2017 Free Agents That Can Still Change A Team

Without nearly the excitement that was promised, the first wave of free agency has come and gone. We now more or less know what each team’s roster will look like come September. The big names have traded their respective places.

Now, with only scraps left to pick through, teams have only the draft to fill their roster holes and remake their identities. Big names with decling games like Darrelle Revis and Adrian Peterson will draw the headlines, but there is a reason that these guys are still available. Any unsigned player is going to have their problems.

However, to the enlightened general manager, there are still valuable players left on the market. For whatever reason, be it age, injury, or position group, are still left out to dry. Some of those players, however, may still have a story yet to play out.

Jay Cutler, Quarterback

As Peter King of the MMQB so eloquently put it, just being in the room with Cutler is like “drinking pickle juice”. The fact that he is still available tells us that much. However, with guys like Brian Hoyer, Mike Glennon, and Josh McCown penciled in at QB1’s, it’s crazy no one has taken a chance on the former Bear. Cutler is inconsistent in his mechanics and decision making, but he remains a capable starting option with rare physical gifts. Properly managed, he can provide better than average quarterback play.

Jonathan Hankins, Defensive Tackle

This one may be more of a case of a player slow-playing the market. Hankins provides value as a pass-rushing defensive tackle best suited as the nose in a 3-4 scheme. He’s apt in two gapping in the run game as well. Hankins isn’t a true three-down player, but any player still around comes with their set of flaws. He is coming off a pectoral injury. I’d imagine he’ll still get a contract like Dontari Poe.

Sam Shields, Cornerback

It’s easy to forget that we’re only a year removed from the days of Shield being the no doubt top dog in Green Bay’s secondary. A year of up and down play and an inability to stay on the field will scare off plenty of general managers. When healthy, Shields is an athletic man to man cornerback who can thrive on the outside. The depth of this cornerback has no doubt weakened his market. However, with as many cornerback-challenged teams as there are, it’s worth a shot to kick the cans on a potential starter. Expect a prove it deal to come sometime this summer.

Adrian Peterson, Running Back

Gotta add the headliner in here somewhere. Peterson’s limitations have been well documented. He’s a non-factor in the passing game and can only run out of the dot. He has had trouble staying on the field. He turned 32 Tuesday. His production notably fell off a cliff in the second half of 2015. However, there just aren’t enough backs out there that can match compare to the physicality he displays. Peterson can still add value as a two-down player for the right team.

Dwight Freeney, Edge Rusher

Freeney may be 37, but he is still a force to be reckoned with off the edge. He isn’t the every-down player that he used to be, but he still offers tremendous value as a situational pass rusher. In a 10-20 snaps per game role, he can look nearly as dynamic as ever. In 2015, he added juice to a flatlining Cardinals pass rush amid a deep playoff run. Last year, he helped buoy the high-flying Falcons and mentor the now menacing Vic Beasley. Expect him to sign to a contender during the fall.

Honorable Mentions: Brandon Flowers, Ryan Clady, Zach Brown