NFL free agency: 7 under-the-radar players that will prove to be steals

There are some big names in this year's NFL free agent class. Quarterback Malik Willis is viewed as the only potential long-term quarterback option on the market and will create a bidding war, while wide receivers like George Pickens and Alec Pierce will be in high demand.

But winning teams aren't always built through splashy moves. Instead, it's through getting the small things right, finding a hidden gem amongst the pile of free agent names. This class has plenty of those kinds of talents in it.

RB Tyler Allgeier (Atlanta Falcons)

We have a very good free-agent running back class this year, so good that somehow Tyler Allgeier is going under the radar. "Somehow" probably isn't the right word to use here, because in a class headlined by Breece Hall and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker and also featuring Rachaad White, Travis Etienne and Rico Dowdle, it's very easy to fly under the radar.

But Tyler Allgeier should not go under the radar. If not for the fact that he's spent the last few seasons playing behind Bijan Robinson, he'd arguably be a top-three free-agent back right now.

Give Allgeier his own backfield and good things will happen, and he should come at a price that's significantly less than what other free-agent running backs will cost. He's not the fastest guy in the world, and his efficiency took a bit of a hit in 2025, but in 2024, he ranked 13th among NFL running backs in true yards per carry and had nine breakaway runs despite playing behind Robinson.

WR Jalen Nailor (Minnesota Vikings)

We've seen glimpses of what Jalen Nailor can do, but playing on an offense with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison has prevented us from getting to consistently see Nailor playing his best football.

Nailor had a quiet first two seasons with the Vikings, but he's averaged a respectable 429 yards and five touchdowns over the past two seasons. Those aren't bad when you consider how few opportunities were available, or when you factor in the quarterback situation he dealt with in 2025.

Nailor's speed makes him a potential mismatch in the slot. He can excel on a team whose quarterback is capable of delivering passes over the middle of the field. Nailor isn't going to single-handedly shift an offense, but he can be a crucial piece for a team that has its outside receivers set and just needs to add someone for the short and medium game.

WR Calvin Austin III (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Drafted in the fourth round in 2022, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III never really found his stride. After finishing 2024 with 548 receiving yards, he dropped down to 372 yards in 2025 as he failed to develop much chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Austin is a fast player; his 4.32 40-yard dash time ranks in the 98th percentile, but despite that speed, he hasn't really been used to stretch the field like you might imagine.

Austin being undersized plays a part in that, as teams are more comfortable using him in short yardage or even on gadget plays, and he's struggled so far to consistently create separation. Still, a team with a smart offensive mind calling the shots and a quarterback who can get the ball to him could really unlock Austin. Don't count him out as a 2026 breakout in a new spot.

TE David Njoku (Cleveland Browns)

After nine seasons in Cleveland, it's time for tight end David Njoku to take his talents elsewhere. While he's coming off one of his worst seasons, he's still a capable NFL player who can provide immediate help at tight end.

Njoku has never been an elite player, but he's done as good a job in Cleveland as it's been possible to do on a roster with a revolving door at the quarterback position. Most importantly, he's shown an ability to find the end zone, catching 34 touchdown passes over his time with the team.

It also helps Njoku that the tight end market this offseason is pretty rough. The Falcons are reportedly franchise tagging Kyle Pitts and there's no way Travis Kelce ends his career anywhere but Kansas City, so it's like...there's Njoku and then there are a handful of younger guys with far less consistent of a track record like Isaiah Likely, Chig Okonkwo and Cade Otton. I'd certainly take Njoku over the next-best-available older player, Dallas Goedert.

OG Ed Ingram (Houston Texans)

The Houston Texans have an issue. The offensive line is bad, and the one interior lineman who emerged as a crucial piece of the line, guard Ed Ingram, is set to hit free agency.

Among Houston's linemen, Ingram had by far the best PFF grade relative to his position, coming in at No. 12 of 79 offensive guards. Only one other player, tackle Blake Fisher, ranked in the top 35 at his position. This is going to motivate the Texans to bring Ingram back if possible, but will it be possible?

Because this isn't really a strong guard market. Beyond David Edwards and Joel Bitonio, Ingram will likely command the highest salary, and the Texans don't enter this offseason with unlimited funds. If a team can pry him away from Houston, that team would be getting a solid interior piece to help protect the quarterback.

EDGE Cameron Jordan (New Orleans Saints)

Could 2026 be the year that Cameron Jordan finally leaves New Orleans?

The eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end was drafted by the Saints back in 2011 and has played for the franchise ever since. He's become a fixture for the team, and it would honestly feel wrong to see him in a different uniform.

But Jordan missed the Saints Super Bowl window, joining two seasons after Drew Brees delivered a Lombardi to the Big Easy. And while the Saints are trending up with Tyler Shough under center, this is not a Super Bowl team yet, so if Jordan wants a shot at a ring, he has to go elsewhere for what could be his final NFL season.

And it's not like Jordan is some washed-up liability. He still has plenty left in the tank. In 2025, for example, Jordan recorded 10.5 sacks, his first double-digit sack campaign since 2021. Sign him to come in on pass-rushing downs and just let him go after the quarterback. Good things will happen.

CB Trevon Diggs (Dallas Cowboys & Green Bay Packers)

Don't laugh. Seriously, don't laugh me out of the room here. Don't revoke my "ball knower" card. I know Trevon Diggs was a disaster in 2025, bad enough that the Cowboys cut him and the Packers didn't use him in the postseason, and that even at his best, he was an interception merchant who sold out to create turnovers at the expense of allowing big plays.

I know this, but I still think Diggs is worth a gamble from a team with a strong defensive staff that can work on coaching out those bad instincts.

Because, look: Diggs had an 11-interception season this decade. He made a Pro Bowl as recently as 2022. Does he gamble too much? Yes. Did he allow a completion on three-quarters of the balls thrown his way in 2025? Also yes, and also very concerning.

But Diggs is going to be cheap, and he's shown before that he can be elite at certain aspects of the game. That's worth taking a chance on, even if the chances of a bounce back feel low. A low-risk, high-reward signing.