All-Reclamation Team: Potential Bargains for Packers in NFL Free Agency

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last year in free agency, the Green Bay Packers signed linebacker Isaiah Simmons and receiver Mecole Hardman.

While general manager Brian Gutekunst struck out on both, they were worthy no-risk, all-reward swings for the fences. Both players were big-time athletes with some NFL production. Really, there’s no reason not to have one or two of those types of players on the roster in hopes of finding lightning in a bottle.

Maybe one of these players can be the 2026 version of Desmond Howard, who Ron Wolf signed in 1996.

Reclamation Projects on Offense

QB Zach Wilson (27): The second pick of the 2021 draft, Wilson went 12-21 as a starter for the Jets in his first three seasons. He completed just 57.0 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions and a 73.2 passer rating. He didn’t play in a game in 2024 and was 6-of-11 passing for 32 yards last year with Miami. He’s young, talented and athletic, and perhaps worth a Hail Mary to challenge Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord for the No. 2 gig behind Jordan Love.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers in 2021. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

RB Antonio Gibson, Patriots (28): A third-round pick by the Commanders in 2020, Gibson in 2021 rushed for 1,037 yards and had the first of three consecutive seasons of more than 40 receptions. He has only a pair of 500-yards seasons since, though, and missed most of last season with a torn ACL. Gibson played receiver at Memphis and could add some juice as a pass-catching back. Plus, he had a 90-yard touchdown on a kickoff return this past season and has a career average of 25.1 yards. The No. 2 position is wide open behind Josh Jacobs.

RB Zamir White, Raiders (26): White was a fourth-round pick in 2022. At 214 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.40 seconds. He rushed for 451 yards in 2023 but carried just 12 times for 32 yards in six games in 2025.

WR Tyquan Thornton, Chiefs (25): A second-round pick by the Patriots in 2022, Thornton is one of the fastest players in the league with 4.28 speed. He joined the Chiefs last season and resurrected his career a bit by catching 19 passes for 438 yards (23.1 average) and three touchdowns and averaging 26.4 yards per kickoff return.

WR Skyy Moore, 49ers (25): A second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022, Moore caught 43 passes during his first two seasons but had zero catches in six games in 2024 and was traded to San Francisco last year. In 17 games, he was a nonfactor on offense with five catches but averaged 11.6 yards per punt return (one muff) and 27.5 yards per kickoff return in his first season as a full-time returner.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (24) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

TE Jelani Woods, Jets (27): Woods was a third-round pick by the Colts in 2022. He caught 25 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie but spent all of 2023 and 2024 on injured reserve. He joined the Jets in 2025 and caught one pass in four games (one start). At 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds, he could help as an in-line blocker.

OT Jawaan Taylor, Chiefs (28): A second-round pick in 2019 by the Jaguars, Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Chiefs in 2023. He was released this week to escape the final year of the contract. He allowed three sacks in 12 games in 2025 and was guilty of an astounding 50 penalties the last three seasons. All 111 career starts came at right tackle.

OT Josh Jones, Seahawks (29): Jones was a third-round pick by the Cardinals in 2020. After three years in Arizona, he played 2023 for Houston, 2024 for Baltimore and 2025 for Seattle. He started at left tackle for the final three games of the Super Bowl champs, with two sacks and nine pressures allowed during those games. For his career, he’s played 1,031 snaps at left tackle, 612 at right guard, 267 at right tackle and 63 at left guard, and another 111 as an extra tight end.

OT Evan Neal, Giants (25): Neal was the seventh pick of the 2022 draft by the Giants. He started 13 games as a rookie and seven apiece in 2023 and 2024 but didn’t play a single snap in 2025. In the equivalent of a season-and-a-half of action, he was charged with 12 sacks and guilty of 18 penalties. Almost every one of his 1,781 career snaps came at right tackle but he spent the 2025 preseason at right guard.

G Dillon Radunz, Saints (28): A second-round pick by the Titans in 2021, Radunz signed with the Saints last offseason and started 10 games, including the final eight at left guard. He allowed just one sack and was penalized eight times. For his career, he’s played 1,086 snaps at right guard, 1,015 at left guard, 504 at right tackle and 162 at left tackle.

G Teven Jenkins (28): A second-round pick by the Bears in 2021, Jenkins signed with the Browns last offseason and started four late-season games at right guard. He was not charged with a sack or guilty of a penalty in a total of 324 snaps. For his career, he’s played 1,197 snaps at left guard, 1,128 snaps at right guard and 162 snaps at left tackle (157 as a rookie). He’s always been a quality run blocker.

C Luke Fortner, Saints (28): Fortner was the first pick of the third round of the 2022 draft by the Jaguars. With Jacksonville, he started all 17 games in 2022 and 2023 but played just 13 snaps on offense in 17 games in 2024 and was traded to the Saints in August. He played in all 17 games and started the final 10. He was charged with three sacks and guilty of three penalties. Almost all 2,975 career snaps have been at center.

Reclamation Projects on Defense

DE Joshua Uche, Eagles (27): A second-round pick in 2020, 11.5 of Uche’s 21.5 career sacks came in 2022. Uche was traded to the Chiefs in 2024 and signed with the Eagles in 2025. He failed to take advantage, though, with zero sacks in six games with Kansas City and one sack in 12 games with Philadelphia. In 2025, there were 114 edge defenders who had at least Uche’s number of pass-rushing opportunities. He finished ninth in pass-rush win rate.

DE Payton Turner, Cowboys (27): Turner was a first-round pick by the Saints in 2020. In five years in the NFL, he’s served three stints on injured reserve – including last year, when he sat out the season with a rib injury. He has five sacks and 11 tackles for losses in 31 career games.

Former first-round pick Payton Turner might be worthy of one more chance in the NFL. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

DT Christian Wilkins (30): Wilkins was a first-round pick by the Dolphins in 2019 and, not long ago, was one of the game’s most impactful players. He had 89 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for losses in 2021, 98 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 16 tackles for losses in 2022 and nine sacks, 10 tackles for losses and 65 tackles in 2023. In 2024, he signed a four-year, $110 million contract with the Raiders. He suffered a Jones fracture in his fifth game and missed the rest of the season, then was released in July 2025 under some odd circumstances.

DT Perrion Winfrey, Cowboys (26): The Cowboys this week released Winfrey, a fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2022 who’s had some off-the-field issues. He played in 13 games as a rookie but just two games since. He was all-UFL in 2025 to get a shot with Dallas, but he was sidelined by a back injury. At about 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.89 seconds. He had seven sacks and 18 tackles for losses during two seasons at Oklahoma.

LB Christian Harris, Texans (25): A third-round pick in 2022, Harris started 23 games during his first two seasons with Houston, including 101 tackles in 2023, but missed most of 2024 and played in 15 games with only one start in 2025. He is a bit small but his elite athleticism would merit a second chance.

Christian Harris was drafted with pick 75 of round 3 in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.06 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 228 out of 2419 LB from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/fdTjsKOf9Z #RAS #Texans pic.twitter.com/7OJtBLOImN
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 30, 2022

LB Michael McFadden, Giants (26): A fifth-round pick in 2022, McFadden had set himself up for a good payday with 101 tackles (12 for losses) in 2023 and 107 tackles (eight for losses) in 2024. However, he missed all but one game in 2025 with a foot injury that he’ll have to show he’s back from before getting a big contract.

CB Joshua Williams, Chiefs (26): A fourth-round pick in 2022, Williams has the potential to be an impact player. In his first three seasons, he played in 50 of 51 games, including 12 starts, and intercepted one pass with 18 pass breakups. PFF charged him with a complete rate of 58.0 percent. In 2025, though, he played only 17 defensive snaps in 15 games.

CB Noah Igbinoghene, Commanders (26): Igbinoghene was a first-round pick by the Dolphins out of Auburn in 2020. That was the pick acquired from Green Bay in the trade that the Packers used to draft Jordan Love. After three seasons in Miami and one with Dallas, Igbinoghene played in 32 games with 12 starts the last two seasons. He broke up 12 passes and allowed three touchdowns during that span. In six seasons, he has one interception and allowed a 60.2 completion percentage.

Washington Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (6) interferes with a pass intended for Eagles receiver Devonta Smith. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

S Tycen Anderson, Bengals (27): Anderson was a fifth-round pick out of Toledo in 2022 after measuring 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds and running his 40 in 4.36 seconds. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve, he’s been a solid player on special teams, where he’s played 850 snaps in three seasons and recorded 16 tackles in 2025 and 11 in 2024. His experience on defense consists of just 64 snaps, though.

S Ifeatu Melifonwu (27): Melifonwu was a third-round pick by Detroit in 2021. After starting 14 games in four seasons with the Lions, where he played cornerback as a rookie before moving to safety, he spent 2025 with Miami, where he played in 16 games (eight starts), intercepted one pass and set a career high with 53 tackles. Before the 2021 draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to Trumaine Johnson and considered him a potential “plus” starter. At 6-foot-2 1/2, he’s got 4.48 speed and a 41.5-inch vertical.

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