Big-Name NFL Free Agents Who Should Leave Town in 2020

NFL free agents changing teams seems like a given these days.

A year ago, most of the top-money deals featured stars who changed teams: Trey Flowers, Nick Foles, C.J. Mosley, Landon Collins, even Earl Thomas and Le'Veon Bell. 

Regardless of how the change has played out so far for those stars and their investors, each had their reasons for seeking out new teams. For some, more playing time or money was the objective, if not both. For others, a better chance at contention or a simple change of scenery. 

Most would have qualified on lists detailing players who should leave their current teams at the time. This year's list features some notables for all these reasons, and the majority of them could also end up near the top of the monetary ladder once the market opens this offseason. 

Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

It looks like the relationship between the Los Angeles Chargers and Philip Rivers may have run its course. 

Rivers is on a downswing at the age of 38. Not a terribly notable one that could be a product of his environment as opposed to most anything else, but he's thrown 15 picks with four multi-interception games. 

Either way, Rivers' future with the Chargers has always been in question. He told the RapSheet + Friends Podcast back in September he wants to take things one year at a time, per NFL.com's Jelani Scott. 

"I've always said handful of years, handful of years, handful of years, and I know you can't say that forever and I don't have an age number on it. But I'm at the point where I think one year at a time," Rivers said. "I'm excited about this season and I am looking forward to 2020 and then, after that, I don't know. Doing that for me, mentally, for my family, that's the most healthy way to approach it."

From a sheer logistics standpoint, the Chargers are likely to start thinking about adding Rivers' replacement. For now, the team only has about $3 million in cap space as it is, and Rivers shouldn't have too hard of a time finding a comparable deal on the open market. If he can get a one-off with a potential contender on the upswing like Tennessee or Chicago, he should take it. 

A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Frank Victores/Associated Press

A.J. Green might want to be Larry Fitzgerald-esque in his sticking with the Cincinnati Bengals, but there isn't any guarantee things turn for the better in the Queen City before he hangs up the cleats. 

Green, 31, hasn't played in a game this season after suffering an injury on the first day of training camp. He hasn't played in more than 10 games in two of his past three seasons, either. 

Yet it gets more interesting. The Bengals never placed Green on an injured list, instead carrying him on the active roster, which seemed to suggest they expected him back sooner. While he missed time, new head coach Zac Taylor faceplanted, getting the Bengals off to the worst start in franchise history and eventually benching Green's good friend Andy Dalton. 

Speaking of Dalton, odds seem strong the Bengals draft his replacement to spur what is a bigger rebuild than the organization initially thought. The idea of Green linking up with a rookie quarterback or slogging through a rebuild can't be too appealing, especially when contenders like the New England Patriots have shown a willingness to take risks on top-flight wideouts recently. 

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, New Orleans Saints

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The idea of serving as a successor for Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints sounds good. 

On paper. 

The problem is Brees hasn't exactly shown signs of slowing down for the 10-win Saints, not with his 73.6 completion percentage, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. 

For the 27-year-old Teddy Bridgewater, better money and perhaps a chance to be a full-time starter again awaits in free agency. He's years removed from his devastating injury in Minnesota, and he's still a former first-round pick who had plenty of apparent upside before the injury. 

Admittedly, Bridgewater isn't guaranteed to find a locale as fitting as New Orleans with a weapon like Michael Thomas. But better money and a sheer chance are worth the risk if Brees aims to continue his career. Inciting a bidding war among teams out of the running for the top pick is something a player of Bridgewater's caliber can do. 

Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Doug McSchooler/Associated Press

Eric Ebron had a disappointing 2018 before going on the injured-reserve shelf in what was just his second season with the Indianapolis Colts. 

As it turns out, Ebron was reportedly dealing with ankle issues even before the season and isn't happy with how the team responded to his needing surgery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. 

A split might make the most sense for Ebron here. While Jacoby Brissett has kept the Colts' head above water this season, he's not Andrew Luck, the guy who helped Ebron score 13 times for 750 yards in 2018, both career highs. 

While the relationship might be a bit soured, Ebron shouldn't have a hard time convincing other teams his 11-game performance this year was a byproduct of injury. Not only should he have a healthy monetary market, he should reel in the type of suitors who envision using him offensively as the Colts did in 2018. 

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Unlike his turnover-prone 2015 draft counterpart Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota has at least shown flashes over the years while battling injuries and constant coaching turnover.

Despite the struggles, Mariota remains a household name and also has the freedom to seek out a stable situation where he believes his talents can flourish as a starter. 

Through it all, Mariota has completed north of 62 percent of his attempts on his career with 76 touchdowns against 44 interceptions. He's experienced playoff success, and at the age of 26, he still has the play-extending ability increasingly demanded of his position in the modern NFL. 

At the least, Mariota can look for a team where he has a chance to compete for a starting job again. With Ryan Tannehill succeeding on a short-term basis, and the Titans potentially eyeing rookies too, Mariota has a better chance at regaining steady ground elsewhere. 

Brandon Scherff, OG, Washington Redskins

Jason E. Miczek/Associated Press

Lost in the drama of the Trent Williams saga is the chance Brandon Scherff could leave the Washington Redskins. 

Scherff isn't nearly the household name Williams is, yet his impact on the field isn't that far behind. The 2015 top-five pick remains one of the NFL's best interior line players, sitting on a grade of 75.0 at Pro Football Focus through 11 games. 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has reported big-money extension offers from the Redskins toward Scherff in the past. But the money is a bit of a moot point—if the Redskins are willing to offer it, so are other teams around the league. 

Which brings things to the bigger point: Players leaving Washington isn't surprising or unexpected given the trajectory of the franchise. The Redskins fired a head coach not halfway through the season and could be undergoing changes to the front office, too, while undergoing a big rebuild. A bidding war could not only raise Scherff's price, but he could land in a contending situation, too.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Melvin Gordon probably isn't headed toward a monster deal like the one Le'Veon Bell got this past offseason.

But that doesn't mean he shouldn't leave the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Besides the massive downswing in performance from the team and the question mark that is Philip Rivers' future, Gordon might find greener personal pastures elsewhere. After all, he had the ill-fated holdout before making his way back to the team. 

Gordon will have to convince teams on the market he can get back to being the guy who has two seasons of double-digit touchdowns to his name. This year, he's scored five times over nine games but has notably caught 25 passes, too. 

An open-market bidding war might be Gordon's only chance at the big-money extension he seems to desire. And it sure wouldn't hurt to join a less-talented backfield that doesn't also boast Justin Jackson and Austin Ekeler.