Even though the franchise tag and Dak Prescott's signing of a megadeal with the Cowboys paired with the confirmation of the expected cap decrease has taken more air of the process than usual, there's still a good amount of intrigue heading into the start of the 2021 NFL Free Agency period. Are short team deals like the one Lavonte David just received from the Bucs going to be the norm for non-quarterbacks/very young players in a market where there's less money to play with? Will teams be less willing to overpay for talent that isn't exactly premium at impact positions? Will there be more guys willing to bet on themselves and take less money now with the hopes of getting a huge payday when the cap increases again sometime in the next few years? All of these questions and more will be answered when the legal tampering period begins on Monday ahead of the official start of free agency on Wednesday at 4 PM EST. Here are the 10 players in this weird class that I think have the most upside.
10.Hunter Henry, tight end (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Quality tight ends are very hard to come by in the modern NFL and even after an underwhelming 2020 season (60 REC/613 YDS/4 TD's in 14 games) on a Chargers team that wasn't exactly overflowing with reliable pass-catching options, Henry's repeated flashes as a legit receiving weapon over the past 5 seasons should be enough for him to generate a pretty substantial market at the most talent-deprived position in the league.
Possible Destinations: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks
9.JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
The distractions JuJu caused with his relentless TikTok presence last season are unfairly clouding his market. Smith-Schuster is just 2 years removed from a 1,426-yard season, is significantly younger than most WR's heading into their 2nd contract (he'll only be 25 in November) and unlike the other top receivers hitting the market (Kenny Golladay, Will Fuller, Corey Davis), doesn't have any serious durability concerns moving forward. Any team looking for a possession receiver who can make plays after the catch and be relied upon to post 90+ receptions per season that still has plenty of untapped potential should be all-in on JuJu.
Possible Destinations: Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals
8.Mitchell Schwartz, tackle (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Major injuries in back-to-back seasons including most notably a back ailment that sidelined him for most of the 2020 campaign that required surgery after an incredible run of not missing a snap from 2012-18 could be a sign that his durability is starting to wear down, but if/when healthy, the 32-year old 4x All-Pro remains an elite right tackle that is a prime candidate to vastly overform the incentive laden short term deal that he's likely to command.
Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, New York Jets
7.Joe Thuney, guard (2020 team: New England Patriots)
While Thuney isn't the type of guard that comes in and steamrolls opposing defensive lines on a weekly basis, he's an exceptionally disciplined tactician that's never a liability in any facet of the game, can be lined up anywhere on the line if necessary and has a durability that's honestly incredible for a modern day offensive lineman-missing 0 games during his 1st 5 seasons in the league.
Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins
6.Corey Linsley, center (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)
Entering his age 30 season fresh off his 1st ever All-Pro selection, Linsley could very well be in the running to become the highest paid center in the league. As much as the Packers need the cap relief to add some depth to their roster, letting a stabilizing presence like Linsley walk after glaring offensive line issues pretty much sunk their ability to complete a huge comeback against the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game wouldn't be a wise move.
Possible Destinations: Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers
5.Kenny Golladay, wide receiver (2020 team: Detroit Lions)
The abundance of receiver-needy teams probably wish that the coveted prize of a free agency class that could've featured the likes of Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson wasn't someone with a checkered injury history and well-documented tendency to disappear for large stretches of games, but Golladay's status as an outside receiver who can make explosive plays downfield and pull down contested catches in the redzone (he lead the league with 11 TD's during his only fully healthy season in 2019) makes him too valuable of a potential asset to not take a chance on.
Possible Destinations: New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Washington Football Team, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts
4.Aaron Jones, running back (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)
Jones might not impact a game quite like a Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry or Christian McCaffery, but it's not often you see a running back in the modern NFL who is a home run threat as both a rusher and pass-catcher that doesn't have an exorbitant amount of tread on their tires after 4 NFL seasons (he currently has 692 touches in 54 games). That rare versatility and relative lack of volume should make him a priority for a team that is one backfield weapon away from having an elite offense.
Possible Destination: Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Shaq Barrett, edge rusher (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Unsurprisingly, Barrett fell back down to earth after his league-leading 19.5 sack campaign in 2019 with just 8 sacks in 2020. However, Barrett showed up big in the playoffs-registering 4 sacks during the Bucs Super Bowl run and has the huge benefit of having a much higher proven floor than the other notable edge rushers hitting the open market (Bud Dupree, Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue)-cementing him as the clear top option for any blitz-happy team with some money to burn.
Possible Destinations: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals,
2.John Johnson III, safety (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)
For my money, Johnson is the most bafflingly underrated player available in this free agency class. Outside of a pretty miserable, injury-shortened 2019 season, Johnson has been an exceptional all-around safety since he was drafted by the Rams back in 2017 and at just 25, this sure-tackling ballhawk feels like he's only starting to scratch the surface of his potential.
Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns
1.Trent Williams, tackle (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Williams made a triumphant return to the field in 2020 after sitting out the entire 2019 season-reestablishing himself as top 3-5 left tackle in the NFL despite facing steep challenges as part of an injury-plagued 49ers offense that started 3 different quarterbacks during the year and considering that he's a proven talent at the most valuable position on the offensive line that appears to still be in his prime at 32 going on 33, his phone should be overflowing with calls from potential contenders that have huge o-line problems heading into the new league year.
Possible Destinations: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings
Other Notable Available Players:
Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)
Mackensie Alexander, cornerback (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Tyson Alualu, defensive tackle (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
David Andrews, center (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Dan Arnold, tight end (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Denico Autry, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Chidobe Awuzie, cornerback (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Dan Bailey, kicker (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Kelvin Beachum, tackle (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Le'Veon Bell, running back (2020 teams: New York Jets/Kansas City Chiefs)
A.J. Bouye, cornerback (2020 team: Denver Broncos)
Bashuad Breeland, cornerback (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Antonio Brown, wide receiver (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Jayon Brown, inside linebacker (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
John Brown, wide receiver (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)
Malcolm Butler, cornerback (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
James Carpenter, guard (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Chris Carson, running back (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Jurrell Casey, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: Denver Broncos)
Jadeveon Clowney, edge rusher (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Keelan Cole, wide receiver (2020 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Gareon Conley, cornerback (2020 team: Houston Texans)
James Conner, running back (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Jared Cook, tight end (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
Andy Dalton, quarterback (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Ronald Darby, cornerback (2020 team: Washington Football Team)
Corey Davis, wide receiver (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Michael Davis, cornerback (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Mike Davis, running back (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)
Kenyan Drake, running back (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Quinton Dunbar, cornerback (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Carlos Dunlap, edge rusher (2020 teams: Cincinnati Bengals/Seattle Seahawks)
Gerald Everett, tight end (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Eric Fisher, tackle (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)
Leonard Floyd, edge rusher (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Will Fuller, wide receiver (2020 team: Houston Texans)
Tashaun Gibson, safety (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
A.J. Green, wide receiver (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Shaq Griffin, cornerback (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Rob Gronkowski, tight end (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Lawrence Guy, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Anthony Harris, safety (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Shelby Harris, defensive tackle/end (2020 team: Denver Broncos)
Trey Hendrickson, edge rusher (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
Rashard Higgins, wide receiver (2020 team: Cleveland Browns)
Troy Hill, cornerback (2020 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Mike Hilton, cornerback (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
T.Y. Hilton, wide receiver (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Malik Hooker, safety (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Justin Houston, edge rusher (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Adam Humphries, wide receiver (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Richie Incognito, guard (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)
Melvin Ingram, edge rusher (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
William Jackson III, cornerback (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Janoris Jenkins, cornerback (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
DaQuan Jones, defensive tackle (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Marvin Jones Jr., wide receiver (2020 team: Detroit Lions)
Duke Johnson Jr., running back (2020 team: Houston Texans)
Lamarcus Joyner, cornerback/safety (2020 team: Las Vegas Raiders)
Matthew Judon, edge rusher (2020 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Kyle Juszcyk, fullback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Ted Karras, center/guard (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)
Desmond King, cornerback (2020 teams: Los Angeles Chargers/Tennessee Titans)
Carl Lawson, edge rusher (2020 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Alex Mack, center (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Marlon Mack, running back (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Bobby Massie, tackle (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
Jason McCourty, cornerback (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Takk McKinnley, edge rusher (2020 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Matt Milano, inside linebacker (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)
Keanu Neal, safety (2020 team: Atlanta Falcon)
Cam Newton, quarterback (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Yannick Ngakoue, edge rusher (2020 teams: Minnesota Vikings/Baltimore Ravens)
Larry Ogunjobi, defensive tackler (2020 team: Cleveland Browns)
Russell Okung, tackle (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)
Romeo Okwara, edge rusher (2020 team: Detroit Lions)
Cordarelle Patterson, kick returner/wide receiver/running back (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (2020 team: New York Jets)
Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Patrick Peterson, cornerback (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Brian Poole, cornerback (2020 team: New York Jets)
Sheldon Rankins, defensive tackle (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
Haason Reddick, edge rusher (2020 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Austin Reiter, center (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Xavier Rhodes, cornerback (2020 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Riley Reiff, tackle (2020 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Roy Robertson-Harris, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback (2020 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Curtis Samuel, wide receiver (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)
Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
Cairo Santos, kicker (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
Richard Sherman, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Kawann Short, defensive tackle (2020 team: Carolina Panthers)
Aldon Smith, edge rusher (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Jonnu Smith, tight end (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle (2020 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Jaquiski Tartt, safety (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Tyrod Taylor, quarterback (2020 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (2020 team: Chicago Bears)
Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle (2020 team: New York Giants)
Kenny Vaccaro, safety (2020 team: Tennessee Titans)
Kyle Van Noy, inside/outside linebacker (2020 team: Miami Dolphins)
Jason Verrett, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Alejandro Villanueva, tackle (2020 team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Ricky Wagner, tackle (2020 team: Green Bay Packers)
Sammy Watkins, wide receiver (2020 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
James White, running back (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Daryl Williams, tackle (2020 team: Buffalo Bills)
K'Waun Williams, cornerback (2020 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Jameis Winston, quarterback (2020 team: New Orleans Saints)
Deatrich Wise Jr., edge rusher (2020 team: New England Patriots)
Derek Wolfe, defensive end/tackle (2020 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Xavier Woods, safety (2020 team: Dallas Cowboys)
K.J. Wright, outside linebacker (2020 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Kevin Zeitler, guard (2020 team:New York Giants)
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