With training camps kicking into gear as the pads come on, NFL teams are getting a better idea of where their remaining holes are heading into the 2024 season.
Annually, a few weeks into camp and preseason, we see a cluster of moves as veterans without jobs begin to grab available chairs -- usually at reduced rates from spring signings. A few clubs will wait until after Week 1 to ink veteran players, so their contracts aren't guaranteed for the season.
With just over a month until the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens to kick off the '24 campaign, let's look at potential landing spots for some of the most notable remaining veteran free agents.
I went in circles on where to put Simmons. Multiple landing spots make some sense: San Francisco, Indianapolis, back in Denver(!). However, I kept returning to it making too much sense for the Pro Bowl safety to reunite with Vic Fangio in Philadelphia. Yes, the Eagles are sure to say they like their current tandem -- C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship -- and are testing out James Bradberry at safety. However, Fangio's recent comments railing at the perception that the transition from corner to safety is easy made me come back to a Simmons-Philly pairing. Maybe it'd be a luxury addition -- and the veteran's price tag would likely have to come down -- but it seems like an all-too-familiar move for GM Howie Roseman to scoop up an undervalued asset.
The tragic passing of Khyree Jackson, coupled with Mekhi Blackmon's torn ACL, puts corner depth in question in Minnesota. The Vikings could use a veteran presence at this stage. Gilmore showed last season, at 33 years old, that he still has gas left in the tank. Now he's the top remaining CB option in free agency. Gilmore and Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores crossed paths for two years in New England (2017-18), so there should be some familiarity.
EDITOR'S UPDATE: NFL Media Insider Mike Garafolo reported after publishing on Tuesday that the Vikings are signing veteran CB Fabian Moreau.
It almost feels like cheating, given that Williams visited Seattle recently. Leaving without a deal indicates the money wasn't on par with what the veteran is seeking as he works his way back from an ACL tear this past December. However, if other offers don't materialize, the paring makes sense. Williams, who played guard in Dallas before moving to the pivot in Miami, wants to remain a center. The Seahawks might offer the best spot to do so. 2023 fifth-round pick Olu Oluwatimi started just one game last season as a rookie. Comments from new coach Mike Macdonald suggest that it's a position Seattle might like to upgrade.
Sam Williams' ACL tear ushered in a need for a rotational pass rusher in Dallas. Williams was expected to take on an increased role under new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Now, there are snaps up for grabs. The Cowboys could test-drive younger players behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, but there is a role for a veteran presence that Ngakoue could help fill. He's coming off a down season in Chicago -- four sacks in 13 games -- but could bounce back in a rotational setting. His brief stint with Zimmer in 2020 (five sacks in six games) could aid a union.
Randy Gregory not reporting to training camp highlights the need on the edge for Tampa. YaYa Diaby showed promise as a rookie in 2023, but question marks remain elsewhere on the depth chart. Lawson is a proven pass rusher who couldn't find his way onto the field last season in a deep Jets edge corps. Now three years removed from an Achilles tear that occurred just months after he signed a three-year, $45 million deal, the 29-year-old should be in the mix for a prove-it contract. There are reps to be had in Tampa for a pass rusher looking for a bounce-back season.
Do the back-to-back reigning champs want to add a veteran presence or ride into their title defense with second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia or second-year pro Wanya Morris manning Patrick Mahomes' blind side? Bakhtiari is the most talented option if the Chiefs plan to add a veteran during or after camp. The two-time first-team All-Pro told ESPN in June that he wants to play a couple more years, and spending at least one of those helping Kansas City chase a three-peat makes sense. The question is health, as the longtime Packers stalwart played just 13 games over the past three seasons. Bakhtiari told ESPN he expected to be cleared near the end of August or early in September. That timeline could line up for K.C. The Chiefs can work out Suamataia and Morris during camp and the preseason, and if neither locks down the job, they could turn to a highly experienced vet. In this scenario, having young backups the organization likes would be a backstop if injuries were to strike Bakhtiari again.
Given Dallas' offseason inactivity, it shouldn't be a surprise seeing the Cowboys on this list twice. Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin and sixth-round pick Ryan Flournoy are battling for the WR3 spot during preseason action. The Jalens have the leg up on locking down the spot, but if no one stands out, the 'Boys should look for a veteran to fill the void. Thomas hasn't been healthy the past four seasons, but he can still win off the line of scrimmage and provide size. His ability to play the boundary and slot would fit well with CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. It would be a low-risk, high-upside move for Dallas to put Thomas in Mike McCarthy's offense.