7 Under-the-Radar NFL Free Agents Who Could Be Steals on the 2024 Market

David KenyonFeatured Columnist IVMarch 1, 20247 Under-the-Radar NFL Free Agents Who Could Be Steals on the 2024 Market0 of 7

LB Azeez Al-ShaairWesley Hitt/Getty Images

The start of 2024 NFL free agency is right around the corner.

When the legal tampering period opens on March 11, most of the attention will focus on marquee free agents like Kirk Cousins, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and more.

But there are hundreds of other potential impact players who will be signing and not receiving as much press.

What defines an “under-the-radar” free agent is subjective. Our focus is on those who should immediately slot into a lineup (or rotation) with contributions that outperform a comparable player of their salary.

Derek Barnett, Edge1 of 7

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While the “bust” label is not accurate for Derek Barnett, he didn’t meet expectations as a 2017 first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles. He had only 21.5 sacks across 73 career regular-season games with the Birds.

Sometimes, though, a player just needs a change a scenery to reach his potential.

Philly released Barnett late in November 2023, and the Houston Texans claimed him off waivers three days later. The edge-rusher soon became a starter for them, collecting 3.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in seven total appearances with the Texans and helping them win a surprise AFC South title.

Thanks to that surge, Barnett—who turns 28 this offseason—can be valued as a low-end starter. He isn’t likely to ever be a 10-sack player, but he’s a solid run defender and still has upside as a pass-rusher.

Playoff contenders with cap space, such as Houston and the Detroit Lions, should be interested in Barnett.

Noah Brown, WR2 of 7

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The rise of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud sparked the Texans’ exciting year, but their young receiving corps quietly played a key role.

Nico Collins had a breakout season with a career-high 1,297 yards, and Tank Dell—when healthy—tallied a superb 15.1 yards per reception. Noah Brown also tallied a career-high 567 yards despite appearing in only 10 games.

So, what does Brown want out of his next situation?

After consecutive 500-yard seasons, the 28-year-old has proved he deserves regular snaps. But is he satisfied with being a complementary piece on a competitive team, or does he want to start? The latter opportunity might not coincide with a roster expected to win much.

Where he lands will shape expectations. No matter if that’s a return to Houston or joining a team like the Philadelphia Eagles or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown should be productive in his role.

Tyrel Dodson, LB3 of 7

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Tyrel Dodson is a great example of a player capitalizing on an opportunity. His playing time spiked following a season-ending leg injury to Buffalo Bills star linebacker Matt Milano, but he took advantage of those snaps.

Dodson racked up 74 tackles on the year, surpassing his 69 stops in three previous years combined. He notched eight tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks and performed well in coverage, ceding only 7.9 yards per target.

Milano’s return alongside Terrel Bernard means the Bills don’t necessarily need to keep Dodson, as much as they might want to. They’re currently projected to be a league-high $41.2 million over the salary cap, so they have work to do just to become cap-compliant.

If a reunion isn’t in the cards, any number of defenses—the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers or Los Angeles Chargers, to name a few—would benefit from picking up Dodson.

Jordan Fuller, S4 of 7

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After missing 14 games in 2022, Jordan Fuller made an emphatic return to the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. The fourth-year safety piled up 94 tackles—the second-highest mark on the team—along with three interceptions, three forced fumbles and eight pass breakups.

Still, it’s easy to lose sight of the Ohio State product in this free-agent class.

Antoine Winfield Jr. is a big-money star, and Kyle Dugger, Kamren Curl and Xavier McKinney should be highly valued as well. You’d probably need to scroll a bit to find Fuller in any ranking of the top free-agent safeties, but his impact is unmistakable.

Fuller is very much a center field type of safety—he’s logged a total of nine blitzes in his career—but he’s a playmaker in coverage and a sound tackler (only six misses in 2023).

Los Angeles would be wise to re-sign Fuller, but he should also appeal to the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears or Green Bay Packers, among others.

Zack Moss, RB5 of 7

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Running backs face a challenging market, so there may be plenty of free-agent steals at the position. In particular, Zack Moss looks like a prime low-cost candidate with the upside of a starter.

Last season, Moss tallied career-best marks of 794 yards and five touchdowns across 14 games (including eight starts) with the Indianapolis Colts. He caught 27 passes for 192 yards and two more scores, giving the Colts a steady hand in the backfield as star runner Jonathan Taylor dealt with injury issues.

Moss could always re-sign in Indy and back up Taylor again. Heading his age-27 season, though, he might be tempted to chase a bigger payday.

Along with the Colts, the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers and New York Giants would be logical destinations for Moss. The Cincinnati Bengals could be as well if they move on from Joe Mixon this offseason.

Jon Runyan, OG6 of 7

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The ascent of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love can be attributed to a variety of factors, including a fast-improving young offensive line. However, Jon Runyan saw his playing time drop down the stretch of the 2023 season.

Runyan played every offensive snap for Green Bay in the first seven games of the year. However, 2023 third-round pick Sean Rhyan eventually began working into a role of 20-plus plays per week.

Since the Packers are likely to prioritize Rhyan and his inexpensive rookie deal, Runyan is an attractive free agent. Not only does he offer three seasons of starting experience at left and right guard, but Runyan has never missed a game in four years.

Runyan figures to attract plenty of interest, perhaps from the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets or other offenses with a need on the interior of the line.

Azeez Al-Shaair, LB7 of 7

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Azeez Al-Shaair bet on himself, and it’s about to pay off.

Undrafted in 2019, the linebacker caught on with the San Francisco 49ers and rapidly earned a notable role. He started four games as a rookie, five in 2020 and 13 in 2021—a season in which Al-Shaair amassed 102 tackles (including nine TFLs) and three takeaways.

After his final year in San Francisco, he inked a one-year, $5 million contract to join the Tennessee Titans in 2023. Al-Shaair exploded for 163 tackles, the fifth-highest total in the NFL, and yielded just 5.7 yards per target.

That should put him in line for a hefty long-term contract.

Fellow linebackers Patrick Queen and Frankie Luvu will command big-dollar deals in free agency, and Jordyn Brooks might not be far behind. Al-Shaair will be a quality next-tier target for defenses like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, though.