12 NFL Free Agents Who Won't Land Jobs Until Training Camp

Back in early April, we brought you a list of 10 notable unsigned free agents who might never play again. Good thing we used the word "might," because it looks like we were wrong about James Harrison, Bryant McKinnie and Felix Jones. 

Now, we'll up the ante by changing "might" to "won't," but take the pressure off by simply stating that the following 12 players will remain unemployed until training camps get under way in July and August. 

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow has faced a lot of rejection since being released by the New York Jets. A slew of teams have made it clear they won't be signing him, but it only takes one. So while nothing appears to be imminent, Tebow will surely wait for camp injuries to take their toll before settling for a job in Canadian or Arena Football. 

The reality is that a quarterback will get hurt somewhere. Probably more than one. And regardless of whether you think Tebow is good enough to start in this league, he's probably the best option sitting on an open market that includes Vince Young, Charlie Batch, Byron Leftwich, Trent Edwards and Matt Leinart.  

Nick Barnett

With 131 career starts under his belt, Nick Barnett is an ideal candidate to step in for any fallen linebackers while bringing a veteran presence to a desperate team this summer.

The former Buffalo Bill may not be the player he once was in Green Bay, but he's a jack-of-all-trades-type player who was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the ninth-best 4-3 outside linebacker in football in 2012. 

The 31-year-old has got some football left in him, so expect Barnett to sign a one-year deal somewhere when openings begin to emerge in camps.  

Daryl Smith

Daryl Smith and Nick Barnett are in similar spots. Both are 31 and would bring a veteran presence to a linebacking corps in need, but the difference is that Barnett was effective last year, while Smith missed virtually all of the 2012 season due to a groin injury. 

The Rams were reportedly sniffing around before the draft, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but we haven't heard much on Smith since. It's tough to tell whether he or Barnett will sign somewhere first, but expect both to find jobs once guys go down in camps. 

PFF ranked Smith as the second-best 4-3 outside linebacker in the league when he was last healthy in 2011.  

Brandon Moore

At 32, Brandon Moore might not be the player he once was, but he's clearly the best guard on the market. He hasn't missed a start since 2004 and was ranked by PFF as the fifth-best guard in football last season. 

He won't get a deal right now if he's still holding out for what NFL Network's Ian Rapoport referred to as "starter money," but the fact he's been waiting this long indicates Moore will likely pause until someone gets desperate in July or August. 

Quentin Jammer

At 33, Quentin Jammer is struggling to find a new gig after surrendering eight touchdowns during a terrible 2012 season. He was linked to the Buccaneers in the Tampa Bay Times before they acquired Darrelle Revis and reportedly visited the Redskins before they drafted three defensive backs, according to Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan, but there's been nothing new lately. 

With 161 career starts under his belt, someone will eventually give a shot to a guy who is rarely hurt and whose price tag will eventually have to drop. Don't be surprised if that someone is San Diego, who he spent the first 11 years of his career with. 

Eric Winston

Eric Winston is our biggest gamble on this list because there's no way a player of his caliber should last on the open market until training camps open. It's ridiculous that the 29-year-old is still unemployed, but that's been the case for so long that it might just extend that far. 

Remember, Winston was a free agent before everyone else when he was cut by the Chiefs, but there's a belief in some spots (including the Washington Post) that he's asking for too much money.

He's the best right tackle available now that Tyson Clabo has joined the Dolphins, but according to ESPN it looks like the Cowboys are sticking with Doug Free and teams are moving forward with what they have. Winston could have to wait for an injury or eventually bring his price down. 

John Abraham

The Tennessee Titans say they're still talking to John Abraham, according to The Tennessean, but if he's lasted this long, there's a good chance they wait for things to evolve between now and August. 

Abraham is 35 and is no longer an every-down player. So with lots of serviceable pass-rushers hanging out on the open market, there's little reason for anyone to give him a contract until more dominoes begin to fall. 

That said, there's almost no way he doesn't land a job somewhere after recording 10 sacks and forcing six fumbles in 2012. 

Sedrick Ellis

Sedrick Ellis is only 28 years old and is a former No. 7 overall pick, which means he inevitably has some upside left despite the fact he has just half a sack since the start of 2011.

We figured he was cast aside by the Saints because he no longer made sense in their new 3-4 scheme, but the Cardinals also run a 3-4 and they reportedly had Ellis on their radar after the draft, according to Mike Jurecki of Xtra Sports 910. There's been little reported interest outside of that, though, so don't expect anyone to bite here until the last minute.  

Kerry Rhodes

It's hard to explain why Kerry Rhodes has lingered on the free-agent market as long as he has. The 30-year-old was a cap casualty after putting together a very solid 2012 season in Arizona, but nothing came of a visit reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN with the Bengals in April and the market's gone cold. 

There's no doubt, though, that he's the top safety available, so look for Rhodes to sign somewhere as soon as a starter goes down.  

Jared Gaither

"Big Lazy" Jared Gaither gained a bad rep while struggling with injuries and starting just four games on a big contract in 2012. He's only 27, though, and has exhibited dominance in flashes during his six years in this league. 

Gaither is by far the best left tackle on the market, so while he might be a liability off the field, somebody will cave and take a chance if their starter goes down during training camp or the preseason. 

Braylon Edwards

In each of the last two years, Braylon Edwards has signed somewhere during training camp. Look for that to happen again this year, because the 30-year-old Edwards is still too talented not to catch on somewhere, but he hasn't done enough recently to prove that he's worthy of landing a job before camps get underway. 

The stud-turned-journeyman turned in a trio of decent starts late last year for the Jets, and Gang Green general manager John Idzik has said that there's a possibility they bring him back, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. If that happens, it'll likely take place in July or August.  

Richard Seymour

When he's on the field, Richard Seymour can still be a force. He's got 57.5 career sacks and is rated highly by Pro Football Focus on an annual basis. 

The problem is that the 33-year-old missed eight games last year due to hamstring issues. He'll definitely find a job if he wants to play, but that might not happen until somebody becomes desperate and the market has had a chance to become shallower.  

Footnotes

There are four particular free agents who weren't included because we feel they'll be signed at some point between now and the start of camps. Those four veterans are Ahmad Bradshaw, Charles Woodson, Winston Justice and Dwight Freeney.