Ranking the 2017 Free-Agent Class by Position

Free agency in the National Football League may follow the same basic schedule each season, but every year is unique.

Some seasons, the shelves of this meat market are awash in wide receivers. Others, it may be hip-deep in inside linebackers or filled to the brim with offensive guards.

Conversely, there are few things more frustrating for front offices than having loads of cap space and a glaring need at defensive end in a season when the list of those available is more cringe-inducing than awe-inspiring.

In 2017, it's a good year to be in the market for one of those pass-rushers. Not so much if you're looking for a starting quarterback...

Like those ever hit the open market.

And that's the thing. There are some constants in this game within the game. Some positions naturally carry more weight than others. Every team in the league covets cornerback help year in and year out. Fullbacks? Not so much.

Taking all those factors into consideration, and bearing in mind that many of the biggest names with expiring contracts won't get anywhere near the open market (looking at you, Le'Veon Bell), here's a look at which departments in the free-agent emporium will have the most to offer shoppers at the beginning of March.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your checkbooks!

15. Special Teams

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Top Players Available: Steven Hauschka, K, Seattle Seahawks; Greg Zuerlein, K, Los Angeles Rams; Shane Lechler, P, Houston Texans

Don't get me wrong. Having a solid kicker and/or punter is important for NFL teams, whether it's for a game-winning kick or to flip field position with a booming punt.

Things like field position might be boring, but they are important.

However, teams aren't upgrading at either position in free agency this year.

The best kicker available this spring, Steven Hauschka of the Seattle Seahawks, will be looking for work in large part because he's missed an eye-popping 10 point-after attempts over the past two seasons.

Guessing he's not a fan of the rule change.

The top punter available, the Houston Texans' Shane Lechler, ranked a respectable eighth at his position in gross average in 2016, at 47.5 yards per punt, per Pro Football Focus.

He's also 40 years old.

So, um...yeah.

Moving on.

14. Fullback

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Top Players Available: Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore Ravens; Patrick DiMarco, Atlanta Falcons; James Develin, New England Patriots

The fullback position is going the way of the passenger pigeon. Fewer and fewer NFL teams utilize the position each season.

For those who still do, there's good news and bad news in 2017.

The good news is that Pro Football Focus' three highest-ranked fullbacks—the Baltimore Ravens' Kyle Juszczyk, New England Patriots' James Develin and Atlanta Falcons' Patrick DiMarco—all have expiring contracts in 2017.

Juszczyk made his first Pro Bowl in 2016, and as Garrett Downing of the team's website wrote, the 25-year-old's five catches for 43 yards in that game showed he's more than just a blocker.

"I found my way out there and found a way to get the ball in my hands," Juszczyk said, per Downing. "I'm thankful."

So what's the bad news?

None of that trio will be going anywhere.

The value of these fullbacks lies as much in where they play as how they play. It's highly unlikely that a team is going to come along and offer a fat contract to any of them. And for a comparable salary, it's an easy call to stay with a playoff contender in Baltimore or the two teams that battled in Super Bowl LI.

After that group, the list of available fullbacks thins out quickly. And between the limited number of players available and an even more limited market for their services, it's not hard to see that fullback is one of the least valuable positions in free agency this year.

13. Center

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Top Players Available: J.C. Tretter, Green Bay Packers; A.Q. Shipley, Arizona Cardinals; Joe Hawley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Brian Schwenke, Tennessee Titans; John Sullivan, Washington Redskins

There are two players in football who touch the rock on every play. One is the quarterback. The other is the center.

Add in that the center usually makes the play calls, and it's a position that carries plenty of weight, even if they don't get much of the glory.

Unfortunately, teams looking for help in the middle of the offensive line this year don't have much to choose from.

The Green Bay Packer's J.C. Tretter ranked a respectable 13th among centers at Pro Football Focus in 2016, his first year as a starter. But he missed the second half of the 2016 campaign—a theme throughout his four NFL seasons.

It gets worse from there. A.Q. Shipley of the Arizona Cardinals played OK for the Redbirds, but he's 30, and "OK" just about sums up his skill level. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Joe Hawley ranked as the third-worst center in the league among those who played more than 950 snaps in 2016.

Given the Packers' history of frugality it's entirely possible Tretter will, at the very least, be allowed to test the open market. And given his age, 26, and level of play when healthy, there's going to be interest if that occurs.

But there aren't any Alex Macks in this year's crop of free-agent centers. There aren't any Pro Bowlers or game-changers.

For that reason more than any other, center checks in toward the bottom of these rankings.

12. Tight End

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Top Players Available: Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots; Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts;
Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins; Jared Cook, Green Bay Packers; Jacob Tamme, Atlanta Falcons

Every team in the NFL that doesn't have an athletic, field-stretching tight end wants an athletic, field-stretching tight end. But where 2017 free agency is concerned, they're just about out of luck.

That doesn't mean there aren't any available. New England's Martellus Bennett has proved to be such a player at times over his nine NFL seasons, including 90 catches for over 900 yards for the Chicago Bears in 2014.

After winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2016, Bennett told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that he's looking forward to enjoying the fruits of those labors: "I'm going into free agency as a Super Bowl champion. You know they overpay Super Bowl champions!"

Given Bennett's value to the Patriots and Rob Gronkowski's uncertain future after more back surgery, that's exactly what it's going to take for another team to pry Bennett away from the Pats: overpaying. Big time.

From there, the well dries up pretty quickly.

Jack Doyle of the Indianapolis Colts caught 59 passes in 2016, but that production constitutes well over half of the total for his four-year career. Vernon Davis turned back the clock and resurrected his lagging career with the Washington Redskins in 2016, but he's 33 years old.

Essentially, as difference-makers at the position go, it's Bennett or bust.

And he probably won't leave Beantown.

11. Defensive Tackle

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Top Players Available: Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers; Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens; Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants; Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles; Nick Fairley, New Orleans Saints

Seeing the defensive tackle position listed so low here might raise a few eyebrows. After all, Kawann Short of the Carolina Panthers was a second-team All-Pro during his 11-sack 2015 season.

But the odds of Short hitting free agency are about the same as the chances the Panthers sign me to replace him.

As Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer reported, head coach Ron Rivera indicated the Panthers are prepared to use the franchise tag on Short if need be.

"We've gone through some of our salary-cap meetings already," Rivera said. "[General manager] Dave Gettleman and his staff have looked at it, and the best way to approach KK as we get into free agency is, obviously, we're probably going to have to tag him. If we do, so be it. If not, I think they can get a deal done, and I'm pretty optimistic about that."

After Short, the drop-off is significant. Johnathan Hankins of the New York Giants and Nick Fairley of the New Orleans Saints have shown a measure of promise at the 3-technique spot. But neither has come close to demonstrating Short's pass-rush upside, and it wasn't that long ago Fairley washed out with the Detroit Lions.

Dontari Poe of the Kansas City Chiefs, Brandon Williams of the Baltimore Ravens and Bennie Logan of the Philadelphia Eagles are capable lane-cloggers. But they are 1-technique run-stuffers, not the sort of havoc-wreaking forces up front who get contracts that pay in excess of $10 million per season.

This isn't to say that Short is the only defensive tackle in 2017 who will receive that kind of fat payday.

But he's the only big man who definitely rates it—and he isn't going anywhere.

10. Quarterback

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Top Players Available: Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins; Brian Hoyer, Chicago Bears; Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Josh McCown, Cleveland Browns; Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets

Quarterback is without question the most important position in the NFL. After setting franchise records for passing yardage in successive seasons, Kirk Cousins of the Washington Redskins has established himself as a bona fide starter at this level.

Were there any chance of the 28-year-old seeing the open market, the quarterback spot would be at the top of this list.

There's been endless speculation regarding Cousins' future in the nation's capital, but Washington president Bruce Allen told Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post there's no question Cousins is in the team's plans for 2017.

"[Kirk's] going to be our quarterback," Allen said, per Steinberg. "We've said it. We obviously like what we’ve done. We think we're going to get better, that’s the key. And as we talked with [Kirk] earlier today, Super Bowls are real fun when you bring all your roommates with you. That’s when it's special, and that's our goal."

Is Cousins elite? No. But he's the best the Redskins either have or could get this year. Whether it's via a long-term deal or a second straight franchise tag, he isn't leaving.

He's also light-years better than any of the other signal-callers set to hit free agency.

Yes, Brian Hoyer of the Chicago Bears has 31 career starts and played well enough in 2016 to merit consideration as Chicago's starter in 2017 if the team moves on from Jay Cutler.

And yes, Mike Glennon of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed enough in 13 starts as a rookie back in 2013 that any number of QB-needy teams will try to convince themselves the 27-year-old has what it takes to be an NFL starter.

But no one is proclaiming that Hoyer or Glennon is the missing piece who's going to get an NFL team into the postseason.

Now, if veterans like Tyrod Taylor of the Buffalo Bills, Cutler or Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys wind up being let go by their teams, the pool under center will get substantially deeper, and this position will rocket up the rankings.

For now, though, a Cousins-less group of quarterbacks can't be slotted any higher than No. 10.

9. Halfback

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Top Players Available: Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers; LeGarrette Blount, New England Patriots; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders; Danny Woodhead, Los Angeles Chargers

Let's just dispense with one fantasy right off the bat: Le'Veon Bell is not—I repeat, not—leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As Kevin Patra of NFL.com reported in January, NFL Media colleague Ian Rapoport learned the Steelers will use their franchise tag on Bell, who in 2016 became the first tailback in NFL history to average 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards per game.

That tag will pay Bell $12 million and change in 2017, provided he and the Steelers don't work out an extension in the meantime.

Not one of the other running backs listed here is going to sniff that kind of cabbage in free agency. In fact, most will probably stay right where they are.

It's possible a team will open its wallet for Eddie Lacy or Latavius Murray, two young backs in their primes with 1,000-yard seasons on their resumes. But both backs also have durability issues at a position where such problems make suitors skittish.

LeGarrette Blount is coming off the best season of his career, but he's on the wrong side of 30 and hopefully realizes his best chance at another big year lies in not trying to fix what isn't broken.

Plus I hear winning the Super Bowl is nice.

The days of big free-agent deals for running backs have come and gone with precious few exceptions.

The class of 2017 doesn't have any of those except Bell. And his chances of leaving the Steel City are 0.00 percent.

8. Inside Linebacker

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Top Players Available: Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots; Zach Brown, Buffalo Bills; Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh Steelers; Perry Riley, Oakland Raiders; Gerald Hodges, San Francisco 49ers

The pool of available talent at inside linebacker has already taken a hit, compliments of the long-term extension signed by Jamie Collins of the Cleveland Browns. Odds are the team that dealt Collins away, the Patriots, will do the same with Dont'a Hightower.

But while the inside linebackers left might not be the most imposing group relative to other positions on this list, there's a good chance most of the higher-end names will at least test the open market.

Zach Brown is a 27-year-old player coming off an AFC-leading 149 total tackles for the Buffalo Bills. Lawrence Timmons is a steady veteran who has eclipsed 100 tackles in five straight seasons for the Steelers.

Timmons told the NFL Network he'd like to remain in the Steel City (via Bryan DeArdo of 247Sports): "I'm die-hard Pittsburgh. This is where I want to be."

However, Pittsburgh has Le'Veon Bell to worry about. Never mind that the team also has to work out an extension for Antonio Brown. Or that the Steelers signed potential replacement Vince Williams to a three-year deal before the season.

Frankly, Zach Brown and Timmons are in a similar bind—one that's not uncommon among inside linebackers. It's not a position that teams put a lot of salary emphasis on, believing cheaper replacements like Williams are relatively easy to find.

And that means when payday comes around, they often find themselves cashing those fat checks in a new zip code, as Brown and Timmons will more than likely be doing in 2017.

7. Offensive Tackle

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Top Players Available: Riley Reiff, Detroit Lions; Ricky Wagner, Baltimore Ravens; Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals; William Beatty, New York Giants; Matt Kalil, Minnesota Vikings

There are couple of truths about offensive tackles in the NFL.

The first is that elite tackles make big money. The league's highest-paid tackle, Tyron Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, brings home more than $12 million every year.

The second is that tackles like Smith don't get within a country mile of free agency. In fact, NFL teams generally don't let even average tackles hit the open market if they can help it.

That's why despite a less than stellar crop of free-agent tackles this year, it's still unlikely many will change teams.

However, this year there might just be an exception to that rule in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals' Andrew Whitworth, who was PFF's third-ranked tackle in 2016.

Granted, Whitworth doesn't want to go anywhere. He told Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer that if he had his druthers, he'd be back with the Bengals for a 12th season: "I know I want to be back. I believe they want me back. I believe in both those things, that I want to be back and that they want me back. Hopefully we can find a way to make that work."

However, Whitworth is also 35 years old and wants to remain on the left side. The Bengals drafted Cedric Ogbuehi to eventually replace him, and while Ogbuehi has struggled mightily on the right side, some have speculated that's because the youngster is right-handed.

If the team feels the same way, that could be all it takes for them to let Whitworth walk. If he does, old or not, there will be teams lined up to sign him.

6. Outside Linebacker

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Top Players Available: Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals; Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers; Malcolm Smith, Oakland Raiders; Nick Perry, Green Bay Packers; Barkevious Mingo, New England Patriots

This is another instance when the ranking and the list of players available don't jibe—largely because the player atop the list isn't "available."

As Adam Green of Arizona Sports reported, after notching 11.0 sacks in his first year with the team, head coach Bruce Arians indicated the Cardinals did not deal a player and a draft pick just to rent Chandler Jones for a season.

"Really to sign our own guys," Arians said of the team’s biggest offseason need, per Green. "If we can get our own guys back and not have to teach a lot of new guys things."

However, the cupboard is far from bare. With the Los Angeles Chargers moving to a 4-3 scheme under DC Gus Bradley in 2017, Melvin Ingram appears to be set to move.

In fact, Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus listed Ingram atop his list of the best players who will hit the open market, saying:

"

After a slow start to his career, Ingram has developed into a dominant edge-rusher, posting 72 total QB pressures in 2016 after recording just 83 over the previous two seasons. He was PFF’s sixth-ranked edge rusher overall this past season, slotting in just behind Bosa. Ingram posted solid grades in every facet of the game PFF measures, and his pass rush, in particular, has been improving year over year.

"

Throw in a veteran 4-3 outside linebacker in Malcolm Smith of the Oakland Raiders and more edge-rush help in Green Bay's Nick Perry, and even if Jones stays put, the market at outside linebacker is at the very least decent.

5. Offensive Guard

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Top Players Available: Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati Bengals; T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers; Ronald Leary, Dallas Cowboys; Larry Warford, Detroit Lions; Luke Joeckel, Jacksonville Jaguars

Now we're getting somewhere, folks. There's some real meat on the bone at the guard position in free agency this year.

Kevin Zeitler of the Cincinnati Bengals allowed only a single sack last year en route to ranking sixth among guards at Pro Football Focus. T.J. Lang of the Green Bay Packers ranked 13th after not allowing a single sack or quarterback hit.

In fact, each of the top four players listed here was a top-20 guard at PFF. And at least one of those players, Ronald Leary of the Dallas Cowboys, will likely move on, provided that La'el Collins gets his starting job back.

Yet it's the last name here that might be the most interesting.

Back in 2013, Luke Joeckel was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. He was supposed to man the left side of the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line for years to come.

Things haven't worked out according to plan. Injuries and poor play have played equal parts in torpedoing Joeckel's career. In 2016, a knee injury brought an abrupt end to Jacksonville's experiment with moving him inside to guard.

As ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco wrote, Joeckel will likely test the market to gauge interest in his moving back to tackle.

Given his pedigree and draft slot, it's a safe bet someone will roll the dice.

4. Cornerback

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Top Players Available: A.J. Bouye, Houston Texans; Trumaine Johnson, Los Angeles Rams; Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo Bills; Morris Claiborne, Dallas Cowboys; Captain Munnerlyn, Minnesota Vikings

It's a good time to be a cornerback hitting free agency in the NFL. Nine players at the position have contracts that pay them in excess of $10 million per season on average, per Spotrac.

That number should grow by at least two this year—and possibly more.

After emerging as a surprise top-10 performer at the position, per PFF, A.J. Bouye of the Houston Texans is about to reap the rewards. As general manager Rick Smith told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans have no plans to bid adieu to the 25-year-old.

"I think he had an outstanding year," Smith said, per Wilson. "I've said many, many times you can't have too many corners. We've talked about that a lot. I think he's a fine young man. He fits our profile, and we certainly would like to have him back, and we're going to do everything we can to get that done."

Given the way Bouye exploded from nowhere, the Texans might take a wait-and-see approach by franchise-tagging him—like the Los Angeles Rams did a year ago with Trumaine Johnson.

Johnson's one year with a fat salary was an uneven one, but Rams general manager Les Snead told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times that the team hasn't ruled out bringing Johnson back in 2017:

"

Trumaine is a larger guy with good ball skills and all things like that. Is it a square in a square, a triangle in a triangle or more a rectangle in a square? ... That’s probably one of the top priorities when Wade [Phillips] walks in the door because, obviously, the magnitude of what his contract will look like and the magnitude of what another franchise tag looks like and everything in between.

"

The Buffalo Bills face a similar dilemma with Stephon Gilmore, who is seeking a long-term contract that will pay him well in excess of $10 million per year, per Sal Capaccio of WGR 550.

There isn't a so-called elite cornerback in this year's market. There are those who performed like one in 2016, such as Bouye, and young cover men, such as Gilmore and Morris Claiborne of the Dallas Cowboys, who were drafted to be as much but haven't quite lived up to the billing.

And that's what makes the decision on these players so tricky. Because rest assured, if their own teams aren't willing to crack the checkbook to pay them, some other team will.

Like Smith said, there's no such thing as too many corners.

3. Safety

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Top Players Available: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs; Tony Jefferson, Arizona Cardinals; Barry Church, Dallas Cowboys; Johnathan Cyprien, Jacksonville Jaguars; Quintin Demps, Houston Texans

The safety position has experienced a renaissance of sorts over the past few years. With more NFL teams employing athletic tight ends and running backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield, it's become much more important for defenses to counter that with safeties as adept at pass coverage as they are in run support.

That fact is going to make Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs a wealthy man.

Berry, who played under the Chiefs franchise tag in 2016, was the seventh-ranked safety in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, after recording 77 total tackles and four interceptions.

As Joel Thorman of SB Nation reported, Kansas City general manager John Dorsey said the Chiefs are doing everything in their power to keep one of the franchise's most popular players in town:

"

From my perspective we've had very positive conversations with his representatives. As you know, moving forward these conversations will move forward in a positive light and I think that everybody can understand there comes a time when hopefully two sides can come together and mesh this thing out. That question will be answered as we move forward to the next thing on the checklist.

"

However, Berry's agent, Chad Speck, responded to that story by tweeting, "I wouldn't characterize it as 'positive'—but we are talking. We've got a long ways to go."

Even if Berry does re-up with the Chiefs, there's still plenty to like about this year's safety class. Tony Jefferson of the Arizona Cardinals is coming off a career year in which he ranked one spot higher at PFF than Berry.

Johnathan Cyprien of the Jacksonville Jaguars posted 126 stops last year and ranked one spot higher still.

The Jags have ample cap room to re-up Cyprien, but the Cardinals face a number of free-agent decisions on defense, just as the Dallas Cowboys have a tough choice to make with Barry Church given their annually tight cap situation.

Like every other name listed here, Church ranked among the top 12 at his position last year, per PFF. These safeties aren't just talented, either. With the exception of Quintin Demps of the Houston Texans, each one is in the prime of his career.

And young difference-makers are what free agency is all about.

2. Wide Receiver

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Top Players Available: Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears; Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland Browns; DeSean Jackson, Washington Redskins; Pierre Garcon, Washington Redskins; Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams; Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins

It's become something of an annual rite of passage in the NFL—a free-agent crop at wide receiver stocked with talent.

The question then relates to how many of those fish hit the open water.

Among this year's top wideouts, the one who appears least likely to get there is the Browns' Terrelle Pryor. As Chris Simms wrote for Bleacher Report, the Cleveland Browns simply have too much cap space to allow arguably their best offensive weapon to walk out the door:

"

Pryor represents the most exciting offensive player Cleveland has had since Josh Gordon, minus all the off-field issues. In fact, part of the reason the wide receiver should remain a Brown is that he's a model citizen. He doesn't take the bait on social media that other players might. [Browns head coach] Hue Jackson knows the man he's investing in. He also knows the player and he really knows his front office has cash to burn. Pryor will be back in Buckeye Country.

"

Things aren't as certain with the rest of these wideouts, though. After playing under the franchise tag in 2016, Alshon Jeffery would cost the Bears over $17 million to tag again. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon of the Redskins are both over 30, and their free-agency double-dip leaves Washington in a bit of a financial pickle.

However, despite buzz connecting Jackson to his old team in Philadelphia, Jackson told Stephen Czarda of Washington's website that he'd like to stay put: "I do want to still be here. My family and my house, I have everything here, and I don’t want to be in a transaction and move. First things first, I do want to be here, and hopefully we can make it work. But once again, this is a business, so things happen."

Then there's Kenny Britt of the Los Angeles Rams, who just had the first 1,000-yard season of his eight-year career. Or young speedster Kenny Stills, someone Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel believes could command $30 million in a new deal.

Of those six, there's a strong chance that half (if not more) will, at the very least, test those open waters, again making wide receiver one of the most loaded positions in free agency.

1. Defensive End

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Top Players Available: Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals; Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants; Jabaal Sheard, New England Patriots; Andre Branch, Miami Dolphins; Devin Taylor, Detroit Lions

The fact that the defensive end spot headlines this ranking of free-agent crops by position isn't so much about the talent of the group as a whole. That isn't to say young defensive ends like Jabaal Sheard of the New England Patriots, Andre Branch of the Miami Dolphins and Devin Taylor of the Detroit Lions aren't talented.

Each could serve as a solid complementary pass-rusher.

No, this No. 1 ranking is about a pair of headliners headed for paydays well in excess of $10 million per season—and the fact both will probably be playing elsewhere in 2017.

Mind you, the Arizona Cardinals likely don't want Calais Campbell to leave. After all, the 30-year-old wasn't just the No. 1 3-4 end in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

He was top dog by a staggering margin.

But it's essentially a foregone conclusion that one way or another, Chandler Jones is staying in the desert, which will probably strip the Redbirds of their franchise tag. The Cardinals also have a number of other veteran free agents, including safety Tony Jefferson.

Simply put, something has to give.

The New York Giants are in a similar position with Jason Pierre-Paul. The 28-year-old appeared to recapture much of his Pro Bowl form in 2016, piling up seven sacks in 12 games and ranking among the top five 4-3 ends in the NFL.

However, the Giants dumped more than $150 million into their defense in free agency a year ago, including a megadeal for end Olivier Vernon. Dishing out another one for Pierre-Paul would suck up an awful lot of Big Blue's salary resources.

And per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, Pierre-Paul is looking for a deal similar to the five-year, $85 million whopper Vernon signed a year ago.

For him to get that kind of coin, it's going to have to be somewhere else, which places a pair of shiny gems atop the list of available defensive ends—and the ends atop this list of available players.