10 Underrated NFL Free Agents All Teams Should Pursue

With the NFL’s franchise tag deadline passed, there are still some premier names on the free-agent market with the NFL draft about two months away.

However, there are some names on the market that you may have heard about but don’t know too much about or don’t think their value is as high.

For this list, 10 of the more underrated names will be featured, including a pair of older veterans that could be that “final piece” for a Super Bowl-contending franchise. The current Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos have two names on this list, including a former defensive lineman from their Super Bowl appearance after the 2013 season.

Here are 10 under-the-radar players who teams should be keeping their eyes on and opening their checkbooks for during free agency, starting with two keys in the Broncos’ stout front seven.

Malik Jackson

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Fresh off his Super Bowl 50 score, Malik Jackson is in line to score in free agency, too.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that the best defense and the best rush combo in the NFL belongs to the Denver Broncos.

Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller and the ageless DeMarcus Ware wreaked havoc on Super Sunday, but one of the forgotten names in that historic defense was Malik Jackson. The 26-year-old defensive lineman racked up five sacks in the 2015 campaign, and with the recent signing of Derek Wolfe by the Broncos and Denver using the franchise tag on Miller, Jackson could find himself in a new city for the 2016 season.

Jackson’s stock looks solid when a quarter of the Broncos defense were All-Pro players, but he was a valuable piece and provided good depth and versatility up front for the champs. He can play the defensive tackle position in a 4-3 scheme or he can play outside in a 3-4 system.

As productive as Jackson was in 2015, the Broncos have a handful of other priorities that could force Jackson elsewhere.

An ideal fit for Jackson? How about the Chicago Bears, who won’t have any issues with cap space this offseason? The Bears have plenty of needs defensively, and under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Jackson could make an immediate impact for a not-so-great Bears defense.

Danny Trevathan

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Danny Treavathan's payday could come outside of Denver in 2016.

The second Broncos player who could land elsewhere this offseason is every-down linebacker Danny Trevathan.

In four years with Denver, Trevathan elevated his game and became a solid player in terms of pass coverage and getting sideline to sideline. He missed 13 games in 2014 with left knee issues that resulted in him actually getting a new kneecap, but he has only missed one game in the other three years with the Broncos. He’s a reliable option for a team in need of linebacker help.

Similar to Jackson, Trevathan is in a tough spot because of the tag agreement Denver made with Von Miller. Denver has a stacked roster of talent but not enough money to go around for everyone.

If Trevathan does bolt elsewhere for the bigger bucks, the Atlanta Falcons could be a legitimate landing spot. Their current linebacking core is…not great, and they just released Justin Durant.

Janoris Jenkins

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

Janoris Jenkins' contract situation is a tricky one.

With GurleyMania running wild throughout St. Louis last season with the arrival of rookie running back Todd Gurley and the move back to Los Angeles, a name that’s flying under the radar in free agency is Janoris Jenkins.

It’s been a tough go for Jenkins, as he fired his agent and took to social media to express his disappointment during contract negotiations with the Rams. With Jenkins’ agent fired and a five-day waiting period required for Jenkins to hire a new agent, the Rams won’t negotiate a new deal with him.

Jenkins is expected to hire Darrelle Revis’ agents Jon Feinsod and Neil Schwartz, per Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole. Revis’ big bucks in the past tell the whole story about Feinsod and Schwartz’s negotiation abilities.

With those complications, there’s a good chance Jenkins could land elsewhere next season, despite head coach Jeff Fisher wanting to keep Jenkins with the Rams.

A landing spot potentially for Jenkins if things don’t work out with the Rams could be the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jenkins played for the University of Florida before transferring to North Alabama and could help fill one of the many needs the Jaguars have on the defensive side of the ball.

Bruce Irvin

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Bruce Irvin will likely have some suitors in free agency if Seattle doesn't offer the right amount.

The Seattle Seahawks' rise to prominence was led by Russell Wilson and the Legion of Boom. Although guys like Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright have earned more recognition over the past couple seasons, Bruce Irvin has still remained a lesser known name among the Seahawks stars.

Seattle took a chance on Irvin with the 15th overall pick in the 2012 draft, and he’s been a valuable player in his four seasons with the Seahawks, racking up 22 sacks.

Irvin has stated that he would be willing to take less money to stay with the Seahawks, but it’s not out of the question for the 28-year-old unrestricted free agent to end up elsewhere. With former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley in Jacksonville still and another Seattle defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn coaching in Atlanta—Irvin’s hometown—those two franchises could be prominent landing spots.

Another team to keep on the radar in the potential Irvin sweepstakes? The San Francisco 49ers.

Matt Forte

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Matt Forte still has plenty in the tank at the running back position. Could he stay in the NFC North?

Matt Forte spent eight seasons with the Chicago Bears. What did he do while he was there?

Oh, nothing much. Forte only rushed for 8,602 yards and caught 487 passes for 4,116 yards and 64 total touchdowns.

Forte will turn 31 during the 2016 season, which is ancient for a running back, but he’s been as durable as you could ask for in terms of an NFL running back in his career (only missed eight games in eight seasons). He’s still a top option as a back and a versatile back who could be one of those final pieces that contenders are looking for.

One place Forte could land would break the hearts of Bears fans everywhere: the Green Bay Packers.

Could you imagine Forte in an offense with former two-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, a healthy Jordy Nelson and a potential one-two punch with an in-shape Eddie Lacy? Points, points and more points.

Another option for Forte? The New England Patriots.

Lamar Miller

Brad Penner/Associated Press

At just 24 years old, Lamar Miller is a legitimate No. 1 option at running back for teams.

Another running back on the market for teams this offseason could be the explosive Lamar Miller.

Miller had a good season in 2015, rushing 194 times for 872 yards and eight touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins. Miller has stated that he’s open to staying in Miami and with the hiring of offensive wizard Adam Gase from Chicago, the Dolphins are most likely his destination this offseason.

“I know this year sometimes we were in bad situations so we had to throw the ball,” Miller said, per James Walker of ESPN.com. “Like I said before, it’d be great to continue playing my NFL career here in my hometown. But this is a business and I’m going to sit down with my agent and we’re going to talk and go from there.”

Miller doesn’t have the resume of a Matt Forte, but he’s only 24 years old. He’s rushed for 1,971 yards and racked up 19 total touchdowns in the last two seasons. He’s a legitimate option as a starting running back.

Outside of Miami, a potential landing place for him could be the Houston Texans. There’s been no rumors of that, but with Arian Foster’s injury history and upcoming free agency, Miller could find himself in a featured role with the Texans.

Marvin Jones

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Marvin Jones is likely to remain a Bengal, which is great for Cincinnati.

When the pieces to the puzzle are healthy, the Cincinnati Bengals have arguably the most high-powered offense in the game today. You know the names of Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert, but what about an underrated wideout like Marvin Jones?

Jones is a legitimate No. 2 option behind Green. He caught 10 touchdowns in 2013 but missed all of 2014 due to an ankle injury. He bounced back with a 65-catch, 816-yard season in 2015 and will enter free agency as one of the most important free agents for the Bengals.

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com recently reported that the Bengals' two main priorities in free agency are re-signing Jones and defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones.

“… all signs are that the Bengals are going to go all out to re-sign their two most high-profile free agents in starting wide receiver Marvin Jones and starting cornerback Adam Jones when the games begin March 7,” Hobson wrote on Feb. 27.

If that’s truly the case and Mohamed Sanu plans on walking out of Cincinnati—which Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reported will be the case—Jones’ likely destination will be Cincinnati.

Anquan Boldin

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Anquan Boldin, the reigning NFL Man of the Year, still has something left for a team looking for a final piece.

Just like Matt Forte, 35-year-old Anquan Boldin is in the twilight of his playing career and could be a final piece to the puzzle for one of the league’s contenders.

Boldin has 1,009 catches for 13,195 yards in his soon-to-be Hall of Fame career and still has a little bit left in the tank. He’s still a viable option at the wide receiver position and could put an offense over to top in 2016, similar to Forte.

There are a few options that could potentially land in Boldin’s lap.

Like Forte, the New England Patriots could be a legitimate option. How about the team New England beat in the postseason this past January? The Kansas City Chiefs would be a really interesting spot for Boldin. With Jamaal Charles back in the fold off an ACL tear and Jeremy Maclin on the outside, the Chiefs could be a player in Boldin’s services.

Terrance Knighton

Associated Press

Terrance Knighton is a very underrated name on the free-agent market for teams with defensive line needs.

After the Denver Broncos were embarrassed in Super Bowl XLVIII by the Seattle Seahawks, Terrance Knighton left town for a one-year deal, $4 million with the Washington Redskins.

He’ll enter free agency once again this season and will look for a longer-term deal this time around. Knighton is a viable option for big bucks just on his size alone. He’s 6’3”, 354 pounds and can play in both a 4-3 system (like he did in Denver and Jacksonville) and can plug the middle up in a 3-4 scheme like he did with Washington in 2015.

Here’s an idea if they can make the cap room available, per Ben Stockwell of Pro Football Focus: the Cincinnati Bengals.

A defensive tackle pairing of Knighton and All-Pro Geno Atkins could be an absolute nightmare for teams in the future.

If the Bengals can bring back guys like Marvin Jones and the next name on this list, Cincinnati could compete for the label of “most talented roster in the NFL today”.

Reggie Nelson

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Reggie Nelson turned his career around in Cincinnati. Will he stay there?

When Reggie Nelson was taken in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2007 NFL draft, the Jags appeared to find one of their defensive leaders of the future. Nelson picked off five passes in his rookie season to go along with 58 tackles.

But things fell apart with Nelson in Jacksonville, and he was gone after just three seasons. He was sent to Cincinnati for a seventh-round pick and cornerback David Jones.

Yeah, his value plummeted.

The power of a change of scenery was made clear with Nelson. He’s spent the last six seasons with Cincinnati, picked off 23 passes and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. Fellow safety George Iloka is a free agent this offseason too, so the Bengals have some interesting decisions to make.

It shouldn’t be that hard for Cincinnati to realize keeping Nelson should be the move. He’s 32, but he played in all 16 games last season, picked off eight passes (tied for the NFL lead) and made 50 tackles in his first Pro Bowl season.

Stats via Pro-Football-Reference.com

Michael Whitlow is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can find the rest of Michael's work here and you can follow him on Twitter: @MAWhitlow.