The free agent market was overloaded with talent at the safety position, and a reliable starter in Micah Hyde appears to have gone overlooked. At the peak of his power, the two-time Second-Team All-Pro combined with Jordan Poyer to form arguably the best safety duo in the league. A natural ballhawk, Hyde had the range to take away deep throws on both sides of the field while also holding his own as a tackler and in run support.
MICAH HYDE PICKS OFF MAC JONES 😮
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/zvouTEmzF4
— ESPN (@espn) January 16, 2022
Going by PFF grade, the safety was a top-11 player at his position four times from 2017 to 2021. PFF grades aren’t gospel, but this shows how remarkably consistent he was at his best. While Micah Hyde has dropped off a bit with age, the free agent is still a solid player. Last year, the defensive back started in 14 games, moving all across the formation while recording two interceptions, seven passes defended, 54 tackles, one quarterback hit, and a 66.2 PFF grade.
Despite remaining a solid player, teams are not going crazy over Micah Hyde as a free agent. Perhaps his age has something to do with this, but the film shows that the former fifth-round pick can still be a viable part of a good defense. Somebody will give him a shot eventually, and these five teams could be rewarded with a cheap starter at a key position.
5 Teams That Could Sign Free Agent Micah Hyde
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts came one drop away from making the playoffs with a backup quarterback. While Anthony Richardson will be back in 2024, they’ll need some help to overtake a widely improved AFC South. The Colts secondary needs somebody to discourage C.J. Stroud from going deep on every single snap, and Micah Hyde could be the free agent for the job. Even though they missed out on L’Jarius Sneed, they should still have a solid secondary that can keep them in most games.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens use three safeties more than just about any other team in the league. The team has a lot of departed free agents to try and replace, and Geno Stone is one of the biggest of them all. The former seventh-round pick had seven interceptions last year while playing in a specialized role. Micah Hyde is a perfect fit for the job, and he shouldn’t break the bank as a free agent.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions almost made the Super Bowl last year, and they did it with a below-average defense. While the team made a few moves to improve the defensive side of the ball, they could still use some more help in the secondary. C.J. Gardner-Johnson missed the majority of the 2023 season, and the team desperately needs another safety now that he re-signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Micah Hyde isn’t the same type of player as Gardner-Johnson, but the free agent will add some much-needed depth to the secondary.
New Orleans Saints
After using a good portion of their remaining cap space on Chase Young, the New Orleans Saints are going to have to bargain shop for a starting safety opposite Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu can do a little bit of everything, but he’s at his best working close to the line of scrimmage. Micah Hyde is a perfect complement, as the free agent is better patrolling the deep part of the field.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs secondary is suddenly a relatively weak point following the L’Jarius Sneed trade. While Trent McDuffie is great and Chamarri Conner showed some promise as a rookie, this team needs to find at least one more cornerback and could use another safety. Micah Hyde is a cost-effective free agent, and having a player who can patrol the deep part of the field is vital when opposing offenses will be throwing early and often to try and keep up with Patrick Mahomes.
Main Photo: Mark Konezny – USA Today Sports
