Five NFL free-agency signings that could prove to be steals

The legal tampering period for NFL free agency opened on Monday, with quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Saquon Barkley among the stars who decided to move on to new homes. 

However, several underrated deals were agreed upon that could prove to be incredible bargains in retrospect.

With that in mind, here are five deals agreed upon during the legal tampering period that we could look back on as steals.

QB Russell Wilson’s one-year, $1.21M deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers 

Any one-year contract is essentially risk-free for teams, which makes it all the more puzzling why Wilson's deal with Pittsburgh is causing so much controversy. Yes, the Super Bowl-champion's Broncos tenure was nothing short of a disaster, but he's a clear upgrade over Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph while being paid the league minimum.

There's no denying that Wilson improved in 2023 after his miserable 2022 season, throwing for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions while posting a 66.4% completion rate. Even though he's lost a step, if Wilson performs like he did this past season, it wouldn't be shocking if he led Pittsburgh to its first playoff win since beating the Chiefs in the 2016 AFC divisional round. 

LB Frankie Luvu’s three-year, $36M deal with the Washington Commanders 

Luvu, or the "Energizer Bunny," as his former Panthers teammates called him, is the type of linebacker Washington has been lacking for some time. Although his stats in 2023 were not on par with his breakout 2022 season, Luvu still racked up 125 tackles, 10 for loss, 11 QB hits, 5.5 sacks and five pass breakups.

According to Pro Football Focus, Luvu has been one of the best pass-rushing off-ball linebackers in the NFL over the past two seasons, ranking fourth in pressures generated in that span (43). Not only is Luvu an ideal chess piece for a Dan Quinn defense, but he could ultimately emerge as a culture-changer for the Commanders. 

OLB Andrew Van Ginkel’s two-year, $20M deal with the Minnesota Vikings 

Van Ginkel, a jack of all trades coming off a career year with the Miami Dolphins, is one of the best-valued acquisitions of the offseason. Minnesota is set to pay PFF's seventh-highest-graded edge defender from this past season the 22nd-highest annual salary among outside linebackers in 2024.

During his final season in Miami, Van Ginkel played in 17 games, collected a career-high six sacks, 69 tackles, 19 QB hits and one interception that he returned for a touchdown. Reuniting with his former head coach, Vikings DC Brian Flores, should make the move to Minnesota a seamless transition for Van Ginkel.

RB Devin Singletary’s three-year, $16.5M deal with the New York Giants 

Don't get it twisted. Singletary is a substantial downgrade in terms of talent compared to Barkley, who agreed to a three-year, $37.75M deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Even so, at a fraction of Barkley's price, it's hard not to like Singletary's deal, especially considering he has missed one game over the past four seasons.

Despite not starting until Week 9, Singletary amassed 1,091 yards from scrimmage in 2023, his third consecutive season hitting that mark. Additionally, Singletary rushed for more yards than expected in 11 games this past season, tying Christian McCaffrey for the most among running backs, according to Next Gen Stats. 

With his experience playing under Giants HC Brian Daboll from their Buffalo Bills days, Singletary is well-positioned to make an instant impact in New York. 

DL Denico Autry’s two-year, $20M deal with the Houston Texans 

Four-time Pro Bowl edge-rusher Danielle Hunter is undeniably Houston's most significant addition this offseason, though Autry has the potential to provide GM Nick Caserio with the best return on his investment. Autry has long been an underappreciated defender, as only 13 players have collected more sacks over the last four seasons than the former undrafted free agent (36). 

In 2023, Autry set career highs in tackles (50) and sacks (11.5) while also collecting 17 QB hits. The 33-year-old's versatility makes him a perfect fit alongside Hunter and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. 

It'll be exciting to see how Texans HC DeMeco Ryans deploys his new pass-rushing trio.