Let's try to find team fits for a few of the most notable NFL free agents still on the market. Teams often find bargains after waiting for the first few days of free agency, as players who had expectations of landing multiyear pacts instead settle for one-year deals with an opportunity to test things all over again next offseason.
Last year's best example might be Geno Smith, who signed a one-year deal to return to the Seahawks more than a month after free agency began. All Smith did was beat out Drew Lock for the starting job in camp, throw 30 touchdown passes and earn a three-year, $75 million deal to return to the team earlier this month. Not a bad use of $3.5 million for Seattle, huh?
I'll also hit two players who could be on the trade market and try to find a logical deal to land them new homes. First, I'll start with the free agents:
Bobby Wagner, LB
After a disappointing 2021 season led the Seahawks to cut their legendary linebacker, Wagner caught on with the Rams and looked rejuvenated. The future Hall of Famer might not be quite as fleet of foot as he once was, but he racked up six sacks and 10 tackles for loss, dropped his passer rating in coverage by more than 10 points and missed just two tackles all season.
One year into what was billed as a five-year, $50 million deal, Wagner and the Rams parted ways. I thought he would be an obvious fit for the Chargers, who run the same defense as the Rams and had a hole on their roster with Drue Tranquill leaving in free agency, but they opted to sign veteran Eric Kendricks instead. The market for starting off-ball linebackers has settled in the $6 million to $8 million range, and we've seen a lot of opportunities be filled over the past week. Is there a spot for Wagner?
