Big is the operative word when it comes to discussing NFL free agency. Or huge, or massive, or any number of size-themed synonyms. Lots of money gets thrown around in the first week and then the media ecosystem spends tons of time dissecting it all. 

That is not what this article is about. (We hit the best deals and worst deals last week). This article is about the cheap deals teams used to fill in the cracks. Money talks and the money says expectations for these players are lower. Yet year after year, some of the best free agency success stories come from this cohort — guys like Eagles LB Zack Baun, former Vikings QB Sam Darnold, former Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett and current Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, just to name a few. 

Here’s a look at 20 of the overlooked deals signed in the past couple of weeks that have a chance to hit big. Not all of these lottery tickets will cash out as lucratively as the examples above. But in terms of the potential for a major return on investment, these players stand out to me. 

Players are listed alphabetically. Some players signed “veteran salary benefit” contracts (abbreviated to VSB) which pay them the minimum salary for their years of experience, but count for less against the salary cap. 

Giants WR Calvin Austin

Contract: 1 year, $1.5 million

New Giants HC John Harbaugh has had his eye on Austin for a while. The great Peter King was embedded in the Ravens’ draft room in 2022 and posted an article chock-full of insight into Baltimore’s process, including how the Steelers sniping them for Austin led them to pivot to TE Isaiah Likely. Now Harbaugh is bringing both to New York. 

Austin didn’t tear up the stat sheet in Pittsburgh, taking a couple of years to find his stride due to injuries. The last two years, he was in an offense that preferred to put more tight ends on the field than receivers. At a listed 5-9 and 162 pounds, Austin has some size limitations that would prompt a lot of coaches to push him into the slot. 

However, he put together some intriguing flashes the last few seasons. Austin has underrated skills at the line of scrimmage to beat man coverage and speed to threaten deep down the field. Former Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson, a draft classmate of Austin’s, is a little more solidly built, but the difference between him and Austin might not be as large as their contracts suggest. He’s also a legitimate option as a punt returner, averaging nearly nine yards per return for his career with a touchdown. 

The Giants added Austin and veteran WR Darnell Mooney to compete with Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt and others for roles behind No. 1 WR Malik Nabers. There’s also a chance Nabers’ knee injury rehab limits him to start the year, creating more opportunities for other receivers. Don’t sleep on Austin to be the most productive non-Nabers receiver on the roster. For $1.5 million, that’s a great deal. 

Jets S Dane Belton

Contract: 1 year, $4 million

Originally a fourth-round pick by the Giants in 2022, Belton has steadily improved each season. Last year was his best season, finishing with a career-high nine starts, 120 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and five pass breakups. Belton is a versatile safety, splitting his time pretty equally between the box and the post with a healthy dose of slot snaps, too. Last year, he was a pretty exceptional tackler as well. 

He parlayed that year into a contract from the Jets that, while modest in total value, is notable for a one-year commitment and gives him the perk of not having to move. The Jets aren’t short for options at safety with Minkah Fitzpatrick coming in, Andre Cisco re-signing and last year’s fourth-rounder Malachi Moore who started 14 games as a rookie. But Belton’s versatility gives him a path to a role on the field and a chance to keep ascending as a player. 

Steelers S Jaquan Brisker

Contract: 1 year, $5.5 million

If you watched the Bears at any point in the last four years, Brisker probably popped out at you — literally. He’s a physical player who relishes the chance to lay the boom on opponents, sometimes to his own detriment. In 2024, he was limited to just five games due to concussion symptoms that wouldn’t go away. That may have played a role in why the Bears were willing to move on despite him being a former second-round pick who started every game he was healthy in Chicago, 52 in total. 

Their loss might be Pittsburgh’s benefit. Brisker can have challenges in coverage but he’s one of the best run-defending safeties in the league. He’s also good at making plays around the ball. For his career, Brisker has seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, four picks and 21 pass breakups. Stylistically speaking, he’s also a perfect fit for the style of defense the Steelers want to run. If Jalen Ramsey sticks at safety, he and Brisker would be one of the most thunderous tandems in football. 

Commanders WR Treylon Burks

Contract: 1 year, $2 million

Whatever your definition of bust is, Burks probably fits in that category after his first few seasons. Drafted with the pick the Titans got by trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles, Burks was crushed by expectations before he even took the field. Staying on the field proved challenging, too, with a long list of injuries preventing his career from ever getting off the ground. After a broken collarbone last August, the Titans placed Burks on injured reserve and later released him with a settlement in October. 

He caught on with the Commanders after that. The stats don’t look like much (10 catches, 130 yards, just his second career receiving touchdown), but he evidently made a positive impression behind the scenes. Washington brought him back on a deal worth $2 million, including a $400,000 signing bonus. Another $680,000 in per-game roster bonuses are available. This doesn’t guarantee Burks a place on the 53-man roster or anything, but it does show that Washington thinks Burks has a chance to be a real factor for them in 2026 in a wide-open receiving corps. 

Chiefs RB Emari Demercado

Contract: 1 year, $1.2 million

Finding more explosive plays in the run game was a major priority for the Chiefs this offseason, leading them to sign RB Kenneth Walker III in one of the biggest headlines of free agency. Adding Demercado didn’t get a hundredth of the attention but it might prove crucial for Kansas City at some point down the line. 

Walker played all 17 games plus the postseason for the Seahawks last year, and the 25-year-old believes he’s turned a corner when it comes to body maintenance. Before that, though, he had missed time in every season for Seattle. If he’s out, the same issues that have plagued the Chiefs the last couple of years come roaring right back. 

Demercado had fewer rushing yards and touchdowns all of last year with Arizona than Walker had in his three-game postseason run. But he shares one thing in common with Walker — big play ability. He averages 6.5 yards per carry for his career and ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his pro day coming out of TCU. As a former JUCO player and undrafted free agent, he’s clawed everything out of the mud so far. He has a chance to factor in for the Chiefs not just as a handcuff to Walker, but as a kickoff returner and explosive third-down back. 

Commanders RB Jerome Ford

Contract: VSB

Washington was among the teams that was looking to rebuild its backfield this offseason, and it ended up making a couple of additions. One was former Buccaneers RB Rachaad White, who has the best combination of pedigree and production on the current depth chart and is probably the favorite to start. They also have last year’s rookie sensation Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka “Bill,” who led the team in rushing as a seventh-rounder. 

Don’t sleep on Ford, however. Cleveland kept him around last year but seemed more interested in having him be an example to a trio of rookies who ate the bulk of the carries as opposed to actually giving him the ball, even after injuries. But in 2023 and 2024, Ford came up big for the Browns when they battled injuries. He had over 800 yards rushing, nine total touchdowns and over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in 2023. In 2024, he averaged 5.4 YPC as a change-of-pace option. 

Ford likely needs an injury or two ahead of him to make an impact in 2026, especially if Washington adds more to the backfield in the draft. But he’s a more than competent insurance policy if he gets that chance. 

Panthers C Luke Fortner

Contract: 1 year, $2.75 million

Not that grades from Pro Football Focus are the end-all, be-all for football discussion, but it’s at least interesting that the service graded Fortner higher across the board — overall grade, pass blocking, run blocking — than former Panthers starting C Cade Mays. Fortner signed for dramatically less than Mays, who got $8 million a year from the Lions. 

The former third-round pick flamed out with the Jaguars and was traded to the Saints coming out of the preseason as New Orleans fortified its depth. He ended up starting 10 games and earning a deal from Carolina as the likely starter in the middle. Like Mays, Fortner is uncommonly tall for a center at 6-5, although he’s lighter in the pants than the 325-pound Mays. That size might have been appealing to the Panthers, who want to mash opponents in the run game and keep a firm interior pocket for QB Bryce Young. 

Falcons LB Christian Harris

Contract: 1 year, $2.7 million

There were high hopes for Harris when he was drafted in the third round and especially after his second season. He had a mini breakout with over 100 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and seven pass breakups. Texans HC DeMeco Ryans also has a strong history with maximizing linebackers. But a calf injury shut him down for most of the 2024 season and his playing time never really recovered. He fell behind other linebackers in the pecking order and was not a priority for Houston to bring back. 

Atlanta represents a fresh start for Harris. The departure of Kaden Elliss leaves a wide-open void and Harris will be competing with Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand and possibly a draft pick to seize it. Still just 25 years old, the Falcons would love for Harris to become a long-term solution in the middle of their defense. 

Lions S Christian Izien

Contract: 1 year, $2 million

Izien was a bright spot for the Bucs as a rookie when he primarily played as the slot corner. It was his best season with two picks, a forced fumble and two pass deflections. He started 10 games the following year but played a lot more at safety which wasn’t as good of a fit. Last year he was primarily just depth. 

Now he heads to Detroit to compete for a role in a secondary that seems to get banged up annually. Izien isn’t big but he’s fast, twitchy, explosive and solidly built enough to play in the box. He’s capable of becoming a starter for the Lions. 

Chiefs CB Kader Kohou

Contract: 1 year, $1.8 million

Kohou lost all of last year to a torn ACL suffered in August. In the three years before that, he was locked in as Miami’s starting slot corner, playing over 80 percent of the snaps. That includes his rookie year as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M-Commerce. In total, Kohou notched three picks, two forced fumbles, a sack, 13 tackles for loss and 28 pass deflections in Miami. 

This is exactly the kind of unheralded but gritty defensive back the Chiefs and DC Steve Spagnuolo have had success unearthing. Kansas City’s secondary is wide open after seeing both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson leave to join the Rams. Barring something significant in the draft, Kohou should be the favorite to be the starting nickel corner, which would make him a steal at his current contract. 

Cardinals DT Roy Lopez

Contract: 2 years, $10.5 million

This will be Lopez’s sixth season in the NFL. He’s played for three different teams in relative anonymity as a former sixth-round pick, and has yet to top 50 percent of the snaps in any given year. Generally the league treats players like that as if the book is already out on them, but sometimes there are late bloomers who put things together deeper into their careers. 

There are signs that Lopez might be one of those players. Last year with the Lions was his most productive year as a professional. He had two sacks, five quarterback hits and the best PFF grade of his career. As more of a nose tackle type, his impact isn’t always felt in the stats, but the deal he got to return to the Cardinals after a year in Detroit shows that teams are paying attention to the flashes on tape. 

Lions CB Roger McCreary

Contract: VSB

The Titans drafted McCreary in the second round in 2022 out of Auburn. At 5-11 and 190 pounds, he’s a little undersized, but it was really his average testing and super short arms that pushed him more into the slot as a professional as his career progressed. He went from 100 percent of the snaps as a rookie to 92 percent in his second year, 70 percent in Year 3 and then 60 percent this past season before being traded to the Rams — after which his snaps fell all the way to 10 percent. 

There were some intriguing flashes from McCreary, especially in situations where he could use his strength and physicality. He had strong overall PFF grades in 2023 and 2025, plus an eye-popping 12 tackles for loss in 2024, a crazy number for a cornerback. His ball production is a little subpar but he’s good blitzer with four career sacks. The competition between him and Izien for the slot corner job in Detroit is going to be fascinating, as they’re two very different players who share the same gritty traits the Lions prize. 

Chargers RB Keaton Mitchell

Contract: 2 years, $9.25 million

Speed-obsessed Chargers OC Mike McDaniel built his offense in Miami around players with field-tilting wheels. Mitchell was targeted to bring a little bit of that juice to Los Angeles. He’s not as proven as Dolphins RB De’Von Achane or as well-rounded of a runner, but he’s nearly as fast, running a 4.37 40 compared to 4.32 for Achane. 

Mitchell was a walking big play as a rookie, averaging 8.4 YPC and nearly reaching 500 yards from scrimmage on just 56 touches. A brutal knee injury cut short that campaign and essentially wiped out the following season too. But he was back to his old self last year. He averaged nearly six yards per tote and had a rushing success rate of 54.2 percent. His lack of size limits him when it comes to pass protection or running between the tackles, which is why the Ravens didn’t carve out more touches for him. Good things happen when he gets the ball in his hands, though, and this deal from the Chargers to land with McDaniel suggests the team has big plans for him. 

Buccaneers OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad

Contract: 1 year, $5.25 million

Muhammad had one of the most random double-digit sack seasons you’ll see. A 30-year-old journeyman known more as a run-stuffing base end who was a practice squad player as recently as 2024, Muhammad exploded for 11 sacks last year. In his eight years in the league before that, he had amassed 15. 

It feels like a fluke, but some of Muhammad’s underlying metrics are actually quite solid. PFF credited him with 53 total pressures, which was about half of what fellow Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson had. However, it still was tied for the 25th-best mark among all edge rushers last season. PFF also charted Muhammad with a 15.4 percent win rate, 24th-best. His sack total may have been a bit overcooked but Muhammad was legitimately disruptive in 2025. 

It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep it up in a new scheme with a new team. Tampa Bay sorely needs a boost to its edge rushing room, as the last big threat they had off the edge was actually Barrett, someone mentioned all the way back at the beginning of this piece. 

Vikings CB James Pierre

Contract: 2 years, $8.4 million

A former undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic, Pierre has stuck around with the Steelers for the past six years in a depth role. He’s never played more than 38 percent of the snaps in any year and has bounced on and off the practice squad. Last year, though, something seemed to click. When the Steelers elected to move on from veteran CB Darius Slay, Pierre got the nod at outside cornerback and proved to be a massive upgrade. It was just 408 snaps, but Pierre finished as PFF’s No. 2 graded cornerback for the whole season. He also broke up 11 passes, picked off another and returned a fumble for a touchdown. 

It caught the attention of the Vikings and presumably DC Brian Flores, who was on the coaching staff in Pittsburgh for a year of Pierre’s career and got to see him up close. This contract is eerily similar to the one Minnesota gave CB Isaiah Rodgers on Flores’ urging last year, and Rodgers started 15 games for the Vikings. Pierre could be the next sleeper target by Flores. 

Jaguars RB Chris Rodriguez

Contract: 2 years, $9.9 million

Up until midway through this past season, Rodriguez’s career had been pretty nondescript. The former sixth-round pick out of Kentucky was viewed as a little bit of a plodder and a low-ceiling player. He failed to make the active roster in his second season, but hung around on the practice squad and eventually earned his way back. Seeking more physicality and consistency in the rushing attack last year, the Commanders gave Rodriguez a bigger role — and he delivered. A 58 percent success rate was one of the best marks for any back in the league, and 400 of his 500 rushing yards and five of his six touchdowns came in the final seven games. 

It wasn’t enough for Washington to tender Rodriguez as a restricted free agent, but his former Kentucky coach, Liam Coen, came calling with the Jaguars and a much more notable payday than the RFA tender. There’s a wide-open opportunity in Jacksonville’s backfield with the departure of RB Travis Etienne. Rodriguez outrushed both Jaguars rookie RBs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr., the other two players who will make up Jacksonville’s committee in 2026. Allen is a good third-down back and Tuten is a stick of dynamite, but Rodriguez’s physicality and consistency could earn him a sizable slice of the pie. 

Dolphins OL Jamaree Salyer

Contract: VSB

Salyer was an unexpected bright spot as a rookie, starting 14 games at left tackle and holding his own despite being projected to kick inside to guard as a professional. Subsequent seasons were less strong for the former sixth-round pick. He underwhelmed as a 17-game starter at right guard in 2023 and fell into a depth role the past two years, though once again he was put in at left tackle this past year and help up surprisingly well. 

Left tackle isn’t open right now for the Dolphins but plenty of other positions are as Miami reshapes the entire roster. They signed a whole battalion of players to these sorts of cheap prove-it contracts and will be hoping for a few hits out of the batch. Salyer is the one I have the most confidence in. 

Colts CB Cam Taylor-Britt

Contract: VSB

Taylor-Britt looked like an ascending player in his first couple of years. In his third, he started all 17 games for the Bengals with three picks and an outstanding 16 pass deflections. Cracks started to show in that third year, though, and the bottom fell out last year. Taylor-Britt got benched and ended up playing in just eight games. 

Now he’s got a fresh start in Indianapolis, reuniting with DC Lou Anarumo who was his play-caller during his first three years in Cincinnati. Taylor-Britt is still just 26 years old, so this is a great dart throw with little to no risk for the Colts. Cornerback play is notoriously volatile, but it cuts in two directions. If Taylor-Britt recaptures his mojo, Indianapolis has a starting corner for pennies. If he doesn’t, the Colts weren’t banking on him to start anyway. 

Seahawks LB Drake Thomas

Contract: 2 years, $8 million

Thomas entered this year with 42 career snaps on defense. But injuries pushed him into a starting role on defense and he cracked his opportunity over the outfield fence. He stuffed the stat sheet with 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and eight pass deflections, a really strong number for a linebacker. He was one of 13 linebackers with enough qualifying snaps not to allow a touchdown in coverage last year, per PFF. 

Seattle rewarded Thomas with a two-year extension, giving him a little more cash than he would have seen up front on the restricted tender (and preventing other teams from signing him to an offer sheet). But at this value, the Seahawks are poised to get even more value from Thomas going forward. 

Bears OT Jedrick Wills

Contract: VSB

The former No. 10 overall pick by the Browns in 2020, Wills started his career off okay before tailing off toward the end of his time in Cleveland. Injuries were a factor, and there were questions about how much Wills really loved the game of football (another aspect that injuries likely played a role in). He sat out this entire past season to try and get healthy, which included a femoral osteotomy procedure that can be summed up as doctors reshaping the thigh bone to correct alignment problems with the hip and leg. 

The Bears added Wills to compete for a role at left tackle with a couple other dart-throw types on the roster. There’s a world in which Wills retires midway through training camp and the Bears get nothing. There’s also a world in which he plays like the top 10 pick he was drafted to be and locks up the blind side for Chicago. The team is risking nothing to find out.