What Might the Future Hold for Top Unsigned NFL Free Agents?

Free agency can be a beautiful thing, with dozens of NFL players striking it rich with teams in dire need to burn money. But there is a dark side.

The feeding frenzy lasts a few days. However, dozens more viable players invariably miss out on the big money doled out in the first week or two of free agency, twisting in the wind.

Some just take their time making deals while others are stymied, mysteriously or not. Let's look at some of the top free agents left on the market and what their future might hold in the NFL.

Michael Crabtree

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Two years ago, Michael Crabtree was coming off the best campaign of his career. He closed the 2012 season strong, amassing 538 yards and four touchdowns over the final five games. Crabtree looked every bit like the first-round pick the San Francisco 49ers used on him in 2009.

Then his Achilles betrayed him.

The 49ers lost Crabtree for most of the 2013 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered during the offseason, and he hasn't been the same since. He averaged just 11.3 yards per reception since his return, seemingly unable to regain his explosiveness.

Even so, it was a bit of a surprise to see Crabtree writhe on the open market with nary a nibble until the Miami Dolphins came calling, according to the Sun Sentinel's Omar Kelly.

It's hard to believe Crabtree is done as a productive receiver, but he hasn't done much on the field to disprove that notion. Maybe it was the coaching or the offense in San Francisco the past couple of years.

He is just 27 years old, after all, and maybe being a couple of years removed from that injury will help things. There are certainly teams with need at wide receiver, even if it's just for depth, and Crabtree is still better than some of the options out there.

Jermaine Gresham

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There is never a good time for surgery, but requiring a back operation in the middle of free agency can't be a good thing.

Tight end Jermaine Gresham underwent surgery last week to fix a herniated disc, and it couldn't have come at a worse time for the big tight end. He drew interest from the Oakland Raiders, and it seems the Buffalo Bills were looking to sign him before they learned about his medical problem, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News.

Gresham wasn't exactly Jimmy Graham before the injury, so it's difficult to believe he would have seen big money in free agency even if he was healthy. Per Pro Football Focus, he was just the 37th-best tight end out of 67 qualifiers in 2014, and he doesn't have a ton of upside as a pass-catcher.

Once he recovers from surgery, however, he should be a viable option for a team in need at the position, even if he will be the No. 2 on the roster.

Joe Barksdale

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He may not be a household name, but offensive lineman Joe Barksdale could be a valuable asset for many teams. So why does he remain unsigned?

Granted, he isn't exactly Andre Smith or Anthony Davis—two of the best right tackles in the league, according to Pro Football Focus—but he has been an underrated player for the St. Louis Rams over the past few seasons.

Barksdale stepped in for Rodger Saffold in Week 2 of the 2013 season and played well enough to keep the job once the latter returned from injury. He retained the job last year, though he wasn't quite as good in his second season as a starter.

But his solid performance reportedly has the St. Louis Rams interested in bringing him back, as tweeted by ESPN's Adam Caplan. Whether they can stave off other potential suitors without breaking the bank is another story.

Whoever lands Barksdale will be getting a reliable backup, at worst, who will likely be a decent, durable starter.

Anthony Spencer

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Two years ago, the Dallas Cowboys slapped Anthony Spencer with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. It was an unexpected move by the Cowboys, who had to pay him 120 percent of his salary from the previous year as a result.

Spencer added injury to insult when he underwent season-ending microfracture surgery, and his career has almost been in a free fall ever since.

He barely got a contract last year to come back to the Cowboys, where he had a decent campaign as a role player instead of a starter. Spencer rated just below former Cowboy DeMarcus Ware despite playing almost 400 fewer snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

The 31-year-old is an interesting option to be a rotational player for many teams. 

Brandon Spikes

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Brandon Spikes signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills last offseason, a veritable "prove it" contract after the New England Patriots cut ties with their former starting middle linebacker.

The big thumper did his thing, rating as one of the better inside linebackers in the league (13th out of 60) and doing a nice job stopping the run, according to Pro Football Focus. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to land him a new deal in free agency yet.

The Bills may not be interested in bringing him back, which Spikes would understand, according to Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com:

"

Of course I'd like to go back, but you know how it goes in this league. Guys with a new staff they like their guys and everybody understands that. I love Buffalo.

Honestly I can't put it into words. It reminds me of a place I used to play down in the Gainesville called the Swamp. It's the truth. I really appreciate those fans up there because I hadn't experienced that since I had been in the NFL and that just gave me the boost to get up every morning and get my job done.

"

If Spikes doesn't return to Buffalo, he will find work somewhere. He may not be the ideal middle linebacker due to his limited skill set, but there are plenty of teams out there that could benefit from his services.

Greg Jennings

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Once the Minnesota Vikings traded for receiver Mike Wallace and that massive contract on March 13, Greg Jennings' days were numbered. Well, unless he was willing to take a pay cut, anyway.

We don't know if the team asked him to take one, and but the Vikings ultimately let the 31-year-old go in favor of the younger (28), speedier Wallace. 

Unlike many of the guys on this list, Jennings generated interest on the open market almost immediately upon release. Perhaps other players should hire his agent.

Jennings recently visited Carolina, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (via NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal), where the Panthers gave him a physical. The Miami Dolphins—Wallace's old team—were reportedly interested in Jennings, too, as tweeted by ESPN's Trey Wingo.

Whoever lands him will get a sure-handed receiver who still has a few good years in him if he stays healthy. He could also be a positive veteran presence in the locker room.

Da'Quan Bowers

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It has been a disappointing career for Da'Quan Bowers. Now he is trying to find a soft landing spot in free agency.

The Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins seem interested, whom local radio host Jayson Braddock has tabbed as the front-runners for Bowers' services, though mixed signals are coming from Tampa's side. 

The Dolphins could use some cheap help. General manager Dennis Hickey was director of college scouting in Tampa Bay up to the year before Bowers was drafted. He was director of player personnel in 2011, when the Buccaneers took Bowers with their second-round pick.

Houston could boast one of the best defensive fronts in the league if Bowers signs on and realizes his potential alongside Vince Wilfork and across from J.J. Watt.

Dawan Landry

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The breathtaking makeover is complete in New York, where the Jets have turned one of the worst secondaries in the league into a veritable power in the span of a few days—at least on paper.

Of course, that means some guys are on the outside looking in. One of those is Dawan Landry, the team's former starter who is not really needed anymore.

The 32-year-old has been the definition of vanilla in the NFL, but that doesn't mean he has been a bad starter. In fact, he rated among the top 20 safeties in the league over at Pro Football Focus last season.

Of course, the lack of game-changing plays is glaring—Landry had no interceptions last year, has just two to his name over the past three and boasts 13 in his entire nine-year career. 

Still, Landry can be a solid stopgap or backup for any team, and that's where he will be useful to a new squad next season. 

Stevan Ridley

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Why is nobody interested in Stevan Ridley?

Well, almost nobody—the Minnesota Vikings seem intrigued, per Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. They might be exploring their options in the post-Adrian Peterson era, should they choose to trade their former MVP.

Outside that reported interest, Ridley has seen diddly. Maybe it's the fumbling issues he has exhibited throughout his career. More likely, though, it's the torn ACL he suffered last season that has kept the suitors at bay.

At 26, though, Ridley is young enough to bounce back from his injury and be productive. He isn't suited to be the workhorse anywhere, but he certainly had his moments with the Patriots over the years, including a 1,200-plus-yard season on the ground in 2012.

At this rate, however, we might be looking at Ridley returning to New England somewhere near the veteran minimum.

Rolando McClain

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The Dallas Cowboys revived Rolando McClain's career—or, at the very least, he got his act together in Dallas—and a whole lot of good that's done for him thus far in free agency.

The twice-retired middle linebacker has gotten tepid interest around the league. That's despite his resurgent 2014 season that saw him become a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year.

Maybe the four-game fine he is facing for failing a drug test—as reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, via NFL.com's Dan Hanzus—is hampering his efforts to get a new deal.

In the end, coming back to the Cowboys may be his only option. Even with Sean Lee returning from injury, Dallas is woefully thin at linebacker. 

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