NFL Free Agency 2013: Taking a Look at the Top 10 Free Agents Still Available

March 12th marked the beginning of the 2013 free agency period in the NFL.  We have already seen names like Mike Wallace, Paul Kruger, Dannell Ellerbe, Wes Welker and Greg Jennings find new homes this offseason.  

With a number of good players still available, who are the top 10 free agents still on the market?

10. Fred Davis

Fred Davis finally appeared to be on his way to the best season of his career during the 2012 season.  

The fifth-year veteran was poised for an encore performance of his 2011 season where he caught 59 passes for 796 yards and three touchdowns.  Just seven games into the 2012 campaign, Davis had recorded a respectable 24 catches for 325 yards, averaging 13.5 yards per catch—just as he did in 2011.

In the Redskins' week 7 match up against the New York Giants, Davis suffered a torn Achilles tendon, promptly ending his season.

Of the remaining tight ends left in free agency, if healthy, Davis has to be considered the best.  Combining his age, 27 years old, and his recent production over the last few seasons, no tight end on the market has put up the numbers Davis has.

9. Charles Woodson

I know, Charles Woodson is not the player he once was.  The decline of Woodson has come rather quickly for the 14-year NFL veteran, due to both injuries and ability.  However, there is something to be said for a player's knowledge of the game, and that's why Charles Woodson receives a spot on this list.  

A free agent thought to be in high demand this offseason, Woodson has not received much attention from teams.  

Woodson made the switch to strong safety this season due to a decline in his coverage abilities.  He suffered a broken collarbone in week 7 against the St. Louis Rams, causing him to miss nine games of the regular season; however, he returned in time to play in the Packers' two playoff games.

The Packers chose to release Woodson in February to free up $10 million of cap space.  Woodson could still have something to contribute to a franchise willing to sign the veteran.  In two playoff games for the Packers this season, he still managed to deflect two passes.  

Woodson's knowledge of the game and ability to find himself in the right place at the right time should still make him an attractive free agent to some teams in need of safety help.

8. Brian Urlacher

Brian Urlacher saw a severe drop in his production last season.  The 13-year NFL veteran has spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears, but is now searching for a new team.

Urlacher suffered a strained hamstring in week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks that led to him missing the Bears' last four games of the season.  Throughout his career, however, Urlacher has displayed great durability with the exception of a few seasons.

Urlacher's four missed games in 2012 was the first time since 2009 that the soon to be 35-year-old linebacker missed a game.  Urlacher's only other injury plagued season occurred in 2004 when the middle linebacker suffered a leg injury causing him to miss seven games.

The Bears opted to release Urlacher after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a restructured deal.  

Urlacher managed to rack up 68 tackles last season along with one interception and seven passes defensed.  Despite the down numbers from his 2011 season, Urlacher could still be a fairly productive player for a team needing help at middle linebacker.

7. Michael Huff

The Oakland Raiders elected to release Michael Huff at the end of the 2012 season.  Huff, who is a 7-year veteran of the NFL, was a former first-round draft pick by the Raiders in 2006, but never quite lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him.  

That being said, Huff is still a solid contributor and has been a hot free agent since hitting the market, scheduling visits with the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens.

Huff switched between free safety and cornerback for the Raiders in 2012, but struggled at times in the cornerback position.  Whoever targets Huff will likely look for him to fill their free safety role.

Huff is a versatile player who has missed only five games in his career and has 11 career interceptions.  This past season Huff deflected the second most passes of his career, knocking down 13 balls for the Raiders' defense.

6. John Abraham

John Abraham is another example of an aging veteran who was shown the door after a productive season in order to free up cap space.

Abraham, who has spent his last seven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, was due to make $3.25 million in the 2013 season.  Despite a year in which he recorded 10 sacks and tied his career high with forced six fumbles, the Falcons saw fit to let go of the soon-to-be 35-year-old pass rusher.

Abraham is another player who despite his age has remained relatively healthy and consistent throughout his career.  Over the last six seasons, Abraham missed only two games for the Falcons and recorded 10 or more sacks in four of those seasons.  

For a free agency market that consists of aging pass rushers, Abraham appears to be the best still on the market following the Ravens signing of Elvis Dumervil.

5. Brandon Lloyd

The New England Patriots chose to release Brandon Lloyd after just one season with the franchise.  Lloyd was due a total of $4.9 million in 2013, with $3 million coming by way of a bonus.  After failing to restructure the deal, the Patriots allowed Lloyd to join teammates Wes Welker and Julian Edelman in free agency.

Lloyd recorded 74 catches for 911 yards and four touchdowns with the Patriots in 2012, but never really seemed to fit in with the team.  

The often injured wide receiver played the entire season without injury for the Patriots, but has missed 28 games since 2007.  

Lloyd is just two years removed from the best season of his career, when he posted 77 receptions with a league high 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Denver Broncos in 2010.  

A well-traveled player throughout his career, Lloyd has played for six different teams in his 10-year career and will likely find a seventh team in 2013.

4. Karlos Dansby

The Miami Dolphins' defense was a big reason that the team was able to go 7-9 last season.  The Dolphins ranked seventh in the league in points allowed this past season, and a large part of their success was because of Karlos Dansby.

Dansby was promptly released after the Dolphins signed free agent linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, a move Dansby did not see coming.  The move was likely made as an attempt to get younger on the field because Dansby's production certainly wasn't lacking in 2012.

Dansby led the Dolphins in tackles last season, posting a career high 134, and deflected nine passes.  While a great player on the field, his age may not have been the only factor in the Dolphins' choosing to release Dansby.

You do not have to search too hard to find news reports of Dansby shooting off his mouth, voicing his displeasure with either another team or his own team.  You might recall his complaint about the Dolphins releasing wide receiver Chad Johnson this past preseason during training camp.

At 31 years old, Dansby is still young enough to be a productive player for a team seeking a linebacker who is coming off one of his most productive seasons yet.

3. Ahmad Bradshaw

The Giants released running back Ahmad Bradshaw this offseason in order to free up $3 million in cap space and pave the way for now second-year running back David Wilson.

Bradshaw's health has become a bit of a concern for teams this offseason, as he is currently recovering from surgery on his right foot, which is his fourth foot injury since 2009.  In the last two seasons, Bradshaw has missed six games, and in a league where every game counts, the Giants appeared unwilling to risk Bradshaw missing anymore games for them.

Despite missing two games last season, Bradshaw still posted solid numbers for the Giants, a team that heavily relies on the arm of Eli Manning.  Bradshaw rushed 221 times for 1,015 yards and 6 touchdowns.  He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and eclipsed the 100-yard mark four times.

While not one of the top running backs in the league, Bradshaw will make a nice addition to one of several teams in need of a running back.

2. Brent Grimes

Brent Grimes suffered a great misfortune just one week into the 2012 season.  During a week 1 match up with the Kansas City Chiefs, Grimes suffered a torn Achilles tendon, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Despite the injury, Grimes has still garnered attention from teams this free agency period and is the second best cornerback available according to Rotoworld.com.

Grimes was really starting to come into his own as a cornerback for the Falcons.  A Pro Bowl player in 2010, Grimes has recorded 12 interceptions since 2009 and has deflected 50 passes over that span.  

I'm not trying to dismiss Grimes' injury, as anybody who suffers a torn Achilles is a risk to re-injure it once they return to the field.  However, any team who is willing to take a risk at signing the 30-year-old could reap great benefits.  

1. Antoine Winfield

Antoine Winfield had one of his best seasons in 2012, which isn't too bad for a 14-year NFL veteran.  The Vikings let the nickel cornerback go to free up cap space for their team, as the 35-year-old player was due to make $7.25 million this season.

Winfield was an absolute stud for the Vikings in 2012.  Registering a total of 101 tackles and three interceptions while not giving up a single touchdown in pass coverage.  

Considering that Winfield faced the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions a combined six times this season, the fact that he did not surrender a single touchdown is phenomenal.  

While I realize his age is a concerning factor and will be a main argument against his being at the top of this list, his body of work last season speaks for itself.

There is no denying that the NFL has become a pass-happy league, requiring defenses to use more nickel and dime packages than in past years.  In that sense, you can never have too many defensive backs, and although Winfield will likely not repeat the same kind of numbers he put up last season he remains a solid option for any team looking to improve their pass coverage.