Kirk Cousins, Derrick Henry headline 2024 NFL free-agent studs and duds
The 2024 season has breezed past the quarter mark, with a handful of free agents making an immediate impact with their new squads. While every team envisions its offseason signees making key contributions from Day 1, it is hard to correctly identify which players will flourish or fail in a given system until the regular season hits the midway point.
With a few weeks to go before we reach that point, here is an early snapshot of which free agents have been studs or duds with their new teams.
STUDS
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
The two-time NFL rushing champion has turned back the clock since joining the Ravens as their workhorse back. Henry leads the league in rushing by nearly 100 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry on an assortment of downhill runs and sweeps. The 6-foot-2, 247-pounder continues to amaze with his unique combination of size, strength, speed and explosiveness. The veteran has popped big runs in crucial moments, closing out games like a relief pitcher in the ninth inning. Considering the challenge Lamar Jackson and Henry pose as a dynamic tandem executing various option concepts, it is unsurprising that the Ravens are the No. 1 rush offense in football.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons
The critics poking holes at the Falcons' quarterback plan have been eerily silent, with Cousins thriving as the leader of the Dirty Birds. Despite knocking off the rust from an extended layoff following his Achilles' injury, the veteran has engineered three game-winning drives to push the team to the top of the division. As Cousins continues to build a connection with Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts in an evolving passing game, the Falcons have quietly emerged as contenders in a wide-open NFC.
Xavier McKinney, FS, Green Bay Packers
It is hard to find a center fielder with the range, instincts, and ball skills to pick off five passes in his first five games with the Packers. McKinney has been a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's "see ball, get ball" scheme that prioritizes turnovers. The fifth-year pro is a ball magnet with the awareness to eliminate deep throws from numbers to numbers as a deep middle defender. With McKinney instantly upgrading the Packers' takeaway potential, the veteran's four-year, $67 million contract looks like one of the best bargains on the market.
Andrew Van Ginkel, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
The most slept-on free agent in the 2024 class has posted spectacular numbers in a reunion with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. As the Vikings' designated playmaker on the frontline, Van Ginkel has three sacks and a pair of pick-6s in five games. He has enhanced Flores' scheme as a crafty pass rusher and underneath dropper with the potential to create chaos from multiple positions on the front. As more observers pay closer attention to the Vikings following an impressive start, Van Ginkel could finally get the respect he deserves as a disruptive defender with big play potential.
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
The Texans' decision to sign the veteran to a hefty deal (three-year, $25 million) led to raised eyebrows and snickers in some league circles, but DeMeco Ryans and Mixon are enjoying the last laugh with the eighth-year pro averaging 5.5 yards per carry as the team's workhorse. Mixon has topped the 100-yard mark in two of his three starts, exhibiting the rugged running style and power the Texans needed to balance out their high-powered aerial attack. As the Texans round into form as a title contender, Mixon's re-emergence as an elite runner could push H-Town over the top.
DUDS
Devin White, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
The former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion was expected to upgrade a defense that desperately needed a disruptive presence between the tackles. However, White lost the starting job during training camp and was released after failing to play a single snap for the Eagles through four games. The disappointing outcome suggests the Eagles' front office and coaching staff were not aligned when inking the veteran as a short-term solution.
Gabe Davis, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars signed the fifth-year pro to a three-year, $39 million to shine as a big-play specialist on the perimeter. Davis has fallen well short of expectations, with miscues, drops and fumbles plaguing his game. Moreover, he has not displayed the big-play ability the team expected after watching him average 16-plus yards per catch during his four-year run with the Buffalo Bills. With the Jaguars' offense slumping due to inconsistent performance and countless miscues, Davis' mistakes are magnified as a high-priced free agent.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
The journeyman landed with the Raiders to solidify the quarterback position with his gunslinger mentality and playmaking skills. As a streaky passer who tends to attempt "hero" throws, Minshew can run hot or cold as a player. Despite completing over 70 percent of his throws as a starter, the veteran has hurt the team with his costly mistakes and turnovers. With seven giveaways negating his four touchdown passes in five starts, Minshew lost his starting job and is serving as the Raiders' QB2. Given his two-year, $25 million contract with $15 million in guarantees, the Raiders have not received a fair return on their investment from the veteran.
Bryce Huff, EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles' 2024 free-agent class could go down as one of the worst collections of signees in the Howie Roseman era if Huff does not turn his game around. The marquee free agent has just a half sack in six games after inking a three-year, $51 million deal to upgrade the Eagles' pass rush with his speed, athleticism, and skill. With a third of the season in the books, Vic Fangio and Co. are waiting on the pass-rush specialist to break through as a disruptive force at the point of attack. Whether Huff thrives in a role as a full-time starter or excels as a designated pass rusher on obvious passing downs, the fifth-year pro must make an impact for the Eagles to thrive in the postseason and validate their hefty commitment.
Jonah Williams, OT, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray's personal pass protector lasted one quarter before heading to the sidelines with a potential season-ending injury. Williams could miss the entire season after signing a two-year, $30 million deal that was expected to solve one of the Cardinals' biggest issues heading into the season. While injuries are a part of the game. Williams' early exit threw a monkey wrench in the Cardinals' rebuilding plans.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyB