NFL Free-Agency Rumors: Buying or Selling the Latest Talk

The offseason for the NFL is never anything short of exhilarating.

Rumors in particular are the most fun, but they are definitely the hollowest in terms of actual news.

This is the time of year where fans can read reports and get excited for their respective teams. Simple headlines make people fantasize over "what could have been" when the respective player ultimately lands some place else.

For example, before the Chicago Bears tagged wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, fans fantasized about him on other teams when we all pretty much knew he'd be back in Chicago—but hey, that's what it's all about.

However, not everything should be taken as rubbish—there's always some kind of truth to it.

In this column, I'll tackle some of the latest rumors and tell you whether I'm buying or selling them.

Of course, some of you will disagree.

I'm already looking forward to the comment section.

Let's get to it.

Buy: Dallas Cowboys Interested in CB Adam Jones

Frank Victores/Associated Press

With some question marks in their secondary, the Dallas Cowboys are definitely on the lookout for secondary help and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones fits the bill.

According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the Bengals cornerback was recently seen with his agent, Peter Schaffer, at a steakhouse in Indianapolis the same night as some Cowboys ownership and player personnel executives were there. Jones' agent was reportedly seen chatting with the director of player personnel, Stephen Jones.

No, this little "hello" at a steakhouse doesn't sell me as a believer in this rumor—their secondary does.

Before Jones resurrected his career, he spent the 2008 season with the Cowboys. However, his tenure there was constantly surrounded with off-the-field concerns, which ultimately led to Jones being cut and sitting out the 2009 season.

As Jones pointed out in an interview with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, he is interested in playing for a team that has a good chance of winning.

As long as quarterback Tony Romo stays upright, the Cowboys have a good chance of that.

Without spoiling a slide later in this column, the Cowboys are expected to cut cornerback Brandon Carr. This would open the door for a Cowboys and Jones reunion.

Sell: Potential Alex Mack, Cleveland Browns Reunion

David Richard/Associated Press

After voiding the final three years of his current contract, a Cleveland Browns and Alex Mack reunion could potentially happen, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Not buying it.

While the Browns have more than enough cap space to pull it off, it's much easier to believe that Mack wants out of Cleveland.

As Cabot pointed out, Tim Younger, Mack's agent, may look to have his client become the highest-paid center in the NFL.

According to Pro Football Focus, 2015 was Mack's worst season as he earned his first ever negative grade in pass blocking and finished at the 16th-best center overall.

However, Mack has been one of the premier centers in the league throughout his career.

A few teams that are in need of a center include the Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars.

I'm going to say Mack is not in Cleveland in 2016.

Buy: New York Jets "Absolutely" Open to Trading DE Muhammad Wilkerson

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the New York Jets are "absolutely" open to trading defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson.

While it is easy to understand the narrative, I'm just not one to believe this will happen.

As Mehta pointed out in the same article, the Jets tried to trade Wilkerson before the draft last year but were unable to do so.

Something tells me that the price tag for Wilkerson would be so insanely high that a team just won't be able to pull the trigger. The team trading for Wilkerson would need to surrender a high draft choice and also pay him an exorbitant amount of money in guarantees.

Another key factor that needs to be taken into account is the broken fibula Wilkerson suffered this past season.

All in all, yes, the Jets would trade Wilkerson in a perfect world, but it's hard to imagine they get everything they want for him.

Sell: Jacksonville Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell Not Spending Big in Free Agency

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The Jacksonville Jaguars have over $84 million in available cap space, according to Over The Cap.

That is exactly why no one should believe general manager Dave Caldwell's stance on free agency in a recent interview with Pro Football Talk.

Most recently, the Jaguars have released offensive lineman Zane Beadles and defensive lineman Chris Clemons, which was initially reported by Adam Caplan of ESPN. Those moves cleared up nearly $10 million in cap space.

While the Jaguars do have many extension candidates coming up including wide receivers Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson and quarterback Blake Bortles, the Jaguars are poised to make a huge splash or splashes in free agency.

The Jaguars are a team on the precipice of making the playoffs. They need some help in multiple places, but their young offense is one of the best in all of the NFL.

Buy: Raiders Among Three Teams Possibly Interested in WR Roddy White

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

The Oakland Raiders are one of three teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans that are possibly interested in acquiring the services of veteran wide receiver, Roddy White, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Earlier this week, the Atlanta Falcons announced they released White after spending over a decade with the team.

As Rapoport's tweet pointed out, the Titans, Buccaneers and Raiders all have Falcons roots.

This includes Bill Musgrave, Dirk Koetter and Mike Mularkey who have all had previous roles within the Falcons organization during White's time there.

Looking at the rosters, the Raiders make a great deal of sense to me. Behind fellow wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, there really isn't one standout No. 3 receiver.

White would fit that role.

With Cooper, Crabtree and White at quarterback Derek Carr's disposal, that would improve the offense immediately.

The Titans are of course a team that make sense due to the fact they're not one of the better teams in the NFL. However, the Titans could woo White with second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. In the same breath, however, if White wants to win now, the Titans are not the best spot to go to.

While the Koetter connection makes sense down in Tampa Bay, it's hard to imagine White getting much of a role behind wide receivers Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. Not only them, but tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Also keep in mind that the Buccaneers drafted wide receiver Kenny Bell in the fifth round of the 2015 draft and his season was derailed by injury.

The Raiders make the most sense for me. and I'm sure they'll give White a call.

Buy: QB Peyton Manning Wants to Play in 2016

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning wants to continue his playing career, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

This one seems obvious to me—of course Manning wants to continue playing.

The narrative that Manning went out on top seems rather incomplete to me.

Why? Well, he kind of didn't.

Sure, he won the Super Bowl, but he personally was the most abysmal we've ever seen him, throwing for a mere nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Anyone with eyes would also notice that his arm strength is basically non-existent.

So, yeah, I'm a believer that Manning wants to play in 2016, but his suitors will be extremely limited if any team is interested at all.

Buy: Dallas Cowboys Expected to Cut CB Brandon Carr

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

See the picture for this slide? Yeah, that's mainly why anyone, especially Dallas Cowboys fans, should believe that the Cowboys are expected to cut cornerback Brandon Carr, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.

As it stands right now, Carr is set to have a cap hit of nearly $14 million.

Over the past two seasons, Carr has been pretty much one of the worst cornerbacks in all of football.

In 2015, Carr finished as the 73rd overall cornerback and in 2014 he finished as the 91st overall cornerback.

It just doesn't add up—you cannot be that horrendous for two seasons and expect to be the ninth-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

Carr is as good as gone.

Buy: LB Bruce Irvin Could Get $9.5M a Year from Falcons, Jaguars

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

According to John Clayton of ESPN.com, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin could receive upwards of $9.5 million a year from the Jacksonville Jaguars or Atlanta Falcons.

That price would make Irvin the second-highest-paid 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL on an annual basis, behind only Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David.

While I may not necessarily agree with the dollar amount, it's easy to see Irvin being overpaid.

Although Irvin has finished with positive grades from Pro Football Focus over the past three seasons, he has finished with negative pass-rushing grades the past two seasons with just 22 sacks over his four-year NFL career.

Of course, Irvin would be an immediate upgrade to both the Jaguars and Falcons roster, and the teams make sense—Irvin is familiar with both head coaches, Gus Bradley of the Jaguars and Dan Quinn of the Falcons.

If Irvin does end up in Jacksonville or Atlanta, expect him to get right around the $9.5 million figure that is being thrown around.

Stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Contract details and numbers courtesy of Over the Cap.

Follow me on Twitter @RichardJanvrin