2015 NFL Free Agents: Rumors and Bold Predictions for Top Stars

When you think of free agency in the NFL, the first word that comes to mind is "speed." Unlike other sports, where the process can drag out for weeks and months at a time, players are anxious to make their decisions in a hurry. 

When a player changes teams, he has to learn a new playbook and get acclimated with his new coaching staff. The only drawback is there's no time to breath. When one player signs, 10 more are going to immediately follow. 

This year's class of free agents is as compelling a group as there has been in a long time. Teams were more conservative with their money last year to keep their salary cap in good standing, and only four players were given the franchise tag. 

With so many compelling storylines that will come to a head when free agents are eligible to sign on March 10, here are the latest rumors and predictions for the top stars on the market. 

Ndamukong Suh's Surprise Suitor

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Finding a legitimate market for Ndamukong Suh is virtually impossible because he figures to become one of the richest players in NFL history when he signs his next contract. The salary increase is not unwarranted for a 28-year-old defensive tackle who has 36 sacks in five seasons. 

One team with the means to give Suh what he wants without mortgaging its cap is the Oakland Raiders, who have a meeting scheduled with the All-Pro defensive tackle next week, per NFL.com's Michael Silver:

According to Over The Cap, the Raiders have the second-most cap space with nearly $64.2 million to spare. The only team with more cap room is Jacksonville, which is also on the list of suitors per Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4:

Yet there's also the potential for a surprise. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted on Twitter another AFC West team is set to make a run at Suh:

Those teams do make sense because of their needs on defense and the fact they have at least $25 million in cap space. Oakland is the most intriguing potential suitor because the franchise does seem to be building something positive for the first time in years. 

Derek Carr still needs to show more consistency before he can be called a true starting quarterback, but he looked good without a lot of help last year. Khalil Mack is already a superstar on defense and will continue to get better. 

With the No. 4 pick in the draft, the Raiders can get a franchise playmaker to help Carr take the next step. A defensive pairing of Suh and Mack wouldn't cure all the woes on that side of the ball, but it would be able to hide a lot of them. 

Don't sell the Chargers short in this process. They aren't far away from contending with an offense led by Philip Rivers at quarterback, though the offensive line is a mess and will need to be upgraded. Their weakness on defense last season was stopping the run, finishing 26th with 124.1 yards allowed per game. 

San Diego also needs help getting after the quarterback, registering only 26 sacks last season. No one on the team had more than 4.5. Suh has had at least eight sacks in three of his five seasons. 

As noted by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Suh's value doesn't necessarily show up in the stat line each week:

Being able to disrupt a quarterback, while also being strong enough to defend the run, is what makes Suh such a fascinating free-agent case. He's got the right to ask for an absurd amount of money, and there are plenty of teams with space to give it to him. 

If money is the driving factor for Suh, knowing how the Raiders have operated in the past by trying to throw cash at problems, this could be one of the biggest surprises of the offseason. In terms of being able to win and get paid reasonably close to record money, the Chargers match the criteria.

Oakland wouldn't be a surprise in this race, but San Diego gets the slight edge because of being ready to compete for a playoff spot right away.  

Prediction: Suh signs with Chargers

DeMarco Murray's Loss Equals Dallas' Gain

It's a bad time to be a running back in the NFL. That's not to say the position doesn't have value, as we know that's not the case, but trying to get a big payday is more difficult than ever. 

When the New Orleans Saints re-signed Mark Ingram on Saturday night, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, it signaled things were going to be soft for other free-agent running backs. That was the interpretation offered by Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports:

That leaves DeMarco Murray, who is coming off a career year with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, in a precarious position. He certainly had every reason to believe a big contract was coming his way, whether from Dallas or someone else. 

Instead, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Cowboys are betting on teams around the league seeing Murray's success coming from their system instead of his style:

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The Cowboys believe Murray’s success flows not from his skill set but from the offense that has been constructed around him, with a stout offensive line, a franchise quarterback, a potential Hall of Fame tight end, and arguably the best receiver in football.  The Cowboys also believe that other teams believe it, too.

"

Florio's report does say that Murray "will have an opportunity in the next three days to feel truly wanted" by teams around the league with the negotiating window having opened Saturday. 

Rapoport, via NFL.com, reported on March 2 there was a "slim chance" for Murray to re-sign in Dallas. That was before the market for running backs turned soft, as it appears to have with the Ingram deal. 

If there is going to be a market for Murray, the choices are obvious. Indianapolis and Arizona are the two best teams that need help at running back, though the market doesn't appear to have shifted that way. 

The Cowboys seem like the safest bet to sign Murray simply by default. They know him better than anyone else, have the incentive to make a deal happen and can get a team-friendly deal. Murray will get his long-term security, even if it won't be as lucrative as he might have thought one month ago. 

Prediction: Murray re-signs with Cowboys

Devin McCourty Soaring with Eagles?

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If you've been off the grid for most of this week, the Philadelphia Eagles have gone crazy trying to create salary-cap space before free agency starts. 

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that the team is expected to have nearly $50 million in cap room after trading LeSean McCoy to Buffalo (a deal that can't become official until the league year begins on March 10). 

As a result, the Eagles are expected to be significant players this offseason. La Canfora reports that virtually every defensive back and linebacker will be on their radar:

While that may be a slight exaggeration, Devin McCourty, Byron Maxwell and Jason Worilds would upgrade a defense that allowed the second-most pass yards and 25 points per game in 2014 (h/t ESPN). 

McCourty is the name that stands out in this group because he's been a staple of New England's defense for years yet never seemed to get the credit he deserved. 

Pro Football Focus has McCourty ranked as the No. 2 free agent after Dez Bryant and Justin Houston were slapped with the franchise tag, citing his ability to control the middle of the field after switching from cornerback to safety. 

Even though every team wants to have a top-shelf cornerback, there's an argument to be made that safeties are more valuable because they play both the run and pass more often. 

McCourty has been a star in both aspects of the game, making him one of the most valuable commodities on the market this offseason. He's just 27 years old and showing no signs of decline at this stage of his career. 

As far as McCourty's previous employer, you can't count the Patriots out of anything. They have a knack for enticing players to stay, especially when they have played their entire career in New England. 

Plus, it would seem unlikely the Patriots will lose both McCourty and Darrelle Revis in the same offseason. It's not impossible, but that just doesn't sound like something that would happen to Bill Belichick. 

Yet there's something about what Chip Kelly is trying to do with all of his moves that makes Philadelphia feel like the team to beat in these negotiations.

Prediction: McCourty signs with Eagles