One free agent each NFL team should want to sign in 2024

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The Cardinals need so much help on defense and at almost every level. They need defensive linemen, pass rushers, a linebacker and cornerbacks. They are probably set at safety unless they end up trading Budda Baker. But nothing was as glaring at the end of last season than their lack of a pass rush. They had one sack in their final six games and that was a quarterback running out of bounds for no gain. Young, who showed flashes of consistency again with the 49ers last season, is available and probably won’t cost that much, as he needs to reestablish himself as a premier pass rusher as it appeared he would be after a 7.5-sack rookie season when he was Defensive Rookie of the Year. Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed, 49ers DT Javon Kinlaw, Bengals WE Tee Higgins, Vikings LB Danielle Hunter, Bucs WR Mike Evans and Chiefs DT Chris Jones (who seemingly took himself off the free agent market on Wednesday) all would be smart targets. – Jess Root, Cards Wire

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While the Falcons need a quarterback, the draft seems like a better option than signing either Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins in free agency. Instead, the team should look to upgrade its defense. Atlanta’s secondary made strides in 2023 but with Jeff Okudah’s future up in the air, signing someone like Sneed makes a lot of sense. With Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell in place, Sneed could take this unit to another level in 2024. The versatile cornerback has racked up 10 interceptions, 40 passes defended, 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over the last four seasons in Kansas City. – Matt Urben, Falcons Wire

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Baltimore has the NFL’s top rushing attack, and adding the Titans star free agent could take the offense to another level while taking an enormous load off of QB Lamar Jackson. The move would be a risk, and the Ravens would be banking on a 29-year-old, soon-to-be 30-year-old RB who has logged the most carries in the NFL during his tenure in Tennessee. Henry is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time All-Pro. Henry has never averaged less than 4.2 yards per carry, including the 2023 season, when he led the NFL in rushing attempts (280), finishing with 1,167 yards (4.2 yards per rush) and 12 scores. – Glenn Erby, Ravens Wire

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The likes of Mike Evans and Tee Higgins would be an incredible opportunity for the Bills. But if we’re trying to not live in fantasy land, realistically, those won’t happen. Buffalo’s salary cap situation is not pretty. It seems likely that Gabe Davis departs in free agency and drafting somebody will probably need to be an option as well. However, Ridley isn’t a player that would break the bank and while his 6-foot-1 frame isn’t the one that Davis has, Ridley can provide those explosive plays Buffalo’s offense lacked later on in 2023. – Nick Wojton, Bills Wire

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Although the Panthers will want to wash away the stank of that 2023 season as soon as possible, doing it by being overly aggressive in free agency may not be the move. Not only are they embracing a proper rebuild under first-time head coach Dave Canales, but they’ll also need to earmark some cap space if they want to keep standout defenders Brian Burns and Derrick Brown. So their money might be served better down the line. If Higgins is out there for the taking, however, he could be worth the dough. The University of Clemson product just turned 25 years old last month, so pairing quarterback Bryce Young with a No. 1 wideout he can grow with wouldn’t be the worst use of their resources. – Anthony Rizzuti, Panthers Wire

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The Bears need to add an edge rusher opposite Pro Bowler Montez Sweat this offseason. But considering this isn’t a deep draft class for edge rushers, they could turn to free agency, where there are several high-end veterans to add a veteran like Brian Burns (who’s expected to be franchise tagged) and Danielle Hunter. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Chicago is “very high” on Hunter, who would give the Bears a dominant 1-2 punch at edge rusher. Sweat and Hunter combined for 29 sacks in 2023. Hunter will command a large contract, but Chicago is slated to have $67 million in salary cap space following the recent cuts of Eddie Jackson and Cody Whitehair, which freed up $20 million in additional cap space. While Hunter is set to turn 30 next season, he’s shown no signs of slowing down and would serve as an immediate boost for an ascending defense that could be a top-10 unit in 2024. – Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire

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If the Bengals want to make a splash outside of retaining their own like Tee Higgins and Jonah Williams, Jones might make the most sense (provided he’s available). The non-Trey Hendrickson parts of the defensive line struggled as the season continued and exposed a rebuilt, young secondary. Even worse, star interior defender DJ Reader, besides himself being a free agent, went down with the second torn quad of his career and is on an unknown recovery timetable. The Bengals know better than most what a game-altering player Jones can be, so regardless of the steeep price and fact he’s going on 30 years old, he should rank near the top of their outside free agents list. The ability to line him up at multiple spots on the same front as Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, first-rounder Myles Murphy and potentially others would be a win-now move for a team trying to keep the contention window as wide as possible before Joe Burrow’s extension cap hit escalates in 2025. – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

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The Browns have never spent a decent chunk of change on the linebacker position, and it has never hurt them. However, the injury history of Anthony Walker Jr. has taken its toll on his body. And with the Pro Bowl campaign of WILL linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the Browns must go all in to find the man to patrol the second level next to him. Jordyn Brooks headlines the perpetually all-underrated team as he is as disciplined and solid as they come at the linebacker position. While new head coach Mike MacDonald will likely covet the services of Brooks, this is a player the Browns must make a hard push for to round out their defensive overhaul over the past two seasons. – Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire

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So Jerry Jones wants to go all in, huh? Prove it. The Cowboys have some things to work out on the cap, but if Jones doesn’t get tagged then here’s the big splash they could make. Adding Jones to the interior of tg defensive line shores up their run defense and provides more pass rush for new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Micah Parsons is on the verge of getting paid but they’ll be able to make it work through signing bonuses and void years. This is the difference maker and he comes with championship pedigree. – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

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The Broncos are expected to release QB Russell Wilson in March and the team will likely bring in competition for Jarrett Stidham if they part ways with Wilson. Winston is a perfect candidate to reunite with Sean Payton. The 30-year-old veteran went 5-2 as a starter under Payton in 2021 with 1,170 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions that season. Winston should be an affordable short-term option for Denver and he could help mentor a young prospect if the Broncos decide to also draft a QB in April. – Jon Heath, Broncos Wire

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The Lions have a great young pass rusher in Aidan Hutchinson, but Detroit’s defense needs a speedy complement on the opposite side. Burns has proven to be a consistent stand-up pass rusher who can finish what he starts. Still just 25 years old, Burns has 38 sacks in four seasons despite an unstable coaching staff and divergent schemes in Carolina. He won’t come cheap, but Burns can be a real building block for the aggressive Lions defense that locks up a premium pass rushing duo for the foreseeable future. – Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire

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A meeting of need, fit and familiarity. The Packers desperately need help at safety entering the 2024 offseason and will likely need to add at least one veteran to the group. Fuller, a sixth-round pick in 2020, has started 46 games over his first four NFL seasons and once played safety for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley at Ohio State. Hafley and the Packers could see Fuller – who turns 26 in March – as an ideal fit in a defense that will feature plenty of single-high safety coverages. He can tackle and play the run and profiles as a reliable defender overall. – Zach Kruse, Packers Wire

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Many are looking at the Houston Texans as a natural fit for a marquee free agent running back like Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs. However, spreading out Devin Singletary’s starting numbers over 17 games suggests that Houston already has a 1000+ yard back on their roster, not to mention a likely healthier offensive line in 2024. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has preached that he wants to improve the Front 7 and a natural fit could be Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankue Luv. The versatile linebacker had 125 combined tackles and 5.5 sacks while wearing the green dot for the Panthers. Pairing the explosive Luvu next to third year player Christian Harris could create one of the top linebacker duos in football as Houston’s defense looks to take the next step. – John Crumpler, Texans Wire

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As much fun as it would be to suggest the Colts go after big-name free agents like Brian Burns or Jaylon Johnson, the reality of the situation is that general manager Chris Ballard typically doesn’t spend big in free agency. Under the assumption that Michael Pittman Jr.—a pending free agent—returns on either an extension or the franchise tag, Mooney would be an interesting buy-low option. Though undersized, Mooney’s calling card as a deep threat could work well in Shane Steichen’s offense. His 4.38 speed allows him to create separation on intermediate and deep routes regularly, something we saw when he posted 81 receptions for 1,055 yards in 2021. That may have been two years ago, but Mooney is still young enough to mold into an impact player. A receiving corps of Pittman, Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Mooney would be a solid group for young quarterback Anthony Richardson to work with while furthering his development as a passer. – Kevin Hickey, Colts Wire

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The Dolphins’ 2020 second-round pick steadily improved in each of his four seasons on his rookie deal, ascending into an upper echelon starting guard. While a nagging hamstring issue cost him time in 2023, his 76.4 grade on PFF ranked sixth among the 83 NFL guards who played at least 275 snaps. That’s the kind of player the Jaguars desperately need on the interior of their offensive line. Four different players started at left guard, center Luke Fortner has been a disaster, and right guard Brandon Scherff is likely to be released after two decent, if not underwhelming, seasons. There’s no doubt that a reconstruction has to be done along the middle of Jacksonville’s offensive line and Hunt would be a great place to start. – Adam Stites, Jaguars Wire

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Kansas City has a glaring need at the wide receiver position, and Higgins would be a massive upgrade over Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Richie James. While Patrick Mahomes was able to make the Chiefs’ offense hum with the talent at his disposal in 2023, some extra firepower would certainly help the defending Super Bowl champions in their effort to win three straight titles. Higgins might not be one of the NFL’s biggest stars, but his steady presence with the Cincinnati Bengals has buoyed Joe Burrow and take heat of Ja’Marr Chase, and would be a boon for Kansas City’s offense. – John Dillon, Chiefs Wire

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The Raiders could be losing Andre James in free agency, but it’s important that the Raiders keep the center position strong. Tyler Biadasz is a multi-year starter who made the Pro Bowl during the 2022 season. While he isn’t an elite player, he is exactly what the Raiders need in the middle of their offensive line. – Marcus Mosher, Raiders Wire

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HC Jim Harbaugh made the point that the Chargers are going to put a big emphasis on bolstering the running game. And that starts with bringing in backs to fit OC Greg Roman’s scheme. Edwards played for Roman in 2019, 2020 and 2022 when he was the Ravens’ play-caller. In those seasons, Edwards averaged at least five yards per carry. He is coming off his most productive season as a pro, as he finished with 810 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. As Los Angeles seeks to efficiently pound the rock, Edwards could be the downhill bruiser as they begin to build out the backfield. – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire

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It’s rare for an edge rusher with as much talent as Young to hit the free-agent market, which makes this a golden opportunity for the Rams. Assuming Josh Allen and Brian Burns will be tagged, Los Angeles should go after Young if the 49ers let him explore the market. He’ll only be 25 this year and after an up-and-down first four seasons in the NFL, he likely won’t break the bank the way Allen and Burns would on a long-term deal. That makes him the ideal one-year addition for the Rams, who could then extend him after the 2024 season if he performs up to expectations. Edge rusher is by far the Rams’ biggest need this offseason and adding someone as athletic and explosive as Young would do wonders for the defense – and he’d probably love playing alongside Aaron Donald, too. – Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire

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Mike McDaniel’s offense, a branch of the Kyle Shanahan system, is at its best when it has a tight end capable of blocking and threatening as a pass-catcher, and for the first two years, Miami hasn’t really had that. Mike Gesicki was essentially a big receiver, and Durham Smythe isn’t exceptional at either skill blocking or receiving. Schultz would step in and immediately change things for Tua Tagovailoa and company.

In 15 games with Houston this year, he recorded 59 receptions for 635 yards and five touchdowns. That’s more than Smythe has done over the past two seasons combined. And with Miami potentially losing some wide receiver depth who have been targets in the middle of the field (Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Braxton Berrios), someone with Schultz’s skill set could be worked in seamlessly. It will all just depend on how much cap space the Dolphins can clear by the time free agency kicks off. – Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire

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The one thing that the Vikings didn’t have during the 2023 season was consistency on the defensive line. Outside of Harrison Phillips, they didn’t have anyone they could count on to do a great job. It didn’t help that they lost two defensive lineman last season to injuries in both James Lynch and Dean Lowry. With Phillips being a really good player, pairing him with a great one is pivotal to taking the next step. Wilkins can be that guy and then some and is a player that defensive coordinator Brian Flores is familiar with, as he was drafted by him in his first season with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. Regardless of whether or not the Vikings bring back Danielle Hunter, they need to beef up the interior with explosive players. – Tyler Forness, Vikings Wire

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One way for the Patriots to prove the post-Bill Belichick era will be different is by making a splash in free agency and signing Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Typically, the Patriots haven’t been a team that has prioritized elite receivers, and their unwillingness to do so has hurt them badly in recent years. Their offense is slow and boring with a lack of explosive playmakers to scare NFL defenses. However, going out and signing Higgins would give them a legitimate No. 1 receiver, while simultaneously burying the notion of them being too cheap to pay for premium offensive talent. – Jordy McElroy, Patriots Wire

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Dream big, right? After fielding one of the league’s worst pass rushes in 2023, the Saints must look to the free agent market to get better at sacking the quarterback – they’ve spent a ton of draft picks on their defensive ends without any success. Cameron Jordan is past his prime and Hunter could be the best player on the market. And he is expected to consider his options. The Vikings cannot use the franchise tag and if they were going to sign him to an extension they would have done so by now. Spending big on a 29-year old defender is risky, especially for a Saints team already relying on so much older and expensive starters, but Hunter is worth the gamble. He bagged more sacks last year (16.5) than all of the Saints defensive ends combined (14). But can the Saints clear enough salary cap space to make a competitive offer? – John Sigler, Saints Wire

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The Giants have an abundance of needs entering free agency but perhaps none greater than along the offensive line. As a unit, New York surrendered 85 sacks in 2023, the second-most in NFL history, and continuously struggled on the inside. They’ll have to find two new starting guards before training camp and Kevin Dotson is the best of what’s available. After being traded to the Rams last season, he helped stabilize their ground game and would fill a similar role for the Giants. Even as an average pass protector, it’s better than anything the team has currently. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire

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It seems unlikely Mike Evans will make it to the open market, but if he does, the Jets need to be all over this. Evans had never had a season with less than 1,000 yards receiving and he’s been in the league ten seasons. The Jets desperately need wide receiver help free the Allen Lazard signing blew up big time. Evans with Garrett Wilson on the other side and Aaron Rodgers throwing the football would add a nice element to the Jets offense, a unit that needs any sort of spark they can find. – Billy Riccette, Jets Wire

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The 6-foot-5, 249-pound outside linebacker is now a free agent — and he’d be the perfect replacement for Haason Reddick, If the Eagles are prepared to move on from their All-Pro pass rusher, then Burns — who finished the 2023 season with 50 tackles, eight sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery — would be a younger, more athletic version of Reddick, allowing the emerging pass rusher to gel with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Nakobe Dean. – Glenn Erby, Eagles Wire

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Pittsburgh is heading into free agency with Kenny Pickett as the team’s only signed quarterback. With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the fold, he needs a quarterback who can run his offense and maximize the skill players on the roster. When Smith was the OC in Tennessee, Tannehill had two of his best seasons in the league and would not only make the Steelers viable in 2024 but would be a great bridge while the team evaluates Pickett for the future. – Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire

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The 49ers aren’t going to have much wiggle room under the salary cap to spend big in free agency. After a strong year with the Titans Al-Shaair may have priced himself out of what the 49ers can afford. However, an Achilles tear for LB Dre Greenlaw complicates things a bit for a team that has thrived thanks to its defense’s ability to cover in the second level. Neither LB Oren Burks nor Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles was good enough in the Super Bowl and it showed. Adding a player like Al-Shaair gives San Francisco a familiar face who knows their defense and provides a short-term replacement for Greenlaw while he recovers from his Achilles tear, and a potential long-term option to replace Greenlaw if winds up leaving in free agency after the 2024 season. – Kyle Madson, Niners Wire

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Last year we picked Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown, who the Seahawks made a serious push to sign. While they were ultimately unable to outbid New England, they’ll have another chance to sign the 6-foot-8, 370 pound tackle in March and they should try again. Signing Brown won’t break the bank and he has experience at both tackle spots, making him a potential upgrade over either left tackle Charles Cross – who regressed in 2023 – or right tackle Abe Lucas – who missed most of the season with a chronic knee injury. Pairing Brown with a promising young OT in the first round of the draft and sliding both Lucas and Cross inside to guard might be the quickest way to fix Seattle’s offensive line without having to completely write off a couple of high draft picks. – Tim Weaver, Seahawks Wire

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The Buccaneers need better interior offensive line play, and they need it bad. They remain one of the worst rushing teams in football due to their poor play on the interior, and the interior line is the biggest hole on the team outside of pass rusher. Pass rushers are expensive, though, and so are top guards like Kevin Dotson and Robert Hunt — as such, Risner is a solid option that would immediately improve Tampa Bay’s interior without breaking the bank, but they’d still need to find someone to play center either in free agency or in the draft. – River Wells, Bucs Wire

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Center is one of multiple spots along the offensive line that the Titans need an upgrade at after Aaron Brewer struggled in pass protection last season with six sacks and 34 pressures allowed, and a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 52.5. Cushenberry is just what the doctor ordered for the Titans, as he would provide a sizable upgrade over Brewer after giving up one sack and 14 pressures, and posting a PFF pass-blocking grade of 76.4. – Mike Moraitis, Titans Wire

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The Commanders have multiple needs and plenty of cap space and draft picks to address those needs. In free agency, Washington should start addressing the offensive line. The Commanders could have as many as four new starters in 2024. Only RG Sam Cosmi is assured of his spot. Washington should look to free agency to address one or two of those positions, and it begins at right tackle. Williams is 26, and while the Bengals would love to retain him, they have other players to pay. He should hit free agency and have a strong market. Williams began his career at left tackle but moved to right tackle in 2023 to accommodate Orlando Brown. Some teams could view Williams as a left tackle, which would also alter his asking price. For Washington, it should pursue Williams to play right tackle and use the draft to find the left tackle of the future to protect the rookie quarterback. – Bryan Manning, Commanders Wire