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1. EDGE Jadeveon Clowney
A recent addition to the free agent class, Jadeveon Clowney was released by the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. There were reports of a potential trade, but the team opted to cut him instead. Clowney, 32, was entering the final year of his deal in Carolina. Now, he’s back on the free agent market and looking to join a seventh team in eight years.
Talks of a potential reunion in Baltimore have already begun to surface. One of Clowney’s best seasons came with the Ravens in 2023 when he recorded 9.5 sacks. However, we’re looking at another one of Clowney’s former teams as a potential landing spot. His defensive coordinator in Baltimore just so happens to be the current head coach in Seattle — Mike Macdonald. Clowney played for the Seahawks back in 2019 and could reunite with his former DC who could use some pieces up front.
2. CB Asante Samuel Jr.
A handful of starting-caliber cornerbacks are still available. Rasul Douglas started 15 games last year for Buffalo and played well. In 2023, Douglas was traded midseason to the Bills and collected 4 INTs in nine games. Teams looking for slot help could bring in Mike Hilton, who played for the Bengals last season. Hilton is a physical defender who doesn’t shy away from contact.
Douglas and Hilton are both solid stop-gap options, but the most intriuging CB available is Asante Samuel Jr. And, that’s mostly due to his age. Samuel Jr. is just 25 years old. It’s rare to see a guy who covers as well as Samuel become available at this stage of his career. He played in just four games for the Chargers last year and is a poor tackler.
But, Samuel has natural skills in coverage that could be highlighted in the right scheme. San Francisco has an obvious need at CB after letting go of Charvarius Ward, Isaac Yiadom, and Rock Ya-Sin in the offseason. They can afford to take a chance on Samuel Jr’s talent.
3. S Justin Simmons
Simmons’ decision to leave the Denver Broncos ended up being costly. The longtime Bronco spent eight years in Denver and never reached the postseason. He left for Atlanta in the offseason, hoping that a Falcons team with Kirk Cousins at the helm would be able to seize a weak NFC South. Instead, Cousins and the Falcons flamed out while the Broncos made their first playoff appearance since 2015 — the year before Simmons was drafted.
During his tenure in Denver, Simmons was named to the All-Pro Second-team four times. He appeared in 16 games last year for the Falcons and collected 2 INTs. He’s still just 31 years old and has never relied on pure athleticism. Safeties can play well into their 30s — just ask Minnesota’s Harrison Smith who just turned 36 and is entering Year 14.
4. EDGE Za’Darius Smith
Za’Darius Smith’s availability is puzzling. He’ll be 33 in September, but still has plenty of tread left. He registered 9.0 sacks last season, and was a Pro Bowler just a few years ago. As a designated pass rusher, Smith can still produce at a high level.
It feels like a return to Detroit is in the cards. The Lions traded for Smith in the middle of the 2024 season after star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season-ending injury. Hutchinson is still working his way back after leg surgery, and it’s unclear what his form will be to start the year. Smith played well in his absence, and would give a stacked Lions defense even more depth.
5. EDGE Von Miller
Von Miller isn’t the same player he was a few years. And, that’s to be expected for a 36-year-old edge rusher entering his 16th season. His tenure in Buffalo did not go as planned. While he bouncedback from a goose egg the previous year with 6.0 sacks (in 13 games) across ’24, Miller did not record a single postseason sack in five playoff games with the Bills. That’s not what the team envisioned when they signed the two-time champion and Super Bowl 50 MVP.
He’s a situational pass rusher at this point. Miller played almost exactly one-third (32.9-percent) of the time when Buffalo’s defense was on the field last year. And, that number dwindled as the season wore on.
An obvious team to look out for here is the Dallas Cowboys, who allowed longtime stalwart DeMarcus Lawrence to walk this offseason. Miller was born in Dallas and played at Texas A&M. Growing up, he’s said that he was a huge Cowboys fan. Suiting up for his childhood team is likely something that would interest Miller at this stage of his career.
