NFL Analysis
9/12/24
4 min read
Top NFL Free Agents Left On The Market Who Can Help Teams After Week 1
Teams want to avoid overreacting after Week 1, but having actual games can give them the best chance to evaluate their rosters and see what needs fixing. During training camps, teams have faith in the players they bring in, but sometimes, that faith does not come to fruition.
Early in the season, some veterans are still on the free agent market, either recently released or just waiting for the right opportunity. There aren’t many game-changers readily available, but adding a useful role player could be a big benefit to teams as they go through the early part of the season.
Here are a few signings that could help fill some holes and weaknesses after Week 1.
Free Agents NFL Teams Should Sign
Hunter Renfrow, WR - Atlanta Falcons 
If the Atlanta Falcons are going to operate in a short, shotgun-based offense while Kirk Cousins regains mobility from his Achilles injury, having a shifty slot option could be the best addition.
Renfrow averaged under a yard per route run with the Raiders last season and had been slowly phased out of the offense once Josh McDaniels took over, recording only 50 targets in 2022 and 36 in 2023.
Expecting Renfrow to be the high-volume receiver in 2021 won’t be necessary, and the Falcons will likely be a low-volume passing offense. Just having the option out of the slot could be helpful after Cousins ranked 21st in EPA per play when throwing to the slot in Week 1. Half of Cousins’s six targets went to RayRay McCloud.
The Falcons only used 11 personnel on 48 percent of snaps, but when they did, McCloud was the most targeted player with seven targets, four more than Kyle Pitts. Drake London had none in 11 personnel.
There are many things that need to be worked out with this offense, but adding some more receiving talent, especially in the middle of the field, could help.
Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
Yannick Ngakoue isn’t the consistent pass rusher he was earlier in his career, but he can still be productive in obvious passing situations.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive front is going to create chaos. Only Denver blitzed more often than Tampa Bay in the season’s opening week, with a blitz rate of 42.6 percent. Tampa Bay sent five or more on 57.1 percent of third downs.
That led to the 13th-best pressure rate, but on plays when the Buccaneers only sent four pass rushers, they ranked 24th with no sacks. Getting something off the edge when the blitz doesn’t come could be helpful for this Tood Bowles defense that can’t exclusively live on sending extra rushers.
Having Ngakoue could also allow players like YaYa Diaby to develop, as opponents focus more attention on stopping the veteran rusher.
Jamal Agnew, WR - Washington Commanders 
Jamal Agnew could serve as a multipurpose addition for the Washington Commanders. He’s not the strongest receiver, but he’s served time as a slot option and backfield player.
Plus, his short average depth of target could help the horizontal stretch offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury enjoys as part of his offense.
Agnew could help in the return game, too. Washington only returned two kicks in the opener with Austin Ekeler, but both returns fell short of the 30-yard line. Agnew has been a capable returner on kicks and punts throughout his career and could benefit Washgton’s special teams to have more experience at that position.
J.C. Jackson, CB - Jacksonville Jaguars 
New defensive coordinator Ryan Neilsen wants to play aggressive man coverage. In Week 1, no team played more man coverage than the Jacksonville Jaguars (66.4 percent). The next highest team was at 43.2 percent.
Tyson Cambell had the most snaps of any cornerback in press coverage, per Next Gen Stats, and allowed just one target and no receptions on those plays, but he was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the next four weeks.
The Jaguars were already thin in the secondary, so adding more coverage options should be a high priority.
J.C. Jackson has been up and down during the past few seasons, but at his best, he plays as a physical corner. In press coverage last season, Jackson allowed a -10.8 percent completion rate above expectation. If he can get back to more consistent play, his strength could be fit in Neilsen’s coverage schemes.
