Jump to content

  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Other team's free agents

d-run

By d-run,
in Carolina Panthers

Recommended Posts

d-run Newbie

d-run

Posted
Posted

Top free agent's that might leave. Links at the bottom. (breakdown from footballsfuture.com)

OL

Carl Nicks (NO) - OG - After signing Jahri Evans to a 7-year, $56.7 million deal in 2010, the Saints will have to contemplate doling out a similar contract if they wish to keep Carl Nicks, one of the premier guards in the league. Committing that type of money to a pair of guards would be unheard of in league history. Though Nicks has said he would love to return, if he doesn't put a hometown discount on the table, there's a good chance the market shows him more love than the Saints can afford.

Jared Gaither (SD) - OT - Gaither joined the Chargers in Week 13 from Kansas City and picked up a quick five starts to close the season. In that time, he played exceptionally well as a pass protector for Philip Rivers. As a replacement for another oft-injured left tackle, Marcus McNeill, that the team committed big money to two years back, the Chargers will have to think long and hard about both of their futures and lack of dependability.

DL

Mario Williams (HOU) - DE - Mario Williams just suffered any players' nightmareÑa season ending injury in a contract year. Fortunately for Williams, he has a proven track record and had the production prior to the injury with 4 sacks through 4.5 games. For a Texans defense that survived without him and a franchise tag that would cost them $23 million, there seems to be reason to believe the former #1 overall pick may end up elsewhere next season. Imagine that, a former number one overall with 2 All-Pros that isn't re-signed after his rookie contract. It's not a sure bet, but very possible.

Robert Mathis (IND) - DE - In a big offseason for the Colts, another quiet superstar is set to become a free agent. With the Colts probably slowly transitioning to a 34 defense, Robert Mathis's future in Indy is in jeopardy. Coupled with the $14 million salary of Dwight Freeney, in unrealistic to think the Colts could tie that much money to quarterback and defensive end, if Manning returns and the Colts draft Luck-even if a discount is factored in somewhere along the lines.

Jason Jones (TEN) - DT - When healthy, Jason Jones is one of the league's better interior pass rushers. He has an explosive first step in getting upfield and disrupting a quarterback's ability to step up into a clean pocket. However, last year the Titans moved him out to defensive end, where he struggled to match his productivity from years past. If that's where they expect to play Jones, his value will certainly be greater outside of Tennessee.

Cliff Avril (DET) - DE - Avril has been a member of the Detroit D-Line revolution under Jim Schwartz and Ndamukong Suh. He's an explosive pass rusher off the perimeter on a team that seems to get to the quarterback at will, at times. For a defense predicated on the pass rush, Avril figures to be an important part of the long-term solution. Avril has expressed displeasure at the thought of the franchise tag.

Antonio Garay (SD) - NT - Just as quickly as they lost Jamal Williams, the Chargers thought they had replaced him at nose tackle with another Pro Bowl caliber player. However, after a stellar 2010 season, Garay took a slight step backward in 2011. If the Chargers need to enter a bidding war for his services, it's reported they'll bow out rather quickly.

Sione Pouha (NYJ) - NT - The Jets aren't in a position with great depth in their front 7 where they can afford to allow productive starters to leave. Securing Pouha should be one of the organization's first objectives before they decide how to improve their roster through external acquisitions.

LB

Curtis Lofton (ATL) - After finishing fifth in the league in tackles (147) and leading the team for the third consecutive year, Curtis Lofton will seek a high-end deal this offseason, perhaps like the one David Harris recently received from the Jets. Like Harris, he's a solid downhill linebacker and a key to the front 7.

Anthony Spencer (DAL) - Spencer hasn't emerged as he was poised to do two seasons ago, but is a solid left outside linebacker. He's a strong run defender and capable of putting some pressure on the quarterback. Though he benefits from playing opposite the league's best outside linebacker, Spencer should have a handful of interested teams as the Cowboys are expected to allow him to test the market.

Stephen Tulloch (DET) - Tulloch left the Titans to sign a one-year deal with the Lions. At 5'11, 240, Tulloch is a compact middle linebacker that can shed and tackle, which is a lot more than can be said about a lot of linebackers in today's game. The Lions will almost definitely be interested in locking up Tulloch long term, but they will likely not be the only interested suitor.

David Hawthorne (SEA) - After another solid, but unspectacular season for the Seahawks, Hawthorne will have a crack at free agency. Hawthorne's play doesn't make him a must re-sign in Seattle, but his productivity as a starter will make the Seahawks at least extending an offer to him if the interest isn't excessive elsewhere.

CB

Carlos Rogers (SF) - After having an All-Pro caliber season, Rogers will enter free agency looking for a long-term deal. With a pair of expiring contracts for their top two players in the secondary, the Niners may struggle to retain both before the start of free agency. Dashon Goldson is the more likely candidate to receive the franchise tag if neither have deals worked out by then, but losing the underrated Rogers would be a tremendous loss for the league's best defense.

Brent Grimes (ATL) - If there's one defensive player the Falcons can't afford to lose, it's Brent Grimes. After back-to-back strong seasons and establishing himself as the top corner, he'll look to teammate Dunta Robinson's six-year, $57 million deal as some sort of launching point. At 29, it'll be difficult for the Falcons to commit that many years to him, but the per year salary should at the very least match Robinson's.

Cortland Finnegan (TEN) - Despite some of his dirty tactics as some may call it, Finnegan has been a top 10 corner for much of his career. He's strong in run support and solid in coverage. He lacks ideal size, but is a perfect fit for what the Titans do on the perimeter. There were rumors that Finnegan was displeased with the lack of contract talks coming into the year and it doesn't appear if they have taken off the ground even to this point. Finnegan seems open to returning on a long-term contract, but seems skeptical about the possibility of it coming to fruition.

Brandon Carr (KC) - At 25 years old and coming off another good year, the Chiefs will have to pay a strong starting corner salary to the 6'0, 208-pound Brandon Carr. Though the tandem of Carr and Flowers didn't live up to potential this year, there is strong hope that they will still develop into one of the best cornerback tandems in the league in the future. Carr still has an outside shot of seeing the franchise tag if they can't reach a long-term extension prior to the start of free agency.

Terrell Thomas (NYG) - Thomas was an above average number two cornerback prior to suffering a season-ending injury. He's also one of the best in the league in run support, so if he can make a full recovery, he would be a valuable pick-up for a team looking to get physical on the perimeter. With the trio of Corey Webster, Prince Amukamara, and Aaron Ross (also a free agent), Terrell Thomas could be the odd man out.

Rashean Mathis (JAC) - Prior to suffering a torn ACL in the middle of the year, Rashean Mathis was having a flashback to the elite years of his past. When healthy, Mathis is still a strong cover corner, but at 31, the team will need to be fully confident in his recovery before allowing him to return to Jacksonville.

Safety

LaRon Landry (WAS) - With an Achilles injury sidelining him last year, Landry enters this offseason without a contract and an injury that still isn't entirely healed. Going against doctors' wishes, Landry has decided to forgo surgery hoping the heel will improve on its own. With that type of risk hanging over, the Redskins appear disinterested in re-signing the safety who has looked like a star at times unless he's open to a low-risk, short-term contract. Whether it's what he wants, that may be the best he'll get even on the open market.

Michael Griffin (TEN) - There hasn't been a more inconsistent safety in the league over the last couple years than Michael Griffin, whose game has fluctuated from Pro Bowl level to back-up caliber. Like Cortland Finnegan, he seems confident that he's played his last game in Tennessee. Still, he's much stronger than what the Titans have to offer at the safety position beside him, so there's a good chance they'll look to retain Griffin. If history has shown anything in Tennessee, it's that they don't believe in overpaying.

Thomas DeCoud (ATL) - DeCoud has been an adequate safety for the Falcons for the past three years in a league where adequate, consistent safeties are hard to find. On the bright side, the Falcons are projected to be close to $30 million under the cap. On the other hand, they also have to worry about re-signing Brent Grimes and Curtis Lofton to long-term deals on defense in addition to making a decision on defensive end John Abraham.

http://www.footballsfuture.com/freeagents.html

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/17188691/top-50-free-agents-former-top-pick-williams-is-top-player-on-open-market

http://walterfootball.com/freeagents.php

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/39667/59/nfl-free-agent-master-list

Link to comment
Share on other sites
d-run Newbie

d-run

Posted
  • Author
Posted

This is only the top guys, all of which might be unrealistic to think we will sign. More comprehensive lists are in the links.

I left off all the guys that are really good but will stay at there own team due to extensions or franchise tags.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
d-run Newbie

d-run

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yeah, DT is a position I most want to upgrade during FA so we can let McClain and Fua have a little time to develop.

Amobi Okoye is a guy everyone talked about last year. He only signed a 1 year contract with the bears last year and got 27 tackles, 4 sacks. Brodrick Bunkley is a guy you can bring in if you want a run-stuffer

Link to comment
Share on other sites
d-run Newbie

d-run

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The biggest shortcoming in the upcoming draft is starting caliber OLB's for the 4-3 D.

I wish Beason could use his speed and play outside and we could get the big thumper Lofton from Atlanta. Love a big MLB

We could make a run at Leroy Hill or Wesley Woodyard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...