With free agency right around the corner for the NFL, I will start to look at the top players that are looking for new homes.
Free agency sparks the excitement of a new year and a new chance to get the Lombardi trophy. If you weren’t a fan of the New England Patriots, then last season was a disappointment. The beginning of free agency is the time to start looking at what your team needs in order to have a fighting chance next season. There are some big name players that are potentially going to hit the open market. The teams that want difference makers will have to pay top dollar, but typically the talent is worth the expense.
Ndamukong Suh (DT): One of the biggest names to hit free agency in recent years. He will be an immediate asset to any team that signs him. Teams like the Broncos and the Patriots could use help on defensive line. However, they don’t have the cap room right now to sign such a pricey player. Suh will most likely end up on a team with more cap space such as the Dolphins or the Raiders.
Devin McCourty (S): Has really hit his stride after transitioning from cornerback. The Rutgers’ alumnus is coming off of a great season with the Patriots as one of their leaders. He has said that he prefers being in New England. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took a pay cut to stay with Belichick in Foxboro.
Julius Thomas (TE): The Broncos former tight end will be looking for a new home, hopefully one that has a quarterback with qualities similar to Peyton Manning, which will be hard to do. He is an incredible passing threat that can help any offense that has a capable quarterback. Some possible destinations for him would be Oakland or Atlanta. Both Derek Carr and Matt Ryan could use another option down field.
Randall Cobb (WR): Another player that I could see re-signing with his former team. The Packers would have a hard time replacing him if he were to sign with another club. Cobb and Edelman are at the top of the slot receiver category in the NFL. If Green Bay did let Cobb slip to another team then it could quite possibly be Oakland. The Raiders could offer a very large contract to him all while seeing what Carr is capable of with an extremely talented receiver.
Demarco Murray (RB): Coming off a terrific season is the best strategy for any player going into a final contract year, which is just what Murray did. He had an electric start to the season, but didn’t have quite as strong of a finish that some would have expected. Despite this he still won Offensive Player of the Year and will be looking to sign big somewhere. Dallas could still franchise tag him which may be their only option to be able to hold on to him. If Dallas doesn’t tag him, then he could possibly end up in Indianapolis or Arizona. Arizona needs a spark for their offense and Indianapolis would love to pair Murray with Andrew Luck.
It is always interesting to see where free agents actually end up. Most are drawn to where they can make the most money. Then there are those who are looking for teams most capable of winning a championship.
Hopefully evaluating these top potential free agents has gotten you excited for the rest of the offseason and more importantly for opening kickoff 2015.
