NFL Free Agency 2015: Last-Minute Rumors and Predictions

At 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the new league year commences, and with it, free agency begins. Rest assured, by the day's end, we'll see many veterans find new homes in the NFL.

Reports of players agreeing to terms with new teams have already sprung up around the Web. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh appears set to join the Miami Dolphins on a six-year, $114 million megadeal, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Although, he's not the only veteran who will get a change of scenery.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is likely headed to the Kansas City Chiefs, forming a reunion with coach Andy Reid, via Mortensen. Maclin's soon-to-be former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been busy as well. Cornerback Byron Maxwell is headed to Philly, according to Jayson Braddock of KBME, and Frank Gore will be joining him on a three-year deal, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Rumors will continue to fly around in the waning hours before free agency begins, so let's take a look at a few interesting pieces of gossip and predict how they'll play out.

DeMarco Murray

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DeMarco Murray is the NFL's reigning rushing leader, accumulating 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns on 392 carries in 2014. Murray still has plenty of tread left on the tires after only four seasons in the league; however, he does have a history of injuries.

The cap-strapped Dallas Cowboys may wind up losing Murray if they allow him to hit the open market. After all, the running back should be highly coveted by teams that struggled out of the backfield last season. One such team is the Jacksonville Jaguars, and according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, they are interested:

Jacksonville has plenty of cap space at its disposal—especially considering the team is likely to miss out on the Suh sweepstakes—and it has the ability to offer Murray a lucrative deal that Dallas won't be able to match.

The Indianapolis Colts were another team rumored to be interested in Murray; however, a report from Mike Wells of ESPN.com indicated that's no longer the case: "At this point, the Colts are not interested in signing Murray, last season's leading rusher in the NFL, according to a source."

Without the Colts to compete with, and taking the Cowboys' cap issues into consideration, the Jaguars are likely to run away with Murray (pun intended) in this scenario.

Prediction: Murray signs with Jacksonville

Torrey Smith

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Wide receiver Torrey Smith will be hitting the open market when free agency begins March 10. According to a statement from Smith, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, he will not be re-signing with the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth season:

"

I will be playing for a different organization, but I will remain committed to the City of Baltimore. I will continue to give back and help build a better future for our young men and women. MY COMMITMENT TO THE CITY IS FOR LIFE. This isn't a goodbye because I will still be around, and Baltimore will continue to be my home in the offseason and when my career is done. I'm on to the next chapter of my life and football career, but I will see you guys later.

"

Smith has great speed and is widely heralded as a big vertical threat. He's averaging 16.9 yards per reception for his career, and he's coming off a season in which he recorded a career-high 11 touchdowns. One team in dire need of a deep threat is the San Francisco 49ers, and according to ESPN's Adam Caplan, they are showing interest:

The 49ers stand to lose Michael Crabtree via free agency and must give quarterback Colin Kaepernick more options than 34-year-old Anquan Boldin and the declining Stevie Johnson. Adding a burner like Smith makes perfect sense; however, it must be at the right price. Caplan expressed his thoughts on the matter:

The fit is there, and it's unlikely Smith will demand more than San Francisco is willing to spend. Expect this deal to get done.

Prediction: Smith signs with San Francisco

Julius Thomas

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Tight end Julius Thomas has been one of the biggest names floating around free-agency rumors. He's coming off of two exceptional seasons with the Denver Broncos, hauling in a total of 24 touchdown passes over that span.

Quarterback Peyton Manning recently took a $4 million pay cut, and while that does give the team a bit of financial flexibility, Thomas is looking for big dollars and appears to have several interested parties. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks have all expressed interest in the tight end. Although, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole relayed which team is poised to land him:

The Jaguars were thought to be major players in free agency, so this comes with little surprise. Jacksonville has a developing quarterback and several young, talented receivers. The biggest pieces the offense has been missing were at running back and tight end.

Marcedes Lewis was virtually a non-factor when he returned from injury last season, so expect the Jaguars to jettison the former first-round pick to free up some cap space after signing Thomas.

Prediction: Thomas signs with Jacksonville