It may be a year away. But let’s make some way-too-soon NFL free agency predictions where top players end up to kick off 2022.
The global pandemic and a diminished salary cap in 2021 has an immediate impact on NFL free agency this offseason, obviously, there could easily be a ripple effect that carries over for years, potentially.
While the 2021 cap is estimated to be close to $183 million, updated television and streaming revenues with new media contracts could cause the 2022 cap to spike well beyond anything it has been in recent years, creating a market where pending free agents can cash in on deals those other free agents this offseason likely never would have had a shot at.
Needless to say, NFL free agency should be pretty wild a little over a year from now.
Yes, there are a lot of unknowns facing the 2022 free-agent class. Many players are likely to be re-signed or, at the very least, hit with the franchise tag. Others may walk though, but even their futures are unclear because of other teams’ financial situations.
Again, those are unclear. But it doesn’t mean we should avoid having some fun and offering up some way-too-early predictions for the top 25 pending free agents for 2022 and where they wind up playing a little over a year from now.
2022 NFL free agency: Eric Fisher to Buffalo Bills
Super Bowl LV showed just how important it is to have quality offensive lines, and the Kansas City Chiefs being without Pro Bowl left tackle Eric Fisher made life hell for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs are going to face some challenging roster and cap situations in the upcoming years, and it’s probably likely they let Fisher walk in NFL free agency in 2022 anyway. Especially considering he’s 30 years old, the Chiefs don’t have too many other roster needs and this year’s draft is laden with quality offensive linemen.
The Buffalo Bills, too, have O-line needs with four of their five starters pegged for free agency this offseason. And while they’ll likely use at least a few picks to address this, one offseason won’t solve all the needs.
Fisher would make for a veteran presence along a likely rebuilding Buffalo O-line in 2022.