Finally, training camp is just around the corner. Regular season football is just under two months away. Rejoice. Between now and the start of the season, there will likely be injuries. It’s an unfortunate reality in the NFL. But the next man up mentality rings true. The NFL will always have players willing and able to step up and make an impact at a moment’s notice.
The hectic free agency period might be over, but there are still a few gems remaining on the lookout for new teams. Here are five of the top remaining free agents that are still on the market today.
Eric Fisher, Offensive Tackle
The first of two offensive tackles on this list, Eric Fisher still has something left in the tank at the NFL level. The former number one pick in 2013 played in 15 games for the Indianapolis Colts after an early recovery from a torn achilles in his final season with the Kansas City Chiefs. His performance as a pass-blocker in 2021 was poor, allowing 41 pressures and 7 sacks, but Fisher was an above-average run-blocker for Jonathan Taylor.
From 2015-2020, Fisher had a consistent pass-blocking grade above 70, with the last four seasons all being above 75. He was a steady presence for the Chiefs and while his time in Indianapolis was short and uneventful, there’s still a place in the NFL for Fisher.
While he’s primarily a left tackle, Fisher spent time early on in his career at right tackle, and his ability to play swing tackle could be vital for teams looking for proven depth. The Seattle Seahawks could be that team. With rookies Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas set to start at the tackle spots, Fisher could provide some valuable depth or even early season games as a starter before allowing Cross or Lucas to succeed him.
Julio Jones, Wide Receiver
Things didn’t pan out well for Julio Jones in Tennessee. Injuries disrupted his rhythm and limited him to just 31 catches in 10 games, playing the lowest snap count of his career. Jones lasted just one season with the Titans before cutting ties with the team and heading into free agency looking for a fresh start and the chance to prove that he can still be an impactful receiver.
If he’s healthy, there’s no doubt that he is. But after playing just 19 games in the last two years, with niggling injuries holding him back, it’s hard to say who he is. At 33 years old, it’s clear that he’ll likely never be that Julio Jones again, but there’s still a market for a player of his quality – especially with the NFL running more 3 wide receiver sets than ever before.
Teams that are looking for a quality X receiver should kick the tires on Jones – even if he doesn’t play every snap. The Green Bay Packers fit the bill. Allen Lazard is projected to be the Packers X receiver this season, but he’s never had more than 40 catches in a season – so how he’ll translate to a larger role is a questionable proposition at best.
Jones could become a reliable target for Aaron Rodgers from day one. He’s a valuable end zone target, chain mover, and still can stretch the field with his speed. The Packers have a potential young stud in Christian Watson, and Jones can help mentor him while also challenging for a Super Bowl ring with a contender. Everyone wins in this scenario.
Trey Flowers, EDGE
While some players on this list are likely past their prime, Trey Flowers will only be 29 years old by the time the season rolls around. This is very much a player still in his prime, but injuries have given teams pause. Flowers spent the last three seasons with the Detroit Lions, but injuries limited him to just 14 games in the last two campaigns. Prior to that, Flowers was a pressure monster, racking up three consecutive seasons – two in New England and one in Detroit – with over 60 pressures.
It’s clear that teams are being overly cautious with Flowers because of his inability to stay healthy. Missing 42 percent of your team’s games over the last two years isn’t great and the fact that Flowers has remained unsigned for this long is concerning – or maybe he’s concentrating on getting healthy and then finding the right situation. However you spin it, Flowers should be signed to a team by Week 1.
The Carolina Panthers were reportedly interested in Flowers back in May, and even if that interest has cooled, they remain a nice landing spot for the former fourth round pick. Brian Burns is a star in the making on the edge, but his run defense is lacking, which is somewhere Flowers could really contribute while also providing pressure off the edge.
Duane Brown, Offensive Tackle
He’ll be 37 years old by the time the 2022 NFL season starts, and that’s probably scared a few teams off, but Duane Brown still presents a strong option at the left tackle position. As it stands, he’s undoubtedly the best offensive lineman on the market and there should still be potential suitors heading towards training camp.
The 2021 season was a relative down year by his excellent standards – Brown allowed 33 pressures, around the league median, but gave up 8 sacks, the most he’s given up since his rookie year in 2008. From 2011 to 2020, Brown had a PFF pass blocking grade over 75 and developed into one of the league’s premier blindside protectors. He isn’t the same player as he was when he was younger, but Brown still has the chops to make an impact for any team.
One team that could use his services are the Chicago Bears. The front office hasn’t done a great job of putting Justin Fields in a position to succeed and the offensive line is one of the weakest in the NFL – and that carries over from last season too. Fields was pressured on 43 percent of his dropbacks last season and struggled in those situations. Second-year tackle, Teven Jenkins, is currently slated to start at left tackle in 2022. His rookie season was disrupted by injuries, but when he was on the field, Jenkins looked solid.
He has the ability to slide across to the right side of the line if Brown were to sign with the Bears. If that were to happen, the offensive line could look noticeably better in 2022, even if it would still be weak inside.
Odell Beckham Jr, Wide Receiver
Beckham is still rehabbing after tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl and likely won’t be ready until well into the 2022 season. However, any team that is after his services should still be looking for a long-term deal that keeps Beckham around beyond just the 2022 campaign.
His time in Cleveland was a massive disappointment but Beckham found a new lease on life after signing with the Rams in November. With Robert Woods sidelined, Beckham shone as the Rams second receiver, catching 48 passes for 593 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 2.82 yards per route run in the postseason.
The likely option is that Beckham re-signs with the Rams. Sean McVay has spoken publicly about his desire to bring Beckham back and he’s spent the offseason rehabbing with the team. If Beckham doesn’t end up in Los Angeles, it would be a surprise. However, if that fails to materialize, the Indianapolis Colts are an interesting candidate.
The Colts have a bonafide stud in Michael Pittman Jr., but their lack of depth at receiver is concerning. Beckham, once healthy, could become someone the Colts use as a Z receiver or as an X. He was just beginning to find his best form with the Rams, so hopefully he still has the chance to showcase his talent upon returning from injury. He shouldn’t be short of suitors.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.