The official start of NFL free agency is just over 48 hours away and the buzz is relatively muted compared to recent years. A vast majority of the potential franchise-changing impact players were handed the franchise tag (Le'Veon Bell, Ezekiel Ansah, Jarvis Landry, DeMarcus Lawrence, Lamarcus Joyner), which means this free agent class largely consists of good, but not great veterans and oft-injured young players. While the treasure isn't abundant, there are still some solid scores to be had on the open market. Below you'll find a list of the 10 members of this free agent class that I would (tentatively) call the best and a brief look at their potential landing spots. Hope you enjoy the madness that Wednesday afternoon will bring and may your team not overspend for a dud of a player.
(Note: I'm excluding Drew Brees from this list because there's a 0% chance he isn't returning to New Orleans.)
10.Case Keenum, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
I'm a massive Keenum skeptic that is pretty firmly convinced that the 11 win, 22 TD/7 INT/67.6 CMP% season he put together in 2017 was merely a fluky outlier of proficiency in an otherwise mediocre career. That being said, the 30-year old journeyman veteran was certainly sharp enough during his brief stint with Minnesota to be considered a potentially viable starting option for any team that isn't sold on any of this year's top quarterback prospects and/or is in win-now mode.
Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills
9.Sammy Watkins, wide receiver (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Watkins, who was selected 4th overall in the 2014 Draft, is one of the many young high risk/high reward receivers that are available in this year's free agency class. His long-term value took a pretty significant hit in 2017 after he failed to establish a consistent role in the Rams offense following a late July trade from Buffalo, but he's shown flashes of brilliance as a vertical threat in the past and at 24 going on 25, there's still plenty of time for him to blossom into the game-breaking wideout he was touted to be when he came out of Clemson.
Possible Destinations: Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs
8.Malcolm Butler, cornerback (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Butler's tenure with the Patriots ended in true nightmare fashion with a stunning Super Bowl benching that continues to generate headlines over a month after it happened. Even with this mysterious Super Bowl controversy and generally poor play throughout 2017 casting a dark cloud over him at the moment, his otherwise impressive resume should attract a number of suitors in free agency. His terrific ball skills combined with the consistently strong and sometimes dominant play he displayed during his previous two seasons as a full-time starter indicate that Butler can redeem himself if he signs with a well-coached team that truly believes in him.
Possible Destinations: New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans
7.Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
If I was to dub anyone a sleeper in this sleepy free agent class, Lotulelei would be that guy. He's a gifted line of scrimmage disruptor that should pay instant dividends for any team that's looking to upgrade their run defense and interior pass-rush.
Possible Destinations: Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers
6.Jimmy Graham, tight end (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Graham's age (he'll be 32 in November) and lack of versatility puts an undeniable hit on his value, but he's still an elite redzone threat (10 TD's in 2017) that should be a solid, not overly expensive addition to any team that's looking to add size to its receiving corps.
Possible Destinations: New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots
5.Trumaine Johnson, cornerback (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
After being given the franchise tag by the Rams in back-to-back years, Johnson is now finally getting the chance to explore the wonders of the open market. While he'll likely never be mentioned in any "best corner in the NFL" discussions, Johnson is a quality veteran starter that plays a pretty well-rounded game and rarely gets burnt. Expect him to sign a pretty decent-sized deal ($50-60 mil with $25-35 mil guaranteed over 4-5 years) with a playoff contender that's desperate for secondary help.
Possible Destinations: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers
4.Allen Robinson, wide receiver (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
An extended injury history (broken foot in 2014, torn ACL in 2017, various other minor ailments) is the only thing keeping Robinson from being a no-brainer, game-changing signing. He's a fast, physical and sharp route-running vertical threat that has given opposing defenses headaches for long stretches of his four-year career. There's not a more intriguing or higher-upside dice roll for receiver-needy teams in this sketchy free agent class, so I expect him to land a pretty lucrative deal.
Possible Destinations: Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers
3.Nate Solder, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
If you're willing to accept his occasional ugly lapses in pass-protection, Solder is a pretty damn good left tackle that would provide some much-needed stability as well as run-blocking proficiency to the plethora of teams that don't currently have a reliable blind side protector on their roster.
Possible Destinations: New England Patriots, Houston Texans, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants
2.Andrew Norwell, guard (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Last year Kevin Zeitler made history when he inked a record-breaking 5 year/$60 mil ($31.5 mil guaranteed) contract with the Browns. It would be an absolute shock if Norwell didn't topple that record this week. With his polished, multi-faceted skill set and steady year-to-year improvement over the course of his first four years in the league, this 2017 All-Pro is a premier talent that could dramatically upgrade any of the league's struggling offensive lines as soon as he steps on the field.
Possible Destinations: Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals
1.Kirk Cousins, quarterback (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
It's the ultimate irony that this underwhelming free agent class is headlined by a legit franchise quarterback. Even though Cousins makes his fair share of questionable throws and hasn't had much success against great teams, he's an uncontested top 10-12 QB in this league that any team with question marks at the position should jump at the chance to sign.
Possible Destinations: Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals
Other Notable Free Agents:
A.J. McCarron, quarterback (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Aaron Colvin, cornerback (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Aaron Lynch, defensive end (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Adrian Clayborn, defensive end (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Albert Wilson, wide receiver (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Alex Okafor, defensive end (2017 team: New Orleans Saints)
Alfred Morris, running back (2017 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Allen Barbre, guard (2017 team: Denver Broncos)
Anthony Hitchens, inside linebacker (2017 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Antonio Gates, tight end (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, tight end (2017 team: New York Jets)
Avery Williamson, inside linebacker (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Bashaud Breeland, cornerback (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Bennie Logan, defensive tackle (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Brian Cushing, inside linebacker (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Cairo Santos, kicker (2017 teams: Kansas City Chiefs/Chicago Bears)
Cameron Fleming, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Carlos Hyde, running back (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Charles Sims, running back (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Connor Barwin, outside linebacker (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Danny Amendola, wide receiver (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Demario Davis, inside linebacker (2017 team: New York Jets)
Derek Anderson, quarterback (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
DeMarco Murray, running back (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
DeShawn Shead, cornerback (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Dion Lewis, running back (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, cornerback (2017 team: New York Giants)
Dontari Poe, defensive tackle (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Donte Moncrief, wide receiver (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Doug Martin, running back (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
E.J. Gaines, cornerback (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Ed Dickson, tight end (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Eric Decker, wide receiver (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Eric Reid, safety (2017 team: San Francisco 49ers)
Frank Gore, running back (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Geno Smith, quarterback (2017 team: New York Giants)
Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Isaiah Crowell, running back (2017 team: Cleveland Browns)
Jack Mewhort, guard (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Jahri Evans, guard (2017 team: Green Bay Packers)
Jay Cutler, quarterback (2017 team: Miami Dolphins)
Jeremiah Attaochu, defensive end (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Jeremy Hill, running back (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Jeremy Lane, cornerback (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Jerick McKinnon, running back (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Joe Berger, guard/center (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Jonathan Joseph, cornerback (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Jonathan Stewart, running back (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Jordan Matthews, wide receiver (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Josh Kline, guard (2017 team: Tennessee Titans)
Josh McCown, quarterback (2017 team: New York Jets)
Josh Sitton, guard (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Julius Peppers, defensive end (2017 team: Carolina Panthers)
Junior Galette, defensive end (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Justin Bethel, cornerback (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Justin Pugh, guard (2017 team: New York Giants)
Kai Forbath, kicker (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Kenny Vaccaro, safety (2017 team: New Orleans Saints)
Kevin Huber, punter (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Kyle Williams, defensive tackle (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
LaAdrian Waddle, tackle (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Lardarius Webb, safety (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
LeGarette Blount, running back (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Marqise Lee, wide receiver (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Martellus Bennett, tight end (2017 teams: Green Bay Packers/New England Patriots)
Mike Glennon, quarterback (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Mike Wallace, wide receiver (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Mitch Unrein, defensive end (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Morgan Burnett, safety (2017 team: Green Bay Packers)
Morris Claiborne, cornerback (2017 team: New York Jets)
Muhammad Wilkerson, defensive end (2017 team: New York Jets)
NaVorro Bowman, inside linebacker (2017 teams: San Francisco 49ers/Oakland Raiders)
Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback (2017 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Nigel Bradham, outside linebacker (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Orleans Darkwa, running back (2017 team: New York Giants)
Patrick Omaheh, guard (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Patrick Robinson, cornerback (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Paul Posluszny, inside linebacker (2017 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Paul Richardson, wide receiver (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Pernell McPhee, outside linebacker (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Preston Brown, inside linebacker (2017 team: Buffalo Bills)
Prince Amukamara, cornerback (2017 team: Chicago Bears)
Rashaan Melvin, cornerback (2017 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Reggie Nelson, safety (2017 team: Oakland Raiders)
Rex Burkhead, running back (2017 team: New England Patriots)
Ryan Jansen, center (2017 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Sam Bradford, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Sebastian Janikowski, kicker (2017 team: Oakland Raiders)
Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle/end (2017 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Shane Lechler, punter (2017 team: Houston Texans)
Steven Terrell, safety (2017 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
T.J. Ward, safety (2017 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Tahir Whitehead, outside linebacker (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Taylor Gabriel, wide receiver (2017 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Tavon Wilson, safety (2017 team: Detroit Lions)
Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback (2017 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Terrelle Pryor, wide receiver (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Todd Davis, inside linebacker (2017 team: Denver Broncos)
Tramon Williams, cornerback (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Tre Boston, safety (2017 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Trent Murphy, outside linebacker (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
Trey Burton, tight end (2017 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Tyler Eifert, tight end (2017 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Tyvon Branch, safety (2017 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Wesley Johnson, center (2017 team: New York Jets)
Weston Richburg, center (2017 team: New York Giants)
Zach Brown, inside linebacker (2017 team: Washington Redskins)
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