NFL Free Agents 2011: One Key Player on Every NFL Team Likely to Be Lost

As the NFL lockout nears the final stretch, all signs point to a free agent feeding frenzy of a magnitude we've never seen before. 

It's hard enough for a NFL front office to complete every contract between the months of March and July, so it's almost impossible to imagine teams completing the same amount of contracts in about a week. 

Teams have been spending the last four months studying free agents so they can make contract offers the moment the lockout ends.

So in order to get caught up with the 32 NFL teams, let's do our own homework and determine which player from each team is most likely to find a new home in 2011.   

New England Patriots: Matt Light, OT

New England Patriots offensive guard Logan Mankins has been the most publicized free agent on the team by far, but he'll be receiving the team's franchise tag, which will lock him down for one more year, as well as pay for a top interior lineman in the NFL.

Since the Patriots are a well-organized team that doesn't put up with overpriced players, there aren't really any other free agents on the team stealing headlines.

However, one free agent worth mentioning is 32-year-old offensive tackle Matt Light, who has been a starter for the team since 2001.

Light has a long history with the team, which makes the Patriots the clear front-runner. But the team will be spending a lot of money on Mankins in 2011, so it's possible they'll let Light search for work elsewhere.

Light is past his prime (despite making the Pro Bowl in 2010), so he won't get a long-term contract, but he can probably play at a respectable level for at least one more season.  

Possible Suitors: Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders

New York Jets: Braylon Edwards, WR

The New York Jets brought in both Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards prior to the 2010 season, which was an attempt to arm quarterback Mark Sanchez with the necessary weapons required for a solid aerial attack.

While neither were overwhelmingly productive, it's clear Sanchez had much better chemistry with Holmes as opposed to Edwards, who was primarily used as a downfield threat.

While having that deep option is nice, it's not as important as having a reliable first-down threat like Holmes. 

The Jets will make Holmes their top priority, and they'll allow Edwards to test the open market.

Possible Suitors: Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans 

Miami Dolphins: Ricky Williams, RB

Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, both of their running backs—Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown—will hit free agency this year. 

The team will likely retain one of the two, but they are planning on at least one of them walking, which was made evident after they drafted Daniel Thomas (Kansas St.) in the second round of the 2011 draft. 

The 29-year-old Brown will not demand a shockingly large contract due to his history with injuries, so there's a good chance he's the one they'll keep, given that he's also younger than the 34-year-old Williams. 

Williams will likely look to finish his career in a secondary role, most likely with a team that is comfortable with an older veteran playing a role in the offense. 

Possible Suitors: New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins

Buffalo Bills: Donte Whitner, S

There have been talks that the Buffalo Bills and safety Donte Whitner have been struggling toward reaching an agreement on a new contract.

Although he's been a disappointment as the No. 8 overall pick of the 2006 draft, Whitner's still a capable player and a valuable member of the Buffalo defense. 

However, safety Jarius Byrd is a rising star, and he'll be entering just his third season this year, so the Bills aren't necessarily desperate at the position.

And since there's no way the Bills are going to pay him like one of the top safeties in the league, you can forget about the franchise tag—he'll be testing the open market.

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ike Taylor, CB

With rush linebacker LaMarr Woodley occupying the Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise tag, defensive backs William Gay and Ike Taylor will be free to shop for new teams.

Gay was not even a starter last season, so the Steelers should be able to reach a reasonable contract with him if they want him around.

However, Taylor is a very capable starter, so his contract will be much more demanding.

Taylor likes Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh certainly likes Taylor, but in the end, it's a business.

Pittsburgh isn't competitive every year because they offer long-term contracts to free agents in their 30's, so they'll let Taylor make some visits; surely a desperate team will bite.

Possible Suitors: Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions 

Cleveland Browns: Eric Wright, CB

The Cleveland Browns are an up-and-coming team, so they can't afford to lose their young core players to free agency.

However, their defensive backfield is stocked with young and promising talent, such as 2010 first-round pick Joe Haden and safety T.J. Ward.

Since they already have some promising players in the secondary, the Browns can probably afford to let cornerback Eric Wright shop around for a new team.

Wright is not a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he can be a solid starter for whichever team signs him.

Possible Suitors: Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons 

Cincinnati Bengals: Terrell Owens, WR

Terrell Owens has been doing one night stands with teams the last couple of years, and he will try to convince one or two more teams to invite him over before the 37-year-old decides to retire.

It's always a well-publicized story when Owens is searching for a new team, but his offseason knee surgery this year gives the story an extra twist.

Owens would've been able to easily find at least one interested team had he stayed healthy, but there's not a lot of teams interested in a 37-year-old who's recovering from a major knee injury.

He probably won't get an offer immediately, but he could be a late training camp addition for some team.

Possible Suitors: Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

Baltimore Ravens: Le'Ron McClain, FB/RB

Fullback Le'Ron McClain will want more carries in 2011, but with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee already on the roster, that might not be something the Baltimore Ravens can offer.

McClain is one of the few fullbacks capable of actually contributing on offense, so he will search for a team willing to utilize his talents.

Possible Suitors: Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, New York Jets 

Indianapolis Colts: Charlie Johnson, OT

Charlie Johnson has been a starting offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts the last four seasons, but unless they are willing to pay him starting tackle money, he will find a new team. 

While he might not get a major contract from any team, Johnson should find a team that's more interested in him than the Colts, given they just drafted offensive linemen Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana with their first two picks of the 2011 draft. 

They might keep Johnson around for reassurance, but Johnson will go for the best contract he can get, which won't be offered by the Colts. 

Possible Suitors: Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers

Tennesse Titans: Randy Moss, WR

Like Terrell Owens, wide receiver Randy Moss will be a highly-publicized free agency story in 2011, despite the fact that he's far past his prime. 

Moss will have trouble making a team buy his talents since three teams did so in 2010, and all of them were highly disappointed. 

But even though common sense says to stay away from Moss, the thought of a tall downfield threat will be too tempting for at least one team to resist. 

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans: Owen Daniels, TE

Owen Daniels is one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, but the Texans will avoid paying him like a top tight end. 

The reason they're not willing to offer a big contract is because of tight end Joel Dreessen, who stepped up last season as the team's new favorite pass-catching tight end. 

With Dreessen on the roster, the money that would've gone toward Owens' contract can now be used for other needs, so they'll let him at least shop around. 

Possible Suitors: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs

Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Sims-Walker, WR

Wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker isn't going to leave the Jacksonville Jaguars because he's a top receiver that will cost too much. 

He'll leave because he wants to win now, and he probably won't be able to do that in Jacksonville. 

Sims-Walker will look for an ideal situation, but a competitive contract is also very important.

He's also already hinted that he wants to play for the Miami Dolphins.

Possible Suitors: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings

Kansas City Chiefs: Leonard Pope, TE

The Kansas City Chiefs will be completely focused on signing defensive end Tamba Hali to a long-term contract, but all of that focus could result in them neglecting the other free agents. 

Luckily for the Chiefs, however, they don't have any other free agents they really need to focus on.

One free agent who will slip out under the radar is tight end Leonard Pope. 

The Chiefs already have Tony Moeaki as their top tight end, so they could care less, but some team could sign Pope to a contract as a role-player in their offense. 

Possible Suitors: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns

Oakland Raiders: Nnamdi Asomugha, CB

The highly-intelligent Al Davis managed to sign their best player (by far) to a contract that immediately released him if he didn't meet certain statistics.

And since Nnamdi Asomugha didn't get a single interception in 2010 due to teams completely avoiding him, he now has the luxury of shopping for a new, competitive team this offseason. Thanks, Al Davis.

Asomugha is the flashiest free agent on the market, so he won't come cheap, but he'll do great things for whichever team signs him.

Possible Suitors: New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots

San Diego Chargers: Darren Sproles, RB

The San Diego Chargers have multiple free agents to worry about this offseason, such as Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd, Mike Tolbert and Eric Weddle. 

But one free agent who will almost certainly find a new team is running back Darren Sproles. 

The Chargers have more important players to re-sign, and Sproles will generate too much interest from other teams for the Chargers to compete. 

Though Sproles won't be paid like a top running back, his speed in the backfield, combined with his special teams value, will make him a highly sought-after target. 

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Denver Broncos: Laurence Maroney, RB

Laurence Maroney was signed by the Denver Broncos in 2010 because he and head coach Josh McDaniels worked together in New England. 

But since McDaniels was fired, the New England connection is gone, and it's doubtful the current regime is equally interested in Maroney and his 2.1 yards per carry average in 2010. 

Maroney will likely be gone in 2011, but now his only problem will be finding another team willing to sign him. 

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants: Barry Cofield, DT

The New York Giants pride themselves on their dominant defensive line, but defensive tackle Barry Cofield is one player they will say goodbye to. 

The Giants already have major contracts to worry about, such as Steve Smith and Ahmad Bradshaw, so they won't concern themselves with paying the above-average Cofield like a top defense tackle. 

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles: Quintin Mikell, S

The Philadelphia Eagles would prefer to keep safety Quintin Mikell around, but he'll generate a lot of interest from other teams in free agency. 

Plus, he's not nearly good enough for the franchise tag, which would force the Eagles to pay him like a top safety, so the team has no choice but to sit back and let him make a decision on his own. 

Surely he would prefer a competitive team like the Eagles, but the contract will also be an important factor. 

Possible Suitors: Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers

Washington Redskins: Santana Moss, WR

Santana Moss will almost certainly leave the Washington Redskins, and he'll attempt to find a team that can repeatedly put him into the playoffs year after year, which is something he did not experience with the Redskins or earlier in his career with the New York Jets.

The contract is surely somewhat of a factor, but at the age of 32 it's possible that playing for a competitor is the primary goal for Moss.

Possible Suitors: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets

Dallas Cowboys: Marcus Spears, DE

Marcus Spears has been a solid player for the Dallas Cowboys throughout his six-year career, but he has not been overwhelming. 

He's certainly not good enough for the Cowboys to be knocking on his door the minute after the lockout ends. 

So just like the reports from ESPN indicate, the Cowboys will let Spears visit other teams, which will probably result in him signing with someone else.

Possible Suitors: Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets 

Chicago Bears: Desmond Clark, TE

With tight end Greg Olsen emerging as a top pass-catching tight end, and with Brandon Manumaleuna under contract until 2015, the Chicago Bears probably have little interest in bringing back 34-year-old tight end Desmond Clark. 

Clark hasn't been a factor since 2007, so he'll either search for a new team or call it a career. 

Possible Suitors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minnesota Vikings: Sidney Rice, WR

For whatever reason, the Minnesota Vikings thought it would be better to use their franchise tag on outside linebacker Chad Greenway rather than wide receiver Sidney Rice. 

It's certainly understandable, given that he's missed 16 of his 48 career games due to injury. 

However, outside linebacker is not an overly important position in a 4-3 defense. They're now lacking a top wide receiver for their young quarterback, Christian Ponder. 

Possible Suitors: New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams

Green Bay Packers: James Jones, WR

The Green Bay Packers are not willing to pay James Jones like a top receiver, and Jones wants to play for a team that will give him more responsibilities. 

Therefore, the two parties will likely sever ties, and Jones will be catching passes for a different team in 2011. 

Now the only question is, was Jones actually as good as he was in Green Bay or was it an illusion created by his supporting cast?

Possible Suitors: Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions: Kevin Smith, RB

Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith showed some potential as a rookie in 2008 with 976 rushing yards, but he failed to match the production in 2009, and he couldn't even stay healthy in 2010. 

The Lions have moved on with the addition of Jahvid Best in 2010, as well as Mikel Leshoure last April. The two should be more than capable of leading the way on the ground. 

Smith will be a free agent, so he'll look for any team willing to show some interest.

Possible Suitors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins 

New Orleans Saints: Darren Sharper, S

Safety Darren Sharper was certainly a pleasant surprise for the New Orleans Saints during their 2009 Super Bowl-winning season, especially since he was able to contribute nine interceptions. 

However, Sharper was only healthy for eight games in 2010 and only started one, so the Saints have learned to live without him. 

Roman Harper will occupy one of the safety positions, while 2009 first-round pick Malcolm Jenkins, who was converted from a cornerback into a safety, will fill the other spot. 

Sharper, on the other hand, will either retire or look for a one-year contract from a desperate team.

Possible Suitors: Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cadillac Williams, RB

Running back Cadillac Williams had a great rookie year in 2005 with 1,178 rushing yards, but he has not been able to recapture the magic since then.

Though he is clearly not an every-down back, he has somewhat revived his career the past two seasons as a receiving threat out of the backfield. Williams has a combined 572 receiving yards between the past two seasons.

Though the Buccaneers would be fine with Williams returning in 2011, they don't need him back, as they have found a starting running back in LeGarrette Blount.

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts 

Atlanta Falcons: Jason Snelling, RB

The Atlanta Falcons have Michael Turner as the primary back, but they have backups Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood both in their contract years.

The two backs will likely carry similar price tags, but it's possible the team could choose to keep Norwood as the secondary back since he's more of a change-of-pace back in contrast to the 244-pound Turner.

If the team keeps Norwood, they'll let Snelling walk.

Snelling will probably not get a starting job anywhere, but he'll certainly be looking for carries.

Possible Suitors: Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys 

Carolina Panthers: DeAngelo Williams, RB

DeAngelo Williams was injured for 10 games in 2010, but the 28-year-old was a premiere running back during the 2008 and 2009 seasons with 2,632 combined rushing yards.

And although Jonathan Stewart only had 770 rushing yards in 2010, he still had a 4.3 yards per carry average, and he is the younger option at only 24 years old.

The Panthers also discovered Mike Goodson last season, who was able to contribute 452 yards in only 103 carries.

Williams will carry a fairly high price tag, but the Panthers can afford to ignore it.

Possible Suitors: Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins 

St. Louis Rams: Clifton Ryan, DT

In a strange turn of events, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan, who was thought to be the top defensive tackle for the St. Louis Rams heading into the 2010 season (veteran Fred Robbins was an unknown at the time), is now going to be ignored by the team as a free agent. 

After Ryan missed much of the 2010 season due to difficulties from migraines, the Rams became fed up with him. 

While defensive tackle is a need for the Rams, they will probably look elsewhere for help—Barry Cofield from the New York Giants played under head coach Steve Spagnuolo while he was the defensive coordinator in New York. 

Possible Suitors: Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans

Arizona Cardinals: Tim Hightower, RB

The Arizona Cardinals made running back Tim Hightower expendable the second they used their 2011 second-round draft pick on Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech). 

Beanie Wells will carry the load for the Cardinals in 2011 despite a disappointing second year in 2010, and Williams will play a secondary role behind Wells. 

Hightower will search for a new team, and he will be utilized as a role-player for a team that uses multiple backs.

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts 

Seattle Seahawks: Brandon Mebane, DT

Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane is a quiet star in the NFC West for the Seattle Seahawks, but there's a chance he could look for work elsewhere as soon as the lockout ends. 

Mebane would be a highly sought-after lineman, but he's not nearly good enough for the franchise tag. 

There's a chance Mebane enjoys himself in Seattle, given that they just won the division last season, but in the end, he'll go to the team that gives him the best contract. 

Possible Suitors: St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns

San Francisco 49ers: Brian Westbrook, RB

The 31-year-old Brian Westbrook had some flashes in 2010 with the San Francisco 49ers, but he was a non-factor for the most part. 

Westbrook was a dynamic runner for the Eagles earlier in his career, but injuries have taken their toll on his speed and cutting abilities.

The 49ers still have Frank Gore as the primary back, and they have two young backs in Anthony Dixon and the newly-drafted Kendall Hunter, who will both fight for the role as the team's secondary back.

Meanwhile, Westbrook will face a challenging task this offseason—convincing another team he's not out of juice yet.

Possible Suitors: Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos