The NFL draft is gone, so a third wave of NFL free agency comes. With more clarity about roster needs and how to attack them, teams look to add veterans to fill holes or add competition at certain positions—for example, the Baltimore Ravens signed tackle Joe Noteboom and the Green Bay Packers added off-ball linebacker Isaiah Simmons.
There are still several good options left at multiple positions. So let’s discuss where the top available players would fit best
That’s an easy one, because it’s basically the only spot where Rodgers can really start barring an injury. He already visited Pittsburgh and is taking care of a personal matter before making a decision, but the possibility is still there.
For the Steelers, it’s also the best option. If Rodgers decides to retire or to wait for the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh would probably be forced to trade for Kirk Cousins, a tough pill to swallow after his rough 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons.
WR Keenan Allen – Dallas Cowboys
Everyone expected the Cowboys to draft a receiver in the first round, but with Tetairoa McMillan off the board, they went with guard Tyler Booker instead. CeeDee Lamb is a primary slot receiver, so the best pure outside option is Jonathan Mingo—whom they traded a fourth-round pick for.
Keenan Allen is a big-bodied receiver with a proven track record of production, and he still played at a good level for the Chicago Bears in 2024, with 70 catches, 744 yards, and six touchdown receptions. His experience would help guys in the locker room, and his production and style on the field are perfect to complement what the room currently has.
S Julian Blackmon – Baltimore Ravens
With Kyle Hamilton slated to play nickel corner, the Ravens need answers at safety. One of them is their first-round pick Malaki Starks, and the other projected starter right now is Ar’Darius Washington, who had a solid coverage season in 2024, but is not a long-term fix after re-signing on a one-year contract. Julian Blackmon is still young at 26 and offers a good combination of high floor and low cost that the Ravens love. At this point of the offseason, signing Blackmon wouldn’t count towards the compensatory pick formula, which is particularly relevant for Baltimore
CB Asante Samuel Jr. – Green Bay Packers
The Packers seem to be more comfortable with their cornerback room than the outside public, as they didn’t take a corner in the draft until the seventh round. Keeping Jaire Alexander is still on the table, but that’s an uncertainty. They are one injury away from a real struggle, so adding a young player with a higher ceiling makes sense, even though Samuel brings some injury concerns.
G Dalton Risner – Houston Texans
The Texans are also a team in desperate need of offensive line depth. Currently, the guards are Tytus Howard and Juice Scruggs, and the only draft addition to the room was tackle Aireontae Ersery. Risner has had a weird trajectory over the past few seasons, and he’s taken time to decide his future year after year. Over the past two seasons, he ended up signing two one-year contracts with the Minnesota Vikings, playing one year at each guard spot. And he’s been really good in pass pro, which is extremely important to make offense viable for CJ Stroud
G Brandon Scherff – Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals put almost all of their resources on defense, not taking an offensive player until the sixth round in the draft—and the most expensive free agent addition for the offense was backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Right now, the projected starting guards are Evan Brown and Isaiah Adams, so the Cardinals could certainly improve. A 33-year-old former First-Team All-Pro and five times Pro Bowler, Scherff was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars for money reasons, but he can still offer a solid level of play, especially in pass protection
EDGE Von Miller – Washington Commanders
The Commanders had a lot of success with veteran additions last year, and Von Miller could be another mercenary/ring-chaser type—which is a combination Washington didn’t have to offer last offseason but does now. The projected starting edges are Deatrich Wise and Dorance Armstrong, so Miller could certainly be a valuable addition to the room. Even though he’s 36 and far from his physical prime, the former Super Bowl MVP had 32 pressures in 209 pass rush snaps in 2024 for the Buffalo Bills, which is better than Wise had for the New England Patriots.
EDGE Za’Darius Smith – Detroit Lions
Right now, Marcus Davenport is projected to start opposite Aidan Hutchinson at defensive end for the Lions. That’s certainly not the ideal scenario for a Super Bowl contender. Za’Darius was released from the Lions for contract reasons back in March, and the fact that he is still available proves that he can be a lower-cost move for Detroit at this point. Smith played eight games for the Lions last season after being acquired in an in-season trade with the Browns, and had four sacks. With Hutch back, Smith can be more efficient as a secondary edge option.
RB J.K. Dobbins – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs don’t necessarily need a running back, but that’s part of the point here. Dobbins played well for the Los Angeles Chargers last year, finishing the season with 1,058 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns. The point with Dobbins is that his knee can’t take too many hits, which means he needs a lower volume. In Tampa, Bucky Irving is the clear RB1, and Dobbins would share secondary reps with Rachaad White and Sean Tucker, probably adding more efficiency in the run game when healthy
RB Nick Chubb – Chicago Bears
The Bears were a possible landing spot for Ashton Jeanty, but the rookie was off the board when Chicago was on the clock. They have D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Travis Homer as veterans, and only added Kyle Monangai in the seventh round. Chubb is coming from his least efficient season, but the expectation is that he could produce more in 2025 two years removed from his ACL and MCL injuries. Age is not a running back’s best friend, but Chubb is still 29, so it’s possible that he has something in the tank
WR Amari Cooper – New York Jets
The Jets lost Davante Adams in the offseason, and now there’s not much beyond Garrett Wilson in the wide receiver room. They drafted Arian Smith in the fourth round and adjusted Allen Lazard’s contract, but adding a secondary option with a higher upside like Amari Cooper would be a significant step to make Justin Fields’ life easier