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Derrick Coleman

Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:57pm CST by Zachary Links

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

  1. Kirk Cousins
  2. Mike Glennon
  3. Nick Foles
  4. Brian Hoyer
  5. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  6. Case Keenum
  7. Matt McGloin
  8. Mark Sanchez
  9. Geno Smith
  10. Ryan Mallett
  11. Josh McCown
  12. Christian Ponder
  13. Blaine Gabbert
  14. Matt Schaub
  15. Ryan Nassib

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams. Kirk Cousins

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

  1. Le’Veon Bell
  2. Eddie Lacy
  3. LeGarrette Blount
  4. Latavius Murray
  5. Darren McFadden
  6. Jacquizz Rodgers
  7. Rashad Jennings
  8. Danny Woodhead
  9. Rex Burkhead
  10. Tim Hightower
  11. DeAngelo Williams
  12. Andre Ellington
  13. Chris Johnson
  14. Christine Michael
  15. Robert Turbin

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

LeGarrette Blount (vertical)In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

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Extra Points: Hardy, Siemian, LaFell, Patriots

October 14th, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Defensive end Greg Hardy‘s NFL career could be over because of his myriad off-field issues, the latest being a September drug possession charge. Hardy is now eyeing a career in mixed martial arts as a result, and UFC president Dana White hasn’t ruled out eventually signing the 28-year-old if he proves he’s worthy of a contract (a big “if,” of course).

In a Wednesday appearance on FOX Sports 1’s “Speak For Yourself,” White said of Hardy (via MMAFighting.com), “I’m one of those guys too who believes that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes. And when you make a mistake, you pay your penance, whatever it might be, and you should be allowed to make a living and move on in your life. Is he good enough to come into the UFC and fight? I highly doubt it.”

More on the NFL, including news on another free agent:

  • A year before the Broncos drafted him in 2015, quarterback Trevor Siemian was disappointed that the Patriots selected Eastern Illinois signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo, writes Kalyn Kahler of TheMMQB. Siemian, who had just finished his penultimate season at Northwestern, hoped to end up behind Tom Brady in New England the next year, his former college roommate and teammate told Khyler. “He was like, ‘Ahh I think I could have done well in that offense,’” ex-Northwestern center Hayden Baker said. As a seventh-round pick, Siemian went much lower than Garoppolo did the previous year (Round 2), though it’s the former who’s now an NFL starter. Siemian took over the role after sitting behind Peyton Manning on a Super Bowl-winning team as a rookie and has performed well this year for the 4-2 club. Garoppolo was even better during his first three starts this season, but injuries and the return of Brady from a four-game suspension have combined to send him back to the bench.
  • With the Bengals and Patriots set to square off Sunday, Cincinnati receiver Brandon LaFell spoke Friday about the end of his two-year New England tenure (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com). “I played great my first year. My second year, I was an average guy and that’s why they had to let me go,” said LaFell, who played in all of the Super Bowl-winning Pats’ games in 2014 and finished the regular season with 74 receptions, 953 yards and seven touchdowns. In 11 games last year, LaFell’s catch total fell by half (37), he failed to find the end zone, and he dropped six passes. Those struggles led New England to release LaFell in March, and the 29-year-old revealed Friday that a left foot injury contributed to his woes in 2015 and helped bring about the end of his stint with the Pats. “I could never get back into my rhythm and get back to playing like the way I know how to play,” he said. “I felt like I was hurting the team going out there playing half-injured, but we had so many other guys at the receiver position that were hurt, so I had to play.” Healthy again, LaFell has amassed 21 catches, 276 yards and two scores in his first five games as a Bengal.
  • After pleading guilty Oct. 6 to vehicular-assault and hit-and-run charges, free agent fullback Derrick Coleman avoided jail time Friday. A potential 12- to 14-month sentence was on the table for the former Seahawk, who was instead sentenced to 240 hours of community service and 12 months of community supervision, according to the Seattle Times. Earlier Friday, the NFL hit Coleman with a four-week suspension.

Derrick Coleman Gets Four-Week Suspension

October 14th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFL has suspended free agent fullback Derrick Coleman for the next four weeks, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). Coleman pleaded guilty on Oct. 6 to vehicular-assault and hit-and-run charges stemming from a 2015 crash, per Sara Jean Green of the Seattle Times. Jail time is a possibility for Coleman, whose sentencing is scheduled for Friday.

Derrick Coleman

The past year has been a tumultuous one for Coleman, who appeared in 31 of the Seahawks’ games from 2012-15 and was a member of their 2013 Super Bowl-winning team. Bellevue, Wash., police arrested Coleman last October after he was driving a Dodge pickup at a “high rate of speed” and struck a Honda Civic traveling the same direction, according to witnesses.

The police report indicates that Coleman’s truck was going 60 in a 35 mph zone, and his foot was on the accelerator at 100 percent for several seconds. That pushed the other vehicle 260 feet off the roadway up a hill and caused it to flipped over. The driver went to the hospital with a head injury and a fractured left clavicle, while police found a barefoot Coleman two blocks from the scene. Coleman’s lawyer said the accident dislodged Coleman’s hearing aids, which may have left him disoriented and led to his departure from the scene. Coleman admitted to smoking a form of synthetic marijuana, not illegal in Washington, an hour before the collision.

Prior to joining the Seahawks, the 25-year-old Coleman was a notable contributor at UCLA, where he rushed for 1,780 yards in four years and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior. Coleman’s NFL career began with the Vikings, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

Extra Points: Colts, McLeod, McCown

June 4th, 2016 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • There were questions surrounding the relationship of Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano, but ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes that the two have seemingly resolved their issues ever since receiving extensions. With the pair being under contract for the same amount of years, the duo has made sure that they’re “on the same page when it comes to the makeup of the roster.”
  • Before settling in on a five-year, $37MM contract with the Eagles, safety Rodney McLeod received similar offers from other teams. Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice tweets that McLeod heard from the Jaguars, Browns, and Buccaneers.
  • Josh McCown would prefer that the Browns make their starting quarterback decision sooner than later, the signal-caller said on 850 WKNR in Cleveland (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m a human being and there’s no doubt, you want things mapped out,” McCown said. “I don’t like it, but I think it helps me get better.”
  • Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was charged with vehicular assault following a car crash last October (via the Associated Press). The 25-year-old appeared in 14 games with Seattle in 2015, compiling 32 yards on eight rushing attempts.

 

NFC West Notes: Woodley, Peters, Coleman

June 3rd, 2016 at 6:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LaMarr Woodley may never again accrue the double-digit sack numbers that he posted during the early portion of his career with the Steelers, but the veteran edge rusher — who spent the 2015 season with the Cardinals — feels as though he still has some productivity left. But as he tells Hugh Bernreuter of MLive.com, Woodley is prepared for life after the NFL if no clubs express interest.

“There’s no stress, because it’s something I can’t control,” said Woodley, who managed 10 games with the Cardinals before a chest injury landed him on injured reserve. “I can control what I can do off the field, but I can’t control what might happen on the field. I have a lot of things I’m involved in. I’m not just waiting by the phone. I’ve worked hard to have a future outside of the NFL.”

Let’s take a look at more from the NFC West, including one additional note on the Cardinals…

  • Defensive tackle Corey Peters signed a three-year deal with the Cardinals prior to last season, but he has yet to officially suit up for the club after he tore his Achilles (for the second time in two years) last August. Peters’ recovery is going well, as he tells Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com, and the 27-year old figures to compete for time along Arizona’s interior defensive line. However, given the nature of his injury, and the fact that the Cards could clear more than $1.2MM in cap space by releasing him, Peters knows his roster spot must be earned this summer. “I think that the NFL is pretty much always, play well or be replaced, and it’s no different,” Peters said. “That’s kind of the attitude I’ve always taken toward it, so whether it’s coming off an injury or anything else, I think it’s very important to put your best foot forward and put your best work on the field.”
  • Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman has been officially charged with vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run stemming from an October incident, as Sara Jean Green of the Seattle Times reports. Seattle suspended Coleman for all of four days last season, but he went on to play in 14 games for the club, filling a valuable role on special teams. Coleman, a restricted free agent at the end of the season, was non-tendered this spring, so he’s been free to sign with any club.
  • The Rams worked out former Massachussetts quarterback Blake Frohnapfel today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), who adds that Frohnapfel previously worked out for the Colts. Frohnapfel also met with the Lions prior to this year’s draft (in which he was ultimately not selected).

RFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/16

March 9th, 2016 at 9:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Unrestricted free agent news will obviously dominate the day, but several clubs also had to make decisions on whether to offer tenders to restricted free agents. We’ll round up those decisions here:

Tendered

Non-Tendered

Extra Points: Manziel, Schwartz, London

February 6th, 2016 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Long thought to be Johnny Manziel‘s career lifeline, the Cowboys may not have been interested in the embattled quarterback at all, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Team sources told Hill the Browns quarterback who could be facing legal action for his potential role in a domestic assault wasn’t on the Cowboys’ radar even before the ex-Heisman Trophy winner’s latest off-the-field occurrence.

Hill writes the same personnel who advised Jerry Jones to pass on the polarizing Texas A&M quarterback in favor of Zack Martin are still in place. The Cowboys remain very much in search of a quality backup quarterback, but Manziel doesn’t fit that profile and appears to be a non-starter in Dallas.

The Browns are expected to cut Manziel before the new league year begins.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

  • The NFL’s tri-annual showcases in London continue to generate buzz on a franchise spawning in the United Kingdom’s biggest city, and Roger Goodell isn’t doing anything to squelch that notion. “We are considering playing more games in the U.K. It’s a balancing act with our schedule. … As far as a franchise, let’s continue to grow. Let’s continue to see that excitement and enthusiasm, passion and support continue to develop. If it does, I think that’s a realistic possibility,” Goodell told media, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. The obvious logistical issues remain, as London is an eight hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone, and such an expansion would be the most daring step among the four major American sports leagues.
  • Goodell stands in favor of the league pursuing a policy that will automatically eject players after they receive their second personal foul in a game, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports. “I believe that that’s consistent with what we believe are safety issues,” the commissioner told media at his yearly address, “but I also believe it’s consistent with what we believe are the standards of sportsmanship that we’ve emphasized. We should take that out of the hands of the officials.” Any rule change must be approved by at least 24 of the 32 owners. John Mara wants such a rule to be clear as opposed to a gray area regarding low-end personal fouls. “To me, it’d have to be severe enough personal fouls as opposed to something like an incidental facemask,” Mara told Maske. Following the actions of Odell Beckham Jr. and Vontaze Burfict within a span of three weeks, the league would appear to have momentum to pass legislation of this sort.
  • Geoff Schwartz would be hesitant if the Giants were to pursue his free agent brother Mitchell Schwartz, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports. The Giants are in need of a right tackle after turning to journeyman Marshall Newhouse last season, and the 26-year-old Mitchell Schwartz is arguably the best available. The Browns’ right-edge presence graded as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best tackle this season. “I don’t know if we would get along too well playing next to each other for a while, just because of our personalities,” Geoff Schwartz said. “Maybe after a week or so, we’d kind of get tired of each other. He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong. He’s the best right tackle this year, I hope he goes somewhere and gets every cent he can get. I just don’t know if the Giants are in position to pay a right tackle eight-and-a-half-, nine-million dollars.” Geoff Schwartz stands to make $3.9MM in base salary if the Giants bring the injury-prone guard/tackle back for a third season. He does not, however, want his brother to re-sign with the rebuilding Browns. “Obviously, you want to get your money, but you want to win. You don’t want to be on a losing team. He’s had four offensive coordinators in four years. He’s had three or four GMs, three head coaches. I mean, you can’t win that way,” Schwartz said.
  • Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman did not activate the brakes when his Dodge Ram collided with a Honda Civic in October, injuring the other driver, according to the Seattle Times’ Lynn Thompson. Coleman, who played in a career-most 14 games for the Seahawks this season, was going 60 mph in 35-mph zone at the time of the crash, one that left the driver of the Honda Civic with a concussion and a broken collarbone. Coleman suffered a concussion in the accident while losing his hearing aid. Coleman told police he’d smoked a form of synthetic marijuana, not illegal in Washington, an hour before the collision.

NFC Notes: Seahawks, Eagles, Cards, Falcons

January 25th, 2016 at 5:18pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bellevue, Wash., police arrested Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman in October on investigation of vehicular assault and hit-and-run, but they released the 26-year-old without charges the next day. They’re now recommending the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charge Coleman with felonies for both offenses, Jennifer Sullivan and Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times report. The prosecutor’s office will take the next several weeks to determine whether to file charges against Coleman, who was driving a Dodge pickup at a “high rate of speed,” according to police, and struck a Honda Civic traveling the same direction.

The police report, which was released Monday (per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com), says Coleman’s truck was going 60 in a 35-mph zone, and his foot was on the accelerator at 100 percent for several seconds. That pushed the other vehicle 260 feet off the roadway up a hill. It then flipped over. The driver went to the hospital with a head injury and a fractured left clavicle, while police found a barefoot Coleman two blocks from the scene. Stephen W. Hayne, Coleman’s lawyer, said the accident dislodged Coleman’s hearing aids, which may have left him disoriented and caused him to leave the scene. The report reveals Coleman admitted to smoking “Spice,” synthetic cannabinoids, and showed signs of impairment. Police found multiple bags of synthetic cannabinoids and various drug paraphernalia in Coleman’s truck. However, there were no signs of drug consumption in the blood tests Coleman underwent several hours after the accident. Despite that, Coleman – whom police accused of driving in a manner that was “rash and heedless” and “indifferent to the consequences” – could now be in serious trouble.

The four-year veteran is set to become a restricted free agent.

Some notes on the NFC’s other bird-themed teams:

  • It’s currently unclear who will quarterback the Eagles next season. If newly extended tight end Zach Ertz has his way, the club will re-sign pending free agent Sam Bradford. “I’ve played for five quarterbacks now in three years, which seems like a lot, and I want to play with Sam,” Ertz said, per Bob Ford of Philly.com. Ertz added that Bradford hopes to remain with the Eagles. “He wants to be in Philadelphia. Whether he’s back here or not, that’s none of my business, honestly. He’s going to do what’s best for him and the Eagles are going to do what’s best for us. But at the end of the day, I think he wants to be here.”
  • The Cardinals finished a below-average 20th in the NFL in sacks during the regular season and took down Panthers quarterback Cam Newton just once in their 49-15 NFC title game loss on Sunday. As a result, the Cards’ top offseason priority will be strengthening their pass rush, general manager Steve Keim said Monday (per Darren Urban of the team’s website).
  • Despite playing his entire rookie year with a torn right labrum, Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley will not have offseason surgery, according to head coach Dan Quinn (link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). As Ledbetter writes, some labrum tears can be treated without surgery. Beasley led the 2015-16 Falcons with four sacks, a franchise record for rookies, and will look to build on that next season without having to deal with a shoulder injury.

Seahawks Lift Derrick Coleman’s Suspension

October 19th, 2015 at 5:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks will lift their suspension on fullback Derrick Coleman, coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Coleman was indefinitely suspended last week after he was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of a hit and run. However, Carroll explained that the organization will welcome him back now that they have had an opportunity to review evidence from the incident. It’s not known at this time exactly when the suspension will be lifted or if the fullback will be able to play against the 49ers on Thursday.

Coleman, who turned 25 on Sunday, has played in 22 games since joining the Seahawks in 2013. The fullback missed the majority of 2014 with a broken foot he suffered during pregame warmups for an October tilt against the Rams. So far in 2015, he has only two carries and one reception to his credit. Last year, Coleman recorded ten receptions for 91 yards in his partial season.

According to a jail-booking report cited by The Seattle Times, Coleman got out of his car and walked away from the crash. The other driver was hurt in the crash with a possibly broken collarbone, according to a law-enforcement source. Coleman was found nearby and arrested without incident.

Coleman was a notable player at UCLA, having rushed for 1,780 yards and earning second team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior for his special teams play. After initially breaking into the league as a UDFA with the Vikings, he landed with the Seahawks prior to the 2013 season.

NFC West Notes: Coleman, Davis, Rams

October 16th, 2015 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was arrested this week for his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run incident, and has been suspended by Seattle as the investigation plays out. According to Coleman’s attorney, Stephen Hayne, he’s looking into whether a concussion may have played a role in why Coleman left the scene, adding that the fact that the fullback is legally deaf may have caused police to believe he was inebriated (link via Travis Pittman of KING 5 News).

“He was clearly not in his right mind after the accident, and that would probably be due to a concussion, but that’s speculation as well. We don’t know,” Hayne said. “But his walking away from the accident is absolutely out of character for who he is and how he would normally respond to a situation like that.”

As we wait to see how the investigation into the incident plays out, let’s round up a few more notes from out of the NFC West….

  • A trade involving 49ers tight end Vernon Davis isn’t currently viewed as likely, but it’s possible that will change if a contending team loses a tight end due to an injury within the next couple weeks, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If San Francisco decides to explore a potential Davis trade, the team would have until November 3 to get something done.
  • St. Louis city comptroller Darlene Green said this week that she has concerns about the city’s new Rams stadium proposal, which could create a roadblock for the plan, according to a CBS St. Louis report. “They need my approval,” Green said. “They need my approval and my signature to move forward, and if there’s parameters that have been disregarded – like if there’s any tax increase – I can’t abide by that. That would jeopardize the city’s credit and I would have to say no.”
  • The Cardinals‘ newest pass rusher, Dwight Freeney, admits to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that playing football “becomes really addictive,” and he decided to sign continue his career with Arizona because he couldn’t “turn off” his desire to keep playing. The former Colt and Charger added that he believes he’s in “great shape” and still has plenty left in the tank.
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