2015 NFL Free Agents: Breaking Down Early Rumors Surrounding Key Players

Teams around the NFL still have about a month to chart their offseason course. On March 10, the new league year begins, and that marks the start of free agency. Every front office should have a pretty clear plan by that point about how it wants to attack the market and the draft.

Things won't really heat up on the free-agent front for a couple more weeks. By then, it should be pretty clear which players are set to receive the franchise tag or get a long-term deal. Only then does the market truly take shape.

Some early buzz is already starting to make its way around the league, though. That includes talk about players who could attract plenty of interest as free agents. Let's check out some of the reports and examine what they could mean for the players involved.

Julius Thomas

Thomas was a dominant force for the Denver Broncos in the early stages of last season. He caught 10 touchdown in the team's first eight games. Unfortunately, injuries hampered him down the stretch and he caught just two in the season's second half, which really hurt the offense.

Most years, it would probably be a relatively simple call for the Broncos to franchise the tight end. But they also have wideout Demaryius Thomas to worry about. Jeff Legwold of ESPN reports a combination of factors will make it tough for the team to retain him, including rumored contract demands:

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With the Broncos set to use the franchise player tag on wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to go with needs on the offensive line, it will be tough for the Broncos to make Julius Thomas the kind of offer he will likely draw elsewhere—similar to the Eric Decker scenario last offseason Thomas' representatives, as you would expect, have made it clear to the Broncos he wants to be among the league's highest-paid players at the position.

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If that's how the situation plays out, and it seems likely, Thomas should be a coveted commodity. There simply aren't many tight ends of his caliber around the league. As he showed when healthy, and as Rob Gronkowski has illustrated for the New England Patriots, a top tight end is a terrific asset.

One team mentioned in the Bleacher Report video above that makes a lot of sense is the Atlanta Falcons. The team wasn't able to find a strong replacement following the retirement of Tony Gonzalez. Thomas could fill that void nicely.

DeMarco Murray

Murray finally stayed healthy for an entire campaign in 2014. The results were outstanding. He put up more than 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground while also chipping in a career-high 57 catches. The Dallas Cowboys committed to the run and he delivered.

Like the Broncos, however, the Cowboys find themselves in a tough spot. They have to decide between Murray and receiver Dez Bryant. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports the team is leaning toward the latter for the franchise tag:

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Bryant's off-field issues are having a significant impact in talks on a long-term deal, league sources said, and trepidation about putting a ton of guaranteed money on the table is likely to limit the tenor of long-term talks. Going year-to-year with Bryant is OK with Jerry Jones, even at this steep price, and in terms of on-field importance, Bryant is seen as more significant than franchising running back DeMarco Murray.

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When asked what was important to him, Murray told Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "It's not about the yards for me. It's about winning a Super Bowl. If this place gives me the best chance I'm going to stay here. Winning a Super Bowl means more than anything."

It's always tough to get a gauge on what running backs can command. Teams have been less willing to hand out monster deals to the position in the current pass-happy era. Murray is a rare talent, though. He should be rewarded handsomely, whether it's from Dallas or another team.

Jordan Cameron

In 2013, Cameron caught 80 passes for over 900 yards and seven touchdowns. That illustrated what the tight end is capable of when healthy. Alas, he missed a sizable portion of the 2014 campaign due to injury, which has been a problem throughout his career.

For a team like the Cleveland Browns, which lacks playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, keeping him in the fold would seem wise. La Canfora states the feeling doesn't appear to be mutual amid a chaotic stretch for the organization:

"Jordan Cameron, a talented-but-injury-prone tight end who is also a free agent, is not interested in returning to Cleveland either, sources said."

Obviously the number of options for Cameron is limited should the Cleveland front office decide to use the franchise tag. But having a player that doesn't really want to stay there on the roster could create even more headaches.

As mentioned with Thomas, the need for pass-catching tight ends is high. So Cameron, even with the injury concerns, should be a popular target if the Browns allow him to walk. It's a situation that definitely warrants watching over the next few weeks.