Hopkins, Cook lead list of remaining NFL free agents ahead of training camp

DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook lead a list of accomplished players who are still available a week before several NFL teams open training camp.

Hopkins, the three-time All-Pro wide receiver, became a free agent when Arizona released him in May. He visited the Tennessee Titans and has talked to the New England Patriots.

The 31-year-old Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, could be waiting for a Super Bowl contender to make an offer. He’d fit in nicely with Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs if they could find a way to pay him.

Cook, a four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, was released by the Minnesota Vikings in June after six seasons. He has plenty of suitors, including his hometown Miami Dolphins. The New York Jets and Denver Broncos are among other teams with strong interest in the 27-year-old Cook.

Here are 10 more free agents who previously have had plenty of success in the NFL:

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT: The three-time Pro Bowl running back ran for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry for Dallas last season. Elliott still could return to the Cowboys, who got 1,007 yards rushing from Tony Pollard last season.

JADEVEON CLOWNEY: The former No. 1 overall pick is seeking his fifth team in six years. A three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Clowney had two sacks last season in Cleveland after getting nine in 2021.

YANNICK NGAKOUE: The 28-year-old defensive end is an ideal fit for any team that needs a pass rush specialist. Ngakoue has had at least eight sacks in each of his seven seasons in the NFL. He had 9 1/2 last season for the Colts after tallying 10 in 2021 with Las Vegas.

MARCUS PETERS: Peters, a ball-hawking, two-time All-Pro cornerback, is coming off a subpar season in Baltimore, but he’s two years removed from an ACL injury and provides an experienced playmaker for a team that needs help in pass coverage.

JUSTIN HOUSTON: At 34, Houston may be past his prime, but he had 9 1/2 sacks last season for the Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowl edge could spark a defense as a rotational player.

CARSON WENTZ: His MVP-caliber 2017 season in Philadelphia is a distant memory, and he’s looking for his fourth team in four years. Wentz got booted out of Indianapolis after a 2021 season in which he threw 27 TD passes and had just seven interceptions. He struggled in an injury-shortened year with Washington in 2022 and has run out of opportunities as a starter.

JOHN JOHNSON: The veteran safety has started 80 games in his six-year career, missing only two games over the past three seasons. He had 101 tackles last season for Cleveland. The versatile Johnson has filled several roles in the defensive backfield and should find a new home, perhaps Green Bay, before the season starts.

LEONARD FOURNETTE: “Playoff Lenny” helped Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl a few years ago, but he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry behind a mediocre offensive line last season. The bruising runner may have to wait for a team that loses a couple running backs to injuries.

KAREEM HUNT: He’s far removed from his 2017 rookie season in which he ran for 1,327 yards for the Chiefs, but Hunt is a versatile back who would provide depth. He may be a fit in Washington where he would reunite with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and play behind Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson.

DALTON RISNER: A left guard who started 62 games in four seasons in Denver, Risner shouldn’t be unemployed too far into camp. He’s a strong pass blocker and a potential fit for the Chargers or Vikings.