The best available NFL free agents (post-compensatory pick edition)
On May 2, a contractual change happened in the NFL that will affect how (and how many) free agents still left on the boards are signed. On that date, free agent signings no longer add to the league’s formula for compensatory picks, meaning that NL teams can sign free agents without future picks going to the NFL teams those players previously played for.
That, along with the incoming minicamps, will have teams looking with a new eye at the league’s remaining free agents with a focus on which ones remaining will best fit their rosters, and best fill the remaining craters in those rosters. At this point in this process, none of these players are necessarily franchise-defining pieces, but you know how it goes. In the NFL, at some point, the bottom third of your roster will be just as important at the top third, and here are the guys who can fill that bottom third quite estimably.
With all that in mind, here are the best remaining free agents in the NFL — at least, for now.
Carson Wentz, Quarterback
(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback
(Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back
(Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports)
Kareem Hunt, Running Back
(Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
J.D. McKissic, Running Back
(Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)
Leonard Fournette, Running Back
(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)
T.Y. Hilton, Receiver
(Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
Kenny Golladay, Receiver
(Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
Sammy Watkins, Receiver
(Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)
Jarvis Landry, Receiver
(Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports)
Cameron Brate, Tight End
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Kyle Rudolph, Tight End
(Syndication: Unknown)
Adam Shaheen, Tight End
(Kevin Wexler-USA TODAY Sports)
Isaiah Wynn, Offensive Tackle
(Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
Eric Fisher, Offensive Tackle
(Syndication: The Indianapolis Star)
George Fant, Offensive Tackle
(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
Cameron Fleming, Offensive Tackle
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
Jason Peters, Offensive Tackle
(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
Ty Nsekhe, Offensive Tackle
Justin Pugh, Offensive Guard
(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
Gabe Jackson, Offensive Guard
(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Rodger Saffold, Offensive Guard
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Trai Turner, Offensive Guard
(Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
Dalton Risner, Offensive Guard
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Oday Aboushi, Offensive Guard
(Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
Ben Jones, Center
(Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
Pat Elflein, Center
(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
Leonard Floyd, EDGE
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Frank Clark, EDGE
(Syndication: Arizona Republic)
Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE
(Jenna Watson/IndyStar Staff-USA TODAY Sports)
Justin Houston, EDGE
(Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
Dawuane Smoot, EDGE
(Syndication: Florida Times-Union)
Robert Quinn, EDGE
(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
Markus Golden, EDGE
(Syndication: Arizona Republic)
Melvin Ingram III, EDGE
(Syndication: Palm Beach Post)
Linval Joseph, IDL
(Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
Ndamukong Suh, IDL
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Shelby Harris, IDL
(Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)
Myles Jack, Linebacker
(Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports)
Kyle Van Noy, Linebacker
(Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports)
Kwon Alexander, Linebacker
(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
Marcus Peters, Cornerback
(Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Eli Apple, Cornerback
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Casey Hayward Jr., Cornerback
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
Anthony Brown, Cornerback
(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)
Adrian Amos, Safety
(Wm. Glasheen-USA TODAY Sports)
Lamarcus Joyner, Safety
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Kareem Jackson, Safety
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Nasir Adderley, Safety
(Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
DeAndre Houston-Carson, Safety
(Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports)
