The Best NFL Free Agents Still on the Market

In essence, NFL free agency is over. In reality, the 2015 draft has come and gone.

Still, some veteran players are still looking for work around the league. While teams are busy checking out undrafted performers, some old pros (and some on the young side) are waiting for a call from an organization.

Here we have chosen 20 players who could still help an NFL team if given the opportunity. Some are coming off disappointing years, while others were no longer affordable for their teams. A few were even the victims of new coaching regimes looking to bring in their own players.

In any case, these are the best players remaining on the open market, based on age, proven performance or a combination of the two. You will notice there are no quarterbacks on the list—that market has dried up considerably.

We shall see in the next month or so whether any of these players will get their chance to show their talents this fall.

RB Chris Johnson (Released by New York Jets)

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After six seasons with the Tennessee Titans, it was one and done for running back Chris Johnson and the New York Jets.

Despite the fact that he finished second on the team with 663 yards rushing on 155 carries, the former Pro Bowler ran for only one score. Johnson added 24 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown but averaged a mere 6.3 yards per catch.

But if clubs ignore last year's downfall, there may be a spot for a player who ran for 1,000-plus yards in each of his first six NFL seasons.

RB Knowshon Moreno (UFA-Miami Dolphins)

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Injuries have been a factor for running back Knowshon Moreno throughout his brief career. As a result, we're left asking: In 2015, will the former first-round draft choice play for his third team in as many years?

Moreno signed with the Miami Dolphins in the 2014 offseason and got off to a great start, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown in their season-opening win over the New England Patriots. But he would rush for a combined 14 yards in two games the rest of the way before getting hurt.

If he's healthy, will a team take a chance and bring in Moreno for some depth in the backfield? He has proven he can be a versatile option, as evidenced by the 1,586 total yards and 13 touchdowns he accumulated in his last season with the Denver Broncos.

RB Pierre Thomas (Released by New Orleans Saints)

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We all know the New Orleans Saints made wholesale changes this offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

While they dealt tight end Jimmy Graham, wide receiver Kenny Stills and guard Ben Grubbs to other teams, they cut veteran running back Pierre Thomas loose, and he still hasn’t found a home for 2015.

In eight seasons with the Saints, Thomas rolled up 6,353 yards from scrimmage and 40 touchdowns. He has also totaled four touchdowns in five postseason contests, with one of those scores coming in the team’s 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

He would be an asset to any team, especially one looking for a little help out of the backfield when it comes to the passing attack.

WR James Jones (Released by Oakland Raiders)

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Last offseason, the Oakland Raiders added free-agent wide receiver James Jones, who had spent his first seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

This offseason, Oakland signed former San Francisco 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree to a deal and used the fourth overall selection in the NFL draft on University of Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.

Last week, the silver and black gave Jones his pink slip. It was a surprise when you consider he led the Raiders with 73 receptions and six touchdown catches while finishing second on the club with 666 receiving yards. Of course, his disappointing 9.1 yards per catch did not do him any favors.

Nor is the fact that he was let go so late in the free-agent game. But coming off a productive year, Jones should find work eventually.

WR Reggie Wayne (UFA-Indianapolis Colts)

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In 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, wide receiver Reggie Wayne totaled 1,070 catches—the seventh-most in NFL history.

However, those receptions became a lot harder the last two seasons due to injuries. He missed nine games in 2013 and one contest this past year. Over that time, he totaled 102 grabs for 1,282 yards and four scores.

In his last full season in 2012, the six-time Pro Bowler amassed 106 receptions for 1,355 yards and five touchdowns. That was also Andrew Luck’s rookie season.

Does Wayne have one more productive year in him? We'll see if he gets the chance to prove it.

WR Wes Welker (UFA-Denver Broncos)

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Is the market about to open up for veteran wide receiver Wes Welker?

According to 9News Broncos Insider Mike Klis, a concussion specialist cleared the productive pass-catcher in late April, so he can resume his NFL career should a team want to roll the dice.

Welker ranks 20th in NFL history with 890 receptions, but in his two seasons with the Denver Broncos he missed five games and totaled 122 catches (12 for scores). Compare that to his final two seasons with the New England Patriots (2011-12), when Welker amassed 122 and 118 receptions, respectively.

Will we see the productive receiver on the field anytime soon?

TE Jermaine Gresham (UFA-Cincinnati Bengals)

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So long as he can return from offseason back surgery, former Pro Bowl tight end Jermaine Gresham could help a team. We just know he won’t be back with the Cincinnati Bengals, unless there is a change of heart.

When the Bengals made Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert a first-round pick in 2013, that was the writing on the wall for Gresham. Still, Eifert was lost for the season a year ago after totaling three catches for 37 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

Meanwhile, Gresham finished second on the team with 62 receptions and five touchdowns, but he averaged a disappointing 7.4 yards per reception. An injury kept him out of the AFC Wild Card Game loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

In five seasons with the Bengals, the 2010 first-round pick totaled 280 catches for 2,722 and 24 scores. Those are respectable numbers indeed, and the former standout is worth a look if he's healthy this summer.

T Joe Barksdale (UFA-St. Louis Rams)

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If you are looking for a solid run-blocking tackle to bolster your offensive line, Joe Barksdale is the right man for the job.

If you’re looking for someone who can pass-protect with the best players in the league at his position, you may want to search elsewhere.

The gang at Pro Football Focus rated the one-time Oakland Raiders lineman as the league’s 11th-best run-blocking tackle in 2014, when he started all 16 games at right tackle for the St. Louis Rams. But his pass-blocking has been an issue and is perhaps the main reason the four-year pro remains unsigned.

G Justin Blalock (Released by Atlanta Falcons)

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In eight seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, guard Justin Blalock started 125 of a possible 128 regular-season games, as well as five postseason contests.

Given all of the injury issues with the team’s offensive line this past season, the move to part ways with the veteran blocker wasn’t a surprise, since there’s a new sheriff in town in head coach Dan Quinn.

Still, it's not like his play was a negative. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked No. 25 in the league among guards in 2014 and finished with a respectable grade, one that may have been a lot better without the season-ending 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Should we expect to see the 31-year-old on a training camp roster this summer? It would be a big shock if someone didn't pick him up.

G Dan Connolly (UFA-New England Patriots)

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Is there room in this league for an offensive lineman who turns 33 in September?

One would think so, especially when it comes to a player as versatile as former New England Patriots blocker Dan Connolly.

The former undrafted free agent began his playing career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005. He saw no action in the NFL for two years (although he was on the 2006 Jaguars roster) and spent the last seven seasons with the New England Patriots.

Connolly has made 67 regular-season starts over the past five years and has seen action at both guard and center.

C Chris Myers (Released by Houston Texans)

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Any number of teams, including 2014 playoff participants such as the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks, could use some help at center.

So why the delay in picking up two-time Pro Bowl center Chris Myers? It could be that despite his experience, he comes off a season in which he struggled to stop the pass rush up the middle. As illustrated by Pro Football Focus' minus-9.7 pass-block rating, Myers had trouble keeping his quarterback out of harm’s way.

The 10-year pro spent the last seven seasons with the Houston Texans and started every game over that span, most of those for Gary Kubiak. Now the longtime NFL coach is at the helm of the Broncos, a team that could use another body at the position.

Then again, so could Chuck Pagano and Pete Carroll’s teams.

DE Red Bryant (Released by Jacksonville Jaguars)

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This past season, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Red Bryant tied for third among players at his position (in the 4-3 defense) when it came to defending the run, according to Pro Football Focus.

Unfortunately, the member of the 2013 Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks spent just one season with the Jags, who released him this offseason.

Bryant is a one-dimensional player who brings nothing to the table when it comes to the pass rush, but he could have a positive effect when it comes to putting opposing offenses in those 3rd-and-long situations.

DE/OLB Mathias Kiwanuka (Released by New York Giants)

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While Mathias Kiwanuka's best days may be behind him, a player who has started at four different positions along the front seven has to be valuable in some regard.

In nine seasons with the New York Giants, Kiwanuka made 82 regular-season starts and played at both defensive end positions and both outside linebacker spots in the club’s 4-3 defensive alignment.

The 2006 first-round selection from Boston College amassed 38.5 career sacks, 13 forced fumbles and three interceptions before the franchise released him this offseason.

Kiwanuka's ability to line up in numerous spots should make him appealing to any number of clubs, but he remains on the open market…at least for now.

DE/OLB Osi Umenyiora (UFA-Atlanta Falcons)

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In 2014, the good news was Osi Umenyiora finished second on the Atlanta Falcons in sacks.

The horrendous news for both him and the team was that he needed only 2.5 quarterback traps to qualify.

After the Falcons parted ways with John Abraham following the 2012 season, they thought the former Pro Bowler with the New York Giants would be a capable replacement.

Well, 32 games and a combined 10 sacks later, Umenyiora is looking for work again. With a resume that includes 85.5 sacks and 35 forced fumbles in 11 NFL seasons (he missed all of 2008), you would think a team would add him as a situational pass-rusher sooner than later.

DT C.J. Mosley (UFA-Detroit Lions)

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We all know the Detroit Lions have taken their share of hits along the defensive line this offseason.

Free agents Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, a pair of former first-round draft choices, signed with the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams, respectively.

Last month, not long before the draft, Detroit dealt reserve defensive end George Johnson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they disputed the terms of the Bucs' restricted free-agent offer sheet for the valuable backup.

The other defensive lineman no longer in the Motor City is C.J. Mosley, who has toiled for five teams in 10 years. He spent the last two seasons with the Lions. In 2014, he made eight starts for Detroit, totaling 26 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble while taking over for Fairley in the second half of the season.

OLB Lance Briggs (UFA-Chicago Bears)

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Unfortunately for the Chicago Bears, their much-maligned defensive unit the last two years didn’t see a lot of veteran outside linebacker Lance Briggs.

Obviously, they won’t be seeing the seven-time Pro Bowler anymore, at least not in a Bears uniform. The team opted not to bring back the experienced defender.

Briggs missed a combined 15 games the past two seasons, but if he's healthy he can certainly help at outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense (Chicago is making the switch to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio). In 12 seasons, the former third-round pick has totaled 15 sacks, 16 interceptions (five returned for touchdowns) and 16 forced fumbles.

ILB Brandon Spikes (UFA-Buffalo Bills)

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Could there be a reunion on the horizon in Foxborough?

On May 6, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that linebacker Brandon Spikes, a second-round pick of the New England Patriots back in 2010, visited the team.

The current unsigned free agent spent 2014 with the Buffalo Bills on a one-year contract, totaling 54 tackles, one sack and three passes defensed. According to Pro Football Focus, the former University of Florida standout played 519 snaps for the club and ranked ninth among inside linebackers when it came to stopping the run.

While some will recall that Spikes’ final weeks in New England were a bit acrimonious, the defending Super Bowl champions could use a little defensive help these days. In any case, it remains a big surprise that the five-year veteran has not latched on with some team by now.

CB Chris Owens (UFA-Kansas City Chiefs)

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The current free-agent cornerback market around the league is a thin one indeed.

By all accounts, journeyman Chris Owens may be your best bet if you are looking to add a little veteran depth.

Unfortunately, what you won’t be adding is a lot of interceptions. In six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs, Owens has picked off just three passes. All of them came in his first two seasons in the league.

This past season, the San Jose State product played in 11 games and made three starts for Andy Reid’s Chiefs, totaling 33 tackles, four passes defensed and one fumble recovery.

SS Bernard Pollard (Released by Tennessee Titans)

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Is there still room on some roster for one of the league’s most physical defenders?

Perhaps it all depends on how healthy safety Bernard Pollard is these days. The well-traveled and hard-hitting performer played just five games with the Tennessee Titans in 2014 before an Achilles injury cut his season short.

In nine years with the Chiefs, Texans, Ravens and Titans, Pollard has totaled 12 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 10.5 sacks. If he's healthy, he can still bring an added dimension and a certain moxie to any defense.

FS Thomas DeCoud (Released by Carolina Panthers)

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After being a member of the Atlanta Falcons his first six seasons in the league and earning a Pro Bowl invitation in 2012, free safety Thomas DeCoud is once again looking for work and could be a member of a third different team in as many seasons.

One year ago, after being released by the Falcons during the offseason, the veteran defender latched on with the Carolina Panthers and totaled 50 stops, one interception and three passes defensed.

DeCoud has picked off 15 passes in seven seasons, and while his game has slipped a bit in recent years, he could still be a nice bargain at this stage of the game, especially for a team looking for a little insurance in the secondary.

All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.