The NFL’s best available free agents as training camps begin

As training camps begin, and the preseason is nearly upon us, here are the best free agent players left in the NFL.

Rookies and veterans are reporting to training camps around the NFL, which means that our long national nightmare of life without professional football is nearly over. Yay, but for a lot of veterans in the league, there’s still an element of waiting by the phone to hear from their agents regarding interests from NFL teams.

Not every veteran — even veterans who are still playing at a high level — have homes when training camps start. A lot of the players listed below will find those homes before preseason games begin in early August, and some will have to wait longer. (Yes, there are veterans who would prefer to eschew training camp entirely, and that has something to do with it).

So, as we head into the pre-preseason, here are the best players who, at this point, are still looking for their new NFL destinations.

Bucs FA update: Tampa Bay’s remaining free agents in 2023

After WR Breshad Perriman signed with the Colts, the Bucs have nine remaining free agents in 2023.

There aren’t many free agents left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after both WR Breshad Perriman and DE Genard Avery left for the Indianapolis Colts.

As it stands, there are nine remaining free agents from 2022 that are currently active in the NFL (QB Tom Brady and RB Giovani Bernard retired and will thus not be counted on this list). It will be interesting to see if the Bucs resign any of the nine players listed below, though there are also a few that Tampa Bay are sure to move on from.

Here is a list of every remaining Bucs free agent in 2023:

Unsigned Bucs free agents after the NFL draft

11 Bucs free agents still haven’t found a home.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had 33 free agents heading into the 2023 season.

Two of them — QB Tom Brady and RB Giovani Bernard — retired (so they won’t be included on this list). 20 of them have found a place to play, be it Tampa Bay or elsewhere, and 11 of them still have yet to be signed by an NFL team at this point in the offseason.

Take a look at those 11 players below:

10 best remaining free agents the Eagles could target after NFL draft

The 2023 NFL draft is complete, and Philadelphia’s roster is stacked, but we’re looking at the10 best remaining free agents the Eagles could target

The 2023 NFL draft is in the books, and Philadelphia Eagles have welcomed five new drafted rookies to the roster while working to sign an undrafted free agent class.

Now, the third wave of free agency is underway, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has an opportunity to address some positions that still need attention following the draft.

Philadelphia is stacked on both sides of the football but could look for depth at edge rusher, punter, tight end, and linebacker.

With the draft complete, all free-agent signings will no longer count against the compensatory formula, so we could start seeing some teams making moves.

Here’s a look at some of the best available free agents the Eagles could target in this third wave of free agency:

Bucs officially announce Cameron Brate’s release

The Harvard man had played for the Bucs since 2014.

A Tampa Bay Buccaneer since 2014 has officially been released from the team.

Tight end Cameron Brate, who has continually been in Tampa since he’s been in the NFL (save a six-day stint on the Saints’ practice squad) was officially announced to have been released on Friday. The team also announced the release of running back Leonard Fournette who, despite not being announced by the Bucs, was indeed officially released at the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

In his nine years with Tampa Bay, Brate caught 273 balls for 2,857 yards and 33 touchdowns. He was a particular favorite of former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, and his best year came in 2016 when he caught for 660 yards and eight touchdowns.

Brate is also known for his snag of the Lombardi Trophy tossed across boats to him by former Bucs quarterback Tom Brady at the team’s Super Bowl parade in 2020. He’ll look for the opportunity to hold to trophy again, but he’ll have to make it happen with a different team.

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15 free agents the Eagles can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks

We’re looking at 15 players the Philadelphia Eagles can sign in 2023 NFL Free Agency that won’t count against the compensatory pick formula

The NFL’s new league is less than a week away, and with the legal tampering period scheduled to start on Monday, Philadelphia will look to retool on defense, while making cost-effective decisions.

All-Pro quarterback Jalen Hurts and his contract is the biggest concern this offseason, but the Eagles will also need to navigate 19 looming free agents and the likelihood that they’ll lose C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Javon Hargrave and James Bradberry.

GM Howie Roseman has made it clear that he’s prepared to lose several key starters and he’ll retool via the draft with a handful of 2024 compensatory picks.

The formula is simple in nature.

If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.

Roseman and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.

Plenty of players will be available to sign this offseason that can both help the team and not count against the formula.

Here are 15 players Philadelphia could sign that wouldn’t count against 2024 compensatory picks.

Should Bengals look at Cameron Brate if Bucs cut TE?

Another TE to free agency the Bengals might want to consider.

The Cincinnati Bengals will add to the tight end position this offseason.

That much is a certainty with the team’s top three names on the depth chart set to be free agents.

Notably, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might add another interesting name to the free-agent pool, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Bucs will cut Cameron Brate soon.

Brate has spent nine seasons in Tampa Bay and was often an alleged trade candidate that never panned out. Last year he appeared in 11 games, catching 20 passes. He’s averaged 10.5 yards per catch over the course of his career.

Notably, Brate will turn 32 this summer and at least one writeup has mentioned he could retire after a neck injury.

At most, Brate might be an interesting depth option to consider over the summer if he chooses to keep playing. Adding him wouldn’t stop the team from going after a Hurst-level name too or high in the draft, but they do have multiple spots to fill on the depth chart.

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Report: Bucs expected to release TE Cameron Brate

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to move on from one of their longest-tenured players

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to release veteran tight end Cameron Brate, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

This move comes as no surprise, considering the Bucs’ salary cap situation, as well as their recent youth movement at the position.

An undrafted free agent out of Harvard, Brate won a roster spot in Tampa Bay and eventually became one of the longest-tenured player on the team, and currently ranks third in franchise history with 33 touchdown receptions.

Tampa Bay spent a fourth-round pick last year on Cade Otton, and a sixth-round pick in the same draft on Ko Kieft. The elder statesman in the tight end room, Brate’s role has already dwindled, making his cap number a no-brainer place for the Bucs to save some money this year.

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Cap-saving cuts the Bucs could make this offseason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have to cut these players to save salary cap space this offseason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially entering the post-Tom Brady era, and there are some rough seas ahead, thanks to a daunting salary cap situation, and a long list of key free agents on both sides of the ball.

Currently projected to be around $55 million over the salary cap for the 2023 season, the Bucs are going to have to make some tough personnel decisions in the coming weeks, especially if they want to retain any of those pending free agents.

While a few restructured contracts could help, it’s likely the Bucs will have to make some uncomfortable cuts to save some cap space.

Here are a few that seem the most likely:

3 Browns trade targets from the Buccaneers after Tom Brady’s retirement

With Brady retiring, will the Bucs be in rebuild mode?

For the second time, Tom Brady has announced his retirement from the NFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many are wondering if this is the beginning of a rebuild for Tampa and if so the Cleveland Browns could be buyers. They are in the need of both veteran players and more talent with eight draft picks in this year’s draft.

Though the team isn’t likely to trade for any massive contracts they could still make some moves if they feel the price is right. A look at three players that I believe the Browns could try and target if the Buccaneers become sellers this offseason.

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