It’s always been said that more depth wins more games, but it takes a deep team to win the Super Bowl. Last year, the Baltimore Ravens signed linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney after the June 1 deadline and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC while boasting the NFL’s top defense.
These late offseason deals may not amount to much in most cases, but they’re usually what separates good teams from great ones. The post-June 1 designation, explained here, allows some teams to gain more cap space to pad their team’s void, often by acquiring a more proven veteran at the position.
In 2024, 10 teams will have additional cap space on June 2nd.
Here are the top five free agents at each position, starting with signal caller.
Quarterback
- Ryan Tannehill
- AJ McCarron
- Blaine Gabbert
- Brian Hoyer
- Trevor Simian
The remaining QB class is… not very good. Tannehill is the best of them all, but he’s 35 and had an injury-plagued 2023 season. He can still be effective in a play-action heavy offense, but he might be better as a high-level backup. Good luck after Tannehill.
Running back
- Jerick McKinnon
- Damien Harris
- Kareem Hunt
- Latavius Murray
- Cam Akers
Honestly, I’m kind of surprised that McKinnon is still under contract. He’s a really good pass protector and very effective in the passing game. He’d fit very well in an offense that needs to step up in the passing game. Harris and Murray are very interesting options on early downs, and Harris is a good hammer in the game under center. Akers might have the most potential as a home run player, but he leaves a lot to be desired in both consistency and availability.
Wide Receiver
- Russell Gage
- Hunter Renfrow
- Sterling Shepherd
- Michael Thomas
- Jamal Agnew
The remaining WR group is interesting. There could very well be some solid WR2s and WR3s here, but they all have serious injury concerns. Gage is my pick for the best, but is injury prone. Michael Thomas is the biggest, though. He could be a very good outside receiver, but I’m skeptical about his availability.
Tight End
- Marcedes Lewis
- Logan Thomas
- Blake Bell
- Shane Zylstra
- Jimmy Graham
Well…if the best tight end on this list is a 40 year old tight end, you might be better off passing on this group. Bell is a really intriguing candidate as a 2nd blocking TE. Thomas was the Commanders primary receiver in 2023.
Offensive tackle
- DJ Humphries
- Charles Reno
- David Bakhtiari
- Donovan Smith
- Duane Brown
There are a lot of veterans on the tackle market, many of whom come in as left tackles. Humphries is a solid player who can provide stability to the line, as is Leno. Bakhtiari has been the best player he’s been throughout his career, but a number of injuries mean he may remain a contender until a team emerges with a Super Bowl aspirations.
Attack Guard
- Halapoulivati Vaitai
- Phil Haynes
- Trey Turner
- Mark Glowinski
- Matt Feiler
This guard market is packed with experience, with a variety of strategies and playstyles, and Vaitai is the best in this group, but there are plenty of others if you just need depth up front.
Center
- Connor Williams
- Connor McGovern
- Mason Cole
- James Ferentz
- Scott Quessenberry
The list behind Connors isn’t stellar, but the top two could be useful for a zone-blocking team, and Williams has experience at guard and center and could be a strong option if the starting center gets injured.
Defensive tackle
- Al Woods
- Linval Joseph
- Lawrence Guy
- Chris Wormley
- Brian Monet
There are still plenty of run stoppers left in the defensive tackle group. Woods is quite old but is a good 1T run stopper who can play on early downs. Joseph might be a bit more expendable but could be an intriguing addition for a defense that needs help in the run game.
Edge
- Carl Lawson
- Emmanuel Ogbah
- Tyus Bowser
- Yannick Ngakoue
- Carre Campbell
If the next team has a player who can make an impact like Clowney or Van Noy, it’s Lawson or Ogbah. Lawson has struggled with injuries and various talents, but he can be a very strong rusher in a four-man front. Ogbah was miscast in a defense that forced him to stand up at EDGE, but he would be a very good rusher in a four-down front to complement a player who is already a recognized star. Ngakoue is the best pass rusher of the group, but doesn’t contribute much else. Campbell is super fun, but may be nearing the end of his career.
Linebacker
- Kwon Alexander
- Zach Cunningham
- Blake Martinez
- Shaq Leonard
- Anthony Barr
Whew, there’s not much on the board here either. Alexander is a great off-ball LB but there are plenty of specialists after him. Cunningham, Leonard and Martinez are good against the run but are very limited in pass defense. Barr can be a good blitzer but that may be all he is at the moment.
Cornerback
- Stephon Gilmore
- Adoree Jackson
- Xavien Howard
- Stephen Nelson
- J.C. Jackson
The secondary group is dominated by older veterans. Gilmore, who also played at a relatively high level for the Cowboys last year, tops the list. In heavy man-coverage schemes, he should be a player to be selected. Jackson is interesting because he is young, has played a lot of snaps, and has good recovery speed. Howard may have played his best game, but he still has value if he plays the right position.
Safety
- Justin Simmons
- Quandre Diggs
- Micah Hyde
- Jamal Adams
- Eddie Jackson
There are a lot of guys in this group who would be day one starters if they were inserted today. Simmons is a surprise. He can play in the post and is very versatile in quarter-style defense. Diggs is a guy with a lot of energy and is always near the ball. Adams gets a lot of criticism, but for a team that runs a lot of simulated pressure and blitzes, Adams is really fun. Hyde has publicly stated it’s Bills or retirement..
