5 BEST SAFETIES STILL AVAILABLE

BY ADAM GREENE

While I’ve not had any real issue putting together Top Five lists for every free agency position, the safeties group presented a problem. Quality was at a premium which is ironic, since this is one of the most undervalued positions in the league.

Like linebackers and running backs, talented and athletic safeties pile out of the NCAA ranks every year at nearly every level. There are guys that started in NCAA Division II that are holding down starting jobs on playoff teams, so you would think that would keep a glut of high value players available in free agency.

Not this year.

A lot of the available safeties are “just guys,” and “just guys” do find work. Sometimes a coach will just fall in love with having some scrub on his roster much to the chagrin of every member of that team’s fanbase. Of the five listed below, three are legitimate starters, but probably only one can sign on to a team and expect to land that spot in the depth chart on Day One. The other two, while not starting caliber out of the blocks, can still deliver some real value.

Regardless of the slim pickings, here are my suggestions for the five best free safeties still on the market.

5. JEFF HEATH, FREE AGENT

Age: 31

2021: 12 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one sack

Heath was a Dallas Cowboys special teamer and practice warrior that actually stumbled his way into a real career. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Saginaw Valley State in 2013 and made nine starts as a rookie. He played in plenty of games, but didn’t make another start until his third season. It was just one game and after spending a year out of the starting line up, he became the Cowboys’ full time starting safety in 2017. He kept that job through 2019. Heath left for Las Vegas in free agency in 2020, where he was back to the bench, starting just five games and did not make a start for New Orleans last year. Heath’s best season was 2018 when he recorded 85 tackles, six for a loss, one forced fumble, one interception and five passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: Jacksonville Jaguars

As I wrote in the preamble, this isn’t exactly the strongest group of free agent safeties we’ve seen available this late in the year. Outside of the top two guys, there’s a good chance none of these guys are on a roster when the preseason begins. What they can be is a stop gap if a team is hit with injuries or at least add some veteran leadership to a team in desperate need of it. While the Jags two starters, Rayshawn Jenkins and Andrew Wingard are undoubtedly better than Heath, the wily vet can add some depth, special teams play and a good locker room presence. With the Cowboys, Heath played (and delivered) in plenty of big games and no one else on the Jaguars current roster can boast that.

4. ANDREW ADAMS, FREE AGENT

Age: 29

2021: 24 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one interception, four passes defended

Adams was signed off the street by the New York Giants in 2016 out of UConn and made 13 starts as a rookie. He spent most of the next season as a reserve on the Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before starting 11 games for Tampa Bay in 2019. He was back to bench for Bucs for most of the next two seasons, but did start three games in 2021. His best season was 2019 where he recorded 46 tackles, three for a loss, one forced fumble, one interception and three passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have two pretty great safeties in Jeremy Chin and Xavier Woods. What Adams would add is solid depth behind them with legit championship experience. Adams does have a Super Bowl ring from the 2020-21 season and the value of adding a guy like that to a young and underperforming roster cannot be overstated. Not only that, he should have intricate knowledge of Todd Bowles’ defense and I can’t see how it wouldn’t help the Panthers a little to prepare to face the Bucs twice a year. They’re going to need all the help they can get.

3. ANDREW SENDEJO, FREE AGENT

Age: 34

2021: 40 tackles, two for a loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two passes defended

Sendejo is our third consecutive former undrafted free agent to show up on the list, but he’s the first one that’s been a significant starter in the NFL. He began his career with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL before landing on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster in 2010. He found his way to the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 and stayed there through 2018. He signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, was cut nine games into the season and then signed back with the Vikes to finish out the year. In 2020 he started 14 games for the Cleveland Browns and last year had 10 starts and appeared in 14 games for the Indianapolis Colts. His best season was 2017 when he racked up 80 tackles, one for a loss, two picks and seven passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: Atlanta Falcons

Sendejo has built a career lately out of being a mercenary starter for NFL teams and the Falcons are shallow at safety. Their starters, Dean Marlowe and Erik Harris are OK, but Sendejo would probably send one of them to the bench. At worst, he’ll add good leadership and depth. Playing the NFC South, they’ll face off against the Saints and Bucs for four games and those teams are dying to carve this secondary to pieces. Sendejo would at least give them a fighting chance.

2. TASHAUN GIPSON, FREE AGENT

Age: 31

2021: 47 tackles, one for a loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, two interceptions, three passes defended

I hope you are siting down because we have our fourth consecutive undrafted free agent to show up on the list. Gipson was signed as a UDFA by the Cleveland Browns out of Wyoming in 2012, starting three games as a rookie. He took over the starting safety job for Cleveland in his second season and kept it until leaving as a free agent in 2016 for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started there for three seasons before spending a season with the Houston Texans then the last two with the Chicago Bears. Gipson made the Pro Bowl in 2014, but his best year was probably the year before, 2013, when he recorded 95 tackles, two for a loss, five interceptions, one defensive touchdown and 12 passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: Minnesota Vikings

While Gipson would prefer to end up on a team where he’s guaranteed a starting job, that ship has likely sailed. What he needs to do now is look at contenders with shallow depth. The Vikings have a star in Harrison Smith and their first round pick Lewis Cine should start, but they have a chasm in talent drop off after them. Gipson would solve that problem and possibly allow Cine to play some nickel on passing downs.

1. LANDON COLLINS, FREE AGENT

Age: 28

2021: 81 tackles, seven for a loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, two passes defended

Well, here he is, the only player on this list that heard his named called on a draft day. Collins was the first selection of the second round by the New York Giants back in 2015 and spent the first four years of his career there. He signed with the Washington Commanders as a free agent 2019 and remained with them until they cut him this offseason. Collins was a first team All Pro selection in 2016, made the All-Rookie team in 2015 and was voted to three Pro Bowls. His best year was that 2016 season when he recorded 125 tackles, nine for a loss, one fumble recovery, five interceptions and 13 passes defended.

Perfect landing spot: San Francisco 49ers

Collins is the star of this group and the only reason it makes sense that he’s still unemployed is that he’s waiting for the right job to open up. San Francisco lost Jaquiski Tartt to free agency and, as of this writing, is attempting to replace him with former Indianapolis Colt George Odom. I don’t think that’s going to cut it for a team that leaned heavily on its defense even when its offense was humming. That’s something I find hard to believe will happen this year with Trey Lance driving the truck. Collins is easily better than Odum, but also offers the ability to step into a linebacker role as well if needed. And it just might be.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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