NFL Free Agency 2018: Buying or Selling Latest Legal Tampering Rumors

If the Cleveland Browns' full-on assault on the trade market days before the legal-tampering period wasn't a sign, the floodgates opening Monday and the ensuing wave of rumor-mill material confirmed it: The 2018 NFL free-agency period is a going to be a wild ride.  

Those Browns created an appetizer of sorts for fans by acquiring Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor and Damarious Randall, to name a few, while also throwing up the white flag on prospects like Danny Shelton and DeShone Kizer.

The main course, of course, started with the legal-tampering period Monday. With potential franchise quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins, AJ McCarron, Sam Bradford and more playing the market, the early offerings from the rumor mill were noteworthy. And that doesn't even cover other big names such as Jimmy Graham and Allen Robinson. 

Teams and players can't officially come to agreements on deals until 4 p.m. ET Wednesday. In the interim, let's take a look at the biggest rumors making the rounds below and assign verdicts to each. This comes at a time when players, their representatives and teams put out rumblings as 32 franchise try to outmaneuver each other in the quest for improvement via the open market. 

The Sam Bradford-to-Buffalo Connection

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Bradford got a nod in the intro for good reason. He's quietly one of the better quarterback options on the open market.

Granted, he has to pass a medical check still. 

Bradford is a No. 1 pick who looked razor sharp with the Minnesota Vikings over the past two seasons. 

One team to watch in the Bradford sweepstakes? Try the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, who tweeted, "The Vikings have stayed in touch on Sam Bradford, but he may have options. ... One team to watch: the Bills. Good scheme fit and they have some interest, sources say."

Whether Buffalo can mimic the system Minnesota uses to churn out career years from players like Case Keenum is a totally different conversation, but it makes sense the front office there would have an interest after shipping Taylor to Browns. 

Bradford, still only 30 years old, completed 71.6 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions over 15 games in 2016 before appearing in only two games in 2017. One of those games, though, was a three-touchdown performance in which he threw for 346 yards with an 84.4 completion percentage. 

That sort of production is appealing to a team like Buffalo, which could look for a stopgap solution while grooming a possible rookie quarterback selected with one of two first-round picks this year. The low-risk, high-upside gamble certainly beats resetting the entire market with Cousins or another high-end option. 

Verdict: Buy

Editor's note: Sam Bradford intends to sign a one-year, $20 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Buffalo will have to look elsewhere for its future quarterback.

Reunion Time in New Orleans?

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Given the wealth of talent leaving the Seattle Seahawks lately, it seemed obvious Jimmy Graham would take off as well. 

A reunion with quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints would be something Hollywood would write, yet here we are. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, both parties are intrigued: "The Saints have strong interest in a reunion with TE Jimmy Graham. The feeling is mutual."

Rapoport also reported the Green Bay Packers are keeping an eye on Graham, though the Saints' connection here is hard to ignore. 

Graham would join Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane in leaving the Seahawks. He'd potentially join an influx of upcoming Saints transactions, which one has to think starts with the re-signing of Brees. 

Over five seasons with the Saints, Graham caught 51 touchdowns before heading to Seattle, where he caught 18 more over three years. He's coming off a 10-touchdown campaign, his biggest outburst since 2014, but it's also clear he's starting to slow down at the age of 31. 

Still, the Saints working a reunion angle here on a chance to reach the playoffs again makes sense, especially with an elite running game in place and after tight end Coby Fleener caught only five touchdowns over two seasons.

Verdict: Buy 

Malcolm Butler and the Saints Try Again?

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About a year ago, the rumor mill lit up with chatter about New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler joining the Saints via trade. 

In fact, Mike Giardi of NBC Sports Boston reported Butler wanted the Saints "badly."

Now he might get them. 

After the odd Super Bowl benching, ESPN.com's Dianna Russini reported the Saints are eyeing Butler again: "Remember when the Saints and the Patriots almost made a trade for Malcolm Butler? I'm told there is new interest in getting him to New Orleans as a free agent, but they also have their eyes on veteran corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie."

Butler, only 28 years old, would be an instant upgrade for a Saints defense content with letting 2013 first-round pick Kenny Vaccaro hit the open market this year. It'd be a win-now move while the team tries to get the most out of a final run with Brees under center. 

But the mention of Rodgers-Cromartie is interesting, right? The Saints are keeping all options open and already splurged once on the secondary by bringing aboard Kurt Coleman. Butler might want to win with the Saints, but he also likely wants to get paid and could be able to drum up a nice bidding war on the open market. 

The Saints need cash to bring back Brees and only about $24 million in cap space to work with as of this writing, so we're selling this one on the basis that Butler takes a better deal elsewhere. 

Verdict: Sell

Dion Lewis and the Colts

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The term Swiss army knife, used to describe a versatile running back, is one of the most overused in football coverage. Yet we'll roll with it here one more time for Patriots running back Dion Lewis. 

Lewis doesn't seem likely to head back to Foxborough and put up with odd usage from head coach Bill Belichick again. Lewis went from scoring touchdowns over the team's final three games of the regular season to only nine carries and zero targets in the Super Bowl loss. 

That, plus a hot market, could have Lewis on the move—especially with a team like the Indianapolis Colts "in" on him, according to NBC Sports Boston's Michael Giardi. 

It's not hard to see why, as Lewis averages 4.8 yards per carry in his career with 10 touchdowns and has 717 yards and five scores as a receiver, despite hitting the 50-target mark just once over his five years in the NFL. The Colts don't have anything to speak of in the backfield after getting 3.7 per carry from veteran Frank Gore.

The only problem with the connection here is the market itself. CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans also have interest in Lewis. If the latter wants to pay him a respectable salary while he complements Derrick Henry, it could be a better locale to actually compete for the playoffs. 

Verdict: Sell

Texans Finally Solve LT Problem with Nate Solder

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The Houston Texans have had a revolving door at left tackle for years, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the line coughed up 54 sacks a season ago. 

This is especially an issue with the sudden emergence of Deshaun Watson. Teams that suddenly stumble into a potentially elite passer are willing to overpay for elite line play on the edge. 

That means the team is in on Patriots tackle Nate Solder, according to the Houston Chronicle's John McClain. 

"Texans are making a strong run at LT Nate Solder. They're desperate for a new LT. They started five LTs last season," he tweeted.

This one makes too much sense. Solder turns 30 in April and has flirted with retirement in the past, so a team like the Texans willing to cough up big numbers over a short deal—buying them time to find a long-term replacement—seems like a good fit. 

The Texans have had a hard time finding strong play on the edges of the offensive line for a variety of reasons, including the lack of development from college offenses and the reduction of practice time available in the pros. 

Solder to the Texans seems like one of the most obvious potential moves. 

Verdict: Buy