NFL Free Agency 2011: 13 Free Agents the Miami Dolphins Should Pursue

More than 130 days after it started, the NFL lockout finally appears to have reach its elongated conclusion. Between the agonizing legalities, delays and bickering between the Owners and NFLPA, this is amazing news. 

The end of the lockout means the Miami Dolphins will get back to business this week. Their first order of business will be re-singing incumbent players and signing undrafted free agents. But after that, the free agency frenzy will begin, and that's where things will get exciting.

The Dolphins still have a short list of positions that desperately need upgrades, and they have ample cap space to fill those holes with quality players. Miami won't be major players like they were last summer, but they still have the money to polish off a playoff-caliber roster.

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Scott Altman is a featured columnist for the Miami Dolphins and the National Football League. He can be followed on Twitter here for up-to-the-minute analysis on all things Dolphins, football, and sports.

Matt Hasselbeck

Conflicting reports over Matt Hasselbeck's status with the Seahawks have surfaced since the March 3 CBA cutoff. Pete Carroll told reporters negotiations, "came down to the final day," but more recent reports suggest the two sides were never so close.

Hasselbeck remains in free agency limbo, but as the lockout nears its conclusion, the odds of him remaining in Seattle are dwindling. Assuming the oft-injured 35-year-old quarterback does hit the open market, he might be the Dolphins' best bet.  

Although age and durability issues lessen Hasselbeck's value, he showed he can still play at a very high level during the 2010 playoffs. Moreover, he would bring a veteran presence to a young locker room at a far cheaper price than alternatives like Kyle Orton or Carson Palmer. 

Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb is 34 and just struggled through the worst season of his career, but do not disregard him. He might be the Dolphins' best option.

Everybody loves to hate McNabb, but consider that he literally had no weapons at his disposal last year.

The Redskins' offense may have been the worst in the league. McNabb was forced to rely on the likes of Anthony Armstrong and the league's 30th-ranked rushing attack to produce, yet he was cast as a scapegoat when the 'Skins began to collapse. Keep in mind that McNabb threw for more than 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns just two years ago.

Peter King linked McNabb to the Dolphins on PTI last week and subsequently started a firestorm of speculation. Miami could do much worse than McNabb. Even if he's only a stop-gap, he can keep this team competitive. 

DeAngelo Williams

Earlier this offseason DeAngelo Williams appeared on the Koop and Kelly Show on 560 WQAM. He said, "I’ve heard rumors that I may be at the top their board this year." Williams later added, "This is a place I’d like to live. I hope I’m at the top of their list and they come after me."

Assuming Williams doesn't re-sign with Carolina, he may get his wish. The Dolphins will pursue a running back to complement rookie Daniel Thomas, but no other back on the market offers the array of skills Williams does. 

He can fill the third down back role and serve as the team's No. 1 back; however, there are concerns over the 27-year-old.

First of all, he will come at a hefty price, one that Miami might not be willing to pay. Secondly, Williams has missed 13 games over the past two seasons, and he only has one truly extraordinary season on his resume. 

Regardless, Williams would instantly make Miami's rushing attack elite, and that temptation might be too much for Stephen Ross and Jeff Ireland to resist. 

Darren Sproles

Earlier this offseason, Jeff Ireland made a big deal about the Dolphins' intentions to pursue speedy, electric players to enliven the team's lethargic offense. However, the only true speed-oriented player Miami drafted was Edmond Gates, so the team will target more in free agency.

San Diego Chargers scatback Darren Sproles might be the perfect player for the Dolphins to target. He will likely come at a low price due to his age (27) and overall lack of involvement and production last season.

A long list of interested teams might raise his price though.

Sproles is basically a third-down back, but he provides the breakaway speed Miami's offense lacked this season. He is also one of the most lethal return men in the NFL, which allows the Dolphins to hit two birds with one stone. However, his limited skill set puts a vast bulk of the workload on Daniel Thomas' shoulders, so the 'Fins must be confident in his abilities before pursuing Sproles. 

Ahmad Bradshaw

For most of the 2010 offseason, free-agent-to-be Ahmad Bradshaw flew far below the national radar. Perhaps everybody just assumed he would return to New York, but that sentiment vanished when Bradshaw openly expressed interest in playing for the Dolphins.

Bradshaw would be an ideal complement to Daniel Thomas, and the 25-year-old has only scratched the surface of his potential. Last season, he broke out for 1,235 yards and eight touchdowns while splitting carries with Brandon Jacobs.

Bradshaw may seem almost too good to be true, and that's because he is. In 276 carries last season, he fumbled seven times. This is a considerable concern, especially for the Dolphins. Thomas struggled mightily with fumbles in college, and rotating between two fumble-prone backs is a huge gamble. 

If Miami believes they can fix Bradshaw's fumbles issues though, then he might be the best possible signing for the Dolphins. 

Reggie Bush

Theoretically, Reggie Bush would be a picturesque signing for the Dolphins. He specializes as a change-of-pace back who can catch passes in the flat and as a slot receiver. He can carry the ball effectively, particularly when he bounces outside or gets into open space. And finally, he is a lethal returner.  

Basically, Bush is a defensive coordinator's nightmare, but he isn't as great as advertised. Bush doesn't run particularly well between the tackles and might demand a lavish contract because, well, he is Reggie Bush.

If Bush demands a reasonable price, then Miami should and probably will investigate signing the former second overall pick. 

Jason Snelling

Rather than target a one-dimensional running back like Darren Sproles or Reggie Bush, the Dolphins could get a cheaper and more well-rounded running back: Jason Snelling. His name doesn't have the same wow-factor as the others, but the 27-year-old has breakaway speed and great hands (74 catches over the past two seasons).

He can also handle a significant workload, which makes him an even more valuable commodity. 

When Michael Turner was sidelined by injury in 2009, Snelling carried the load for Atlanta, recording 142 carries for 613 yards and four touchdowns. 

Kevin Boss

While the NFL's most productive offenses employ great, seam-threat tight ends, the Dolphins refuse to pursue an upgrade. Anthony Fasano has tinkered between average and good, and they can't expect sixth-round pick Charles Clay to immediately fulfill that seam-threat role.

Because quarterback and running back are such substantial needs, Miami might not bother using any of their cap space on a tight end. However, if they decided to invest in an upgrade, Giants tight end Kevin Boss would be an ideal fit. 

Boss provides a very similar build and skill set to Fasano, but has outperformed him in each of the past three seasons. Boss always seemed like an afterthought in New York's crowded offense, so with an expanded role, he could become a weapon. 

Davin Joseph

If the Dolphins choose to sign a reasonably-priced running back like Darren Sproles, they will have plenty of leftover funds at their perusal. Part of the remaining cap space will be allocated toward a quarterback and outside linebackers, but Miami could also stand to bolster the interior offensive line. 

Right guard is a weakness along the offensive front. John Jerry and Nate Garner will compete for the job, but neither have proven to be anything more than serviceable. In order to upgrade the position and fortify the line, Miami could targetTampa Bay's Davin Joseph, arguably the best available guard on the market.

This will be a matter of money and progression. If Joseph doesn't demand outlandish money and John Jerry doesn't show any significant improvement from his rookie season, the team should pursue him.

Marshal Yanda

Whenever a player leaves the Baltimore Ravens, it's worth taking note. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome is arguably the best talent-evaluator in the NFL, and his team's abundance of talent reflects that. 

The latest Raven to draw league-wide intrigue is offensive tackle Marshal Yanda. At 6'4" and 307 pounds, Yanda has been extremely effective when healthy, but has struggled to avoid the injury bug. Baltimore will probably try to keep Yanda, but there's no guarantee he won't jump ship for a bigger contract. 

Obviously, the Dolphins don't need a tackle, but they could move him inside to right guard. 

Mathias Kiwanuka

Everybody has spoken about Miami's need for a quarterback and running back at length, but another equally pressing need that has been largely neglected is outside linebacker. Koa Misi and Cameron Wake will obviously retain their starting jobs, but Ikaika Alama-Francis is the only other outside linebacker under contract.

What if Misi or Wake breaks an ankle during camp? Miami must add quality players to their linebacker corps to provide both depth and insurance. Moreover, the 'Fins need to add pass-rushers—Cam Wake can't do it all by himself. 

The list of quality outside linebackers slated for free agency is slim, but one appealing name is former Giant Mathias Kiwanuka. Since New York drafted him in the first round of the 2006 draft, Kiwanuka has endured a bit of a roller-coaster career, but he did rack up eight sacks in 2008. 

Kiwanuka figures to have plenty of untapped potential, and the Dolphins should go after him. 

Manny Lawson

Because the outside linebacker class is so thin, teams will likely dish out oversized contracts to unproven players. The poster-boy for this logic is 49ers linebacker Manny Lawson.

Seemingly every team with a need at outside linebacker has been linked to him at one point or another, but Lawson has never recorded more than 6.5 sacks in a season. At a monstrous 6'5" and 240 pounds, Lawson is yearning to break out.

Moreover, he does have a connection to the Dolphins. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan drafted Lawson in 2006. At the right price, the 'Fins should pursue him, but if Lawson makes outlandish demands, they should steer clear. 

Jason Taylor

Backlash from Jason Taylor's move to New York still hasn't subsided, but the Dolphin legend has expressed an interest in returning to Miami.

Now that Bill Parcells is gone, it isn't too far-fetched. 

The Dolphins would definitely benefit from J.T.'s presence. He wouldn't break the bank and could, at the very least, bring a strong leader to one of the NFL's youngest locker rooms. Taylor will be 37 when the 2011 season starts, but considering he racked up 36 tackles and five sacks last year, there's reason to believe he still has another year left in the tank.