The Best of What's Left in Free Agency on Offense

The shelves are pretty bare at this point at the NFL free agency market.

After nearly a month of teams shopping for upgrades, most of the talent that isn’t aged (30-year-olds are viewed as senior citizens in football), beaten up from injuries or the nature of their position or rehabbing an injury from last season has been snatched up by one of the 32 NFL teams.

At this point, the talent base looks like a grocery store a day before a Category 5 storm hits.

While there are still some established veterans who keep shopping — oftentimes to avoid participating in a team’s offseason program, or to find the right home or fit after the draft — most of what’s left in free agency should be viewed as dented cans.

The contents inside haven't spoiled. Many of these players can still help an NFL team, but they can be purchased at a discount, and some are on the clearance rack.

Here’s a look at some of the better free agents on offense still available, talents who could help the Miami Dolphins.

VETERAN BACKS STILL AVAILABLE

RB Kareem Hunt: It’s been five seasons since Hunt was a 1,000-yard rusher. At this point the 27-year-old is more of a third-down back. He’s coming off a season where he produced a career-low 3.8 yards per attempt for the Cleveland Browns, so it’s hard to envision him signing for anything for more than $2 million, with a portion of the contract being guaranteed. But Hunt has scored 48 touchdowns in his six seasons, and that’s more than Raheem Mostert (19), Jeff Wilson (23) and Salvon Ahmed (4) combined.

RB Ezekiel Elliott: Elliott started 102 games in his seven seasons with the Cowboys, who released the 27-year-old this offseason to clear $10.9 million in cap space. It appears Elliott, who amassed 968 total yards and 12 touchdowns last season but rushed for a career-low 3.8 yards per carry (231 carries, 876 rushing yards) and caught just 17 passes for 92 yards, is shopping for an opportunity to prove he can still be a featured back.

RB Leonard Fournette: Fournette had one of his worst seasons last year in Tampa Bay, averaging just 3.5 yards per attempt on 189 carries. But it’s hard to blame all of the Buccaneers struggles rushing on this 28-year-old because Tampa Bay’s offensive line was a disaster. Fournette did catch 73 passes and turned them into 523 yards and three touchdowns.

RB Kenyan Drake: Drake has struggled to find a stable home since leaving the Dolphins back in 2019, but this has more to do with his reputation for being difficult to coach than it does his talent. Last season this 29-year-old rushed for 482 yards on 109 carries, caught 17 passes for 89 yards and scored five touchdowns for the Ravens.

RECEIVERS COME AT A BARGAIN

WR Jarvis Landry: The 30-year-old ended up playing in just nine games last season because of an ankle injury that got him placed on injured reserve. He averaged only 2.8 catches and 30 yards per game for the Saints, who signed him to a one-year deal worth $3 million. This veteran slot receiver likely will be forced to take less if he wants to continue playing because his Pro Bowl days are long gone. But in the right system, with the right quarterback, Landry could serve as a third-down weapon.

WR Kenny Galloday: Galloday had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the Lions, which led to him signing a four-year deal worth $72 million with the Giants. However, he struggled making an impact in New York the past two years and was released this spring after catching just six passes for 81 yards and scoring one touchdown in the 12 games he played last season. How motivated is this 6-foot-4, 214 pound receiver to prove he’s not washed up? Or was money his main motivator?

WR Odell Beckham Jr.: If Beckham makes a full recovery from his second ACL injury, he potentially could provide a dynamic element to any offense. Before suffering the knee injury in the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl win, he registered 48 catches for 593 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 12 games. But he's 30, and the last time he was a dominant receiver was the 2016 season.

WR Chosen Anderson: Anderson, who changed his first name from Robby to Chosen, played in 10 games for the Cardinals last season following a midseason trade from the Carolina Panthers. In his appearances with Arizona, this South Florida native recorded seven catches for 76 yards in what was an underwhelming year for him and the Cardinals offense. Anderson had the speed to stretch the field, and is respected for his gritty playing style. But the soon-to-be 30-year-old hasn’t been that weapon in a few seasons.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE AT TIGHT END

TE Cameron Brate: Brate caught 272 passes and turned them into 2,857 yards and 33 touchdowns in his nine seasons with the Buccaneers. This 31-year-old is proficient in all aspects of the position and has a Harvard education, so it should not take him a long time to pick up a new offense.

TE Parker Hesse: This former college defensive lineman has spent the past four seasons transitioning to the tight end position. He spent the past two seasons on the Falcons’ 53-man roster, contributing 14 receptions for 132 yards. He’s respected for his blocking and special teams contributions, but doesn't threaten seams like a front-line tight end should.

TE Dan Arnold: Arnold started making the transition from college receiver to NFL tight end in 2017, and he’s had a decent amount of success in his five seasons. He’s caught 95 passes for 1,258 and scored seven touchdowns, but has a reputation for being a limited blocker.

TE Drew Sample: Sample missed all but two games last season with a knee injury, and likely will have to play for the minimum to get onto a training camp roster. The 26-year-old has started 25 games in his NFL career, but hasn’t excelled at anything specific.

TE Tyler Kroft: Kroft has hung around the NFL for eight seasons because he’s a fine blocker. But he doesn’t have it in him to produce as a pass catcher. He started four of the 11 games he played for the 49ers last year, but was targeted only five times, catching four passes for 57 yards.

TE Jesse James: James had a history of being a receiving threat in Pittsburgh with Ben Roethlisberger, catching about 38 passes a season for 370 yards, and also was known as a decent blocking tight end. A biceps injury he suffered with the Browns got James placed on injured reserve in September, but this 28-year-old could compete for a starting spot if healthy.

INJURED OFFENSIVE LINEMEN STILL AVAILABLE

G Dalton Risner: Risner developed well after being chosen in the second round four years ago, becoming a quality guard who thrives in pass protection. He’s started all but two games in his four-year career. The problem is he spends plenty of those snaps on the ground and is often banged up physically. In the right scheme he could excel as a starter for a pass-happy team.

T Donovan Smith: Smith started 131 of a possible 137 games over the past eight seasons, postseason included, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last year he played with an elbow injury for all but one game. When healthy, this 29-year-old still has the talent to be some team’s starting left tackle.

RT Isaiah Wynn: This former first-round pick has appeared in only 44 of a possible 87 games so far in his pro career, and missed many because of injury. He looked promising early on, especially in 2019 and 2020, but failed to build on those levels of play. Maybe a change of environment will jump-start this 27-year-old’s career?

T Taylor Lewan: Lewan had the talent to mow defenders down during his prime. But he missed 30 games the past three seasons because of injuries, and it is highly likely this 32-year-old is looking to remain a left tackle at his next spot.

T George Fant: Fant can be a viable starting tackle when healthy, but he was dealing with a troublesome knee injury last year. He started seven of the eight games he played for the Jets before suffering the knee injury, and has started 60 of the 83 games he’s played in his six seasons.

T Ja’Wuan James: James has played all of four games in the NFL since leaving Miami as a free agent after the 2018 season. He tore his Achilles for the second time in 16 months last September. His days as a starter might be behind him.

T Billy Turner: Turner has started 71 of 95 games he’s played, and done so at every spot but center and left tackle. He had continued issues with the left knee he injured in 2021 and it limited him to seven starts last year. His position coach in Denver (Butch Barry) is Miami’s offensive line coach now.

T Cameron Fleming: In nine NFL seasons, Fleming has made 61 starts, including 15 during the 2022 season. This ninth-year veteran played a career high in snaps last season for an injury-decimated Broncos O-line, but the film isn’t pretty. However, he’s a polished swing tackle who provides depth.