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Top 2017 Free Agents By Position: Defense

February 24th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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. After looking at offense, we’ll tackle defense and special teams today.

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 Cardinals have already made it abundantly clear that Chandler Jones will see the franchise tag this offseason, and Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul are also candidates to be tagged by the Chargers and Giants, respectively. If the latter two are able to hit the open market unfettered, however, they both figure to break the bank. Ingram, Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 edge defender, could be a fit for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, while JPP will be looking for a long-term commitment after signing consecutive one-year deals.

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 the players with youth still on their side, Packers edge defenders Nick Perry and Datone Jones figure to interest different clubs, as Perry is a better match for a 3-4 defense while Jones needs to restart his career as a 4-3 defensive end. 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. James Harrison and Charles Johnson, meanwhile, look like good bets to return to Steelers and Panthers, respectively, 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:

Unlike the edge defender market, the 2017 cadre of interior defensive lineman shouldn’t be overly affected by the franchise tender. Head coach Ron Rivera recently confessed the Panthers will “probably” have to use the tag on Kawann Short, but the rest of the defensive tackles listed here should be able to hit the open market. Of the remaining defenders, Campbell is the best overall player, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, he may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe.

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, Earl Mitchell), and run stoppers (Karl Klug, 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:

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. Hightower has communicated an openness to the franchise tag, but New England may go in another direction and offer him the transition tender instead.

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:

The Texans are unlikely to 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. Trumaine Johnson faces an outside shot of being franchise-tagged, but if he hits the open market, he’ll likely be aiming for a contract similar to that of his former Rams teammate Janoris Jenkins (five years, $62.5MM). Elsewhere among corners, 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.

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:

The Chiefs are working to re-sign Eric Berry, but if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Kansas City will likely employ the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. The only problem? Berry is adamant that he won’t play under the tag again, even though it would guarantee him a one-year salary of nearly $13MM. Realistically, Berry won’t have any choice but to sign the tender — given that he’s already 28, he can’t afford to sit out the season and risk hitting the open market at close to 30 years old.

Tony Jefferson, meanwhile, is expected to hit free agency, and could be the second-highest paid safety in this class behind Berry. 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.

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. Britton Colquitt isn’t quite the punter that his brother, Dustin, is, but he found a new club soon after being cut last season and should do so again in 2017. 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.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Lacy, Seahawks

February 12th, 2017 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

As Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes, the Cowboys are $11-$13MM over the projected 2017 salary cap, but it will be fairly easy for them to clear space and to give themselves enough room to conduct their offseason business and sign a free agent or three. For instance, they could restructure the deals of Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, and given the relative youth of those two players, such restructures should not hamstring the club in the long run. Dallas could also save a fair amount of money by restructuring Sean Lee‘s deal and giving Jason Witten an extension, and obviously the impending departure of Tony Romo will be a boon to the team’s cap situation. As such, the notion that the Cowboys are in “cap hell” and will be forced to be bystanders in free agency is more of a myth than reality.

Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the league:

It will be tempting for the Packers to let Eddie Lacy walk in free agency, but as Pete Dougherty of USA Today writes, one agent expects Lacy to get no more than a one-year, $2MM pact on the open market. Even if such a contract were loaded with incentives, it would still represent a small risk for Green Bay with the potential for a high reward, and Dougherty believes the team should make that gamble.
Six Seahawks players saw their 2017 base salaries become guaranteed on Saturday, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. Those players form a major part of Seattle’s foundation: Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett, and Jeremy Lane. As Condotta observes, the only player on that list about whom there might have been some intrigue is Lane, who signed a four-year, $23MM deal last offseason but who failed to meet expectations in 2016.
Last offseason, Prince Amukamara bet on himself and took a one-year deal with the Jaguars in an attempt to prove that he could stay healthy and productive over the course of a full season. He was largely successful, as he appeared in 14 games (12 starts) and graded out as an above-average corner per Pro Football Focus. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union believes Amukamara thinks he should be paid as a No. 1 or 1A cornerback (an average of $8-9MM per year), but as he would be the No. 2 corner in Jacksonville behind Jalen Ramsey, it is unclear whether the Jags will meet his demands, even though they have the resources to do so.
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer spoke to one high-level NFL personnel executive who believes that Mitch Trubisky has more upside than Carson Wentz and that the Browns would be wise to select him with the No. 1 overall pick. The Browns also hold this year’s No. 12 overall choice, but Trubisky will not fall that far, so if Cleveland wants him, they will need to make him the top choice in the draft.
Former UVA standout Ausar Walcott, who was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 draft, is resuming the pursuit of his NFL dream, as Dan Duggan of NJ.com writes. Walcott was charged with attempted murder in June 2013, and was subsequently cut by Cleveland. The charge was eventually dropped to aggravated assault, and while Walcott was free on bail, he was certainly not going to be signed by an NFL club while he was embroiled in a legal battle. But he was acquitted by a jury a few months ago, and the 27-year-old hopes to at least catch on with a CFL team as he tries to work his way back to the NFL.

AFC Notes: Bills, Browns, Jags, Bengals, Colts

December 29th, 2016 at 9:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Rex Ryan was a beloved players’ coach with the Jets from 2009-14, but it doesn’t seem that was fully the case during his nearly two-year run in Buffalo. Reacting to the Bills’ Tuesday decision to fire Ryan, one defensive player informed Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunne, “That was music to my ears.” Similarly, some other Bills never bought into Ryan and felt he tore down the elite defense he inherited in 2015, according to Dunne (Twitter links). On the other side of the ball, wide receiver Sammy Watkins told the team’s official website that a “culture change” will be in order with Ryan’s successor. “Change the culture, change the mindset and get players on board,” he said. “If they’re not listening, cut them, kick them out, whatever. Sit them on the bench. I think that will help us move forward.”

Jaguars RB Chris Ivory Remains Sidelined

September 16th, 2016 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

From a medical standpoint, it appears that Chris Ivory is in the clear. However, the running back is not quite ready to return to the field for the Jaguars. The team says that Ivory will not play this Sunday against the Chargers, as Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com tweets. Same goes for fellow free agent acquisition Prince Amukamara who suffered a hamstring injury last week.

Ivory missed out on the Jaguars’ first game of the season after being checked into the hospital for an undisclosed issue. After spending the early part of the week at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Ivory was released and he returned to the team facility on Thursday. Still, the tailback is going to need some additional time before he can be activated. It is not immediately clear when Ivory will get the greenlight to play.

T.J. Yeldon was pretty impressive for Jacksonville last season, averaging 4.1 yards per carry and scoring twice in 12 starts. Still, Ivory is the more proven option and operates with the kind of power you only see from a handful of tailbacks. The Jaguars’ offense won’t be operating at full strength without him, but they’re hoping they have enough to top San Diego on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Contract Details: L. Miller, D. Johnson, Woods

March 14th, 2016 at 10:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are several of the latest contract details from around the AFC on recently agreed-upon and signed deals. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…

Lamar Miller, RB (Texans): Four years, $26MM. $14.5MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 16. $750K in annual per-game active roster bonuses in 2018 and 2019 (all Twitter links).
Derrick Johnson, ILB (Chiefs): Three years, $21MM. $9.75MM guaranteed. $5.25MM signing bonus. $1MM in per-game active roster bonuses in 2017 (Twitter link).
Al Woods, DT (Titans): Three years, $10.5MM. $5MM guaranteed. $2.25MM signing bonus. $250K in per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Prince Amukamara, CB (Jaguars): One year, $5.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $500K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link).
Rod Streater, WR (Chiefs): One year, $810K. $110K guaranteed. $10K signing bonus. $1MM in incentives based on touchdowns, catches, and yards (Twitter link).
Kellen Davis, TE (Jets): One year, minimum salary benefit. $230K guaranteed. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
Jamell Fleming, DB (Chiefs): One year, minimum salary benefit. $40K signing bonus. $40K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).

Jaguars Sign Prince Amukamara

March 14th, 2016 at 8:07am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 14, 8:07am: Amukamara’s one-year deal with the Jaguars has a base value of $5MM, including $3MM guaranteed, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. According to Yates, the pact has another $1MM available in bonuses and incentives.

MARCH 11, 7:03pm: The Jaguars have announced the deal, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

3:36pm: A busy week continues for the Jaguars, as the team has agreed to terms on a deal for free agent cornerback Prince Amukamara, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Schefter reports that it will be a one-year deal for Amukamara, who had been visiting Jacksonville today.

Entering free agency with the most cap room in the league, the Jaguars land one of free agency’s top cornerbacks on what looks like another audition for Amukamara in hopes of establishing his value to re-enter the market in 2017 in hopes of commanding a long-term pact.

Amukamara, the No. 3-ranked cornerback on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, has struggled with injuries throughout his five-year career. The former Giants first-rounder has started more than 11 games in a season just once, doing so in 2013, and has played in more than 13 games in a season only in ’13 as well.

The former Nebraska talent missed 13 games over the past two seasons, attaching the injury-prone label to the otherwise-solid corner. A torn pectoral muscle shelved Amukamara for five games in 2015.

Although the Giants finished with the worst pass defense in football last season, Amukamara rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 cornerback. The 26-year-old has just seven career interceptions, though his presence gave the Giants a strong cornerback tandem in teaming with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

DRC will pair with Janoris Jenkins in 2016 after the Giants distanced themselves from Amukamara and went with the former Rams second-rounder amid a historic spending spree.

The Jags further bolster their secondary after bringing Tashaun Gipson aboard. Jacksonville’s pass defense ranked 29th last season. Despite signing Davon House last year, the Jags’ cornerback contingent entered this offseason a thin arrangement. Both House and Aaron Colvin were mid-tier corners, per PFF, but ranked well behind Amukamara in 2015.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

South Notes: Fleener, Weddle, Amukamara

March 12th, 2016 at 9:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts chose to re-sign Dwayne Allen over fellow tight end Coby Fleener, and the latter went on to sign a five-year, $36MM deal with the Saints. And according to Fleener, it doesn’t sound Indianapolis put up too much of a fight to keep him. “The Colts’ lack of interest and the Saints’ interest made going to New Orleans an easy choice,” Fleener told Mike Wells of ESPN.com.

Here are a few more notes from the South divisions…

Another former Colt, linebacker Jerrell Freeman, says the club never made him a free agent offer, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). That seems to conflict from a report earlier today that indicated Indianapolis offered Freeman the same contract he ultimately signed with the Bears, but the dispute could stem from the notion that Freeman wasn’t offered a deal during free agency — this afternoon’s report said the Colts gave Freeman their proposal prior to March 9.
The Buccaneers are not among the contenders for free agent safety Eric Weddle, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Weddle is reportedly weighing offers from four teams, thought to be the Ravens, Steelers, Cowboys, and Raiders.
Cornerback Prince Amukamara had other free agent trips planned, but he never got around to taking them after finding that he liked what the Jaguars were offering, Amukamara explained to reporters, including John Oehser of Jaguars.com. Amukamara agreed to a one-year deal with Jacksonville.

Prince Amukamara Visiting Jaguars

March 10th, 2016 at 4:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Even after adding Malik Jackson, Jacksonville isn’t done making moves. Giants free agent cornerback Prince Amukamara is on his way to visit the Jaguars, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Amukamara, 26, has had an up-and-down run with the Giants since his entry into the league in 2011, but some of his problems can be chalked up to injury. Of course, that’s a double-edged sword when evaluating a free agent. Amukamara’s only 16-game season came in 2013 and in the last two years, he has only taken the field for 19 contests. Still, in his 11 games in 2015, Amukamara was a difference maker, notching 63 total tackles, 10 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and one interception.

When healthy, Amukamara has demonstrated the ability that made him the No. 19 overall pick in the 2011 draft. We expected the Giants to make a decent effort to re-sign Amukamara before free agency officially gets underway, but we haven’t heard much on that front this week. After signing Janoris Jenkins, the Giants appear poised to head into the season with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and the ex-Ram as their top two corners.

The Jets have reportedly also shown interest in Amukamara. After losing Damon Harrison to Big Blue, it’d only be fair for Gang Green to grab one of the Giants’ free agents.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giants Sign Janoris Jenkins

March 10th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 1:52pm: The Giants’ signing of Jenkins is official, as Dan Salomone of Giants.com writes.

For a sneak peek at what Jenkins might look like in his new jersey, follow Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

WEDNESDAY, 9:39am: Jenkins is expected to get $29MM in fully guaranteed money, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link).

9:29am: Jenkins’ five-year deal with the Giants is expected to be worth $62.5MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). That’s an annual average of $12.5MM.

Janoris Jenkins/Giants Uniform (Vertical)

Photo courtesy of @ProFootballRumors on Instagram

6:48am: The Giants are prepared to sign cornerback Janoris Jenkins when the free agent market officially opens later today, reports Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), Jenkins’ new contract is expected to be worth in excess of $12MM per year.

Jenkins, 27, has spent the first four years of his career with the Rams since being selected by the team with the 39th overall pick in the 2012 draft. Since entering the league, Jenkins has been a starter at cornerback in St. Louis, picking up a total of 10 career interceptions, including five for touchdowns. However, it appears he won’t join the team in Los Angeles.

Prior to the franchise-tag deadline, the Rams had been mulling over whether to use their tag on Jenkins or fellow cornerback Trumaine Johnson. The club ultimately opted to lock up Johnson with the non-exclusive franchise tag, clearing the path for Jenkins to reach the open market.

While the Rams did want to keep Jenkins, negotiations between the two sides didn’t appear to progress the way the four-year veteran anticipated. After a report surfaced suggesting that Jenkins had declined a five-year offer worth about $45MM, the former second-round pick changed agents, and tweeted. “Total disrespect when u held down one side all 4 years and force the ball the other way.. #ThanksButNoThanks.”

For the Giants, Jenkins looks poised to team with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the secondary, suggesting free agent corner Prince Amukamara likely won’t be back in New York.

According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter links), the Giants may be targeting other big-name free agents on the defensive side of the ball. Graziano reports that Big Blue may make a run at defensive end Olivier Vernon, and adds that the team has also expressed interest in Jenkins’ former teammate, safety Rodney McLeod.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jets Show Interest In Adam Jones, Other CBs

March 8th, 2016 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

After spending big on cornerbacks in free agency a year ago, the Jets aren’t shying away from exploring the market again this time around. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, New York is among the teams that have shown interest in Bengals free agent Adam Jones. Meanwhile, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that the team is “nosing around” the market, having also inquired on Prince Amukamara and others.

Last March, in Mike Maccagnan‘s first offseason as the team’s general manager, the Jets landed Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine on lucrative, long-term contracts. The team has since parted ways with Cromartie, whose deal didn’t feature any guaranteed money beyond the first year, and now is back in the market for possible help at cornerback.

Jones, 32, is generating plenty of interest, so the Jets will have competition if they decide to make a play for him. On Monday, Florio identified the Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Raiders, Cowboys and Vikings as potential suitors for Pacman.

Both Amukamara and Jones ranked among the top five cornerbacks currently available on the free agent market in our look at this year’s top defensive options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.