NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz, Speculation Heading into Pro Bowl

Ndamukong Suh, Justin Houston and DeMarco Murray, among others, seem ready to make the 2015 market one of the best ever. 

If there is any truth to the rumor mill and rampant speculation, it may only get better, too.

Things look great this time of year. It's like rediscovering a passion for the NBA, until a week later, observers realize the season doesn't matter. Tags come out, and front offices pony up the cash.

However, something feels a bit different this time around. It seems now, more than ever, a number of top players who are under contract next year may join the market, too.

That, of course, is nothing but a good thing as it creates one interesting offseason.

A Rather New Pairing in Jeopardy?

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Wide receiver Mike Wallace was the crown jewel for the Miami Dolphins—that superstar who would take the franchise over the top while running wild around the city with LeBron James.

Now, Wallace may be out the door quicker than his NBA counterpart—with nothing to show for it.

Wallace signed on the dotted line for a five-year, $60 million contract in 2013, per Spotrac, but he caught just 67 passes for 862 yards this year, although he found the end zone 10 times, matching a career high.

The explosion came in late December. Wallace did not come off the bench in the second half against the New York Jets and then had fellow wideout Brandon Gibson speak for him in an awkward postgame presser.

The team's owner recently spoke with the media about his No. 1 wideout, and the endorsement did not exactly ring, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald:

Right now, Miami does not have another deep threat who can replace Wallace if the front office decides to cut its losses for the sake of locker room cohesiveness.

Then again, all of that cash can be put toward finding a replacement.

If nothing else, the budding speculation and chatter around the organization is something to keep an eye on all offseason.

A Legendary One, Too?

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Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is the Arizona Cardinals.

For 11 seasons, Fitzgerald acted as the face of the franchise and its most explosive offensive player.

The problem is, the former University of Pittsburgh star is now 31 years old and coming off of a rough campaign in which he caught just 63 passes for 784 yards and two touchdowns—all three being his worst outputs since his rookie campaign in 2004.

Granted, it doesn't help that he missed two games, nor does having names such as Drew Stanton and Ryan Lindley under center.

Still, a contract that pays Fitzgerald $23.6 million in 2015, per Spotrac, would come under fire either way. According to Kent Somers of AZCentral.com, the Arizona front office has been in contact with its star receiver about the financial side of things: "The Cardinals have had positive, but preliminary, discussions with Larry Fitzgerald's agent Eugene Parker about a new contract for the star wide receiver, according to sources. The two sides have not yet talked about money, one source said, indicating just how preliminary talks have been."

Fitzgerald weighed in on the matter as well, per NFL Live (h/t the team's Twitter account):

This could serve as an interesting case study. The Arizona front office wrote this horrific contract way back when, knowing full and well Fitzgerald would still be playing like Fitzgerald in 2014 and beyond—so long as the quarterback play was above average.

It is hard to imagine a reality in which he leaves the desert, but crazier things have happened.

Marshawn Lynch's Future in Seattle

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Not too long ago, it seemed obvious that the Seattle Seahawks would move on from running back Marshawn Lynch after this season. 

Then, the NFC Championship Game happened.

Forget that the Seahawks wiped away a 16-0 deficit to take down the Green Bay Packers. Forget that quarterback Russell Wilson threw a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime.

While Wilson put on the worst performance of his career, possibly at any level, there was Lynch, in all of his Skittles glory, rumbling for 157 yards and a touchdown.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via NFL.com's Kevin Patra) captured how the staff now views Lynch:

"

Ian Rapoport reported on NFL Network's NFL GameDay Morning that the Seattle brass is now more than open to the possibility of bringing Lynch back at a salary of $5 million a year.

"... Mainly because he actually has outperformed his contract and clearly established himself as the identity of this team," Rapoport said. "Basically, they don't have a choice based on the way he plays to bring him back."

"

To be blunt, the NFC title game was just another day at the office for Lynch, who has 1,306 yards and 13 scores this year—his fourth-straight campaign with a minimum of 1,200 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Yes, Lynch can be a bit of a distraction with his media interactions, candy, taunts and gold cleats. Yes, the organization has Christine Michael and Robert Turbin in the wings.

However, the game with a berth to the Super Bowl swinging in the balance seems to have been a rude awakening for the Seattle front office.

The Super Bowl may only reaffirm the notion that Lynch is worth every penny.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.