Top NFL Offseason Storylines: Biggest Names Available in Free Agency
- There are still a number of top players without homes as the NFL offseason is nearing its conclusion
- DeAndre Hopkins, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook and Jadeveon Clowney are among the crop of available NFL free agents
- Where might these players end up? A look at the possibilities follows in the story below
Some of the biggest names in the NFL don’t have a team listing next to their name as the NFL offseason is nearing a close. This group is including a two-time NFL rushing champ (Ezekiel Elliott), a former MVP (Matt Ryan), a four-time Pro Bowl selection (Dalvin Cook) and a five-time All Pro (DeAndre Hopkins).
Where might these elite players be taking their talents for the 2023 season? Let’s break down the top available free agents by position and see where they might be a fit.
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Several Top NFL RBs Still Unemployed in NFL Free Agency
Cook was the latest of the elite RBs to join the unemployment line. He was released by the Minnesota Vikings on June 9. Cook is in his prime at 27 and has rushed for 1000+ yards in each of the past four seasons.
Like LeBron James before him, Cook could be taking his talents to South Beach. He’s from Miami and is already being linked to the Dolphins. He’d be an ideal fit into what is looking like it could be among the NFL’s most explosive offensive units. The Dolphins are -110 to make it in the NFL playoff odds. It might be worth getting a wager down on Miami before Cook signs with them and those odds shorten significantly.
Waiting on Dalvin Cook like… @dalvincook #FinsUp #MiamiDolphins #dalvincook pic.twitter.com/iFlXGkmnQJ
— Phinhub (@Phinhub) June 10, 2023
Released by the Dallas Cowboys, Elliott won NFL rushing titles in 2016 and 2018. There was some speculation the former Ohio State star would return to the Buckeye State, but the Cleveland Browns evidently aren’t interested. However, the Elliott to New England Patriots talk continues to gain steam.
The Browns dropped Kareem Hunt, who’s still on the market, as are Melvin Gordon and Playoff Lenny himself, Leonard Fournette.
Hopkins Makes Offseason Visit to Patriots
The biggest news of the NFL offseason last week saw WR Hopkins visiting the Patriots on Thursday. Couple that fact with a cryptic tweet from Patriots LB Matthew Judon about the multiple Pro Bowl wideout and the Hopkins to New England talk was on.
I’ll match @DeAndreHopkins https://t.co/eIP57Q1okv
— Matthew Judon (@man_dammn) June 11, 2023
Could New England revitalize Hopkins in the same manner that Randy Moss once arrived in Foxborough and was reborn as an elite wideout? Well, the fact of the matter is that it won’t be Tom Brady throwing to Hopkins. Out of work since he was released by the Arizona Cardinals in May, Hopkins also met with the Tennessee Titans.
It appears that the Hall of Fame career of Julio Jones may be at an end. He’s unsigned following an injury-plagued 2022 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Limited to 10 games, he put up career lows in receiving yardage (299) and yards per target (7.0). At 34, thus far there’s been no interest from NFL teams in adding the seven-time Pro Bowler.
Other WRs of note still available include Jarvis Landry, TY Hilton and Kenny Golladay.
Thin QB Crop Left Out Of Work
NFL teams were wasting little time in solidifying their depth chart at quarterback. There’s just a few notable names who look to have lost out on this game of musical chairs.
The list of available QBs reads like an Indianapolis Colts alumni meeting. Indy’s last two starting QBs – Ryan and Carson Wentz – remain out of work, which is a stinging indictment of how poorly they performed as Colts.
Indianapolis is going away from the journeyman vet at QB, opting to select Florida’s Anthony Richardson in the first round of the NFL Draft during the offseason. No wonder the Colts are set as +10000 long shots in the Super Bowl odds.
Teddy Bridgewater, who seems to find a new team every offseason, is also still in search of a home.
These NFL Linemen Are On Edge During Offseason
After getting a QB, getting to the QB is probably the next biggest priority NFL teams seek to check off during offseason roster moves. Yet there are still plenty of top EDGE rushers looking for a home as we near the end of June.
Atop that list is Jadeveon Clowney. He’s gone through four homes over the past five seasons, His sack total with the Browns last season dropped from nine to two. He’s been linked to the Atlanta Falcons.
Another well-traveled EDGE, Yannick Ngakoue has played for five teams in four years. But he’s also delivered 19.5 sacks, 39 QB hits and 16 tackles for loss the past two seasons. The Chicago Bears are speculated as becoming his sixth team since 2019.
Trey Flowers and Kyle Van Noy, both multiple Super Bowl winners, are other EDGE rushers on the market.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
