Hidden free agents: Untendered NFL players

As I’m sure you know now, the Green Bay Packers are boxed into their compensatory pick situation (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) as far as free agency goes. As it stands right now, the Packers will likely net a third-round pick for the loss of quarterback Malik Willis, a fourth-round pick for receiver Romeo Doubs, a fifth-round pick for linebacker Quay Walker and either a fifth- or sixth-round pick (this is going to be the closest one by far) for tackle Rasheed Walker, who had a rough one on the open market. This assumes that the Skyy Moore contract doesn’t offset the Packers’ fourth-highest pick (it’ll be close, but we don’t know the incentive structure yet), so the only outright cancellation on paper will be the signing of cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and the loss of Kingsley Enagbare (a sixth-round value, which the Packers’ wouldn’t have been able to claim anyway because teams can only claim their four highest compensatory picks in a given cycle).

If you want to read into the nitty-gritty of the comp pick system, I tried to provide a full explanation of it the week before free agency (in anticipation that we’d be a team that protects the picks). The Packers are certainly not the only team in this situation. The Seattle Seahawks, despite having much more cap space and coming off a Super Bowl, are also sitting by and collecting picks. The Jacksonville Jaguars, another 2025 playoff team, had their general manager openly discuss that they’re not going to be involved in the compensatory free agent market, because they want to collect a fourth- and fifth-round pick.

There are players you can add to your team, though, who do not count in the comp pick formula. You can trade for anyone, and this doesn’t impact the formula. Cap casualties are not counted as compensatory free agents, so they’re free to sign. We already saw the Packers add defensive tackle Javon Hargrave after he was released as a cap casualty. If you want to keep up with the cap casualty market, we’re tracking it HERE.

Beyond cap casualties, three other types of free agents don’t count in the formula. The first is players who make an average per year (APY) under $2.6 million, as they rarely qualify as one of the top 32 non-offset losses (the NFL caps comp picks at 32 per class). Below that number, which is right where Moore comes in before incentives, is the sweet spot (and why the specific details of his incentives will mean a lot). The counting of compensatory free agents also ends after the first Monday following the draft (April 27th this year), which means that if guys are still out there on the market post-draft, Green Bay is free to sign these players to whatever amount the team wants without it counting against them in the 2027 draft.

The final market is restricted free agents or exclusive right free agents who are not tendered. Because their original teams had the option to tender them, but chose not to, they do not count as compensatory free agents. They are now unrestricted free agents, but not compensatory free agents, similar to cap casualties.

Teams that are trying to save their compensatory picks often target these types of players. Just look at the running back market this year. The Los Angeles Chargers want to protect the third-round pick they’ll receive from losing pass-rusher Odafe Oweh, so they paid running back Keaton Mitchell, a non-tendered player, instead of a compensatory free agent who would have cost him that pick (as long as they made north of $2.6 million). Remember that Seattle and Jacksonville were protecting multiple picks, too? They also signed non-tendered RFAs, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Rodriguez Jr., respectively.

So it would make sense for Green Bay to poke around in this market if they don’t want to have to wait for April 27th to sign their next free agent or take the dice roll on a cap casualty falling into their lap down the line.

Who are those players? Let’s take a look! Based on lists of RFA/ERFAs, the league’s transaction log and media reports, here are all of the non-tendered players who have become unrestricted free agents but are not counted as compensatory free agents who are still on the market.

Quarterbacks

Hendon Hooker, Jets (33 career offensive snaps)

Funny enough, the only quarterback is a former Green Bay Packers visitor, Hendon Hooker. He’s been made available several times over recent seasons, so I doubt the Packers still have interest in him, but he’s an option.

Running Backs

Keontay Ingram, Chiefs (223 career offensive snaps, 66 special teams snaps)
Tyler Goodson, Colts (217, 306)
Deneric Prince, Patriots (0, 15)

Hey, former Green Bay Packer Tyler Goodson is out there, for those of you looking for a change-of-pace back. As we’ve already covered, the non-tendered market has already been plucked through by other teams looking to add non-compensatory free agents.

Receivers

David Sills, Falcons (949 career offensive snaps, 42 special teams snaps)
Malik Heath, Falcons (636, 156)
Cody White, Seahawks (314, 280)
D.J. Montgomery, Colts (174, 73)
Josh Cephus, Jaguars (6, 0)
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Giants (2, 286)

Bringing back Malik Heath to be a practice squad option who could do some dirty work, like blocking on offense and special teams, could make some sense. I think it’ll be hard for him to make the 53-man roster this year, but maybe there’s a world where he could come up after an injury or something.

Tight Ends

Tucker Fisk, Chargers (511 career offensive snaps, 179 special teams snaps)
Blake Whitehart, Browns (454, 364)
Tyree Jackson, Commanders (223, 129)
Travis Vokolek, Cardinals (84, 51)
Mason Pline, Saints (0,0)

I’m going to be honest, the only player I know on this list is Tyree Jackson, and it was because he played for the XFL as a quarterback when I worked with the league.

Offensive Linemen

Brock Hoffman, Cowboys (1,212 career offensive snaps, 329 special teams snaps)
Mike Caliendo, Chiefs (723, 185)
Austin Deculus, Chargers (584, 105)
Ryan McCollum, Steelers (265, 189)
Lecitus Smith, Panthers (265, 65)
Yasir Durant, Patriots (188, 85)
Luke Tenuta, Colts (35, 45)
Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Falcons (0, 5)
Obinna Eze, Dolphins (0, 0)

There are actually a decent number of offensive linemen with some experience out there. I can’t speak to most of their ability, though. I will say it was reported that Brock Hoffman signed with a team, but his camp has disputed it, so I left him on the board.

Also included are two former Packers: Lecitus Smith and Luke Tenuta.

Interior Defensive Linemen

Sam Kamara, Browns (564 career defensive snaps, 211 special teams snaps)
Sam Roberts, Falcons (266, 56)
Jaquelin Roy, Patriots (237, 63)
Jacob Slade, Steelers (0, 0)

The one I’d keep an eye on here is Jaquelin Roy, whom the Packers brought in as a pre-draft visitor. Green Bay ends up targeting those guys at a pretty high rate when they’re available. He was put on the injured reserve in August of last year with an undisclosed injury and missed the regular season. In 2023, he was a fifth-round pick.

Edge Defenders

Tomon Fox, Giants (621 career defensive snaps, 564 special teams snaps)
Tarron Jackson, 49ers (308, 120)
Jeremiah Moon, Steelers (244, 390)
Nick Hampton, Rams (188, 510)
Arron Mosby, Packers (169, 495)
Markees Watts, Buccaneers (81, 393)
Isaiah Iton, Patriots (0,0)

Aaron Mosby has been a key special teams guy for Green Bay, but it’s been tough for the team to keep him, a special teamer who plays little defense, and Brenton Cox Jr., an edge defender who plays no special teams, on the roster together. I understand the team moving on from him, even if I’d still like him back as a break in case of emergency option off the practice squad. Mosby finished fourth in special teams snaps for the Packers in 2025, despite only being activated to the 53-man roster from Week 10 on.

Off-Ball Linebackers

Jack Gibbens, Patriots (1,569 career defensive snaps, 747 special teams snaps)
Mohamoud Diabate, Browns (905, 666)
Baylon Spector, Bills (331, 424)
Cam Jones, Jets (165, 737)
Anfernee Orji, Titans (146, 353)
Segun Olubi, Colts (141, 1,095)
Ben VanSumeren, Eagles (50, 394)

If you need a special teams guy, they are out there. The Packers already have two aces in Nick Niemann and Kristian Welch under contract, plus Isaiah McDuffie is a returning special teams captain. I’m a little surprised Jack Gibbens remains on the street.

Cornerbacks

Cameron Mitchell, Colts (1,175 career defensive snaps, 419 special teams snaps)
Kyu Blu Kelly, Raiders (661, 72)
Sam Webb, Browns (487, 222)
Chase Lucas, 49ers (104, 509)
Kemon Hall, Titans (87, 528)
Anthony Kendall, Browns (3, 323)
Eric Scott, Chiefs (0, 0)

All of Cameron Mitchell, Kyu Blu Kelly and Sam Webb have gotten on the field in the NFL, but they all also had sub-60 grades on PFF last season, too. The Packers are probably better off looking to the draft and undrafted free agency for competition at outside cornerback.

Safeties

Specialists

P Corliss Waitman, Steelers (456 career special teams snaps)

Daniel Whelan isn’t going anywhere.

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Of the names still out there, I’d think the Packers would be interested in defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy, a former visitor, or maybe bringing back an old friend, like receiver Malik Heath or tackle Luke Tenuta, as an injury insurance.