2022 NFL Free Agency: 1 Move Every Team Should Still Make
We're now a week into 2022 NFL free agency, as the "legal tampering" window opened last Monday. It's been a wild market thus far, with signings, reversed decisions and blockbuster trades dominating the headlines.
While the first week generally highlights the offseason spending spree, teams can accomplish plenty between now and April's draft. An abundance of talent is left on the open market, and the trade window is wide-open.
Teams still have needs to fill, and they should look to shore up as many holes as possible before the draft. Rookies can become franchise cornerstones, but they will always represent unproven commodities.
Here, we'll examine all 32 teams and one move each needs to make before the 2022 draft, be it a signing, a trade or a financial maneuver. Each potential move will be franchise-specific, while factors like team needs, cap space and draft capital were all considered.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Arizona Cardinals: Add Running Back Help
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The Arizona Cardinals managed to re-sign 2021 leading rusher James Conner. However, they lost his primary backfield mate, Chase Edmonds, to the Miami Dolphins in free agency. This leaves Arizona with a significant hole behind quarterback Kyler Murray.
Edmonds tallied 592 rushing yards, 43 receptions, 311 receiving yards and two touchdowns this past season.
While Arizona can and should try its hand at finding another back in the draft, it would behoove the Cardinals to look for depth now.
The Cardinals have $7.9 million in cap space remaining and should be able to land a budget option on the open market. Players like Leonard Fournette and Melvin Gordon III are probably out of Arizona's price range, but Duke Johnson and Jalen Richard should be available at a fair price.
Atlanta Falcons: Bring Back Julio Jones
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The Atlanta Falcons missed out on quarterback Deshaun Watson, who came close to waiving his no-trade clause for Atlanta but opted instead for the Cleveland Browns.
"The Falcons thought they were close," NFL Network's James Palmer tweeted. "Very close to landing Watson. And they were actually working something out."
With Watson out of the picture, Atlanta may look to draft and develop a quarterback this year or next. Either way, it appears that the Falcons are in store for another season of Matt Ryan under center. They would be wise to aid Ryan by bringing back his old favorite, Julio Jones.
Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans last offseason, but Tennessee waived him after one injury-hampered season—hamstring issues limited him to just 434 yards and a touchdown in 10 games.
While Jones isn't the same dominant No. 1 target he once was, he'll command the attention of opposing defenses and his chemistry with Ryan likely remains intact. With Calvin Ridley facing a year-long suspension for betting on the NFL, Atlanta could desperately use the receiver help.
Baltimore Ravens: Sign JC Tretter
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The Baltimore Ravens lost starting center Bradley Bozeman to the Carolina Panthers in free agency. That leaves a big opening along the offensive line, and it's one Baltimore should look to fill with a former division rival.
The Browns released JC Tretter at the onset of free agency in a cap-saving move. The release likely had nothing to do with Tretter's reliability, which has been tremendous over the last five years.
Over the past five seasons, Tretter missed only one game—on the reserve/COVID-19 list—and none due to injury. He also played 100 percent of the snaps when active with the Browns. The 31-year-old isn't a player Baltimore can build around for the next decade, but he's a plug-and-play guy who can lock down center for the next three-to-five years with no concerns.
Tretter was responsible for only five penalties and a single sack allowed in 2021, according to Pro Football Focus.
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Buffalo Bills: Sign Patrick Peterson
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After signing players like Von Miller, Shaq Lawson and O.J. Howard, the Buffalo Bills are down to an estimated $2.1 million in cap space. That's not a lot to play with, and Buffalo still needs insurance at cornerback.
Star corner Tre'Davious White suffered a torn ACL in late November. While he should be back in 2022, he might not be ready for the start of the season or back to 100 percent early.
While the Bills will have to consider budget options given their cap situation, they should at least make a run at eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson. While Peterson has seemingly lost a step, he's still a savvy veteran and a starting-caliber corner.
While Peterson hasn't been linked directly to Buffalo, he said during an NFL Network appearance that he's looking for both a "respectable" contract and the chance to win a Super Bowl. If the Bills can get a little creative financially, they'll be in a prime position to offer Peterson both.
Carolina Panthers: Trade Christian McCaffrey
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According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers had planned to keep running back Christian McCaffrey if they had landed Watson. That didn't happen, and they should now look to move the 2019 All-Pro if the price is right.
The Panthers have received calls from "multiple teams" about McCaffrey and would deal the running back if they can land a first-round pick and more, according to ESPN's David Newton.
Now, Carolina shouldn't look to dump McCaffrey for proverbial pennies. While he has appeared in only 10 games over the past two seasons, he's been the league's premier dual-threat back when healthy. However, finding a legitimate franchise quarterback has to be priority No. 1 for the Panthers.
The Sam Darnold experiment was a flop last season, and with Watson out of the picture, Carolina needs to take a shot—or perhaps multiple shots—in the draft in 2022, 2023 or both. Moving McCaffrey would give the Panthers additional capital with which to take those shots.
In theory, keeping McCaffrey could help aid a rookie quarterback, but there's no guarantee that he can stay healthy or return to Pro Bowl form. If Carolina gets a significant offer, it needs to pull the trigger.
Chicago Bears: Sign Justin Houston
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The Chicago Bears could use another edge-rusher after trading Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers at the onset of free agency. New head coach Matt Eberflus should look to reunite with a familiar face from his time with the Indianapolis Colts.
Justin Houston spent two seasons in Indianapolis before landing with the Ravens last year. While the 33-year-old isn't as productive as he was in his prime, he's still a capable situational rusher.
In his two seasons with the Colts, Houston logged 19 sacks. While he had only 4.5 sacks with Baltimore last season, he had a solid 24 quarterback pressures while playing 61 percent of the defensive snaps. He should provide similar production in defensive coordinator Alan Williams' system.
Like Eberflus, Williams also comes over from Indianapolis.
While Houston wouldn't outright replace Mack, he would at least help offset the loss of the six-time Pro Bowler.
Cincinnati Bengals: Re-Sign Larry Ogunjobi
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The Cincinnati Bengals have already done some work to improve their offensive line, signing guard Alex Cappa and center Ted Karras. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Bengals reached an agreement with tackle La'el Collins on Sunday.
Cincinnati should now turn its attention from the offensive line to the defensive line and bring back Larry Ogunjobi. The five-year veteran was set to sign with Chicago but did not after a failed physical.
Ogunobi suffered a foot injury in the wild-card round and missed Cincinnati's run to Super Bowl LVI. Obviously, the injury and failed physical are reasons for concern. However, they could also lead to Cincinnati getting a bargain.
Chicago was set to hand Ogunjobi a four-year, $40.5 million deal. If the defensive tackle is willing to take a one-year "prove-it" deal to get healthy and reestablish his market before 2023 free agency, the Bengals can land him for much less.
Ogunjobi was a huge part of Cincinnati's defense last season—he finished with 49 tackles, seven sacks and 24 quarterback pressures. Now that he's not going to Chicago, he should return to Cincinnati.
Cleveland Browns: Re-Sign Jadeveon Clowney
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The Browns have settled on Watson as their quarterback of the future. Whether or not it's the right decision—it's a large risk, as Watson still faces 22 civil lawsuits from women who have accused him of sexual assault or misconduct—it's time for Cleveland to address other areas of need.
The Browns need a quality pass-rusher opposite star Myles Garrett, and they should bring back Jadeveon Clowney to fill that need. Clowney had a resurgent season with the Browns in 2021, finishing with nine sacks and 32 quarterback pressures in 14 appearances. Cleveland would like to run it back.
"Browns have offered FA Jadeveon Clowney a two-year deal worth $24M, per source," Jordan Schultz of The Game Day NFL tweeted. "I'm told Cleveland is hoping for a decision soon."
Making an offer is a good start, but the Browns need to continue pursuing Clowney until he puts pen to paper. Otherwise, they run the risk of another pass-rusher-needy team swooping in and snagging him.
Dallas Cowboys: Sign Bryce Callahan
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The Cowboys had a dangerous defense in 2021, but it was one that relied heavily on takeaways. The Cowboys led the league with 26 interceptions, but they also ranked 20th in passing yards allowed and 19th in total defense.
Adding cornerback depth to Dallas' boom-or-bust secondary would be far from the worst idea. Cornerback Bryce Callahan could be just the player to provide that.
Callahan should be a cap-friendly option because of his injury history, which has limited him to 13 games or fewer in each of his pro campaigns—and a foot injury caused him to miss all of 2019.
However, he is reliable in coverage when healthy, allowing an opposing passer rating below 92.0 in each of his past three seasons and a rating of just 47.8 in 2020.
A reliable cover man who can play both inside and outside, Callahan would be a great addition to a defense that Dallas hopes is championship-caliber next season.
Denver Broncos: Sign Jacob Hollister
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The Denver Broncos traded tight end Noah Fant as part of their package to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. Now that Wilson is Denver's quarterback, the Broncos should look to reload at tight end.
Jacob Hollister would be a logical choice to help fill the void.
Hollister wasn't heavily utilized by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, but he spent the previous two seasons with Wilson throwing him the ball in Seattle. He caught 66 passes between 2019 and 2020 and had the most productive season of his career in 2019. Hollister finished that campaign with 41 catches, 349 yards and three touchdowns.
Hollister could pair with Albert Okwuegbunam—who had 330 yards and two touchdowns in 2021—to form a quality tight-end tandem, and he already has experience playing with Denver's new signal-caller.
Detroit Lions: Sign Bobby Wagner
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The Detroit Lions haven't gotten involved in this year's quarterback carousel and appear poised to ride out another season with Jared Goff and/or try their luck with a quarterback in the 2022 draft. However, they have made moves to support their quarterback, like signing DJ Chark Jr. and re-signing Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond.
Now, Detroit needs to turn its attention to a defense that ranked 29th overall and 31st in points allowed last season.
Bringing in Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner would be an ideal move for Detroit. In addition to being a seasoned leader for a young Lions team, the 31-year-old is still quite capable of being a game-changer. He finished this past year with a career-high 170 tackles, 93 solo stops and a sack.
Adding Wagner would give the Lions an upper-echelon defender while also adding a veteran presence to the next stage of their rebuild.
Green Bay Packers: Sign Odell Beckham Jr.
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The Green Bay Packers need a new No. 1 receiver after trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. Odell Beckham Jr. couldn't be that early in the year, as he suffered a torn ACL in Super Bowl LVI. However, he could be a valuable asset in the playoffs.
With quarterback Aaron Rodgers back on a multiyear deal, the Packers should have their sights set on the Super Bowl.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Beckham was close to picking the Packers before signing with the Los Angeles Rams last season. It's time for Green Bay to bring Beckham into the fold.
Again, this isn't a move that would pay immediate dividends. However, it could help Green Bay tremendously in the playoffs. In just over three postseason games, Beckham provided the Rams with 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Houston Texans: Sign Leonard Fournette
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After dealing Deshaun Watson, the Texans appear ready to move on with the Davis Mills era. Mills showed flashes of promise as a rookie last season, passing for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns with 10 interceptions and posting a respectable 88.8 passer rating.
However, Mills didn't get much help from his supporting cast, especially in the ground game.
Rex Burkhead led the Texans with 427 rushing yards and averaged a mere 3.5 yards per carry. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor and wideout Brandin Cooks were the only offensive players on Houston's roster to top four yards per carry in 2021—defensive back Tremon Smith carried once for seven yards.
Houston needs to find a starting-caliber back, and Leonard Fournette is the best available. Effective as both a runner and a pass-catcher, Fournette would be an immediate upgrade in the lead-back role. The Texans did sign Dare Ogunbowale, but he averaged just 3.2 yards per carry with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.
In 2021, Fournette averaged 4.5 yards per carry while catching 69 passes and scoring 10 combined touchdowns.
Indianapolis Colts: Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
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Editor's Note: The Indianapolis Colts are acquiring Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons in return for a 2022 third-round draft pick, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
We're now a week into 2022 NFL free agency, as the "legal tampering" window opened last Monday. It's been a wild market thus far, with signings, reversed decisions and blockbuster trades dominating the headlines.
While the first week generally highlights the offseason spending spree, teams can accomplish plenty between now and April's draft. An abundance of talent is left on the open market, and the trade window is wide-open.
Teams still have needs to fill, and they should look to shore up as many holes as possible before the draft. Rookies can become franchise cornerstones, but they will always represent unproven commodities.
Here, we'll examine all 32 teams and one move each needs to make before the 2022 draft, be it a signing, a trade or a financial maneuver. Each potential move will be franchise-specific, while factors like team needs, cap space and draft capital were all considered.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Sign Za'Darius Smith
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With the Jaguars franchise-tagging left tackle Cam Robinson, the team appears poised to take a pass-rusher—likely either Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson or Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux—at the top of the 2022 draft.
However, this doesn't mean that Jacksonville shouldn't look to bolster its pass rush ahead of the draft. Jacksonville logged just 32 sacks as a team in 2021 while ranking 28th in points allowed.
Za'Darius Smith remains on the open market after reversing course with the Ravens. Jacksonville would be smart to scoop him up.
While Smith missed the majority of 2021 following back surgery, he's been among the league's most productive pass-rushers in recent years when healthy. Between 2019 and 2020, Smith tallied 26 sacks and 89 quarterback pressures while making the Pro Bowl in both seasons.
Kansas City Chiefs: Extend Orlando Brown
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Teams usually use the franchise tag as a precursor to a long-term deal. It doesn't always work out, but the tag buys time to hash out an extension without the risk of losing a player on the open market.
The Kansas City Chiefs, however, shouldn't waste any time with left tackle Orlando Brown. They should work on getting an extension done immediately in order to provide some relief to their cap situation. Kansas City is currently $2 million over the cap.
The Chiefs have $16.7 million earmarked for Brown and the franchise tag. In theory, Kansas City could reduce that number with a back-loaded, bonus-heavy deal. That could free up enough space to make another move or two and sign the upcoming draft class.
Kansas City knows what it has in Brown, who has been a Pro Bowler at both left and right tackle. Extending him shouldn't be a matter of if but when. The Chiefs need to make it happen now.
Las Vegas Raiders: Sign Stephon Gilmore
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The Raiders have been on-paper winners in early free agency, adding Chandler Jones and trading for Davante Adams. Las Vegas now must focus on the secondary, where it lost a reliable starter in cornerback Casey Hayward Jr.
Hayward, who has missed only two games since the start of the 2014 season, recently landed with the Falcons.
According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas is eying 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.
"If Raiders don't land Stephon Gilmore it won't be for lack of trying. They are making a run," Bonsignore tweeted.
The Raiders need to get it done. With Jones and Adams in the fold, Las Vegas is poised to build on its 2021 playoff campaign. Gilmore might not be the same elite playmaker he was two years ago, but he's still an above-average corner. With the Panthers last year, he logged two passes defended, two interceptions and an opposing passer rating of just 78.6.
Los Angeles Chargers: Sign Akiem Hicks
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The Chargers have been aggressive this offseason, re-signing Mike Williams, trading for Khalil Mack and signing standout cornerback J.C. Jackson. Los Angeles also added defensive tackles Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day to help bolster a run defense that ranked 30th last season.
The Chargers should continue revamping their defensive front by adding former Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. While hick is on the older side at 32, he's still quite capable of playing at a high level when fully healthy.
Hicks was limited to nine games by groin and ankle injuries in 2021. However, he still finished with 25 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 11 quarterback pressures. He also logged 49 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 29 pressures the previous season.
Additionally, Hicks has experience playing alongside Mack, which could help the Chargers build quick chemistry along their new-look defensive front seven.
Los Angeles Rams: Take a Flier on Will Fuller V
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The Los Angeles Rams recently signed wide receiver Allen Robinson II. It's a move that may prevent L.A. from re-signing Odell Beckham Jr. and made Robert Woods expendable.
Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans on Saturday.
If the Rams don't want to pay for Beckham as a No. 3 receiver, they should take a flier on speedster Will Fuller V. Though Fuller has a noteworthy injury history—and was limited to two games by a broken finger in 2021—he's a legitimate deep threat who can take the top off a defense. His quickness would also be valuable in a Sean McVay offense that looks to put receivers in space.
Fuller has averaged 14.7 yards per catch in his career and topped 500 yards four times. In 2020, he tallied 879 yards and eight touchdowns on just 53 receptions. He's exactly the sort of budget option whom the Rams should give a second chance.
Miami Dolphins: Sign Terron Armstead
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The Dolphins have been active thus far, franchise-tagging Mike Gesicki, re-signing Emmanuel Ogbah and adding the likes of Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Cedrick Wilson. Miami could cap a strong free-agency run by landing offensive tackle Terron Armstead.
While Armstead has struggled with injuries at times—he underwent knee surgery in January, and he missed 19 games between 2016 and 2018—he's the best offensive lineman available. He's a three-time Pro Bowler who allowed just a single sack in eight games this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Adding Armstead would help solidify Miami's offensive line and immediately upgrade the supporting cast around quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Armstead is arguably the top free agent left on the open market, and he isn't going to come cheap. Fortunately, the Dolphins still have $16.5 million in remaining cap space.
Minnesota Vikings: Sign Jared Cook
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The Minnesota Vikings need a tight end after losing Tyler Conklin to the Jets in free agency. While Minnesota did add blocking tight end Johnny Mundt, it could use another pass-catcher to complement Irv Smith Jr.
The problem is that with only $2.4 million in cap space, Minnesota won't have many options.
Thirty-four-year-old Jared Cook could be exactly the sort of low-budget signing Minnesota needs. He isn't likely to garner a long-term deal on the open market, and he might not receive many significant offers.
Cook took a one-year, $4.5 million deal last offseason. Minnesota would still need to create cap space to sign him, but not a ton. Furthermore, he's a two-time Pro Bowler who is still perfectly capable of aiding a passing attack.
In 2021, Cook totaled 564 yards and four touchdowns on 48 receptions with the Chargers. He'd be a tremendous complement to Smith and another valuable weapon for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
New England Patriots: Sign Jarvis Landry
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The New England Patriots currently have $11.6 million in cap space, and they should use a chunk of that to sign former Browns receiver Jarvis Landry. This is a move Pro Football Talk's Peter King touched on before Landry was released, and it's a pairing that makes perfect sense.
"There is no better fit of player to team in the next week than the Cleveland wide receiver to New England. It would take Landry 15 minutes to become one of Bill Belichick's favorites of recent years," King wrote. "... his gritty and no-BS style on and off the field fits the Pats perfectly."
Landry would be a great veteran target for second-year quarterback Mac Jones. While the five-time Pro Bowler was hampered by a knee injury in 2021, he's been remarkably productive for most of his career, topping 800 yards in six of eight seasons.
New England has two solid complementary targets in Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers, but no other wide receiver topped 500 yards in 2021.
The Patriots haven't been as active as last offseason, but they need to take action on Landry before another team scoops him off the market.
New Orleans Saints: Re-Sign Jameis Winston
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Editor's Note: Quarterback Jameis Winston reportedly re-signed with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Under former head coach Sean Payton, utility man Taysom Hill appeared to be a starting quarterback option. Now that Payton has stepped away, that plan has gone out the window.
According to The Athletic's Larry Holder (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk), Hill is not part of the quarterback conversation in New Orleans. This leaves the Saints with few options since Deshaun Watson settled on Cleveland.
New Orleans should move quickly to bring back 2021 starter Jameis Winston. Yes, he suffered a torn ACL seven games into the season, but he also performed well before the injury. Winston went 5-2 as a starter and posted a passer rating of 102.8.
Trade options like Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo could be on the table for New Orleans, but Winston wouldn't cost any draft capital and now has two years of experience working with the Saints roster.
New York Giants: Trade Saquon Barkley
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New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley played like a generational talent during his rookie season and was well above average in Year 2. Over the past two seasons, however, the Penn State product has been hampered by injuries—including a torn ACL in 2020—and hasn't played up to an acceptable level recently.
In 2021, Barkley appeared in 13 games but averaged a mere 3.7 yards per carry. Now, the Giants may look to dump him for whatever draft capital they can get.
"The buzz at the combine was that Barkley could probably net a fourth-round pick in a trade, maybe a conditional pick to bump it up to a third based on playing time or performance-based incentives," Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com wrote.
New York should get whatever it can for Barkley while it can. He hasn't shown enough over the last three seasons to justify a lucrative second contract, and while injuries are partially to blame, they're also part of the problem. If Barkley gets off to a slow start to the 2022 season or suffers another injury, his trade value will become nonexistent.
New York Jets: Re-Sign Jamison Crowder
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The New York Jets should be looking to upgrade the supporting cast of second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. Thus far, they've re-signed Tevin Coleman and Braxton Berrios while adding tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin.
Re-signing Jamison Crowder would make a lot of sense, too. The free-agent receiver pool has dwindled, and Crowder now remains one of the best options available.
While Crowder's production took a hit in 2021, it's hard to fault him. The offense as a whole was lackluster when Wilson was under center. Crowder finished with 51 catches for 447 yards and two touchdowns. Eight catches and 84 yards of that came in a game with Mike White at quarterback.
If the Jets can get better play out of Wilson, Crowder can return to being the 60-to-70-catch receiver he was in 2019 and 2020. Crowder already knows the offense and would be a wise piece of veteran insurance ahead of the draft.
Philadelphia Eagles: Sign Daryl Williams
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The offensive line was a problem for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. Injuries played a role—Brandon Brooks, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson all missed time—and quarterback Jalen Hurts frequently found himself under pressure.
Hurts was only sacked 26 times in 15 games but was pressured on 26.4 percent of his dropbacks. That's a higher pressure rate than Burrow (24.5 percent)—who was sacked a league-high 51 times. Hurts has shown the ability to elude sacks, but more time in the pocket would be valuable.
While depth signings rarely get a fanbase excited, they serve a purpose. Daryl Williams would make a ton of sense for Philadelphia. The 29-year-old has experience at both tackle and guard, and he's been incredibly durable over the last three seasons.
Williams appeared in every game for the Panthers and the Bills between 2019 and 2021. Despite shuffling positions, he played at least 96 percent of the offensive snaps over the last two years with Buffalo. Williams would be a tremendous multi-position backup or spot starter who could help ensure Hurts makes it through the 2022 season upright.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Sign Cole Beasley
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The Pittsburgh Steelers said goodbye to slot receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster when he reached an agreement with Kansas City. In need of a new inside-outside pass-catcher, Pittsburgh should make a play for Cole Beasley.
Beasley was a 900-yard receiver for Buffalo two years ago, and while he lost some reps to Emmanuel Sanders last season, he was still quite productive. He finished 2021 with 82 receptions, 693 yards and a touchdown.
Not only could Beasley help fill the void left by Smith-Schuster, but he could also help ease new quarterback Mitchell Trubisky into the lineup. The Steelers signed Trubisky to compete with Mason Rudolph, and Trubisky spent last season as Buffalo's backup.
While Trubisky only played 33 offensive snaps in 2021, he likely became quite familiar with Beasley on the practice field.
San Francisco 49ers: Trade Jimmy Garoppolo
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The 49ers appear ready to turn the page from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance at quarterback this season. However, Garoppolo remains on the roster and could be used as trade bait between now and the draft. San Francisco shouldn't wait too long to get a deal done.
The Colts remain interested, but the market is dwindling. If the 49ers are hoping for a hefty return, they're running out of time to make a deal.
"As far as the Jimmy Garoppolo market... shrug emoji right now. Might be time for all sides to do some recalibrating," Tim Kawakami of The Athletic tweeted.
The Saints and Panthers missed out on Deshaun Watson, and Indy remains without a 2022 starter. However, Baker Mayfield will likely be traded soon, and Jameis Winston remains unsigned. And while the 2022 draft class is underwhelming at quarterback, at least a handful of teams will roll the dice.
If San Francisco hopes to get something in return for Garoppolo, perhaps it needs to be a little more proactive. Otherwise, releasing him and saving $25.6 million in cap space will be the best-case scenario.
Seattle Seahawks: Trade for Baker Mayfield
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The Seahawks need a quarterback after trading Russell Wilson to Denver. Now that Deshaun Watson is in Cleveland, the Seahawks should entertain the idea of Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield hasn't quite lived up to expectations as the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft. However, he's a solid starter who set a (since-broken) rookie quarterback record with 27 touchdown passes and led Cleveland to its first playoff win as an expansion franchise.
According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports and USA Today, Seattle wants a veteran quarterback and has eyed Mayfield.
"Calls have gone out to the #Falcons about Matt Ryan, Cleveland on Baker Mayfield and others, per league source," Anderson tweeted.
With Atlanta losing out on Watson, it probably isn't inclined to dump Ryan. The 49ers aren't dealing Garoppolo to a division rival, either. Seattle should move on Mayfield before a team like the Panthers or Saints does.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Re-Sign Rob Gronkowski
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Now that Tom Brady is officially back for 2022, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to re-sign his favorite target, tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Now, Gronkowski has already stated "there's a very good chance" he'll be back in Tampa next season (h/t Zac Blobner of 95.3 WDAE and AM 620). However, Tampa needs to get a commitment as soon as possible and before next month's draft.
With O.J. Howard in Buffalo, the Buccaneers are light on pass-catching tight ends. They have Cameron Brate, but he logged a mere 30 receptions in 17 games last season.
If Gronk decides to retire or play elsewhere, Tampa will likely want to target the position early in the draft. If the Bucs then draft a tight end only to see Gronkowski return, they may have wasted a valuable draft pick on a position they didn't need to address.
While Tampa may feel confident that Gronkowski will be back—just as it seemed to believe Brady would return—it needs to cover its bases quickly. The Bucs cannot afford to take chances in what may finally and legitimately be Brady's last ride.
Tennessee Titans: Restructure Kevin Byard's Contract
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The Titans are $6.8 million over the cap, and it would be wise to make some room as quickly as possible. If nothing else, they'll need additional room to sign their 2022 draft picks.
Restructuring the contract of All-Pro safety Kevin Byard could help do exactly that.
Byard is set to carry a cap hit of $15.8 million in 2022, and he has $8.2 million in dead cap remaining on his deal. He restructured his contract in 2020 and has openly stated he's willing to do so again this year if it means bringing back pass-rusher Harold Landry.
"If I have to restructure my deal again like I did with [Jadeveon] Clowney, I'll do it," Byard said, per Joe Rexrode of ESPN 102.5 The Game.
Tennessee has already locked up Landry with a five-year, $87.5 million deal. If Byard is willing to help alleviate the Titans' cap stress, Tennessee needs to take advantage.
Washington Commanders: Sign a Wide Receiver
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The Commanders have their new quarterback in Carson Wentz. What they don't have is a strong receiver group that can help elevate Wentz's level of play. Washington essentially has standout Terry McLaurin and a load of lower-tier depth.
Washington, for the record, ranked 21st in passing and 23rd in yards per pass attempt last season. McLaurin was the only player to top 400 receiving yards.
Thus far, the Commanders' big moves at pass-catcher have been re-signing Cam Sims and receiving back J.D. McKissic. This needs to change before free agency ends. Yes, this year's rookie receiver class is expected to be strong, but Washington isn't one player away from having a top-tier passing attack.
Whether it's Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. or Cole Beasley, the Commanders have to add a proven receiver to the mix before the draft. They have $15 million in available cap space and need to put some of that toward their receiving corps.
Contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted. All signings per NFL.com's free-agency tracker.
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