One under-the-radar free agent addition that has helped every NFL playoff hopeful
NFL teams handed out about $5 billion in terms of total value of contracts to free agents this offseason. That included a few contracts in the hundreds of millions and many, many more at the veteran minimum salaries that hover around $1 million.The big contracts get the most attention. Williams has been a big part of New England’s defensive turnaround. Sam Darnold, the only other 2025 free agent to sign a deal with a nine-figure total value, is leading a Seahawks team that looks the part of a Super Bowl favorite.When those signings hit, they hit big. When they miss, they miss big. Will Fries has been a disappointment for a disappointing Vikings offense. Same for Dan Moore Jr. in Tennessee. Those two offensive linemen both signed contracts worth more than $80 million in total value. Aaron Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million deal with the Packers, hasn’t had his best year, either.Often a significant separator between successful offseasons and unsuccessful ones, though, is the small signings that outperform the monetary value. We’ve seen this at the most important position — Daniel Jones with the Colts this year, Darnold with the Vikings last year, Baker Mayfield with the Buccaneers the year before — but also across the roster.
This year, those small signings are having outsized impacts again. Here’s an important under-the-radar free agent addition that’s helping every playoff hopeful with just over a month left in the regular season.AFC
1. Patriots (11-2)S Jaylinn Hawkins (one year, $1.8 million)A fourth-round pick in 2020, Hawkins worked his way up to productive starter with the Falcons by 2022, got waived the next season, spent a short time with the Chargers, and joined New England in 2024. The Patriots brought him back this year and are thankful they did. Now a full-time starter, Hawkins has a pair of interceptions and 1.5 sacks this year and has been a strong presence against the run. The Patriots spent the most money in free agency this offseason, but it’s one of their smallest contracts that has been a key.
2. Broncos (10-2)FB Adam Prentice (one year, $1.1 million)It’s only fitting that a fullback lands in an “under-the-radar” story. After injuries to two fullbacks late in the preseason, the Broncos signed Prentice in late August. In typical fullback fashion, his stats do not reflect his impact. The Broncos are averaging 8.0 net yards per pass attempt with Prentice on the field compared to 6.0 with him off the field. One of the best pass-blocking fullbacks in the league, per Pro Football Focus, Prentice has been an important piece for one of the NFL’s best-protected quarterbacks, Bo Nix.
3. Jaguars (8-4)EDGE Dennis Gardeck (one year, $2 million)A former undrafted free agent out of Division II program Sioux Falls, Gardeck has carved out a nice career for himself as a rotational pass rusher, and he’s doing it once again in Jacksonville. Gardeck has just 1.5 sacks, but his 21.4% pressure rate is second in the entire NFL among all players with at least 80 pass-rush snaps, only behind Will Anderson Jr.
4. Ravens (6-6)CB Chidobe Awuzie (one year, $1.2 million)A talented but oft-injured cornerback, Awuzie has been outstanding for Baltimore this season. Opponents are completing just 48.8% of their passes when Awuzie is the primary defender, 10th among 119 players who have defended at least 40 passes. For reference’s sake, Patrick Surtain II is allowing a 48.9% completion rate. Awuzie’s 5.1 yards per attempt allowed also ranks 10th.
5. Chargers (8-4)S Tony Jefferson (one year, $1.2 million)Jefferson retired ahead of the 2023 season, came out of retirement to play with the Chargers in 2024 and returned on a one-year deal in 2025. All he has done is intercept three passes (he had four in his previous 10 seasons combined), including one against the Raiders in Week 13 in his first game back in over a month.
6. Colts (8-4)DT Neville Gallimore (one year, $1.3 million)A former top 100 pick by the Cowboys, Gallimore has 3.5 sacks in his first season in Indianapolis after just four sacks in his first five years combined. His his six quarterback hits are already a career high, and his four tackles for loss are tied for a career high. Gallimore’s jump as a pass rusher has been a significant development for the Colts’ surprising season.
7. Bills (8-4)LB Shaq Thompson (one year, $1.2 million)The longtime Panthers standout has already played in more games this year (eight) than his past two seasons combined (six) and has been particularly excellent in coverage in his first year in Buffalo. Opponents are only averaging 4.9 yards per attempt when throwing against Thompson. That’s the third-lowest number among all linebackers who have defended at least 20 passes.
8. Texans (7-5)DT Sheldon Rankins (one years, $5.5 million)The Texans were one of the league’s lightest spenders this offseason, so really any of their signings qualify for “under-the-radar.” Rankins has been arguably the best, though. PFF has him as the eighth highest-graded interior defender in the NFL, and his stoutness against the run has helped anchor a unit that is tied for the sixth-best defensive rushing success rate. Plus, he delivered this highlight.
9. Steelers (6-6)RB Kenneth Gainwell (one year, $1.7 million)Gainwell has reeled in 44 catches this season, sixth among all running backs, and his 615 yards from scrimmage are already well past any total he had in his four years with the Eagles. Gainwell has started two games this year — averaging nearly 130 yards from scrimmage in those contests — and been a strong complement to Jaylen Warren.
10. Chiefs (6-6)RB Kareem Hunt (one year, $1.5 million)Hunt continues to be a solid albeit unspectacular grinder for Kansas City, and his 4.0 yards per carry this season is on pace to be his best since 2021. Hunt has eight total touchdowns, is a tough task to tackle near the goal line and had 130 yards in the Chiefs’ most important win of the season to date, a 23-20 Week 12 triumph over the Colts.NFC
1. Bears (9-3)CB Nahshon Wright (one year, $1.1 million)Wright is the perfect example of the Bears’ rise this year. A top 100 pick in 2021, Wright never really found his footing in Dallas in his first three seasons and appeared in just one game last year in Minnesota. This season, he has five interceptions, one forced fumble (on a Jalen Hurts tush push, nonetheless) and three fumbles recovered. The Bears lead the NFL in turnovers forced.
2. Rams (9-3)LB Nathan Landman (one year, $1.1 million)Landman has taken over in the middle of the Rams’ excellent defense, and his 106 tackles are tied for eight-most in the NFL. He has been strong against the run, and while he may not ever be a top-tier coverage linebacker, he has made significant strides in that department as well.
3. Eagles (8-4)NoneOutside of the struggling offense, the Eagles missing on essentially all their low-risk signings has been one of the biggest reasons the team finds itself where it is. Philadelphia is 8-4 but not exactly playing inspired football in any facet, and everyone seems angry. Adoree’ Jackson has struggled at cornerback, and edge rushers Josh Uche and Azeez Ojulari haven’t panned out.
4. Buccaneers (7-5)DE Anthony Nelson (two years, $10 million)Nelson just keeps going for the Buccaneers, and in his seventh NFL season — all with Tampa Bay — he has three sacks and an interception, which he turned into a pick six. Nelson remains an effective situational pass rusher and spot starter.
5. Seahawks (9-3)S D’Anthony Bell (one year, $1.2 million)The Seahawks’ success has come mostly from two big free agents — Darnold and DeMarcus Lawrence — and a strong group of returning players and draft picks, but Bell qualifies as a nice addition here. He’s been a rotational safety at times and a key special teamer.
6. Packers (8-3-1)LB Isaiah McDuffie (two years, $8 million)McDuffie has been outstanding this season and especially recently, when he’s started for the injured Quay Walker. McDuffie had 12 tackles (two for loss) in a crucial Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions and has graded out as PFF’s No. 8 overall linebacker this season. His speed has been huge for a defense that has plenty of it.
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7. 49ers (9-4)DE Clelin Ferrell (one year, $1.1 million)Now in his second go ’round with the 49ers, Ferrell only caught on in San Francisco more than a month into the season due to several injuries to the 49ers’ pass rush. Since then, he has four sacks in four games for the 49ers, and Sunday against the Browns, he had a career-high nine tackles in addition to two sacks.
8. Lions (7-5)DE Al-Quadin Muhammad (one year, $1.4 million)Out of the league entirely in 2023, Muhammad caught on with the Lions in 2024 amid Detroit’s wave of defensive injuries, impressed, and parlayed his performance into another one-year deal. This year, he has six sacks, matching his career high, despite only playing 42% of Detroit’s defensive snaps.
9. Cowboys (6-5-1)EDGE James Houston (one year, $1 million)Houston had eight sacks as a rookie in 2022 but zero in 2023 and just one in 2024. The Cowboys took a chance on him, hoping he could rediscover at least some of that first-year form, and he has delivered: 4.5 sacks despite playing just 27% of Dallas’ defensive snaps. His 13.6% pressure rate is solid, too, and he has helped out an edge rushing trio that badly needed it after Micah Parsons’ departure.
10. Panthers (7-6)RB Rico Dowdle (one year, $2.7 million)Even after a 1,000-yard season in Dallas, Dowdle landed just a one-year deal from Carolina for what appeared to be a backup role to Chuba Hubbard. Instead, Dowdle has been one of the best back in the NFL this year. His 929 rushing yards are eighth in the NFL, and he’s reaching that number at a 4.8 yards per rush average, on pace to be a career high. His physical running style has been a great fit.
已发布: 2025-12-02 20:16:00
