Free Agency Frenzy is almost upon us! Which means we are entering the peak of the offseason as teams begin to look to fill the holes on their roster, whether that is a team beginning a rebuild, or a team looking to reload for a potential Super Bowl run, every team has needs and questions heading into next week. Throughout this week I will be doing an offseason preview for every division, the previews will look at the impending free agents of the team, the biggest questions heading into this offseason, some potential names to target next week, and what they need to accomplish before the season begins. All of the contract estimations are used from Pro Football Focus via Over The Cap.
Dallas Cowboys
Impending Free Agents
HB – Javonte Williams (3 yrs, $23m total) (Resigned)
HB – Miles Sanders (1 yrs, $1.55m total)
WR – George Pickens (1 yrs, $28.06m total)
WR – Jalen Tolbert (1 yrs, $12.15m total)
G – Robert Jones
ED – Jadeveon Clowney (1 yrs, $10m total)
ED – Dante Fowler Jr. (1 yrs, $6m total)
LB – Jack Sanborn
LB – Kenneth Murray Jr.
S – Donovan Wilson (1 yrs, $1.55m total)
Biggest Questions
Dallas has a significant decision ahead as it attempts to reach a long-term deal with George Pickens. In recent years, Dallas has consistently waited until the last minute to extend their players, and it has had negative consequences every single time, with last off-season leading to the Micah Parsons trade. Pickens has been known as a high-temper player, so it might not be wise to wait around with this one and try to get a deal done before the start of the regular season. They will also need to continue adding to the defense as a whole. Currently, Donovan Ezeiruaku stands to be a good Edge defender for them, but they need a few more pieces if they want to compete. Adding linebackers, either via trade or free agency, will need to be addressed as both of the main starters will be entering free agency. They will also need to add some more players in the secondary to join rookie Shavon Revel and slot cornerback DaRon Bland.
Free Agents to Watch
Dallas has been known to not be big spenders in free agency, so they most likely will not be bringing in many big names. It would be really good if they could add some more edge depth, such as bringing in an Arnold Ebiketie or an Arden Key, someone young to put in the rotation, but also someone that won’t break the bank. Leo Chenal at linebacker would also be an amazing fit for them, as he is also unlikely to garner an extremely large contract next week.
Top Goals
Dallas will need to resign Pickens sooner rather than later; they will also need to add pieces to a weak defense. Finding a starting-caliber edge rusher and linebacker before addressing the secondary in the draft would be the smartest path forward, as they have two picks in the first round to use at their disposal.
New York Giants
Impending Free Agents
QB – Russell Wilson (1 yrs, $6.5m total)
WR – Wan’Dale Robinson (3 yrs, $63m total)
TE – Chris Manhertz (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
TE – Daniel Bellinger
G – Greg Van Roten (1 yrs, $3.5m total)
G – Aaron Stinnie
G – Evan Neal
T – Jermaine Eluemunor (3 yrs, $36m total)
DT – Rakeem Nunez-Roches
ED – Victor Dimukeje
LB – Micah McFadden (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
CB – Cor’Dale Flott (2 yrs, $15m total)
S – Dane Belton (1 yrs, $4.25m total)
Biggest Questions
The Giants have done a good job over the last few years as they have put the roster in relatively good shape. So the question turns to how the Giants will continue along this trend and keep the ship sailing in the right direction. They will be losing Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, and he is going to get a large contract so it would be wise to let him walk and begin to look for a reliable wide receiver two elsewhere. It could do some good for them to add a few players to the offensive line, barring both Jermaine Eluemunor and Greg Van Roten leaving in free agency; however, the Giants need to make sure Eluemunor returns, as he turned into a very solid Right Tackle for them last season. The Giants have also been in need of adding a reliable, penetrating 3-tech to line up opposite Dexter Lawrence, so this could potentially be the offseason to add that missing piece.
Free Agents to Watch
The Giants have some uncertainty at center, so John Harbaugh could want to bring in Tyler Linderbaum to take over that position, or for cheaper options, sign Ethan Pocic or Tyler Biadasz.
There are some interesting receiver options in free agency that could fill Wan’Dale Robinson’s role, but to address the wide receiver two spot, behind Malik Nabers, they have a better chance of finding that player in the Draft.
Top Goals
The Giants need to add depth along the defensive line and upgrade the secondary in some regard. With the right side of the Offensive Line potentially hitting free agency, they will need to shore up the line as well as a wide receiver in some capacity. They are still a few pieces away from being able to swing big via trades and big signings, but they are closer than in previous years.
Philadelphia Eagles
Impeding Free Agents
QB – Sam Howell
WR – Jahan Dotson
TE – Dallas Goedert (2 yrs, $24m total)
TE – Kylen Granson
TE – Grant Calcaterra
G – Brett Toth
T – Matt Pryor (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
T – Fred Johnson
ED – Joshua Uche (1 yrs, $2m total)
ED – Azeez Ojulari (1 yrs, $6.75m total)
ED – Ogbo Okoronkwo
LB – Nakobe Dean (3 yrs, $41m total)
CB – Adoree’ Jackson
S – Reed Blankenship (3 yrs, $21m total)
S – Marcus Epps (1 yrs, $1.25m total)
Biggest Questions
What will the future hold with A.J. Brown? There have been numerous rumors about teams potentially calling, looking to trade for the perennial superstar wide receiver, but it looks like Philadelphia won’t move him if they don’t have the right deal in place. Will they still be able to fill the holes of the roster through developing the talent already on the roster, and can that particularly happen along the offensive line? Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson might be considering retirement, and the Eagles don’t have legendary OL Coach Jeff Stoutland anymore so it might be more difficult for them to plug and play young guys along the line, much like they did with Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen.
Free Agents to Watch
The free agents to watch for the Eagles will be different from other teams, as their focus players will be ones on their own roster. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis will need to be extended in the near future, and the future of A.J. Brown on the roster is undetermined. So the future of the Eagles might depend on their ability to lockdown these players long term as opposed to signing anyone in particular through free agency. It is also worth noting that the Eagles have some of the least flexibility in terms of their cap flexibility this offseason, so the potential they don’t bring anyone else is rather strong.
Top Goals
The Eagles are usually one of the better teams in the league in terms of choosing the best way to allocate their resources, and they will need to bring in both veterans and rookies to reinforce an already strong roster. They are going to have to address the trenches this offseason, whether it is along the offensive or defensive line. The offensive line is aging and will need potential replacements for the aging veterans; meanwhile, the defensive line will need to reload, as there is the potential for some of their young talent to be walking out the door soon.
Washington Commanders
Impending Free Agents
QB – Marcus Mariota (1 yrs, $15m total)
HB – Jeremy McNichols (1 yrs, $1.55m total)
HB – Austin Ekeler ( 1 yrs, $1.3m total)
WR – Deebo Samuel (2 yrs, $32m total)
TE – Zach Ertz (1 yrs, $6.75m total)
C – Michael Deiter
G – Andrew Wylie (1 yrs, $1.5m total)
G – Chris Paul (2 yrs, $24m total)
T – George Fant ( 1yrs, $1.3m total)
ED – Von Miller (1 yrs, $5.5m total)
ED – Preston Smith (1 yrs, $1.3m total)
ED – Jacob Martin
ED – Deatrich Wise Jr.
LB – Bobby Wagner (1 yrs, $8.5m total)
CB – Jonathan Jones ( 1yrs, $1.35m total)
CB – Noah Igbinoghene (1 yrs, $4.75m total)
Biggest Questions
Washington has tended to build the roster around Jayden Daniels by bringing in older veterans. Names like Bobby Wagner, Marshon Lattimore, and Laremy Tunsil, while good players, don’t do a good job of building a young nucleus. And now that these players are beginning to show their age, it starts to show the lack of youth and overall lack of talent on the roster. So the question becomes, how can Washington turn this around this offseason? They need to use their current draft capital to both add youth to the roster and to acquire even more draft capital in the future.
Free Agents to Watch
The Commanders should be aggressively targeting names like Odafe Oweh and John Franklin-Myers. They have more cap space to play with than most teams in the league, so they are able to overspend on some bigger-name guys. They could also bring in a veteran cornerback, like Riq Woolen or Jaylen Watson, to help shore up the secondary.
Top Goals
The Defensive Line needs to be attacked with as much effort as possible. Dorance Armstrong is currently their best pass rusher, and they are lacking a true difference maker, so bringing in some guys through both free agency and the draft would be wise, and hopefully, they begin to trend back towards a playoff team.
Cover Photo Courtesy of NFL.com
