11. Anthony Harris, S, Minnesota Vikings
This off-season a number of teams will need to get their own financial house in order before even contemplating making moves on the open market, and the Minnesota Vikings are one such franchise. According to OverTheCap.com the Vikings have just under $1.4 million in available cap space, but face decisions players such as Everson Griffen, Trae Waynes, and fellow safety Andrew Sendejo, which might make Harris available on the market. Last season was his first as a full-time starter, but Harris showed the ability to play safety at an extremely high level and he looked the part of a ball-hawking single-high free safety, tying Stephon Gilmore and Tre’Davious White with a league-high six interceptions. Teams that play a good deal of single-high coverages such as the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots are likely to get him on the phone.
12. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The game of quarterback musical chairs has a chance to spin out of control, and it begins of course with Tom Brady. While both Dak Prescott and Drew Brees are expected to return to their current homes, Brady is testing the market and teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are said to be “all in” on the veteran passer. That could leave Jameis Winston looking for a new spot to sit when the music stops. Sure, Winston threw a league-high 30 interceptions last season and still seems far too willing to take chances with the football, but at just 25 he is younger than Prescott and in the right system he could really turn his career around. Plus, maybe life imitates art and the off-season LASIK surgery allows Winston to be football’s version of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn?
13. Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers is coming off a subpar season by his standards, as he threw 20 interceptions in 2019, third-most in the league and coming just one short of his career high of 21 set in 2016. Perhaps more concerning is the Adjusted Yards per Attempt of 6.32 he posted last year, the lowest of his career since 2012 and a whole 1.47 yards less than his ANY/A of 7.79 a year ago. But Rivers did have a very solid 2018 campaign, when he led the Los Angeles Chargers to the Divisional Round, and seems to have a bit left in the tank provided a team can put weapons around him and protect him, as outlined in Touchdown Wire’s recent piece on risky free agent signings. For a team that is thinking about drafting a quarterback of the future, but needs a veteran bridge QB, Rivers could be the answer.
14. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, New Orleans Saints
With the expectation that Drew Brees returns to the Big Easy for a final ride, current backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater might get a chance to find a starting spot for the 2020 season. After suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury, Bridgewater has returned to the game and is an enticing option for teams looking for a veteran option at the QB position. When he was forced into the lineup when Brees suffered a thumb injury, Bridgewater guided the New Orleans Saints to five-straight victories, and showed an ability to be efficient running Sean Payton’s West Coast offense. Teams with similar playbooks would be wise to kick the tires on Bridgewater come next week.
15. Justin Simmons, S, Denver Broncos
Similar to many of the players on this list, it is very likely that Justin Simmons returns to his current team when all is said and done. John Elway has indicated that he wants to re-sign the safety and is willing to trigger the franchise tag if necessary. However, teams that value versatility in the secondary, especially from their safeties, would love to have a player with his skill-set on their roster. Simmons showed last season the ability to play in a variety of roles, including down in the box, in the slot and as a single-high safety. He also tallied four interceptions and 17 pass break-ups in 2019, making him all the more attractive.