2012 NFL Free Agents: 5 Players Flying Under the Radar

The 2012 NFL free-agent class is highlighted by names such as Drew Brees, Mario Williams and Marshawn Lynch, all of whom had spectacular 2011 campaigns and will be highly sought after if and when they hit the open market.

There are also other free agents who aren't receiving nearly as much publicity but will still prove to be huge assets to the teams they end up with.

Let's take a look at five names who are flying under the radar this free agency season.

Jason Campbell

With the Raiders trading away a wealth of draft picks to land Carson Palmer, Campbell doesn't appear to be a part of Oakland's immediate plans for the future. This is good news for the rest of the NFL as Campbell is a very serviceable veteran who can make an impact with a team in need of a quarterback.

Campbell suffered a collarbone injury midway through 2011 but will be fully healthy by the time training camps start.

Other quarterbacks such as Brees, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith are making the most noise due in large part to their late-season success.

Campbell isn't the hottest name on the market, but he could end up being one of the top dark horse free-agent candidates in 2012.

Robert Meachem

The Saints are quite possibly the team with the most to lose this offseason. With big names such as Drew Brees, Carl Nicks and Marques Colston set to become free agents, the front office has its work cut out for it to keep this squad together.

Meachem is a guy that has played in the shadows of Colston, Lance Moore and Jimmy Graham for much of his career. Consequently, the former Tennessee wide receiver never received the respect he deserved, and there's very little chance of the Saints resigning Meachem considering all of their other free agents.

Meachem could serve as a downfield threat for his new team as he possesses great speed and solid separation skills. Whichever team lands Meachem will be receiving a very underrated player with breakout potential in the coming seasons.

Mike Tolbert

This year's free-agent running back class is deep and talented, making it easy for a guy like Tolbert to be overlooked.

Matt Forte, Ray Rice, Marshawn Lynch and Arian Foster (restricted) are the crown jewels of the class and each of these players will be courted heavily when free agency opens next month.

Tolbert will not be as hot of a commodity but still could be a pleasant surprise. Known as a big, bruising-type back, Tolbert found success in San Diego as he and Ryan Mathews were able to develop a solid rapport in the backfield.

Tolbert may be too expensive to keep in San Diego, which opens the door for a team to sign the rather underrated veteran.

Terrell Thomas

Thomas can be classified as one of the more interesting free agents of 2012. The cornerback was on track to becoming an All-Pro candidate when a torn ACL in August put those plans on hold.

Now that he is healthy, the former USC Trojan is back and ready to prove himself. Although reports have surfaced regarding contract negotiations between the Giants and Thomas, the cornerback would be a intriguing addition to any NFL team should the talks with the Giants fall through.

Thomas was playing at an All-Pro-caliber level before his injury and he has the ability to be a shutdown corner in the NFL. The injury is a cause for concern, but Thomas is the type of guy that has the drive to excel and will surely do wherever he ends up.

Scott Wells

Wells had a sensational season in 2011 for the Packers, making him a viable free-agent option for many teams. Still, with other centers such as Chris Myers are receiving more attention but Wells is certainly a capable option at the center spot.

Wells was a big part of the Packers success throwing the football in 2011. Wells prides himself on his pass-blocking abilities and performs very well in that department despite his small stature.

If the Packers don't opt to bring back Wells (keep in mind that another offensive star, Jermichael Finley, is also a free agent), look for Wells to fit in nicely with another pass-oriented team.