NFL Free Agency: Nnamdi Asomugha and 10 Free Agents Who Will Sign After Lockout
Don't you hate that time of the year when all that is on is baseball? Like when you turn on FOX Saturday Baseball and you hear the NFL theme and Joe Buck or Thom Brennaman are on the screen, only to realize that Tim Lincecum is about to throw the first pitch to a hitter you've never heard of.
In a normal season, fans would break the monotony of summer jobs and warm temperatures by scouring the Internet reading the latest NFL news, stories and gossip. Training camp would be here before you knew it, and the roster movements that occur now are the ones that truly build a champion in February.
This year offers no such escape.
With the lockout firmly entrenched with no ending in sight, people are left to speculate what will happen if the NFL resumes before games are scheduled to start on 9/11. Free agent activity is usually at the top of the list when it comes to speculation, and with the cloud of uncertainty around the league at the moment, it's difficult to picture what will happen when FA is finally open.
Although some of these players have tentative agreements in place with their current teams, the list of free agents is long and full of talented players that could help put teams over the top.
Here are 10 players who will sign on the dotted line the moment the NFL lockout is lifted.
10. Johnathan Joseph
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Johnathan Joseph is one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league. Along with Leon Hall, this duo has helped the Bengals field a solid defense over the past few years. He has nine interceptions between 2009-2010 despite missing four games with an injury.
I'd imagine Cincinnati would want to keep Joseph in town. It has been reported he is at the top of their list when the lockout is over.
Because of the strong CB class this offseason, expect the Bengals to lock up their corner as soon as NFL business resumes. Joseph will command top dollar, but don't think this will deter Cincinnati from keeping one of their best players.
9. Matt Light
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Does anyone notice that Tom Brady has about 10 seconds to make each read and decision when he drops back to pass? The major reason for that over the past decade has been the man in the picture above. His current six-year deal expired at the end of the season, and he is now an un-restricted free agent.
Conventional wisdom suggests that the drafting of Nate Solider in the first round was the official pink slip for Light, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Light was brought back to tutor Solider until he is ready to become a full-time starter. Light is one of the best offensive lineman in the league, even at age 33, and would be an instant upgrade at left tackle for the majority of teams trying to compete with New England.
8. DeAngelo Williams
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Although running backs are a dime a dozen in today’s NFL, DeAngelo Williams is the type of player that can take a game over.
He has been a force in the Carolina backfield since being drafted in the first round of 2006, sharing duties with Jonathan Stewart. However, the Panthers appear to be heading in a different direction, and Williams is now a free agent.
Williams has a 5.0 yards per carry average in his career and isn’t far removed from a monster 2008 campaign in which he rushed for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns.
His 2010 season was slowed by multiple injuries and only appeared in six games. With that said, he is an excellent buy-low candidate (John Fox and Denver?) and should be snapped up right away.
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7. Carl Nicks
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One of the reasons why Drew Brees puts up such amazing completion percentages is because of the work of the men in front of him. His offensive line does a great job of giving him a clear pocket to release the football and make accurate throws. One of these men, Carl Nicks, is currently a free agent.
Nicks has developed into one of the best interior lineman in the NFL. The former fifth-round pick out of Nebraska has started all 32 games the past two seasons and made the Pro Bowl in 2010. All in his contract year.
What a coincidence.
Nicks is likely to remain in the Bayou, but he will be snapped up right away once free agency begins.
6. Cullen Jenkins
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Defensive ends that play in 3-4 sets and can stop the run and get after the passer are a hot commodity these days. Teams are switching to this system by the droves to counteract the complex pass offensives that have taken over the league.
Jenkins is one of the few 3-4 ends that can do it all, and in a shortened 2010 season he proved just that, registering seven sacks in 11 games and constantly clogging up lanes along the line of scrimmage.
Injuries are a concern with Jenkins. He has had significant setbacks in two of the past three seasons and is now 30 years old. Given the savvy drafts by Ted Thompson over the past few years, this may prompt Green Bay to let their former star walk and find a cheaper, healthier and younger replacement from within.
5. Stephen Tulloch
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I have already mentioned Tulloch in my other FA list shown here, but he is not only one of best free agents nobody is talking about, but one of the top 10 overall in this class. He is a 26 year-old tackling machine that has developed into a superstar in his time in Nashville, and looks ready to cash in on all his hard work.
Tulloch was second in the league in tackles in 2010 (159 total) after notching 121 in 2009. He is a better run-stuffer than as a pass defender in space, which is surprising given his short stature, and it's one of the reasons why the Titans may feel they need a different type of player at the position.
Tulloch is still an excellent talent and will certainly be one of the very first free agents signing with a new team once the lockout ends.
4. LaMarr Woodley
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It will be interesting to see what Pittsburgh does with its linebacker. Franchising is an option if they feel uneasy about giving him a long-term deal. If Woodley hits the open market, however, expect a host of teams looking to secure his services.
Wooley has posted double-digit sacks in his last three seasons from the outside linebacker position, adding a pair of interceptions and three forced fumbles in 2010. He is a freakish athlete who has thrived in Pittsburgh ever since arriving in 2007.
Because Dick LeBeau’s system is so effective, it could mean that the Steelers believe anyone on their vaunted defense (aside from Head and Shoulders king) is replaceable. Although Joey Porter left in 2007 (that was more salary-cap related than anything else), it’s hard to imagine the Steelers would let go of someone as talented and young (26 heading into this season) as Woodley.
3. Sidney Rice
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Because he is about the 31,985th different receiver Brett Favre has made in his Hall of Fame career, Sidney Rice is a sought-after player this offseason. After struggling in his first two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Rice put up major numbers (83 catches for 1,312 yards) with Favre at the helm.
However, injuries ruined his 2010 season, and after a bit of a falling out with management, he appears to be on his way out of Minnesota. On the flip side, many feel that if he chooses to stay in Minnesota, he could form a dynamic triumvirate with Percy Harvin and new QB Christian Ponder.
Some team, whether it is the Vikings or someone else, will take a chance on Rice during the first 24 hours of free agency with the hope he can return to his 2009 form.
2. Haloti Ngata
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Ngata had arguably his best season in 2010, notching up 63 tackles and six sacks, impressive numbers for someone at his position.
Ngata is the best 3-4 tackle in the league in the prime of his career and an absolute force along the line. He requires constant double-teams, freeing up room for his teammates. He has helped mask some of the deficiencies of an aging Baltimore defense, and a huge void would be created if he was punching his time clock with another team.
Baltimore would be foolish to let him walk, but I do not see that happening. He will be receiving a big fat contract from the Ravens as soon as the NFL doors open for business.
1. Nnamdi Asomugha
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OK, so this one is pretty obvious. But when the best corner this side of Darelle Revis in the league is available, in a league more reliant on the passing game than ever, he has to be No. 1.
Asomugha is a difference maker. He literally shuts down half the field, forcing the quarterback to look elsewhere. In 2010, he was only targeted 31 times (unofficially, of course), while his opposite corner, Stanford Routt, was targeted 92 times. Of course, Routt had an excellent year, prompting the release of Asomugha.
If Asomugha goes to a team with an excellent corner on the roster (looking at you, Eagles and Jets), they will have a significant leg up on the competition. Whenever this horrible lockout is over, Asomugha will be introduced to his new team within 15 seconds.
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