NFL Free Agency: 10 Possible Landing Spots for Johnathan Joseph
Cornerback Johnathan Joseph is arguably the most talented player on the defensive side of the ball for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Together with fellow first-round pick Leon Hall, he forms one of the better cornerback tandems in the league.
A pending free agent, however, the Bengals elected not to use the team's franchise tag on Joseph, or anyone for that matter, next season.
The Bengals are huge proponents of signing players in-house and typically are not big players in free agency. The team would love to have Joseph back for 2011 and beyond, but the price tag for a cornerback of Joseph's caliber in the league these days will likely be more than the Bengals are willing to pay.
Should Cincinnati allow Joseph to explore the free agent market, we'll take a look some teams who may be interested in Joseph's services.
Oakland Raiders
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With one of the best pure cover corners in the league, Nnamdi Asomugha, slipping through their fingertips and into free agency, the Oakland Raiders could be players in Johnathan Joseph derby.
Joseph possesses all of the tools that owner Al Davis loves in his players- uncanny speed, athleticism and great anticipation.
Joseph's athleticism can match that of Asomugha's, however, he's not quite the shut-down corner that Asomugha is.
With Asomugha demanding top-notch money and likely looking for a change of scenery, Joseph could be the next best thing for Al Davis and companay.
Cleveland Browns
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If any team in the league knows what Joseph is capable of, it's the Cleveland Browns.
Joseph and his running mate, Leon Hall, have been thorns in the side of the Browns for several years now, and the Browns would love to get their hands on him.
Given their monumental deal in the 2011 NFL Draft with the Atlanta Falcons that landed them first- and fourth-round picks in next year's draft and picks No. 27, 59 and 124 in April's draft for the the sixth overall pick to acquire Alabama receiver Julio Jones, the Browns saved enough money this offseason to do exactly that.
We'll see exactly what the Browns think about what they saw of Joseph over the past few years once free agency comes along this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Talented—but controversial—cornerback Aqib Talib may have landed in hot water one too many times in Tampa Bay.
The mother of Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib reportedly told police it might have been her son who fired shots during a March incident in Texas. As expected, Talib and his mother have both been indicted for assault.
According to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times:
"Barring a last-minute change of heart — or perhaps his exoneration — the Bucs are expected to release troubled CB Aqib Talib. Only the lockout, which prevents teams from making transactions, has prevented Tampa Bay from already cutting ties with its 2008 first-round draft pick."
Should the Buccaneers choose to sever ties with Talib as expected, they will need someone to replace his production on the field.
Expect the Bucs to kick the tires of Joseph in free agency to see if he may be a fit in this young and talented unit in Tampa Bay.
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San Francisco 49ers
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San Francisco had high hopes that LSU shut-down corner Patrick Peterson would fall to them with the seventh-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
As expected, it didn't happen. Peterson wasn't on the board long, and was selected fifth-overall by the Arizona Cardinals.
The 49ers do not have a shut-down corner on their roster and will likely look to fix that when free agency begins.
San Francisco may have overpaid for cornerback Nate Clements in 2007, spending $80 million on him. Clements has since lost a step and isn't the player he used to be. Shawntae Spencer is serviceable, but is by no means a long-term solution.
The 49ers could desperately use a corner of Joseph's caliber, and could be willing to pay big money to get him.
Houston Texans
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Giving up 267.5 yards per game through the air last season, the Houston Texans surfaced at the bottom of the league in passing defense last season.
The Texans had high hopes for first-round pick Kareem Jackson after losing Dunta Robinson to the Atlanta Falcons via free agency in 2010.
However, despite starting all 16 games, Jackson struggled at moments throughout the season and ultimately saw his time on the field decrease as the season went on.
Cornerbacks Glover Quin and Jason Allen certainly aren't going to stop any quarterbacks from throwing into their areas.
The Houston Texans are in dire need of talent to improve their secondary, and Joseph could be the answer.
Philadelphia Eagles
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Eagles Cornerback Asante Samuel is still a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he can't do it alone.
Samuel needs help opposite of him.
The injury to Ellis Hobbs last season really put this team's secondary in a bind and left the team without a quality second corner.
Pair Joseph with Samuel, and the Eagles immediately have one of best cornerback tandems in the league to accommodate its high-powered offense.
Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills went a long way in acquiring game-changing talent when the selected Marcell Dareus with the third-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Now, the Bills need to look to their suspect secondary in order to compete with AFC East quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Mark Sanchez twice a year.
Furthermore, the Bills need to get more competitive in their secondary to deal with the likes of receivers Wes Welker, Brandon Marshall, and possibly Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards should they return to the New York Jets this year.
The Buffalo Bills should think long and hard about coughing up the dough for an elite corner such as Joseph. In all likelihood, they won't regret it.
Seattle Seahawks
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The Seattle Seahawks shored up their secondary in the 2010 NFL by selecting safety Earl Thomas out of Texas.
However, they need to get him some help.
Thomas has a good rookie campaign with five picks. Outside of him though, one Seahawk—Jordan Babineaux—had two. No other Seahawk had more than one.
The Seahawks defense could move in the right direction by acquiring a corner such as Joseph to complement Babineaux and Marcus Trufant and become more competitive in the NFC West.
Detroit Lions
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In a division that hosts quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay) and Jay Cutler (Chicago), the Lions need to make a move to bolster the back end of their defense.
It was widely-believed that the Lions were targeting Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara with the thirteenth-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, but when Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley fell into their laps, the idea of placing him next to Ndamakung Suh was just too good to pass up.
Now with the Lions flirting with building an elite defense for years to come, the team could take their unit to the next level with an excellent cover corner such as Joseph.
Minnesota Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings may want to think about beefing up their secondary.
Antoine Winfield is still an effective corner, but at age 33, he is entering his 13th season in the league.
Also, improving this team's defense will go a long way in easing rookie quarterback Christian Ponder's transition from college to the pro level.
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