Training camps are getting underway for teams and there are still a lot of notable NFL free agents still available. Teams might already have an idea of how their roster will shape up but there are a few good free agents for teams that don’t. These players can help teams out if they need it and certainly have track records of contributing to their teams.
Five Notable NFL Free Agents
Eric Berry, Safety
Safety Eric Berry is probably the best free agent available left. He didn’t play much at all these past two seasons while a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. He has only played three games over the past two seasons. In 2017, Berry tore his Achilles and only played one game. In 2018, his heel was still bothering him so he didn’t want to risk another injury so he was limited to only two games last season. Even though he has been dealing with an injury, he is still a great player to have. The last full season he played was in 2016 when he played all 16 games. In that season, he had 77 total tackles and four interceptions with two of them being returned for a touchdown. He is still a weapon in that backfield and can be a great addition to any team.
Tre Boston, Safety
Tre Boston is another safety left on the free-agent market. Boston played 14 games with the Arizona Cardinals last year. Despite the bad year from the Cardinals, Boston had a pretty good year. He had 79 total tackles with three interceptions and is a very durable player as he has played ten or more games in each of his five seasons in the NFL. He can be a very good starter for a team that needs a veteran who can still play.
Nick Perry, Defensive End
Nick Perry got released by the Green Bay Packers this off-season. Not only did the Packers seek more talent in place of Perry but he also wasn’t performing well with the team in 2018 and injuries helped that. He played nine games last season, had 24 total tackles and only 1.5 sacks. He ended the past two season on injured reserve with a combination of a knee injury and an ankle injury. The Packers just couldn’t sit and wait for him to get healthy and back to himself.
The reason he’s on the list is that he is really good when healthy. In 2016 when he played in 14 games he registered 52 tackles, a career-high 11 sacks, and an interception. Before the injury in 2017, he played 12 games and had 38 tackles with seven sacks. This isn’t bad at all pre-injury but like I said before the Packers didn’t want to sit there and see him get injured when they need him. When healthy, he will be a great addition to any team that needs a guy like him.
Morris Claiborne, Cornerback
Morris Claiborne is a proven veteran in that backfield for the defense. He played 15 games in each of the last two seasons with the New York Jets. In 2017, he had 43 tackles and an interception. In 2018, he had 57 tackles and two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown. He proved last year that he can still play and be a viable starter for any team. An experienced veteran who can still play at a high level is very valuable in this league as he can bring a lot to a team.
Michael Crabtree, Wide Receiver
Despite being 31 and being in the league for a while, Michael Crabtree can still play at the level you need him to. Crabtree has played 14 or more games in eight of his ten seasons in the NFL. He may have taken a little step back but don’t underestimate how good he can still be. He had 54 receptions out of 100 total targets last season and had 607 yards with the Baltimore Ravens. That is the eighth time in his career that he had over 50 catches with over 100 targets and the ninth time he has had over 600 yards.
He has also been to a super bowl with that very good San Francisco 49ers team in the 2012-13 season. He would be a very good option for a team looking for another receiver to their offense and can be the number two or three receiver. He has the experience and knows what it takes to win.
Final Thoughts
All of these notable free agents can be beneficial for any team, even the “bad” teams. All of these players have experience and fight to earn their spots. There’s a mix of young but experienced veterans to older experienced veterans. Both will be very helpful to a team not only on the field but off the field like in the locker room. They can also teach the young and inexperienced players a thing or two. There are also guys out there like Jay Ajayi, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins who is very high on the free-agent list as well. All of these guys shouldn’t be free agents for too much longer as training camp is set and ready to go for all teams.
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