2015 NFL Free Agents: Pre-Pro Bowl Rumors and Predictions

As he does between the tackles and to the outside, DeMarco Murray wastes no time gracefully leaping to the top of every NFL fan's 2015 free-agent wish list.

Ndamukong Suh? That would be nice. Justin Houston? Every team needs an elite rusher. Dez Bryant? Not a horrible consolation prize by any means.

But Murray? Arguably the league's top back, easily in the MVP discussion and perhaps cheaper than any other top player on the market thanks to his position, is the obvious crown jewel of the class.

If he makes it to the market.

There is no lack of drama on the NFL rumor mill right now as the top players in the league, including Murray, prepare to take Glendale, Arizona, by storm for the Pro Bowl.

Before they do, a refresher on nuggets both big and small is worth a look.

Detroit Ready to Move Forward 

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Detroit Lions are ready to move on from their longest-tenured player.

That man is veteran center Dominic Raiola, who started a franchise-record 203 games, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

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The Lions have informed Raiola they plan on going in a different direction at center next season, three people with knowledge of the decision told the Free Press, and the team's longest-tenured player won't be back when he becomes a free agent in March. The three people requested anonymity because they are not publicly authorized to talk about the decision.

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Much of the decision, outside of his being 36 years old, has to do with his dip in play. Over at Pro Football Focus, he ranked as the No. 37 center in the NFL this season on a list that graded just 41 players.

It does not help that Raiola served a one-game suspension recently for stepping on the foot of an opponent.

Everything else aside, the Detroit front office made it clear enough that Raiola's days with the team would soon come to an end when it selected center Travis Swanson in the third round of the 2014 draft.

Raiola was a critical part of the Lions organization for a long time, but now the question becomes whether another team wants to take a gamble on his seemingly deteriorating play.

Prediction: Raiola signs on as a backup somewhere such as Cincinnati.

The DeMarco Murray Rundown

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Leave it to a running back to post the best year of his career in the final year of a deal.

Murray did just that in 2014, finally playing in a full 16-game season for the first time in his four-year career. The results—1,845 yards and 13 scores—ensure he can command top dollar on the market, whatever that may be for running backs these days.

Based on a note from Field Yates of ESPN.com, though, it seems unlikely that the Cowboys will keep Murray around if the priority truly is Bryant:

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The explosive, 26-year-old Bryant is an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year, and the team has made no secret of the fact that it intends to keep him around for a long time.

Bryant isn't the only star offensive player who is in need of a new deal, but the decision on Murray might not be quite as easy. The team has expressed a desire to re-sign Murray, but running backs have become a tricky commodity to assess: There is no shortage of productive backs in the league who are making minimal money.

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In the end, Dallas' alleged approach makes sense. Running backs on minimal contracts—see Daniel Herron of the Indianapolis Colts—continue to produce these days if the offense and its complementary pieces are strong.

Even owner Jerry Jones stated as of late that the finances of keeping Murray and Bryant around together are difficult, per ESPN.com's Jean-Jacques Taylor:

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It's going to be a challenge. Is it financially reasonable? No. Is it possible? Yes. But if you just looked at it from dollars and cents, it probably doesn't look reasonable. You have to figure out how you get there, but at the end of the day you realize it's going to be costly to have both of those players.

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There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to Murray, such as what happens once he gets a lucrative new contract and if his body can continue to hold up under the rigors of a full workload.

Alas, Jones' comments and rumblings that Bryant is the preferred route-runner in Dallas continues to build a mountain of hype that will soon cause an avalanche the closer free agency looms.

For now, enjoy the possibilities.

Prediction: Murray sings with the Indianapolis Colts.

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