• EDGE Jadeveon Clowney: While he is coming off a down year in the pass-rushing department, he would be a valuable addition opposite Brian Burns in Carolina.
• OG Dalton Risner: The Raiders invested heavily in defense in the 2023 NFL Draft and could stand to add more pass-protecting help for new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
• S Adrian Amos: The Packers added only one safety in the draft in Iowa State’s Anthony Johnson Jr. and could use more help on the back end.
Estimated Reading Time: 10 mins
The 2023 NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror, which means another key NFL date has arrived. At 4 p.m. EST on the Monday following each draft, veteran free-agent signings no longer impact the compensatory pick formula. Teams waiting to add reinforcements so as not to miss out on extra draft capital in 2024 have been patient, but now they can add talent with no downside.
More importantly, all 32 NFL teams now have a better outlook of their rosters following three days and seven rounds of high-octane drafting. As the dust settles, the few remaining free agents who could make a major impact in 2023 may find new homes soon. Here, we project where they may fit the best.
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EDGE JADEVEON CLOWNEY
- 2023 team prediction: Carolina Panthers
- Original FA ranking: 32
The Panthers added Oregon edge defender DJ Johnson in the third round of the draft and have a few other young pieces on the roster, but if they want this loaded defense to truly be among the league’s best, they can’t have a potential weak link on the defensive line opposite Brian Burns.
Clowney is coming off a down year in the pass-rushing department, totaling only 29 pressures and two sacks, but a change of scenery could allow him to thrive again, similar to his first year in Cleveland. Clowney is one of the best run-defending edges in the NFL over the past decade and should benefit from a lot of talent around him.
New Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has historically deployed a 3-4 base defense, and that is the expectation going forward, but the defense will be multiple in 2023 and Clowney has experience in both fronts. He would also be returning to the area he grew up in and where he played college football at South Carolina.
CB ROCK YA-SIN
- 2023 team prediction: Baltimore Ravens
- Original FA ranking: 43
With Marcus Peters remaining unsigned and the Ravens not selecting a cornerback in the draft inside the top 150, Rock Ya-Sin brings good pressman ability on the outside to Baltimore. The former second-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts earned a 74.4 coverage grade lined up out wide over the past two seasons, which ranks 24th, and he allowed an explosive reception on just 0.9% of coverage snaps, which was the top mark across the entire NFL.
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