Two reasons for the Cincinnati Bengals’ ascent from 4-11-1 in 2020 to AFC champs and near-Super Bowl LVI winners in 2021 were the wise free-agent signings of former Saints pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson and ex-Cowboys cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. In replacing Carl Lawson and William Jackson III, Hendrickson and Awuzie became immediate force multipliers on a defense that rose from 27th in DVOA in 2020 to 19th in 2021. Both Hendrickson and Awuzie defined their positions in that defense all the way through.
When going into free agency every season, every NFL team is looking for those types of bargains — Hendrickson on a four-year, $60 million deal with $16 million guaranteed, and Awuzie on a three-year, $21.75 million contract with $7.5 million guaranteed.
Here are the best potential bargains in the 2022 free agency slate so far — potential impact players who signed deals that may not reflect their value on the field, but certainly provide optimal value to their teams.