There are so many good free agent safeties on the market I’ve had to split this position up into two different articles. Here’s the first, a look at the best available free safeties still on the market.
Husain Abdullah, Free Safety, Kansas City Chiefs
2015: 22 tackles, one pass defended, Age 30
Those stats may not jump out at you, but they come with a caveat; Eric Berry’s return from cancer. With Berry out the year before Abdullah started all 16 games, recorded 58 tackles, 45 of them solo, had 10 passes defended with a pick and a defensive touchdown.
The market for safeties is glutted and Abdullah announce his retirement on Instagram back in March. In his seven years in the NFL, with one year off in 2012 for his Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca, Abdullah suffered five concussions and facing life as a free agent, he decided that was enough. For a young guy like Abdullah, it may not stick. And he’ll certainly be fielding calls from any team with a desperate need after the preseason. Best fits: Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Sergio Brown, Free Safety, Jacksonville Jaguars
2015: 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended, Age 28
Brown is a guy that’s worked his ass off to stay in the league since 2010 when he was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame. Over the last two season he’s played in 30 games for the Indianapolis Colts and Jags and started 12. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he’s got the range and size to play the position and the talent to keep a job, at least as a reserve.
Brown made the most money he’s ever made in the league last season with the Jags. Before they cut him he’d collected $2.5 million. He probably won’t make that again, but my guess he could be added to pretty much any roster on a one-year, $750,000 deal. He’s young enough that he could still turn into something in the right system and experienced enough to know his role if he doesn’t. Best fits: Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams
Louis Delmas, Free Safety, Miami Dolphins
2015: 49 tackles, one sack, two fumble recoveries, three passes defended, one interception, one defensive touchdown, Age 29
Delmas’ problem has been his injury history. He’s really only played one full season in his career, his final year with the Detroit Lions. When he is on the field, he’s a legit NFL starting free safety. The Dolphins signed Delmas to a one-year deal last season that paid him $2.25 million and he made it through 13 games for them.
Is Delmas worth the risk? I think so. Especially if you don’t use him as a starter and don’t pay him starter money. As a back up safety he should be fine, make some plays, and be able to actually stay healthy. Delmas is a still a young guy and, you never know when a player like him can put his injury issues behind him. Best fits: San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons
Walter Thurmond III, Free Safety, Philadelphia Eagles
2015: 52 tackles, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, two forced fumbles, seven passes defended, three interceptions, Age 28
Yeah, yeah. I’m putting in another “retired” player, but I don’t see any way Thurmond stays that way. While Abdullah may have legitimately hung up his cleats, I don’t believe for a second Thurmond is done with football. He’s coming off his best season as a pro after moving to free safety, a position that helps players extend their career into their late 30s. And Thurmond is just 28.
The Eagles paid Thurmond $3.3 million last season to play safety and he played it well on a team and defense that didn’t do much well at all. My guess is what he really wants is to sign on with a contender. At the right price, he will. Best fits: Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans
Dashon Goldson, Free Safety, Washington Redskins
2015: 70 tackles, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, three passes defended, one interception, one defensive touchdown, Age 31
The fact that Goldson is still on the market probably has a lot more to do with the length of the contracts he’s getting offered than the money. He signed a five-year, $41.2 million contract with the Redskins last offseason and they cut him after he’d just collected $4 million of it. Of course, it was a “cap friendly” deal that made that possible. Goldson may not want to do that again.
Goldson is coming off a good season, he’s still young enough to play and if he’d be willing to play on a one or two-year deal, he’d probably be signed today. Best fits: Los Angeles Rams, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals
