Alabama Roots: Who remains unsigned in NFL free agency?

Linebacker Rashaan Evans made 159 tackles in 2022, the seventh-most in the NFL. Wide receiver Julio Jones has a pass-catching résumé that could land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Safety Landon Collins and running back Mark Ingram have been Pro Bowlers three times apiece.

But three weeks after the start of the NFL’s 2023 business year and the players became unrestricted free agents able to sign with any team, none has a new contract.

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They are among the 17 players from Alabama high schools and colleges who became unrestricted free agents at 3 p.m. CDT March 15 who remain unsigned. Four other players with Alabama football roots who played during the 2022 seasons also are free agents who have remained unsigned.

With the so-called first wave of free agency over, the remaining free agents might have to wait until after the NFL Draft on April 27-29 to find interested teams.

The players from Alabama high schools and colleges who became free agents three weeks ago and don’t have announced contracts include:

· Linebacker Kwon Alexander (Oxford)

· Cornerback Anthony Averett (Alabama)

· Defensive lineman Angelo Blackson (Auburn)

· Safety Landon Collins (Alabama)

· Running back Kenyan Drake (Alabama)

· Linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High, Alabama)

· Defensive end Trey Flowers (Columbia)

· Defensive end Da’Shawn Hand (Alabama)

· Safety Ronnie Harrison (Alabama)

· Offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (UAB)

· Running back Mark Ingram (Alabama)

· Safety Kareem Jackson (Alabama)

· Wide receiver Julio Jones (Foley, Alabama)

· Linebacker Reggie Ragland (Bob Jones, Alabama)

· Defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson (Alabama)

· Long snapper Carson Tinker (Alabama)

· Defensive lineman Nick Williams (Minor, Samford)

Four other players from Alabama high schools and colleges who played during the 2022 season already were unrestricted free agents when the NFL’s 2023 business year began three weeks ago. They had been released in salary-cap moves in preparation for the new accounting year.

One of those players has a new contract, with Washington Commanders defensive back Bobby McCain (Oxford) joining the New York Giants. The players still on the open market include:

· Linebacker Zach Cunningham (Pinson Valley)

· Center Rodney Hudson (B.C. Rain)

· Center Ben Jones (Bibb County)

Four other players with Alabama football roots qualified to become restricted free agents because they had three NFL seasons and an expiring contract. Two received qualifying offers from their 2022 teams and became restricted free agents, and two did not and became unrestricted free agents.

The New York Jets put a second-round tender on defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal), and the Commanders put a right-of-first-refusal tender on safety Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama).

The tenders carry salaries of $4.304 million for Huff and $2.743 million for Reaves. The players can negotiate with other teams until April 21. If they get a better offer, their current club has the option to match it. In Huff’s case, if the Jets decline to do so, they get a second-round draft choice from the team that signs the pass-rusher.

Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (Florence) did not receive a qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Rams and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Center J.C. Hassenauer (Alabama) remains an unrestricted free agent after failing to receive a tender from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Twenty of the 37 players from Alabama high schools and colleges who became unrestricted free agents three weeks ago have new contracts. Five of the players re-signed with their 2022 teams and 15 have changed teams so far this offseason.

The players with Alabama football roots who have new contracts since becoming free agents three weeks ago include:

· Cornerback Tony Brown (Alabama) re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

· Defensive tackle Byron Cowart (Auburn) signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

· Linebacker Tae Davis (Oxford) signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

· Safety Rudy Ford (New Hope, Auburn) re-signed with the Green Bay Packers.

· Running back Damien Harris (Alabama) signed with the Buffalo Bills.

· Tight end O.J. Howard (Autauga Academy, Alabama) signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

· Linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville) signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

· Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Central-Phenix City) signed with the New York Giants.

· Defensive tackle Jarran Reed (Alabama) signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

· Outside linebacker Malik Reed (Dothan) signed with the Miami Dolphins.

· Punter JK Scott (Alabama) re-signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.

· Offensive lineman Trent Scott (Lee-Huntsville) signed with the Washington Commanders.

· Wide receiver Cam Sims (Alabama) signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

· Wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn) re-signed with the New York Giants.

· Tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

· Cornerback Tremon Smith (Saks) signed with the Denver Broncos.

· Quarterback Jarrett Stidham (Auburn) signed with the Denver Broncos.

· Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama) signed with the Cleveland Browns.

· Defensive back Jimmie Ward (Davidson) signed with the Houston Texans.

· Linebacker Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery, Alabama) re-signed with the New England Patriots.

Nine other players with Alabama football roots would have become unrestricted free agents on March 15 but did not because they signed extensions to stay with their teams before their 2022 contracts expired. Those players were:

· Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood)

· Chicago Bears fullback Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn)

· Carolina Panthers center Bradley Bozeman (Handley, Alabama)

· Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford)

· Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (Alabama)

· Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (Auburn)

· New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones (Alabama)

· Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park)

· New York Jets outside linebacker Quincy Williams (Wenonah)

Two players who would have become unrestricted free agents instead became the subject of non-exclusive franchise tags. That extended the Raiders’ period to negotiate with running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama) until July 17. Washington didn’t need the extra time: Defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama) already has signed a new deal with the Commanders.

Jacobs still can negotiate with other teams, but if he gets an offer better than the value of the franchise tag — $10.091 million for the 2023 season – the Raiders have the option to match it and keep Jacobs or receive two first-round draft picks from his new team.

Another class of free agent is the exclusive rights free agent. A player with fewer than three NFL seasons and an expiring contract becomes an exclusive rights free agent. A player in this category who receives a contract offer from his current team cannot negotiate with other teams and either re-signs or doesn’t play.

Broncos punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) was an ERFA, and he received an offer from Denver. But when the Broncos announced they had signed Rams punter Riley Dixon as an unrestricted free agent, they rescinded their offer to Waitman. Waitman then signed with the New England Patriots as an unrestricted free agent.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.