2012 NFL Free Agents: Matt Flynn and Undervalued Franchise Cornerstones

While names like Peyton Manning are going to dominate the offseason, he is not the kind of player that franchises looking for longterm growth need to build on. While these players don't have that kind of name, they are the ones that franchises looking to build longterm will need to build on. 

Matt Flynn

With Drew Brees in the free agent class, the drama of the Peyton Manning situation still looming, and Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III in the draft, Flynn is going to fall under the radar.

The team that gets him will have a solid quarterback to build around for a long time. Consider what this guy has done in two career starts (both against playoff teams).

Completions	Attempts	Percentage	Yards	Touchdowns	Interceptions
55	81	67.9	831	9	2

When those are the kind of numbers that you can put up in limited playing time, you're a good quarterback. On top of all of that, he's played under the coaching of Mike McCarthy and Joe Philbin, who are both fantastic offensive minds. As if all of that wasn't enough, Flynn has studied under reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers.

The eyes will be on the future Hall of Famers (Brees, Manning) and the youngsters in (Luck, Griffin), but Flynn will only be 27 next year and has shown nothing but promise. Teams in need of a quarterback would turn a weakness into a strength by nabbing Flynn. 

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez grab the attention, but Green-Ellis has been a solid force for each of the last two seasons. 

Playing in a pass-first offense on a team that does not rely on one back to carry the load, Green-Ellis has rushed for 1,675 yards over the last two seasons. That total is good, but the number that jumps off of the page is 24 touchdowns, all of which came on the ground. 

Even with all of the focus on Welker, Gronkowski, and Hernandez, the Patriots still trust Green-Ellis to get the ball in the end zone. 

Any team that needs a change of pace power back to get in the end zone would do exceptionally well to grab Green-Ellis. On top of his red zone value, the Law Firm can also move the chains.

Stevie Johnson

Between the terrible weather and an inconsistent Ryan Fitzpatrick, catching passes in Buffalo is not an easy accomplishment. Still, over the last two seasons, Johnson has caught 158 passes for 2,077 yards and 17 scores. 

It is easy to fall under the radar in Buffalo and that's what Johnson has done. If he goes to a team with a stable quarterback situation, that franchise will not need to worry about signing a top receiver for a long time. Johnson brings a vertical threat to the equation, but also averages nearly five grabs a game. 

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