With two weeks of the NFL preseason complete and Week 1 of the regular season only two weeks away, the time for roster building is largely over. Most teams are now looking to dump players ahead of the 53-man roster cutdown on Aug. 30, not add them.
The free-agent pool that will soon be flooded with talent already has something to offer. Several proven veterans have remained available all offseason, and it's frankly shocking that they're still looking for a team.
We're talking about high-level starters, talented role players and former Pro Bowlers who would seem like logical fits for multiple rosters. Many of them will likely find homes once teams see how their regular-season rosters stack up.
The New York Jets just signed five-time Pro Bowl tackle Duane Brown last week after starter Mekhi Becton suffered a fractured kneecap. Unsure of their internal depth, the Jets quickly moved to add the soon-to-be 37-year-old Brown.
Below, we'll examine other players who could be late additions and key contributors during the 2022 season. We'll dive into what each could provide and examine some potential landing spots based on factors like player upside, team needs, positional depth and salary-cap situations.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR
It wasn't a total shock that Odell Beckham Jr. remained unsigned heading into training camp. The three-time Pro Bowler helped the Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI, but he suffered a torn ACL during the game and is still recovering from that injury.
Beckham may prefer not signing with a team until he's fully healthy and clear-cut Super Bowl contenders have emerged. However, signing him now would ensure that he's familiar with the offense and ready to contribute whenever he does get cleared.
The latter would be less of a concern for the Rams since Beckham joined them in the middle of last season. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Rams have "maintained interest" in him, although he's also receiving interest from "several teams, contending teams."
Rapoport mentioned the Green Bay Packers as a team that could have interest in Beckham, which would make sense. The Packers traded Davante Adams in the offseason and don't have a proven No. 1 receiver on the roster. Rookie second-round pick Christian Watson has missed time following knee surgery and is only getting back to team drills this week.
Both the Rams and Packers could afford to bring Beckham in for a postseason run. The Rams still have $8.3 million in available cap space, while the Packers have $11.7 million.
Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers
Eric Fisher, OT
Now that Duane Brown is off the market, Eric Fisher could be the next tackle to find a new team if an injury creates a need.
The 31-year-old was responsible for eight penalties and allowed seven sacks with the Indianapolis Colts last season, according to Pro Football Focus. However, it's worth noting that Fisher came back less than a year after suffering a torn Achilles with the Kansas City Chiefs. He did make 15 starts and play 89 percent of the Colts' offensive snaps.
Now that he's another year removed from the injury, the two-time Pro Bowler should be in a better position to provide value.
The Chicago Bears should consider signing Fisher if they're looking to upgrade Justin Fields' protection. He was sacked 36 times in 12 games as a rookie last season and was under pressure on 27.3 percent of his dropbacks.
Right now, rookie fifth-round pick Braxton Jones is working with the Bears' first team at left tackle, according to Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bears have $13.8 million in cap space available, so they should be able to afford Fisher.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should also take a long look at Fisher. Pittsburgh's offensive line allowed 38 sacks in 2021 and paved the way for a ground game that ranked 29th in yards per carry. It hasn't appeared any better this preseason.
"We gotta do a better job of protecting [quarterback Mitch Trubisky] and having some semblance of a run game if you want a fair evaluation," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. "And I'm just being bluntly honest."
At some point, Pittsburgh is likely to start first-round pick Kenny Pickett over Trubisky, and protecting him should be paramount. The Steelers shouldn't be afraid to spend most or all of their $5.9 million in remaining cap space to improve the rookie's pass protection.
Best Fits: Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers