Examining the Veteran Receivers on the Market
The wide receiver free agent market took a bit of a hit when the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers used the franchise tag on Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin, respectively, but there are still plenty of options out there.
That's good news for a team like the Miami Dolphins that could use help at the position after a 2020 season that exposed some weaknesses.
While we suggested earlier that the Dolphins' need at the position might be a tad exaggerated, it's also impossible to deny that the team could use an upgrade, whether on the outside or in the slot.
And just like Robinson and Godwin were removed from the market, there were a couple of intriguing additions Wednesday — former Buffalo Bills wide receiver John Brown and former Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Of the two, Browns looks like the more appealing option. He was let go in a salary-cap move after being scheduled to earn $7 million in base salary in 2021.
Brown is an interesting potential target because he's likely not to command as high a salary as some of the top names available in free agency, such as Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, A.J. Green, Marvin Jones and T.Y. Hilton.
We're not even mentioning Larry Fitzgerald because even though he's an unrestricted free agent, it's difficult to envision him playing for any team other than the Arizona Cardinals if he doesn't retire.
Interestingly, the list of wide receiver options include a lot of local talent: Brown is from Homestead High, Brown played at Miami Norland High and Hilton starred at Miami Springs High and Florida International University.
Because of his background, Brown probably isn't a likely option, though he is talented.
"After catching 43 passes in eight games and remaining out of the limelight other than for his performance in Tampa, Brown could look to cash in during the free agency period," SI All Bucs publisher Zach Goodall wrote. "Brown was out of the NFL for some time before signing with the Bucs due to off-the-field incidents, but teams could buy into his act being cleaned up and biting on his widely regarded electric skill set. Tampa Bay has plenty of talent at wide receiver and doesn't need to overpay Brown if it comes down to a bidding war for his services, however."
Earlier in the offseason, we discussed the pros and cons of pursuing Hilton in free agency.
As for John Brown, he struggled with injuries last season and was limited to nine games, eight of which he started.
But he was very effective in those eight games, even though he was massively overshadowed by newcomer Stefon Diggs, who earned All-Pro honors while helping Josh Allen blossom into the MVP runner-up.
Maybe the best measure of Brown's effectiveness was the 110,9 passer rating his quarterback compiled when he was targeted. That ranked 26th in the NFL among receivers with at least 50 targets.
And in 2019, when Diggs wasn't around, Brown had 72 catches for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns. He's got the kind of speed to line up outside that the Dolphins sorely need and the Dolphins might be able to get him at a reasonable price.
Golladay and Smith-Schuster figure to be the two pricey free agents among the wide receiver class and either one would be an upgrade for the Dolphins, but don't be surprised if they go for value instead.
And this is where somebody like John Brown might come in.
