NFL Free Agents 2019: Predictions for Top Players Before Week 17

NFL Week 17 has already arrived, and there's plenty to talk about concerning the remainder of the 2018 season. That said, we can't help ourselves. Black Monday is fast approaching, which unfortunately guarantees the firings of head coaches but also the beginning of the offseason rumor mill.

Free agency doesn't officially begin until March 13, 2019, which gives us almost three months to speculate our hearts out. 

The biggest fish is Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell, who sat out all of 2018 in order to ensure he enters the market healthy. Bell is just 26 years old and finished 2017 third in rushing with 1,291 yards. 

On the other end of the spectrum are players who will enter free agency coming off injuries. New York Giants safety Landon Collins tore his labrum in early December and faces a four-to-six-month recovery, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. The Giants will have a decision to make on the All-Pro.

Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas—after starting 2018 as a holdout for the same reasons as Bell—broke his leg and is already being recruited by a former teammate.

Plenty of free agents have rumors swirling around them, but below are predictions for three free agents with reports linked to them. 

Le'Veon Bell 

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Bell has handled free agency like no player has before, and his free agency hasn't even technically started. Bell's willingness to lose all of his $14.5 million 2018 salary—he was franchise-tagged—shows how confident he is in his value once he hits the market.

He will be proved right. Even as running back continues to deplete in value as a position, Bell is a game-changing talent, and there are plenty of teams starving for exactly that. The question isn't whether teams will come after Bell, but what situation he will be willing to suit up for.

In November, Bell commented on an Instagram post by the NFL's official account flaunting Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's domination at the time. Bell commented, "Just imagine." 

The Colts have the most cap room heading into 2019 with $122.8 million.

Prediction: Bell saddles up with Luck in Indianapolis in a record-setting contract.

Ryan Tannehill 

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

There is a lot going on in Miami, and none of it good. On Wednesday, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald gave insight into the Dolphins' leadership moving forward: 

"Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is all but certain to dismiss vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum by the new year, ending his four seasons with the club. And barring some unexpected circumstance, the owner will keep head coach Adam Gase and general manager Chris Grier in place for 2019."

If Gase stays, what happens to quarterback Ryan Tannehill? Gase has publicly stood behind Tannehill despite underwhelming performance and persistent injuries. The 30-year-old signal-caller didn't see the field at all in 2017 due to a torn ACL. This season, his shoulder has kept him out of five games.

Age, injury and underperformance isn't necessarily a cocktail for an NFL team to want to keep you around, especially considering Tannehill has only made the playoffs once—a wild-card loss in 2016—since Miami drafted him in 2012. He has also never won more than eight games in a season.

To be clear, Tannehill is not set to enter free agency until 2021. Should the Dolphins choose to part ways with Tannehill, the team will save $13.18 of his $26 million salary cap number. If Salguero's report proves true and Miami's front office is shaken up, it would be increasingly likely that Tannehill's days in Miami would be numbered.

Prediction: Tannehill stays in south Florida due to weak 2019 NFL draft quarterback class.

DeSean Jackson

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John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported on Thursday that the 32-year-old Tampa Bay wide receiver is eyeing a reunion with the Philadelphia Eagles. "I’m told DeSean Jackson would really like to return and play for the Eagles next season," Clark tweeted. "He has a pending sale on his house in Tampa. ESPN reports he wants out."

Also on Thursday, ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that Jackson "has expressed a preference to move on from Tampa after this season."

Of course, in order for Jackson to return to the team who drafted him in 2008—or any other team at all—the Buccaneers will have to release him. Otherwise, Jackson isn't set to become an unrestricted free agent until 2020. 

Since 2017 with the Buccaneers, Jackson has yet to secure a 1,000-yard season. Jackson's best production by far came from 2008-13 with the Eagles, as he had three 1,000-plus-yard seasons and 32 total touchdowns. 

Releasing Jackson this offseason would save Tampa Bay $10 million against the cap with no dead money, per Spotrac. 

As for the Eagles, wide receiver is a weakness. At the trade deadline, Philadelphia brought in Golden Tate from Detroit. Mike Wallace suffered a fractured fibula in September, while Alshon Jeffrey and Nelson Agholor hadn't shown signs of life until quarterback Nick Foles stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz in Week 15.

The ingredients are there for a reunion, but other teams will want to get in on the bidding—perhaps the Los Angeles Rams, who last offseason proved to be extremely aggressive in free agency.

Prediction: The Bucs release Jackson, and the Eagles bring him home.