NFL Free Agency: 14 Athletes Playing for Monster 2012 Contracts

As things stand right now, NFL free agency in 2012 is due to have some huge names hit the open market. If these players have the type of seasons in 2011 as they are expected to have, they will be in line to sign a monster contract, and be rolling in the dough by this time next year.

Of course, some of them will likely have their contracts redone by midseason or even in the very near future. Then there is also the franchise tag, which most will have slapped on them if they can't get a deal done beforehand.

However, there could be a few that actually do make it to the open market. It would be a surprise, but stranger things have happened, especially if they have a down year, get injured or have a clause in their current contract that does not allow them to be tagged.

So, who will be playing for the contract of a lifetime this year?  Let's take a look.

RB Arian Foster, Texans

Arian Foster busted on the scene last season when he put up dazzling numbers with 1,616 rushing yards, 66 receptions for 604 yards and 18 total TDs.

This would be why he'll be a top-two pick in fantasy football drafts this year.

Foster is entering the final year of a three-year deal and is due to make $480,000 this season. However, he will still be an RFA because he won't have the required four years of accrued service to be unrestricted.

Nonetheless, he will be due for a hefty pay raise even if it's a franchise tag deal. Most likely though, he'll be signed to a long-term deal that will make him a rich man.

Given that he'll be an RFA, things could get interesting if a long-term deal isn't worked out. He could get the highest tender for an RFA which would require any team to give up a first and third-round draft pick if they tried to sign him away from Houston.

If Foster puts up another great season, would you be willing to give up a first and third-round draft pick for him?

That's a lot, but somebody could be willing to do just that.

WR Vincent Jackson, Chargers

Vincent Jackson held out half of last season because he was unhappy about being given an RFA tender by the Chargers. His salary for 2010 was $583,000.

In 2011, he'll be playing under the franchise tag salary of $11,933,000. What a difference a year makes!

It's no secret that Jackson wants to get paid. He put up good numbers in 2008 and 2009 (127 receptions for 2,265 yards and 16 TDs). 

Those aren't spectacular numbers, but given his prototypical size (6' 5" 230 lbs), and what he brings to the San Diego offense, he is indeed a valuable player.

He knows that his performance in 2011 will go a long way towards what kind of contract he can demand come next offseason. You can bet that he will be playing his hardest this year in order to earn that lucrative contract.

And if he somehow hits the open market, teams will be lining up for his services.

RB Frank Gore, 49ers

Frank Gore has played in six seasons so far. In 2008, he signed a four-year $28 million contract that is set to expire after the 2011 season. 

He'll still be 28 at the end of the season which is still young enough to land one more big deal. Last year, Gore struggled with injuries, which is not a good sign for a running back as that tends to be viewed as if the player is starting to break down.

From 2006 to 2009, he had four straight 1,000-yard seasons as the workhorse back in San Francisco. In 2011, Gore will be looking to show that he can still produce at a high level and also stay healthy.

Though he is still considered a top running back, at this stage of his career, it will be his last chance for a big payday. He'll be playing like a man possessed, and if he can remain healthy, he'll be able to cash in one more time.

RB Peyton Hillis, Browns

Peyton Hillis was perhaps the most surprising player in the NFL in 2010. He went to Cleveland last year in what was seen as a low-level trade with Denver: Hillis and a sixth-round pick for backup QB Brady Quinn.

Wow, who ended up getting the better deal in that trade?

In his two seasons prior to last year, Hillis racked up a grand total of 397 yards rushing and six TDs. Then in 2010, he put up an astonishing 1,177 yards rushing, 61 receptions for 477 yards and 13 total TDs.

His surprising season earned him a place on the cover of Madden 12.

Hillis is entering the final year of a four-year deal and is set to earn $555,000 this year. If he can avoid the "Madden Curse" and have another season like last year, he'll be cashing in with the best of them next offseason.

OT Joe Thomas, Browns

Joe Thomas was the third overall draft pick in the 2007 draft. He has established himself as one of the top left tackles in the NFL, and has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons.

He is entering the final year of his five-year, $42.5 million rookie contract. He is set to earn $8 million this season.

Once tackles establish themselves in the NFL like he has, it's rare that their play suddenly and dramatically declines unless an injury is involved. So all Thomas has to do is remain healthy, and he'll get an outstanding contract by next offseason.

Looks like the Browns are going to have to pay at least two players good money by 2012. Cleveland isn't seen as big spenders, but the only way they're getting out of this one is if the Mayan calendar is correct.

DE Cliff Avril, Lions

Cliff Avril is entering the final year of his four-year rookie deal and will earn right around $2.6 million this season. 

He's not exactly a household name yet, but he is young and improving. In three seasons, Avril has accumulated 19 sacks, including 8.5 last year.

Think of him cashing in next season the same way in which Charles Johnson of the Panthers did this year.

He has shown the ability to be an effective pass-rusher, and will have the perfect opportunity to rack up the stats this year. With the defensive line the Lions have assembled, there should be ample opportunities for Avril to get his sacks.

And for defensive ends, sacks = $$$.

Don't be surprised if his sack total ends up in double-digits this season. If so, he'll be a hot commodity on the open market next year.

QB Drew Brees, Saints

Drew Brees...do I really need to say anything else? We all know he's going to get paid mega-money.  He's a Super Bowl-winning, franchise quarterback.

Unless he suffers a career-ending injury tomorrow morning by slipping on a banana peel on the way to work, Brees is going to get a contract similar to what Peyton Manning received.

It's just a matter of when.

WR DeSean Jackson, Eagles

DeSean Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie deal and will earn $555,000 this year. He is typically described as one of the NFL's most explosive players.

He doesn't have prototypical size like Vincent Jackson, but he makes up for it with incredible speed and a knack for being able to score in a variety of ways. 

Jackson only caught 47 passes last season, but they went for 1,056 yards and six TDs. That's a whopping 22.5 yards per catch! He is a big-play threat, and adds a dimension to a team that not many teams have.

There has been much discussion about what his monetary value is, mainly because of his small stature and projections of how long he can play at his current level.

However, you can be sure that if he reaches the open market in 2012, he will strike it rich. Almost any team would kill to have a talent like him on the roster. 

LB Chad Greenway, Vikings

Chad Greenway has not made a Pro Bowl yet, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good linebacker. He was certainly good enough that the Vikings designated him their franchise player, and will be paying him just over $10 million this season.

Greenway isn't a highlight-reel playmaker, he is simply an excellent football player. He plays his position very well, and is always around the ball, as evidenced by his 144 tackles last season.

He has all the qualities most teams look for in linebackers; tough, durable, smart, athletic and a leader.

2011 will be a very important year for him in terms of what kind of contract he can expect. Linebackers don't typically get "break the bank" type deals unless you are considered special (Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, etc). 

However, if he plays well this season and is able to test the open market, he will surely land a sizable deal.

RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings

Adrian Peterson is hands down the best running back in the league, period. He is entering the final year of his rookie five-year deal and will earn $10,720,000 this season.

In just four years, Peterson has racked up 6,962 total yards and 54 TDs. That is simply outstanding production.

He's made the Pro Bowl every year in his career so far and is still only 26-years-old. 

Peterson is everything you look for in a running back and he does it all; he'll run over you, through you and around you. He's tough, fast and durable. He'll catch passes out of the backfield and provide pass protection for the QB,

As long as he doesn't suffer a serious injury in 2011, he will become the highest-paid running back in the history of the NFL by 2012.

CB Brent Grimes, Falcons

Many people thought Brent Grimes was due to be an unrestricted free agent this year. As it turned out, he didn't meet the NFL standard to gain an accrued year of service his first season.

Therefore he was a restricted free agent and is now playing on a one-year deal worth $2,610,000.

In the past two seasons, Grimes has tallied 11 interceptions and 36 passes defensed. He is a highly-regarded cover man, and always seems to be around the ball.

Had he been an unrestricted free agent, he would have garnered a contract in the realm of what Johnathan Joseph received this past free agency period.

In 2011, Grimes will be playing for what will be the best contract he'll likely ever get. And if he continues his current level of play, or even improves, he will definitely be a happy man next offseason.

DE Mario Williams, Texans

"Super Mario" as some like to call him, Mario Williams has become one of the best defensive ends in the NFL.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2006, Williams has already cashed in once. He is entering the final year of his rookie $54 million contract and will earn $13.8 million this season.

Over the course of the past five seasons, he has notched 48 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and 26 tackles for a loss. 

The Texans are switching to a 3-4 defense this year under new DC Wade Phillips and Williams is slated to play as an outside rush linebacker. Williams, at 6'6" 290 lbs, seems awfully big to play that role.

But Wade Phillips thinks Williams will produce like DeMarcus Ware does for Dallas. If that ends up being the case, that means he will continue to rack up the sacks which, of course, equates to more money.

Even if he doesn't fare well in his new position, he will still sign a very lucrative contract next offseason. He'll almost certain sign a deal that surpasses what Julius Peppers received last year.

RB Ray Rice, Ravens

Ray Rice is entering the final year of a four-year deal and will make $555,000 this season. 

The past two seasons Rice has been an exceptional producer. He has rushed for 2,559 yards, caught 141 passes for 1,258 yards and scored a total of 14 TDs.

He has shown the ability to be able to handle the workload of a featured running back. Just like the rest of the running backs on this list, all he has to do is remain healthy and he'll be a multi-millionaire in 2012.

QB Michael Vick, Eagles

Everyone pretty much knows the Michael Vick story. He's gone from rags to riches to rags (and prison) and is now back to riches. 

Like Drew Brees, many people are anticipating the Eagles signing Vick to a long-term deal this year. However, unlike Brees, Vick still has something to prove.

He needs to prove he can be a consistent winner in this league and play the QB position effectively.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that he just ends up playing this year on his franchise tag salary of $15,975,000. Then depending on how his season goes, it will determine the type of contract he gets offered next year.

Vick still has to show he has truly grown as a player and person. He also has to remain healthy.

He had an electrifying year in 2010 and, along with all of the Eagles' free-agent acquisitions, has Philadelphia eyeing up its first Super Bowl title.

Should he fall short of that goal and not look so good in the process, it will decrease his value significantly.

He, probably more so than anyone else on this list, may have the most riding on the 2011 season.