2012 NFL Free Agents: 6 Top Free Agents That Aren't Going Anywhere

NFL teams may get their hopes up, but these prized free agents aren't taking a step out of the state they currently reside.

While there are teams who have the means (financially) and the chutzpah (Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder) to try and make a deal that could send shock waves through the league, it is unlikely these players would be allowed to seek another place to play. They are too valuable to their current team.

And in all these cases, the uproar from the fans would be louder than any tornado, thunderstorm or, in some areas of the country, monster truck rally.

These players will be in their current uniforms when the 2012 season starts. You can take that to the bank.

Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee Titans

The Titans improved on defense with the help of defensive coordinator Jerry Gray this past season.

The team will not be able to improve without Finnegan in their plans for 2012. The former seventh-round pick out of Samford is the leader of the Titans secondary.

And now that his former coach, Jeff Fisher, is coaching in St. Louis, could the lure of being reunited with him in Missouri be enough to send him west?

It is tempting, but the Titans could overpay to have one of their key leaders stay in place and anchor the defense.

Jeremy Mincey, Jacksonville Jaguars

All Mincey has done is lead the Jaguars in sacks the last two seasons and helped in the run defense for defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.

Not bad for an undrafted free agent out of Florida.

Mincey insists he like playing for the Jaguars and wants to remain with the team, but is not about to give the team a "hometown discount."

Mincey will attract teams on the open market for his continual motor and his speed off the edge, but new team owner Shahid Khan has expressed the need to make this team better. You cannot do that by losing one of your key players on a defense that was sixth overall in the NFL.

The team may lose Matt Roth in free agency, but it can ill afford to lose this guy.

Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Forte is not going anywhere.

The Bears and Forte began the 2011 season knowing a decision had to be made whether or not to keep the prized running back. And this was only part of the Bears issues heading into 2012.

According to ESPN Chicago, Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips is eager to work out a long-term deal with the running back. The team has until February 20 to decide whether to place the franchise tag on Forte.

Forte is too valuable with his ability to run and catch the ball out of the backfield to be allowed to walk away from Solider Field.

Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Foster is a restricted free agent and at 26 years old is in the prime of his career. He and teammate Ben Tate former one of the best running back tandems in the game.

By the way, he isn't going anywhere. The Pro Bowl performer is part of the reason why the Texans finally made the playoffs this season.

According to ESPN.com, Foster said during the Super Bowl week he wanted to stay in Houston. “It’s out of my hands,” Foster said. “It’s not under my control. The Texans are going to make the best move for their organization and their team."

Keeping a running back who ran for 1,224 yards this past season should be paramount on the Texans' list of things to do this offseason.

Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Even before it could truly be discussed, the Ravens team owner Steve Bisciotti said he wants to not only keep Rice, but to retain quarterback Joe Flacco as well.

That is good news for the future of this franchise. Losing Rice would be to detrimental to the team in its plans for trying to reach the Super Bowl in 2012.

Rice racked up 2,068 combined yards in 2011 and is arguably one of the five best running backs in the league right now.

With Rice slated to stay, the team can now concentrate on trying to re-sign free agents like guard Ben Grubbs and defensive back Lardarius Webb.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

If he left Louisiana, the New Orleans Saints fanbase would revolt.

But Brees, the newly named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, expects a deal to to be done before the free-agency period begins.

Brees is everything to this team, both on and off the field. Shattering Dan Marino's single season yardage record was merely child's play in an offense that moves the ball around like a passenger train going across the country.

Brees will be able to retire in The Big Easy.