NFL Free Agency 2020: Predicting where 20 best remaining free agents sign
17. Carlos Hyde, RB
For all of the issues that the Texans had at various times throughout last season, veteran running back Carlos Hyde actually had some really nice moments in Houston. While he’s not the player that he once was in his prime, he can still be a bruising force in a rushing attack that can give an offense valuable snaps where he’s not just a body taking up one of the 11 positions on the field. It’s all about which teams need depth.
We saw last season as Saquon Barkley was dealing with hamstring injuries that the Giants running back depth currently leaves a lot to be desired. Hyde has proven in his career that he can produce solid enough behind poor offensive line play and bringing him in to back up Barkley could really help the G-Men keep their young star fresh while also giving them insurance as well.
Where he’ll sign: New York Giants
18. Timmy Jernigan, DT
The issue with Timmy Jernigan has never been his ability to perform when he’s on the field. In 71 career games (53 starts), Jernigan has 17.5 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and 47 QB hits. He’s proven he can be a versatile disruptor on the interior when healthy. But health has been of concern in the defensive tackle’s career as he has missed 19 games combined over the past two seasons.
Jernigan’s issues with health, however, could be to the benefit of a team like Minnesota. The Vikings don’t have a ton of flexibility right now under the salary cap but lost Linval Joseph and could lose Everson Griffen as well if he signs elsewhere. Thus, taking a cheap flier on a player like Jernigan in hopes that he can stay healthy would be a smart move for Mike Zimmer’s club.
Where he’ll sign: Minnesota Vikings