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The 2022 NFL offseason has been going practically non-stop since the Rams raised the Lombardi trophy. We've had blockbuster trades, huge free-agent signings, and the 2022 NFL Draft.
The rosters are starting to round out as teams prepare for next season, but with just weeks remaining until OTAs begin, here are five free-agent signings that make perfect sense for the athletes that currently remain in the player pool.
NFL Draft 2022: 5 logical free agents that remain
Akiem Hicks to the Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers' second-year head coach Brandon Staley has built depth and star power through familiarity. In this off-season, he brought in Troy Reeder and Sebastian Joseph-Day, a linebacker and defensive lineman, respectively, who he coached during his time as defensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams.
And perhaps more importantly than that, the Chargers brought in former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack, who spent four seasons in Chicago playing alongside Hicks. Staley was a linebacker coach for part of their time there.
Hicks would fill a need on the D-line for the Chargers and provide some competition for Jerry Tillery, who has severely underperformed in his time with the club. They recently declined his fifth-year option, so Hicks could be a stop-gap until the team finds their next versatile defensive lineman.
Jadeveon Clowney to the Cleveland Browns
Unfortunately for Clowney, he may always be viewed through the lens of someone who never quite lived up to their draft billing. With that said, Clowney had his most productive season since 2018, producing 11 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles in nine games with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns' top-ranked defense could look to bring Clowney back on a short-term deal or an incentive-laden extension in the hopes he can continue to produce.
The Browns have added depth to their pass-rushing group through trades, free agency, and the draft, with Chase Winovich being the most prominent name. Playing opposite Myles Garrett, however, seems to have revitalized the career of Jadeveon Clowney, and the Browns should look to lock in that combo.
Jarvis Landry to the New Orleans Saints
The Saints came close to making the playoffs last year, despite having four different QBs throughout the season and Marquez Callaway being the team's primary wideout. Michael Thomas is expected to (finally) return in 2022, and the team recently drafted Ohio State product Chris Olave.
Olave has been spotted working out with Landry in the past, and bringing in a productive veteran could afford the Saints an opportunity to rebuild their offense completely.
There seems to be some legs to this rumor. If signed, Landry would be the second former LSU Tiger the Saints have brought back to their home state of Louisiana. The team signed safety Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year deal as the team seems fully committed to winning now.
Melvin Ingram III to the Miami Dolphins
Melvin Ingram III is no longer the every-down lineman he was early in his career, but he showed he could still bring value as a rotational pass rusher last season.
He had two sacks in three playoff games for the Kansas City Chiefs, who seemed interested in retaining the veteran lineman. They recently placed the unrestricted free-agent (UFA) tender on him, entitling them to exclusive negotiating rights if he doesn't sign elsewhere by the first day of training camp.
Ingram III had 11 QB hits and 11 more QB hurries in limited action for the Chiefs and Steelers last year. The Dolphins could utilize him similarly in their rotation with Emmanuell Ogbah to supplement what is already a strong pass rush. The team finished fifth in the league in sacks a year ago.
Odell Beckham Jr to the Green Bay Packers
The impact OBJ had in his late-season run with the Rams is well-documented. He was able to produce at a high level for the team, and the Packers are a team that lost a significant amount of high-level production this offseason when they traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Odell Beckham Jr. is coming off ACL surgery and won't be back until sometime mid-late season, but in a lighter division, the Packers are likely to still be in the hunt with Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback.
Beckham Jr. has been linked to several teams, and it would certainly be out of character for the Packers to get Aaron Rodgers an elite pass catcher, but stranger things have happened, and this move would make a lot of sense.
