While most eyes are focused on the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, there are still plenty of big-name players available in the NFL free agent market.
While most of them are well past their best-before-dates, all of these remaining NFL free agents can still be impact players if they land with the right team.
So with that all said, let’s play matchmaker for the top remaining 2024 NFL free agents!
Where will these NFL free agents sign this upcoming season?
Justin Simmons: Pittsburgh Steelers
The two-time Pro Bowl safety was released by the Denver Broncos in a cap-saving move…and it’s simply stunning that he’s been on the market for this long.
Simmons is an elite cover safety with 30 career interceptions and 64 pass breakups. He could do wonders working alongside fellow superstar safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in Pittsburgh, adding another weapon to a stingy defense led by TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and Cameron Heyward.
Pittsburgh won the offseason by swapping out Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph for Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Adding one more big-time stud on defense would be a cherry on top — and they can accomplish that here by bringing in the four-time Second-team all-pro.
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Tyler Boyd: Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts desperately need receiving help after trading Keenan Allen and releasing Mike Williams. Yes, they’ll have the chance to take a top pass-catcher with the No. 5 pick…but why stop there?
Boyd, a two-time 1,000-yard wideout, saw his stats dip following the arrivals of Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. As a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver in La La Land, Boyd could regain that 1K form with Justin Herbert feeding him the football.
Boyd lining up with either Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers? That has a nice ring to it.
Stephon Gilmore: Baltimore Ravens
Gilmore remains a steady cover corner who should only be keen on playing for a contender at this phase of his career.
The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year makes perfect sense for a Baltimore secondary that features three top-flight defensive backs in Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams and Marlon Humphrey.
Gilmore’s big-game experience and championship pedigree could go a long way in helping the Ravens get over the Super Bowl hump once and for all.
Xavien Howard: Minnesota Vikings
It’s been a while since the Vikings had a pure lockdown corner, and this is their opportunity to finally change that.
Howard was cut by the Miami Dolphins in order to clear valuable cap space, but the four-time Pro Bowler still has plenty of good football left in him. Howard also might be intrigued by the idea of reuniting with Vikings DC Brian Flores, who coached the standout corner for three years in South Beach.
Also read: 5 NFL Free Agent Signings That Will Help Their Teams In 2024….And 5 That Will Be Disastrous
Odell Beckham Jr.: Las Vegas Raiders
OBJ isn’t in his prime anymore, but the veteran wideout can still come up with the occasional big play and serve nicely as a No. 3 receiver.
The Raiders already have a top receiving duo in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, but the three-time Pro Bowler could be a serviceable weapon for the Aidan O’Connell-Gardner Minshew QB room.
Beckham put up 565 receiving yards in a run-first Baltimore offense last year. A retooling team like the Raiders would be just fine with that production — not to mention that OBJ’s personality would mesh well with energetic head coach Antonio Pierce.
David Bakhtiari: Washington Commanders
The Green Bay Packers had no choice but to cut the oft-injured Bakhtiari in order to clear valuable cap space. Sadly, injuries have limited the former Pro Bowler to 13 total games over the last three years.
Nonetheless, he’s worth taking a chance on despite the worrisome injury history. A healthy Bakhtiari is still a difference-maker, and he’d instantly upgrade a Washington o-line that allowed a pathetic 65 sacks last year.
Gotta put a good o-line in front of your new rookie QB, and Bakhtiari would be the perfect short-term pickup for the rebuilding Commanders.
Michael Gallup: New England Patriots
The Patriots haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2019, when Julian Edelman hit the mark in his last year with Tom Brady. In other words, wide receiver has been an issue in Foxborough for a while now.
Not saying that Gallup would regain his 1,000-yard form in New England, but he’d be an upgrade over most other guys on the roster. The big-bodied wideout could be a nice addition to a New England team that will likely have a rookie QB under center next season.
Steven Nelson: Atlanta Falcons
The signing of Kirk Cousins puts the Falcons squarely in win-now mode, meaning GM Terry Fontenot has the green light to, well, make more win-now moves.
The Falcons already have AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates to lead a solid secondary, but you can never have enough quality defensive backs in today’s NFL. Nelson notched four picks last season and yielded a passer rating of only 73.3 when targeted, per Pro Football Reference.
Nelson would be the ideal No. 2 corner to accommodate Terrell, who’s usually assigned to the opposition’s top pass-catcher. A Nelson-Terrell cornerback duo would be the best in the NFC South and put Atlanta that much closer to its first division title in eight years.
Ryan Tannehill: Denver Broncos
Tannehill isn’t a starter at this point of his career, but he can still be a serviceable insurance option for a team with a shaky QB situation.
Right now, Jarrett Stidham is atop the Broncos depth chart, with Ben DiNucci right behind him.
Even if the Broncos end up drafting a quarterback in round one, it doesn’t hurt Sean Payton and company to have a suitable backup in place. Tannehill has 151 starts under his belt and would bring plenty of experience to a rebuilding Denver squad that could use more veteran leadership.
Also read: Grading The 20 Biggest Free Agent Signings Of The 2024 NFL Offseason So Far
Mekhi Becton: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs opted not to bring back Donovan Smith after an uneven one-year stop in KC. There’s always the option to draft a tackle in round one, but why not take a flier on a former first-round pick here?
Becton’s tenure with the New York Jets was marred by injuries and inconsistent play. But no team develops stud offensive linemen better than KC, and maybe a healthy Becton could emerge as a difference-maker with Joe Thuney, Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey there to help him out.
Connor Williams: Dallas Cowboys
This makes too much sense, doesn’t it?
The Cowboys lost center Tyler Biadasz to the rival Washington Commanders in free agency, leaving a gaping void in the middle of the o-line. So why not bring back a familiar face in Connor Williams, who spent his first four seasons in Big D?
A tough cap situation prevented Jerry Jones from retaining Williams when he left for Miami in 2022. Here’s the chance to essentially make amends and thus ensure that Dak Prescott still enjoys ample protection up front!
Calais Campbell: Cincinnati Bengals
Campbell proved that he can still play during his one-year stop in Atlanta, posting 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss in a rotational role.
At this phase of his career, the future Hall of Famer would be the ideal pickup for a Super Bowl contender trying to get over the hump. So why not the Bengals, who need to add more pass-rushing depth around superstar Trey Hendrickson?
A run-stopping force and well-respected locker room leader like Campbell could be of great use to a Cincy team that will contend for a title as long as Joe Burrow is healthy.
Andrus Peat: Seattle Seahawks
The offensive line has been a problem in Seattle for a while now, and the loss of standout guard Damien Lewis in free agency makes matters all the more difficult.
Seattle can instantly bolster the o-line by taking a flier on Peat, a three-time Pro Bowler and longtime mainstay on the New Orleans Saints offensive line.
He may not be in his prime anymore, but Peat is still an above-average starter who wouldn’t cost Seattle much in free agency at this phase.
Dalton Risner: New Orleans Saints
Risner had a solid one-year stop in Minnesota last year, allowing zero sacks on 745 offensive snaps, per PFF. Granted, Risner was used in a rotational role and only started 11 games — but his work as a pass blocker speaks for itself.
The Saints are still trying to win now with Derek Carr, Cameron Jordan and Marshon Lattimore. Why not add NFL free agent Risner to step in and replace the aforementioned Andrus Peat?
Ezekiel Elliott: Dallas Cowboys
It’s been reported that Elliott and the Cowboys have mutual interest in a reunion. There’s that, but also, how many teams would realistically be interested in “Zeke” other than Jerry Jones himself?
If it weren’t for Elliott’s burdensome contract, Jerry would have probably kept him in 2023.
With Tony Pollard gone, Jerry can bring back the familiar face and force Mike McCarthy to give Elliott an unnecessarily large amount of carries again. We’re half-kidding, but it’s also something Jerry would do.
Dallas has to bring in a new No. 1 RB, but bringing back Zeke for goal-line carries and pass-blocking — a field he excels in — isn’t the worst move. His return would also be a nice morale boost for a Dallas team trying to bounce back from yet another brutal postseason loss.
Adoree' Jackson: San Francisco 49ers
Jackson’s career has been highlighted by incredibly up-and-down play. Just look at his advanced statistics at PFR.
Schematic fit is obviously a key here for Jackson. And since few teams seem to develop stud corners as well as the 49ers, why not the West Coast for Jackson?
The 49ers have a dynamic cornerback tandem in Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, but the depth dries up from there. Jackson might flourish as a No. 3 corner in a San Fran secondary that was exposed by Jordan Love, Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes in the postseason.
Michael Thomas: Buffalo Bills
I mean…why not?
The Bills traded Stefon Diggs to Houston and lost No. 2 wideout Gabe Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. They have to add someone at wide receiver, right?
Injuries have derailed Michael Thomas’ career over the last four years. The key word is “IF”…but what “IF” he could just get healthy for just one year? If that happens, the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year COULD serve as a useful No. 2 or 3 pass-catcher to Josh Allen.
Marcus Maye: New York Giants
The Giants lost standout safety Xavier McKinney in free agency and haven’t found a suitable replacement…yet.
The cap-strapped Saints were forced to release Marcus Maye in a cap-saving move, but he remains one of the game’s elite cover safeties. Per PFR, Maye has allowed just one TD in coverage over the last three years — and that was in 2021 with the Jets.
The Giants’ secondary has been a problem for a while now. Maye’s elite cover skills and football IQ would make him a welcoming addition for Brian Daboll and company.
Hunter Renfrow: Carolina Panthers
Renfrow’s 103-catch, 1,038-yard season feels like a lifetime ago…but it wasn’t TOO long ago! It was only back in 2021, before Josh McDaniels arrived and ruined the good vibes the Raiders had built up under Rich Bisaccia.
Anywho, we remain convinced that the NFL free agent can still be a 1,000-yard receiver in the right offense. He was never going to repeat that dream year in Sin City following Davante Adams’ arrival, after all.
Bryce Young needs all the weapons he can get. Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson are a nice tandem to work around, but Renfrow would be a nice third option for Young there — especially on third down situations.
D.J. Chark: Los Angeles Rams
Well, it’s clear that DJ Chark will never regain that 1,000-yard form we saw during his 2019 year in Jacksonville. But he’s still good for 500-plus yards a season when healthy, making him a fine No. 3 option for a team looking to upgrade its receiving depth.
The Rams don’t have much at wideout after stars Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. If Chark could put up 525 yards on a lousy Carolina team as their No. 2 receiver, imagine what he could do with Matthew Stafford slinging him the ball?
With defenses focused on Kupp and Nacua, Chark would draw plenty of favorable matchups and become a nice third-down security blanket. Chark to the Rams on a one-year deal here just makes too much sense.
