NFL Free Agents 2015: Rumors, Predictions for Lingering Talent

With the preseason in full swing and the first game of the regular season looming large on September 10—Pittsburgh at New England, for those interested (aka everyone)—most NFL teams are concerned with trimming rosters, not taking on additional talent. A great many undrafted rookies, aging veterans on last legs and young fringe players will get the dreaded call into the coach's or general manager's office soon enough. 

It's a fact of NFL life made all the more stinging with the knowledge that some of those players will be dropped not because of the talent in camp, but the talent on the outside looking in.

There are a few free agents available for teams looking to add known commodities to their rosters. Here's a roundup of some of the latest rumors and predictions on unsigned players looking to latch onto a new team.

Jason Campbell

AJ Mast/Associated Press

There's almost always room in the NFL for quarterbacks that have a track record of even just marginal success. Jason Campbell is 33, backed up Andy Dalton on the Cincinnati Bengals last season and owns a career 81.7 quarterback rating. Nothing to write home about, but also not the kind of number that will convince an offensive coordinator to burn their playbook and start looking for a less-stressful line of work.

On Thursday, Fox Sports' Peter Schrager reported Campbell received calls from multiple NFL teams: 

It's anyone's guess as to which teams might've come calling, as Campbell could easily be seen as extra insurance for a top-tier quarterback or to put pressure on a shaky young starter.

One interesting fit would be Campbell's first NFL team, the Washington Redskins, who could be in the market for added depth at quarterback. Robert Griffin III has been deemed unfit to play on Saturday against Baltimore after suffering a concussion in the team's second preseason game, via CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora:

The Washington Post's Liz Clarke noted Griffin's long-term status is murky with additional testing called for:

"

The reversal raises questions about Griffin’s health going forward after he suffered at least the third concussion of his career in the Aug. 20 game against Detroit. Griffin, 25, also had one at Baylor and another his rookie year with the Redskins.

In the statement, NFL independent neurologist Robert N. Kurtzke recommended that Griffin be retested in “one-two weeks” before a decision about his readiness to compete is made. The Redskins open their regular season Sept. 13 against the Miami Dolphins at FedEx Field.

"

Campbell played with four teams—Oakland, Chicago, Cleveland and Cincinnati—over the past five seasons, so he's certainly built up contacts all over the league. Assuming the three mystery teams Schrager mentioned are truly no longer an option, Campbell could be out of work for a while. However, football is a merciless, dangerous sport, with injuries always lurking just a play away. 

Campbell won't sign anywhere soon, but should another team lose a first or second-string quarterback in the coming weeks, expect him to get the first call. 

Prediction: Campbell signs with an injury-riddled team in the regular season.

Cortland Finnegan

Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Cortland Finnegan announced his retirement in March, apparently done with football after nine seasons of slick interceptions, crushing tackles and a knack for getting under the skin of opponents.

The diminutive cornerback certainly isn't too old for the game at 31, although he didn't have much of an impact with Miami last year. Finnegan played 12 games, racking up 33 tackles and nine passes defensed, but no interceptions.

A season like that certainly wouldn't be a bad way to go out. But five months have passed since Finnegan announced his retirement, and it's almost fall, the leaves are changing and quiet weekends loom without the prospect of the high-octane fix that is the NFL.

Finnegan is apparently itching to play again, and he's taken a big step toward making a comeback by hiring powerhouse agent Drew Rosenhaus, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport: 

In the NFL's pass-happy world, it would be foolish to overlook the services of a dependable corner or safety. Bleacher Report's Ty Schalter felt Finnegan's old employer, the Tennessee Titans, could sure use his help:

Miami might be in the market for Finnegan, according to Miami Herald reporter Adam H. Beasley:

"Do the Dolphins have enough depth at corner? (If not, soon-to-be unretired Cortland Finnegan has interest in returning to the Dolphins.)"

Finnegan's willingness to play safety might also benefit Miami, especially with Dolphins safety Louis Delmas out for the season with a torn ACL.

The Houston Texans curiously released safety Stevie Brown on Friday, per ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli. Houston already showed this preseason they are willing to dip into the veteran pool by signing Quintin Demps. They may not want to get too old in the secondary, but Finnegan could be worth a look.

With the regular season looming, Finnegan's best move would be to slip back into the comforting familiarity of his last stop, Miami. Considering the Dolphins have needs at both corner and safety, this scenario makes more sense than all the others.

Prediction: Finnegan returns to Miami