NFL free agents 2023: Best players still available at each position, including Ezekiel Elliott and Odell Beckham Jr.

Vinnie Iyer

NFL free agents 2023: Best players still available at each position, including Ezekiel Elliott and Odell Beckham Jr. image

NFL free agency had a lot of good value players available. But after a busy first few days of teams all around the league signing top- and middle-tier free agents and making a handful of trades, there is limited help on the open market.

With teams re-examining where they stand in relation to the salary and cap and their upcoming positional target plans for the draft, they can determine where else they need to spend to fill holes.

From a handful of impact starters to a lot of role players, here's looking at the best veterans still unsigned:

NFL FREE AGENCY 2023: Tracking all the top 60 overall signings

NFL free agents 2023: The best players still available at each position

Quarterbacks

  • Carson Wentz, Commanders
  • Teddy Bridgewater, Dolphins
  • Matt Ryan, Colts
  • Mason Rudolph, Steelers

There's just backup material here left vs. real bridge solutions for teams. Wentz and Ryan hit a wall with their Colts tenures. Bridgewater was passed in Miami for Mike White.

ezekiel-elliott-getty-012022-ftr.jpg

Running backs

  • Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
  • Kareem Hunt, Browns
  • Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers
  • Darrel Williams, Cardinals
  • Kenyan Drake, Ravens
  • Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs
  • Dontrell Hilliard, Titans
  • Royce Freeman, Texans
  • Giovani Bernard, Buccaneers
  • Latavius Murray, Broncos
  • Jonathan Williams, Commanders

Elliott is the biggest name here, but given his status as an aging limited power back, Nick Chubb needs a new backup with Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson not signed by Cleveland. Fournette needs to go to a winning team as more of a savvy pass-protection and pass-catching specialist.

Odell Beckham Jr. 1-19 GettyImages-ftr

Wide receivers

  • Richie James, Giants
  • Julio Jones, Buccaneers
  • Demarcus Robinson, Ravens
  • Jarvis Landry, Saints
  • Odell Beckham Jr., street
  • Byron Pringle, Bears
  • Chris Moore, Texans
  • Randall Cobb, Packers

 Between the near career end foursome of Jones, Jones, Landry and Beckham, OBJ still has the most appeal — if he can take a one-year prove-it cheap deal for under $10 million and accept he's more of a big-play complementary No. 2.

Tight ends

  • Dan Arnold, Jaguars
  • MyCole Pruitt, Falcons
  • Geoff Swaim, Titans
  • Drew Sample, Bengals

Dalton Schultz (Texans) and Mike Gesicki (Patriots) were available for a while until snatched up by two AFC teams in need.

Offensive tackles

  • Donovan Smith, Buccaneers
  • Taylor Lewan, Titans
  • George Fant, Jets
  • Cameron Erving, Panthers
  • Jermaine Eluemenor, Raiders
  • Cameron Fleming, Broncos
  • Ty Nsekhe, Rams
  • Josh Wells, Buccaneers
  • Eric Fisher, Dolphins

Smith was fading for Tampa Bay opposite Tristan Wirfs and that's why the market has been lukewarm. Lewan is older with the durability issues to think there's a chance he may not play again. This well is rather dry after the versatile athlete Fant.

Guards/centers

  • Connor McGovern, Jets
  • Elijah Wilkinson, Falcons
  • Michael Schofield, Bears
  • Oday Aboushi, Rams
  • Ben Jones, Titans
  • Gabe Jackson, Seahawks
  • Will Clapp, Chargers

McGovern is better than the same-named player who went from the Cowboys tot he Bills, but he's limited to center. Otherwise, this list has a few plug-and-play starters and swing backups.

Edge rushers

  • Jadeveon Clowney, Browns
  • Bud Dupree, Titans
  • Justin Houston, Ravens
  • Leonard Floyd, Rams
  • Melvin ingram, Dolphins
  • Dawuane Smoot, Jaguars
  • Carl Nassib, Buccaneers
  • Carlos Dunlap, Chiefs

Clowney still is strong against the run but his durability and age (he turned 30 in February) are factors in him slowing down, a reason why Cleveland moved on opposite Myles Garrett. Dupree might end up back giving depth to the Steelers, the team that drafted him.

Defensive tackles

  • Chris Wormley, Steelers
  • Shelby Harris, Seahawks
  • Matt Ioannidis, Panthers
  • Akiem Hicks, Buccaneers
  • Ndamukong Suh, Eagles

The pass rushers inside got paid in a hurry, including the Seahawks upgrading from Harris (acquired in the Russell Wilson trade) with fellow former Bronco Dre'Mont Jones. These are mainly rotational run-stopping bodies. Hicks and Suh may have finally aged out.

Linebackers

  • Zach Cunningham, Titans
  • Kwon Alexander, Jets
  • Kyle Van Noy, Chargers
  • Anthony Barr, Cowboys
  • Damien Wilson, Panthers

Most of the best off-ball producers here got their big deals early.

Cornerbacks

  • Anthony Brown, Cowboys
  • Marcus Peters, Ravens
  • Bryce Callahan, Chargers
  • Troy Hill, Rams
  • Rock Ya-Sin, Raiders
  • Chandon Sullivan, Vikings
  • Eli Apple, Bengals
  • Shaquill Griffin, Jaguars

The Cowboys upgraded from Brown to Stephon Gilmore. Peters is a boom-or-bust veteran, while Callahan is relegated to slot duty. The rest are depth players at this point.

Safeties

  • Rodney McLeod, Saints
  • Adrian Amos, Packers
  • Chris Banjo, Cardinals
  • Duron Harmon, Raiders
  • Andrew Adams, Titans
  • Logan Ryan, Buccaneers

Amos still offers some nice starting upside.

Kickers 

  • Robbie Gould, 49ers
  • Ryan Succop, Buccaneers
  • Brett Maher, Cowboys
  • Joey Slye, Commanders
  • Mason Crosby, Packers
  • Randy Bullock, Titans

Gould won't end up back in San Francisco after it traded for Zane Gonzalez Maher hurt himself with all those misses in clutch time.

Robbie Gould
(Getty Images)

Punters

  • Matt Haack, Colts
  • Andy Lee, Cardinals

Haack is the more reasonable option here with Lee turning 41 in August.

Vinnie Iyer

Vinnie Iyer Photo

Vinnie Iyer, has been with TSN since 1999, not long after graduating from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He has produced NFL content for more than 20 years, turning his attention to full-time writing in 2007. A native of St. Louis, Mo. but now a long-time resident of Charlotte, N.C. Vinnie’s top two professional sports teams are Cardinals and Blues, but he also carries purple pride for all things Northwestern Wildcats. He covers every aspect of the NFL for TSN including player evaluations, gambling and fantasy football, where he is a key contributor. Vinnie represents TSN as host of the “Locked On Fantasy Football” podcast on the Locked On network. Over his many years at TSN, he’s also written about MLB, NBA, NASCAR, college football, tennis, horse racing, film and television. His can’t-miss program remains “Jeopardy!”, where he was once a three-day champion and he is still avid about crossword puzzles and trivia games. When not watching sports or his favorite game show, Vinnie is probably watching a DC, Marvel or Star Wars-related TV or movie.