2015 NFL Free Agency: Best Players Available at Each Position After Day 2
After a rousing opening chapter to the 2015 NFL free-agency period, things around the league calmed down somewhat on Wednesday.
The emphasis is on somewhat. That’s because it still proved to be a busy day, with not only more signings but more visits by players as well as a ton of new speculation.
So who’s left out there to sign when it seems like nearly every big name on the 2015 market was scooped up the last two days?
Here we will take a look at each position and a few of the best players still available. We will update you on any possible moves that could involve these unrestricted free agents and/or “street” free agents (players released by their teams) as well. And we will add one more installment following Thursday’s activity around the league.
Once again, the players are listed in alphabetical order according to their former teams. You can find a complete free-agent list at each position via the hyperlink at the top of each page. And we will continue to add players to our lists as they become available.
Quarterbacks
1 of 14
Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins
We saw less of Moore in 2014 as Ryan Tannehill really emerged in his third NFL season. The former undrafted free agent is a solid veteran who could well wind up re-signing with the Dolphins but is certainly capable of competing elsewhere.
Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings
Back in 2011, the Vikings selected the former Florida State product with the 12th overall pick. Now Teddy Bridgewater is the team’s quarterback, and so far you haven’t heard much about Ponder (who started one game in 2014) on the free-agent market.
Michael Vick, New York Jets
The first overall pick way back in the 2001 NFL draft started a handful of games in 2014 and struggled, throwing three touchdown passes and committing four turnovers. Vick was also sacked 19 times and completed only 52.9 percent of his passes. Things could be winding down for the veteran signal-caller.
Running Backs
2 of 14
Steven Jackson (Released by Atlanta Falcons)
Is there a market for an 11-year running back and the NFL’s 16th-leading rusher of all time with 11,388 yards? Jackson was let go after two disappointing seasons with the Falcons. Does he really have anything left in the tank?
Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens — re-signed with Ravens, 3/12/15
The journeyman running back has played for four different clubs in as many years, and it will be interesting to see if the Ravens (who have already lost wide receiver Torrey Smith and tight end Owen Daniels to the 49ers and Broncos, respectively) will let the league’s fifth-leading rusher this past season (1,266 yards) get away. Forsett ran for eight scores and totaled 44 receptions for 263 yards.
C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills
The one-time first-round pick seems like a hot name out there but comes off an injury-shortened season. Spiller is a home run threat out of the backfield and can also help on kickoff returns.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported the New Orleans Saints were suddenly “in the mix” for the former Pro Bowler. This offseason, the Saints re-signed 2014 team rushing leader Mark Ingram but parted ways with veteran running back Pierre Thomas.
DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys — Murray-Eagles deal in place, 3/12/15
Wide receiver Dez Bryant got the franchise tag from the Cowboys, but it was Murray who led the league with 1,845 yards rushing and captured NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2014. He’s arguably the biggest name left out on the market right now, but are the Cowboys just waiting for other teams to make an offer so they can match it?
Adam Schefter of ESPN was one of a few NFL insiders who floated out there that the Philadelphia Eagles could be in the running for Murray. So could Kelly be getting ready to replace the league’s rushing leader in 2013 (LeSean McCoy) with the NFL’s top ground-gainer in 2014?
Via NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the league’s rushing champion from this past season will visit the Eagles on Thursday (h/t Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).
Rapoport also says the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders remain in the picture as well. Could the Silver and Black have a backfield of Latavius Murray and DeMarco Murray?
Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders
In 2014, the Raiders finished dead last in the NFL in rushing yards despite the fact that McFadden finally played a full 16-game season for the first time in his seven-year career. Oakland just added running back Roy Helu to the backfield and appears to be moving on from the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Wide Receivers
3 of 14
Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
Despite finishing second on the team in 2014 with 64 catches, Wayne totaled just 779 yards and two scores for the AFC South champions. The 14-year pro ranks seventh in league annals with 1,070 receptions but is headed elsewhere or into retirement.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see Wayne and Andre Johnson actually switch teams? Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com has the details of the former Houston Texans star joining the Colts on Wednesday.
Percy Harvin (Released by New York Jets)
We have seen the speedy big-play artist in few games for numerous teams the last couple of years. After the Seattle Seahawks dealt him to the New York Jets at midseason in 2014, the new regime in the green and white let him go.
It will be interesting to see the market for the versatile former Pro Bowler, who, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Around the NFL writer Kevin Patra), visited the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday.
Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers scored 100 fewer points in 2014 (306) than they did the previous season. The team just added big-play wideout Torrey Smith from the Baltimore Ravens, so where does Crabtree fit in? The one-time first-round pick totaled just 68 catches for 698 yards and four touchdowns this past season.
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Tight Ends
4 of 14
Scott Chandler (Released by Buffalo Bills)
The Bills could be getting ready to sign tight end Charles Clay to an offer sheet that would make it tough for the Miami Dolphins to match it to retain their transition player.
Over the past four seasons, Chandler caught 181 passes for the Bills, good for 17 touchdowns. In 2014, he finished fourth on the club with 47 receptions, good for 497 yards and three touchdowns.
Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals made Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert a first-round pick in 2013, so the writing may have been on the wall even then for Gresham. The two-time Pro Bowler finished second on the team in 2014 with 62 catches and five touchdowns but averaged a disappointing 7.4 yards per reception. An injury also kept him out of the playoff tilt with the Indianapolis Colts.
Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns
The 2013 Pro Bowler was brilliant that year, totaling 80 catches for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. Assorted issues, including concussion problems, limited Cameron to only 10 games this past season in which he managed only 24 grabs for 424 yards and two scores. When healthy, he certainly made an impact, given his 17.7 yards per reception.
On Wednesday, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald reported that Cameron was scheduled to meet with the Dolphins. If the team happens to lose tight end Charles Clay (given the transition tag) to an offer sheet that might be too high to match, the former Pro Bowler with the Browns could be a nice pickup.
Anthony Fasano (Released by Kansas City Chiefs)
The one-time Miami Dolphin was cut loose by Kansas City this offseason. Fellow tight end Travis Kelce emerged as the Chiefs’ leading receiver, but Fasano did his part for a team that didn't see a wideout catch a touchdown pass. The veteran totaled 25 catches for 226 yards and four touchdowns but averaged only 9.0 yards per grab.
Tackles
5 of 14
Ryan Harris, Kansas City Chiefs
Harris has spent eight seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. He started 15 games at right tackle for Andy Reid’s team this past season—the most by the former third-round pick since his days with the Broncos in 2008.
Joe Barksdale, St. Louis Rams
While he won’t wow you with his ability to pass-block (check out the numbers via Pro Football Focus), the one-time third-round pick of the Oakland Raiders (2011) is one of the better road graders in the league and would help a team bolster its ground attack. He started all 16 games for Jeff Fisher’s club this past season.
Anthony Collins (Released by Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The one-time Cincinnati Bengals performer got big bucks from Tampa Bay to join the team last season. Collins started 10 games and was shown the door after just one year with the Bucs, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
Via Pro Football Focus, Collins struggled with pass protection all season, and although he was credited with allowing one sack, he drew more than his share of penalties and gave up plenty of quarterback hits and hurries.
Tyler Polumbus, Washington Redskins
The seven-year pro bounced around with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks early in his career and seemed to find a home in Washington in 2011. He played in only 11 games and made just seven starts in 2014. His days as a regular with the Redskins seem to be over.
Guards
6 of 14
Justin Blalock (Released by Atlanta Falcons)
A second-round pick by the Falcons back in 2007, Blalock has been the team’s primary starter at left guard for eight seasons, playing and starting in 125 of a possible 128 regular-season games. He made 15 starts in 2014 but became part of the team’s housecleaning under new head coach Dan Quinn.
Daryn Colledge (Miami Dolphins)
The versatile pro spent this past season in South Florida, and while he failed to play in all 16 games for the first time in his nine-year career, he was a 13-game starter for Joe Philbin’s team. Colledge has played left and right tackle during his career as well and is a welcome veteran addition.
Charlie Johnson (Released by Minnesota Vikings)
A sixth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2006, Johnson has split his career between that team and the Minnesota Vikings. He has also played tackle during his nine NFL seasons. In four years in the Twin Cities, the veteran lineman started 61 out of 64 contests.
Dan Connolly (New England Patriots)
It has not been a fun few days for the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots have already seen Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis sign with the Jets and running back Shane Vereen ink a deal with the Giants. We would like to say that the team can’t afford to lose Connolly, but we certainly know better given Bill Belichick’s history.
Centers
7 of 14
Dominic Raiola, Detroit Lions
The veteran pivot found out in late January that he would not be back in the Motor City for a 15th NFL season.
“Obviously, I still think I can play,” said Raiola to Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News roughly two months ago. “I think a bunch of people might not thing I can, but a bunch of people haven’t taken a snap in the NFL either.”
This past December at Soldier Field, Raiola stomped on Chicago Bears rookie defensive tackle Ego Ferguson, and the act saw him get suspended by the NFL for one game. Will his pro football career continue after 14 solid seasons with the Lions?
Chris Myers (Released by Houston Texans)
The 10-year pro began his career with the Denver Broncos. He not only played but started every game for the Texans each of the last seven seasons, earning a pair of Pro Bowl invitations along the way. Could a team like the Kansas City Chiefs (who lost Rodney Hudson to free agency) be in the market for Myers’ services?
C Stefen Wisniewski, Oakland Raiders
The second-round pick in 2011 will apparently be snapping the ball for another team, as the Raiders have already inked underrated center Rodney Hudson (late of the Kansas City Chiefs) to a contract. Wisniewski had his ups and down this past season (via Pro Football Focus) but could jump-start his career elsewhere.
Defensive Ends
8 of 14
Greg Hardy, Carolina Panthers
The 2013 Pro Bowler played only one game with the Panthers due to his issues off the field. And we are still waiting to see what Hardy’s immediate NFL future will be. On Wednesday, Bleacher Report colleague Jason Cole gave us the latest on Hardy’s situation, which could involve a one- or two-game suspension for the five-year pro.
The talented defender has totaled 27 sacks in his last 32 regular-season games dating back to 2012.
Adrian Clayborn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Could the Buccaneers’ first-round pick in 2011 jump-start his career with another club? As a rookie four years ago, he totaled 7.5 sacks. After missing 13 games one season later, Clayborn rebounded with 5.5 sacks in 16 games. This past season, the former Iowa Hawkeye played in only one contest. It all adds up to a mere 13 sacks in only 36 contests in four seasons.
Michael Johnson (Released by Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
When the Buccaneers gave Johnson a big contract last offseason, they were hoping the emerging defender could help bolster their pass rush. The team was looking for the performer who came up with 11.5 sacks for the Cincinnati Bengals as recently as 2012.
Instead, Johnson totaled only four sacks in 14 games this past season, and on Wednesday, Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com reported the team had released the six-year pro.
Where could Johnson wind up? If you play connect the dots, he could either return to Cincinnati or join his former defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer, who is now the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
Defensive Tackles
9 of 14
Henry Melton, Dallas Cowboys — signed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3/12/15
A former Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears, Melton was phased out in the Windy City due to the team’s youth movement at defensive tackle. He spent the past season with the Cowboys and finished second on the team with five sacks. Dallas decided not to pick up his option for 2015, and Melton is now on the open market.
Terrance Knighton, Denver Broncos
Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk has been busy trying to keep up with the highly rated defensive tackle. He reports that Knighton will meet with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday and relays ESPN’s Josina Anderson’s interview with Knighton, who states that both the Broncos and Oakland Raiders are out of the running for his services as of now. What is the price of pot roast these days?
Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions
One-time teammate Ndamukong Suh is taking his talents to South Beach, and both Fairley and veteran C.J. Mosley are unrestricted free agents as well. With the exception of the occasional flash, the former first-rounder has disappointed for any number of reasons. This past season, Fairley played in only eight games and racked up a mere 14 tackles.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions have no plans of bringing back their first-round pick from 2011.
B.J. Raji, Green Bay Packers
The former Pro Bowler has spent the majority of his career at nose tackle, although he lined up at defensive end in 2013 for coordinator Dom Capers. But he missed all of 2014, and it will be interesting to see if the Packers opt to bring back the former 2009 first-round pick.
Vince Wilfork, New England Patriots
Wilfork spent 11 seasons and made four Super Bowl appearances with the Patriots, yet he is not in the team’s plans going forward, and his suitors figure to be many. The Patriots finished ninth in the NFL against the run this past season after ranking 30th in the same department in 2013—when Wilfork wound up on injured reserve.
Outside Linebackers
10 of 14
John Abraham, Arizona Cardinals
With 133.5 career sacks and the ability to play either defensive end or outside linebacker, Abraham will get a look-see soon despite the fact he missed all but one game in 2014. The well-traveled five-time Pro Bowler, when healthy, had a team-high 11.5 sacks with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.
Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears
The seven-time Pro Bowler has played 12 seasons but has appeared in only 17 contests the last two years combined. While the savvy veteran won’t be back in the Windy City, look for him to wind up on a roster later than sooner as teams will look for an experienced pro like Briggs to round out a roster.
Philip Wheeler (Released by Miami Dolphins)
When you take a look at Pro Football Focus and see where Wheeler’s overall performance in 2014 ranks among 4-3 linebackers, you wonder why he was shown the door in Miami. A closer look reveals that the veteran defender slumped at midseason, especially when it came to pass coverage. He could warrant a look from a few teams later in the free-agent period.
Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins
Staying healthy has been a problem in recent seasons for the team’s designated franchise player in 2014. Orakpo is a three-time Pro Bowler who played in only seven games this past season and finished with 24 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Orakpo missed the final 14 games in 2012 as well, but in six NFL campaigns he’s totaled 40 sacks in 71 games.
Inside Linebackers
11 of 14
Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills
After finishing in the bottom five of the league in rushing defense each of the previous five seasons, the Bills ranked 11th in the league against the run this past year. In his first season at Orchard Park, Spikes finished sixth on the team with 54 stops.
Rolando McClain, Dallas Cowboys
The eighth overall pick in the 2010 draft made solid contributions to the Cowboys defense in 2014. But last month, Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported (via Twitter) that McClain had violated the league’s substance-abuse policy. Jared Dubin of CBSSports.com recaps the full story on the former member of the Silver and Black, who didn’t play football in 2013.
Mason Foster, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers won just two games during Lovie Smith’s first season on the job. They also ranked a disappointing 25th in the NFL in total defense this season (19th vs. the run). Foster appeared in only 10 games in 2014 but still managed to total 62 tackles—fifth-best on the club—while adding three passes defensed.
Cornerbacks
12 of 14
Antonio Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals — signed with Jets, 3/12/15
Do you think the Jets could have used the veteran corner this past season? More importantly, is a return to New York now possible since the team has signed Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine? Cromartie played for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in Arizona this past season. In his one season in Arizona, Cromartie picked off three passes. The Jets totaled six interceptions as a team in 2014.
Tramon Williams, Green Bay Packers
The veteran cornerback finished the season fourth on the Packers with 71 tackles. Williams also totaled three interceptions and led Mike McCarthy’s team with 13 passes defensed, according to ESPN.com. The Packers went from 11 interceptions in 2013 to 18 picks this season. Now that Davon House has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, could Williams be headed back to Green Bay?
Brandon Browner, New England Patriots — signed with Saints, 3/12/15
Similar to Darrelle Revis, the Patriots had an option to consider and decided to let Browner test the open market. In his first season in Foxborough, he totaled 25 tackles, one interception and six passes defensed despite playing in only nine games. With Revis now gone in New England, could he be the team’s No. 1 cornerback?
Safeties
13 of 14
FS Thomas DeCoud (Released by Carolina Panthers)
In his first and only season with the Panthers, the former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowler ranked fifth on the team with 50 tackles and also totaled three passes defensed and one interception. But he wasn’t on Carolina’s mind when it came to 2015 and is back on the open market for the second straight offseason.
SS/FS Will Allen, Pittsburgh Steelers
When called upon this season to fill in for Troy Polamalu, Allen did an admirable job. He finished 2014 with 36 tackles and one forced fumble. He will command some attention on the free-agent market and could be back with the Steelers, who have some decisions to make regarding Polamalu’s future with the club.
SS Brandon Meriweather, Washington Redskins
The hard-hitting defender comes off a respectable season, totaling 55 tackles, three sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He’s now on the open market, and free safety Ryan Clark announced his retirement. Will Meriweather be part of Washington’s defensive makeover?
Kickers and Punters
14 of 14
PK Jay Feely, Chicago Bears
The well-traveled veteran filled in for the Bears when Robbie Gould went down. But does Feely still have a football future? This past season, the 14-year pro connected on three of his four field-goal attempts and scored a total of 14 points in four appearances. Feely has played for six teams during his career.
P Mat McBriar, San Diego Chargers
Following eight seasons with the Cowboys and a pair of Pro Bowl invites, McBriar has been the ultimate journeyman the last few seasons, suiting up for four different teams in as many years. He played in three games for the Chargers in 2014, averaging 46.9 yards per boot.
PK Ryan Succop, Tennessee Titans
The former Mr. Irrelevant became just that in Kansas City, and after five seasons with the Chiefs he wound up landing in Nashville. This past season, Succop connected on 19 of his 22 field-goal attempts (two of those missed coming in a Week 3 loss at Cincinnati) and led the club in scoring with 84 points.
All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.
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