Cornerback is one of the most complex positions to address in free agency. Usually, CB play is extremely volatile, and players fall off a cliff concerningly fast after six, seven years in the NFL. So there's little prime left after the rookie contract.
Last year, for example, the Tennessee Titans traded a third-round pick and gave L'Jarius Sneed a four-year, $76 million contract after he had been franchise tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs. In his first season with the Titans, he had an awful 36.3 PFF grade, a career low by far.
That's why the top of the cornerback market is so risky in this free agent group. Charvarius Ward is 29, Carlton Davis and DJ Reed are 28, Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller are 30.
Based on production, potential, and age, the best value of the class is New Orleans Saints' Paulson Adebo.
Adebo is a worthy option
Paulson Adebo has been one of the most unique players at his position in recent years. At his peak, he's played at a Pro Bowl level for New Orleans. At other times, he's been a liability due to penalties. There seemed to be very little in between for the cornerback. A great characteristic is that he had a knack for somehow coming up with an interception in clutch moments for the Saints.
Adebo is coming off a serious leg injury, a broken femur, so there's plenty of risk involved for whoever targets him in free agency. But the defensive back is 25, and his upside is real.
Last year, Adebo allowed a 67.0 passer rating when targeted, which was impressive and a career low. He had seven pass breakups and three interceptions. Notably, he generated two pressures as a blitzer and had a 91.5 pass rush grade according to PFF.
Money matters
The risk for cornerbacks in free agency is that it's still a premium position. Even if the top of the market isn't close to what edge is, for example, teams frequently pay a lot of money to top guys—and usually regret the decision later.
In Adebo's case, Spotrac has his market projection at a team-friendly price. A two-year, $22.2 million deal ($11.1 million in yearly average) would be a fair compensation.
Maybe someone is willing to give him a little bit more than that, but any type of contract would have to include incentives to protect the team against new injuries.
According to Adebo himself, he expects to be ready to go by training camp. The cornerback played only seven games in 2024, but that's a freaky injury, more than a lingering issue. It was the first season of his career in which he played fewer than 13 games. Even so, a short-term deal may make the most sense as he tries to prove he can return at full strength.
Cornerback is a premium position, and usually top players don't even hit the market. Paulson Adebo, a former third-round pick, might bring some risk and some question marks, but he would be a solid option for needy teams in a position so hard to fill.
