Top 5 NFL free-agent steals with high expectations going into 2022 season
The LA Rams and Buffalo Bills kicked off the 2022 NFL season with an entertaining fixture.
With the NFL season underway, it is time for all the offseason acquisitions across the league to earn their new paychecks. Of course, some players have higher expectations than others. Many of these new additions are expected to boost their team to another level at the position group, while others are expected to simply tread water.
However, who was a good acquisition that also has high expectations going into the 2022 NFL season? Here are some sneaky-good free agent pickups heading into 2022.
#5 Darious Williams | CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Darious Williams, the former LA Rams cornerback, left the Super Bowl-winning team in pursuit of something more and has seemingly found it in Jacksonville.
In other words, he went from a team that won the Super Bowl to a team that won three games last year. As such, the Jaguars will expect a lot more from Williams than him simply playing well.
Former Rams’ CB Darious Williams is expected to finalize a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, per source.
He has been brought in to change the culture of the defense and become more emblematic of the Super Bowl squad he comes from. Of course, the basis for the expectations of playing well in 2022 comes from his history in the NFL.
In 2018, Williams earned a 64.1 PFF grade. The following year, he earned a 78.9 PFF grade. In 2020, he earned an 80.0 PFF grade and last year, he took a step back, earning a 65.3 grade.
It is clear that he was brought in with the assumption that he would transform back into the 2019 or 2020 version of himself. This is expected to be on top of Williams' role in changing the culture on defense.
Put simply, expectations are high for the cornerback, who is playing on a deal worth $8 million this year, per Spotrac.
#4 JC Jackson | CB, Los Angeles Chargers
JC Jackson is an example of being such a rare commodity that anyone who got him was getting a steal.
The Los Angeles Chargers won the sweepstakes and expect big things from their new cornerback. The 26-year-old cornerback is entering the prime of his career, coming off a solid number of recent seasons in the NFL.
In 2019, Jackson earned a 67.3 PFF grade and the following year, the cornerback earned a slightly better rating at 69.5. In 2021, he jumped to an 82.6 PFF grade, while also recording eight interceptions.
Put simply, many are expecting the cornerback to be the catalyst that puts the Chargers finally over the top in the NFL's AFC playoff race.
Brandon Staley says CB JC Jackson is out of his boot and is day-to-day.
However, if Williams stumbles out of the gate, the team could easily find another place to trade him since he had such a big market in the offseason. This serves as the often overlooked reason why he's a good deal for the team.
Additionally, with a limited number of high-quality players in their prime coming available every year, landing a player wanted by multiple suitors is a steal in itself.
#3 Bobby Wagner | MLB, Los Angeles Rams
One of the core leaders of the Seattle Seahawks was released during the offseason. It wasn't because of the quality of his play, but rather because the team elected to rebuild from the bottom up. They moved on from Russell Wilson and also moved on from Bobby Wagner.
Bobby Wagner…. That’s the tweet
The linebacker was picked up by the Los Angeles Rams and signed to a five-year deal. However, that could easily become a one-year deal if he doesn't perform up to the reputation he has built over the years in the NFL.
According to Spotrac, the team can start saving money on the deal if they cut him starting in 2023. In 2024, it would cost the Rams almost nothing to cut him.
That means Wagner has to use this year to lengthen his leash because the contract will be held over the shredder starting next season. If he performs well, he'll have room for error next season. However, if he doesn't live up to expectations, Wagner could quickly be without a job in 2023.
#2 Von Miller | LB, Buffalo Bills
Von Miller is part of a dying breed in the NFL at this moment in time. Superstar pass rushers rarely become available, so when a team gets one, the cost becomes a formality.
That said, his massive contract is really only impressive through 2024. Starting in 2025, the team could save $10 million by cutting ties with the linebacker.
Based on how well he played in the NFL's season opener, it is clear there are expectations for Miller to return to the form he showed during his time with the Denver Broncos. After just one game, he already has two sacks. Last year, he earned 9.5 sacks in total.
Many expect Miller to beat those numbers from a season ago since he has much more stability in his NFL career at 33 than he did when he was 32.
#1 Juju Smith-Schuster | WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Juju Smith-Schuster has some big shoes to fill as the supposed replacement for Tyreek Hill and has a small window to prove it.
The wide receiver is playing on a $3.7 million one-year deal, according to Spotrac. In 2018, he earned 1426 yards and seven touchdowns, and the Kansas City Chiefs will hope that he can return to that level during the 2022 NFL season.
However, since 2018, he has earned roughly the same number of yards. Put simply, it is a risky choice for the Chiefs, but a low-cost one. If he pops, the team could get a Tyreek Hill-level year for a fraction of the cost.
Such a scenario would make this deal the steal of the year. But if Smith-Schuster doesn't explode, the team can still cut him or otherwise move on at any time without second thoughts.