NFL Free-Agent Rumors: 15 Big Rumors That Seem Laughable Now

The 2012 NFL free-agency period has cooled off dramatically since the Denver Broncos signed Peyton Manning.

Over the past month, there have been plenty of rumors that have surfaced regarding which teams free agents will sign with.

Clearly, some of these moves did not come close to coming to fruition.

Here are 15 free-agency rumors that seem laughable now.

15. Randy Moss to the Baltimore Ravens

There were questions about Randy Moss' interest on the open market when he announced he was returning to the NFL.

The Baltimore Ravens were once again linked to another veteran wide receiver. The Lee Evans experiment didn't work out in their favor, which has the Ravens returning to the drawing board.

Moss has the size and speed to be a formidable receiver in the Ravens offense. However, the Ravens never showed interest in Moss.

He ended up joining an NFC contender in the San Francisco 49ers.

14. Mario Manningham to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When Mario Manningham hit the open market, there was going to be a big market for the young wide receiver.

He enjoyed his time with the Giants but wanted to find a better opportunity to earn playing time and also get a new contract.

He was linked to joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that had cap space and was in need of wide receivers.

In the end, it seems laughable that Manningham would even join the Buccaneers. He ended up signing with the San Francisco 49ers, while the Buccaneers signed more notable free agents instead.

13. Marques Colston to the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns were considered to be a team that was in the hunt for an elite wide receiver.

With the lack of fire power on offense, the Browns could use a vertical threat that could aid in Colt McCoy's progression.

It appeared that Marques Colston was leaving the New Orleans Saints for a new team that could offer a bigger contract.

However, Colston surprisingly re-signed with the Saints. The Browns aren't a popular landing spot for elite players who are in their prime.

12. Mike Tolbert to the Pittsburgh Steelers

The San Diego Chargers were content with the signing of Le'Ron McClain and allowing Mike Tolbert to enter free agency.

Tolbert was being pursued by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who need another running back to replace Rashard Mendenhall early on in the season.

As usual, the Steelers did not sign any notable names in free agency. In a surprise move, Tolbert signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers, who now carry great depth at the running back.

11. Jeff Saturday to the Denver Broncos

Last week, it was a forgone conclusion that Jeff Saturday would follow Peyton Manning to the Denver Broncos.

After all, Saturday played with Manning the majority of his career, and it made perfect sense to follow his close friend and teammate to Denver.

Unfortunately, all journalists alike who predicted Saturday to the Broncos won't hear the end of it for awhile.

Saturday decided to join the Green Bay Packers and become the starting center for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

10. Cortland Finnegan to the Detroit Lions

There was a potential connection between free-agent cornerback Cortland Finnegan and the Detroit Lions.

When Finnegan entered the free-agent market, the idea of joining the Lions appeared intriguing.

The young Lions defense needs a revamp of the secondary, as a lack of talent hurt their chances to compete in the post season.

Head coach Jim Schwartz was also Cortland's defensive coordinator while with the Tennessee Titans.

The Lions never entered serious discussions with Finnegan (if at all) and watched him join Jeff Fisher and the St. Louis Rams.

9. Robert Meachem to the Buffalo Bills

Robert Meachem commanded a lot of interest early among the wide receiver market. He began his free-agency tour meeting with the Buffalo Bills, who appeared "very close" to signing the former Saints wide receiver.

The Bills were ready to make a splash by signing two marquee free agents in Meachem and All-Pro defensive end Mario Williams.

They weren't ready for Meachem's ultimate plans. He shunned the Bills by signing with the high-flying offense of the San Diego Chargers.

8. Reggie Wayne to the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have greatly disappointed their fan base this offseason.

They missed out on the opportunity to sign Peyton Manning. With that, the chance to sign Reggie Wayne also came crashing down.

It seemed perfect for Wayne to sign with the Dolphins. He was thought of looking for a new start, and Miami seemed to be an area he was used to. In fact, he owns a house down in Miami, which made the connection to the Dolphins seem too good to be true.

Wayne surprised many people around the league by re-signing with the Indianapolis Colts.

7. Peyton Manning to the Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were widely speculated to be a potential target of Peyton Manning.

There was no question that the Chiefs went out of their way to schedule a meeting with Manning and shun Matt Cassel if needed.

With all the youth in place on offense and defense, the move seemed like a no-brainer.

Apparently, Peyton Manning wasn't thinking in the same mindset of most people. He was never interested in meeting with the Chiefs and decided to take his talents to the division rival Denver Broncos.

6. Carl Nicks to the Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins were undoubtedly the favorite for All-Pro guard Carl Nicks.

As usual, the Redskins had cap space to improve the offense around their new quarterback.

With new receivers in place, it was a shock that the Redskins were unable to sign Nicks. The bigger priority for them was to sign Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan to large contracts.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took advantage and decided to sign Nicks.

5. Mike Wallace to the San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers needed to upgrade the offensive weapons around quarterback Alex Smith. Vernon Davis was the only receiver producing on a consistent basis.

They were highly regarded as the team that would pry Mike Wallace away from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only would they give their first-round pick to the Steelers, but Wallace would earn a big contract in the process.

That rumor never picked up steam and was debunked quickly. First, the 49ers signed Randy Moss. Then they signed receiver Mario Manningham instead of Wallace.

Clearly, the 49ers were not content with the price of Wallace.

4. Mario Williams to the Chicago Bears

Mario Williams was the best free agent available this offseason behind quarterback Peyton Manning.

The Chicago Bears were considering the possibility of signing Williams and putting him alongside All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers.

The Bears didn't have an opportunity to convince Williams to join the vaunted defense. The Buffalo Bills brought him to their headquarters and never allowed him to leave before signing a contract.

3. Vincent Jackson to the Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins were primed to improve the offensive talent around their future quarterback (whether Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III).

Mike Shanahan was a big fan of Vincent Jackson and was upset that he never drafted him out of college.

Instead of signing Jackson, the Redskins added depth to the position by signing Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan.

Once again, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made another splash in free agency by signing Jackson.

2. Matt Flynn to the Miami Dolphins

Before free agency began, the Miami Dolphins were expected to sign Matt Flynn if Peyton Manning was no longer an option.

Flynn's offensive coordinator was Joe Philbin, now head coach of the Dolphins. That didn't convince the Dolphins to pull the trigger on Flynn.

After witnessing Kevin Kolb's performance last season, the Dolphins were weary about signing an inexperienced quarterback.

Flynn ended up earning his new contract and signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

1. Peyton Manning to the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins were determined to sign Peyton Manning and revitalize the franchise.

The rumor that the Dolphins were the favorite for Manning was far from the truth.

Manning never showed much interest in the Dolphins during the visiting process. The consensus is that Manning visited the Dolphins out of courtesy for former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.

There is no question that the Dolphins have been the biggest losers in free agency thus far after missing out on all the marquee free agents.