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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:

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.

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:

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.

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.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not a given that he’ll find another NFL home after getting released by the Panthers.

Wide receiver:

Alshon Jeffery has had two down years (by his standards) but he is still the cream of the wide receiver crop. His weak production and PED suspension in 2016 probably killed his chances of getting Dez Bryant-money, but he could still get a multi-year deal with a nice amount of guaranteed cash given the dearth of WR1 types available. Jeffery hasn’t set the world on fire lately, but plenty of GMs will chalk that up to the Bears’ quarterback situation.

Few saw Terrelle Pryor‘s standout season coming. The former Buckeyes quarterback now stands as one of the best pending free agent receivers out there. We would be surprised if the Browns allow him to reach the open market, but if he does get there, he’ll get money thrown at him by teams looking for a No. 2 wide receiver.

The Dolphins can replace Kenny Stills in-house and they need to save their dollars for Jarvis Landry‘s next deal, so we envision Stills testing the open waters. Despite his age, Pierre Garcon could reportedly garner $9MM+ per year on his next pact. Because of his maddening inconsistency, we have slotted Garcon one spot ahead of teammate DeSean Jackson. There’s also this: Jackson can break a game wide open with his blazing speed, but speed doesn’t usually age well. Jackson, who reportedly wants to return to the Eagles, turns 31 in December.

Each player ranked No. 6 through No. 9 here offers potential and question marks in equal measure. Those around Kenny Britt have been questioning his work ethic and attitude since his Rutgers days, but his talent is undeniable. Markus Wheaton appeared destined for big things as the Steelers No. 2 wide receiver last year before an early season shoulder injury landed him on IR. Cordarrelle Patterson has all the physical tools to succeed and he put himself on the map last year as a kick returner. Will some team out there sign him to a multi-year pact and try to mold him into a receiver? Michael Floyd‘s rocky year ended with a Super Bowl ring, though he was not on the active roster in Houston. Floyd will be looking for a one-year, prove-it deal and there will be teams curious to see if he can reprise his 2013 season.

Tight end:

Martellus Bennett sounds like a man who is eager to cash in on the open market. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it’s not clear if they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, but he is our top-ranked free agent tackle after turning in another stellar year.

Ricky Wagner could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this year in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Kevin Zeitler is the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 10 Free Agents list from late January. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market in March.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Vikes Notes: AP, QBs, Kalil, Floyd, Greenway

February 23rd, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has a $6MM roster bonus due March 11, two days after the market opens, but general manager Rick Spielman told reporters Thursday that the rusher’s future “will get addressed here before free agency starts” (via Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune). Spielman hasn’t yet spoken to Peterson or his representative, but it’s fair to suggest that the Vikings likely won’t exercise the seven-time Pro Bowler’s option. Even if they don’t, though, Spielman indicated he’s amenable to bringing back the soon-to-be 32-year-old Peterson at a lesser cost in 2017. “If we don’t exercise that option, we always will keep the door open on all of our players,” Spielman said.

Regardless of whether Peterson returns next season as Minnesota’s No. 1 back, it has “got to run the football better,” head coach Mike Zimmer told Lindsey Young of the team’s website. The Vikings finished dead last in rushing (1,205) and yards per carry (3.2) last season, and barely having Peterson available didn’t help. While Peterson posted a microscopic 1.9 YPC, he did it over just 37 carries, having missed most of the year because of a torn meniscus.

Matt Kalil Hopes To Stay With Vikings

November 15th, 2016 at 8:38am CST by Zachary Links

Matt Kalil‘s season ended in September when a hip injury shut him down for the season. The pending free agent didn’t get a chance to show the Vikings what he could do in his contract year, but he still hopes to remain in Minnesota, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes.

“I’d love to stay here the rest of my career,” Kalil said. “This is the team I started out with in the NFL, and I’ve been playing with these guys. I’ve met a lot of great friends here, my wife is from here. It’d be a good place to finish my career.”

To re-sign with the Vikings, Kalil will probably have to agree to a pay cut. This year, he is earning $11.096MM for what amounted to a two-game season and it’s hard to see the team agreeing to that kind of guaranteed cash again. A one-year deal with a moderate base and incentives could make sense for the Vikings, but Kalil seemed to bristle at the suggestion that his health could impact his leverage.

“I don’t think so,” Kalil said. “I will have a full recovery. That’s what happens. People get hurt in football.”

Under the new IR rules, Kalil could technically return this season, but he says that is not a realistic possibility as he is still healing from his surgery. Kalil’s hip won’t heal until around Christmas and even then, he’ll be a long way from being in football shape.

The Vikings’ offensive line has been ravaged by injuries this season. Over the weekend, tackle Jake Long suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, forcing the team to start T.J. Clemmings at one tackle spot with Jeremiah Sirles at the other. Clemmings has been among the worst blockers in the NFL this year. And, despite a decent start to the year, Sirles has struggled in recent weeks.

NFC North Notes: Cutler, Kalil, Lions

September 25th, 2016 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Parks

After Monday night’s ugly loss to Philadelphia, Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune writes that the end of Jay Cutler‘s tenure with the Bears felt as real as it ever has. Each year since former head coach Lovie Smith was fired at the end of the 2012 season, the Bears have asked themselves whether they prefer Cutler to an alternative, and each year, the answer has been yes.

However, after looking at the success that rookie Carson Wentz had against them last week, and as they prepare for rookie signal-caller Dak Prescott this week, the Bears’ quarterback calculus could change sooner rather than later. After all, it could be tough for GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox to continue with a 33-year-old quarterback who has a 50-49 record and only one playoff victory in seven-plus seasons in Chicago, particularly a quarterback they inherited who has no more guaranteed money left on his deal as of 2017.

The problem is that a quarterback has not been the best player on the board when the Bears have been on the clock in the past two seasons, and it would not have made sense for the team to reach for a signal-caller when they had a solid quarterback on the roster with guaranteed money still to be paid. But with no succession plan in place, the Bears may have no choice but to grab a QB in the 2017 draft and hope they can find someone to lift them out of their cycle of mediocrity.

Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from the NFC North:

With Matt Kalil on IR, many have wondered if the Vikings–who demonstrated they were “all in” on the 2016 season with the Sam Bradford trade–could deal for a replacement left tackle, like Cleveland’s Joe Thomas. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Minnesota will not make such a trade.
Earlier today, we learned there is a good chance that Adrian Peterson could return to the Vikings next year, despite much speculation to the contrary.
Lions DE Ziggy Ansah is expected to be out through at least next week as he continues to battle a high ankle sprain, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Ansah will get a second opinion on that injury later this week.
Lions LG Laken Tomlinson has had a very disappointing start to the season, but Kyle Meinke of MLive.com believes Detroit has no other choice but to continue relying on last year’s No. 28 overall selection, as 2016 fifth-rounder Joe Dahl does not appear ready to step into the starting lineup.

Season Over For Matt Kalil?

September 23rd, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Vikings announced that left tackle Matt Kalil underwent successful surgery Friday to repair a labrum tear in his right hip. Head coach Mike Zimmer said Kalil, whom the Vikings placed on injured reserve Wednesday, could return after missing the requisite eight weeks, though Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press notes that running back Adrian Peterson‘s situation complicates matters (Twitter links).

Peterson underwent surgery on a meniscus tear Thursday, and if the Vikings put him on IR, only one of him or Kalil would be eligible to come back this year. Minnesota could avoid having to choose between them, however, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that Kalil’s season is over. He’s facing a six-month recovery, sources told Pelissero (Twitter link).

If Kalil’s season is done, it’s possible the soon-to-be free agent has played his last snap as a Viking. Since going fourth overall in the 2012 draft, Kalil has started in all 66 regular-season appearances, making this the first year he won’t achieve a perfect attendance record. Despite his durability, Kalil hasn’t been an overly effective blocker since earning a Pro Bowl trip as a rookie. The ex-USC standout allowed the second-most pressures among tackles in 2014 and finished 18th from the bottom last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Regardless of whether Kalil returns this year, Minnesota will at least have to play a large portion of it without him. The club is now primed to turn to T.J. Clemmings at left tackle. As a rookie last season, Clemmings started 16 games at right tackle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vikings Sign Hillman; Kalil To IR

September 21st, 2016 at 11:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings announced that they have signed running back Ronnie Hillman in the wake of Adrian Peterson‘s potentially season-ending injury. Meanwhile, starting tackle Matt Kalil will have season-ending hip surgery and will be placed on IR.

While Hillman will join Minnesota’s running back group, he will not be the primary back. Coach Mike Zimmer confirmed that Jerick McKinnon will be the team’s starting running back while Peterson is out. Matt Asiata also figures to be in the mix and Hillman, for now, figures to be the No. 3 RB on that depth chart.

Hillman, a 2012 third-round pick, was cut loose by Denver in early September. The move somewhat surprising after he led Denver in offensive snaps (524) during the 2015 regular season. He also led the team’s rushers in starts (11), attempts (207), yards (863) and touchdowns (seven). However, Hillman wasn’t exactly integral during the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning playoff run and he was bumped this year in favor of Devontae Booker and Kapri Bibbs.

Peterson’s injury will garner all of the headlines today, but Kalil’s injury is also a difficult one for the Vikings. Minnesota’s offensive line was already underperforming and it will only get worse without the former No. 4 overall selection. The injury is also bad news for Kalil on a personal level as he is in his contract year. After a strong rookie season, Kalil has not impressed and he was hoping to improve his stock before hitting the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Kalil, Bears, T-Rich, Golson

August 3rd, 2016 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings have not received the return they’d hoped after investing their highest first-round pick since 1985 on Matt Kalil, but the team kept him for just more than $11MM on a fifth-year option. The former No. 4 overall selection hopes to reward the team this season and wants to finish his career in the Twin Cities, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes.

Despite an inconsistent career, Kalil is set to out-earn every left tackle in football this season on his $11.09MM fifth-year salary. Tomasson writes that an extension for the 27-year-old blocker could happen, as could a re-signing after the season. Kalil owns one more Pro Bowl nod than Eric Fisher, 2013’s No. 1 overall pick who just inked a four-year, $48MM extension with the Chiefs despite middling production to date, and has started all 65 of the Vikings’ games the past four years. So, that kind of agreement could conceivably be in Kalil’s future if he can elevate his game this season.

The Vikings signed Andre Smith this offseason but saw Phil Loadholt retire. They do not have a long-term tackle option at this point. Last month, PFR’s Dallas Robinson checked in on the Vikings’ offensive front.

Here’s the latest from the North divisions, beginning with one of the Vikings’ top rivals.

Willie Young‘s extension with the Bears is worth $13.55MM and runs through the 2018 season, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times reports (on Twitter). That includes $9MM in guaranteed money, per Jahns. Young will make $5.85MM in 2016, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). That total includes a $2.7MM signing bonus, a $2.3MM roster bonus and an $800K base salary. Young will hold cap figures of $4.1MM in 2017 and $5.4MM in ’18, according to Jahns. The Bears will owe Young a $2.2MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2017 league year, Biggs tweets. The steady pass-rusher is due a $1MM roster bonus in ’18, per Biggs (via Twitter), and includes incentives for sacks — thresholds that aren’t likely to be crossed, according to Jahns (Twitter link).
Bears cornerback Brandon Boykin is dealing with a pectoral injury that might be “problematic,” and that is expected to prompt Chicago to sign a cornerback soon, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
The Ravens released Trent Richardson because they needed a wide receiver to practice, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. They believe he’s talented and his return is possibility, Werder adds. Coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) that both he and GM Ozzie Newsome spoke to Richardson about getting healthy and possibly coming back to the team.
Mike Tomlin confirmed Senquez Golson has a Lisfranc injury and that surgery is a likely course of action, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets. Golson could land on IR-DTR, but the Steelers may reserve that spot for another player since the second-year cornerback will be out up to four months. The 2015 second-rounder has yet to play in a regular-season game after missing his entire rookie slate. As Roster Resource shows, 2016 first- and second-rounders Artie Burns and Sean Davis represent the top depth behind William Gay at a position the Steelers invested in heavily this offseason.
Wide receiver Alonzo Russell and interior lineman Alex Redmond represent two of the top choices to continue the Bengals‘ run of UDFAs making the 53-man roster, Cincinnati.com’s Paul Dehner Jr. writes. The 6-foot-4 Russell was a four-year contributor at Toledo, recording 3,076 yards and 24 receiving TDs from 2012-15. A UCLA product, Redmond will be competing with the likes of fifth-round rookie Christian Westerman and 2013 seventh-rounder T.J. Johnson for a spot as a backup interior blocker.

Zach Links contributed to this report

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Cousins, Seahawks

July 1st, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Ronaldo McClain is only the latest Cowboys defender to be slapped with a suspension. Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence was handed a four-game suspension earlier this summer, and defensive end Randy Gregory will also be forced to sit our four games.

Cornerback Brandon Carr understands that it’s on the trio’s teammates to pick up the slack.

“Well, anytime you get a guy going down in your unit, you have to come together even stronger to make up for that slack,” Carr told Zig Fracassi and Phil Savage on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “But Rolando is a guy that’s made a lot of plays for us in the past two years, another dominant presence on the field. So we’re definitely going to miss that. But football’s a game of the next man up, it’s a game of inches. So it’s going to take for all of us to come to training camp focused and next man up, get him ready, get prepared to go out there to battle.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

Mike Jones of the Washington Post wonders if the Redskins and Kirk Cousins will come to an agreement on an extension by the July 15th deadline. The writer notes that the two sides have made little progress, and while the team will make another push closer to training camp, there’s not much optimism that a deal will get done.
The Seahawks have generally held back from handing out extensions to players with more than a year remaining on their contract. However, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times wonders whether the team should rethink that strategy when it comes to defensive lineman Michael Bennett.
ESPN.com’s Nathan Jahnke (Insider subscription required) runs through his list of the NFL’s 10 most overpaid veterans. Giants quarterback Eli Manning leads the list, with Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr, and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson also appearing on the list.

NFC North Rumors: Packers, Z. Miller, Kalil

February 26th, 2016 at 9:15am CST by Luke Adams

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, word around this year’s scouting combine from agents and league personnel is that the Packers intend to go after more free agents than usual this offseason — especially veterans released by their previous teams, who won’t factor into the compensatory draft pick formula for next year.

“We’ll see how it shakes out,” head coach Mike McCarthy said on Thursday. “We might shock you this year.”

Green Bay, a draft-and-develop franchise, typically plays it fairly safe in free agency, making small additions here and there but mostly focusing on locking up the team’s own free agents. While a series of big splashes this year seems unlikely, it sounds like the Packers may foray into the open market in order to fill a couple holes.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

The Bears would like to re-sign veteran tight end Zach Miller, but will likely let him test the free agent market to get a better sense of what he’s worth, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com details. “What happens at this stage in the game is you understand the reality that a lot of times these guys have to hit the open market to set their value,” GM Ryan Pace said. “We like Zach, I don’t want to go through every one of our unrestricted free agents, but he’s a guy we’d want back and we’re negotiating with him.”
Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link) hears that the Vikings want to keep offensive tackle Phil Loadholt in 2016, but would like to lower his cap number, which is currently $7.75MM. Per Wolfson, a meeting on the Loadholt front took place last night at the combine.
As the Vikings look to retain Loadholt, they’re “torn” on tackle Matt Kalil, according to Wolfson (via Twitter). A former fourth overall pick, Kalil hasn’t necessarily lived up to his billing so far and has an $11MM cap number for 2016. But he has also never missed a regular-season start in his four NFL seasons, so Minnesota would have a hole to fill if the team were to let him go.

NFC Quotes: Galette, Kalil, Forte, Foles

August 1st, 2015 at 10:17am CST by Ben Levine

As training camps have started around the league, we’ve compiled some assorted quotes from the NFC:

Recently-signed linebacker Junior Galette on the opportunity to play with Washington (via Mike Jones of The Washington Post):

“First of all, I’m thankful to be here. Just thankful to have the opportunity. Just blessed and grateful to be a [member of the organization], and now just want to move forward, not worry about the past, but just what’s ahead of me.

“I could’ve waited a little longer, but I love football and I didn’t want to be sitting around anymore. On the porch for five, six days is a little uncomfortable.”

Vikings lineman Matt Kalil on having his fifth-year option picked up (via Mark Craig of the Star Tribune):

“If I had a Pro Bowl season last year, I’m sure I would have already restructured, but I didn’t. I think it’s fair. You have to work to earn that money. For me, just playing well takes care of everything. I either get the fifth-year option money or they restructure my contract.”

Bears running back Matt Forte‘s reaction to not receiving an extension (via the Associated Press):

“I’m under contract anyway. When I was talking about the deal and that type of stuff, it really made sense. From my aspect I was trying to lower the cap number and then I’d be able to continue my career here as well. But you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Like I’ve said plenty of times both sides have to want to do it.”

Rams GM Les Snead on potentially signing quarterback Nick Foles longterm (via the Associated Press):

“I always go to this: “Hey, if a quarterback is playing well and you’re winning, having team success, you have no problem asking your owner to write the check.”