's played in 77 career games for four franchises in six seasons.

"That toughness, that innate toughness he possesses, I think goes a long way in life and on the football field," Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said of Johnson, per NYup.com's Matthew Fairburn.

The Bills added veterans Vontae Davis and Phillip Gaines this offseason. Gaines can cover the slot, but he's not nearly as effective. If the Bills decide not to re-sign Johnson, he'll move on and adeptly handle another defense's nickel responsibilities.

S Kenny Vaccaro

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The safety market has moved at a snail's pace, and multiple quality defenders still await potential deals.

Kenny Vaccaro experienced ups and downs after being selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft. Yet he flashed enough stellar play to warrant a second chance with another franchise after wearing out his welcome in the Big Easy.

The Saints have moved on after investing high-round picks in Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams during the 2016 and '17 drafts, respectively. The franchise attempted to trade Vaccaro and even benched him last season, according to ESPN.com's Mike Triplett. The safety still tied for fourth on the team with 48 solo tackles despite the setbacks as well as groin and core injuries.

"I feel better now than before the season started," he told the Times-Picayune's Josh Katzenstein in February.

Vaccaro's skill set can be utilized in numerous ways. He's big enough to play strong safety and athletic enough to play free safety or cover the slot and be a key component in big nickel looks.

A former first-round pick in his prime almost always gets a second chance.

S Tre Boston

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Tre Boston has a specific set of skills that make him a good fit for certain schemes and awful for others.

Boston is a pure free safety who excels in coverage. He led the Los Angeles Chargers and tied for fifth in the NFL with five interceptions last season. He shouldn't be expected to play at or near the line of scrimmage, though, because he doesn't defend the run on a consistent basis.

A Cover 3-heavy squad is the ideal landing spot for Boston's sideline-to-sideline range.

His potential addition extends beyond physical contributions. The 25-year-old safety communicates well and helped the Chargers develop into the league's third-best pass defense. He's also a leader in the locker room.

"His enthusiasm is contagious," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said, per the Los Angeles Times' Mike DiGiovanna. "I like his passion for the game, especially on the defensive side of the ball; it gets the guys going early."

In the wrong scheme, Boston could be exposed, but he can be one of the league's better free safeties if used correctly. His free-agent decision comes down to finding the right situation.