Commanders could target these Chiefs’ and Eagles’ free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Super Bowl 57 represents the final game of the 2022 NFL season — and for many members of the Eagles and Chiefs, it could also mark the end of their careers with those respective teams.
Philadelphia and Kansas City’s rosters are both loaded — super, even — and for clubs looking to reach the tier that those two franchises currently occupy, acquiring some of their players via free agency could be of great interest. Take Washington, for instance.
With the Commanders having won seven, seven and eight games in their first three years under Ron Rivera, the time to make a jump is here. So, based off that, here are seven guys who’ll be a part of the action on Sunday and stand to be available to sign come March.
Orlando Brown Jr. — T, KC
Brown was tagged by the Chiefs for 2022, which meant he earned more than $16 million for his work this past season. He figures to make substantially more than that on his next deal, though.
Contract website Spotrac estimates that Brown will sign for an average annual value of $22 million when he gets the chance to, while Pro Football Focus projects the lineman’s AAV to check in at $21 million. That’s not quite top-of-the-market money, yet it’s still a hefty number — and one he largely deserves.
The former Oklahoma star hasn’t missed a regular-season start since he became a full-time first-stringer in 2019 and he’s on a run of four-straight Pro Bowl berths. He’s come a long way since putting up one of the more maligned Combine performances in recent memory.
Now, Brown is a left tackle, and the Commanders are in good shape at that spot (for 2023, at least) thanks to the presence of Charles Leno Jr. That said, the team could always look to get creative and kick Leno over to the right side in order to make room for Brown or simply release Leno and bring in Brown instead. The unit as a whole needs bolstering especially if the starting quarterback is going to be inexperienced (Sam Howell?) or a middling vet.
Brown is definitely the priciest possible pickup on this list and would be a splurge for Washington considering the organization hasn’t spent heavily up front under Rivera. Perhaps he’s worth altering that strategy for.
T.J. Edwards — LB, PHI
If the Commanders opt to let Cole Holcomb walk — or prioritize truly improving their depth at linebacker on top of potentially re-signing Holcomb — Edwards will catch their eye.
The undrafted Wisconsin product entered the league with the Eagles in 2019 and has started 12-plus times in each of the last three campaigns (including all 17 contests in 2022). He’ll turn 27 in training camp this summer and has established himself as a quality run and pass defender for the title-hungry Birds.
Because of that balanced skill set, Edwards will have his share of hard-charging suitors. For Washington to be among them, Rivera and the coaches will likely have to decide if they view Jamin Davis as an option in the middle once again, because Edwards is more of an off-ball threat.
Should they approve of Davis’ potential there — remember, he capably handled the “green dot” responsibilities and organized the unit once Holcomb landed on injured reserve — then Edwards will be tantalizing. He and Davis have the talent to form an awesome pair on the second level.
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Isaac Seumalo — G, PHI
The collective choice to replace Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers with Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner was a total bust for the Commanders in 2022. Turner’s one-year contract is up, and while Norwell and Wes Schweitzer are still tied to the squad for one more season, guard must be addressed with more vigor this time around.
Going after Seumalo is one way to do just that.
Durability was a problem for Seumalo in 2020 and 2021, as he was only healthy for a combined 12 starts. Fortunately, he participated on 96% of snaps in 2022, just in time for his scheduled appearance on the open market.
His 30th birthday will come in October, suggesting he should have plenty of adequate blocking left in him. It’s always nerve-wracking to commit to a guy with his injury history — knee and Lisfranc issues are what sidelined him — but the opportunity to upgrade along the interior will appeal to Washington regardless.
Kyzir White — LB, PHI
White will be a bargain signing compared to what Edwards is going to catch in free agency, and as is the case with Edwards, the Commanders will be required to look ahead and first choose how they want to deploy Davis. If Davis is their man in the middle, then White — who’s more comfortable leaning on his speed on the weakside — is worth researching.
The 26-year-old was initially a safety, though the Chargers quickly converted him to a front-seven player soon after drafting him in 2018. He’s settled in nicely there and saw action on 76% of snaps in his debut go-round with Philly.
A Davis-White duo would generate plenty of sideline-to-sideline highlights and surely have fun cleaning up behind the team’s disruptive defensive line.
Gardner Minshew — QB, PHI
Minshew is one of those passers — others include Jacoby Brissett and Teddy Bridgewater — who could be added to compete with Sam Howell at quarterback if Washington can’t score, or elects not to pursue, a better name at the position. That isn’t inspiring but it’s something to brace for.
To Minshew’s credit, he’s probably the most attractive signal-caller of that crew (and that’s not even taking his mustache into account). Brissett might be a safer candidate and he certainly handled his stint with the Browns well, but Minshew’s younger (he’ll be 27 by mandatory minicamp in June) and tallied intriguing per-game stats when he was the leader in Jacksonville.
Maybe Minshew proves to be a Taylor Heinicke-like quarterback who cultivates a devout following but is inevitably best-suited to be a top-notch backup. In fact, that’s the likeliest direction he’s headed. And the Commanders may be shopping in that exact aisle in a couple of months.
Boston Scott — RB, PHI
J.D. McKissic’s NFL future is in doubt after he suffered a neck injury once again in 2022. Rivera told local reporters late in the year that McKissic was due to visit with a specialist eventually, so having to replace him is at least on the table.
In the sad event that McKissic is unable to take the field again, Scott is a running back who’s used to being third in the pecking order, which is a role he’d occupy behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson.
Scott doesn’t have the receiving chops that one would assume a shifty 5-foot-6 back would possess — 25 grabs is his peak for a single season — but he’s never averaged below four yards-per-carry. In addition, he also destroys the Giants, having logged 10 touchdowns versus New York in eight matchups.
As mentioned, Robinson and Gibson are going to see the majority of touches out of the backfield, so any acquisition there ought to be a minor one. Scott doubles as a free-agent-to-be who qualifies in that regard and can chip in when asked to.
Derrick Nnadi — DT, KC
No matter what Rivera ends up doing with Daron Payne, Nnadi has the makings of a capable depth piece for the D-line.
Nnadi isn’t anyone’s idea of a scary pass rusher, but he has the size and strength to clog up the middle on early downs. The Super Bowl, meanwhile, will already be the 14th playoff game of his career, which is an impressive amount for someone who’ll be 27 by Week 1 of 2023.
Free agents such as Nnadi won’t be in demand until the more sought-after players find their homes. Nonetheless, he’s a quality backup lineman who can round out a depth chart and be relied upon to contribute on a weekly basis.
