5 BEST WIDE RECEIVERS STILL AVAILABLE

BY ADAM GREENE

This is probably the latest in the offseason that real wide receiver talent, starting level guys, remain on the open market (or a perceived trade block). As usual, there’s always a reason for that.

It’s not my job to solve those problems — the injury recovery times and contract disputes. Mine is just to rank them and make suggestions as to where they should land.

5. WILL FULLER, FREE AGENT

Age: 28

2021: four catches, 26 yards

Fuller spent most of last season injured for the Miami Dolphins in his first season after escaping the Houston Texans franchise. With the Texans, Fuller served as a deep threat and WR2 for most of time there, recording career highs in catches (53), yards (879) and touchdowns (8) in 2020, but even then, he only played in seven games. In fact, Fuller hasn’t played a full 16 (now 17) game season once in his career.

Perfect landing spot: Chicago Bears

The Bears have one of the weakest wide receiver groups in the league with Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle and Velus Jones Jr. currently penciled in as the three-man starting rotation. Behind them, the best options are Tajae Sharpe and Equanimeous St. Brown. Of those players, Mooney is the only known quantity. I like Jones, but Pringle is just a guy. Fuller played second banana to DeAndre Hopkins in Houston, he’d be more than up for the challenge to do the same for Mooney in Chicago.

4. JULIO JONES, FREE AGENT

Age: 33

2021: 31 catches, 434 yards, one touchdown

For the second consecutive season Jones missed multiple games with injuries. In his last healthy season, Jones hauled in 113 passes for 1,677 yards and eight touchdowns. It was a spectacular season, but not even particularly special for Jones, who was probably the Super Bowl LI victory over the New England Patriots away from a Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket.

When Jones was on the field, he was effective, averaging 14 yards per catch. And while he did haul in just one touchdown, he had another taken off the board with a horrible call. Only Jones knows if he’s healthy enough to play, but even in an 11^th season he’d be a valuable WR2 on most teams.

Perfect landing spot: Indianapolis Colts

Jones probably can’t be counted on as a WR1 anymore and I’d guess a reduced per game workload would probably be optimal as well. He already has a career long rapport with Matt Ryan, so he should slide right into their rotation, no problem. More importantly, if there is a weak spot on the Colts’ it’s receiver. They’re counting on Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell to line up with Michael Pittman Jr. and those guys have 10 NFL receptions between them (all Campbell). I like Pierce fine and he could turn into something, but in the modern NFL you need three, if not four, viable receivers. Jones won’t just sign anywhere. He’s going to want to compete for a title and, no one (outside of the other AFC South teams) will be sad to see him and Ryan reunited.

3. ODELL BECKHAM JR., FREE AGENT

Age: 29

2021: 44 catches, 537 yards, five touchdowns

Few players had a wilder 2021 than Beckham Jr. He was being wasted and misused in Cleveland and, thanks to a “highlight” video his dad put together, was finally released. He landed with the Los Angeles Rams, because of course he did. It’s how the Rams roll and roll they did. After some early hiccups, OBJ became a key cog in the Rams offense that led them all the way to a Super Bowl championship.

But it didn’t come without a price. On his way to a monster game and a potential Super Bowl MVP, Beckham tore his knee up and, after offseason surgery and now rehab is currently unsigned.

Perfect landing spot: Los Angeles Rams

Any other team associated with a potential OBJ signing is pure speculation. He wants to return to the Rams and they want him back. So much so, in fact, that by the time this article runs he could already have rejoined the team, even though he probably won’t be ready to take the field until November. Every indication is he’ll end up signed by the start of training camp and he’s done nothing to calm it and neither have Sean McVay or Cooper Kupp.

2. DK METCALF, TRADE FROM SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Age: 24

2021: 75 catches, 967 yards, 12 touchdowns

Metcalf might not currently be officially on the trade block, but heading into the final year of his rookie contract with a notoriously cheap and trade-happy Seattle Seahawks, he could be moved at any time. Considering that the Seahawks are in a complete rebuild, this could be the time to get the most value out of Metcalf with a team that wants to sign him long term. And, for Metcalf’s sake, a team that he’d with which be interested in signing.

In three seasons (with Russell Wilson at QB), Metcalf has 216 catches, 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns. Whether it’s Drew Lock or a trade for Baker Mayfield (or whatever quarterback Pete Carroll wants to hand the ball off 40 times a game), the production probably won’t be there this season. Metcalf is a star on the cusp and, with another team, might break through completely.

Perfect landing spot: Buffalo Bills

First off, it’s going to take two first rounders and probably a third to pry Metcalf away from Seattle, even if they’re a little too eager to lean into a rebuild. So a team willing to give up that price is one that doesn’t have a receiver of Metcalf’s caliber, but doesn’t have any huge needs to fill in the first round of the next two drafts. It would have to be a franchise that’s built to win now and maximize the talent on its current roster.

Now, realizing that, there are better landing spots for Metcalf than the Bills, specifically the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. The problem there is both those teams dealt star wide receivers in the offseason that they didn’t want to pay. Receivers that they knew fit their attacks perfectly and they were sent packing. So why would Green Bay or KC look to make a blockbuster trade when they could have just kept the guys they already had?

Which brings us to the Bills, a team that did nothing but improve this offseason and plans on picking at, no worse, than No. 31 in 2023. Metcalf has skills that no other receiver on their roster possesses. He’s a big body who can serve as a deep threat and make contested catches. He might be the one missing piece to their attack.

As for staying with Seattle? I can’t see any reason, other than a fat paycheck, Metcalf would want that.

1. DEEBO SAMUEL, TRADE FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Age: 26

2021: 77 catches, 1.405 yards, six touchdowns, 59 rushes, 365 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns

Here’s the good news for 49ers fans. Deebo Samuel isn’t doing anything stupid that will cost him money. As such, Samuel, in spite of his offseason trade demands, has shown up to the mandatory minicamp. But, to protect himself (and the team if they do decide to move the All Pro multipurpose weapon) he did not participate in any activities. Samuel’s stance hasn’t changed — he apparently doesn’t like the way the Niners use him and doesn’t appreciate their contract offer. So that’s where we are.

Samuel’s demands are two-fold. He doesn’t want to return to San Fran and he also doesn’t want to run the ball as much as he did last season. The problem is, his value as a player for the 49ers (and presumably other teams) rests on that versatility. Samuel, as just a receiver, isn’t worth as much as Samuel the multi-tool. Plus, last year was his breakout season, his third in the league. He was nowhere near as dangerous, or important, to the Niners in his first two seasons. It is a dice roll to re-sign him at his present perceived market value, even without the caveats placed on how he’s used.

Perfect landing spot: Baltimore Ravens.

The obvious answer here is the 49ers. They want to keep him. He doesn’t particularly want to stay, but money can paint over a lot of problems. Failing that, the problem again for a player like Samuel is the high cost in acquiring him. Yes, the Packers and Chiefs could use him. But, no, they won’t give up the picks since they didn’t even re-sign the guys that they had. A team willing to surrender the multiple first rounders plus extras would be a squad that needs to win now. This is their window. Which tosses out a team like the New York Jets.

It’s also why the Ravens make a lot of sense. They don’t run a conventional offense and can’t really use an elite receiver. What they can use is Samuel as the All-Purpose weapon to open up the offense even more. I’ve made it abundantly clear that I’m no fan of Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman and his attempts to get Lamar Jackson crushed on a weekly basis, but Samuel would fill a big hole, open up their pedestrian passing attack and maybe take some running pressure of Jackson to keep him healthy and on the field.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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