2015 NFL Free Agents: Breaking Down Top Talents Still on Market

Now that NFL free agency has settled down a little bit, the top names remaining on the market stand out a bit more than they would have a day ago. There aren't many stars remaining available, and most teams are turning their attention to making smart, bargain signings to supplement the roster.

Let's take a look at a few of the players who could still make a major impact for teams.

DeMarco Murray

It's not terribly surprising that DeMarco Murray remains unsigned. It was always questionable how much of a market would develop around a 27-year-old running back with an injury history who nonetheless was going to demand a big contract after being the best running back in football in 2014, rushing for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Cowboys obviously want him back but at the right price. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars or Oakland Raiders were always likely to have interest, though would Murray want to sign up for a rebuilding project?

But the surprise contender for his services appears to be the Philadelphia Eagles, at least according to Adam Schefter of ESPN:

Peter Schrager of Fox Sports added:

That connection between Sam Bradford and Murray perhaps shouldn't be overlooked, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com:

Now, the Eagles could simply be inserting themselves into the Murray mix to drive his price up and make it hard for the Cowboys to re-sign him. That makes perfect sense. What makes less sense is why the Eagles would trade one high-priced running back in LeSean McCoy and then go out and sign another one in free agency.

On the other hand, maybe Murray's price won't be as high as imagined. This tweet from Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports paints a picture of a far more affordable Murray on the market:

If the Cowboys are truly lowballing Murray, the Eagles may find themselves in a position to bring aboard the star running back at a lower price than they might have expected. Even with Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk on the roster, that might be too tempting to pass up. After all, it wouldn't just improve Philly, it would also make the Cowboys worse.

This situation appears to be incredibly fluid. But if Murray is going to return to Dallas, it appears the team is going to have to ramp up its bid considerably. 

Terrance Knighton

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Terrance Knighton might not be one of the most familiar names to fans, but he is one of the better players left on the market. A huge, run-stuffing defensive tackle that would make any defense better, it's a bit surprising that Knighton wasn't one of the first players to be scooped up when free agency technically began on Tuesday evening. 

Knighton, 28, played in all 16 games for the Denver Broncos in 2015, notching 30 tackles and two sacks. He's a load in the interior of the line that made running against the Broncos difficult in 2014—Denver had the second-ranked run defense last season—though Knighton also gets more of a push in the passing game than people realize.

He'll drastically improve the defense of the team that signs him, and if a market for his services isn't already quite hot, expect it to heat up in the coming days.

Antonio Cromartie/Tramon Williams

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Both players are on the wrong side of 30. Both are probably best suited being a team's No. 2 cornerback at this point. Both are still very solid, experienced options for a team looking to add another starting cornerback to the roster. Both are sure to garner a lot of attention with most of the premier free agents now off the board. 

One would guess the New York Jets would love to reunite Antonio Cromartie with Darrelle Revis in New York, while the Green Bay Packers are going to be in trouble if they lose Tramon Williams after Davon House signed with Jacksonville. 

Expect both players to be playing in familiar cities next year.