After weeks of prognosticating from fans and media alike, the start of NFL free agency is finally within reach. Even in a class that doesn't have as much as star power as usual, there's still a lot of intriguing, potential high-impact talent available at vital positions on both sides of the ball. Here are the 10 players hitting the open market on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 PM EST that I believe are the best.
10.Bryce Callahan, cornerback (2018 team: Chicago Bears)
Slot corners are more important than ever in today's NFL and there are few guys that have excelled at that spot in recent years more than Callahan. He's a tough defender with terrific discipline and coverage skills that was a crucial cog in the Bears terrific pass defense over the past few seasons.
Possible Destinations: Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals
9.K.J. Wright, outside linebacker (2018 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Outside linebackers whose main job is dropping back in coverage and providing support in the run game aren't always viewed in a particularly glamorous light, but they can impact the game just as much as a dominant edge rusher. Wright has been in the upper echelon of this niche market for quite some time and while his production has dipped a bit over the past couple years, he should still be able to provide an immediate boost to a linebacking corps that struggles with defending underneath receivers and outside runs.
Possible Destinations: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens
8.Landon Collins, safety (2018 team: New York Giants)
Injuries and stretches of inconsistency over the past couple of seasons have understandably raised some concerns about the long-term viability of Collins, but his range, tenacity and flashes of dominant play (most notably during his All-Pro year in 2016) makes me believe the 25-year old could thrive if placed in the right situation.
Possible Destinations: Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans
7.Golden Tate, wide receiver (2018 teams: Detroit Lions/Philadelphia Eagles)
In a receiver class so thin that there's whispers that mediocre slot guys such as Adam Humphries, Cole Beasley and Jamison Crowder could get $9-12 mil per year, Tate is the undeniable top option. He's been a reliable possession receiver for nearly a decade and even as he enters his age 31 season, any team that values versatile, sure-handed wideouts that can run a wide array of routes well would be silly to not consider bringing Tate in.
Possible Destinations: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers
6.Le'Veon Bell, running back (2018 team: N/A)
After a year away from football, I'm not convinced Bell is dedicated enough to the game to return to the dominant form he displayed in the past. His extensive injury history and past conditioning issues only further add to the murkiness that surrounds him as he finally hits free agency after being franchised by the Steelers 2 years in a row. However, his prowess as a dual-threat back along with the potential healing benefits a hiatus from the field could have for a player that had been tasked with an absurd workload (300+ touches in each of his last 5 seasons where he appeared in double digit games) dating back to his days at Michigan State makes it hard to completely dismiss his chances of returning to form when he returns to the field.
Possible Destinations: Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles
5.Earl Thomas, safety (2018 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Prior to tearing his ACL in late September, Thomas was flying around the field making plays as well as ever. Despite being a freak athlete coming off a major injury, the 30-year old future Hall-of-Famer more than likely has a couple years left of being a lethal ballhawk-which makes him an ideal candidate for a lucrative short-term deal from a contending team.
Possible Destinations: Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers
4.Matt Paradis, center (2018 team: Denver Broncos)
Ryan Jensen's reign as the highest paid center in the league is about to come to an end. The toughness and consistency as a run-blocker that made Paradis a standout on a thoroughly average Broncos offensive line over the past 3 seasons should help him command a nice chunk of change (at least $12 mil+ per year) from any of the dozen or so teams that need an upgrade on the interior of their o-line.
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals
3.Adrian Amos, safety (2018 team: Chicago Bears)
Amos doesn't have the explosive athleticism of Landon Collins or the pedigree of Earl Thomas, but I firmly believe that the nearly 26-year old free safety is the best long-term option in this unusually deep safety class. Although he's not great against the run, his instincts, football IQ and coverage skills have made him a very steady performer that has quietly been among the league's best strong safeties since he entered the league in 2015.
Possible Destinations: Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, New York Giants
2.Trey Flowers, outside linebacker (2018 team: New England Patriots)
A potentially massive market for edge rushers dried up real quick when DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford and Frank Clark were all given the franchise tag. Even if Flowers wasn't the only elite option available, he'd still be in line to receive a massive payday. While he's received some scrutiny for his middling sack numbers (he's gotten between 6 and 7.5 in each of the past 3 seasons), Flowers is an excellent run defender with the ability to put the pressure on the quarterback at a very respectable level that has improved every year since he's been in the league. Plus at 25 going on 26, there's plenty of reason to believe he still hasn't unlocked his full potential. Regardless of where he lands, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being the best signing of this class.
Possible Destinations: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1.C.J. Mosley, inside linebacker (2018 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Inside linebacker is a vital position that is alarmingly light on top-end talent at the moment, so when a 4x All-Pro hits the market, any and every team that has a need at that spot is likely to make an inquiry. While he's not on the level of the Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuchely's of the world, Mosley is a still sharp, well-rounded player that could come in and make a huge impact on the middle of a defense right away.
Possible Destinations: Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Other Notable Free Agents:
Adam Humphries, wide receiver (2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Adrian Peterson, running back (2018 team: Washington Redskins)
Alex Okafor, defensive end (2018 team: New Orleans Saints)
Anthony Barr, outside linebacker (2018 team: Minnesota Vikings)
Antonie Bethea, safety (2018 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, tight end (2018 team: Jacksonville
Jaguars)
Billy Turner, tackle (2018 team: Denver Broncos)
Bradley Roby, cornerback (2018 team: Denver Broncos)
Brandon Marshall, inside linebacker (2018 team: Denver Broncos)
Brock Osweiler, quarterback (2018 team: Miami Dolphins)
C.J. Anderson, running back (2018 teams: Carolina Panthers/Los Angeles Rams)
Cameron Wake, defensive end (2018 team: Miami Dolphins)
Chris Conley, wide receiver (2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Chris Hogan, wide receiver (2018 team: New England Patriots)
Clay Matthews, outside linebacker (2018 team: Green Bay Packers)
Cole Beasley, wide receiver (2018 team: Dallas Cowboys)
Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver (2018 team: New England
Patriots)
Daryl Williams, tackle (2018 team: Carolina Panthers)
Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver (2018 teams: Denver
Broncos/Houston Texans)
Devin Funchess, wide receiver (2018 team: Carolina Panthers)
Donte Moncreif, wide receiver (2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Doug Martin, running back (2018 team: Oakland Raiders)
E.J. Gaines, cornerback (2018 team: Cleveland Browns)
Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end (2018 team: Detroit Lions)
Frank Gore, running back (2018 team: Miami Dolphins)
George Iloka, safety (2018 teams: Cincinnati Bengals/Minnesota
Vikings)
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety (2018 teams: Green Bay
Packers/Washington Redskins)
Henry Anderson, defensive end (2018 team: New York Jets)
Jake Ryan, inside linebacker (2018 team: Green Bay Packers)
Jamie Collins, outside linebacker (2018 team: Cleveland Browns)
Jamison Crowder, wide receiver (2018 team: Washington Redskins)
Jared Cook, tight end (2018 team: Oakland Raiders)
Jason McCourty, cornerback (2018 team: New England Patriots)
Jay Ajayi, running back (2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Jeremy Parnell, tackle (2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Jermaine Kearse, wide receiver (2018 team: New York Jets)
John Brown, wide receiver (2018 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Jordan Hicks, inside linebacker (2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Justin Coleman, cornerback (2018 team: Seattle Seahawks)
Justin Houston, outside linebacker (2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Kareem Jackson, cornerback (2018 team: Houston Texans)
Kelvin Benjamin, wide receiver (2018 teams: Buffalo Bills/Kansas
City Chiefs)
Lamarcus Joyner, safety (2018 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Mark Barron, inside linebacker (2018 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Mark Ingram, running back (2018 team: New Orleans Saints)
Markus Golden, defensive end (2018 team: Arizona Cardinals)
Marshawn Lynch, running back (2018 team: Oakland Raiders)
Michael Crabtree, wide receiver (2018 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Mitch Morse, center (2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Muhammad Wilkerson, defensive end (2018 team: Green Bay Packers)
Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle (2018 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Nick Foles, quarterback (2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Pierre Desir, cornerback (2018 team: Indianapolis Colts)
Preston Brown, inside linebacker (2018 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Preston Smith, outside linebacker (2018 team: Washington Redskins)
Randall Cobb, wide receiver (2018 team: Green Bay Packers)
Rodger Saffold, guard (2018 team: Los Angeles Rams)
Ronald Darby, cornerback (2018 team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback (2018 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Shane Ray, outside linebacker (2018 team: Denver Broncos)
Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle (2018 team: Minnesota
Vikings)
Stephen Gostkowski, kicker (2018 team: New England Patriots)
Steven Nelson, cornerback (2018 team: Kansas City Chiefs)
T.J. Lang, guard (2018 team: Detroit Lions)
T.J. Yeldon, running back (2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Tashaun Gibson, safety (2018 team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback (2018 team: New York Jets/New
Orleans Saints)
Terrell Suggs, outside linebacker (2018 team: Baltimore Ravens)
Tevin Coleman, running back (2018 team: Atlanta Falcons)
Tyler Eifert, tight end (2018 team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Tyrann Mathieau, safety (2018 team: Houston Texans)
Tyrell Williams, wide receiver (2018 team: Los Angeles Chargers)
Tyrod Taylor, quarterback (2018 team: Cleveland Browns)
Za'Darius Smith, outside linebacker (2018 team: Baltimore Ravens)
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