It may seem like free agency is ended because the flurry of transactions during the first few days of NFL free agency has slowed to a trickle this week. It’s not. The Chiefs, the victors of the Super Bowl, and many of the teams they defeated en route still have a lot of work ahead of them in terms of filling holes in their roster.
Now let’s discuss some of the most significant roster gaps that still exist as a result of offseason departures. I’ll also talk about the efforts made by each team to address those problems and speculate about possible future moves, such as using draft selections in April or signing players over the coming months. We’ll hit nine clubs after starting in Baltimore.
The Ravens are notorious for being at ease with allowing offensive linemen to sign free agents. In the past, they made an exception for star guard Marshal Yanda, but they have generally wanted to lock down the left tackle position, where Ronnie Stanley took a pay cut to stay with the team. However, over the past ten years, they have let standout players Ryan Jensen (2018) and OseKelechimele (2016) go, believing they could find replacements in the draft or in free agency at a fair price.
It is a different thing when three starters are benched in one offseason. Even though the three players Baltimore lost—Timeler, Moses, and Simpson—were successes for the team’s pro personnel department after being added via waivers and free agency.
The only player signed as a possible replacement is Jones, who was formerly a tackle prospect for the Cardinals before joining the Texans and starting at left guard for them in 2023. Houston moved Tytus Howard to left guard in response to George Fant’s rise to the right tackle position; Jones saw just 10 offensive snaps after Week 4. The Ravens are probably taking a chance on Jones as a depth guy who they can develop into a more valuable player with improved coaching, much like they did with Simpson. If he were to consistently start in the starting lineup in 2024, it would be unexpected.
If not, the Ravens may consider moving players into more senior positions. When Patrick Mekari had to play right tackle, he excelled.
In order to move on from their disastrous Wilson trade and contract extension, the Broncos are eating an NFL-record $85 million in dead money over the next two years, including $53 million in 2024. Wilson will start for the Steelers for slightly over $1 million, with Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott the only players in the NFL with higher budget hits. How about saying nothing? The Broncos intended to get off the Wilson train before committing to him in 2025, even if it meant paying him to play somewhere the next season, as the Wilson era never really seemed to get going in Denver.
The two quarterbacks that are still with the Broncos are carryovers from the previous campaign. Jarrett Stidham, who has established a reputation in the NFL as a passer who steps in when clubs bench their starters to avoid violating injury guarantees, is the expected starter. Stidham covered for Derek Carr in Las Vegas in 2022. He took Wilson’s place in Denver last season. With 197 career pass attempts and a completion percentage below 60%, Stidham hasn’t shown the kind of playmaking ability to warrant a starting position. Ben DiNucci is listed as the backup quarterback after Tommy DeVito took over as the NFL’s most well-known Italian American backup quarterback a year ago.
