With the 2022 NFL season in the rearview mirror, attention now turns towards the offseason and free agency. The 2023 free agency crop looks to be full of exciting talent across the board, with some elite players along the defensive line and at defensive back.
There’s a high chance that many of these names wind up on the franchise tag, but if they make it to the open market they’ll command big money – especially as the salary cap has increased to $224.8 million for the 2023 season.
Cutting a list down to the 10 best free agents on the market was tough, but we gave it a go anyway. Thankfully, the number one spot was an easy choice.
- QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
There isn’t a chance on God’s green Earth that Lamar Jackson makes it to free agency, but his designation as a potential free agent means he comfortably takes the top spot as the crown jewel of the last decade of free agents.
His 2022 season didn’t pan out the way he wanted, but Jackson was still electric in 12 games before a knee injury sidelined him down the stretch. Completing 62 percent of his passes for 2242 yards and 17 touchdowns against 7 interceptions, Jackson helped lead the Ravens to an 8-4 record and was 11th in EPA/play per RBSDM.
There’s no one who is more of a gamebreaking player in the NFL than Jackson when he has the ball in his hands. His rushing attempts per game dropped to his lowest as a full-time starter, but he still accumulated 764 yards in 12 games and was on track for another 1,000-yard season on the ground.
The Ravens will likely franchise-tag Jackson, but there’s talk that he could be traded after that happens. Whoever eventually pays Jackson will be happy they did. He’s still only 26 years old and has proven that he’s a franchise quarterback. A one-of-one player.
- QB Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
The NFL’s newly crowned Comeback Player of the Year slots in at number two on the list after a career year in Seattle. Even making it onto a list of the top 50 free agents would have seemed unlikely for Smith at the start of the season. Embroiled in a potential battle with Drew Lock for the starting quarterback gig, Smith was viewed as just another journeyman. Queue a breakout season in 2022.
Smith led the NFL in completion percentage at 70 percent while tossing a career-high 4282 yards and 30 touchdowns as the Seahawks snuck into the postseason with a 9-8 record.
Showing an abundance of arm talent and poise, Smith looked better than ever with enough evidence to suggest that this wasn’t a fluke – even if his play tailed off during the back end of the season. But even then, Smith was better than a league-average quarterback. By all accounts, it’s hard to see him leaving the Seahawks in free agency, especially since there’s clearly interest in working out a long-term deal. Though he’s now in his thirties, Smith has more than enough left in the tank to help lead a young Seattle roster.
- OT Orlando Brown, Kansas City Chiefs
Figuring out the market for Orlando Brown Jr. is tough. Offensive line play in the NFL is generally down, which means finding consistent play is harder than ever. Above-average tackles, especially those on the quarterback’s blindside, don’t hit the market often. When they do, they get snapped up relatively quickly.
Brown isn’t one of the elite left tackles in the NFL, but his play has been above-average on one of the better offensive lines which certainly counts for something. But he’s also proven to be inconsistent at times and his athletic limitations are well-documented. Despite the worries, Brown is still good enough to earn a long-term deal at one of the NFL’s most sought-after positions. A strong performance in the Super Bowl certainly helped his stock too.
- DL Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles
Like the left tackle spot, it’s hard to find good interior pass-rushers in the NFL. Luckily for 31 other teams, Javon Hargrave is hitting the open market. During his three years with the Eagles, he’s racked up 23 sacks and 42 quarterback hits while improving every year – ending with a career-high 11 sacks and 16 QB hits this past season.
Hargrave has proven throughout his career that he’s just as impressive as a run-stuffer, with the elite pass-rushing ability truly blossoming alongside some outstanding talent on the Eagles’ defensive line that really shot to life in 2022. He’ll be 30 by the time the 2023 season rolls around, but talent is talent, and Hargrave has it in bunches.
- S Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals
After winding up on the franchise tag last season, the Bengals’ star safety looks set to hit free agency in 2022. The Bengals have decisions aplenty to make this offseason, and if they want to pay Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins over the next year or so, Bates is a likely casualty. If there’s a way to keep him, the Bengals would surely like to have him back.
More at home as a single-high safety, Bates patrols the secondary better than most but can still operate in two-high schemes. His 14 career interceptions point toward someone who can attack the ball and he’s shown that he has the chops to man up when required. His overall versatility and durability will be highly coveted on the open market, though schematically, a return to Cincinnati makes the most sense.
- CB Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jamel Dean might not be the most glamorous cornerback to hit the free agency market, but his consistency at the position is commendable, and he was probably the Buccaneers’ best DB this past season. He can play physically against bigger receivers thanks to his 6-foot-1, 206lb frame, and his explosiveness allows him to play deep in zone schemes.
He’s not a true ball-hawking corner, snagging just 7 interceptions in his first four seasons – still a decent number – but he excels when he’s allowed to use his vision to disrupt tight windows and break up passes. He averaged over 10 pass break-ups a year in Tampa Bay and he’s still only 26. Dean will command top-tier starter money.
- DL Daron Payne, Washington Commanders
Like Hargrave, Daron Payne initially made his name in the NFL as a stout run defender while playing nose tackle but found his feet as an interior pass-rusher before hitting the open market. Payne might not have the pass-rushing productiveness Hargrave had over the last couple of seasons, but he matched his 11.5 sack total in 2022 and has the 10th-most quarterback pressures among all interior defenders since 2021 (95).
Despite the numbers, Payne is still a work in progress as an interior rusher, but the signs are promising. He’s already an every-down player, but by pairing the pass-rushing with the consistent run defense he can become a true multi-tool behemoth. There aren’t too many interior guys with that sort of skill set – and he’ll be only 26 by the time the 2023 season starts.
- S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was a late addition to the Eagles in 2022, but he hit the ground running. Despite being undersized at 5-foot-11, Gardner-Johnson’s versatility is his biggest trait. He’s shown this season that he can play as a patrolling deep safety, in the box, or as a slot corner.
He can rally and tackle, play sticky in coverage, and has excellent ball skills, as evidenced by his six interceptions in 2022. The Eagles’ defense missed him while he was sidelined with a lacerated kidney midseason. But the fact he barely missed a beat upon his return speaks volumes about the sort of player he is. He’s also still yet to reach his peak at just 25 years old.
- CB James Bradberry, Philadelphia Eagles
The fact that the Eagles have three players in the top 10 demonstrates the quality of their defense in 2022 – but it’s also worrying and unlikely that they can keep all three. So picking and choosing is an unfortunate reality the Eagles have to face.
Bradberry is the oldest of the starters to hit free agency, but even at 29 years old (30 when the season starts) he’s proven to be firmly in his prime. He was voted as a Second-Team All-Pro corner with 3 interceptions and 17 passes defended. He’s an excellent defender in man coverage thanks to his 97th percentile wingspan and can play aggressively in press coverage or operate as a smart zone defender.
- RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
After a tough couple of years, Saquon Barkley was fully healthy for the 2022 season and quickly reminded everyone of just how dominant he can be in the right circumstances. Having an improved offensive line helped, but Barkley was all action, rushing for 1312 yards and 10 touchdowns. His impact in the receiving game wasn’t as prominent as his early years in the league, but his 1650 yards from scrimmage ranked 7th in the NFL.
Full of explosiveness, Barkley is still a true home-run threat and had 32 rushes for 10 or more yards – sixth-most in the NFL. It’s a pleasure to see one of the NFL’s elite talents finally find his groove again. All signs point towards a return to New York, a move that’s sorely needed to keep the Giants rolling.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Alexander Jonesi. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.