NFL Free Agency 100: Top Specialists

We love to rank things in the NFL world, including free agents. But this time they’re being ranked with a scouting emphasis to give a full picture of what each team is getting with a free-agent contract.

The goal of the NFL Free Agency 100 is to look at each player the way an NFL front office will. By evaluating on-field play (production), past injuries (durability), off-field and locker room behavior (intangibles), potential as a player (upside) and the type of contract expected (value), we’re able to get a complete image of the player.

In the case of ties, I have asked myself, "Which player would I rather have on my team?" and set the rankings accordingly.

Subjective? Yes. But ties are no fun. 

Each player was scouted by me and a team of experienced evaluators with these key criteria in mind. The following scouting reports and grades are the work of months of film study.

Editor's note: Since these evaluations were completed, some players have been retained by their teams via franchise or transition tags. Such is the case for one of the players on this list.  

All statistics from Pro Football Focus. Players' heights, weights and seasons from NFL.com.

2. Matt Prater, Detroit Lions

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Production

25/30

With eight years of service in the NFL, Matt Prater has one Pro Bowl selection to his name and has nailed home 81.5 percent of his kicks in the NFL. Prater is a solid long-ball kicker, too, hitting 24 of 32 kicks longer than 50 yards in his career.

Durability

10/10

Prater was listed as probable for three games in 2013, twice due to a right calf injury and once for an illness.

Intangibles

10/15

Prater was cut by the Broncos after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

Upside

16/20

Prater has talent, but he was inconsistent in his return to the field after suspension in 2014. He must be considered as a risk given his previous suspension. But he is only 30 years old—31 when the season begins—and has a long career ahead of him.

Value

25/25

Prater can step in right away and seal up the kicking spot for any team. If his ghosts are behind him, he can get back to Pro Bowl form.

Overall

86/100

1. Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Production

28/30

The New England Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski has been one of the league’s best kickers over the last nine seasons. He’s connected on 86.8 percent of his attempts over the years and nailed a career-high 94.6 percent of his kicks in 2014. He’s shown marked improvement since a rookie year that ended with going 20-of-26 on kicks made.

Durability

10/10

Gostkowski hasn’t missed a game since the 2010 season.

Intangibles

15/15

Gostkowski is as good off the field as he is on it. There are no issues to report in terms of a suspension or arrest.

Upside

20/20

Kickers last longer in the NFL than any other position, so at 31 years old, Gostkowski still has a lot of leg left. He’s also posted his best seasons in the last two years, so he’s peaking as he enters free agency.

Value

25/25

If the Patriots don’t match Gostkowski, he’ll be among the most desirable free agents on the market. He may not play a sexy position, but he’s worth several points per game and is automatic as a field-goal kicker.

Editor's note: Since these evaluations were completed and written, Gostkowski has been retained by the Patriots by means of the team's franchise tag designation. We have chosen to keep this evaluation live and visible, as fans may still be interested in how Gostkowski was evaluated by our experts. However, Gostkowski will not be available via the traditional free agent market at present.

Overall

98/100