2016 NFL Free Agency: This Year's Top Candidates to Be Overpaid
Among the myriad of transactions that take place during an NFL offseason, there will always be a handful of ostentatious franchises looking to land a hot-ticket player en route to manufacturing the proverbial "Dream Team" and creating a utopian feeling among their fans.
Don't believe me? Ask any Miami Dolphins fan about defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Now, I'm not saying pursuing a big-name free agent is a slipshod concept, but overpaying is exceptionally simple to do.
Furthermore, one does not necessarily need to be a top-shelf player to get overpaid.
The current free-agent market can usually dictate if someone is going to cash in more than they should.
And hey, you know what? Good for them. Take all the money you can.
While these types of acquisitions conjure up championship aspirations among fans, anything short of that tends to revert their attention back to the initial contract, which they then fie at the sight of.
This list consists of six players total.
No, not all of the players are perennial $15 million-per-season talents, but keep in mind that signing a gargantuan contract isn't the only way a player can be overpaid.
Sam Bradford, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
1 of 6
Oft-injured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford will hit the open market for the first time in his professional career.
Bradford was one of the last rookies to truly cash in, having signed a six-year deal worth $78 million when he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in 2010.
In 2015, Bradford finally played the majority of an NFL regular season.
He had a rough start to the season but finished with reasonable passing totals.
Now, as most of you know, franchises are usually put in a position where they need to pony up a little extra capital to secure serviceable quarterback play.
Here are a few overly ambitious quarterback contracts:
| Player Name | Player Team | Average Annual Salary |
| Colin Kaepernick | San Francisco 49ers | $19 million |
| Alex Smith | Kansas City Chiefs | $17 million |
| Nick Foles | Los Angeles Rams | $12.25 million |
| Jay Cutler | Chicago Bears | $18.1 million |
Again, these are all serviceable quarterback options. (Well, maybe except for Foles.)
As Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News pointed out, the Eagles are not expected to use the franchise tag on Bradford.
In a league where a solid half-dozen teams need a quarterback, Bradford could end up getting paid more than what his play actually warrants.
Brock Osweiler, QB, Denver Broncos
2 of 6
Of course, a lot of the same premises for Bradford apply to Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler.
The most notable discernible difference between Bradford and Osweiler is actual playing time.
This past season, Osweiler got a crack at starting, posting a record of five wins and two losses in the seven games he started.
With the Broncos reportedly set to use the franchise tag on linebacker Von Miller, Osweiler will, without question, hit the open market.
For a few potential suitors, Osweiler's showings against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots may satisfy them enough to justify a contract that many would consider overpriced.
While it may be irresponsible to compare Osweiler's situation to former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, the narrative that both barely started any games and cashed in is relative.
Considering this year's draft class includes a number of incoming quarterbacks who may not be NFL-ready, Osweiler's youth may put him in the same conversation as the college prospects.
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3 of 6
Yes, the best available free-agent running back will be overpaid.
At this point in the offseason, just five running backs make an average of $8 million or more per season; one of them being the all but retired Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
Aside from Lynch, the other four running backs include: Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray and Arian Foster.
While Martin has suffered a few injuries in the past, they are clearly not bothering him, as he ranked second in the league in rushing in 2015.
At 27 years old, Martin's expected decline at age 30 is rapidly approaching.
Giving any running back approaching 30 over $8 million a season represents some risk.
Taking into account that running backs are increasingly viewed as disposable, anteing up for one is not always the most financially sound decision.
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Travis Benjamin, WR, Cleveland Browns
4 of 6
As one of the biggest surprises of 2015, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin should be in for quite a pay day.
Before this season, Benjamin had never played more than 37 percent of the Browns' snaps, which has prompted questions over whether or not he's just a flash in the pan.
However, there's no doubt about the fact that Benjamin was a fantastic offensive weapon for the Browns in 2015, catching 68 passes and five touchdowns. But the quarterback who propelled Benjamin into stardom is set to be released this offseason.
That quarterback?
None other than Johnny Manziel.
With Manziel throwing him the ball, Benjamin caught 20 passes for over 400 yards and three touchdowns.
That equates to over 40 percent of receiving yards and 60 percent of his total touchdowns.
With an uncertain quarterback situation in 2016, Benjamin could have a very Laurent Robinson-like season.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants
5 of 6
Once upon a time, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was on pace to be an extremely rich man.
As we all know, Pierre-Paul suffered a freak hand injury, which ultimately led to the amputation of a finger.
In limited action in 2015, Pierre-Paul played well, posting a positive PFF grade and recording a sack.
Over his career, Pierre-Paul has enjoyed two seasons with double-digit sacks, but those days could quite possibly be over.
Based on the current market, Pierre-Paul could end up being one of the highest-paid 4-3 defensive ends in the NFL.
The potential problem with Pierre-Paul is that the club he's now forced to wear could become a concern down the road, as it could make it more difficult to corral shifty running backs and ultimately lead to lower sack totals.
Hopefully Pierre-Paul is able to have a successful career, but he is bound to be overpaid this offseason.
Janoris Jenkins, CB, Los Angeles Rams
6 of 6
With Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman likely receiving the franchise tag, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins will arguably be the best cornerback remaining on the market.
Although Jenkins has improved in virtually every season of his NFL career and had his best season in 2015, he does have some question marks.
Yes, 2015 was Jenkins' best season, but the end result was that he ranked 24th among NFL cornerbacks, according to PFF.
While his playmaking ability makes him an exciting cornerback, Jenkins has surrendered at least five passing touchdowns every season he's been in the league.
With teams looking for top-shelf secondary play, Jenkins could end up with a contract comparable to those of the NFL's elite cornerbacks.
Jenkins is a great player, but it's not readily apparent that he deserves top-tier cornerback money at this point.
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Contract details courtesy of Over the Cap.
Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin.
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