While big-name, big-dollar free-agency signings rule the headlines at the start of every league year, smart franchises understand that it’s the lesser-known contracts that frequently make the biggest difference when everybody hits the field months from now.
In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks let quarterback Geno Smith test the open market before re-signing him to a one-year, $3.5 million deal that worked out pretty well for everybody involved. Smith became the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, Seattle’s post-Russell Wilson franchise quarterback, and he got a major new deal when all was said and done.
The Eagles would not have made it to Super Bowl LVII without two relatively unheralded signings — cornerback James Bradberry to a one-year, $7.25 million deal, and pass-rusher Haason Reddick to a three-year, $45 million pact. Both players were defensive cornerstones throughout Philly’s remarkable season.
As we turn to the 2023 free agency cycle that begins Monday with the legal tampering period, and becomes official when players can actually sign contracts on Wednesday at 4:01 p.m. EST, it’s time to look at those players who might not be the biggest names, but could make profound impacts on their new teams (or their previous teams in some instances) based on past performance.
Here’s our list of the hidden gems of the 2023 free agency class.