One year ago, Zack Baun was a little-used outside linebacker entering free agency for the first time after four quiet years with the Saints. He had never started more than six games or made more than 30 tackles in a season. In fact, he had hardly played defense; his primary responsibilities were on special teams. As such, he was nowhere to be found on pretty much any list of top free agents, no matter how big.
But the Eagles saw something. They signed Baun to a one-year, $3.5 million deal and moved him to middle linebacker. The rest, as they say, is history. Baun was a first-team All-Pro in his debut season in Philadelphia, the player at the center of the resurgent, dominant defense of the Super Bowl winners.
Baun is the biggest success story, but under-the-radar transactions like these can make or break teams. The Commanders — the team the Eagles beat in the NFC Championship — had their best season in over 30 years thanks to Jayden Daniels, yes, but also thanks to a ton of veterans on short deals, guys who many thought couldn’t still play at a high level.
Stars make the world go ’round, of course. They are the names we’ll hear and discuss the most once free agency gets underway, unofficially on Monday and officially on Wednesday, when the new league year begins. But pay attention to every signing, because you never know who could be the next great reclamation project or even just the next pleasant surprise or key contributor to a winner.
2025 NFL free agency matchmaker: One fit for each NFC team, including Rams adding Davante Adams to WR room
Jared Dubin
Here are 10 players outside Pete Prisco’s Top 100 free agents who could fit the bill. (NOTE: This list doesn’t include recent releases who would have landed in the Top 100, like Davante Adams or Joey Bosa.)
I will never, ever count out Nick Chubb. Not after his awful college knee injury, not after his awful knee injury two seasons ago and not after his broken foot (somehow his least-serious injury) last year. It may be foolish to think this way, but he has earned the benefit of the doubt. Given his age, injury history and position, he’s not likely to command significant money. He might just be a shell of his former self, a tremendous career sadly unable to reach even greater heights, but someone will give him a chance to prove he’s not.
Kirk Cousins was the face of the Falcons’ disappointing 2024, but Judon struggled, too. Brought in to boost a sagging pass rush, Judon posted just 5.5 sacks — his worst in a full season since he was a rookie — but more concerning, just a 8.1% pressure rate. For reference, he had posted at least a 14% clip each year from 2019-23. Judon is 32, and that age certainly doesn’t help his free agency profile, but we can likely attribute some of his struggles to him 1) coming off a bicep injury and 2) missing some of the offseason.
Judon could fit nicely as a situational pass rusher, especially if he can line up opposite an edge rusher who can draw attention away from him. As NFL coaches will tell you, you can never have too many pass rushers.
Risner missed a large chunk of last season after suffering a back injury in training camp, but the 29-year-old guard played solidly despite being at a new position (right guard instead of left guard) and allowed just a 4.7% pressure rate, his lowest since 2021. He hasn’t allowed a sack in two seasons, either. Risner has played each of the last two seasons on one-year deals.
Wharton is used to being under the radar. He was undrafted out of Division-II Missouri S&T in 2020, the first NFL player the school produced in nearly a century. But he was a key cog for the Chiefs’ defense each of the last five seasons and is coming off his finest campaign yet with 6.5 sacks and 33 pressures. Pro Football Focus gave him a 71.9 pass rush grade, which ranked 22nd out of 118 qualifying interior defensive lineman and just one spot behind the much more celebrated Leonard Williams.
Josh Allen called Johnson “the best third-down back in football” after Johnson’s terrific touchdown catch in the playoffs against the Broncos. While we may not go that far, Johnson was very impressive as both a runner (5.2 yards per carry) and a receiver (15.8 yards per catch, best among all running backs with at least 15 receptions) in his second year in Buffalo. He’s certainly not a feature back — in fact, he split James Cook backup duties with Ray Davis — but Allen’s praise shows just haw important he was. He’s a very good downfield receiver, a valuable (and rare) trait for situational backs.
Blackmon has struggled with injuries, but when he’s healthy, he’s proved he can deliver starting-caliber safety play and has a nose for the ball. He had three interceptions last year and four the year before. Just 26, Blackmon earned a solid 69.3 PFF grade, which was 30th out of 98 qualifiers. At just 26, Blackmon will get a shot to be a contributor somewhere, and if his body cooperates, the team that takes a chance on him could emerge very happy.
Teams could do a lot worse than Conklin at tight end. He’s reliable health-wise (two missed games in seven seasons) and performance-wise (zero drops last season), and he’s productive (170 catches over the past three years). Veteran tight ends who just know what to do can be a quarterback’s best friend, and Conklin fits the bill.
Ossai was a third-round pick in 2021 who has showed flashes but unfortunately is best remembered for bumping into Patrick Mahomes late in the 2023 AFC Championship Game, drawing a 15-yard penalty. However, he is still just 24 years old, and he’s coming off a five-sack season, more than his first three years combined (he missed his rookie year with an injury). Consider him a standout athlete with room to improve in a new setting.
Brown caught Daniels’ famous Hail Mary against the Bears, but it’s what Brown does without the ball in his hands that earns him a spot on this list. First, Brown is a physical blocker, something that shined in the Commanders’ quick passing game. Second, he drew 158 yards of pass interference penalties last year according to NFL Penalties, second-most in the NFL behind only Justin Jefferson. Brown did this in just 11 games, too. Staying healthy has been an issue, but Brown has shown flashes with the ball in his hands and is willing to do the dirty work without it, too.
Melifonwu, like others on this list, has dealt with the injury bug, but several of those injuries — a broken hand and a broken finger, specifically — aren’t the sort of long-term issues that would cause concern. When he has been on the field, Melifonwu has shown his explosiveness as a blitzer. He flashed in 2023, when he had three sacks, two interceptions and 31 tackles.
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