NFL Free Agency 2011: The Best Player Each NFL Team Stands to Lose This Season

With the seemingly endless NFL lockout hogging all of the football coverage this summer, I decided to switch things up and talk about the current NFL free agent class.

Whenever the lockout does end (please, God), everyone's attention will immediately shift to free agency.

Who will be a free agent? Which teams will be buyers, and which will be sellers? Who's going to make the biggest splash?

Last season, there were an unfortunate amount of unhappy players who held out, causing fans a lot of anxiety. Vincent Jackson in San Diego and Logan Mankins in New England are both right back where they started: with a franchise tag.

The Chargers and Patriots are not the only teams that are going to be making tough financial decisions though.

All 32 NFL teams have options this summer.

Assuming the CBA is constructed how people are saying it will be constructed, all restricted free agents (with at least four years of experience) would flood this summer's already-extremely talented class.

Free agency is a time of hope and excitement, even for the lowly Carolina Panthers.

Let's take a look at the best player each team stands to lose this summer.

NOTE: I AM NOT INCLUDING PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN "FRANCHISED."

Arizona Cardinals: Lyle Sendlein, C

As you can probably imagine, Arizona doesn't have much to worry about this offseason if Lyle Sendlein is their top priority.

Sendlein is a decent center, who doesn't really do anything really well, according to most scouting reports.

He isn't totally useless though, Pro Football Focus listed him as their third best pass-blocking center in 2010.

There's a start.

Needless to say, Arizona's offensive line situation is a disaster of epic proportions. They need to sign Sendlein, and they need to look really hard at the other available free agent offensive linemen.

Otherwise, it doesn't matter if their quarterback is Max Hall or Max Payne, he's getting sacked.

(Warning: Max Payne video is slightly graphic and pretty loud.)

Atlanta Falcons: Tyson Clabo, RT

Although right tackles aren't considered to be as important as left tackles, they are still extremely valuable.

Clabo isn't spectacular, but he is a key piece to the Falcons' offensive line.

Along with Harvey Dahl and Justin Blalock, Atlanta has some decisions ahead of them. I expect they will try to sign all three, as they were all solid last year, but Clabo must be their No. 1 priority.

It's always more important to have a good offensive tackle as opposed to an offensive guard, especially when you have a passing offense like the Falcons'.

With a re-energized passing game (see: Julio Jones), Atlanta must drop some serious cash to protect the face of the franchise, Matt Ryan.

Baltimore Ravens: Marshal Yanda, RG

"I solemnly swear to tell the the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth..."

I have no clue why Yanda is holding up his right hand, but I do know he is a hell of a right guard.

Once Haloti Ngata, the immovable 350-pound Samoan who somehow ran a 4.99 40-yard dash at the college combine, signed his one-year franchise tender, Yanda became Baltimore's prime concern.

Despite fantastic safety Dawan Landry becoming a free agent, he of the career-high 111 tackles, the Ravens' front office is focused on their young right guard.

Landry can be pretty easily replaced by safety/boxer Tom Zbikowski—Yanda cannot.

Buffalo Bills: Paul Posluszny, MLB

Posluszny is one of two Buffalo Bills who had 100-plus tackles this season who is a free agent; Donte Whitner is the other.

Make no mistake though, losing Posluszny would be a much bigger hit to an already-shoddy defense.

When healthy (he's only played 45 games in four seasons), PP is one of the best tacklers in the NFL. He isn't superior athletically, but he does have a quick first step and always seems to be in the right position.

If it weren't for two games missed to injury, Posluszny would have surely led the NFL in tackles.

The problem is he and Jairus Byrd are really the only good players on defense. Buffalo needs to retain Posluszny to build their defense around him.

Carolina Panthers: Charles Johnson, DE

You may have expected DeAngelo Williams.

Well, you expected wrong.

Johnson, the soon-to-be 25-year-old out of the University of Georgia, is a flat-out beast.

Many of you have probably never heard of him, so I guess now is the time to make yourself acquainted.

Meet Mr. Johnson, the 6'2", 275-pound monster who tortured quarterbacks all of last season to the tune of 12 sacks. He didn't only pressure quarterbacks though. The talented defensive end also accumulated 62 tackles, an unusually high number for a pass-rusher.

Carolina says he is a "top priority."

He better be, because the Panthers are in no position to be letting young studs like Johnson walk.

Chicago Bears: Pisa Tinoisamoa, OLB

You know you are in good shape when your team barely lost the NFC Championship game, and your most important free agent is a guy who has played 14 games combined the last two seasons.

Tinoisamoa was superb in St. Louis back in 2008 when he had 104 total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles, but he hasn't been able to show much in his two years with Chicago.

They will pursue him this offseason, despite the fact that he is turning 30 and coming off his third right knee surgery of his career.

Let's just put it this way: Pisa is a solid add, but he's not going to make or break Chicago's season.

Cincinnati Bengals: Terrell Owens, WR

Owens, who is recovering from a torn ACL, isn't likely to be available until deep into next season.

Regardless, T.O. was the Bengals' best offensive player last year, and his loss will severely limit Cincinnati's passing attack next season.

In a five-game stretch last year (all Cincinnati losses), Owens proved he still had something left in the tank, with 41 receptions, 618 yards and seven touchdowns.

T.O. was back.

Unfortunately his efforts were wasted, as the stretch kicked off what was eventually a 10-game losing streak for Cincinnati.

The Bengals are probably losing Ochocinco, Cedric Benson and quarterback Carson Palmer (who hates Cincinnati so much that he'd rather retire than play for them again), so the team is clearly moving in a new direction.

Bengals fans, the rebuilding continues.

Cleveland Browns: Matt Roth, DE

Roth is a very underrated defensive end.

He barely edged out defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin for most tackles on Cleveland's defensive line (86 total), but he also contributed 3.5 sacks.

Roth has been a solid but unspectacular player in the NFL for his whole career.

He has a terrific motor and leaves everything on the field. The Browns, unfortunately, don't seem to have the money to retain him. They braced for his departure by drafting two linemen in the draft, Jabaal Sheard and Phillip Taylor.

Still, despite the two talented rookies, Cleveland will miss Roth's non-stop effort, and his ability to be both a pass-rusher and run-stopper.

Dallas Cowboys: Doug Free, LT

Free is a mammoth (6'6", 320 pounds), and he is one of the best left tackles in the NFL.

With left tackle being such an important position, Free is going to attract a lot of attention this offseason. It's up to Jerry Jones and the Dallas front office to throw a ton of money at him to keep him a Cowboy.

When Flozell Adams departed in 2010, no one expected Free to be this good. Adams had manned the position since 1998, but was getting slower with age.

Free is solid in the running game, but makes his presence felt in the passing game in a big way. As the protector of quarterback Tony Romo's weak side, Free has shown exceptional athleticism and should be a big part of Dallas' future plans.

After a disastrous 2010 season, the Cowboys can't afford to lose a potential franchise tackle like Free.

Denver Broncos: Ryan Harris, RT

Totally grasping for straws because Denver barely has any free agents, so Harris was the only significant name on the list.

They are losing kicker Matt Prater, but kicker is the least of Denver's problems.

Harris has experience, is solid in both the run game and passing game, and he's been a part of the system for a while.

With new head coach John Fox, Denver is expected to transition out of former coach Mike Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme. This transition makes Harris expendable, especially after the Broncos drafted RT Orlando Franklin.

While he won't be a significant loss, Denver might regret letting him go if Franklin isn't ready for the NFL.

Detroit Lions: Drew Stanton, QB

Like Denver, Detroit doesn't really have to worry about losing a whole lot this offseason.

Stanton, currently the third quarterback on the roster, would be a nice value signing.

He's still young (27), and with Matthew Stafford's continuing shoulder injuries—not to mention the probability that backup Shaun Hill leaves after this season—signing Stanton would make sense.

Stanton actually played pretty well this past season, going 2-2 with four touchdowns, three interceptions and 780 yards passing. Drew even led Detroit to an unlikely win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers after being thrust into the lineup because of injuries to both Stafford and Hill.

Besides Stanton, kicker Dave Raynor could be a solid signing.

Green Bay Packers: Cullen Jenkins, DT

Jenkins had one of his best years as a pro last year, collecting seven sacks in just 11 games.

He started off the year strong with four sacks in the first four games and ended the season with three sacks in his last two games.

Cullen came back for the playoffs, but was pretty ineffective, totaling just four tackles and 0.5 sacks.

With plenty of ammunition on defense, Green Bay will probably let Jenkins try and strike gold in the free agent market.

He was a very good player for the Packers while it lasted, but Green Bay is moving on.

Hey, at least he left with a commemorative ring.

Houston Texans: Jacoby Jones, WR

Jones is an above-average No. 3 receiver. He can catch the deep ball and has a knack for turning short gains into long ones.

Jacoby is a perfect fit in the Texans' offense. Between he and Kevin Walter, Houston has some very strong secondary options behind superstar Andre Johnson.

With a healthy Owen Daniels at tight end, Houston will be even more explosive this season.

If the Texans can get some help in their secondary, their offense should be able to carry them to about 10 wins. This feels like the year that they will finally break out.

Signing Jones for the right price would be a step in the right direction for a Houston team on the rise.

Indianapolis Colts: Joseph Addai, RB

Addai really hasn't been a difference-maker since 2007 when he ran for 1,072 yards and had 12 touchdowns (as well as 41 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns), yet he is still an important piece to this young Colts rushing attack.

With all the new running backs the Colts have tried to develop, none have really stood out.

Addai will provide at least some stability to a position constantly in flux.

Charlie Johnson, last season's LT, could also be a big free agent loss, but with the addition of Anthony Castanzo in the NFL Draft, Johnson will either switch positions or be removed from the starting lineup.

The only thing Colts fans are really worried about right now is Peyton Manning's neck, but I'm sure the signing of the veteran Addai would at least calm some fans.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Mike Sims-Walker, WR

Sims-Walker had a break-out year in 2009 when he grabbed 63 catches for 869 yards and seven touchdowns.

Last year, his numbers slipped a bit, but he also missed two games to injury. He still grabbed seven touchdowns, and he was one of the only playmakers on a boring Jaguars offense.

Sims-Walker is a pretty big receiver (6'2", 214 pounds), and Jacksonville could really use his speed, especially with Blaine Gabbert potentially taking over the starting quarterback job.

But it looks like Sims-Walker is on his way out of Florida.

Scoring seven touchdowns on the Jaguars is like scoring 10 anywhere else, so Sims-Walker will probably get looks from a lot of teams.

Kansas City Chiefs: Casey Wiegmann, C

The soon to be 38-year-old Wiegmann has been in the league since 1996.

He was an extremely valuable starter for a Kansas City Chiefs team that ranked first in rushing yards per game, and he plays a crucial role as one of the team's veteran leaders.

Wiegmann is the only player on this list who would leave through retirement. That being said, the NFL lockout has probably been very beneficial to him, as he has been awarded a few extra months to rest.

In any case, Kansas City better show Casey the money, or expect him to walk straight into retirement.

Miami Dolphins: Ronnie Brown, RB

Brown is most likely out of Miami this summer after six injury-riddled, frustratingly-inconsistent years.

He had so much potential after being the selected No. 2 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, but he has put together only one full 16-game season since then.

Now 29 years old, it looks like Brown's chances of ever breaking out are over.

He will most likely start fresh for another team this season. He could split carries, although he still has the ability to carry a starter's load (as long as he's healthy).

After six years of broken dreams, Ronnie Brown is on his way out of Miami.

Minnesota Vikings: Sidney Rice, WR

This picture is a perfect illustration of what Rice will bring to the table: athleticism and the ability to grab the ball at the height of his jump over the most talented of cornerbacks (in this case, Philadelphia Eagles Pro-Bowler, Asante Samuel).

All signs are pointing toward Rice re-signing with the Vikings, the team that drafted him back in 2007.

Rice has the skills to be a No. 1 receiver, and teamed up with Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe and Adrian Peterson, Minnesota will once again have a lethal offensive talent pool.

Unfortunately, their starting quarterback will be either Joe Webb or Christian Ponder.

Can you say, "waste of talent?"

Awful.

I actually feel bad for Vikings fans. First they had to go through the Favre pick in 2009, then the Favre debacle in 2010 and now they have to deal with Webb/Ponder.

That's not fun for anyone...except Packers fans.

Honorable mention for terrific defensive end Ray Edwards, a rising pass-rushing star.

New England Patriots: Matt Light, LT

I don't know what Matt Light was eating last season, but he looked rejuvenated.

After a disappointing 2009 campaign, many fans (me included) assumed Light was declining for good. Obviously, that wasn't the case.

He was the Patriots' best offensive lineman last season (aside from Pro-Bowler Logan Mankins, who came back in Week 8), and he would have been a sure thing to return if it wasn't for the NFL Draft.

The Pats drafted man-child Nate Solder to play LT for the foreseeable future.

Light could remain on the Patriots if he takes a hometown discount, but that doesn't seem to be an option at this point. He is one of the best LT's in the league, and he should see a nice contract whenever the lockout is lifted.

New Orleans Saints: Lance Moore, WR

I've had enough of this Reggie Bush garbage.

Is he a good player? Yes.

But he barely has a position, has gotten worse every single year and still hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy since his rookie year.

Lance Moore would be a more devastating loss.

He got injured in 2009, but in 2008 and 2010, Moore combined for 1,681 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns on 145 receptions.

Those numbers are sick.

Assuming Moore stays healthy, he should be a top priority. Let Bush and his big ego walk if he demands too much money, and look for a real running back.

New York Giants: Ahmad Bradshaw, RB

Look at that picture.

That, my friends, is how you average 4.5 yards per carry despite being only 5'9" and getting an astounding 276 rushing attempts.

You contort your body. You defy physics.

Bradshaw finally had a chance to start last season, and he took advantage, running for 1,235 yards and eight touchdowns.

Only 25 years old, a running back of Ahmad's caliber does not come along often in free agency.

Expect Bradshaw to test the free agent market, but the Giants will not let him go so easily. The G-Men will probably offer a lucrative package to their starting running back, but he could still leave if he gets more money from a team in need.

New York Jets: Antonio Cromartie, CB

Starting wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards are important signings too, but there are some decent receivers available on the market (Randy Moss, anyone?).

Cromartie was one of the biggest keys to the Jets' success last season.

He came up big against the Jets' biggest rivals, New England, and he played well in the playoffs.

People thought his best days were behind him, and although we may never see 10 interceptions again, Cromartie still has a lot to offer.

His physicality is rarely seen from cornerbacks today. Teamed with Darrelle Revis, the Jets featured one of the best (if not the best) cornerback tandems in the NFL.

Woody Johnson, Mike Tannenbaum and the Jets' front office would be wise to put their money into the defense instead of the offense.

After all, defense wins championships!

Oakland Raiders: Nnamdi Asomugha, CB

Arguably the best cornerback in the league, Asomugha's statistics have been dropping for years now.

Why?

Because no one even throws the ball to his side of the field anymore.

Nnamdi literally closes one third of the field.

One of the best defensive backs to ever reach free agency in his prime, Asomugha will probably get a ridiculously high-paying contract. People are saying he will demand more than 18 million dollars per year.

That. Is. Crazy.

Needless to say, Nnamdi will be leaving Oakland for "greener pastures."

Philadelphia Eagles: Quintin Mikell, SS

Philadelphia is planning on being big-time players this offseason with Kevin Kolb on the trade block and the Eagles' front office promoting a "win now" mentality.

Letting Mikell walk in favor of backup Kurt Coleman or second-round pick Jaiquawn Jarrett is totally contrary to that idea.

Mikell had another solid year for Philadelphia, finishing with 88 total tackles, three interceptions and a sack. He isn't flashy, but he certainly gets the job done.

If you are playing for a championship, you better make sure your secondary is bulletproof.

Teams like Green Bay and Atlanta have scary good passing games, and you can't win in the NFC if you can't cover.

Philly would be making a mistake letting Mikell go without finding a legitimate replacement.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ike Taylor, CB

Taylor is being severely overrated.

Pittsburgh would be smart to let him leave (which they will) and let him try to find more money elsewhere (most likely Philadelphia, Detroit or Houston).

Listen, Taylor is a solid corner, but he is being valued this highly because he is part of a top defense like the Steelers. He is definitely not a No. 1 cornerback, although he will get paid like one.

Taylor is 31 years old, so obviously, he's getting older. Pittsburgh will miss his toughness and his craftiness, but ultimately they will be better off letting one of their younger guys get experience.

In the short term, Taylor's departure will hurt Pitt, but there is really nothing the Steelers can do.

He is asking for way too much money.

San Diego Chargers: Eric Weddle, FS

As much as I wanted to put Malcom Floyd here, I just couldn't help it.

Weddle, like Quintin Mikell with the Eagles, is a very good but not great safety.

He makes the plays he's supposed to make, and he rarely blows a coverage or a tackle. The thing I'm worried about for San Diego fans is that the front office may have put too much faith in free-agent pickup Bob Sanders.

Sanders was signed to a one-year deal in March, and he will be expected to pick up where Weddle left off.

One problem though.

Sanders is always injured. How is he going to replace Weddle's 96 total tackles, two interceptions and a sack, from the bench?

He can't, but the fans will be disappointed nonetheless.

Like Philadelphia, San Diego should just pay the man and go into the season with a stable secondary.

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith, QB

Smith, by nearly all accounts, is going to be re-signed by the 49ers.

Their reasoning?

No one else has any interest in him.

Awkward for San Francisco fans.

"Hey! At least your starting quarterback is someone no one else wanted!"

Not the best sign.

Still, Smith is their best option, unless they want to hand the reigns over to backup David Carr or raw rookie Colin Kaepernick—not happening.

Jim Harbaugh is apparently a "quarterback maker," (see: Andrew Luck) but I don't think even his magic powers will revive Smith's disappointing career. It's over.

Keeping Smith for enough time to develop Kaepernick should be the goal here.

Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck, QB

Hasselbeck became a hero in Seattle when he and Marshawn Lynch somehow willed the Seahawks to a victory over the defending champion New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2010 NFL Playoffs.

Despite Hasselbeck having an atrocious year, the fans fell in love with him—for one week.

Well, it's better than no weeks, which is how many weeks the fans loved Charlie Whitehurst.

Despite a heavy push from the Tennessee Titans, it looks like Hasselbeck will remain in Seattle for one more season. The Seahawks need one draft to get themselves a quarterback, or they are going to be in huge trouble with the "12th man."

Hasselbeck is not an answer; he's a stop-gap.

St. Louis Rams: Mark Clayton, WR

The truth is, St. Louis doesn't really have anything to lose this offseason.

Clayton is certainly valuable, and he apparently has a decent rapport with franchise quarterback Sam Bradford, but he missed almost all of last season, so I don't see how that's possible.

He is a good receiver and all, but I'm not sure the Rams shouldn't just hand the controls over to the younger guys like Danny Amendola and the two rookies, Austin Pettis and Greg Salas.

Clayton would help St. Louis right now, but the Rams should probably be putting their focus into the offensive line and the defense.

Bradford doesn't need seven mediocre receivers anyway.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Davin Joseph, RG

One of the best interior linemen in the NFL until he broke his foot in November, Joseph should be Tampa Bay's No. 1 priority.

With a franchise quarterback in Josh Freeman, a tough runner in LeGarrette Blount and some fantastic young receivers in Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn and Sammie Stroughter, Tampa Bay is going to need a good offensive line to get the machine rolling.

Joseph is a great place to start.

Although he hasn't proven a consistent presence (he has two broken feet in his last three years), his talent level indicates he is a top performer in the NFL.

With his skill, it is easy to see why many teams will be throwing pricey offers at Davin once the lockout ends.

Tampa Bay should do the right thing and get him locked up.

Tennessee Titans: Jason Babin, DE

This was one of the hardest decisions I had to make.

Between Babin, Stephen Tulloch and Kerry Collins, there are three players I think Tennessee will miss.

Collins isn't such a good quarterback, but someone needs to start while Jake Locker gets acclimated. Collins is a gritty guy who wouldn't give up the starting job so easily, but it wouldn't be his choice anyway.

Tulloch piled up the tackles last season like it was easy, but didn't really add much else. He is almost definitely leaving Tennessee, and that is OK for Titans fans.

The reason I chose Babin is because despite his age (31) and his inconsistencies (last season was his first season with more than five sacks), there just aren't many players in the NFL who can get 12.5 sacks.

There is an extreme value on pass-rushers nowadays, and the Titans would be sad to see him go.

Their defensive line coach, who apparently is some sort of genius, went over to Philadelphia, so many experts expect Babin to join him.

Tennessee shouldn't let his pass-rushing talents go without a fight though.

Washigton Redskins: Santana Moss, WR

Moss edged out inside linebacker Rocky McIntosh as Washington's best free agent.

Moss had a monster season, grabbing 93 receptions for 1,115 yards and six touchdowns.

In a normal Santana Moss year, McIntosh would be the choice.

But, in a way that only Santana can, he came up big in a contract year. Washington's offense is already in shambles, so if they lose their top receiver, I don't know how much worse they could possibly get.

The Redskins are always in the discussion for potential free agents, so a Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, Randy Moss or Plaxico Burress signing wouldn't surprise me.

Unfortunately for Redskins fans, the problems run much deeper than wide receiver.

(Warning: Clip gets a little wild, hilarious though.)

Please let me know what you think! Leave your comments in the section below.

Thanks for reading!