NFL free agency: Fits for Chandler Jones, Amari Cooper, more
By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFL Writer
The news of Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay by agreeing to a four-year, $200 million deal and the Seattle Seahawks’ blockbuster trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos dominated Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline.
Those two dominoes falling — along with eight franchise tags by NFL teams placed on players such as receiver Davante Adams, tight end Dalton Schultz and receiver Chris Godwin — helped set the table for the official start of free agency Wednesday and the new league year.
Rodgers’ new contract and Wilson’s new home likely are just the start of the fireworks, the first moves of what should be an active free-agent market next week. The legal negotiation period opens Monday, with a two-day window in which teams can begin discussing contract terms with potential unrestricted free agents from other teams.
Free agents cannot officially sign deals until the opening of free agency at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.
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The blockbuster trade of Russell Wilson to the Broncos sent shockwaves across the league. Colin Cowherd explores the winners and losers now that Russ is out of Seattle.
Now, with the futures of Rodgers and Wilson determined, teams that need QBs will seek other avenues. That has already happened; the Washington Commanders negotiated a trade with the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz.
Teams will also monitor what happens with Deshaun Watson and his legal situation. Jimmy Garoppolo remains another option, but he won’t be ready to practice for a new team until June, following offseason shoulder surgery.
On the quarterback free-agent market, Mitchell Trubisky, Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater and Marcus Mariota will receive attention as second-tier options for teams in need of a 2022 starter.
And it’s not just the quarterbacks, as top players such as safety Tyrann Mathieu, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff and receiver Allen Robinson are also expected to be available next week.
That said, here are five key free agents and their possible destinations when they likely hit the open market Wednesday.
QB Mitchell Trubisky
After four up-and-down years with the Chicago Bears, the North Carolina product left in free agency last season, signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal to be Josh Allen’s backup with the Buffalo Bills.
Trubisky got to sit behind Allen and learn from offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, now the head coach of the New York Giants. Trubisky is still young, at 27 years old, and is 29-21 as an NFL starter.
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Bucky Brooks gives his five most impactful free agents to watch this offseason, including Mitchell Trubisky, Mike Williams, J.C. Jackson, Haason Reddick and Harold Landry.
Daboll would be wise to bring in someone such as Trubisky, who is familiar with his offense and can provide competition for incumbent Daniel Jones. However, the Giants might not be willing to pay the price on the open market for Trubisky, who will garner interest from other teams.
"We’re going to bring in competition everywhere, but Daniel Jones is our starting quarterback right now," Giants GM Joe Schoen said when asked about bringing in competition for Jones last week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
It would make sense if that competition were Trubisky.
Destination: New York Giants
LB Von Miller
Secured in a midseason trade with the Broncos for second and third-round selections, Miller was a key part of the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl run defensively, finishing with 43 combined tackles, 14 quarterback hits and nine sacks in 12 games (including postseason).
Miller has said he would like to stay with the Rams and has received pressure from teammates such as Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald to run it back in Los Angeles.
However, Miller — who turns 33 on March 26 — remains one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. And this is the first time in his 11-year NFL career that he gets to test the free-agent market to establish his value. Pushed against the salary cap, it will be difficult for the Rams to match what Miller can earn on the open market.
Miller hinted on social media at a possible return to Denver after Wilson’s arrival.
And the Broncos have the cap space to make it happen.
Destination: Denver Broncos
WR Amari Cooper
Cooper is not yet a free agent, so we're fudging a bit here. However, according to reports, the Cowboys are expected to release him because his $20 million salary will be guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year.
Further, the Cowboys have a wealth of talented receivers, including CeeDee Lamb and pending free agents Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson, who should cost less to keep around.
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According to a report, four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper is likely to be released from the Cowboys, as is defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence, who has reportedly refused to take a pay cut to stay in Dallas. Skip Bayless discusses how much these losses would hurt the Cowboys.
Cooper is a polished route-runner who can create separation and would help a young QB such as Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals or Justin Fields with the Chicago Bears. Jalen Hurts could also use a possession receiver to field the ball, pairing with speedster Devonta Smith.
In 2021, Cooper finished with 68 catches for 865 yards and eight touchdowns — not exactly the stats NFL teams expect from a No. 1 receiver.
But over the past three seasons, Cooper is 13th in the NFL in receptions (239), 12th in receiving yards (3,168) and tied for 14th in receiving touchdowns (21). The Alabama product knows how to get open and could be an effective security blanket for someone.
Destination: Philadelphia Eagles
The Bengals need to better protect the team’s most important asset, quarterback Joe Burrow.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Bengals finished with a 14% pass-block win rate in the Super Bowl, the worst performance by any team in any game last season.
That effort followed a season-long trend of struggling to protect Burrow. The Bengals allowed a league-high 70 sacks in the regular season and postseason combined.
The quickest way to the quarterback is up the middle of the defense. The Bengals should look to add a talented, experienced center in free agency, such as Jensen of the Tampa Bay Bucs, to pair with Burrow.
Tampa Bay reportedly wants to keep Jensen. However, the allure of playing with another talented playmaker such as Burrow and having the chance to win a Super Bowl could be enticing enough for Jensen.
Destination: Cincinnati Bengals
Pete Carroll and the Seahawks need to get their swagger back after moving on from Wilson.
The Seahawks allowed 265 passing yards per contest last season, second-worst in the NFL, and totaled just 18 takeaways, 25th in the league.
The Legion of Boom is a distant memory. The last time the Seahawks had a pass-rusher with double-digit sacks was Frank Clark’s 13 sacks in 2018.
Jones finished with 10.5 sacks, 26 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss last season for the Cardinals, earning Pro Bowl honors. The 32-year-old edge rusher finished with double-digit sacks in six of his past seven seasons and would add some much-needed juice to Seattle’s pass rush.
Destination: Seahawks
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.