NFL Free Agents 2012: Over-the-Hill Veterans Who Should Go Ring-Chasing

The 2012 NFL free agent market is going to be a strong one, as all sorts of capable players are about to test the free agent waters.

There will also be players hitting the market who were capable players once upon a time, but have been humbled by age in recent seasons. There will be interest in them, but nobody is going to mistake them for stars.

As far as some veterans should be concerned, this is just fine. Instead of looking for starring roles, what they should be looking for is an opportunity to go win a ring. 

Here are five players who should go championship-chasing this offseason.

5. Thomas Jones

It's possible that Thomas Jones may figure after this season that he's had just about enough of the NFL. He's going to be 34 by the time next season rolls around, and his body has a lot of miles on it.

But Jones could easily play another year if he so chooses, and he still brings something to the table. He hasn't done anything special this season, but the Kansas City Chiefs have been glad to have him.

Jones has been to the Pro Bowl and he's won a rushing championship, and he's come close to winning a Super Bowl, but he hasn't been lucky enough to clutch the Lombardi Trophy. That's something that he can change by going to a talented team where he can serve as a situational running back.

This will mean a taking a paycut, but that's a sacrifice Jones should be willing to make in order to win a ring. 

4. Rashean Mathis

Rashean Mathis is another guy I could see walking away at the end of the season. He's battled injuries in recent seasons, and he may not find too many offers waiting for him this offseason thanks to the fact he tore his ACL in November.

Mathis said after he tore his ACL that he wants to stay in Jacksonville, but he deserves better than to keep toiling for the Jaguars. He's going to be a free agent for the first time in his career, and now is as good a time as any to escape Jacksonville.

Because Mathis is a big-name player who has accomplished a lot in the NFL, he will draw interest on the open market. The best thing for him would be to go to a team on a one-year deal. If he has a good year, he could go looking for a bigger contract in 2013.

Mathis could easily accept a one-year deal from a contender looking to use him as a nickel corner. He would have to swallow some pride to accept this role, but it could prove to be worth it in more ways than one.

3. Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman went to the Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears in 2006, but he performed poorly and the Bears lost to the Indianapolis Colts.

Grossman's career has been up and down ever since. If you put his career as a whole in the proper perspective, it's clear that he's just not cut out for great things in the NFL. But for a variety of reasons, he has been put in situations where greatness is expected of him.

I highly doubt Grossman is going to attract much interest as a starter once he hits free agency, and that's okay. He's not, and has never really been a starter. It's time for him to accept that and go looking for a backup spot on a contender.

It won't cost much to bring Grossman in, so there will no doubt be teams interested in bringing him in as a backup. All he will have to do is pick the right team.

2. Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb has experienced plenty of success during his NFL career, but fans have never forgiven him for not winning a Super Bowl.

The only way McNabb is going to change that is by winning one. And the only way McNabb is going to do that is by accepting a backup role.

Being a backup would be a far cry from what McNabb is used to, but he's just not fit to be a starter anymore. He proved as much during his time under center for the Minnesota Vikings, who cut him earlier this month.

Because Matt Flynn is likely to go looking for a starting job this offseason, I can't help but picture McNabb as Aaron Rodgers' backup in Green Bay. That would be the ideal spot for McNabb to go chase a ring, but there will be other options as well.

This is assuming he doesn't just retire, of course.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson

Of all the veterans who are still in action, none of them deserve a ring more than LaDainian Tomlinson. He's one of the great running backs in NFL history, and it's a crime that he's never even been to the Super Bowl.

LT may not be up to go chasing a ring again, as that's one of the main reasons he signed with the New York Jets in the first place. He's gone as far as the AFC Championship Game with the Jets, but no further.

I don't think that's going to change this season, and LT could very well be frustrated enough to hang up his spikes for good.

But he shouldn't. He can still play, and that means he still has something to offer would-be Super Bowl contenders. Assuming he doesn't win one this year, LT should take one last shot at winning a Super Bowl in 2012.