Dwight Freeney - Pro Football Rumors

NFC West Notes: Cardinals QB’s, Seahawks DE’s, Foster

October 23rd, 2017 at 6:56pm CST by GregGoldstein

Despite initial reports that Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer will undergo surgery on his broken arm and be out for eight weeks, the veteran signal caller may think he can return sooner than that. The 37 year-old reportedly told head coach Bruce Arians that he “may be able to return in 4-6 weeks”, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. This news conflicts with the original prognosis, and Arians didn’t seem to doubt his QB’s feeling. “That’d be great…it depends on what the surgeon says. He is a fast healer. He’s had it broken before and basically said he was back in five.” Drew Stanton will still have to hold down the fort for the time being as the team looks to regain its footing after a 33-0 beatdown at the hands of the Rams.

Even with the Palmer injury, it seems like the Cardinals won’t be bringing in free agent quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. Arians told Weinfuss when asked about signing the former 49ers quarterback, “We’ve never had more than two on our roster since I’ve been here. We liked Blaine Gabbert so much that we kept him this year. So, we’re really where we always are.” Although, the coach did express potential interest in “a practice squad arm”.
With defensive end Cliff Avril out for at least seven games, the Seahawks may be looking to bring a free agent into the fold, tweets Bon Condotta of the Seattle Times. Condotta adds in another tweet that he hears the team could look into 37 year-old Dwight Freeney. The longtime Colts star remains on the open market after suiting up for the Falcons last season.
Reuben Foster was rather noncommittal about when he would return from an injury he suffered this past Sunday. Now it appears that the rookie linebacker is “good to go” after tests on his ribs, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. After being removed on two separate occasions in a loss to the Cowboys, it would seem that the 49ers linebacker has avoided his second long-term injury of his first professional season.

Cardinals Not Pursuing Dwight Freeney

October 3rd, 2017 at 9:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite losing outside linebacker Markus Golden to a torn ACL, the Cardinals don’t intend to target free agent edge rusher Dwight Freeney at this time, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).

Freeney, now 37 years old, spent the 2015 campaign in Arizona and managed eight sacks down the stretch after signing with the club midseason. Last year, Freeney didn’t have to wait quite as long to land a contract, and put up three sacks and 26.5 pressures for the Falcons while playing roughly a third of Atlanta’s defensive snaps.

Despite that performance, Freeney has yet to draw any interest on the free agent market. He still plans to continue his career, and there’s an argument to be made that waiting until, say, Week 6 to sign a deal could actually help a pass rusher of Freeney’s age by limiting his overall usage. The Falcons, who are dealing with injuries to Vic Beasley, Jack Crawford, and Courtney Upshaw along their defensive line, have been in contact with Freeney but seemingly have no plans to sign him.

In lieu of adding an edge defender, the Cardinals will shift rookie Haason Reddick from inside to outside linebacker, head coach Bruce Arians tells SiriusXM (Twitter link). Deone Bucannon is nearing a return and should be able to take over at inside ‘backer, while the recently promoted Scooby Wright could also see action.

Falcons Still In Contact With Dwight Freeney

September 18th, 2017 at 7:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons have remained in touch with free agent edge rusher Dwight Freeney, but the club has no intention to sign him at this time, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters, including D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Definitely somebody that we still talk to on a regular basis,” Quinn said of Freeney. “We are hopeful that he’s going to play this year. I know that he wants to, but right not there are no changes in our plan.”

Atlanta could conceivably add another pass rusher given that 2016 sack leader Vic Beasley will be sidelined for roughly a month after suffering a hamstring injury against the Packers on Sunday night. However, the Falcons will likely turn to rookie first-rounder Takkarist McKinley to play additional snaps at defensive end instead of inking a veteran such as Freeney, per Ledbetter.

Now entering his age 37-season, Freeney still had something left in the tank in 2016, when he signed a one-year deal with the Falcons in August. While playing roughly a third of Atlanta’s defensive snaps, Freeney managed three sacks and 26.5 pressures, and also added a sack in the club’s Super Bowl appearance. He’s yet to be linked to any team since free agency opened in March.

Dwight Freeney Wants To Play In 2017

June 15th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Just over a week ago, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn wasn’t sure if free agent defensive end Dwight Freeney wanted to continue his career. Now he has an answer.

“He wants to play,” Quinn told reporters, including Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, on Wednesday. “I’d say he’s further along in the decision than he was last year.”

Freeney took until last August to ink a $2MM deal with the Falcons, and he went on to appear in 15 games and rack up three sacks with the NFC champions in 2016. The 37-year-old also ranked an impressive 39th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 109 qualified edge defenders, even outdoing 15.5-sack teammate Vic Beasley (48th), but the Falcons aren’t committed to re-signing him.

“He knows I’m going down the line of looking at our team here,” said Quinn, who McClure notes wants to develop his team’s young pass rushers, including Beasley (last year’s sack champion) and first-round pick Takkarist McKinley. Both McKinley (shoulder) and Adrian Clayborn (biceps) come with injury concerns, McClure points out, which could eventually lead to a reunion with Freeney. Indeed, Quinn will consider Freeney “no matter what” while he evaluates his current options.

If the Falcons ultimately don’t re-up Freeney, it stands to reason another contender in need of a pass rusher could ink the seven-time Pro Bowler. Freeney provided a boost to the Cardinals’ defense the year before he joined the Falcons, notching eight sacks and three forced fumbles in 2015 for a club that went to the NFC title game, and won’t come at a bank-breaking cost. Also a former Colt and Charger, the 15-year veteran has totaled 122.5 sacks – good for 18th all-time.

Latest On Dwight Freeney

June 6th, 2017 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Dwight Freeney says that he would like to return to the Falcons. What’s not clear is whether the Falcons necessarily want him back. Coach Dan Quinn told reporters that he has spoken to the veteran, but he has not spoken to him about a return, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. He declined whether to say if he’d be interested in having Freeney on the team for 2017.

“I haven’t even found out if he’s ready to play yet,” Quinn said. “I know he was pretty committed to golf. He’s such a competitor. But our conversations haven’t been about playing. When we drafted [first-round defensive end Takkarist McKinley], that was someone I wanted him to connect with. But we haven’t talked about playing. If he does [bring it up], he knows we’re going down the line of looking at our team here first.”

In addition to adding McKinley, the Falcons also signed Jack Crawford this offseason. Still, there could still be room made for Freeney after he found success as a situational pass rusher last season. For his part, Freeney would like to suit up again for Atlanta. After the team received a $4MM+ post June 1 cap credit, the Falcons could theoretically afford to link up again.

Dwight Freeney To Return To Falcons?

June 2nd, 2017 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Dwight Freeney isn’t done with football just yet. Although he does not have a team for 2017, it sounds like that could change rather quickly.

“I’ve already been talking to the coaches and going back and forth here and there with the draft picks and free agents,” Freeney said (via Alex Marvez of The Sporting News). “That line of communication is still very open. They say they’re still very interested. I’m planning to reach out to them here soon and hopefully we both believe they want me back and playing for them.”

The Falcons will receive a $4.3MM salary cap credit on Friday and a chunk of that could go towards re-signing Freeney. At one point, that didn’t seem likely at all. Coach Dan Quinn is on record as saying that Freeney would have to participate in the team’s offseason program if he did want to return, but it now sounds like they’ll make an exception for the future Hall of Fame inductee. The good news is that Freeney, who would be entering his 16th NFL season, says that he has been staying in shape with workouts that are not overly strenuous on his joints.

Last season, Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. He can be a valuable edge rusher in a part-time capacity for Atlanta while also helping to mentor younger players like rookie Takkarist McKinley.

Falcons Notes: Mixon, Freeney, Coleman

April 23rd, 2017 at 2:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons are not interested in drafting running back Joe Mixon, and have removed him from their draft board given his prior assault charge, according to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta becomes the third known to team to have ruled out Mixon, joining Miami and New England. Like the Dolphins and Patriots, though, the Falcons don’t necessarily need a player of Mixon’s caliber given the level of talent on their roster. In Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, Atlanta already boasts one of the better backfield tandems in the league, and can easily make the decision to avoid the headache of adding Mixon.

Here’s more from Atlanta:

Although veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney is likely to continue his career in 2017, the Falcons won’t decide whether to offer him a new contract until after the draft, per Schultz. Freeney, 37, probably wouldn’t have been participated in Atlanta’s spring workout sessions, so the club doesn’t feel the need to hurry into an offer. Last season, Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. He’s PFR’s No. 1 free agent edge defender. At present, Atlanta’s defensive end depth chart includes Vic Beasley, Adrian Clayborn, Derrick Shelby, Courtney Upshaw, Brooks Reed, and Jack Crawford, while the club could also select another pass rusher in the draft.
A long-term extension with Freeman is also on the back burner, reports Schultz, and the Falcons don’t expect to begin contract discussions until the start of training camp. Negotiations could also bleed into the regular season. Freeman, 25, is scheduled to earn $1.797MM in 2017, and was at one point reportedly looking for “elite” running back money. While Freeman and his agent have since walked back those comments, Freeman is surely still hunting for a hefty deal after combining for 2,100-plus rushing yards, 27 touchdowns (22 on the ground, five receiving) and 127 catches from 2015-16.
The Falcons could have interest in trading up from the No. 31 pick, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “To move up in the 20s, there will be opportunities there,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “There are some interesting candidates that will be around there in the early parts of the 20s.” Atlanta could target a number of positions of Day 1 of the draft, but edge rusher or guard seem to be the club’s clearest need areas. In PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, I sent UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley to the Falcons at the end of the first round.
In case you missed it, the Falcons plan to exercise left tackle Jake Matthews‘ 2018 fifth-year option. The former No. 6 overall pick had a decent showing last year, earning a 74.3 overall score on Pro Football Focus. That mark left Mathews ranked No. 37 among all tackles, putting him in the middle of the pack out of 78 qualified players. He’ll earn roughly $12.81MM in 2018, but that figure is guaranteed for injury only until the first day of the 2018 league year.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense

March 15th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These 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, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

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

Edge defender:

The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.

Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).

Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.

Interior defensive line:

Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.

The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.

The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.

Linebacker:

~~Zach Brown~~
~~Kevin Minter~~
Perry Riley
~~Gerald Hodges~~
DeAndre Levy
Daryl Smith
~~Sio Moore~~
~~Sean Spence~~
~~Manti Te’o~~
Mike Morgan
~~Keenan Robinson~~
~~Nick Bellore~~
D’Qwell Jackson
Erin Henderson
Josh Bynes

While players at other defensive positions have flown off the board, there’s been almost no movement among off-ball linebackers. Only five of PFR’s original top-15 free agent linebackers have signed new contracts, a group that includes Dont’a Hightower, our previous No. 1 ‘backer who re-signed with the Patriots today. Zach Brown, who now holds that honor, broke out in his fifth NFL campaign and played especially well in coverage, a skill that should lead to a handsome reward. Brown, 27, met with the Raiders today, while the Dolphins also hope to schedule a visit.

The Bengals, specifically, are in the linebacker market, as they’ve met with both Kevin Minter and Keenan Robinson in recent days. But the rest of the players on this list aren’t drawing much interest as of yet, a fact that speaks to the devaluation of the linebacker position. Teams will pay up for a three-down linebacker like Hightower, but if a player can be formation-ed off the field, he’s not going to land a hefty deal.

One linebacker who did prove he could stay on the field on third down was Perry Riley, who played 370 coverage snaps for the Raiders last season. Riley is still only 28 years old, but posted awful marks from Pro Football Focus during his previous campaigns with Washington. Whether it was Oakland’s scheme (including its talented pass rushers) that allowed Riley to flourish, or a true breakout coming in the middle of a career, Riley could help a number of clubs. The Raiders are reportedly working to bring him back.

Cornerback:

The top two corners still on the open market are both former Cowboys, and Brandon Carr looks like the surer bet to return to Dallas at this point. Morris Claiborne, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Ravens, and most opposing clubs believe he’ll end up signing with Baltimore. Clairborne, 27, appeared to be a prime overpay candidate heading into the offseason, but if the Ravens can land him on a short-term deal, they’d be making a wise investment.

Nickell Robey-Coleman was surprisingly cut loose by the Bills earlier this offseason, and the 25-year-old has already drawn interest from numerous teams, with the Vikings, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all considering a run at the slot man. Like Robey-Coleman, Alterraun Verner, Valentino Blake, and Leon Hall are all probably best sticking to slot duty, while Hall can even offer safety versatility.

Now that all charges have been dropped against Darrelle Revis, he’ll make for an interesting test case in free agency. Clearly, Revis is not the shutdown corner he once was, and may even be mulling a move to safety as he closes his career. But clubs in the market for secondary help could do worse than Revis, and he should be on a roster when the regular season rolls around.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church all came off the board quickly, leaving Darius Butler as the top safety who is still unsigned. Butler is 30 years old, but as a former cornerback, offers the type of coverage skills that NFL teams are looking for in today’s passing league. He’s taken a visit with the Bears (who have already added Quintin Demps), while a return to Indianapolis is still possible.

Most of the safeties on this list are in-the-box types — that’s thanks to the fact that center field-esque safeties are more rare and thus more expensive. Recently-released veterans such as Jairus Byrd, Lardarius Webb, and Corey Graham, however, offer coverage ability and would make for decent signings on short pacts. T.J. McDonald and Bradley McDougald, on other hand, are big hitters that will patrol near the line of scrimmage. McDougald, specifically, will take a visit with the Seahawks this week.

Chris Prosinski is just a special teamer, but he’s a great special teamer. While he only played 173 defensive snaps in 2016, he saw time on more than 80% of the Bears’ special teams plays, and was listed as one of the season’s best special teams players by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders ranked the Cardinals, Jets, and Texans as the bottom-three teams in special teams DVOA, and any of those clubs would benefit from adding Prosinski.

Kicker:

Demand is not high for placekickers at the moment, as only the Giants and Bengals stand out as clubs that immediately need a kicker. Injuries and ineffectiveness are sure to strike the position, however, at which point the specialists on this list will surely receive calls. Dan Carpenter and Mike Nugent missed a combined 11 extra points in 2016, and given that he topped both Carpenter and Nugent in field goal percentage, Nick Folk should be the first kicker on clubs’ emergency list.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Defense

March 6th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL free agency gets underway on Thursday 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. Here is our updated outlook for each defensive and special teams position.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These 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, as well as franchised players aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for this offseason:

Edge defender:

Now that Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram, and Jason Pierre-Paul have all been assigned the franchise tag, Nick Perry stands as the top edge defender on the free agent market, and is now in a position to cash in. The Packers opted against the franchise tender for the 26-year-old Perry, so he’ll hit the open market following a career year which saw him post 11 sacks.

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among players with youth still on their side, Datone Jones figures to interest clubs thanks to his versatility, as he can vacillate between end and linebacker, while fellow former first-round pick Jarvis Jones is solid against the run. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. Charles Johnson, meanwhile, looks like a good bet to return to the Panthers, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

Calais Campbell
Johnathan Hankins
Brandon Williams
Dontari Poe
Chris Baker
Bennie Logan
Nick Fairley
Alan Branch
Jared Odrick
Karl Klug
Terrell McClain
Lawrence Guy
Stacy McGee
Stephen Paea
Sylvester Williams
Honorable mention: Paul Soliai

Calais Campbell is the best overall player among interior defenders, and though he’s entering his age-31 season and may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe, Campbell will still be highly-sought after as he searches for his last substantial payday Campbell’s agent met with the Cardinals last week, but other speculative fits for the veteran defender include the Broncos, Raiders, Ravens, Colts, and Titans.

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Karl Klug), and run stoppers (Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Linebacker:

Dont’a Hightower
Zach Brown
Kevin Minter
Perry Riley
Lawrence Timmons
Gerald Hodges
A.J. Klein
Daryl Smith
Sio Moore
Sean Spence
Karlos Dansby
Malcolm Smith
Manti Te’o
Mike Morgan
Nick Bellore
Honorable mention: Erin Henderson

As usual, the non-rush linebacker market isn’t exactly overflowing with elite talent, and Dont’a Hightower stands as far-and-away the best player among this group. The Patriots already traded away several of their best defenders, including Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, an indication that they view Hightower as the best best to stick around long term. New England didn’t place the franchise nor the transition tag on Hightower, so he’ll have the ability to set the market at linebacker.

Coming off a disappointing four-year run with the Titans in 2016, Zach Brown was last year forced to sign a one-year deal with the Bills for less than $1.5MM. That won’t be the case this spring, as Brown finally lived up to his second-round draft status by grading as one of the league’s best ‘backers. Brown especially excelled in pass coverage by using his speed to chase pass-catchers around the field, and in today’s NFL, that’s a skill-set that equals a hefty paycheck.

Kevin Minter has captained the Cardinals defense for the past two seasons, and has indicated he wouldn’t mind following Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to New York. Lawrence Timmons, meanwhile, is talking about a return to the Steelers, but general manager Kevin Colbert admitted an agreement between the two sides could be hard to reach. After years of playing behind Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein is seeking a starting job, while Mike Morgan and Nick Bellore are more likely to be signed as primary special teamers.

Cornerback:

A.J. Bouye
Logan Ryan
Stephon Gilmore
Morris Claiborne
Dre Kirkpatrick
Prince Amukamara
Brandon Carr
Terence Newman
Nickell Robey-Coleman
Kayvon Webster
Captain Munnerlyn
Darrelle Revis
Brandon Flowers
Sterling Moore
Davon House
Honorable mention: Alterraun Verner, Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Jerraud Powers

The Texans are didn’t use the franchise tag on A.J. Bouye, a decision which sets up the young corner to be the single-most intriguing player on the 2017 free agent market. Only 25 years old, Bouye came out of nowhere to grade as PFF’s No. 3 corner in 2016. But the former undrafted free agent played on less than 900 defensive snaps over the first three years of his career, so he’s going to get paid on essentially one season of production. Bouye earned less than $3MM total during his time with Houston — his next contract could contain five times that amount…annually.

The cornerback market stands as one of the best free agent positional groups this offseason, as strong players permeate the list from top-to-bottom. Stephon Gilmore is a more high-profile name than Logan Ryan, but Ryan has simply played better over the last few campaigns, and offers a more dependable output. The Bears are expected to make a run at Gilmore, while the Bengals have already been linked to Ryan.

Morris Claiborne is a former first-round pick but didn’t play like it until last season. Dre Kirkpatrick is a former first-round pick but has never played like it. The rest of the cornerback list has warts, as well: Prince Amukamara has dealt with injury, Kayvon Webster has only two career starts, Terence Newman is entering his age-39 season, and Sam Shields is coming off multiple concussions. All of these players offer upside, but they are all undoubtedly attached to risk.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson is expected to hit free agency, and could be in for a contract that nears the $8-9MM range. Jefferson did reach the free agent market in 2016 as a restricted free agent, but he didn’t come with draft compensation attached. Any club could have signed him to an offer sheet, and if the Cardinals declined to match, would have acquired Jefferson scot-free. No team did so, which could be an indication that Jefferson’s 2016 market could be less robust than expected.

Also working against Jefferson is the fact that he plays close to the line of scrimmage, a role that’s relatively easy to fill, as Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus explained on a recent podcast. Duron Harmon, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to play deep safety, and thus could be in for a surprisingly high salary. The Cowboys’ Barry Church is “solid at everything, great at nothing,” tweets Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated, while Jonathan Cyprien and T.J. McDonald are primarily run defenders. Darius Butler may be the most fascinating case among this list of safeties, as the former corner should theoretically offer above-average coverage skills.

Micah Hyde could have been listed among the free agent corners, as the do-it-all defensive back is capable of playing multiple roles. His versatility is central to the Packers’ defense, and D.J. Swearinger provides the same sort of flexibility to the Cardinals. If Jefferson defects via the open market, Arizona will likely hone in on re-signing Swearinger as his full-time replacement. Jairus Byrd is a late addition to the safety market after being released by the Saints, and it’s possible another will hope he can rebound to his All Pro days as he enters his age-30 season.

Kicker:

The Seahawks don’t figure to re-sign Steven Hauschka after bringing in fellow kicker Blair Walsh, but the longtime Seattle placekicker should be able to quickly find a new home in free agency. Nick Novak attempted the second-most field goals in the NFL last season after many Texans’ drives stalled, while Robbie Gould filled in admirably for the Giants after they released Josh Brown, converting of all ten of his field goal attempts.

Nick Folk was released as a cap casualty, and still has the talent to become another club’s kicker, while Mike Nugent — cut by the Bengals at midseason — may be nearing the end of the road after missing six extra points. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Phil Dawson come back for a fifth season with the 49ers, but Greg Zuerlein could move on from the Rams after the club threatened to bring in competition last offseason.

Punter:

Jeff Locke, 27, managed to pin opposing clubs inside the 20-yard line 34 times in 2016, good for fifth in the league. Now 40 years old, Shane Lechler is a seven-time Pro Bowler, but the Texans lost 12.7 points of field position on punts last season, meaning Houston could go in another direction at punter.

FA Rumors: Pats, Jefferson, Jags, Falcons

March 5th, 2017 at 10:56am CST by Rory Parks

Free agency officially opens on March 9, so let’s round up a few FA-related notes and rumors from around the league:

Although it is difficult, as usual, to pin down the Patriots‘ free agency plans, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe does his best, writing that the club is “taking a long look” at the tight end position but that Martellus Bennett could certainly be back, that the team is in the defensive end market now that Chris Long is gone and Jabaal Sheard appears unlikely to return, and that Logan Ryan is likely to price himself out of the Patriots’ price range. Volin names the Jaguars and Raiders as two teams with serious interest in Bennett.
Speaking of the Jaguars, the club is expected to let Tyson Alualu hit the open market, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes.
In a separate piece, O’Halloran lists the Jaguars‘ most pressing needs in free agency and examines how they could address those needs with an aggressive approach or with a more disciplined approach. He predicts that the Jags will land this year’s top FA cornerback, A.J. Bouye, if Bouye does not re-sign with Houston.
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, citing an agent who represents a FA safety, says that the Cardinals‘ Tony Jefferson can expect to land a contract that will pay him $7MM per year (Twitter link). Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, though, tweets that Jefferson is likely to get paid closer to $10MM per year.
D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the Falcons, who are moving towards an extension for Desmond Trufant, want to re-sign tight end Levine Toilolo, safety/linebacker Kemal Ishmael, and fullback Patrick DiMarco before free agency opens. The team is expected to let Jacob Tamme hit free agency and to wait until after the draft to make a decision on Dwight Freeney. Atlanta is also waiting to hear back from guard Chris Chester, who is contemplating retirement.
The Falcons plan to upgrade their defensive front in free agency and the draft, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. The club is expected to re-sign Courtney Upshaw, and McClure names Cowboys’ DT Terrell McClain as one potential target for Atlanta.
Mike Klis of 9News.com writes that the Broncos are seeking help on both the offensive and defensive line in free agency, but he observes that the club may be operating with two budgets: one that includes Tony Romo, and one that doesn’t. Even if Denver does not land the long-time Cowboys signal-caller, Klis says the Broncos will have to manage the cap creatively, as they have a number of housekeeping moves to make that will eat into their $35MM of cap room, and offensive and defensive linemen do not come cheap on the open market.