NFL Free Agency 2014: Rounding Up Hottest Free-Agency Rumors

With NFL free agency set to kick into high gear on Tuesday, March 11, rumors are flying out of league offices in mass quantities.

There are plenty of high-profile veterans becoming available who have proved over the course of time to be highly productive players in this league. They won't last long once the bidding begins in earnest, and they will be expected to make a major positive impact for new teams in 2014. 

Here's a look at the latest buzz surrounding a few of these top players. 

Michael Johnson Is In High Demand

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Despite the fact that he had a down year from a statistical standpoint in 2013, defensive end Michael Johnson is receiving an incredible amount of interest from around the league. He broke through with a 11.5-sack season for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 before dropping off to just 3.5 sacks last year. 

ESPN's Ben Goessling reported that the Minnesota Vikings were one of seven teams pursuing the pass-rusher, adding that Johnson isn't expected to go back to Cincinnati:

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune noted his sources saying Lovie Smith and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are "pushing hard to sign Johnson."

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The fact that Johnson is being hotly pursued by multiple teams should not surprise anyone. In addition to the fact that he's already put up big-time numbers in the league, the 27-year-old defensive end possesses the frame and athleticism that teams drool over.

At 6'7" and 260 pounds, Johnson is quick off the snap, has enough strength and leverage to power through offensive tackles, and he also possesses enough quickness to get around blockers. 

However, not everyone is convinced he's worth big money, including Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus:

Every year, players are overpaid in free agency, much to the regret of the teams that sign them; perhaps this year, Johnson will be the next to fall into that category. 

Alterraun Verner Being Hotly Pursued By At Least Six Teams

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Cornerback Alterraun Verner is quickly becoming one of the hottest names on the free-agent market.

At the age of 25, the defensive back is entering the prime of his career. Since joining the league as a fourth-round pick out of UCLA in 2010, Verner has established himself as one of the best young corners in the league, as his Pro Bowl season in 2013 clearly illustrated.

As such, it's not surprising that he's in high demand. Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean recently noted six teams with interest in signing the free agent:

All six teams mentioned by Wyatt could certainly use the help, and top cornerbacks are always a valued commodity in today's pass-happy league. Of course, this fact likely means that a cap-strapped team like Pittsburgh won't have a puncher's chance of landing him.

On the other hand, a team with cap space—like the Vikings—could make a hard charge to land the up-and-coming star. Bleacher Report's Michael Schottey believes Minnesota would fix its defense "in a hurry" if it landed both Johnson and Verner:

After Tennessee decided not to use the franchise tag on Verner, it appears as though he's on his way out and that he'll land a lucrative long-term deal with a new team.

Aqib Talib Could Be Headed To Washington

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The New England Patriots would certainly love to retain their top defensive back heading into the 2014 season, but it won't be easy.

Per Jeffe Howe of the Boston Herald, Aqib Talib wants a "top-of-the-market deal" to stay in New England.

This means he's likely looking for a contract that will pay him at least as much as the Miami Dolphins paid Brent Grimes, who received a four-year deal worth $32 million, including $16 million guaranteed, this offseason.

The Patriots aren't exactly known for handing out top contracts to veterans, which opens the door for another team to swoop in and lure Talib away from New England. 

Owner Robert Kraft seemed to indicate that his idea of Talib's value may not coincide with the player's version recently. 

“Well, we want to retain all the good players we can retain,” Kraft said about Talib in an interview with Felger and Mazz of CBS Sports Radio during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.. “It’s not like we have unlimited funding so . . . He wasn’t on the field a lot of the time since he’s been with us. It’s a balance of us balancing all that out and what is he worth.”

One team being rumored to potentially be in the mix to sign Talib is Washington, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Simms. 

It certainly makes sense that Talib could be a good fit for the Redskins, a team that has been atrocious against the pass throughout the past couple of seasons. Additionally, Raheem Morris, who worked with Talib during his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is Washington's defensive backs coach.

Free agency hasn't been kind to Washington in the past, though, and the team appears to be a work in progress. With that in mind, Talib might want to re-consider taking a bit less money to stay with the Patriots, where he'll have a chance to compete for a Super Bowl as long as Tom Brady is under center.