2015 NFL Free Agents: Analyzing Rumors, Predictions for Ndamukong Suh and More

This time of year, it seems the impending NFL free agency will be historic. 

Look at some of the top potential names in the 2015 class—Dez Bryant,  Demaryius Thomas, Justin Houston, DeMarco Murray, Darrelle Revis, Jason Pierre-Paul and Randall Cobb, to name a few.

Of course, many of these names figure to iron things out before the market even opens. Whether that is an extension or some sort of tag does not matter—things always seem better than they wind up being.

But hey, it is fun to daydream. Right now as things head to the divisional round, only a few names consistently make the rounds.

Brian Hoyer on the Move?

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Sorry for the letdown, but some of the most important free agents are still alive in the postseason. Lots of chatter would lead to CSI-esque investigations and claims of tampering, so let's chat about Brian Hoyer instead.

The hometown hero and former Cleveland Browns quarterback inspired the city in 2014 briefly, watched as Manziel Mania invaded and then went on to throw for 3,326 yards and 12 touchdowns to 13 interceptions before the rookie took over.

Keep in mind, though, that Hoyer's ho-hum stint at home followed a few years as an understudy of one Tom Brady. He's also only 29 years old. This would help to explain why many in the know hear that Hoyer is a name that continues to warm up on the market, per ESPN.com's Field Yates (subscription required):

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Browns GM Ray Farmer recently discussed the possibility of Hoyer's return to Cleveland, but it seems unlikely given the team's investment in Johnny Manziel and the need to develop the former Heisman Trophy winner (if Hoyer returns to Cleveland, it's almost certainly to be the starter, not to help in Manziel's development). Schefter has reported that Hoyer is unlikely to return to Cleveland, and earmarked the Texans as a team to keep an eye on for the 29-year-old.

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While the Browns were blowing it with a rookie under center, ESPN's Adam Schefter provided a hint as to the organization's thought process:

Much of this hinges on how Hoyer fancies himself. If he wants to start, perhaps that note about Houston makes the most sense. A role as a backup certainly opens up more doors, as teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals need competition for starters.

Stick with Houston for a moment. That destination made the most sense before rumblings began, as the Texans passed on a quarterback in the first round at No. 1 overall last year and now figure to miss out on the top-tier prospects thanks to the No. 16 pick.

Hoyer is a better option than Houston used last season. While a journeyman, he is a solid holdover who can win games, especially when backed by a strong ground game. When push comes to shove, the Hoyer-to-Houston train makes a ton of sense.

Prediction: Hoyer signs with Houston.

The Ndamukong Suh Drama...

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...is just beginning.

Of all the major names listed in the intro, Suh is even bigger—and the likeliest to hit the open market.

Suh is a problem on the field. This in itself lends to speculation that the Detroit Lions would not mind if he found a new home on the open market. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team will indeed let him test the waters.

This is where things get tricky.

Regardless of whether or not the Lions do want Suh back, plenty of teams will make that a difficult reunion. In fact, the number of teams with an eye on the star defensive tackle may be in the neighborhood of 10, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports:

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The sources told Yahoo Sports there could be as many as 10 teams interested in making titanic pitches to Suh. That number includes Suh’s current team, the Lions, which still has the option of restructuring some contracts and retaining the four-time All-Pro via the franchise tag. At a price of $26.7 million for 2015, the weight of that one-year contract would be potentially crippling to the franchise, but the three sources said Detroit is keeping the option on the table.

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Interesting are the names Robinson hears are in the mix. The Jacksonville Jaguars need help fixing a 27th-ranked rush defense. The Cleveland Browns ranked dead last in that regard. The Oakland Raiders, 22nd. The Atlanta Falcons rank horribly across the board, including dead last against the pass.

The one thing to keep in mind, though, is that Suh may flirt with being the highest paid defender of all time, should he escape the tag and hit the market. A source notes that the almighty dollar will dwindle the suitor list.

“There will be some level of interest from a bunch of guys until a [dollar] figure is exchanged [with Jimmy Sexton, Suh’s agent],” a source told Robinson. “The ballpark [of the deal] is obvious, but once it’s real, the [suitors] will get a lot smaller."

Forget Suh's antics. Forget that he was the No. 3 overall defensive tackle in the league at Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This is about logistics—the Lions need to decide whether they want to go all-in with Suh or work to keep around other pieces such as Nick Fairley and C.J. Mosley, among others.

A team such as Cleveland does not share this dilemma. Per Spotrac, the Browns will rank in the top five when it comes to cap space and are the only team of those near the top close to being a fringe playoff team that is missing that one critical piece to get over the hump.

Look for the Browns to pay Suh like a missing piece and hope for the best.

Prediction: Suh signs with Browns.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).