Best Remaining 2016 NFL Free Agents at Every Position

We're now nearly a full month into the 2016 edition of NFL free agency, but that doesn't mean that no real gems are out there to be signed. We're not talking about hidden gems, either. There are some standout players who are biding their time and waiting to be plucked.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went 10-6 as a starter in 2015. Safety Donte Whitner was a Pro Bowl player just two years ago. Heck, running back Ronnie Hillman even helped lead the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl victory this past season.

Are these guys among the very best that free agency still has to offer, though? Read on to find out.

Today, we're going to examine the market's remaining free agents and then select the top player at each position based on factors such as past production, versatility, age and health.

Do you agree with our choices? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.

Running Back

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Ronnie Hillman

It's actually a bit surprising that running back Ronnie Hillman has lasted this late into free agency. The 5'10", 195-pound back is coming off a Super Bowl season, is just 24 years old and has recently established himself as a starting-caliber player.

Hillman started 10 games for the Denver Broncos in 2015 and racked up 863 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

There are some drawbacks, of course. He is on the smaller side and isn't quite suited to be an every-down back. He also possesses a somewhat limited skill set and has most of his success on the ground. However, his combination of youth and running ability makes him an ideal candidate for a rebuilding or retooling franchise.

Unfortunately, such a franchise may not have long to land Hillman. According to Mike Klis of 9 News Colorado, the Broncos have expressed interest in re-signing the San Diego State product.

If the Broncos don't retain Hillman, running back-needy teams such as the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins should take interest.

LeGarrette Blount becomes the next top option if Hillman leaves the market. Blount did rack up 703 yards rushing in 2015, but he is 29 years old and is coming off a season-ending hip injury.

Other notable running backs remaining on the market include Arian Foster, Reggie Bush, Joique Bell and Stevan Ridley.

Quarterback

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Ryan Fitzpatrick

Our pick for the best available free-agent quarterback is clear, and it isn't close.

Ryan Fitzpatrick started all 16 games for the New York Jets in 2015 and performed well. He passed for 3,905 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while leading the Jets to 10 wins. Pro Football Focus rated him 27th overall among quarterbacks for the season.

Cap issues have thus far prevented the Jets from making an offer that Fitzpatrick has been willing to accept. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets are less than $1 million under the salary cap. If the Jets cannot find a way to clear cap space, there's no way they'll bring the bearded bomber back this season.

It won't be a total surprise to see the Denver Broncos swoop in and snag Fitzpatrick before the offseason comes to an end. Denver could use someone to compete with Mark Sanchez and may not be able to work a trade for Colin Kaepernick.

Our pick for quarterback No. 2 is journeyman Tarvaris Jackson. He has mostly been a backup in his career, but he does have 34 starts under his belt. He shouldn't compete for a starting job in 2016, but really no one other than Fitzpatrick should.

Other notable free-agent quarterbacks include Charlie Whitehurst, Michael Vick and Johnny Manziel.

Wide Receiver

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Anquan Boldin

Veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin is going to make some NFL team happy in 2016. He hasn't gained a ton of attention to this point mostly because of his age—he'll turn 36 during the coming season. However, he has a whole lot left in the tank and is our pick for the best available receiver.

Few receivers are as physical or as sure-handed as Bolden is, even at this stage in his career. Despite playing in the 29th-ranked passing attack of the San Francisco 49ers (207.2 yards per game), he still managed to rack up 69 receptions, 789 yards and four touchdowns last year.

Pro Football Focus rated Boldin 33rd overall for the 2015 season.

It would make sense for a team on the cusp of title contention—such as the New England Patriots or Carolina Panthers—to show interest.

Teams that are looking to go a bit younger at the position might want to consider Percy Harvin. He is just 27 years old and has a ton of physical potential. Though Harvin has a lengthy injury history—he has appeared in just 19 regular-season games over the past three seasons—he is drawing interest.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, multiple teams have made offers for Harvin. He is a major risk, but we do understand the potential reward that teams see in him.

Other notable receivers include Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, Greg Jennings and Jerricho Cotchery.

Tight End

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Owen Daniels

This year's free-agent class wasn't exactly deep with talent when the market opened, and teams are going to have to go bargain shopping at this point. The good news, however, is that one big bargain is still lingering in the unemployment line.

We're talking about two-time Pro Bowler and newly crowned Super Bowl champion Owen Daniels.

The downside with Daniels is that he will turn 34 years old during the 2016 season. The upside is that he is a well-rounded tight end and a productive role player. He started all 16 games for the Broncos this past season and finished with 46 receptions, 517 yards and three touchdowns.

Pro Football Focus rated Daniels 38th overall among tight ends for the year.

He doesn't project as a true No. 1 tight end on most teams, but he would be a valuable addition to almost any of them—especially if he lands with a contender, as he did in 2015. The Broncos should consider bringing Owens back for another run. He would also make sense for the Baltimore Ravens, who employed him in 2014.

Teams that are looking for an in-line blocking tight end should consider Garrett Graham, who was rated 29th in pass blocking by Pro Football Focus in 2015.

Other tight ends still available include Daniel Fells, Andrew Quarless and Tony Moeaki.

Offensive Line

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Jahri Evans, Guard

This year's pool of free-agent offensive linemen drained fairly quickly, and most of the younger players are gone. However, a couple of older starting-caliber veterans remain on the market.

Our pick for the top offensive lineman is guard Jahri Evans, who started 11 games for the New Orleans Saints in 2015. He is an older veteran at 32 years of age, but he is still playing at a relatively high level.

Pro Football Focus rated him 38th overall among guards for the season.

It seems the Saints wanted to retain Evans for the coming season, just not at his existing price tag.

"The Saints came to us for the second year in a row about doing a little contract adjustment and pay cut this year," Evans' agent told WIP Philadelphia (h/t NOLA.com) earlier in the offseason. "We weren't going to do it again."

If a team can strike a deal that appeases Evans and his agent, it will get the services of a six-time Pro Bowler in return. One contending team that should show strong interest is the Seattle Seahawks. Right guard J.R. Sweezy finished the 2015 season rated 69th overall among guards by Pro Football Focus, and he is no longer with the team.

To say the Seahawks have a need at the position would be an understatement.

Ben Grubbs, who started seven games at guard for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, is another veteran option. Pro Football Focus rated him 36th overall among guards in 2015.

Other linemen worthy of attention include tackle Khalif Barnes, center Ryan Wendell, tackle Will Beatty and tackle Jake Long.

Defensive Line

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Greg Hardy, Defensive End

When you look at on-field ability only, defensive end Greg Hardy has to be considered a top-tier player. He appeared in 12 games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 and finished with 35 tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

Pro Football Focus rated Hardy 17th overall among 3-4 defensive ends for the 2015 season.

The problem is that he comes with major character concerns stemming primarily from domestic-violence allegations. Hardy continues to deny those allegations even though pictures from the alleged incident exist.

"I've never put my hand on any woman," Hardy said in a recent interview with ESPN's Adam Schefter. "In my whole entire life, no sir."

There are several teams that won't take a second look at Hardy because of his character concerns and potential fan backlash. However, he is the best defensive lineman still available in terms of pure talent.

It's difficult to pinpoint which teams would be willing to take a chance on Hardy, but the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals have taken in troubled players in the past.

Teams that are not interested in the potential headache of Hardy should look to defensive end Mike DeVito, who was ranked 21st among 3-4 defensive ends by Pro Football Focus last season. Other notable available defensive linemen include defensive end Randy Starks, defensive tackle Henry Melton and defensive end Cullen Jenkins.

Defensive tackle B.J. Raji announced this offseason that he plans to take a "hiatus" from football. He would be one of the more appealing options if a team can talk him into returning.

Safety

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Walter Thurmond, Hybrid Safety

Our initial pick for best available safety was free safety Reggie Nelson, who snagged eight interceptions and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. According to ESPN's Adam Caplan, however, Nelson is expected to sign with the Oakland Raiders, pending a physical.

This brings us to Walter Thurmond, who is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the league but also has an injury history. He has shown the ability to play both safety positions and to move over to cornerback when needed. However, this past season is the first in his career in which he played a full 16-game schedule.

Pro Football Focus rated Thurmond 18th overall among safeties in 2015. He racked up 71 tackles and three interceptions on the season.

There is a legitimate chance, though, that he will soon join Nelson on the list of unavailable players. According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com), the 28-year-old has already rejected several offers and is seriously considering retirement.

If Thurmond is out, we'll go with strong safety Donte Whitner. He started 14 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2015 and finished the year rated 28th overall among safeties by Pro Football Focus. He is 30 years old and should have several strong seasons ahead of him.

The Carolina Panthers should take a strong interest in both Whitner and Thurmond. Strong safety Roman Harper was one of the few weaknesses on the team's defense last season—he was rated 157th among safeties by Pro Football Focus in 2015—and was released in the offseason.

Other notable safeties who are available include Louis Delmas, William Moore and Harper.

Cornerback

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Leon Hall

At 31 years of age, veteran cornerback Leon Hall may be entering the back half of his NFL career. However, he is a savvy and experienced player and is still playing at a high level. He appeared in 14 games for the Cincinnati Bengals last season and produced 55 tackles and two interceptions on the season.

Pro Football Focus rated him 27th overall among cornerbacks for 2015.

The Bengals may no longer view Hall as a starting corner, but other teams likely will. He should be able to help a rebuilding or contending team in 2016, and he is our pick for the best available cornerback.

A contender that is looking to add secondary depth—perhaps the New England Patriots or Arizona Cardinals—should look at Hall as a two- or three-year option. The Bengals should also consider retaining him.

Our pick for the second-best available corner is Sterling Moore, who was rated 47th overall by Pro Football Focus for the 2015 season. Moore is really more of a depth or rotational player, but he did start nine games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past season. He finished the year with 45 tackles, one interception and three forced fumbles.

*UPDATE: On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills announced they has signed Moore to a free-agent contract.

Other cornerbacks that teams should consider at this point include Jerraud Powers, Antonio Cromartie, Greg Toler and Tarell Brown.

Linebacker

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Mike Neal, Outside Linebacker

The linebacker market has thinned considerably over the past month, and this is especially true for linebackers with pass-rushing ability.

The Oakland Raiders recently pulled suspended linebacker Aldon Smith off the market with a two-year deal.

A few valuable linebackers remain on the market, of course, and our top pick is outside linebacker Mike Neal. At 28 years old, he is still relatively young for the position and does bring some pass-rush potential. Neal had four sacks in 2015 and has produced 13.5 sacks over the past three years.

However, Neal is best suited as a run-stopper and could be a valuable player in that role. He started 15 games for the Green Bay Packers in 2015 and finished the season rated 24th against the run among 3-4 outside linebackers by Pro Football Focus.

Neal could find his way back to the Packers, of course. According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy does hope to re-sign him.

If the Packers don't retain Neal, he could be a valuable player for a team in need of defensive depth. An emerging team such as the Oakland Raiders or a retooling team such as the Pittsburgh Steelers could make sense here.

Our second top option is veteran outside linebacker Calvin Pace. He had 22 tackles and three sacks with the New York Jets last season, but at 35 years old, he is more of a depth player at this point.

Other notable free-agent linebackers include DeMeco Ryans, Donald Butler and Kelvin Sheppard.

Specialists

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Josh Brown, Kicker

In terms of special teamers, some young players such as kicker Greg Zuerlein (28) and punter Ryan Quigley (26) could attract the attention of franchises looking for long-term options. For our top option, however, we're going with elder statesman Josh Brown, who is the type of player who can step in during the offseason and help strengthen a contender.

Brown will turn 37 before the end of the month, so he isn't the type of kicker that a team can count on for the next decade. However, he is reliable and is coming off a fine season with the New York Giants.

Brown made 30 of 32 total field-goal attempts on the season and 44 of 45 extra-point attempts. Pro Football Focus rated him sixth overall in terms of field-goal and extra-point kicking. The downside is that he offers little value as a kickoff specialist.

Pro Football Focus rated Brown 58th out of 60 kickers in terms of kickoffs for the 2015 season. He will likely find an opportunity to catch on and compete in training camp. A number of teams—including the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans—have questions at the kicker position.