10 BEST NFL FREE AGENTS STILL AVAILABLE PART 3

BY ADAM GREENE

We’ve reached the top three available free agents as of the opening of third week of the NFL preseason. The men left are immediate starters and would likely be upgrades for the vast majority of NFL teams.

3. Devonta Freeman, Running Back

(Age: 28. 2019: 184 carries, 656 yards, two touchdowns, 59 catches, 410 yards, four receiving touchdowns)

Freeman’s numbers were down in his first year back from an injury-riddled 2018 and the fact that he likely wasn’t 100 percent last year has kept him contract-less so far in 2020. But Freeman still put up elite stats for a running back in the passing game. More than that, he’s a smart guy and was a superstar in the Atlanta Falcons’ offense when Kyle Shanahan was calling the plays.

Which might make a reunion in San Francisco make a lot of sense for both Freeman and Shanahan. Where I think he would really excel is an offense that likes to use the RB in the passing game, like the Los Angeles Rams. I don’t think they’re in the market after drafting Cam Akers, but another team in the NFC West would be the perfect place for Freeman to ply his talents. And maybe allow its own much-maligned offensive coordinator to open up the playbook a little.

Best Fit: Seattle Seahawks

2. Logan Ryan, Cornerback

(Age: 29. 2019: 113 tackles, four for a loss, 4.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 18 passes defended, four interceptions)

Ryan’s inclusion on this list might be the great mystery of our time. He was an elite defender in Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans defense and put up the numbers to prove it. A key contributor in the Titans’ AFC title game run, I have no clue as to why the team didn’t work to re-sign him.

He’s also versatile and can play safety, as he and his agent are apparently marketing to teams around the league. It’s likely that issues in deep coverage and a lack of downhill speed have kept Ryan sidelined so far, so perhaps the move to the interior defensive backfield is a smart business decision. But there are plenty of teams that could use 130 tackles and four picks on their defense.

Best Fit: Chicago Bears

1. Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End

(Age: 27. 2019: 31 tackles, three sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three passes defended, one interception, two defensive touchdowns)

While Ryan’s unemployment might be a mystery, Clowney’s isn’t. He wants a big, fat long-term contract in the $17 million a year range. That price is based on his performances from 2016-2019. And while his numbers were OK in 2019, they’re nowhere near that level of contract value.

Teams are in constant contact with Clowney and rumors hit Twitter every day of an impending deal somewhere. Until he budges off that figure, though, he’ll be on the outside of the NFL’s bubble looking in.

Best Fit: Pretty Much Every NFL Team

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