2012 NFL Free Agents: 10 Things to Expect in First Week of Free Agency

Free agency is finally upon us, and the upcoming week is sure to be full of excitement and sorrow for teams and fans across the nation as players sign multi-year, multimillion-dollar contracts to play the game we all love.

Everyone wants to know who is going where, which teams will strike out and which teams will pay through the nose for players who might not be worth it.

In short, it is a whole lot of fun, but tension and stress also factor into the process. 

Let's take a look at what we can expect to see in the first week of free agency for NFL teams.

Carl Nicks Will Join the Atlanta Falcons

"In my mind, I pretty much am gone."—Carl Nicks, on March 9, 2012.

Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com wrote a column recently saying that the Falcons could hurt their division rivals by acquiring Nicks in free agency.

Nicks would love the chance to face his former squad twice a year, so I'm betting that he ends up in Atlanta.

The Falcons offense could sure use the help, too. 

Nicks will provide a spark for Atlanta's rushing attack, which has tended to struggle in short-distance situations in the past.

He is a road grader of the first order, and Michael Turner will benefit greatly from his addition to their offensive line.

Curtis Lofton Will Land in Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggled in the middle of their defense last year.

Rookie Mason Foster tried admirably to fill the void left by Barrett Ruud, but he's really not suited for middle linebacker, and the new coaching staff would like to move him to his more natural outside linebacker position.

Curtis Lofton won't be returning to the Atlanta Falcons, who have recently signed Lofa Tatupu to take his place for a fraction of the cost.

Lofton would provide leadership, stability and youth for the Bucs, and the price may not end up being too steep. 

Eric Winston Will Be the Newest Member of the Arizona Cardinals

In one of the most bizarre personnel decisions in the NFL, the Houston Texans reportedly released all-world offensive tackle Eric Winston to save $5.5 million in cap space.

Their loss is Arizona's gain, as Winston will take his talents to the high desert, replacing newly-departed Levi Brown.

Landing Winston will be a welcome salve for missing out on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes and should improve the Cardinals offense as a whole.  

Brandon Carr Will End Up in Dallas

After the dust settled from the salary-cap hubbub, the Dallas Cowboys were docked only $5 million for 2012, leaving the door wide open for them to land one of the most coveted free agents in this year's class.

The team has targeted Carr and Cortland Finnegan to shore up a weak secondary.

In the end, Carr will be the one signing a contract with Jerry Jones.

Carr's ability to excel in both zone and man-to-man schemes will make him a valuable addition to Rob Ryan's multifaceted defense.

Carlos Rogers Will Stay in San Francisco

"As cornerbacks, we know our market value. San Francisco is where my heart is at. They want me back. It’s a business, both for them and me. Hopefully we get something worked out."—Carlos Rogers (H/T ProFootballTalk)

The 49ers are expected to let Rogers test the open market, as they are notorious for not paying a player more than they think that player is worth.

Rogers may think he knows his market value, but I'm guessing he still ends up with the San Francisco 49ers at the end of the day. 

Mario Williams Will Team Up with Julius Peppers in Chicago

John "Moon" Mullen of CSNChicago.com is reporting that the Chicago Bears are the favorites to land Mario Williams in free agency.

Landing Williams would give the Bears the best one-two punch at defensive end in the entire NFL.

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times says the Bears couldn't lose by bringing him in.

I couldn't agree more. 

Williams is not just a pass-rusher, either.

He sets the edge and can make plays in the backfield against even the quickest running backs.

The Bears still need help at the wide receiver position, but for now, Williams is their top priority.

The Redskins Will Still Land Vincent Jackson

Vincent Jackson will sign on with the Redskins to be the primary target for Robert Griffin III.

Despite being hit with a $36 million cap penalty, $18 million of which will be missing from their 2012 numbers, the Washington Redskins are still in a position to land one of the most coveted wide receivers on the market.

Even with the penalty, the Redskins still have over $20 million to spend this year, making it possible to still make an impact through free agency.

Jackson will be a welcome addition that will help RG3 make a smooth transition from college to the pros.

Combined with Leonhard Hankerson, Jackson will make the 'Skins a dangerous team through the air.

Mike Wallace Won't Stay in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed the highest possible tender on Mike Wallace.

What this means is that they will pay him $2.7 million in 2012, and any team that wants to offer more can do so with the caveat that the Steelers can either match the offer or receive a first-round draft pick as compensation for their loss.

With so many teams needing help at the wide receiver position, there is no chance Wallace stays in Pittsburgh.

They are approximately $10.5 million under the cap right now, and Wallace is far from the only player they need to sign.

This leaves the door wide open for a number of teams to land the young superstar, and I'm expecting Wallace to be long gone from Pittsburgh in 2012.

Peyton Manning Will End Up with the Denver Broncos

I don't believe there is another team in the NFL that can offer Peyton Manning a more comfortable situation than the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos have been considered one of the favorites to land him, and they have already begun preliminary talks with Tom Condon, Manning's agent.

Manning is still making the rounds as we speak, as he is scheduled to meet with the Tennessee Titans later in the week.

Bud Adams wants him bad, but in the end, I expect him to be in the Rocky Mountains playing for another Hall of Fame quarterback.

There Will Be More Than a Few Shockers

As it does every year, NFL free agency will provide more than a few surprises. 

Nobody saw the Philadelphia Eagles taking Nnamdi Asomugha last year, yet in the end that's exactly what happened. 

Don't expect this year to be dull. I guarantee we'll all be shocked by some of the results.

No matter how much we think we know, the truth is that you never know what will happen.

After all, when Randy Moss decided to return to the NFL after taking a year off, nobody expected San Francisco to be his first choice. 

So who will be this year's Asomugha?

Sit back and enjoy the ride. Free agency is about to commence.

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