There are still some competent veterans available on the open market even though the early waves of free agency have passed.
Although the majority of these players are close to 30 and have dealt with injuries and other problems recently, they still have something to offer their potential new employers.
Although they haven’t yet found teams, these seasoned veterans ought to sign before the 2023 NFL season begins. Roster gaps will undoubtedly develop as a result of injuries and other unanticipated circumstances throughout the grind of training camp.
These six free agents have the chance to perform better than the expectations associated with the anticipated small contracts they are likely to sign at this time in the offseason, despite the fact that they may not be at the peak of their careers anymore. If you’re wondering where to kickstart your bet on nfl games online ahead of the 2023 season, look nowhere further other than busr.ag
Starting with Teddy Bridgewater, let’s have a look at these six players:
Teddy Bridgewater, QB
Teddy Bridgewater has demonstrated he is a quality backup quarterback who could step in if necessary, but an NFL team wouldn’t feel good about having him as its starter at this point in his career.
The 30-year-old did precisely that for the Miami Dolphins last season when both Tua Tagovailoa and Skylar Thompson suffered injuries. Despite not succeeding in either of his two starts during the regular season, he did manage to complete 62 per cent of his passes for 683 yards and four touchdowns overall.
Bridgewater’s NFL career has unluckily been dominated by injuries, including a horrific knee injury in 2016 that changed the path of his career and followed him into 2022.
When Tagovailoa was sidelined due to a concussion and a hand injury, youngster Thompson took over as Miami’s starting quarterback. Bridgewater had a mediocre 2021 season with the Denver Broncos in which he went 7-7 as a starter, but he still managed games well when he was healthy.
Bridgewater might not be leading his team to a Super Bowl, but if needed as a backup, he could hold the line.
It’s unexpected that he’s looking for a new contract right now, especially given the obvious lack of experienced signal-callers available (Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan are some of the only other options and both performed significantly worse than Bridgewater in recent seasons) and the low salary he would probably demand.
Trey Flowers, Edge
Trey Flowers recently terrorized opposition quarterbacks while supporting the New England Patriots in their title victories.
As a sophomore in 2016, the two-time Super Bowl champion made a name for himself as a key member of New England’s pass-rushing line. Over the course of his final three seasons with the team, he recorded 21 sacks.
Flowers joined Matt Patricia, the former defensive coordinator of New England who was hired as the head coach of the Detroit Lions in 2019, in the Motor City and enjoyed some early success, but injuries have severely restricted his effectiveness in subsequent years. The edge-rusher’s poor 3.5 sack total over the 2020–2021 seasons led Detroit to dismiss him.
Flowers made a name for himself with the Miami Dolphins last season, but he only played in four games. In four games, he failed to record more than one QB hit, and in mid-October, he was placed on injured reserve, ending his third straight short-season campaign. He is still only 29 years old, so despite his injury problems, he might still have some time left in the NFL.
He is a persistent rusher with a range of skills at his disposal when he is at his best. When fully healthy, he can easily defeat signal-callers and would be a great rotational player for many title contenders.
Given that Flowers is most likely to earn the veteran minimum on a one-year “prove-it” deal, any team willing to gamble on his comeback isn’t taking on much risk.
Kareem Hunt, RB
During his first season in 2017, Kareem Hunt rapidly established himself as a feature back for the Kansas City Chiefs.
After his career was abruptly ended by off-field problems—video of him physically assaulting a woman surfaced in his second season, leading to his release by the Chiefs and a protracted suspension in 2019—he made a comeback with the Cleveland Browns as a strong change-of-pace option playing behind star rusher Nick Chubb.
Hunt recently completed a four-season career with the group and is currently looking for a team that will give him a chance for a third NFL season.
For the most part of his time in Cleveland, the 2017 Pro Bowler performed admirably—at least when he was available. He played in 32 games over the course of his first three seasons, rushing for 1,406 yards and 13 touchdowns and adding another 763 yards and six scores on 97 receptions.
Hunt’s final season with the team was, however, a disappointing one, and he wanted a trade halfway through the season. The Browns were willing to trade him, but no takers materialized. After staying put, he finished 2022 with just 678 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 158 touches.
Maintaining Hunt’s services during the summer proved to be an unaffordable luxury for the team, considering Chubb’s existing contract and Jerome Ford’s anticipated expanded role in his second year. This was particularly emphasized by Terry Pluto’s statement on Cleveland.com, suggesting that the Browns believed Hunt’s speed had declined.
Although Hunt remains unsigned, it is highly likely that he will secure a position due to his cost-effectiveness, reliability as a seasoned player, and ability to make significant contributions as both a rushing threat from the backfield and a reliable pass-catcher.
John Johnson III, S
When John Johnson III became a free agent in 2021, he was among the best defensive backs available. The safety signed a high-priced three-year contract with the Cleveland Browns after a remarkable four-year stint as the starter for an exceptional Los Angeles Rams defense.
However, Johnson ended up being a bad match with the Browns, which resulted in his early release after just two seasons with the team.
While it is apparent from looking at his PFF grade, which declined from an outstanding 85.6 in his last Rams season to a mediocre 62.8 last year, that he may not have been a match in Cleveland’s secondary, he might still be a valuable player in the correct system. The Boston College graduate may still have his best years in front of him at just 27 years old.
Johnson should still be able to land a spot on an NFL squad as a playmaking safety with 12 interceptions across 86 career games, even if he is unable to recapture his Los Angeles form. He is competent in both coverage—allowing only 55.1 percent of targets to complete last year—and tackling, as shown by his 512 tackles over six seasons.
It would be sensible for any team in need of a safety boost to take a chance on Johnson making a comeback in 2023.
Taylor Lewan, OT
For almost ten years, Taylor Lewan was the offensive line’s linchpin for the Tennessee Titans. Since being selected No. 14 overall in 2014, he has played in 105 games, starting 100 of them. His time with the team ended after an injury-riddled 2022 season.
The 31-year-old was released by the cash-strapped Titans in order to become healthy at left tackle after the veteran missed 30 of a potential 50 regular-season games since the start of the 2020 campaign in addition to removing a sizeable sum of pay from the books.
Lewan is currently suing Dr James Andrews for medical malpractice, according to a report from the Associated Press (via ESPN). The tackle claims that surgery performed on his right ACL in 2020 caused “severe and permanent” damage. Early in the 2022 season, he had the same ACL tear, which finally resulted in his release in February after failing a physical.
Even though Lewan’s knee may not be as good as it once was, he appears to be interested in prolonging his NFL career. He has ruled out joining another AFC South squad, but he did name a few Super Bowl contenders as prospective destinations, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. Even still, the likelihood of him returning to Tennessee is slim given the record-breaking five-year, $80 million agreement he signed in 2018.
Lewan may possibly choose to retire, but he has been productive when playing. He played 13 games in 2021 while coming from his first ACL tear and received a good 70.9 PFF grade for surrendering four sacks and taking four penalties on 846 offensive snaps.
A contending club that isn’t confident in its tackle choices for 2023 might find it well worth the risk to take on that kind of production.
Dalton Risner, OG
At any time in the offseason, especially this close to training camp, it can be challenging to locate dependable offensive linemen.
Dalton Risner had a respectable season with the Denver Broncos last year—he played in 967 offensive snaps, according to PFF—allowing three sacks and receiving just one penalty—which is why it’s so surprising that he’s still up for grabs right now.
However, the 27-year-old seems to have little trouble finding suitors. As of last month, seven teams had “serious interest” in reaching an agreement with the Risner, according to Mike Klis of 9News.com. Before choosing which team to sign with, the guard is apparently looking for the ideal match. His market worth, according to Spotrac, is just under $10 million per year, which is still a reasonable price for an offensive lineman of his level.
Risner was selected in the second round in 2019 after a successful career at Kansas State. The 2018 first-team All-American has not been as productive in the NFL, but in each of his four professional seasons, he has had a PFF grade of 61.1 or above. His most impressive performance may have occurred in 2020 when he played 999 offensive snaps without allowing zero sacks and avoiding any penalties at all. In his first four NFL seasons, the 6’5″, 312-pound guard started each game in which he was involved, missing just four total games.
Since there aren’t many high-calibre offensive linemen left available, Risner will be a great addition to any team that manages to land him.
-In collaboration with OddsToBetOn.com
