The One Free Agent Each NFL Team Must Re-Sign in 2017 Offseason
When it comes to free agency, most fans think about all the new players their favorite teams will add—the high-profile acquisitions that will put the club "over the top."
However, while addition is certainly an important function of free agency, the prevention of subtraction may be even more so.
Getting better is one thing. Getting worse because key contributors walk out the door is another entirely.
Every NFL team has players it would like to re-sign. Atop that list, each team has a crown jewel: the one player it simply cannot—must not—allow to depart.
Here's a look at who those players are in 2017 for every NFL team, from the Arizona Cardinals to the Washington Redskins and all points in between.
Arizona Cardinals
1 of 32
Chandler Jones, DE/OLB
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim is going to earn his paycheck this spring. Keim and the Cardinals face a series of tough decisions on defense, with a trio of key contributors about to hit the open market.
However, the one member of that threesome the Redbirds have to keep is an easy call.
Less than a year ago, the Cardinals traded a second-round pick and guard Jonathan Cooper to the New England Patriots for contract-year linebacker Chandler Jones. The 26-year-old held up his end of the deal in his first year in the desert, piling up 11 sacks.
As Darren Urban of the Cardinals' website reported, Arizona head coach Bruce Arians made it clear the Cardinals are going to hold up their end too.
"Chandler's not going anywhere because if we have to, we will franchise [tag] him," Arians said.
Of course, if the Cardinals could get a long-term extension worked out with Jones before the franchise-tag deadline, so much the better. It would afford the team additional cap flexibility and the ability to use that tag on another player.
(COUGH!)Calais Campbell(COUGH!)
One way or another, Jones is staying put.
Other priorities: Calais Campbell, DE; Tony Jefferson, S
Atlanta Falcons
2 of 32
Patrick DiMarco, FB
The Atlanta Falcons are in an enviable spot.
Except for that whole "living down the greatest collapse in Super Bowl history" thing.
Not only are the Falcons the defending NFC champions, but there aren't any pending free agents that the Falcons desperately need to bring back.
Still, there are those the Falcons should bring back.
Fullback Patrick DiMarco is among them. DiMarco ranked third among NFL fullbacks last year at Pro Football Focus, and tailback Devonta Freeman praised his lead blocker to reporters in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.
"That guy does everything unselfishly," Freeman said. "A lot of dirty work, he handles."
The Falcons would be well served to bring DiMarco back to handle more in 2017.
Other priorities: Levine Toilolo, TE; Courtney Upshaw, DE
Baltimore Ravens
3 of 32
Brandon Williams, DT
A month ago, ESPN.com's John Clayton ranked run-stuffing nose tackle Brandon Williams of the Ravens as one of the top 10 available free agents in 2017.
"Williams has blossomed into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league," Clayton wrote. "He stops the run, and the Ravens have to stop him from leaving for a big-money deal in free agency."
Williams, for his part, told SiriusXM Radio (via ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley) that he'd potentially like to remain in Baltimore—provided the money's right.
"If it so happens I feel like Baltimore is the best place for me, then I'll stay and we'll work it out from there," Williams said. "If not, and I feel it's right somewhere else and that's where I need to be, that's where I'll be. But right now, it's up in the air."
It won't be a cheap signing. Damon Harrison's deal with the New York Giants last year goosed the market for nose tackles substantially.
But Williams has become a big (so to speak) part of a Ravens defense that's ranked third in the NFL in run defense since he became a starter.
Keeping homegrown talent is an important part of continuity for an NFL franchise.
Few teams in the league have been better at that the last 10 years than the Ravens.
Other priorities: Kyle Juszczyk, FB; Ricky Wagner, OT
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Buffalo Bills
4 of 32
Stephon Gilmore, CB
There's been all sorts of speculation as to the future of quarterback Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo. But as things stand today, Taylor is still under contract—a problem for another day.
That's OK, because the Bills already have plenty of free-agent issues to deal with.
Chief among those is the future of five-year veteran Stephon Gilmore, the Bills' best cornerback.
Gilmore struggled a bit in 2016, ranking 60th among NFL corners per Pro Football Focus. That and the likelihood of a contract that pays him $10 million-plus a season have led some to surmise it's time for the Bills to cut bait on Gilmore.
However, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW in Buffalo isn't hearing that—especially if the Bills move on from Taylor.
"Looking at the defense," Buscaglia said, "they already have holes at linebacker, safety, defensive tackle (depth and future starter), and defensive end (depth). By walking away from Gilmore, that would create another position to fill in the offseason—which, if they have any hope for the playoffs, would effectively start to look like an attempt at bailing water from a boat with multiple holes."
Buscaglia is right. Gilmore might not be an "elite" corner, but he's at least a solid one. Solid performers at his position are highly valuable in the NFL.
Part of the reason the Bills haven't made the playoffs this century is the perpetual-motion machine of roster turnover borne of poor drafting and worse free-agent choices.
The Bills got the Gilmore pick right. Now keep him in Western New York.
Other priorities: Lorenzo Alexander, OLB; Zach Brown, ILB
Carolina Panthers
5 of 32
Kawann Short, DT
The 2016 season was a massive disappointment for the Carolina Panthers. Just like the rest of the team, defensive tackle Kawann Short underperformed statistically compared to his 11-sack 2015 campaign.
Despite that down year, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera was quite clear while speaking with Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer:
Carolina GM Dave Gettleman isn't about to let Short leave the team in free agency.
"If he has to use the tag, he'll use the tag," Rivera told Person. "But at the end of the day, as I said, we can use the tag or we can work a deal out."
The franchise-tag amount for defensive tackles in 2017 is about $13.5 million. It's an amount the Panthers won't hesitate to pay.
It isn't hard to figure out why. Short is a dominant interior player (third among all defensive tackles last year, per PFF) who has averaged 55 tackles and 8.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
Players of that caliber aren't cheap to keep around. But as difficult as they can be to fit under the salary cap, the alternative is that much worse.
Other priorities: Mario Addison, DE; Mike Remmers, OT
Chicago Bears
6 of 32
Alshon Jeffery, WR
I feel like we've seen this movie before.
Around this time a year ago, the Chicago Bears and Alshon Jeffery were in this exact spot. As Matt Eurich of 247Sports wrote, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported recently that the Bears offered Jeffery a long-term deal at $12 million a season but were eventually forced to apply the franchise tag to their star wideout when an agreement couldn't be reached.
Now, after a disappointing 2016 campaign that included a performance-enhancing-drug suspension, here we go again. This time, Garafolo believes Jeffery and the Bears are headed for divorce court.
"I can't see the Bears' taking that next step," Garafolo said. "I see them trying to get a deal done at a lower number, but I don't see that happening. I do believe, though, if this guy hits the open market he is going to get paid."
The Bears might want to reconsider that position. Yes, Jeffery has struggled with both injuries and staying out of trouble of late. The 27-year-old is also easily the best pass-catcher the Bears have, and if he walks, the Chicago wideout corps could be the NFL's worst in 2017.
A second straight franchise tag would set the Bears back about $17.5 million—a staggering amount for a player who hasn't topped 1,000 receiving yards since 2014.
But the Bears, with nearly $60 million in cap space, can afford to absorb that hit a lot better than the hit their offense would take if Jeffery hits pay dirt somewhere else.
And he's going to hit pay dirt.
Other priorities: Brian Hoyer, QB; Sam Acho, OLB
Cincinnati Bengals
7 of 32
Kevin Zeitler, OG
Oftentimes in the NFL, what teams should do and what they actually do experience a parting of the ways.
As Paul Dehner of the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote recently, that may be happening in the Queen City with the Bengals and guard Kevin Zeitler.
"I continue to feel confident Kevin Zeitler will be playing elsewhere in 2017," Dehner said. "When Bengals free agency comes up, it always starts with Andrew Whitworth and usually skips over the 26-year-old guard. ... We'll see as free agency ramps up next month, but we put a 45 percent chance on his return in our free-agent piece when the season ended, and I'd drop it to 30 today."
With all due respect to Bengals brass, this wouldn't be the first time they've made a mistake in undervaluing interior linemen.
Whitworth was among the best offensive tackles in football in 2016. He's also 35 years old, and the Bengals have Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher waiting in the wings to replace him. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is decent, but that's all he is. He hasn't lived up to his first-round billing, to be sure.
Meanwhile, Zeitler is 26 and ranked third among right guards last year, per Pro Football Focus.
Of the three, don't pay Whitworth for what he's already done. Or Kirkpatrick for what you hope he'll do.
Paying Zeitler for what he's doing—that's the smart play.
But dating all the way back to Max Montoya, Mike Brown has rarely made the smart play where guards are concerned.
Other priorities: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB; Andrew Whitworth, OT
Cleveland Browns
8 of 32
Terrelle Pryor, WR
Some things have been in short supply in Cleveland recently. Like yardage. First downs. Points. Victories. Generally speaking, anything good of any variety has been very, very rare.
Given that, it shouldn't come as any surprise that a Browns team with the most cap space in the NFL this year has already begun working on making sure wide receiver Terrelle Pryor sticks around after his surprise 1,000-yard season.
Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Browns are ramping up efforts to lock down the 27-year-old long-term. "Browns redoubling efforts with their top offseason priority," La Canfora tweeted. "Meeting with his agent this week."
Given that Pryor's agent is Drew Rosenhaus, that should be fun.
As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports, Pryor also isn't averse to re-upping with the Browns despite the team's struggles of late.
"Of late," from the Latin for "since 195alongtimeago."
"I have no problem with, just because we were 1-15 or whatever this year, coming back,'' he said. "I don't mind starting fresh next year and continuing to grow because I think it's more exciting when you're on the bottom. I'm always citing starting from the bottom and getting to the top, and I think it's a greater feeling and it would be great to give Cleveland what they're looking for.''
We have a team with cap space out the wazoo and a roster with more holes than a Michael Bay plot. And a player who wants to fill one of those holes.
Make it happen.
Other priorities: Britton Colquitt, P; Austin Pasztor, OG
Dallas Cowboys
9 of 32
Morris Claiborne, CB
To say the Dallas Cowboys have some salary-cap issues in 2017 is an understatement. According to Spotrac, the Cowboys are nearly $15 million over the projected salary cap of $168 million in 2017.
Those cap issues are going to make it awfully hard for the team to keep cornerback Morris Claiborne in town after the best season of his five-year career.
Of course, best is relative for Claiborne. The 27-year-old missed over half the year due to injury, but when on the field, Claiborne played as well as he has since the Cowboys drafted him sixth overall back in 2012.
In 400 snaps and change, Claiborne ranked 25th among NFL cornerbacks at PFF—good enough to generate interest on the open market but not good enough to justify the cap-strapped Cowboys' doing cartwheels to keep him.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com doesn't think the franchise tag will be in play for either Claiborne or strong safety Barry Church.
"The Joneses face a tricky offseason," Rosenthal said. "They have a host of good-not-great contributors set to hit free agency, wanting to be rewarded for a season that ended in a No. 1 seed. As long as the Cowboys remember those 13 wins didn't have that much to do with their defense, they should be fine."
Frankly, based on the totality of their careers to date, it's Church who deserves the extension. But since Claiborne and veteran Brandon Carr are also hitting free agency, it's the Cowboy corners who are going to be harder to replace.
Other priorities: Brandon Carr, CB; Barry Church, S
Denver Broncos
10 of 32
Vance Walker, DE
The 2016 season didn't work out as planned for the Denver Broncos, but where the team's "in-house" free agents are concerned, the team is in pretty good shape. The biggest name (DeMarcus Ware) is well past his prime and probably on his way out the door.
The headlines this offseason will no doubt focus on outside additions (and a potential change at quarterback), but this isn't to say there's no one worth bringing back...
At the right price, of course.
Two years ago, the Broncos were third in the NFL in run defense. Last year, with Malik Jackson in Jacksonville and Vance Walker out with a torn ACL, the team free-fell to 28th.
Jackson won't come back anytime soon. But Walker, who was 11th among 3-4 ends in run defense at PFF in 2015, could be.
This isn't to say Walker is a Pro Bowler in the making. And the status of his surgically repaired knee will have as much to do with Walker's potential return as the size of his contract.
But the Broncos are a middle-of-the-pack team in cap room who many expect to absorb a big bump in payroll under center.
If that happens, John Elway is going to have to figure out a way to find some value at other spots.
Walker could be just such a value.
Other priorities: Kayvon Webster, CB; Sylvester Williams, DT
Detroit Lions
11 of 32
Riley Reiff, OT
Some positions are deeper than others in free agency.
Offensive tackle is usually at the shallow end of that pool. NFL teams are hesitant to let even moderately competent tackles hit the open market.
For that reason, former Lions O-lineman Geoff Schwartz, who now writes for B/R, told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press he believes Detroit should make every effort to bring back both tackle Riley Reiff and guard Larry Warford in 2017.
"Larry's good. He's going to get paid," said Schwartz. "Someone's going to pay Riley. I don't know if the Lions are going to pay him or not. Someone's going to pay him. ... I think that the Lions really need to have the same five guys play every week and, going into next year, they're either going to draft guys, bring guys in in free agency or re-sign the guys that they have to kind of keep that unit going."
Given that Warford was a top-20 guard at PFF last year but Reiff ranked outside the top 50 tackles, Warford might appear to be the priority for the team this spring.
However, the reality is that replacing guards is much easier than at tackle, and the Lions don't appear to have an in-house replacement ready to step in.
Reiff may not be the best at what he does, but sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.
Other priorities: Devin Taylor, DE; Larry Warford, OG
Green Bay Packers
12 of 32
T.J. Lang, OG
After making the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career in 2016, T.J. Lang made it clear he'd prefer to remain in Titletown.
Of course, the Packers have long been known for free-agent frugality. and Lang admitted on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com) that he's yet to hear from general manager Ted Thompson and the team.
"I said it after the season about obviously wanting to stay in Green Bay, and I still feel that way, but at this point I don't really have any other options," Lang said. "I have to prepare as if I'm going to hit the open market and see what the options are."
He added: "I'm just excited to see what's going to happen. If Green Bay calls and we can get something done, that would be awesome. But if not, I'm sitting a good spot here too, coming off a pretty solid year and making my first Pro Bowl, which was a great honor. It's been so long since I was in this position to choose who I want to play for, since college when I picked Eastern Michigan."
The call may well not come for Lang, at least not at anywhere near what he'd see on the open market. He'll be 30 in September, and Lang has had some durability issues throughout his career.
In other words, he's not the sort of "no-brainer" homegrown free agent Thompson has cracked the checkbook for in the past.
But Lang was a top-15 guard in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus, and an easy call as the Packers free agent most worth keeping cheesy.
Other priorities: Jared Cook, TE; JC Tretter, C
Houston Texans
13 of 32
A.J. Bouye, CB
There may not be a player on this list who did more to help himself in 2016 than Houston Texans cornerback A.J. Bouye.
When the season started, Bouye was a little-used fourth-year pro with eight career starts. By its end, Bouye was a top-10 NFL cornerback, per Pro Football Focus, fitting to get paid.
The Texans already have significant salary-cap resources tied up at the cornerback position, but head coach Bill O'Brien told reporters the Texans would very much like to keep Bouye in the fold in 2017.
"We really want him back and hopefully we can get something done where he can be back, but it's tough," O’Brien said. "These decisions are personal decisions, but all of them are tough on both sides, but we would love to have A.J. back."
Frankly, this is a situation that screams franchise tag, a la Trumaine Johnson with the Los Angeles Rams a year ago. The tag isn't a cheap proposition, but it affords the Texans a year to determine whether Bouye's breakout was a fluke or the ascent of the NFL's next great cover corner.
Regardless, NFL teams do not let top performers at Bouye's position leave in free agency.
Especially if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
Other priorities: Quintin Demps, S; John Simon, OLB
Indianapolis Colts
14 of 32
Darius Butler, CB
Darius Butler isn't the biggest name the Colts have hitting free agency on defense in 2017. Longtime defensive starters Mike Adams and D'Qwell Jackson are as well. But where Jackson and Adams are both well on the wrong side of 30, Butler is quite a bit younger.
He also plays a position that's grown in value in the NFL in recent years.
In addition to playing the slot for the Colts last year, Butler saw action at safety toward the end of the season. As Larry Holder of the Indianapolis Star reported, not only does Butler want to return to Indianapolis, but he's ready to make the switch to safety a full-time gig.
Here's the thing. Whether it's Jackson (33) and Adams (35) or pass-rushers Robert Mathis (35) and Trent Cole (34), a Colts defense that wasn't all that good to begin with has gotten old.
Like 15 percent off at Denny's eating dinner at 4 p.m., "Get off my grass" old.
Is Butler part of the youth movement the Colts need to embark on defensively? No. Is he a permanent solution at safety? Also probably no.
However, Butler is a capable, versatile veteran who can fill a need for the team without breaking the bank.
Sometimes small splashes can have a big impact.
Other priorities: Jack Doyle, TE; Erik Walden, OLB
Jacksonville Jaguars
15 of 32
Johnathan Cyprien, S
It was another season short on bright spots for the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the play of fourth-year safety Johnathan Cyprien was one.
Cyprien led all NFL defensive backs with 127 total tackles in 2016, the fourth time in four years that Cyprien has hit triple digits in stops.
That big year could lead to a big payday—a payday that could be too rich for J-Ville's blood, according to ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco.
"Things may change based on what Tom Coughlin, the executive VP of football operations, determines based on consultation with defensive backs coach Perry Fewell, but it wouldn't be a surprise for the Jaguars to re-sign Johnathan Cyprien," DiRocco wrote. "He played well in 2016 because the Jaguars played to his strengths by playing him closer to the line of scrimmage as a box safety. Expect them to let him test the market in free agency, however, and if they do re-sign him it won't be for a big-money deal."
Granted, there is a point where bringing Cyprien back stops making sense for the Jags. He's a "classic" strong safety whose value lies more in making tackles near the line of scrimmage than in covering backs and tight ends.
But the Jaguars are hardly hurting for cap space—over $70 million per Spotrac.
And Cyprien is one of theirs—a homegrown talent. It's hard to establish any positive momentum when a franchise creates a hole on their roster for every one they fill.
Other priorities: Prince Amukamara, CB; Luke Joeckel, OG
Kansas City Chiefs
16 of 32
Eric Berry, S
Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry played in 2016 under the franchise tag. As he said on NFL Network, he has no intentions of repeating that scenario in 2017.
"I'm definitely not going to play this year on the franchise tag," Berry said, while also maintaining that he'd like to finish his NFL career where it started—in Kansas City.
However, it's entirely possible the 28-year-old won't have much choice in the situation.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out, a second straight tag for Berry would cost the Chiefs just under $13 million in 2017. That's an awful lot of money to leave sitting on the table—more than the annual average of the biggest deal for a safety in the NFL.
Never mind the prospect of potentially sitting out 10 games—the maximum Berry could miss while still accruing a year of service in 2017.
It probably won't come to that. The Chiefs have every reason to lock up Berry long-term. He's arguably the best player on a defense that helped spur the Chiefs to the No. 2 seed in the AFC in 2016.
But if Kansas City can't get that deal done by the deadline to apply the tag, then Berry is likely to be an unhappy defensive back.
Because he may well be "it" for a second straight season.
Other priorities: Dontari Poe, DT; Kendall Reyes, DE
Los Angeles Chargers
17 of 32
Jahleel Addae, S
I can sense your scorn already. Stop it, you big meanies.
No, I haven't forgotten about outside linebacker Melvin Ingram. But with the Chargers' move to a 4-3 front under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and Ingram likely to command upward of $15 million a season in annual salary, a wildly expensive 247-pound linebacker isn't a great fit for the Bolts in their new home.
With Ingram the only "impact" free agent the Chargers have, the list of players L.A. needs to bring back gets pretty short pretty quick. There isn't anyone on the list who stands out as a "must-keep."
Of the group, bringing back safety Jahleel Addae makes quite a bit of sense.
This isn't to say the 27-year-old is an elite safety. Or that he will ever be one. And the next time Addae makes it through a 16-game season will be the first time. He missed half the 2016 season with a broken collarbone.
But the Chargers defense was better with Addae on the field last year. He's an athletic and versatile defender who can play both safety spots. Re-upping him isn't going to break the bank either.
For the Chargers, free agency's impact will largely be from outside additions—especially if (as I expect) Ingram departs.
Other priorities: Sean Lissemore, DT; Danny Woodhead, RB
Los Angeles Rams
18 of 32
Trumaine Johnson, CB
The Rams used their franchise tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson last spring, only to watch the 27-year-old turn in an uneven season that featured a single interception after seven the year before.
Given that down year and the exorbitant cost of tagging Johnson again ($16.75 million), the Rams would appear to be in a race against the clock: Get a long-term deal done or risk watching their best cover man sign elsewhere.
However, as Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com wrote, the Rams need to keep their options open. Losing Johnson would leave the cupboard in the secondary awfully bare in La La Land.
"Their other outside corner is E.J. Gaines," Gonzalez said, "who missed the entirety of 2015 with a serious foot injury and was limited to 10 starts with a few smaller ailments in 2016. Then there's Lamarcus Joyner, who is better as a slot corner. And Blake Countess, a former sixth-round pick. And Troy Hill and Mike Jordan, two undrafted free agents. Gaines, Joyner, Countess and Hill are all 5-foot-10 or shorter. Johnson—listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds—isn't only the most talented; he is the only one with real size and length."
Mind you, it's still unlikely the Rams will tag Johnson again. Almost $17 million is a lot of money to pay for what was essentially average performance in 2016.
That anyone would seriously consider it shows how badly the Rams need to work out a deal with Johnson.
That, or new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is going to miss his old cornerbacks in Denver quick.
Other priorities: Kenny Britt, WR; T.J. McDonald, S
Miami Dolphins
19 of 32
Kenny Stills, WR
The Dolphins are in a position that's simultaneously enviable and unenviable.
In defensive end Andre Branch and wide receiver Kenny Stills, the Dolphins have a couple of young players who performed well for the team in 2016. But neither put up the sort of production that merits consideration for the franchise tag, leaving the team in a bit of a bind.
Still, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes the Dolphins will make some effort to bring back Stills, who led the Dolphins in both yards per catch and receiving scores last season.
"I was told a couple of days back the team wants to keep Stills," Salguero said, "but Stills 'has to want to stay in Miami,' meaning he will have to give some as well. The team is not going to break the bank because it thinks it can find some comparable players in free agency, perhaps even for a lesser price."
The transition tag is a possibility. The Dolphins have used it in each of the past two seasons—on tight end Charles Clay in 2015 and on defensive end Olivier Vernon a year ago.
That neither of those players is still with the team doesn't bode well for their chances of keeping Stills around.
While neither he nor Branch is a "cornerstone" player, their loss could have a bigger impact for a Dolphins team with aspirations of making the playoffs again than many think.
Other priorities: Andre Branch, DE; Dion Sims, TE
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article132882869.html#storylink=cpy
Minnesota Vikings
20 of 32
Matt Kalil, OT
Since the Minnesota Vikings made him a top-five draft pick back in 2012, Matt Kalil has done very little to establish himself as the cornerstone of the O-line the Vikings hoped they were getting. He made over $11 million during a 2016 campaign spent mostly as a spectator.
Many fans of the purple and gold would just as soon the team move on. They aren't going to want to hear this:
Assuming his contract demands aren't wonky, the Vikings should bring Kalil back in 2017.
There are any number of hard truths at work here. Odds are a Vikings team sitting with just over $20 million in cap space isn't going to be able to find an upgrade on Kalil in free agency. There certainly isn't one on Minnesota's roster.
Even if the Vikings address the tackle position early in the 2017 draft (which isn't a bad idea), throwing a rookie out there on Sam Bradford's blind side isn't apt to end much better than any of the other potential solutions the Vikes tried to fix their woeful line last season.
Now, if some team comes along and offers Kalil $9 million a season, all bets are off. But if Spotrac's estimated market value of $7 million a season is correct, the best place for Kalil is in the Twin Cities.
At least until someone better comes along.
Other priorities: Captain Munnerlyn, CB; Andre Smith, OT
New England Patriots
21 of 32
Dont'a Hightower, ILB
This deal is as done as done deals get. Filled with done-ness.
When the New England Patriots traded away first Chandler Jones and then Jamie Collins last year, that left linebacker Dont'a Hightower as the last man standing and established him as the player the Patriots would build the latest iteration of their formidable defense around.
That seems to have worked out OK.
Now, as CBS Boston reports, the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe indicated to an area radio station that the bill has come due.
And it's a High(tower) one.
"[The Patriots] definitely want to keep [Hightower]. He is their priority,” Howe told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich. "Hightower wants to stay, but the Patriots aren't going to be able to really skimp on his contract. They're going to have to pay him top dollar. This might not be a hometown discount-type situation."
There are essentially three options: Get a deal done before March 1 that makes Hightower one of the NFL's richest inside linebackers, slap the franchise or transition tag on Hightower to buy time, or allow the 26-year-old to test the market and hope all the jewelry he's won in Beantown is enough to keep him from bolting for more money.
I'll be stunned if the Pats go the latter route.
Other priorities: Martellus Bennett, TE; Sebastian Vollmer, OT
New Orleans Saints
22 of 32
Nick Fairley, DT
For the first time in a few years, the New Orleans Saints enter free agency in a decent spot—with $25 million-plus in cap space and no impending free agents of huge import to the team.
In fact, the Saints have the wiggle room to reward defensive tackle Nick Fairley for his breakout 2016 if they choose.
Fairley resurrected his NFL career in the Big Easy in 2016, but Field Yates of ESPN.com believes Fairley may have played a bit too well last season to fit in the Saints' plans moving forward.
"New Orleans found tremendous value in Fairley last year when he inked a one-year, low-risk deal worth $1.5 million," Yates wrote. "The reward for his stellar play should rear itself on the open market, which would likely price him out of New Orleans' range. The Saints have some cap breathing room this offseason, but the focus on this defense must be building it through the draft, addressing the linebacker spot and getting healthy in the secondary."
Yates may well be right. The Saints have a capable 3-tech in second-year man Sheldon Rankins, and interest in Fairley could be robust after he piled up 6.5 sacks last year.
However, Nick Underhill of the Advocate wrote this week that both player and team have expressed interest in a reunion tour, so it appears the biggest hang-up here will be the same as it always is.
Money.
Other priorities: Jahri Evans, OG; Tim Lelito, OG
New York Giants
23 of 32
Johnathan Hankins, DT
You were expecting to see Jason Pierre-Paul listed here, huh?
Bringing back Pierre-Paul isn't a realistic goal if he's angling for a similar contract to the whopper (five years, $85 million) the Giants just handed Olivier Vernon. Doing so would effectively tie up a quarter of the Giants' cap space in their starters along the defensive front.
In the salary-cap era, that sort of resource allocation is begging for trouble, especially given the Giants' issues up front on the other side of the ball.
In fact, as Dan Duggan wrote for NJ.com, Hankins might well be on his way out the door too.
"Hankins' future is tied to what the market dictates and how much the Giants value the 2013 second-round pick," he said. "Hankins is a solid player, but I'd let him walk if a team offers big money in free agency. The Giants need to spend their money on bigger needs."
It's no knock on either player. It's just math.
The Giants can either have Hankins (a talented 24-year-old tackle), a complimentary end like Andre Branch or William Gholston and some extra coin to bolster the offensive line...
Or they can have Pierre-Paul.
Frankly, it looks more and more like Pierre-Paul will stay put. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes that if push hits shove, the Giants will tag their star end at a cost of about $17 million.
Unless they can get a deal done a lot lower than that, it's a move they'll come to regret.
Other priorities: Marshall Newhouse, OT; Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
New York Jets
24 of 32
Benjamin Ijalana, OT
A month ago, you would have seen guard Brian Winters listed in this spot. But the Jets re-upped Winters in January, so it's Ijalana who should be next up with pen in hand.
Yes, Ijalana struggled in 2016. The sixth-year veteran, who spent time at both right and left tackle last year, allowed eight sacks and graded out 62nd at his position at Pro Football Focus.
Joe Thomas, he ain't.
That might be a blessing.
Ijalana isn't a dominant tackle. Or even a really good one. But he played over 800 snaps last season and can man either tackle spot.
The cold hard truth is that a tackle like Ijalana is probably the best-case scenario for the Jets. Per Spotrac, only the Dallas Cowboys are further up cap creek than Gang Green, who sit well over the projected 2017 cap.
The Jets don't have the resources to fill the holes they already have.
The last thing they need is to create more.
Other priorities: Antonio Allen, CB; Corey Lemonier, OLB (in other words, no one)
Oakland Raiders
25 of 32
Latavius Murray, RB
It's a brave new world for the Oakland Raiders. Not only did the Raiders finally end their long playoff drought last year, but for the first time in years, Oakland isn't drowning in a sea of dead money borne of awful free-agent deals.
With over $45 million in cap room, the Raiders are in a position to be players in free agency in 2017. But the first step to free-agent success isn't buying everything shiny in sight.
Under Al Davis, that's what got the Raiders into the dead-money mess.
No, the first step is re-upping the young talent already on the team.
Per Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area, Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie made it clear the Raiders would like to bring back tailback Latavius Murray after he led the team in rushing touchdowns in 2016.
"When you're talking about a guy who is 6'3", close to 230 pounds, there's not a whole lot of similar you can get there," McKenzie said in an interview with 95.7 The Game. "He's one of those kinds that don't come around too often when you talk about size. I'm always in position to want to re-sign our own players, but the finances of it always will play a part. You never know there's 31 other teams out there who may be communicating to his representatives. We'll see where it goes, but we like to re-sign our guys."
That's the rub. Much like with veteran linebackers Perry Riley and Malcolm Smith, Murray's return makes sense only to a point. There's no need to overpay.
Given the success the Raiders had in 2016 and their upward trajectory as a franchise, it's possible they won't have to.
The days where Oakland had to pay a "loser's premium" in free agency are done.
Other priorities: Malcolm Smith, OLB; Menelik Watson, OT
Philadelphia Eagles
26 of 32
Nolan Carroll, CB
Most of the offseason speculation about the Eagles' in-house free agents over the past few weeks has centered on defensive tackle Bennie Logan.
There's good reason for that. Logan played well in 2016, especially against the run. So well that a Philadelphia team with limited cap space probably can't afford to keep him.
It's an unpleasant reality of the salary-cap era. But as well as Logan performed in 2016, it isn't the end of the world for a 4-3 front to losing its 1-technique tackle.
Losing a key piece from an already depleted secondary is another story altogether.
After the release of Leodis McKelvin, the elder stateman in the Eagles secondary is Nolan Carroll, who made $2 million playing on a one-year deal with the team in 2016.
As Mark Eckel of NJ.com reported in December, the Eagles and Carroll had preliminary talks toward the end of the season.
"They're starting,'' Carroll said. "I have a new agent, so we'll see how it goes. I'd like to come back, but it's not just up to me. We'll see what happens.''
Mind you, Carroll didn't light the world on fire last season. Pro Football Focus ranked him 107th among NFL corners for the year.
But he's a veteran cornerback who can play both outside and in the slot. As bad as that ranking looks, he'll probably make more than $2 million this year.
The Eagles have enough holes at the back end to fill already and limited resources with which to fill them.
The smart play is another modest, short-term deal for Carroll...
And drafting a cornerback (or two) early this April.
Other priorities: Dwayne Gratz, CB; Bennie Logan, DT
Pittsburgh Steelers
27 of 32
Le'Veon Bell, RB
For many of the teams on this list, there isn't necessarily a "must-sign" free agent—a player they simply cannot let get away no matter what.
Then there are the Pittsburgh Steelers and tailback Le'Veon Bell.
There is absolutely no chance the Steelers will allow Bell to get within shouting distance of free agency. It's a near-certainty that Pittsburgh will franchise-tag Bell at around $12.5 million for 2017 while the two sides negotiate an extension.
That's where things get really interesting. On one hand, Bell became the first tailback in NFL history to average 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards a game in 2016. On the other, Bell has been suspended twice and has a lengthy injury history.
As ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler reported, it makes for interesting negotiations, especially with Adrian Peterson's $100 million gold standard deal for backs looming over everything:
"Bell—who's coming off an explosive year in which he averaged 157 yards from scrimmage per game—has long admired Peterson's career, and he basically admitted in a rap lyric last offseason that he'll want Peterson money. Bell, also known as the rapper Juice, wrote this in his song 'Focus': 'I'm at the top and if not I'm the closest, I'ma need 15 a year and they know this.'"
Bell isn't going to get $15 million a season. He probably isn't topping Peterson's deal either—it's a relic from a prior era in the NFL.
But this much we do know. Bell will get $12 million or more in 2017.
And he'll get it in Pittsburgh.
Other priorities: Landry Jones, QB; Lawrence Timmons, ILB
San Francisco 49ers
28 of 32
Jeremy Kerley, WR
I hope new San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch likes a challenge.
Lynch's first front-office job is at the head of arguably the most talent-deficient team in the National Football League. The Niners' list of 16 unrestricted free agents is a who's-who of "who?"
An imposing list it most certainly is not.
Still, the 49ers need more than just starters and difference-makers. They need depth and special teamers.
There isn't much the team doesn't need.
One of San Francisco's few (relatively) bright spots in 2016 was the play of veteran wideout Jeremy Kerley. Acquired in a trade just before the season, Kerley spent much of the year as the 49ers' top receiver, hauling in a career-best 64 passes.
Kerley told Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network he wants to be a part of the rebuild in the Bay Area.
"I see a lot of upside to being over there," Kerley said. "Like I said, it's a great place, they got a lot of great talent. A lot of people don't understand that we were in a lot of those games. 2-14 was a tough record, but we were in a lot of those games, so I think it will be great to go back and be around a lot of those guys that want to win, and I think with a new atmosphere it will be good."
No one's going to confuse Kerley with Antonio Brown. But he's a steady veteran wideout who can return punts.
He isn't going to key a franchise rebirth, but Kerley is worth bringing back.
Other priorities: Phil Dawson, PK; Gerald Hodges, ILB
Seattle Seahawks
29 of 32
Bradley Sowell, OT
For much of the 2016 season, the Seattle Seahawks offensive line was a hot mess.
As Bleacher Report's Doug Farrar wrote, while he was on the field, Bradley Sowell did his part to add a couple of logs to the dumpster fire.
"Sowell was an abject disaster for the Seahawks in 2016," Farrar said, "but the fault lies with a coaching staff that believed he was qualified to be a starting tackle on either side at the NFL level. Sowell has always been a magnet for high pressure totals, and he simply doesn't have the athleticism or range to play the tackle position against elite speed or power rushers. As a backup guard, he'd be OK."
The rankers at Pro Football Focus weren't any more kind, slotting Sowell as the fourth-worst qualifying tackle in the NFL in 2016...
...one slot ahead of George Fant, the man who replaced him in Seattle's starting lineup.
The Seahawks need to get better on the offensive line. A lot better. It would not help accomplish that goal for Sowell to start in the Emerald City.
But the fact B/R graded Sowell as the fifth-best left tackle available in free agency tells you all you need to know about how hard line depth is to come by in the NFL.
For that reason alone, Sowell is worth hanging on to.
Other priorities: Steven Hauschka, PK; Luke Willson, TE
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30 of 32
William Gholston, DE
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fourth in the National Football League in cap space this year with over $65 million in the team's war chest.
Back in 2013, ESPN analyst Mark Dominik was the Bucs general manager who drafted defensive end William Gholston. Dominik told Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report he believes bringing Gholston back should be a priority for the club in 2017.
He just doesn't think it's going to be cheap:
"Gholston is a beast, and what's cool about Will is that he can fit in two different systems. ... I think that's the interesting thing about Gholston, that he can play in a 4-3 and a 3-4. There's no reason why he can't be a 3-4 defensive end and that's why I think he's going to have a lot of interest in a lot of different ways. I think that's the interesting thing about what his market can bring because a lot of teams can sit there and say three sacks and a guy that can stop the run is great for us.
"
Gholston isn't a huge pass-rushing force (10 sacks in four NFL seasons), but he's averaged 58 total tackles over the past two years and was a top-20 4-3 end against the run last year, per PFF.
Like many of the players listed here, there's a number where Gholston no longer makes sense for a Buccaneers team that appears to be only a piece or two away from contending for a playoff spot.
But provided that the bidding for the 25-year-old's services doesn't get out of hand, Gholston should remain an important part of Tampa's defensive line rotation.
The best way to keep the bidding reasonable is to get a deal done before other teams can gum up the works.
Other priorities: Bradley McDougald, S; Jacquizz Rodgers, RB
Tennessee Titans
31 of 32
Karl Klug, DT
It isn't all that often that you see a sub-package player listed as a no-brainer re-signing—especially when that sub-package player's stats inspire more yawns than oohs and aahs and that player is coming off a serious injury.
However, stats don't tell the whole story with Tennessee Titans defensive end Karl Klug. Playing in just under 400 snaps for the Titans before tearing his Achilles last December, Klug managed only 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
However, Klug also ranked 10th among 3-4 defensive ends for the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Luke Worsham of FanSided wrote recently that he expects Klug to feature in the Titans' plans for 2017.
"Though Klug is not a starter and gets most of his playing time in third-down pass-rushing packages," he said, "his explosiveness from the inside made him one of the many bright spots in the Titans' 9-7 campaign. He also perfectly fits GM Jon Robinson's identity mold, constantly receiving praise from coaches and teammates for being an incredibly hard worker and team-first player."
The Titans have over $67 million to work with in cap space in an effort to build on last year's surprise success. But that doesn't mean Robinson will go drunken sailor and just start setting said money on fire.
Klug is a solid veteran presence who knows the scheme and should be available at an affordable price thanks to his injury.
In other words, the stars are aligned quite nicely for his return.
Other priorities: Chance Warmack, OG; Kendall Wright, WR
Washington Redskins
32 of 32
Kirk Cousins, QB
Like this article was going to end any other way.
There hasn't been a free agent in the NFL who has generated more press this year than Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins may have generated as much ink as the rest of the free agents put together.
There's been endless speculation about Cousins' future. Everyone has an opinion on what the Redskins should do. As Scott Allen of the Washington Post (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com) relayed, Washington tight end Jordan Reed thinks the decision is an easy one.
"I think first of all, we got to bring Kirk back," Reed told SiriusXM Radio's Zig Fracassi and AJ Hawk. "We got to bring Kirk back. We got to bring two of our most valuable weapons back—Pierre [Garcon] and [DeSean Jackson]—for us to have a shot. So, I think we need to bring those guys back and add a couple more pieces on defense, and I think we'll be right where we need to be.
"He's real locked in, and he's vocal," Reed continued. "He communicates well. He's clear about what he wants to be done out there and lets us know. On the practice field, he's locked in and he's very competitive. That fuels all of us to be that same kind of competitor and compete to the end."
Now, bringing back Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson might be a little tricky if the Redskins are forced to tag Cousins for a second straight season at around $24 million.
But whether it's via that franchise tag or a long-term deal, there's no chance Cousins leaves the nation's capital. Not after setting franchise records for passing yards each of the last two years.
For all the moving and shaking that goes on during free agency, signal-callers very rarely change mailing addresses.
At least the good ones don't.
Other priorities: Pierre Garcon, WR; DeSean Jackson, WR
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