The NFL Playoffs will come to a conclusion on Sunday as the Los Angeles Rams will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
Many Detroit Lions fans will be watching the Super Bowl to see Matthew Stafford but they should also be paying attention to a handful of potential free agents who could come to the Motor City in 2022.
S JESSIE BATES III, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Bates was looking for an extension this past offseason, but the Bengals instead chose to prioritize the player they drafted one round after Bates in 2018 — edge defender Sam Hubbard. The Cincinnati defense has taken a step forward in 2021, with recent free-agent additions such as edge defender Trey Hendrickson and interior defender D.J. Reader wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks and cornerback addition Chidobe Awuzie outperforming the man he replaced in Washington Football Team cornerback William Jackson III. Will Bates get his due from the Bengals, or will he be the latest homegrown player to depart?
Bottom Line:
A year ago, Bates was coming off a career year and looked like the best safety in the game, but it represented a major outlier from the rest of his career and regression hit this season. He is still an impact coverage player at the position who fits in some way in pretty much every scheme in the league.
DI B.J. HILL, CINCINNATI BENGALS
The Giants inexplicably traded Hill and a seventh-round pick for Cincinnati Bengals center Billy Price right before the 2021 season, and Hill has excelled with more opportunities on a less-crowded defensive line alongside nose tackle D.J. Reader. Hill is a solid all-around three-technique with the ability to generate relatively consistent pressure on the quarterback from the interior. With increased playing time, he has a career-high 76.6 overall grade through Week 12, and his five quarterback hits are one fewer than he had in his first three seasons combined.
Bottom Line:
The fact that Hill hasn’t started many games in his first four seasons doesn’t mean he can’t be a starting defensive tackle for a team with a need at the position. He’s a plus run defender who isn’t a non-factor in the passing game.
CB DARIOUS WILLIAMS, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Darious Williams was the only restricted free agent to receive the first-round tender last offseason at a value of $4.766 million, signaling how much the Rams value his contributions. The move may also demonstrate their perception of how Williams is regarded league-wide if they thought a second-round tender would not have been enough to keep another club from signing him to an offer sheet. A very solid player opposite Jalen Ramsey, Williams has thrived in a heavy zone scheme but has physical limitations at just 5-foot-9. Nevertheless, opposing quarterbacks rarely fare well throwing into his coverage, and he deserves a payday.
Bottom Line:
Darious Williams has elite quickness, movement skills and the ability to find and break up the football once it’s in the air. He can play equally well in man or zone coverage but has always been protected by his role within the Rams defense.
G AUSTIN CORBETT, LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Cleveland Browns took Corbett with the first pick in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and his NFL career got off to a rocky start. After Corbett played just 15 snaps over one-and-a-half seasons, the Browns sent him to the Rams for a fifth-round pick. Strangely enough, Corbett’s career trajectory now somewhat resembles that of Browns star right guard Wyatt Teller, with a trade and a change of scenery leading to a boost in his play.
Corbett didn’t miss a single snap for the Rams in 2020 and logged a career-high 73.4 overall grade and 76.4 run-blocking grade despite switching from center to right guard. He’s maintained that level of play through Week 12 of 2021, and his upward trajectory, positional flexibility along the interior of the offensive line and draft status could lead to a solid payday.
Bottom Line:
Corbett’s play as the Rams’ starting right guard over the past two years has helped him shed the “bust” label that was prematurely placed on him after being drafted 33rd overall by the Browns in 2018. He’s a top-20 guard in PFF’s wins above replacement metric since 2020, and he can be plugged in as a capable starting guard for most NFL offenses.
DI SEBASTIAN JOSEPH-DAY, LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Los Angeles Rams run defense took a big hit for a few weeks following an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained by Joseph-Day in Week 7, but reports have indicated he may return for the playoffs. His ability to eat up space on the interior and free up other rushers will be valued across the league.
Bottom Line:
Joseph-Day hasn’t had the hardest job in the NFL, given that he’s been playing next to Aaron Donald, but he provides positive value to any run defense. If he’s blocked one-on-one, expect him to win most of those reps.
