NFL Free Agents 2017: Latest Notes and Predictions on Kirk Cousins, Top Names

Lurking behind the NFL playoffs and a frantic coaching carousel seemingly nowhere close to a conclusion is the impending free-agency period.

What a class it is, too. After a handful of years with deep rookie classes overturning rosters throughout the league, if not providing excellent starting quarterbacks and running backs (ahem, Dallas), more and more great veteran talent continues to leak into the market.

Need a franchise quarterback? Kirk Cousins might be available. Need weapons? Alshon Jeffery and many others might be worth a call. Offensive linemen? Andrew Whitworth. Defenders? Jason Pierre-Paul, Eric Berry and many others.

So yes, now is a good time to get excited about the free-agent class. The latest notes around some of the biggest names make for quite the interesting conversation starter.

Terrelle Pryor Sr. Wants to Stay in Cleveland

David Richard/Associated Press

The Cleveland Browns did many, many things wrong in 2016, though unearthing and unleashing wide receiver Terrelle Pryor Sr. didn't make the list.

Pryor, who entered the league as a quarterback in 2011 via a supplemental draft, completed his conversion to wideout and had a breakout year, catching 77 passes for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns.

That doesn't sound like much, but a list of players to attempt passes for the Browns this year is as follows: Cody Kessler, Josh McCown, Robert Griffin III, Charlie Whitehurst, Kevin Hogan.

So yes, Pryor's numbers definitely fall into the "impressive" category given the circumstances, and NFL teams won't have a problem throwing plenty of cash his way based on his upside—budding 27-year-old wideouts who come in at 6'4" and 223 pounds don't emerge often.

One would think Pryor will take to the market and review his options, but a quote provided by Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot suggests otherwise:

This development makes the situation around Pryor rather easy to predict.

Cleveland isn't in a position to let one of its most talented players walk. Not only does said talented player want to actually stick around, but he's a critical part of the future if the team decides to draft a rookie quarterback.

The Browns have money to blow, too, with a league-high $107 million in free cap space, according to Spotrac. Look for the two sides to work something out with a three- or four-year contract, which would allow Pryor to hit the market again in a few years and seek an even bigger deal.

Prediction: Pryor re-signs with the Browns

Martellus Bennett Finds a Home

Alan Diaz/Associated Press/Associated Press

This won't register as much of a shock, but New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett doesn't want to leave.

Bennett found himself on the end of an awesome trade last March, one shipping him away from the eventual three-win Chicago Bears and landing him in the same offense as Tom Brady.

From a career standpoint, Bennett couldn't have ended up in a better situation—he found himself in a situation with the chance to post big numbers in the final year of his contract before heading to free agency.

He did, too, appearing in 16 games and catching 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns, the last number a new career high. One of the most underrated tight ends in the NFL for years, the 6'6", 275-pound target made great headway for the Patriots while Rob Gronkowski nursed injuries.

Steven Senne/Associated Press

As any sane individual would want, Bennett wants to stick with the team beyond this year, according to the Boston Globe's Nora Princiotti.

“Oh yeah, I love it here,” Bennett said. “I mean, we’ll figure it out when it’s time to figure it out, but my family loves it here, I love being a part of this team and this organization in this city, so you know, when it comes around, it comes around.”

This is where things get pretty interesting. The rest of the NFL just saw the damage Bennett can do when he is utilized properly. Front offices around the league also understand he is only 29 years old.

No matter how much he wants to stay in New England, it would probably be in Bennett's best interests to hit the open market and test the waters. The Patriots will have the cash to get him back either way. Pop open the cap-space list and one will find their name among the top five.

Prediction: Bennett re-signs with the Patriots

The Kirk Cousins Forecast in Washington Is Cloudy

Cousins didn't need to get the Washington Redskins to the playoffs to assure the NFL he is a franchise quarterback.

Throwing a season-crippling interception—the worst mistake of his career—to cost the Redskins a berth, though, didn't help.

The 28-year-old quarterback sailed an interception late in a season-ending showdown against the New York Giants, ruining a drive that hoped to at least secure a field goal to tie things up. It was a terrible capper to a season in which Cousins completed 67 percent of his passes with 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. 

ESPN's Britt McHenry detailed how the interception impacted the perception of Cousins:

It's a fair thought process to have. Cousins' first year as starter ended in a 35-18 whipping in the first round of the playoffs. This year was an 8-7-1 finish. He's working with weapons such as tight end Jordan Reed and wideout DeSean Jackson, not to mention offensive-minded coach Jay Gruden.

Cousins? He doesn't sound like a guy ready to take a team-friendly deal. 

“Secondly, there’s other quarterbacks that come after you and it would be almost a selfish move to hurt future quarterbacks who get in a position to have a contract,” Cousins said, according to Chris Lingebach of CBS DC.

It's an interesting stance to take. A guy by the name of Ryan Fitzpatrick held out for a long time this past offseason with the hopes of a major deal, and the season wound up ruined before it began.

On the cap-space list, Washington coincidentally sits in the top 10. Gruden wants to keep his job, and the Redskins fancy themselves playoff contenders, so don't expect a holdout to drag on too long unless the team magically finds a better option under center (not happening).

Look for Cousins to land a shorter deal loaded with incentives as the team leans on available cap space and the usual cap-space bump. 

Prediction: Cousins re-signs with the Redskins 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus. 

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