Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.
The Eagles seemingly came out of nowhere to sign Nnamdi Asomugha as they eye a trip to the Super Bowl.
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A new CBA appears to be just around the corner. That means football when we expected it, but for NFL front offices it has a different meaning. Free agency has been pushed back, and there will be a frantic visit to the shopping aisles as teams try to sign the multitude of veteran players and unsigned rookies on the open market.
Here are the top talents available at each position, paired with teams that are expected to have interest in their services and even bold stabs as to their ultimate destinations. I've also included some lower-profile players that I believe will wind up making a strong impact value for teams.
Note that I am not including players that have been tendered or tagged by their old teams.
Quarterback
Peyton Manning and Michael Vick are the top names, but they aren't going anywhere. That leaves a less prestigious group, albeit one that features several useful players.
Matt Hasselbeck: Could return to Seattle, but probably fits better as a one-year stopgap/veteran mentor presence for a team like Cleveland or Tennessee. I think he winds up staying in Seattle for one more year, but they'll have to overpay to keep him.
Marc Bulger: His star has fallen considerably, but for a team with decent pass protection he can step right in and start. You'll see him linked to Arizona...with good reason. I expect Bulger to be the starting QB for the Arizona Cardinals in 2011. Now about that "decent pass protection"...
Alex Smith: He has spent the lockout leading the 49ers players in activities, and he has the kind of tools that could work very nicely with new coach Jim Harbaugh. Yet I believe both he and the organization want and need a change, and Colin Kaepernick's encouraging offseason could thrust him over Smith even if he returns. Smith is a perfect fit for Carolina, which has an athletic greenhorn #1 overall pick much like he was seven years ago.
Drew Stanton: Not the sexiest name, but Stanton showed legit improvement in extended action last season in Detroit. He wants to compete for a starting job, and he won't break the bank. Ideal fit for Tennessee--Jake Locker most easily compares to him--but I think he winds up in Kansas City as the primary backup and insurance against Matt Cassel getting hurt or flopping.
Going deep:
Matt Leinart still has something to offer, and he was necessarily humbled by his 3rd string season in Houston. He'd make a perfect backup for the Jets. If Washington doesn't re-sign Rex Grossman, that is a good fit too.
Vince Young is a proven clutch performer, even though when given the chance to assume more leadership he threatened suicide. For a team with a strong coach and supportive culture, he could be an excellent reclamation project. New England would be perfect, but they chose Ryan Mallett. Buffalo?
Running Back
DeAngelo Williams: Could come cheaper than he expects due to injury concerns, but the Panthers still look asinine for not accepting the offer of two 2nd round picks for his services. Would start in Washington, which has not been shy about showing the money. Tampa makes sense, and they could be forced to shell out big cash to meet the salary floor. Carolina will try to keep him but won't enter a bidding war.
Cedric Benson: His status is uncertain, just like his future in Cincinnati. I expect him to stay for one more year, but that franchise will not hesitate to let him leave should he receive a strong offer elsewhere. In an oversaturated RB market and given his inconsistent production, I doubt that happens.
Ronnie Brown: Has made it clear he won't be returning to Miami, which leaves them with rookie Daniel Thomas and, uh, hmm... Can still be a feature back when healthy, but he is perhaps the oldest-looking 29-year old running back ever. His best bet is sharing the load in a place like Denver or Atlanta.
Michael Bush: The best power back on the market, and he's just entering his prime years. I'd love to see him go to Tennessee and pair with Chris Johnson. Denver and Cincinnati make sense as well, particularly the latter if Benson doesn't return. Al Davis doesn't part with RBs easily though, even one as injury plagued as Bush.
Joseph Addai: Has never really lived up to expectations in Indy, but still brings versatility and is a real asset in the passing game. Cleveland desperately needs someone with his skills, should he choose to leave the relative comfort of Peyton Manning.
Tim Hightower: Lost his role to the very similar Beanie Wells and has struggled with inconsistent (I'm being kind) blocking. He has always struck me as an oddball, a third down back that runs with power. A creative offense like Chicago or Washington makes sense, as does an affordable return to Arizona.
Going Deep:
Mike Hart: He's been fighting injuries since his sophomore year at Michigan, but Hart is a diminutive power back with great vision and balance. He is also an asset I the locker room and practice field. Allot him 10-12 carries a game and he can be a very effective #2 or insurance #3 back. I'm looking at you, Miami...
Jerome Harrison: Got lost in the shuffle in Philly after breaking out in his last days in Cleveland. Another good fit for Miami should they choose to look for more of an outside runner.
Fullback
Not much of a glamour position, but three of the best 10 in the league are free agents.
Vonta Leach: Houston wants to bring him back, but he is hinting at unprecedented FB money and he is strictly a lead blocker--he has 3 carries for 3 yards in the last 3 years and doesn't offer much as a receiver either. I expect he will stay a Texan, but...
if the Ravens lose Leron McClain, the #2 guy on the market, Leach is a perfect and less mouthy fit for Baltimore. McClain got to taste the glory of handling a load of carries in 2008 and hasn't stopped chirping about wanting to do it again. I would warn suitors to look closely at the last Ravens FB that wanted more carries and left town, Ovie Mughelli. I think McClain is perfect for either New York team or in San Francisco, should any choose to op en the checkbook for a dying position.
Marcel Reece: Was very quietly a big reason why Darren McFadden ran wild, and Reece is an excellent receiver to boot. Oakland will not keep both him and Michael Bush, and Reece is more likely to stay.
WR:
Santonio Holmes: One of the best clutch receivers in the league, and he has thrived in two very divergent offenses. He brings some baggage, which could lower his price. The Jets want him back, but if someone else (Minnesota? Washington?) offers $1 more, he's out the door. Holmes is much more likely to remain with the Jets than Braylon Edwards, who has a higher ceiling but seldom approaches it. I see Braylon being grossly overpaid and largely being a disappointment, save the three games a season where he looks like the next coming of Michael Irvin (minus the cocaine and hookers, of course).
Sidney Rice: Much like Edwards, Rice is a buyer-beware talent that will almost certainly command a big salary and wind up disappointing. He is essentially Edwards one year later, trying to parlay one good year (out of four) into a blockbuster deal. The Vikings might keep him if he can't find a more lucrative suitor.
Santana Moss: Perhaps the only good that came from Donovan McNabb's migration to Washington was the rejuvenation of Moss, who caught over 90 balls. He's 32 and has a long history of alternating a great season with a subpar one, but for a team that needs a veteran chain-mover in the slot, Moss tops the list. He would be lethal in Indianapolis, but that's unlikely. Houston, hello?
Lance Moore: A younger, slightly more dynamic version of Santana Moss. New Orleans wants to keep him. Division rival Atlanta desperately needs him even after adding Julio Jones. Stay tuned.
James Jones: At times the speedy Jones looked like the most talented receiver on the Super Bowl champs, but his inexplicable lapses dampen his value and have almost certainly punched his ticket out of Titletown. He would be a nice fit in San Diego opposite Vincent Jackson.
Going deep:
Jacoby Jones: Played at his best at the end of 2010. If it sticks, Jones is a legit vertical threat with return skills and an excellent downfield blocker. If he was chasing a paycheck, whoever signs him will have made a huge mistake. It seems likely he sticks in Houston, but he will have suitors.
Mike Sims-Walker: Injuries have dulled his star, but two years ago he was excellent. Should be affordable for a #2 wideout with great size, a poor man's Braylon Edwards. St. Louis and Carolina are teams with a need that like to shop the discount aisle.
Going real deep:
David Clowney: Remember three summers ago, when Clowney was the apple of every Jets fans' sycophantic eyes? It has never happened for him, but I've always liked him dating back to his Hokie days. I'd love to see him in Detroit as the 4th wideout.
Tight End
Zach Miller: Underrated pass catcher with decent speed and not a detriment as a blocker, the Raider is far and away the top talent on the open market. Oakland would like to keep him, but the scarcity of talent could bring a richer payday elsewhere. He'd be great for Pittsburgh or the Giants.
Kevin Boss: The epitome of an average tight end, Boss will draw strong interest because he's good in the red zone and he isn't Jeremy Shockey on the sidelines. I expect him to stick in New York.
Dante Rosario: Has great athletic potential, but has very little results to show for it. If a team believes (as I do) that a big part of his problem has been the wretched QB play in Carolina, he could blossom into an inexpensive contributor. I'd like to see the Rams or Falcons throw some money at him and hope for the best.
Jeff King: Another Carolina tight end that hasn't done much, King is a personal favorite of mine from his days in Blacksburg. Teams can do far worse than King as a #2 tight end that can block and won't drop the two balls per week thrown his way.
There is no "going deep" at tight end; nobody else deserves more than a veteran-minimum contract, and the market is chock-full of plug-and-play, nondescript backups.
Tackle
Doug Free: Proved he was more than capable of handling the blind side duties in Dallas. The Cowboys are prepared to open the bank to keep him, even though he's only an average run blocker and led all NFC tackles in false starts. If he can keep Tony Romo upright, Free is worth every cent.
Tyson Clabo: Of the three free agent starting linemen in Atlanta, Clabo is the one they are most likely to keep. He will also be the most expensive, and that means one of the better all-around right tackles in the league can be had in a bidding war. Detroit sure could use him, but then again so could Tampa Bay or Kansas City or about 12 other teams.
Ryan Harris: Coming off a misfit season with the new regime in Denver and some injury issues, the market value for Harris is probably artificially low. In the right system, Harris is a plus right tackle at the right age (26) and price tag. If Green Bay is serious about moving Brian Bulaga to the left side, Harris is a perfect replacement on the right side.
Jammal Brown: Came on strong late, which probably ensures he sticks in Washington. His ability to play either side raises his value, and Dallas happens to need someone to play opposite Free. I'm not saying, I'm just sayin'...
Matt Light: He's on the decline and for some reason other teams always overpay for ex-Pats. Still has function as a short-term fix for a needy playoff-caliber team like the Bears or Jets, who make an ideal destination should Light choose to stick it to Team Hoodie for lowballing him.
Going deep:
Jared Gaither: Has never lived up to the inexplicable hype, and now he has back issues. Yet he is still young enough to have strong potential and has shown enough to merit legit interest. Would make a nice swing reserve tackle for a team like Minnesota or Arizona, where he could play his way into a starter.
Jeremy Trueblood: A stiff run-blocking specialist with a bit too much snarl for most, Trueblood has starting experience and can agitate opponents while upgrading the running game. For the right coach, Trueblood has real value.
Guard/Center
Harvey Dahl: Atlanta appears ready to let him walk, and the rock-solid Dahl will command big money from guard-desperate teams like Chicago, Detroit, or Houston.
Justin Blalock: Atlanta's other guard, Blalock is younger than Dahl but not as all-around good. He'll come cheaper, which means you can add Cincinnati and Indianapolis to his list of potential destinations.
Davin Joseph: Two summers ago I called Joseph the best guard in the NFC. Since then his play has fallen off, the Bucs changed blocking schemes to one that doesn't fit his "seek and destroy" style, and the injury bug has hit. Tampa will not overpay to keep him. If he's healthy and in the right scheme, Joseph is the best offensive lineman on the market, period. Big ifs though.
Derrick Dockery: Another solid vet that had a bad 2010 due to a bad schematic fit more than poor play. He would fit nicely in Detroit or Pittsburgh for the right price.
Jonathan Goodwin: A perfectly average starting center, he is probably worth more to New Orleans than anyone else.
Lyle Sendlein: Quietly the best of a dysfunctional line in Arizona. Expect the Cards to re-sign him, but if the rapidly aging Olin Kreutz departs Chicago, I think the Bears will aggressively court Sendlein.
Daryn Colledge: The weak link in a relatively weak Green Bay line, he does have the "I started for the Super Bowl champs" card to play. Oakland loves to reward guys like that, and this is a seller's market for guards.
Going deep:
David Baas: Can play both guard or center at a functional level, and to my surprise he's still under 30. I could have sworn he has been around for at least 10 years. About 20 teams need him, perhaps none more than his old team, San Francisco.
Evan Mathis: His run-blocking prowess was missed in Cincy when he was out last year. Not much of a pass blocker, and has long-running injury issues.
Samson Satele: A functional starting center, albeit one with short arms and little lateral range. Oakland should keep him.
