Best Fits for Top Available WRs Still on the Market in NFL Free Agency

Every free-agent signing is expected to bring value, but wide receiver is easily one of the more glamorous spots.

After all, the position accounts for a major percentage of scoring in a given NFL season. Last year, for example, 45 wideouts caught five-plus touchdowns. For comparison, 31 running backs scampered into the end zone at least five times.

Finding a productive free-agent receiver can provide a critical boost to an offense. And today, we're identifying the prime landing spots for wideouts who remain unsigned.

The list is ordered alphabetically and considers both a specific team's needs and the free agent's possible role.

During the last three seasons, Cole Beasley was a steady slot option for the Buffalo Bills. He averaged 77 receptions, 812.7 yards and 3.7 touchdowns while posting a 71.1 percent catch rate.

In a cost-cutting move, though, Buffalo saved $6.1 million when it released Beasley this offseason.

Although he'll be 33 next season, Beasley still has value as a zone-busting target on a short-term contract. While any of the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans could use a jolt in that department, the Titans—especially as Deshaun Watson's status is unclear—are best positioned to contend in 2022.

Beasley would complete a well-rounded starting trio alongside A.J. Brown and Robert Woods in Tennessee.

Let's not bury the takeaway here: Staying with the Los Angeles Rams is clearly Odell Beckham Jr.'s best fit.

After the Browns released OBJ last year, he became a key piece of the Rams' Super Bowl run. Beckham caught 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season games and 21 receptions for 288 yards and two scores in four playoff appearances.

The challenge, however, is balancing Beckham's rehab from an ACL injury and the reality that he probably won't return until November or possibly later. It's still too early in the process to know what to expect regarding OBJ's availability in 2022.

But if Beckham and the Rams find an equitable solution, there's little sense in breaking up a good thing.

The ugly truth is, right now, the Green Bay Packers have a glaring shortage of explosiveness in the receiving corps.

Allen Lazard, a nice complementary piece and great blocker, has 20 catches of 20-plus yards since he became a regular contributor in 2019. Last season, Randall Cobb pulled in six passes for 20-plus yards during his return to Green Bay. And the remainder of the depth chart is full of young, unproven players.

Will Fuller can provide that desperately needed element. In 55 career games, he's totaled 49 such receptions—including 14 in 2020 with the Houston Texans.

Exactly how much the Packers are willing to pay is a real question, considering Fuller has only appeared in more than 11 games in a season when he was a rookie in 2016. But the Packers are undoubtedly the ideal option for Fuller's skill set.

After missing the 2019 season with an ankle injury, A.J. Green caught just 45.2 percent of targets for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020. He landed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency and posted 54 receptions, 848 yards and three scores last season.

And the veteran should stay in town.

Each of the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders also need a No. 2 wideout, but Arizona has a glaring hole beyond DeAndre Hopkins. While the Cardinals have Rondale Moore pegged as Christian Kirk's replacement in the slot, they're otherwise looking at Antoine Wesley—or possibly a rookie—as the other outside receiver for Kyler Murray.

Arizona needs Green more than he needs the Cards, yet a reunion makes complete sense for both sides.

Indianapolis needs a receiver. That part is simple.

Besides, since the Colts traded for Matt Ryan, it'd be stunning if they didn't add a veteran receiver. They've embraced a win-now season (or possibly more) with Ryan calling the shots.

T.Y. Hilton is a very familiar option but might be a backup plan. Though he's spent all 10 NFL seasons with Indy, Hilton has averaged no better than 50.8 yards per game in the last three years. Unless the Colts believe he can reclaim 2018 levels with Ryan, Hilton may be forced to pivot toward a different team.

Chicago, which lost Allen Robinson to the Rams this offseason, must upgrade the receiving room to build around second-year quarterback Justin Fields. As of now, the Bears lack experienced options beyond Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle.

Hilton would be an immediate upgrade for Chicago and have no shortage of available snaps to revive his reputation.

Julio Jones is a calculated risk.

Even as he played 14-plus games in every season from 2014-19, the All-Pro wideout regularly missed practice. Jones, who ranks 17th all time in career receiving yards, has seemingly been a game-time decision for much of his Hall of Fame career.

The negative outcome is obvious: If you're signing Jones and expecting 17 healthy games, that's unlikely to happen. But how about 14 appearances? Or even 12?

That potential ought to appeal to Indianapolis, which should also be eyeing a receiver in the draft. Still, the Colts can reunite Jones with Matt Ryan. During their 10 seasons together in Atlanta, Jones—with the asterisk of youth acknowledged—never finished with fewer than 73.8 receiving yards per game.

If the Colts were a surer bet, perhaps they'd be better off chasing a different player. They might need a little extra luck to contend in the AFC, though, and a healthy year from Jones fits that billing.

Jarvis Landry averaged 72 catches, 890 yards and 3.8 touchdowns in four seasons with the Browns. While that production is respectable, it wasn't worth his previous deal. They released him earlier this offseason to save $14.8 million against the cap.

At a lower rate, though, he's still a sensible fit in Cleveland.

So far, the Browns have only signed Jakeem Grant. He's a fun, fast player but more of a returner than a wideout. They shouldn't be content entering 2022 with Grant and Anthony Schwartz as the top complements to Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.

If he doesn't return to Cleveland, the New Orleans Saints stand out as a tempting location for Landry, too.