NFL free agency – Mike Tannenbaum picks five available players to sign, draws up potential deals, more

It’s an exciting time of year for all 32 NFL teams, as they have a chance to get better and bring in impact players across their rosters. An offseason plan is truly a continuum, and it all starts next week with free agency.

While there are always headliners in the free-agent pool, the strategic opportunities can often be more impactful than the “splash” signings. As a former NFL executive with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, I’ve navigated the frenzy a few times, and I always had a few guys I absolutely wanted to try to sign each March. That was especially true when I felt a player would outperform the deal to which we were signing him.

So I’m going to put my trusty GM hat back on and suggest five current free agents I’d try to sign next week — players who I believe can help any roster. Sometimes that contribution goes beyond statistical impact, and I always look for players who can benefit the team on and off the field. There are always risks in free agency, and teams will look at how a player learns, his injury history and how he deals with adversity. Here are five names I’d pursue, the deals I’d offer them and why each would make a team better.

The deal I’d offer: Two years, $15 million ($9 million guaranteed)

After Nelson’s contract was terminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in March 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him for one year at $2.5 million, though Nelson ended up earning $4 million on the prove-it deal through incentives. Now he is back on the market. I’ve always been a fan of Nelson’s game because of his productivity and durability.

Since 2016, he has played at least 488 or more snaps every year, has at least seven passes defensed in five of those seasons and can line up both inside and outside. He’s only 29 years old, and depth at corner is at a premium because teams are in nickel packages at least 65% of the time.

This deal — an average of $7.5 million annually — is a bit of a raise, but I’d be getting…