NFL Free Agency 2017: Grading the Strength of Each Position Class

NFL free agency is always about striking at the opportune time. 

A player doesn't need to be the best at his position to be paid like it. Instead, age and timing are often as important as league value.

Those about to enter free agency are doing so at the absolute right time. In December, commissioner Roger Goodell said the salary cap would increase by another $10 million, per New York Newsday's Bob Glauber. As a result, the 2017 cap will hover around $155 million. 

Half of the league's teams will have over $40 million to spend if they choose to do so, according to Over The Cap. 

The top three teams with the most available cap space—the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers—each have $74 million or more to lure their top targets. The Browns have a whopping $110.4 million to turn around their moribund franchise. 

A young player coming into the prime of his career can benefit greatly from such a flush market. 

Talents such as quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Le'Veon Bell and safety Eric Berry have the opportunity to reset positional value for future years.  

When teams hand out massive contracts this spring, don't go crazy. The market is simply readjusting and current free agents are in the right place at the right time.

Quarterback

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1. Kirk Cousins
2. Mike Glennon
3. Matt Barkley
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick
5. Mark Sanchez

It's the wrong offseason to need a quarterback. The free-agent class is hardly worth anyone's attention, while this year's draft class is filled with developmental talent. 

The only viable target who may hit the market—the Washington Redskins' Kirk Cousins—is expected to re-sign with Washington or receive the franchise tag for another season. Operating under the franchise tag this past year, Cousins completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 4,166 yards, 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. As such, the 28-year-old signal-caller could be the NFL's next $100 million man. 

Otherwise, a team could take a chance on a young and developing quarterback like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Mike Glennon or the Chicago Bears' Matt Barkley while rummaging through the bargain bin. 

Legitimate starting options are few and far between. This class could slightly improve if/when the Buffalo Bills release Tyrod Taylor and the Bears part ways with Jay Cutler. They aren't the most enticing options, though. 

Grade: D-

Best of the Rest: Case Keenum, Shaun Hill, E.J. Manuel, Brian Hoyer, Geno Smith

Running Back

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1. Le'Veon Bell
2. Latavius Murray
3. LeGarrette Blount
4. Eddie Lacy
5. Jacquizz Rodgers

The NFL's best running back is about to hit free agency unless the Pittsburgh Steelers secure his services long-term. 

Some might argue Le'Veon Bell isn't the best, with the Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott, Buffalo Bills' LeSean McCoy and Arizona Cardinals' David Johnson staking their claims. However, Bell is now the first back in NFL history to average 100 rushing and 50 receiving yards per game over an entire season, per a team tweet.

The two-time Pro Bowl runner doesn't want to leave the Steel City, though. 

"I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler," Bell said in December, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "We're going to try to do whatever it takes to make that happen." 

Bell isn't the only free-agent possibility. Latavius Murray is only 26 years old. He's previously been a 1,000-yard rusher and he scored 12 rushing touchdowns during the 2016 regular season. The New England Patriots' LeGarrette Blount led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns, but he's a little long in the tooth at 30 years old and only Bill Belichick seems to get the most out of him. 

Eddie Lacy and Jacquizz Rodgers have flashed throughout their careers and could demand bigger roles. 

But nothing will happen until the league sees how the Steelers handle Bell's contract status. 

Grade: B+

Best of the Rest: Rex Burkhead, Danny Woodhead, Darren McFadden, DeAngelo Williams, Denard Robinson

Wide Receiver

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1. Terrelle Pryor
2. Alshon Jeffery
3. Kenny Stills
4. Kenny Britt
5. DeSean Jackson

In a passing league, a wide receiver who can create mismatches on a consistent basis is a valuable commodity. This upcoming crop of free-agent receivers presents an interesting blend of potential and established veterans. 

Terrelle Pryor tops the list because the 27-year-old target just started to tap into his potential. At 6'4" and 223 pounds with 4.38 speed, few can claim similar raw physical ability. The former quarterback led the Cleveland Browns with 77 receptions for 1,007 yards this year.

Alshon Jeffery certainly has a longer history and more production than Pryor, but he also has injury concerns and he missed four games this past season after violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. The 26-year-old wide receiver owns a pair of 1,100-plus-yard campaigns, yet interested teams will factor everything into a decision on the Chicago Bears' top target. 

Kenny Stills and DeSean Jackson are cut from the same cloth. Both are exceptional deep threats. At 24 years old, Stills is coming off his best season. Jackson, meanwhile, posted another 1,000-yard season despite turning 30 in December.

If an organization wants a big, physical receiver, it can find one in Pryor, Jeffery or Kenny Britt. If speed is needed, this class offers vertical threats too. 

Grade: B

Best of the Rest: Pierre Garcon, Kendall Wright, Michael Floyd, Kamar Aiken, Terrance Williams

Tight End/Fullback/H-Back

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Tight End

1. Martellus Bennett
2. Jack Doyle
3. Dion Sims
4. Mychal Rivera
5. Jermaine Gresham

As the tight end position continues to evolve, a viable weapon there is almost necessary to compete on a weekly basis. Some tight ends barely block, yet their value holds strong if they serve as receiving threats. 

Martellus Bennett is a rare talent among modern tight ends: He's a mismatch in the passing game and a capable blocker. With Rob Gronkowski out of the New England Patriots lineup, Bennett finished second on the team with 701 receiving yards and led the squad with seven touchdown receptions. 

Jack Doyle, Dion Sims and Mychal Rivera are all 26 years old or younger with the potential to be legitimate targets in the right passing attack. 

Grade: C+

Best of the Rest: Jared Cook, Anthony Fasano, Levine Toilolo, Luke Willson, Gavin Escobar


Fullback

1. Kyle Juszczyk
2. Patrick DiMarco
3. James Develin
4. Zach Line
5. Jerome Felton

The fullback position is supposed to be going the way of the dinosaur. Very few teams actually employ a traditional lead-blocker. Yet, the quality of the upcoming free-agent class is astounding. 

The NFL's top three fullbacks—the Baltimore Ravens' Kyle Juszczyk, Atlanta Falcons' Patrick DiMarco and New England Patriots' James Develin—are all hitting free agency at the same time. 

For those teams that still like to use a fullback, this is the time to add a top-notch performer to the offense. 

Grade: A

Best of the Rest: John Kuhn, Marcel Reece, Will Tukuafu

Offensive Tackle

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1. Riley Reiff
2. Andrew Whitworth
3. Ricky Wagner
4. Matt Kalil
5. Mike Remmers

Teams in search of a quality left tackle will likely turn to the draft to acquire one. There are a few options to pursue in free agency, though, if an organization prefers a veteran presence. 

Andrew Whitworth remains one of the game's best blindside protectors, but he'll turn 36 next season. However, the 11-year veteran hasn't ruled out leaving Cincinnati for the first time in his career if he's given an opportunity to stay at left tackle, per ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell. 

Reiff is more intriguing because he'll be 29 next year and he's started 48 games at left tackle. However, the Detroit Lions decided to shift him from left to right tackle after selecting Taylor Decker in the first round of the 2016 draft. Whichever team takes a chance on Reiff could get a very good right tackle or move him back to the blind side. 

As for right tackles, Ricky Wagner graded among the league's best, per Pro Football Focus. His inclusion on the strong side could help solidify a vulnerable offensive line. 

While this group has some potential, there's no standout ready to enter the market at the prime of his career. 

Grade: C

Best of the Rest: Andre Smith, Bradley Sowell, Sebastian Vollmer, Menelik Watson, Marshall Newhouse

Guard

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1. Kevin Zeitler
2. Larry Warford
3. Chance Warmack
4. T.J. Lang
5. Ronald Leary

The 2017 NFL free-agent class should be dubbed "The Year of the Guard." The list of top players is a who's who of young and upcoming interior blockers. 

A year ago, Kelechi Osemele changed the guard market when he signed a five-year, $58 million contract with the Oakland Raiders. Osemele proved his worth with an All-Pro performance, and the top guards in the upcoming free-agent class are doing that under similar circumstances.

Kevin Zeitler, Chance Warmack and Larry Warford are all 26 years old or younger. All three are physical blockers who can help redefine an offensive line's identity. Zeitler and Warford graded among the top-20 guards, per Pro Football Focus. The only reason Warmack didn't is because a hand injury pushed him to the injured reserve in late September. 

These three young studs are already counted among the league's best interior blockers. 

Veterans T.J. Lang and Ronald Leary shouldn't be considered a step down from the previous three. The only reason they're ranked slightly lower is due to age. Lang is 29 years old, but he's a superior pass-blocker. Leary, meanwhile, is 27 years old (28 by the start of the season), and the Dallas Cowboys didn't experience any bumps in the road when he replaced an injured La'el Collins. 

This is a fantastic group that should warrant a lot of interest around the league. 

Grade: A

Best of the Rest: Brian Winters, Austin Pasztor, Tim Lelito, Jermon Bushrod, Luke Joeckel

Center

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1. J.C. Tretter
2. Joe Hawley
3. A.Q. Shipley
4. Brian Schwenke
5. John Sullivan

Center doesn't hold quite as much value as other offensive line positions. This year's class won't change that perception.

Still, a pair of quality starters could hit the market in J.C. Tretter and Joe Hawley.

Tretter regained the Green Bay Packers starting job from Corey Linsley this season and performed very well before suffering a knee injury that kept him out of the final nine regular-season contests and the Packers postseason opener. Hawley started 29 games the last two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he's a fierce competitor in the middle of the offensive line.

Meanwhile, A.Q. Shipley is a journeyman who finally received an opportunity to start for the Arizona Cardinals. The 30-year-old blocker capitalized with his best season just before entering free agency. 

This group can be supplemented by other interior linemen such as Tim Lelito, Ted Larsen and Eric Kush, who primarily played guard this season but also have experience at center. 

Grade: C-

Best of the Rest: Cody Wallace, Ryan Wendell, Michael Person

Defensive End

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1. Jason Pierre-Paul
2. Calais Campbell
3. Jabaal Sheard
4. Mario Addison
5. Andre Branch

Proven pass-rushers rarely hit the market. This year is a little different. 

Jason Pierre-Paul is available after playing under a one-year deal in 2016. He had to prove he was still capable of being a dominant pass-rusher after damaging his hand in a fireworks accident a year and a half ago. 

Prior to suffering a sports hernia that required surgery, Pierre-Paul graded among the league's top-five edge-defenders, per Pro Football Focus. Through 12 games, the end managed seven sacks and 35 quarterback hurries. His injury history will be a factor when teams offer the 28-year-old defender a contract, but his ability to disrupt an offense is still present. 

Not every defensive end plays the same type of role, though. Calais Campbell has never registered a double-digit sack season. Even so, his effectiveness shouldn't be underrated. At 6'8" and 300 pounds, Campbell is an effective 5-technique who can also dominate along the defensive interior. He's a massive presence as both a pass-rusher and a run defender. 

Each player brings a different skill set. For example, Jabaal Sheard can play in multiple fronts as a two-way defender. On the other hand, Mario Addison is a pass-rush specialist who accumulated 9.5 sacks this season. 

All of these players hold value, depending on how teams plan to utilize their talents. 

Grade: B

Best of the Rest: Charles Johnson, Chris Long, Ziggy Hood, Damion Square, Kendall Reyes

Defensive Tackle

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1. Kawann Short
2. Dontari Poe
3. Brandon Williams
4. Abry Jones
5. Bennie Logan

Generally speaking, there are two types of defensive tackles. One is an explosive upfield player who disrupts with his ability to create tackles for loss and sacks. The other is a wide-body who eats up blockers and is difficult to move in the running game. 

Great defensive tackles can do both, but those are rare talents. Thus, a defensive tackle's value comes down to what specific teams require. 

Kawann Short is one of the NFL's premier pass-rushers along the defensive interior. A year ago, the former second-round pick tied for the lead league among defensive tackles with 11 sacks. He wasn't as productive in 2016, but the 27-year-old lineman still managed six sacks and continued to be a very good run defender. 

On the flip side, nose tackle Dontari Poe is a run defender first, but he's also athletic and active. Since the 2013 season, the Memphis product has registered 10.5 sacks. He's an absolute load at a listed 346 pounds. 

If a team is searching for other quality run defenders, multiple names come to the forefront. Brandon Williams is in the conversation—no defensive lineman is harder to move at the point of attack. The 25-year-old Abry Jones performed very well against the run in a limited role for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And Bennie Logan set the tone along the middle of the Philadelphia Eagles defense. 

Pass-rusher or run-stuffer, both could be available. 

Grade: B+

Best of the Rest: Sylvester Williams, Nick Fairley, Karl Klug, Johnathan Hankins, Tyson Alualu

Linebacker

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Inside Linebacker

1. Dont'a Hightower
2. Lawrence Timmons
3. Zach Brown
4. Malcolm Smith
5. Kevin Minter

There can be overlap when assessing inside and outside linebackers. Multiple players are capable of performing at both positions and often do. But we'll stick to their primary roles. 

The New England Patriots prioritized Dont'a Hightower over Jamie Collins when the team shipped Collins, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, to the Cleveland Browns just before the league's trade deadline. 

Otherwise, Lawrence Timmons, Zach Brown and Malcolm Smith finished the 2016 regular season with 100-plus tackles, and a 26-year-old Kevin Minter accumulated 81 stops with 3.5 sacks. 

Grade: B

Best of the Rest: Paul Worrilow, Manti Te'o, Donald Butler, Sio Moore, Jon Bostic



Outside Linebacker

1. Chandler Jones
2. Melvin Ingram
3. Nick Perry
4. Jamie Collins
5. DeMarcus Ware

The depth of this upcoming edge-defender class could be stacked. It just depends on what teams do with their pending free agents. 

For example, the Arizona Cardinals don't plan on letting Chandler Jones hit the open market. Head coach Bruce Arians already stated, per Kyle Odegard of the team's official site, Jones "is not going anywhere. If we have to, we'll franchise him." 

Even without Jones, quality edge-defenders should still be available. Melvin Ingram, Nick Perry, DeMarcus Ware, Julius Peppers and Lorenzo Alexander combined for 42.5 sacks. This group can get after the quarterback, even if a few are older veterans facing their last contracts.

Grade: A

Best of the Rest: Julius Peppers, Lorenzo Alexander, Paul Kruger, John Simon, James Harrison

Cornerback

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1. Trumaine Johnson
2. A.J. Bouye
3. Stephon Gilmore
4. Dre Kirkpatrick
5. Logan Ryan

Cornerbacks remain one of the core building blocks of a franchise, and their value is increasing as the league trends more and more toward passing offenses. 

Today's game doesn't just feature two starting cornerbacks. Nickel defense has become the NFL's base front, and a third corner is required to cover the slot. As such, organizations have embarked on a never-ending journey to find quality cover men. 

Even so, the market has been slow to respond. The league's biggest cornerback contract ranks 27th overall among a proliferation of quarterbacks, pass-rushers and left tackles. 

Teams can strike by getting fair market deals. Last year, the Los Angeles Rams placed the franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson. Due to the turnover within the organization, his status has yet to be decided. 

In Houston, A.J. Bouye developed into one of the league's top defensive backs during his fourth season. The 25-year-old should challenge Johnson for the offseason's most expensive cornerback contract. 

For those franchises that don't want to be involved in a bidding war, Stephon Gilmore, Dre Kirkpatrick, Logan Ryan, Morris Claiborne and Prince Amukamara are all 27 years old or younger and multiyear starters. 

Grade: B+

Best of the Rest: Morris Claiborne, Prince Amukamara, Captain Munnerlyn, Micah Hyde, Darius Butler

Safety

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1. Eric Berry
2. Tony Jefferson
3. Johnathan Cyprien
4. Jahleel Addae
5. Barry Church

The safety position continues to evolve. Modern defenses are asking safeties to do everything against prolific offenses—whether it's cover the deep half, deep third, line up over the slot receiver, blitz the quarterback or play in the box to defend the run. 

Eric Berry does it all. He's an inspiration to watch after overcoming cancer, and he's still one of the league's most well-rounded defensive backs. While playing under the franchise tag, Berry finished second on the Kansas City Chiefs with 77 tackles, nine deflected passes, four interceptions and a pair of touchdowns. 

Everyone in and around professional football knows how good Berry is. The same can't be said of a talented and young safety class about to enter free agency. 

A year ago, Tony Jefferson was a restricted free agent and didn't receive any offers. The 24-year-old defender is about to become one of the hottest commodities available after leading the Arizona Cardinals with 96 tackles. 

Johnathan Cyprien, Jahleel Addae and Barry Church all graded among the league's top-25 safeties, per Pro Football Focus. Cyprien and Church were counted among the top-10 performers. 

Grade: A

Best of the Rest: Duron Harmon, T.J. McDonald, Bradley McDougald, Duke Ihenacho, Quintin Demps

Specialists

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Kicker 

1. Greg Zuerlein
2. Steven Hauschka
3. Nick Novak
4. Connor Barth
5. Phil Dawson

Unleash the Legatron. 

As the league continues to tweak its kicking rules, special teams become more exciting with each passing year. Landing a weapon like Greg Zuerlein could be the difference in winning an extra game or two next season. Zuerlein has a monster leg, but the offensively-deficient Los Angeles Rams have underutilized his skills.

Steven Hauschka and Nick Novak are two veteran kickers who are still counted among the league's best. Meanwhile, Phil Dawson keeps plugging along even at 41 years old. 

Grade: B

Punter

1. Shane Lechler
2. Britton Colquitt
3. Jeff Locke

Speaking of older specialists who are among the league's best, 40-year-old Shane Lechler continues to boom punts. The 17-year veteran finished sixth during the regular season with an average of 47.5 yards per punt. 

For comparison, Britton Colquitt and Jeff Locke—the only other tested veteran free-agent punters—both finished among the bottom half of the league in punting average. 

Grade: C