NFL Free Agency: 5 Teams With Most to Lose Post-Lockout

Football is coming back, finally, and assuming the players vote to agree to the deal—they've never not agreed after the executive committee recommended agreeing—then nothing truly stands in the way of bringing back the country's most popular sport.

But while everyone, fans included, are getting excited, dusting off their jerseys and starting to talk about things like fantasy football and playoff predictions, we still have one major game changer: free agency.

The draft has come and gone this year and left us with a relatively clear indication of what every team's biggest need(s) are, but it has also cast a shadow over a few franchises with a lot to lose this time around.

Every team goes into free agency trying to get better, but there is no denying that a few teams will be big losers this year.

Free agency in 2011 isn't normal, as nothing can be normal when a process that typically takes five months to complete is completed in a span of two weeks, but it will have a major impact on the entire season.

Here is a look at five teams with the most to lose once the lockout is finally lifted. 

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders finally got back on track last year with an eight-win season. In fact, for the first time since 2002 the Raiders didn't have a losing record.

But unfortunately, it is accompanied with an offseason that saw the Raiders fire their head coach only to be followed by the loss of their best player.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, a 30-year-old who has been held hostage in Oakland since the beginning of their dark era, will ultimately leave Oakland in a few weeks time.

Asomugha is wanted by every team that has a cornerback need, but only a few will be able to afford him.

But this isn't about Nnamdi's future; it is about the Raiders' future without him.

Oakland has a new head coach in Hue Jackson but lacks a star player and has an unproven quarterback running the offense. 

Defensively they were the second best secondary in the league, but were 29th in the league in rush defense.

So far, they haven't done anything to truly address that and now stand to lose the one player in the secondary who helped them the most in the pass game.

Even with Rod Woodson coaching the cornerbacks, it will take time for them to get it back together.

On top of that, the Raiders need to make decisions at the free safety position on Michael Huff and Hiram Eugene as well as dealing with five unrestricted free agents on the offensive line, four linebackers and tight end Zach Miller. 

It won't keep them down forever, but the Raiders will take a step back this season. 

New York Giants

The Giants went 10-6 last season but missed the playoffs again. This team has a ton of talent, but they have to make decisions on who to retain.

First and foremost, the Giants have a number of starters that could hit the open market.

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, wide receiver Steve Smith, tight end Kevin Boss, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and defensive tackle Barry Cofield highlight this list and have a number of teams that could use their services.

Bradshaw, Smith and Boss are all extremely important to the Giants though, and the team will do everything in their power to retain them. Cofield will be too expensive though, and if deemed healthy, Kiwanuka could also demand a large contract elsewhere.

There is also the Osi Umenyiora situation, and if he doesn't get a pay raise, it appears he is going to demand a trade.

On top of all this, the Giants are already over the cap which means they'll have to make tough decisions on important role players like wide receivers Derek Hagan and Domenik Hixon, defensive end Dave Tollefson, linebacker Chase Blackburn and safeties Deon Grant and Michael Johnson.

New York has a number of talented youngsters at skill the skill positions, but they can't afford to lose too many of these faces and expect to be successful, not in a lockout-shortened offseason.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlana Falcons made a bold move trading up for Julio Jones in the first round of the draft, but it won't mean too much if Matt Ryan doesn't have time to throw him the ball.

Yes, the Falcons went 13-3 last season, but their running game has already started to decline, and now they are facing the toughest task so far, retaining their own offensive lineman.

Tackles Tyson Clabo and Justin Blalock and guard Harvey Dahl are set to enter free agency and, Clabo and Dahl most notably, are two players the Falcons cannot afford to lose.

The Falcons play in what is arguably the toughest division in football and they have not gotten significantly better.

Both the Saints and Buccaneers have made great strides in chasing down the best team in the conference, and the offensive line could make or break the Falcons' season.

Tampa has a retooled defensive line, and New Orleans has ways of getting after the quarterback with various blitz packages.

Atlanta only gave up only 23 sacks last year, the second best number in the league, and if they lose any combination of these lineman, it will hurt them badly. 

New York Jets

The best way to help a young quarterback grow is having weapons at his disposal.

Mark Sanchez is entering the all-important third season of his NFL career, but he could be facing this task without the help of Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith.

It is, without question, imperative that the Jets re-sign Holmes. He instantly became Sanchez's go-to target, and if they lose him, it will likely be accompanied with a drop off in production from No. 6.

As for Edwards, he is worth re-signing, but he will command a serious contract. The Jets aren't in a great position to spend too much, and he may be the first hit of free agency.

And Brad Smith, a former quarterback turned wide receiver with return ability and a ton of untapped potential, may also find a bigger contract elsewhere.

The Jets also have to re-sign Antonio Cromartie at cornerback. He'll have a good market once Nnamdi Asomugha is signed, but the Jets need to do everything in their power to keep him as well or face a problem in their secondary.

They also have to make a decision on Brodney Pool among a number of other names. 

Much like the Giants, the Jets need to make a decision about which players are the most important to their future and need to sign them quickly.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are set up to see a new starting quarterback, running back and wide receivers running around on offense next season.

Carson Palmer is dead serious about retiring, the Bengals aren't planning on trading him and Andy Dalton is the future for this franchise.

Running back Cedric Benson is unlikely to retained and wide receiver Terrell Owens is definitely not coming back. There is also the Chad Ochocinco situation, and we shouldn't expect to see him given guaranteed money when the lockout lifts either.

And this is all just on offense.

The Bengals have three unrestricted free agents at safety—Chinedum Ndukwe, Roy Williams and Gibril Wilson—and also have to try and keep cornerback Johnathan Joseph off the market as well.

That doesn't seem likely though, and Joseph is going to be given a large contract elsewhere with a better chance to win sooner than what Cincinnati is offering.

This team, while they did take precautions against it by drafting Andy Dalton and A.J. Green, will suffer in 2011 once free agency is over.