1 Free-Agent Prediction for Every NFL Team in 2022

When the new NFL league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 16, it may be time to say goodbye to your favorite player...or welcome a new one. 

Unlike last year, when the NFL salary cap dropped by 8 percent to $182.5 million to mitigate lost revenue due to COVID-19, the salary cap is projected to rise to $208.2 million for the 2022 season, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Some huge names could be hitting the open market, including outside linebackers Von Miller and Chandler Jones, wideouts Odell Beckham Jr., Allen Robinson II and Chris Godwin and left tackles Nate Solder and Terron Armstead. However, some teams might not be able to participate in the free-agent frenzy.

Nine teams—the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills—are currently projected to be over next year's cap. Those teams could be forced to cut loose even more players before March 16.

These predictions come down to the intersection of team needs and salary-cap space, while taking into account factors such as player age and recent production. 

The Arizona Cardinals have 27 players who are set to become free agents this offseason. Outside linebacker Chandler Jones is in line for the highest payday, but Arizona likely won't be the team writing the check. 

Jones is coming off a five-year, $82.5 million contract. Although he'll turn 32 later this month, Spotrac puts his market value around a three-year, $43.7 million deal. 

Despite his age, Jones' production hasn't taken a major dip. In 15 games this season, he had 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, 26 quarterback hits and four passes defended, earning him a Pro Bowl nod. 

However, five of those sacks came in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Five-and-a-half sacks in 14 other games doesn't necessarily command a $14 million price tag. 

The Cardinals have Markus Golden, Devon Kennard and Victor Dimukeje all signed through 2022 and beyond. While that isn't a youth movement, they can and should get younger at the position through the draft. 

Jones should be able to earn what he's worth as the top pass-rusher in free agency. But the Cardinals are projected to have only $2.7 million in cap space, so they likely won't be able to afford him.

There may soon be a lot of empty seats in the Atlanta Falcons' receivers room. The Falcons currently have second-year players Frank Darby and Austin Trammel signed for next season, as well as Calvin Ridley. But his future with the team is uncertain.

Russell Gage, who played 58.2 percent of the team's offensive snaps this past season, Olamide Zaccheaus (58 percent) and Tajae Sharpe (48 percent) are all set to become unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported a trade involving Calvin Ridley (28.4 percent) is a "very strong possibility."

While the Falcons should try to bring back the 26-year-old Gage should be a priority, they're already projected to be $5.9 million over the cap. They're going to have to reload their receiving corps either way.

The Falcons could free up $11.1 million in cap space by trading Ridley, and they could spend any draft capital they acquired on his possible replacement. They could also aim to bolster their receiving corps in free agency with an inexpensive option such as Cedrick Wilson, who had 45 receptions for 602 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games last season with the Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson is coming off a one-year, $2.2 million deal with the Cowboys, and Spotrac projects his market value to be $19.4 million over the next three years. The 26-year-old should be looking for a long-term contract, but the Falcons would be paying for upside rather than past performance, which is the free-agency sweet spot. 

Prior to this past season, Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell had made the Pro Bowl for four straight years. Although his production dipped in his age-35 campaign, he was still an effective part of a Ravens team that nearly made the playoffs.

However, he finished with only 1.5 sacks—his fewest since his rookie season—in 15 games. That type of production doesn't justify the eight-figure salary he earned this past year.

The six-time Pro Bowler and surefire future Hall of Famer has played 14 seasons in the NFL, the last two in Baltimore. Heading into the Ravens' regular-season finale, he said he hadn't made a decision on his future beyond this year.

"You have to appreciate the possibility of the finality of it," Campbell said, per Clifton Brown of the team website. "I feel pretty good right now. Who knows? I might be willing to do it again.

The Ravens have only moderate cap space, at $9.8 million. And for a team that was essentially one overtime field goal away from making the postseason, there are other areas it needs to upgrade—and should look to get younger overall—to maximize its championship window with Lamar Jackson. 

If Campbell is willing to take a discount to finish his career in Baltimore, the Ravens should explore that. But they can't afford to give him $10-plus million per season again. 

The Buffalo Bills will be licking the wounds of their heartbreaking divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs until they get their next shot at a Super Bowl. Thanks to the talent on this team, that may very well be next season.

But before they get there, the Bills need to get their house in order. They're currently $1.3 million over the projected cap and have 18 players who are set to become free agents, including veteran wideout Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanders caught 24 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns over his first six games this season. But after he was held without a catch on four targets in the Bills' Week 8 win against the Miami Dolphins, his role in the offense began to diminish. In the divisional round, Sanders was targeted only once for a 16-yard reception while playing a season-low 27 percent of the Bills' offensive snaps. 

The veteran wideout, who turns 35 this offseason, signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Bills last offseason. If Buffalo is going to prioritize re-signing a receiver, it should be Isaiah McKenzie, who earned only $1.1 million last year and was a valuable chess piece on offense and special teams. 

The Carolina Panthers have plenty of priorities in free agency, but as of right now, they have only $18 million in cap space.

They sent a 2023 sixth-round pick to the New England Patriots in October for star cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who went on to have two interceptions, two passes defended and a tackle for loss in eight games with the Panthers this season. The 31-year-old is coming off a five-year, $65 million contract and has an estimated market value of $14.1 million annually, per Spotrac.

Rather than burn most of their cap space on re-signing Gilmore, the Panthers may prefer to roll with their young group of cornerbacks instead.

Jaycee Horn, the No. 8 overall pick this past season, suffered a broken foot in Week 3. The Panthers addressed that hole by bringing in Gilmore as well as C.J. Henderson, the No. 9 overall pick in 2020.

Henderson and Horn will combine to make less than $8 million next season. While Gilmore could take a hometown discount to remain in Carolina—he was born in South Carolina and played college football for the Gamecocks—the Panthers shouldn't prioritize re-signing him otherwise.

Wide receiver Allen Robinson II finds himself at an unenviable crossroads. He had a career-worst year in a contract season, which could affect his free-agent market.

After hauling in a career-high 102 passes for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns in 2020, Robinson had only 38 catches for 410 yards and one touchdown in 12 games this past season. Poor quarterback play didn't help his cause—the Chicago Bears finished with the sixth-worst completion percentage leaguewide—but that didn't stop second-year wideout Darnell Mooney from hauling in 81 catches for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bears franchise-tagged Robinson last year, but it would be unwise of them to do so again this offseason. His one-year salary would be around $21.6 million, and the Bears have less than $30 million in projected cap space. 

Including Robinson, the Bears have 30 players set to become free agents this offseason. They figure to let Robinson walk and prioritize a cheaper addition to their receiving corps alongside Mooney.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been under siege all season. He was sacked a league-high 51 times in the regular season, and he's been sacked 12 times in three playoff games to date, including nine times by the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round.

Regardless of what happens in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, the Bengals figure to shore up Burrow's protection this offseason.

Injuries have been a major issue along the Bengals' O-line. Tackle Riley Reiff went down with an ankle injury in Week 12, tried to return in Week 14 and hasn't played since.

A career left tackle with Detroit and Minnesota, Reiff moved to the right side of Cincinnati's line this season, earning an overall grade of 67.3 from Pro Football Focus over 12 games. The Bengals signed the 33-year-old to a one-year, $7.5 million deal this past offseason.

With a projected $55.8 million in cap space this offseason, the Bengals can afford to re-sign Reiff and avoid having a weakness becoming even weaker by letting him walk. 

The Cleveland Browns got fantastic production out of Jadeveon Clowney in his age-28 season. The veteran defensive end had nine sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits in 14 games. 

Clowney vastly outperformed the one-year, $8 million prove-it deal that he signed with Cleveland last offseason following an injury-ravaged 2020 campaign. Now that he's proven himself, it's time for the Browns to pay up. 

Spotrac projects Clowney to have an average annual value of $12.7 million this offseason, which isn't an  outrageous price. Sixteen defensive ends currently have average annual salaries of $13 million or more, including J.J. Watt, who had only one sack and one forced fumble in seven games with the Arizona Cardinals this past season.

Re-signing Clowney would be worthwhile for a Browns team that will face both Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson twice every season. 

With his rookie contract expiring, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has the opportunity to suit up for a team other than the Dallas Cowboys for the first time if they allow him to become a free agent.

The 2018 first-round pick played a full slate of games this past season for the first time since his rookie campaign, registering 48 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception and a sack. He finished with a middling 63.6 grade from Pro Football Focus.

The Cowboys decided not to pick up Vander Esch's $9.1 million fifth-year option last May "due to ongoing salary-cap uncertainty," according to NFL Network's Jane Slater. They reportedly hoped to sign him to an extension before his contract expired, although that never came to fruition.

The 26-year-old Vander Esch will now be looking for his first big NFL payday. The Cowboys, who are currently $21.2 million over the cap, can't justify giving it to him based on his play this past season.

With Melvin Gordon III and rookie Javonte Williams leading the way, the Denver Broncos had the NFL's 13th-ranked rushing offense this past season. Gordon led the team with 918 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Fresh off a two-year, $16 million contract, Gordon is now set to become an unrestricted free agent. And while he was productive during his short tenure in Denver, the Broncos may not be inclined to spend big to retain him thanks to the presence of Williams.

Despite starting only one game, Williams racked up 1,216 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns on 246 touches. In the lone game that he started, he finished with 23 carries for 106 yards along with six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown.

The Broncos have $39.2 million in projected cap space, the fifth-most leaguewide. But with a clear successor to Gordon already in place, they can turn their attention to their other 26 free agents instead of prioritizing Gordon's return. 

The Detroit Lions are currently projected to have $21.1 million in cap space this offseason. With starting safeties Tracy Walker and Dean Marlowe both set to become unrestricted free agents, they'll need to address that position somehow this offseason.

The Lions will likely re-sign at least one of Walker and Marlowe, but they could also upgrade at the position by bringing in Marcus Williams. 

The 25-year-old, who played under second-year Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn in New Orleans, figures to be a cap casualty for the Saints this offseason. He has a projected AAV of $15 million, per Spotrac, while the Saints are already a league-high $76.1 million over the cap.

Williams had only two interceptions, eight passes defended and a forced fumble in 16 starts for New Orleans this past season, which doesn't necessarily justify an eight-figure salary. But the Lions would be paying for future production, especially with the knowledge that he'll fit into their existing scheme.

The Green Bay Packers struck gold when they signed inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell to a one-year, $2 million contract this past offseason. He finished with a career-high 146 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks over 16 games, earning a first-team All-Pro nod.

"We wouldn't be where we're at without him right now, I'll tell you that," wideout Davante Adams said during the Packers' playoff bye week after earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC. "He kind of holds that defense together."

Campbell now figures to hold another defense together in 2022.

The Packers are projected to be more than $48 million over next year's salary cap, trailing only the New Orleans Saints. Although Spotrac projects Campbell to have an AAV of only $6.2 million, Green Bay has a lot of work to do before even beginning to consider re-signing free agents.

The Packers have 24 players set to hit free agency in total, including Adams, cornerbacks Kevin King and Chandon Sullivan and tight end Robert Tonyan. They'll likely have to focus their attention on other positions this offseason at the expense of re-signing Campbell.

The Houston Texans figure to trade quarterback Deshaun Watson at some point this offseason. However, doing so would leave them with only one signal-caller under contract: 2021 third-round pick Davis Mills.

Mills completed 66.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games as a rookie (11 starts). He could wind up winning the starting job next year, but the Texans need to bring in competition to push him in training camp.

Andy Dalton is one of the most established quarterbacks set to become a free agent this offseason. The 34-year-old completed only 63.1 percent of his pass attempts for 1,515 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games (six starts) for the Chicago Bears), but he has 148 career starts under his belt.

Dalton, who's originally from Katy, Texas, returned home in the 2020 season to play for the Dallas Cowboys. The Texans should see whether he'd be open to another trip back to Texas. 

If the Indianapolis Colts plan to keep Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback in 2022—which is no guarantee—they'll need to prioritize shoring up his offensive line.

Wentz was sacked 32 times this past season, tied for the 14th-most in the league. Left tackle Eric Fisher, whom the team brought in on a one-year, $8.4 million contract last offseason, allowed seven sacks and was called for eight penalties in his 15 starts, per Pro Football Focus.

The Colts could re-sign Fisher, but he'll turn 32 in July and will likely command another hefty contract in free agency. Standout left tackles Nate Solder, Cam Robinson, Terron Armstead, Duane Brown and Riley Reiff all may hit the open market as well, so Indianapolis should have options if it can't come to terms with Fisher.

The Colts are projected to have $37.2 million in cap space, the eighth-most leaguewide, so they may feel inclined to splurge on a blindside protector with a better recent track record than Fisher. 

After franchise-tagging left tackle Cam Robinson last offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars will likely have to pay a hefty price to keep him around this year. Franchise-tagging him again would cost $16.5 million.

Spotrac projects Robinson's AAV to be $16.8 million, which would rank seventh leaguewide. He allowed only one sack in 856 snaps across 14 starts, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Jaguars could decide to take NC State's Ikem Ekwonu or Alabama's Evan Neal with their No. 1 overall pick, which could negate their need to re-sign Robinson. Ekwonu and Neal are the second- and third-ranked prospects on the B/R Scouting Department's latest big board, respectively, trailing only Oregon edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

But with plenty of other needs laid bare during their 3-14 campaign, especially at wide receiver and on the defensive line, Robinson is an easy solution to one of many problems. With $56.8 million in projected cap space, the third-most leaguewide, Jacksonville can afford to address its offensive line in free agency rather than early in the draft.

With less than $4 million in projected cap space, the Kansas City Chiefs will have some difficult decisions to make this offseason.

Versatile defensive back Tyrann Mathieu had three interceptions (including one for a score), six passes defended, a career-high three fumble recoveries and two tackles for loss in 16 starts for the Chiefs last season. However, he just played out the final season of his three-year, $42 million contract. 

Spotrac projects Mathieu's AAV to be nearly $15 million, which may put him out of the Chiefs' price range. The two sides discussed an extension prior to the season, but they didn't reach an agreement in part because of salary-cap uncertainty.

"The landscape is super tricky," general manager Brett Veach told reporters in mid-August. "We're at a $30 million [salary-cap] deficit from what we thought, and next year it's $15 million. Right now, some things are out of our control just because of the cap reductions this year and next year."

Veach recently seemed to hint that the Chiefs were prioritizing re-signing offensive tackle Orlando Brown this offseason. That could leave Mathieu on the outside looking in of Kansas City's offseason plans.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr isn't a free agent, but he also isn't guaranteed to return to Sin City next season. New Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels may want to hand-select their own quarterback instead.

If the Raiders do get a trade offer for Carr that they can't pass up, they won't have any quarterbacks actively under contract. Even if Carr does stick around, they'll need depth at the position for training camp.

Re-signing impending unrestricted free agent Marcus Mariota would provide insurance for either situation. 

Mariota hasn't had many opportunities to show what he can do in his last two years with the Raiders. He's started zero games and had only 30 pass attempts (including just two in 2021). However, he did carry the ball 13 times for 87 yards last season, scoring one touchdown on the ground.

That versatility warrants keeping him around, even if he's just a backup again.

At 27, wideout Mike Williams is looking for his last big contract. Spotrac estimates he could get a four-year contract worth $67 million, similar to the four-year, $69 million deal Tyler Lockett got at 28 years old.

The Los Angeles Chargers have plenty of cap space, sitting $57.5 million below the limit, and re-signing Justin Herbert's top weapon will be a priority.

Williams is coming off his best season as a pro. In 16 games, he totaled 76 receptions, 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. In L.A.'s win-and-you're-in Week 18 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Williams was essential, seeing a whopping 17 targets and hauling in nine receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown. He showed up when the team needed it most and was a crucial part of the offense.

For his part, Herbert has made it clear he'd like Williams back in 2022 and beyond. "For him to be a part of our offense, he makes us so much better," the quarterback told CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr. "Fingers crossed, whatever happens, happens. It's out of my control, but I'm a big Mike Williams fan."

When Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Rams in November, he was considered a luxury for a team that boasted a receiver corps with Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Van Jefferson. However, Woods tore his ACL in practice immediately after the signing, and Beckham became a necessity.

He has proved to be a strong complementary weapon during the team's Super Bowl run. Beckham had 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns for the Rams in the regular season, and he put up nine receptions for 113 yards in the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco.

However, when next season rolls around, Beckham will once again become a luxury the Rams may not be able to afford. Head coach Sean McVay has gone on the record to say he wants Beckham to be part of the Rams' future. However, the team is $8.1 million over the cap with pending free agents including Von Miller, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Brian Allen, Darious Williams and Austin Corbett. With Woods healed and the up-and-coming Jefferson proving himself as a solid third option, Beckham may find himself on the outside looking in.

The Dolphins are one of several NFL franchises looking to undergo a face-lift. While Miami was decent defensively under previous head coach Brian Flores in 2021 (ranking 15th in yards and 16th in points allowed), the offense lacked punch even during their seven-game win streak in the second half of the season, ranking 25th in yards and 22nd in points.

With new head coach Mike McDaniel, Miami is investing in much-maligned quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. McDaniel told his QB: "You have the ambition to be great. My job is to coach you to get all that greatness out."

What better way for McDaniel to kick-start Tagovailoa's development than by investing in the run game? McDaniel was known in San Francisco for his creative run designs, and Miami could help after its rushing offense ranked 30th in yards, 31st in yards per attempt and 24th in touchdowns. While McDaniel made it work in San Francisco with late-round draft picks and free agents, Miami is also flush with cap space with $64.7 million available.

Why not make a splash in free agency and bring in the back who revitalized his career in Tampa Bay and calls himself "Playoff Lenny"? Fournette could help take the pressure off Tagovailoa while he learns the offense and could show fans in Miami that McDaniel is looking to push around the rest of the AFC East.

Of the 18 Vikings set to become free agents, outside linebacker Anthony Barr will be the most expensive. Barr's salary in 2021 was $8.6 million. Spotrac doesn't provide an estimate for what he could get on the open market, but Minnesota likely can't afford him.

The Vikings are $14 million over the cap, the fourth-worst in the league. Other big-name players set to hit free agency include cornerback Patrick Peterson, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, safety Xavier Woods and tight end Tyler Conklin.

Moreover, Barr turns 30 in March and played only 11 games in 2021. He had a career-high three interceptions, as well as five passes defended, but just 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits.

With the end of the Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota, the Vikings will no doubt look different in 2022. Barr is one of the big-name free agents unlikely to return.

We've established that as much as they might like to, the Green Bay Packers likely can't afford to re-sign linebacker De'Vondre Campbell. Their loss could be the New England Patriots' gain.

New England is always active in free agency, and Bill Belichick is known for his savvy pickups. The true Belichick move would have been to pick Campbell up when the Packers did last June and only pay him $2 million on a one-year deal, not the $6.2 million average annual salary Spotrac estimates Campbell can get in free agency.

That might be a little rich for Belichick's blood, but the Patriots ranked 22nd against the run in 2021. They could use an upgrade, especially with Dont'a Hightower and Ja'Whaun Bentley set to become free agents.

Campbell showed the league what he can do in an All-Pro season that included a career-high 146 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks in 16 games.

Every NFL team has to pay the piper when it comes to the salary cap. This year, it's the New Orleans Saints' turn.

The Saints are $76.2 million over the cap, nearly $30 million deeper in the red than the next team (the Green Bay Packers at $48.5 million). They have 11 players scheduled to become free agents, but because of their cap situation, they'll likely have to let most of them walk.

That includes veteran left tackle Terron Armstead, who's coming off an average annual salary of $13 million and could command a whopping $23.9 million AAV on his next contract, per Spotrac. Armstead is 30 and looking for what is likely his last major contract. The Packers' David Bakhtiari was 29 when he signed a four-year deal worth $92 million ($23 million AAV) in 2020.

Even if the Saints weren't in cap crisis, the team can't pay top dollar for a left tackle to protect their giant question mark at quarterback. Jameis Winston is coming off a knee injury and set to hit free agency, and Taysom Hill is rehabbing following surgery for the foot injury he suffered in the Saints' final game. It doesn't make sense to pay someone who will become one of the priciest left tackles in the league.

Nate Solder is yet another veteran left tackle set to hit unrestricted free agency…and his team is yet another one that probably can't afford to bring him back.

The Giants are one of nine teams that are operating in the red, needing to cut $10.7 million from their cap. Solder's last contract had an average annual salary of $15.5 million, and though he's on the wrong side of 30, he won't come cheap in 2022, even on a one-year deal.

But Daniel Jones was under siege in 2021; the offensive line allowed 35 sacks this season, tied for 16th. As Dan Duggan amusingly points out over at The Athletic, that's actually "an improvement from last season when they allowed 50 sacks, which ranked 29th in the league," and that improvement earned Solder an incentive payment of $1 million. 

New York's cap crisis combined with Solder's age suggest he will hit the market in March.

Some teams have the money to re-sign key free agents but don't. That could be the case with the Jets and veteran wideout Jamison Crowder.

The Jets have plenty of spending money this offseason, sitting at $44.7 million below the cap. They also have decisions to make on 23 impending free agents.

Crowder is one of those as he concludes the three-year, $28.5 million deal he signed in 2019. Spotrac estimates the 28-year-old can expect to make around $12.3 million annually on his next deal.

Crowder had a down year in 2021, in part because of how the team used him. Though he played 12 games, the same as the year before, he totaled 447 yards and two touchdowns compared to 699 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. 

When the Jets did use Crowder, it was in the slot, and they have Elijah Moore to take up the baton there in 2022 and beyond. But Crowder will be a hot commodity on the free-agent market and should find a team willing to pay him what he's worth. 

Since his arrival in 2016, Rodney McLeod has become a staple in the Eagles secondary and in the city of Philadelphia. In 2021, he had 58 tackles in 13 games, along with two interceptions, bringing his total to 11 in Philadelphia. He also won the 2022 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award for his dedication to the community.

But for all the leadership he has brought to the team, 2022 may be the year McLeod leaves Philadelphia.

The Eagles are projected to have $22.4 million in cap space but have several areas to address, including multiple aging players on defense and possible questions at quarterback. 

McLeod turns 32 in June. With Marcus Epps entrenched at safety and three first-round picks in the upcoming draft, it makes sense for the Eagles to let McLeod walk and fill the position with a cheaper (and younger) option. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to turn over a new leaf in 2022.

With Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers need a new starter at the QB position and to tailor their offense to whoever their new signal-caller will be.

The front office will also see changes, as general manager Kevin Colbert is stepping down and the search for his replacement is ongoing.

Among all the changes, the Steelers need to make several decisions on pending free agents, including wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster.

When the team re-signed Smith-Schuster ahead of the 2021 season, it surely felt it would get more from him than the five games and 15 receptions for 129 yards he provided.

But after his injury-hampered season, the Steelers' new regime may feel their former primary receiver may not be worth what he's likely to command in free agency, even with $32.1 million in cap space. Add in the fact that Smith-Schuster hinted on social media that he's likely gone, and a parting of ways (as reluctant as the team may be) probably makes the most sense for both parties.

The 49ers rode their powerful run game to the NFC Championship Game in 2021 despite a quarterback controversy that seemed to hang over them for most of the season.

While the team is likely preparing to introduce new QB Trey Lance in the 2022 season, head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch may feel they have all the other pieces to make a run at another NFC title and Super Bowl berth. Given the 49ers are on pace for only $3 million in cap space, however, they'll face tough decisions on where to allocate their funds.

With the importance of the run game to Shanahan's scheme, along with the need to protect Lance and the possible schematic wrinkles that the new starter may bring, keeping the offensive line intact may be one of the focuses of the team's offseason. Laken Tomlinson has proved to be an effective piece in the 49ers' zone-blocking scheme, and their offensive line finished third in Pro Football Focus' end-of-year rankings.

The 49ers don't have a lot of money to spend and need help on the defensive side as well, but bringing Tomlinson back may outweigh those considerations.

The Seahawks may be headed toward a rebuild in 2022. Although ownership has shown enough faith to bring back head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider for another run, the fate of franchise quarterback Russell Wilson is yet to be determined.

Long gone are the days of the Legion of Boom and the fearsome Seahawks defense. After a disappointing 7-10 finish in 2021, the Seahawks have a lot of areas of need for their estimated $37 million in cap space.

One spot where the team should not hesitate to spend money is in bringing back veteran safety Quandre Diggs. He was one of the bright spots of the Seahawks' season with five interceptions and 94 tackles and has been a stalwart leader since being traded to Seattle from Detroit in 2019. He also made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.

Although he suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle 10 minutes before the end of the last game, he underwent successful surgery, and the Seahawks will not be shy about spending a chunk of their salary-cap space to bring back one of their defensive leaders.

After a two-year break from the quarterback carousel, the Buccaneers find themselves back on the ride after Tom Brady's retirement. After they went all-in on veteran players to (successfully) chase Super Bowl rings, the perception is that the bill will come due this year. However, they have $6.8 million in cap space and could clear a little more than $12 million more if they keep Brady on the 90-man roster until June 2.

This leaves the Buccaneers in a peculiar situation: Do they tear down to the studs and rebuild, or do they reload under a new quarterback and keep the gang together? The rest of the NFC South doesn't look as scary as it once did, leaving the division up for grabs.

If the Bucs decide to try the veteran QB route or want someone to serve as a bridge to a rookie they may draft in the next year or two, why not take a chance on their once-promising 2015 first overall pick? Jameis Winston spent the last two years in the QB school of Sean Payton, and while his talent still has a high ceiling, he has always been undone by his propensity for turnovers.

Are those days behind him? Could he walk back into the arms of self-proclaimed "Quarterback Whisperer" Bruce Arians and show he can be a starting QB in the NFL? The Buccaneers may be bold enough to test the waters again.

The Titans are in an unenviable spot with linebacker Rashaan Evans' impending free-agent status, given that they declined to pick up his fifth-year option.

Evans had the first two interceptions of his career this season, to go with two passes defended and a forced fumble.

On the other hand, he missed five games because of injury. 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported last May that the Titans hoped to sign Evans to a contract extension before his deal expired, but that didn't get done during the season. They have a good future core of Zach Cunningham, David Long Jr. and Monty Rice. Plus, the team is $6.6 million over the cap, and re-signing Ben Jones and Harold Landry would seem to be higher priorities.

Evans may suit up for a new team for the first time in 2022.

The Washington Commanders will enter the 2022 season with a whole new look: a new nickname, new uniforms and, they would hope, a new face at the quarterback position.

QB success has long eluded the Commanders. Since Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins left town, Washington has been searching for a franchise signal-caller. Taylor Heinicke provided some fun moments in 2021 after Washington's initial starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick, went down in the season opener with a hip injury that required surgical repair.

But the word from The MMQB's Albert Breer is that Washington is on the hunt for a new QB in 2022 after missing out on Matthew Stafford in 2021 and may be looking at the free-agent market (with an estimated $30.4 million in cap space) and at trade options to make it happen.

What if Washington strikes out on Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and Jimmy Garoppolo, though? It may have no choice but to turn to Fitzpatrick, its once-and-future replacement.

Yes, he'll turn 40 in November and may be contemplating retirement. But if the Commanders can't bring in any of the big-name QBs, and with this year's rookie QB class looking less than ready for action, Fitzpatrick may be their best option until either a drafted rookie is ready to take over or a better option becomes available.

All salary-cap numbers via Spotrac.