20 Sleeper Free Agent Signings To Know In 2026

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Big is the operative word when it comes to discussing NFL free agency. Or huge, or massive, or any number of size-themed synonyms. Lots of money gets thrown around in the first week and then the media ecosystem spends tons of time dissecting it all. That is not what this article is about. (We hit the best deals and worst deals last week). This article is about the cheap deals teams used to fill in the cracks. Money talks and the money says expectations for these players are lower. Yet year after year, some of the best free agency success stories come from this cohort — guys like Eagles LB Zack Baun , former Vikings QB Sam Darnold , former Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett and current Bucs QB Baker Mayfield , just to name a few. Here’s a look at 20 of the overlooked deals signed in the past couple of weeks that have a chance to hit big. Not all of these lottery tickets will cash out as lucratively as the examples above. But in terms of the potential for a major return on investment, these players stand out to me. Players are listed alphabetically. Some players signed “veteran salary benefit” contracts (abbreviated to VSB) which pay them the minimum salary for their years of experience, but count for less against the salary cap. Giants WR Calvin Austin Contract: 1 year, $1.5 million New Giants HC John Harbaugh has had his eye on Austin for a while. The great Peter King was embedded in the Ravens’ draft room in 2022 and posted an article chock-full of insight into Baltimore’s process, including how the Steelers sniping them for Austin led them to pivot to TE Isaiah Likely . Now Harbaugh is bringing both to New York. Austin didn’t tear up the stat sheet in Pittsburgh, taking a couple of years to find his stride due to injuries. The last two years, he was in an offense that preferred to put more tight ends on the field than receivers. At a listed 5-9 and 162 pounds, Austin has some size limitations that would prompt a lot of coaches to push him into the slot. However, he put together some intriguing flashes the last few seasons. Austin has underrated skills at the line of scrimmage to beat man coverage and speed to threaten deep down the field. Former Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson , a draft classmate of Austin’s, is a little more solidly built, but the difference between him and Austin might not be as large as their contracts suggest. He’s also a legitimate option as a punt returner, averaging nearly nine yards per return for his career with a touchdown. The Giants added Austin and veteran WR Darnell Mooney to compete with Darius Slayton , Jalin Hyatt and others for roles behind No. 1 WR Malik Nabers . There’s also a chance Nabers’ knee injury rehab limits him to start the year, creating more opportunities for other receivers. Don’t sleep on Austin to be the most productive non-Nabers receiver on the roster. For $1.5 million, that’s a great deal. Jets S Dane Belton Contract: 1 year, $4 million Originally a fourth-round pick by the Giants in 2022, Belton has steadily improved each season. Last year was his best season, finishing with a career-high nine starts, 120 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and five pass breakups. Belton is a versatile safety, splitting his time pretty equally between the box and the post with a healthy dose of slot snaps, too. Last year, he was a pretty exceptional tackler as well. He parlayed that year into a contract from the Jets that, while modest in total value, is notable fo…