NFL teams are starting to integrate their rookies, new acquisitions, and returning players in camp, but plenty of talented players remain unsigned. These free agents could affect the Super Bowl odds on the best sports betting sites at some point in the season, but they're currently looking for an NFL team to latch onto.
Let's see what the roster might look like if you started a team today using only available NFL free agents.
Quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater gets the nod under center as the best available free agent quarterback. He spent an injury-riddled 2022 season as the backup in Miami, but the 30-year-old Bridgewater has 65 NFL starts with a 33-32 record. Carson Wentz can serve as his backup, as it's nice to have some upside coming off the bench.
Running Back
This will be a run-first team with a three-man backfield of Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette. Rotating the three veterans will keep them fresh, and they have combined for seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Pass Catchers
Jarvis Landry has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his belt and Kenny Golladay has two. Beggars can't be choosers, so even though Golladay's tenure with the Giants was disastrous, he's pegged for a starting role on this team. Past-their-prime veterans Julio Jones and T.Y. Hilton can provide depth at the wide receiver position.
The pickings are even slimmer at tight end, with decent blocker MyCole Pruitt penciled into a starting role after a 16-catch season with Atlanta.
Offensive Line
The best available O-line fivesome consists of former Broncos Cameron Fleming and Dalton Risner at tackle and guard, former Titans Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones at tackle and center, and former Commander Trai Turner at the other guard spot.
Edge
This hypothetical team's strength is its pass rush, led by defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Jadeveon Clowney. Nagakoue's shortcomings defending the run likely explain why he's still a free agent, but he's had at least 8.0 sacks in each of his seven NFL seasons, including 9.5 with the Colts in 2022. Clowney's disparaging comments towards the Browns at the end of his tenure in Cleveland likely raised some red flags for prospective suitors, and the 2014 first overall pick had only two sacks in 2022. However, Clowney mustered at least nine sacks in three of the previous five seasons. Leonard Floyd, Melvin Ingram, Frank Clark and Justin Houston can rotate in as well at defensive end or outside linebacker.
Secondary
Marcus Peters, Ronald Darby and Bryce Callahan are the top three cornerbacks available. Peters returned to a starting role with Baltimore last season, after missing 2021 due to a torn ACL, while Darby tore his ACL in 2022 (the Broncos released him rather than pay him $12.7 million). Callahan had three interceptions as the Chargers' slot cornerback in 2022.
Former Rams and Browns safety John Johnson is an obvious starter for this free agent team as he racked up more than 100 tackles last season, and can play either safety spot. Let's slot in Adrian Amos as our other safety, as he's coming off a 102-tackle season with Green Bay.
Run Stuffers
We already have the guys responsible for sacking the quarterback and defending passes, so here are the top interior defensive linemen and inside linebackers needed to stop the run. Chris Wormley is probably the best defensive tackle available, though the former Steeler is recovering from a torn ACL. Matt Ioannidis -- who started 13 games for the Panthers in 2022, after six years in Washington -- is the top healthy DT. The best linebackers available are former Cowboy and longtime Viking Anthony Barr, as well as Jaylon Smith, who started 11 games for the Giants last season.
