NFL Free Agents 2015: Post-Super Bowl Rumors and Predictions

Quick—name something more confusing than a slant to a backup wideout at the 1-yard line with Marshawn Lynch in the backfield.

Alright, trick question, but the looming NFL free agency sure comes close.

For now, the talent that seems ready to hit the open market is staggering. One of the game's most dominant defensive forces, Ndamukong Suh, may incite a bidding war. So too may a pair of the Dallas Cowboys' top weapons, who helped to make Tony Romo an MVP finalist.

The franchise-tag hammer and contract negotiations will begin in earnest soon. Until then, everyone is fair game and every team's set of fans can hope for a miracle or two.

The DeMarco Murray Puzzle

The NFL's Offensive Player of the Year will receive a major payday.

Right?

Maybe not, considering the winner of that award at the NFL Honors is not Romo or star wideout Dez Bryant (also a free agent), but running back DeMarco Murray.

His position has a lot to do with this. The wheels fall off running backs earlier than any other position. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are especially correct to be concerned with Murray, who for the first time in his four-year career finally put together a 16-game season.

Of course, the result was 1,845 yards and 13 scores. Or as ESPN Stats & Info puts it, a percentage MVP voters possibly should have looked at more closely:

Impressive, but there may be a camp in Dallas that believes Murray is replaceable thanks to other names on the roster.

ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer passes along the thought process: "If that happens [they don't keep Murray], then [Joseph] Randle will get a chance to prove he can be effective as a full-time back. There are those at Valley Ranch who believe he can be a 1,400-yard rusher, but they also acknowledge there is more to the position than running the ball."

Translation—Dallas may not want to spend the cash on Murray and will hinge its hopes on a small, promising sample size provided by Joseph Randle. 

Randle did average 6.7 yards per carry on 51 attempts in 2014 and scored three times. Whether or not that is enough to entice the Cowboys to save cap space for other positions is tough to figure out.

For now, it is impossible to see the Cowboys allowing Murray to walk.

Prediction: Cowboys re-sign Murray.

Detroit Lions on the Hunt 

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One of the biggest offseason storylines may turn out to be a non-factor.

The drama between Suh and the Lions, as entertaining as it is, may already be over. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, both parties sound interested in a reunion, and the Lions are the "favorite" to land him:

"

But the Lions have gotten positive vibes from Suh about wanting to continue his career where it started.

Salary-cap wise, though, it presents a challenge. One team source told ESPN that signing Suh would theoretically be the priority even if it meant losing star wide receiver Calvin Johnson. But the Lions believe they can manage to have both on the roster.

"

Talk about a head-turning nugget sandwiched into a non-assuming paragraph—the Lions would keep Suh over Calvin Johnson?

It makes sense given events as of late. First of all, Suh ranked as the No. 3 overall tackle in the NFL in 2014 at Pro Football Focus. Second, laugh at the Seattle Sehawks, sure, but Chris Matthews' explosion in the Super Bowl throws the idea for a loop that big-money wideouts are necessary.

Game-changing presences in the defensive trenches are as important as they sound. Suh is not one of a kind—Gerald McCoy, Marcell Dareus and Aaron Donald can do similar things—but he is quite rare.

An unorthodox pressure up the middle not only allows Detroit's defense to keep more men in coverage, it flushes the quarterback to the outside and helps along what may otherwise be linebacking and secondary units that struggle more than usual.

It makes sense the Lions will break the bank.

Prediction: Suh re-signs with the Lions.

Darrelle Revis and the AFC East

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Rumblings of Darrelle Revis' eventual demise now that he is 29 years old are greatly exaggerated.

Look at PFF, where he ranked as the No. 4 corner in the NFL.

The AFC East seems to understand this. For years, conventional wisdom has suggested that Revis would become a free agent in 2014 with his 2015 option too steep for New England to dole out.

ESPN's Adam Schefter confirms this thought process and shares on Twitter that the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are a pair of interested parties:

As Schefter notes in his writeup, everyone knows the Jets have an interest in reuniting with Revis considering owner Woody Johnson will now deal with tampering chargers after recent comments on the matter.

After ranking 14th against the pass and moving on from coach Rex Ryan, it makes sense the Jets would prefer to bring Revis back to help along a semi-rebuild of the unit.

Speaking of Ryan, of course he wants Revis in Buffalo next to Stephon Gilmore, the league's No. 26 corner, per PFF.

The Bills ranked No. 3 against the pass and No. 11 against the rush last year thanks to an elite line led by Mario Williams, but Revis' addition would only make a Ryan-led defense even scarier.

Still, it is hard to see why Revis would want to leave New England at this stage of his career. Money is one thing, but a shot at a title for the next few seasons after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year is hard to ignore.

Look for Revis to find a way to make it work with the Patriots, as both parties need one another for a chance at a repeat.

Prediction: Revis' option is declined, but he agrees with the Patriots on a new deal.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.