Buckle up, because free agency is almost here. The NFL’s annual bout of wheeling and dealing officially starts on Wednesday, but the action will really get underway on Monday, when the legal tampering period will begin.
This year’s salary cap increase means that some big contracts will be handed out, with the likes of Chris Jones and Kirk Cousins potentially signing eye-watering deals, but how does the other end of the market look?
Here are five potential free agent bargains to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Gus Edwards - Running back
The running back market is stacked this year. The likes of Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry and Tony Pollard are all up for grabs and with plenty of good options available in the draft, it’s going to be a buyer’s market.
What Gus Edwards has in his favour is his physical nature and his prowess in short-yard situations, an attribute that several teams will be crying out for. The former Baltimore Raven is coming off the best year of his career and while he may not have the star power of Barkley or Henry, he can be a very useful part of an offense.
Jacoby Brissett - Quarterback
As ever, plenty of teams need a new quarterback. Kirk Cousins is the flashy name here, but no team will get him for a bargain fee, Achilles injury or not. Jacoby Brissett has made a career of being a high-level back-up, racking up 48 starts in his eight years in the league and often outperforming the players he has replaced.
For the salary he would command, he would make either an excellent backup or the perfect bridge quarterback for a team looking to take a QB in the draft.
Ahkello Witherspoon - Cornerback
The kind of signing that you see on the rosters of smart teams. The veteran was the Rams’ best cornerback last season and cost the team just over $1million. Not a long-term option, but will fill a gap for a needy team.
K.J. Osborn - Wide receiver
While the running back free agency class is stacked, the same cannot be said at wide receiver. True number ones like Calvin Ridley will command a high price, but there should be some decent number three options out there.
Former Vikings wideout K.J. Osborn has versatility and can deliver the goods in key moments and has the potential to kick on in the right environment.
Azeez Al-Shaair - Linebacker
Linebacker will be another interesting market this year, with a lack of decent prospects coming up in the draft next month.
Azeez Al-Shaair signed a cheap one-year deal with Tennessee last year and would go on to register 163 tackles in a tough year for the Titans. An excellent option against the run, he perhaps lacks the all-round game to command a huge deal but should be a useful option for someone.
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