NFL Free Agency: Top 5 Players Left on the Open Market

The craziest offseason in NFL history is in full swing and you can already cross off multiple players on your teams’ wish list.

Santonio Holmes re-signed with the New York Jets, DeAngelo Williams and Charles Johnson are staying with the Carolina Panthers. Ditto for Doug Free and the Dallas Cowboys.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of teams still out there for the taking. The vast majority of the free agents are still available and a few of them will directly impact the landscape of the 2011 NFL season.

Here are five guys that are hot commodities on the trade market that have a great shot of landing on a new team for the 2011 season.

5. Cedric Benson, Running Back

Benson was potentially the best back in the entire market before an ill-timed arrest knocked him down a few pegs.

It’s currently unclear if the league, considering this isn’t his first arrest, will suspend him.

Benson resurrected his career as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. The former top five pick had been cut by the Chicago Bears and placed on the scrap heap early in the 2008 season. The Bengals picked him up and Benson went on to have back-to-back 1,000 seasons.

The frontrunner for his services remains the Bengals. Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer is very confident he will return. 

Other potential suitors include the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Considering the Bengals have a history of ignoring off the field issues in exchange for a cheaper price tag…expect Benson to stick with the stripes.

4. Carl Nicks, Guard

The New Orleans Saints have one of the best free agents nobody has ever heard of.

Nicks is a superior offensive guard that opens up gaping holes in the running game and has provided top-notch protection for Drew Brees. He is only 26-years old and is just entering the prime of his career.

Needless to say, he is going to get a heft contract.

But can the Saints afford him?

They recently gave Jahri Evans the riches deal for a guard in league history and QB Drew Brees is due for a new contract after this season.

The Saints have to decide how important he is and at this point it’s about 50/50 if he will return.

If not, there will be plenty of teams lining up for his services. Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills all have a ton of money to spend and all four of them need help on the O-Line.

Expect the Bucs and the Bills to be at the forefront to throw gobs of money at the best offensive lineman on the market.

3. Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back

Once upon a time the Giants had a three-headed monster at running back that had the cool nickname “earth, wind and fire” with Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward.

Ward bolted last season and Bradshaw may be the next one to go. Last year he ran for 1,235 yards, eight TDs on 4.5 yards per carry. He was the main runner this past season and the Giants want him back according to ESPN New York.

The 25-year old is looking for the most money possible and its unclear if the Giants, whom have already made multiple cuts, can afford him.

Expect teams like the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins to look very hard in Bradshaw’s direction.

2. Johnathan Joseph, Cornerback

The shutdown corner is in high demand and the Bengals will have to shell out some major dough to re-sign him. Mid level corners are commanding upward of $10M per season and Joseph is certainly a member of the upper tier corners in the league.

He routinely shuts down the other teams best receiver and is incredibly athletic. His close out speed is one of the tops in the league.

The Bengals are well under the cap and have money to spend; the question is if they are willing to throw down $12-14M a season for 1/22^nd of their starting lineup.

The Detroit Lions are reportedly on the prowl for his services according to ESPN’s Chris Mortenson. Another team to keep an eye on is the Tampa Bay Bucs, a team that watched current corner Aqib Talib allegedly fire a gun at another person this offseason.

The market value is sky-high for Joseph, but not as high as the next guy…

1. Nnamdi Asomugha, Cornerback

The prize of the free agent market, Asomugha is the one player on this list that is not returning to their original team. The Oakland Raiders got rid of him once they realized he was getting paid about $15 million a season, and that wasn’t exactly in the budget.

The Jets have been rumored to have a strong interest in one of the best players in the game. The issue is if they can afford him. The Jets just threw $50 million at Santonio Holmes and they have plenty of other free agents to deal with on their own team.

A much more realistic option is the Houston Texans. They have the money to blow and had the worst secondary in football a season ago. Many experts believe Asomugha is the missing piece on a team ready to win now.

Don’t count out the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars as three other teams that would love to throw a huge sum of money his way.

This is the kind of signing that could have a huge impact on how the 2011 NFL season plays out.