NFL Free Agents 2015: Post-Tag Deadline Rumors and Predictions for Top Names

Now the fun begins. 

All of four noteworthy names received the franchise tag ahead of Monday's deadline, making the list of those set to hit the market one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Ndamukong Suh and others headline the act, although other elite players such as Devin McCourty and Randall Cobb give teams around the league with plenty of cap space various ways to improve.

Keep in mind that teams can still wind up agreeing to new deals with the following players before the market opens.

That wouldn't be any fun though, would it?

The Curious Case of Brian Orakpo

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

At first glance, Brian Orakpo is a shell of his former self.

A lack of splash plays (he had 10 sacks in 2013 to 0.5 in seven games last year) makes it seem as if Washington is ready to go in a different direction.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes that general manager Scot McCloughan would like to have Orakpo back, but faces stiff competition this offseason: "Per a league source, at least four teams are interested in Orakpo. For now, the leaders are believed to be Washington and the Falcons."

To reinforce the point, Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 provides additional details:

It's cut and dry—Washington presumably wants Orakpo back, but at the right price. Last year the team slapped him with the franchise tag, but this year will allow him to test the market after a "down" year.

"Down" is construed as so because while the veteran linebacker did not make a ton of noise in the sack department, he still ranked as the No. 22 overall 3-4 outside linebacker in the league last year at Pro Football Focus.

Washington can afford to let Orakpo walk if the price isn't right considering the front office holds the No. 5 pick in the upcoming draft, one littered with elite talent in that department.

As Florio points out, Atlanta's need is too big to ignore and the Falcons have the cap space to blow. Look for the Falcons to win a mini bidding war for his services.

Prediction: Orakpo signs with Atlanta.

Suh's Market If He Reaches Market 

Sarah Glenn/Getty Images

In a rather surprising turn of events, the Detroit Lions decided not to hit Suh with the tag, perhaps with the confidence that they can bring him back on a new deal before the market opens. 

As a note by Russini points out, though, the Lions had better work in an urgent manner:

One has to think that if Suh hits the market he is as good as gone.

Last year's No. 3 overall defensive tackle at PFF and owner of eight or more sacks in three of his five years as a pro is likely set to become the highest paid defensive player of all time.

Whether Suh is worth that much is not up for debate—market bidding produces these sort of feats.

The list of teams—feel free to add in the Miami Dolphins, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network points out—is quite interesting. Jacksonville is already pretty sound in the middle with Sen'Derrick Marks and Ziggy Hood, while Tampa Bay may have issues paying both Suh and Gerald McCoy—one of two players who ranked above Suh on PFF's list.

Miami actually makes a lot of sense with Jared Odrick a free agent and little else at the position, but Oakland touts a sense of rebuilding desperation that puts them as the front-runners.

Suh is the sort of franchise piece that jump-starts a serious rebuild. With the Raiders, he'd not only wreak his usual havoc, but open things up for a linebacker corps headlined by Khalil Mack and Sio Moore that is slowly developing into one of the best in the league.

One of the NFL's most serious rebuilds won't have any qualms about paying top dollar for Suh.

Prediction: Suh signs with the Raiders.

The Race for DeMarco Murray 

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

For a dying position, Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray sure demands a lot of attention before the deadline this year.

According to Rapoport, a number of high-profile names figure to be in the running for Murray's services, per Around The NFL:

The financial side of things surrounding Murray are difficult to figure out.

What's an every-down back worth these days? What about a back who finally happened to appear in all 16 games for the first time in his four-year career, which resulted in career highs of 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns?

Murray is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the league, but how much will teams be willing to invest hope and cash on the chance his body holds up, as opposed to grabbing a few cheap rookies and forming a committee?

There's no easy answer, but most of the teams Rapoport mentions make sense.

Seattle doesn't—if Marshawn Lynch leaves, the team still has Christine Michael and others to lean on and would be wise to use the cap space on extensions for other players.

The Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals make the most sense. The former ranked 22nd in rushing last year after the failed Trent Richardson experiment and desperately needs to help Andrew Luck, while the latter ranked 31st and will want to take pressure off a returning-from-injury Carson Palmer.

The difference between the two is the habits of the front office. General manager Ryan Grigson and the Colts are not afraid to take gambles (see Richardson and the 2013 signing of LaRon Landry, who just got cut) and will presumably do whatever it takes to make sure Luck succeeds.

With that in mind, there's no doubt Murray will have little hesitation putting ink to paper with not only the highest bidder, but a surefire annual playoff contender led by a blossoming quarterback such as Luck.

Prediction: Murray signs with the Colts.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of March 3 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.