Where will some of the top remaining NFL free agents land for the 2022 season? There are a bunch of big names still waiting to be signed.
Even though the 2022 NFL Draft is behind us, there are still quite a few prominent NFL Free Agents available, seemingly more than in a typical year.
With so many big names still available, we could have another wave — even if it’s a slow-moving wave — of NFL Free Agency in the typically slow-going post-draft timeframe.
We’ve already seen some moves happening around the league since the 2022 NFL Draft concluded, so let’s predict where five of the top remaining NFL free agents will land this season, starting with a superstar receiver.
Top NFL Free Agents still available after the 2022 NFL Draft
1. Odell Beckham, WR
Prediction: Signs with the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are not messing around.
After the 2022 NFL Draft, it really feels like the Saints have re-established themselves as contenders in the NFC if nothing else for a Wild Card playoff spot.
After drafting Chris Olave and Trevor Penning to boost the offense early on in the 2022 Draft, the Saints made a huge splash after the Draft by signing veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year deal.
The deal to sign Mathieu wasn’t just to get a hometown player back in Louisiana. The Saints are making a push and they’ve got to surround Jameis Winston with the best supporting cast possible.
Speaking of doing just that, signing Odell Beckham Jr. to add to the receiver group would be a great idea for New Orleans.
If Jameson Williams can tear his ACL and still get drafted in the first round (by a team that traded up 20 picks to get him) then Beckham Jr. should have no issue finding a home sometime in the next month or so as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered in the Super Bowl.
Just like Mathieu, Beckham Jr. would be another former LSU superstar returning to his home state of Louisiana to play for the Saints.
And the fit makes sense.
With Michael Thomas coming back from injury and Chris Olave being added to the lineup, Beckham would give the Saints a very dangerous trio of receivers to spread the ball to.
This might be one of my favorite potential fits of any remaining NFL free agent.
2022 NFL Free Agents still available after the 2022 NFL Draft
2. Jarvis Landry, WR
Prediction: Signs with the New Orleans Saints
Yes, I believe the New Orleans Saints should sign both Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, bringing them together as teammates at a third location.
Beckham and Landry were teammates at LSU before they became teammates with the Cleveland Browns.
Now, they could become teammates with the New Orleans Saints.
Although Beckham Jr. is not fully healthy right now, Landry has actually already visited the Saints.
Because signing Beckham could require you to stash him on IR until midway through the season, I love the idea of the Saints going out and signing Landry as well and really giving Jameis Winston four outstanding options to spread the ball to throughout the season.
Just like with Odell Beckham Jr., Landry would be returning to his home state of Louisiana to play for the Saints.
He could work from the slot and give New Orleans the opportunity to give defenses fits. How do you decide which player to cover?
I think with the matchup nightmares this kind of move could present, the Saints should absolutely consider it.
It might seem like overloading or fan service but the Saints had a bad wide receiver room a season ago and adding Beckham Jr. as well as Jarvis Landry could really transform it.
Top available NFL Free Agents after the 2022 NFL Draft
3. Jadeveon Clowney, DE
Prediction: Signs with the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a team that could go from a really rough situation to a really good one in a hurry this offseason.
As of right now, the Panthers are in a dead heat with their division rivals in Atlanta as having the worst quarterback situation in the NFL. The Panthers have Sam Darnold under contract and they just traded up in the 2022 NFL Draft for Matt Corral out of Ole Miss.
Over the course of the next couple of months, I think we could see them end up with one of Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo and if that ends up happening, the Panthers might want to get a little aggressive and upgrade their pass rush with a guy like Jadeveon Clowney.
There are some rumors floating around that Clowney might want to play closer to home (that’s been a bit of a theme so far among these predictions) in Rock Hill, SC.
The Carolina Panthers are about as close as he could possibly get and they have a legitimate need off the edge.
The Panthers lost nearly 30 percent of their sack production in free agency when Haason Reddick left to play for a team, ironically, closer to his home — the Philadelphia Eagles.
Clowney is coming off of a season in which he had nine sacks, one of the most productive years he has had as a pro so far.
The former number one overall pick could return to the Carolinas to play for Matt Rhule, who might be one of the top coaches on the hot seat this season.
Top 2022 NFL Free Agents available after the 2022 NFL Draft
4. Trey Flowers, EDGE/DL
Prediction: Signs with the Houston Texans
Nobody loves former Patriots quite like former Patriots, right?
Trey Flowers was once an integral piece of Bill Belichick’s defense with the New England Patriots, but like many others who have thrived in Belichick’s defense, Trey Flowers left for greener pastures and found that the grass isn’t always greener where the checks are bigger.
After racking up 21 sacks in his final three seasons with the Patriots (2016-18), Flowers has had just 10.5 sacks in 29 games for the Detroit Lions.
The Lions cut him loose this offseason and now Flowers is looking for a new team.
How about a reunion with Nick Caserio, a former Patriot who is now running things with the Houston Texans?
Caserio has signed just about every other free agent imaginable, so it stands to reason that he would have interest in a former Patriots star at the right price, right?
Caserio and the Texans somewhat surprisingly didn’t take an EDGE in the 2022 NFL Draft at all.
They have signed Rasheem Green and Mario Addison in free agency, and the team obviously has Jonathan Greenard coming up through the ranks and looking like a potential stud.
Still, they could use another versatile defensive line piece like Flowers, who can not only play on the edge but kick inside and do damage.
Perhaps health has been the primary issue the last couple of seasons but the veteran Flowers could rebound in Houston in a big way.
Top NFL Free Agents still available after the 2022 NFL Draft
5. Anthony Barr, LB
Prediction: Signs with the Denver Broncos
It feels weird that Anthony Barr doesn’t have a team yet for the 2022 NFL season.
One of the top NFL Free Agents available regardless of position, Barr just turned 30 this offseason and should have a bit of a chip on his shoulder for lasting this long, presumably waiting for the right situation both football-wise and financial-wise to present itself.
Barr’s resume speaks volumes. He’s a four-time Pro Bowl selection for the Minnesota Vikings who can do a little bit of everything at the linebacker position.
He can play off the edge and rush the quarterback, he can blitz, and he can play in coverage.
Built almost more like a defensive end, the former first-round pick out of UCLA should find a home before the meat of OTAs begin, and I think that home will be with the Denver Broncos.
General manager George Paton was part of drafting Barr out of UCLA once upon a time, and there are at least a couple of advocates on the Broncos’ staff with ties to Barr not just with the Vikings, but as fellow UCLA alum.
Not only did Paton and Barr both go to UCLA, but they also are alumni of the same high school in California.
Small world.
Given their prior relationship in Minnesota, as well as the ties to UCLA, the marriage between Barr and the Denver Broncos makes sense.
It makes even more sense when you consider that the Denver Broncos completely passed on linebackers in the 2022 NFL Draft and may have a need for a starter next to Josey Jewell.
The team likes Alex Singleton, but he might have been signed more for special teams than as a starter on the defense. They also like Jonas Griffith, a young player who may yet need some seasoning.
Signing Barr to a short-term deal wouldn’t be prohibitive cost-wise and could give the Denver Broncos’ defense an even further boost in 2022.