NFL Free Agency 2012: A Player That Could Fit All 32 Teams Glaring Holes

As a child I used to watch players suit up for other teams and imagined them playing for my childhood team, the San Francisco 49ers. Considering the salary cap had not been put in place yet some of them actually came to the bay: Deion Sanders comes to mind in 1994.

Now, we are in the salary cap era in which teams have to be ultra conservative in regards to throwing large sums of money at possible free agents. Still, many teams (the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles), find it necessary to go out and get the "top" free agents. Sometimes it works out great, but more often than not it doesn't. 

That said, every single NFL team looks to fill various voids on their roster through free agency, which has become a necessity. 

We are only four weeks into the 2011 season, but every team has glaring holes that are obvious to even the untrained eye. Today, I am going to focus on a free agent from the 2012 class that would fill every teams most obvious holes. 

Note: Drew Brees will not be included on this list for obvious reasons. 

San Francisco 49ers: CB Brent Grimes

It is not a secret that the 49ers were going after a top tier corner in free agency this past off-season. They ended up with the best of the second tier players available, Carlos Rogers, who has been an absolute steal this season. He ranks among the league leaders in passes defended. 

Still, the 49ers rank 27th in the NFL in pass defense through four weeks of the season. They don't have any "starter" caliber corners opposite Carlos Rogers. Additionally, the former Washington Redskin' is going to be a free agent following the 2011 season. 

The 49ers are one true top tier corner away from being a top five defense in the league. While, I expect them to re-sign Carlos Rogers during the season, they need to have a young corner opposite him. 

Brent Grimes fits that role perfectly. 

The former small school player at Shippensburg went undrafted in 2007, but has exceeded all possible expectations. He has 40 passes defended since the start of the 2009 season and made the Pro Bowl last year. Atlanta is already paying Dunta Robinson in the eight figures, so there remains a possibility they let him walk.

The 49ers will most likely be picking in the 20's during the 2012 draft, that takes them out of the race for Dre' Kirkpatrick and Morris Claiborne, so they will probably look at free agency to fill this void.

Chicago Bears: WR Reggie Wayne

I was seriously considering offensive line here, but it seems Chicago wants to build that unit via the draft, which is a really good idea. Especially, considering all the top prospects that will be available in the 2012 draft. 

Jay Cutler needs a true No. 1 receiver as much as he needs a solid offensive line in order to succeed with the Chicago Bears. Right now, they don't have that player on the roster. 

Indianapolis will look to retain Reggie Wayne in free agency and the chances they do are really strong at this point. Still, you have to wonder what direction this team is going to go in following what promises to be a transitional remainder of the 2011 season. 

Reggie Wayne would give Jay Cutler that veteran presence that Roy Williams has been unable to provide in 2011. He would immediately become the Bears No.1 receiver and open up the field on the outside. 

Draft possibilities at the wide receiver position where Chicago could be selecting are: Michael Floyd and Alshon Jeffrey. 

Cincinnati Bengaks: RB Matt Forte

As much as the Cincinnati Bengals would love to have Matt Forte, this possibility is extremely small right now. Chicago cannot afford to lose their best offensive weapon. Still, this article is written under the guise that these players will actually hit the open market. 

So, I find Forte to be the best fit for Cincinnati. They have a young quarterback in Andy Dalton, a great young wide receiver in A.J. Green and a possibly dominating tight end, Jermaine Gresham. It is time that they look to add a franchise running back to the arsenal of weapons on offense. 

Matt Forte would give Cincinnati a great pass catching running back out of the backfield that will help Andy Dalton in terms of check downs and screens. Cedric Benson isn't getting any younger and is probably in the midst of his final season with the Bengals.

Running back options in the draft for Cincinnati include: Trent Richardson and LaMichael James.

Buffalo Bills: DE Robert Mathis

The Buffalo Bills rank 25th in both pass and rush defense so far in 2011. Despite injuries, their secondary has played pretty well, but it is the front seven that should worry Bills fans. 

They only have four sacks through the first quarter of the season, only one coming from the defensive line. That came from disappointing first round pick, Marcell Dareus.

Robert Mathis would give them another anchor along that young defensive line with Kyle Williams and Dareus. He would also provide them with some veteran leadership in the front seven. 

Indianapolis may look to spend their free agent bucks elsewhere such as at corner, linebacker or a long the offensive line.

Denver Broncos: DT Raheem Brock

Raheem Brock isn't getting any younger, but he has been a clog along the defensive line for a good decade now. This is something that the Broncos desperately need at this point. His presence would also do wonder for the outside pass rushing capabilities of their linebacker group. 

Right now, the Broncos are struggling along the interior of the defensive line. Kevin Vickerson and Brodrick Bunkley don't seem to be the answers. Brock would be able to come in and eat up double teams as well as space up the middle, enabling Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil to has a lot of green on the outside in pursuit of the quarterback.

Denver is probably looking at a top ten pick in the 2012 draft, but there doesn't seem to be any top-tier defensive tackles available in the draft. Personally, I think Jared Crick of Nebraska translates better as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. 

Cleveland Browns: WR- Steve Smith

Colt McCoy needs some receiver help on the outside. Over half of his 100 completions has gone to running backs or tight ends. This is one of the reasons why the former third round pick has the lowest yards per attempt average in the entire league.

I like Greg Little a lot, he will be a solid starting wide receiver in the NFL at some point. Still, Cleveland needs to find itself a No. 1 receiver. 

I highly doubt if Mike Wallace or DeSean Jackson hit the free agent market that they will seriously consider Cleveland. Instead, the Browns are going to have to go with one of the second tier options. It could be argued that Steve Smith, the Philadelphia version, would be the best of that group. Before a devastating injury hampered his free agency value this past off-season, Smith was set to be one of the best receivers in the market. 

Depending on where Cleveland ends up drafting, Michael Floyd would be a great option for this young team as well.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: S LaRon Landry

Tampa Bay has struggled to an extent in pass defense this season and it has nothing to do with the play of their top corners, Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib. Instead, both Sean Jones and Corey Lynch appear to be below average cover safeties. 

LaRon Landry would be brought in to play the box on the strong side, which will enable Tampa Bay to fix one of their safety problems. In doing this, they would be able to re-address the abilities of the free safety candidates on their roster and possibly look at the draft in regards to that position. 

I highly doubt that Washington will let Landry hit the free agent market, but there seems to be a little animosity in regards to him not receiving that lucrative deal yet. Additionally, Washington is paying another safety, O.J. Atogwe, over six million per season and may look to spend the money elsewhere.

The best safety options for Tampa Bay in the draft would seem to be T.J. McDonald (USC) and Mark Barron (Alabama).

Arizona Cardinals: CB Rashean Mathis

Arizona has a talented young corner in 2010 first round pick, Patrick Peterson. A.J. Jefferson also looks to have a nice amount of upside. However, Arizona still ranks in the bottom of the league in pass defense. They brought in Richard Marshall to be that veteran presence in the defensive backfield: however, he has yet to make that much of a difference. 

In trying to figure out what Arizona needed the most, I came to the conclusion it was veteran leadership in the secondry. Rashean Mathis brings exactly that. He has started 116 games, all for Jacksonville, since being selected in the second round of the 2003 draft. During that time he has been one of the most unheralded cover corners in the entire NFL. Mathis' game has regressed somewhat over the last three seasons, but he would add that veteran experience to a raw, but talented corner position.

Arizona will probably be drafting in the top half of the first round in April, which could mean that Morris Claiborne (LSU) or Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska) may be available. Still, I have a hard time believing that Arizona will go corner in two consecutive drafts. 

San Diego Chargers: DT Aubrao Franklin

San Diego, who is utilizing a 3-4 defense, hasn't had a true net tackle since Jamaal Williams left a few seasons ago. While it hasn't made a huge impact on the play of the Chargers defense, it would be ideal for them to get one.

They are giving up over 100 yards rushing per game, which could be improved. 

Enter into the equation, Aubrao Franklin. He played his best ball as a pro for Greg Menusky for the San Francisco 49ers from 2007-2010. San Diego brought in two former 49er' defenders, Takeo Spikes and Travis LaBoy, this past off-season. So, there is a history there.

As I mentioned before, there really aren't any top tier 3-4 defensive tackles in the 2012 draft, so if San Diego wants to upgrade at that position it will be through free agency. 

Kansas City Chiefs: G Carl Nicks

The Chiefs had a lot of talent on their division winning 2010 club. Season ending injuries to Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, has depleted the star power of this team. 

Still, the Chiefs were struggling through preseason and the season opener against Buffalo before these injures came to. There remains a lot of holes on this team, mostly on the offensive side of the ball. 

Matt Cassel was sacked eight times in four games, but that doesn't tell the entire story. Kansas City has had to change its offensive philosophy in order to makeup for shortcoming a long the offensive line. They appear set with Branden Albert and to a less extent, Barry Richardson, at the tackle position. So, the focus shifts to the interior of the offensive line. They need to replace Ryan Lilja, who has struggled in pass protection and on run blocking. 

Carl Nicks made the Pro Bowl last season and is one of the best left guards in the entire league. While, New Orleans will not want to let him walk they have a lot of big time contracts set to expire following the 2011 season. Drew Brees, Aubrayo Franklin, Tracy Porter and Marques Colston come to mind. They might have to let Nicks walk. 

Indianapolis Colts: CB Tracy Porter

How fitting would it be that a player that sealed the Colts defeat in Super Bowl XLIV with an interception return for a touchdown against Peyton Manning, signs with Indianapolis a couple years later? For the purpose of full disclosure, this did not fit into my thought process in attempting to find an area of need for the struggling Colts.

The Colts rank 20th in the NFL in pass defense so far this season and their corners have struggled a great deal. Their starting corners, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey are both probably nickel corners at best right now. So, it goes without saying that they need to upgrade at this position. 

We can all expect  Peyton Manning to return for the 2012 season at full-health, but it remains to be seen in what direction the Colts want to go moving forward. Will they look for another run behind the future Hall of Fame quarterback? Or, will they look more towards the future?

This will be answered following the season, but Indianapolis might have Andrew Luck staring them right in the face. Either way, I highly doubt that the Colts spends a top five pick on a corner. 

Dallas Cowboys: CB Cortland Finnegan

The Dallas Cowboys secondary has been their Achilles heel over the course of the last two seasons. Terrance Newman has regressed a little bit over the last couple seasons and isn't getting any younger. Michael Jenkins continues to fight obscure injury problems, and they have nothing after that.

This means that just like this past off-season, Dallas is going to make a play for a top tier corner. Cortland Finnegan will be right up there with Brandon Carr and Brent Grimes as the best on the market at that position. 

He has been one of the better cover corners in the NFL over the last five seasons and at 27 might be hitting his prime. We all know how Jerry Jones likes to make a splash in free agency, with Finnegan they would be getting the best of both worlds.

The Cowboys may also look for a younger option in the draft. However, they will most likely be picking in the middle of the first round which takes them out of the race for the two elite corners in the draft. 

Miami Dolphins: QB Kyle Orton

The Miami Dolphins might just be bad enough to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, which would throw this entire idea out the window. Still, you have to figure that their defense is going to win a few games this season by themselves. 

If Miami misses out on the No. 1 overall pick, they may look for a veteran option in free agency. Kyle Orton hasn't played too great so far this season, but was linked to Miami during the limited off-season, coming extremely close to be traded to south beach. Signing Orton would enable the Dolphins to look for a younger quarterback after the first round. 

One thing is clear, Chad Henne probably played his last game for Miami last week and Matt Moore is not the answer. 

Other first round options outside of Andrew Luck include: Matt Barkley (USC) and possibly, Landry Jones (Oklahoma). 

Philadelphia Eagles: G Ben Grubbs

The Philadelphia Eagles spent hundreds of millions on positions outside of the offensive line and look where it has them so far: 1-3 and last place in the NFC East. It isn't that the Eagles shouldn't have spent the money, it is more about the allocation at said' positions. 

On the other hand, Philadelphia was relying on 2011 first round pick, Danny Watkins, to step into the starting guard position. He has only been active for one game and will be starting this week against Buffalo. Lets see how that plays out. 

Michael Vick is on pace to be sacked 24 times this season, which is a lot for a quarterback as mobile that he is. Watching the loss against San Francisco, one thing popped out to me. Vick is forced outside the pocket on certain situations, not designed, but needed because of the lack of protection up the middle. 

They seem to be pretty solid at tackle with Jason Peters, but could use an upgrade along the interior of the line. Ben Grubbs would give Philadelphia that physical presence that is needed right now. Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens star is extremely good in pass protection up the middle. 

Philadelphia could go the draft route, but the selection of Danny Watkins may disable this idea. 

Atlanta Falcons: T Joe Staley

I was choosing between Jared Gaither and Joe Staley with this slide. Both have been injury prone as of late, but Staley's injury issues don't seem to be as long term. Whether or not you like either of these players, it should be concluded that they are upgrades over the struggling Sam Baker. 

Atlanta has forked out out a lot of picks and money on their skill players on offense, but it is their offensive line that continues to fail this unit. Their franchise quarterback, Matt Ryan, is on pace to be sacked 52 times. It doesn't matter how many good players you have on offense, if timing is off it becomes a greater problem than talent can fix.

Even with their struggles, it is hard to imagine Atlanta falling back enough to have a top ten pick in April: so, Matt Kalil (USC) and Jonathan Martin (Stanford) wouldn't seem like viable draft options. Atlanta's only option may be to find a veteran free agent if Baker continues to struggle. 

New York Giants: CB Brandon Carr

With Brandon Flowers re-upped for over $50 million it is hard to imagine the Chiefs forking over another huge contract for another young corner, Brandon Carr. This will end up being really good news for ample teams looking to upgrade at the corner position during next year's free agency. 

The New York Giants will be one of those teams. Aaron Ross, who struggled a great deal early in the season before a two interception outing against Philadelphia, is set to be a free agent. Terrell Thomas, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, is also set to be a free agent. Either way, it could be concluded that New York would be looking to replace both of those players. 

They did draft Prince Amukamara, who is also injured, in the first round of Aprils' draft. At this point, New York doesn't know what to expect from the young corner. So, it goes without saying they will have to dab into free agency in order to find an upgrade. 

After compiling 42 passes defended in the last two seasons, Brandon Carr has struggled to some extent in 2011. Still, he is an above-average starting corner in the NFL and would represent a major upgrade for the Giants. 

New York has also spent two first round and a second round pick on corners over the last four seasons without much success. Look for them to avoid that in 2012. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Dwayne Bowe

Blaine Gabbert has a really nice young core of skill players around him. Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the best all-purpose running backs in the NFL, Marcedes Lewis is becoming a duel threat at tight end and Jacksonville just signed their "No. 1 " receiver, Mike Thomas to a contract extension. 

Still, Jacksonville can use a true top target on the outside for Gabbert. Their defense seems more than capable of holding their own in the AFC South and the teams offensive line has been above-average thus far with a wide array of young players.

Dwayne Bowe would immediately become the Jaguars top wide receiver. He has eclipsed 1,000 yards in two of four seasons in the NFL and led the league in touchdowns with 15 last year. 

Depending on where Jacksonville finishes the season there does remain a possibility that Michael Floyd (Notre Dame) will be available as the second best receiver in the draft, but the Jaguars may want some veteran guidance on the outside. 

New York Jets: RB Ray Rice

Lets be clear here, there is a minimal chance that Ray Rice actually hits the open market, but if he does expect Rex Ryan to come calling in a huge way. Surprisingly, the Jets rank 30th in the NFL in rushing offense. Shonne Green doesn't appear to be the answer in the backfield and LT is on his last legs as a running back in the league. 

Joe McKnight is extremely strong on special teams, but doesn't look like a feature back in the NFL. I am a fan of Bilal Powell from Louisville, we will have to see how that plays out. 

Ray Rice would give New York a duel threat out of the backfield. He is a really good pass receiving running back and acts as a nice safety valve. Rice is also one of the best pure runners in the league. 

The Jets, who should be picking in the 20s, could reach for David Wilson (Virginia Tech), but I think they might be inclined to go the veteran route. 

Detroit Lions: WR Mario Manningham

On the surface this doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. After all, Detroit has a top five receiver in Calvin Johnson as well as a young stud in Titus Young. Still, this offense wants to become even more dynamic for their franchise quarterback. Lining up Manningham opposite Johnson would scare the crap out of opposing defenses. 

Just imagine an offensive formation of Jahvid Best, Brandon Pettigrew, Calvin Johnson, Manningham and Titus Young lining up with Matthew Stafford at quarterback. 

Some would argue that defensive secondary or the tackle position would seem like safer bets in free agency. However, you have to look at logistics for a second. Detroit has shown a strong sense of building through the draft over the last couple seasons, which has worked extremely well. They wouldn't be "breaking the bank" for Manningham and a lot of strong candidates at these other positions remain possible towards the end of the first round. 

Green Bay Packers: S Michael Griffin

Starting free safety, Nick Collins, suffered a gruesome neck injury against the Carolina Panthers a couple weeks ago. While, it appears Collins may be able to play football again, that isn't a given. He had surgery last Friday to repair a herniated disc in the neck. 

It is being reported that the surgery was an anterior cervical fusion, which means that the prognosis isn't too great for a return in the near future. 

The Packers are currently undefeated and are the defending Super Bowl Champions, so it goes without saying that they don't have a whole lot of holes to fill right now. 

The career threatening injury to Nick Collins may have changed that a little bit. Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Morgan Burnett are a great trio in the defensive backfield, but a strong defense needs to good coverage safety in the scheme. 

Enter into the equation, Michael Griffin, who has become one of the best free safeties in the entire league. He would immediately come in and be able to replace Collins, maybe even surpass the production from him. 

Carolina Panthers: WR DeSean Jackson

This is where it gets interesting. DeSean Jackson held out for the majority of the preseason and isn't happy about his current contract situation, and he shouldn't be. The two-time Pro Bowler is getting paid $600 thousand in 2011, much less than he deserves. 

It is not a given that Philadelphia will place the franchise tag on Jackson either. They already have an elite wide receiver in Jeremy Maclin and a lot of salary cap issues heading into 2012. The chances may be small, but Jackson may actually see the open market. 

If you are DeSean Jackson and are looking for a young quarterback that can get you the ball, where else do you look than Carolina with Cam Newton? The dynamic rookie quarterback has exceeded any possible expectations thus far and would benefit from a young down field threat on the outside. 

Steve Smith might be having a career year in a career full of them, but he isn't getting any younger. He will be 33 by opening day 2012. 

I can easily envision Carolina making a play for Jackson if he does hit the open market. In fact, my money would be on it. 

New England Patriots: DE John Abraham

This somewhat disturbing photo aside, John Abraham has been one heck of a football player for sometime now. He has recorded double-digit sacks in six of his first 11 seasons in the league. 

New England is making a semi-switch to the 4-3, utilizing over 70 percent of the time so far in 2011. John Abraham would fit their scheme to a tee. It would also enable them to add another ex Jets player, we know how they like to do that: Shaun Ellis anyone?

The Patriots have gotten pretty old up front with the likes of Ellis, Andre Carter, Vince Wilfork etc.. so, there does remain a possibility that they look to add here during the draft. Brandon Jenkins (Florida State) and Quinton Coples (North Carolina) make sense. Still, New England will be looking for a veteran with some gas left in the tank.

Oakland Raiders: WR Mike Wallace

The Oakland Raiders have some really good looking young receivers on their roster such as Denarius Moore, a rookie from Tennessee. However, I am sure that Al Davis and Co. will be looking for a true No. 1 receivers come free agency. They don't have a consistent player on the outside who can pick up tough yardage in crucial situations. Moore could end up being that player, but outside of him I am not too entirely sure. Jacoby Ford may fit the Cliff Branch role to a tee, but he isn't going to get those eight yard completions on mid-range third down passes.

Outside of Moore, Oakland's receivers have combined for 27 receptions thus far in 2011, Mike Wallace has 25 by himself.

Another issue is that Oakland is going to be missing draft picks this season due to trades and the selection of Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft, so they may look for upgrades elsewhere in April. I have a hard to believing that Pittsburgh will let Wallace walk, but if he hits the open market Al Davis will be all over it. 

Contract status is restricted free agent in 2012.

St. Louis Rams: WR Vincent Jackson

One thing that has become abundantly clear in St. Louis during their 0-4 start is that they are missing a true No. 1 receiver. Greg Salas and Austin Pettis may end up contributing a great deal, but neither looks like a top target for Sam Bradford. 

The Rams have issues all over the place: Steven Jackson isn't getting any younger, their secondary is struggling and the linebacker play hasn't been great. Still, I tend to believe that Bradford needs a true top flight receiver. 

To say Vincent Jackson isn't happy with his contract situation would be putting it lightly. At this point, I am not too sure he would even show up next season if San Diego were to franchise him once again. So, it could be concluded that his days are numbered there. This would make a lot of teams, St. Louis included, extremely happy. 

The Rams will also have a top five pick in April, which makes Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) an intriguing possibility, but for some reason I see them going after a replacement for Jackson there (Trent Richardson (Alabama) seems to make a lot of sense. 

Baltimore Ravens: CB Terance Newman

Baltimore has some nice young corners in Jimmy Smith and Ladarius Webb. That said, they seem to be missing a strong veteran presence among the group. Its not to say that this is a major weakness for the best defense in the NFL, rather it is to say that they could use someone like Newmon as the No. 2 or nickel corner. 

Newman has regressed to some extent over the course of the last couple seasons, but could be a valuable commodity when free agency hits next year. 

I highly doubt that the Ravens spend another No. 1 pick on a corner, so they will probably hit the veteran market to find an upgrade. Intelligently, Baltimore doesn't dole out huge bucks for free agents, which means they will be looking for a second-tier type player. 

Washington Redskins: WR Marques Colston

Some would conclude that Marques Colston's stats have been inflated because of playing in the Saints "pass happy" offense and I may be inclined to agree. Still, you have to like what the former seventh round pick has done so far in the NFL. He has had four 1,000 yard seasons in his first five years and continues to be a contributor. 

Injuries have slowed him down thus far in 2011, but he is healthy and ready to contribute once again. 

Washington's wide receivers have combined for 44 receptions so far in 2011, 38 of them from Santana Moss (32 years old) and Jabar Gaffney (31 years old). Their young receivers have yet to produce so far. 

Marques Colston is hitting the prime of his career at 28 and has a lot of good years ahead of him. He also gives whoever Washington's 2012 starting quarterback is going to be a solid possession receiver on the outside. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Kareem McKenzie

Even after four games I think the entire Pittsburgh Steelers fan base would be fine if every single member of their offensive line was replaced outside of Maurkice Pouncey. This is how bad they have been all season. 

Ben Roethlisberger has been hit more times than Pirates pitchers this season. Through four games Big Ben has been sacked 14 times and hit another 22. This is clearly unattainable if they want him to remain healthy for the remainder of the 2011 season. After all, it appeared that their franchise quarterback was going to miss substantial time after taking a beating from Houston last week.

Kareem McKenzie has been a well above-average pass protecting offensive tackle in the NFL for the better part of a decade. He would do what Pittsburgh attempted to do when they brought in Flozell Adams a couple years ago: give them a veteran presence with some juice left in the tank. 

Still, the Steelers are going to have to look at adding multiple offensive linemen during the 2012 off-season, whether it be by free agency, the draft or both. 

New Orleans Saints: CB Carlos Rogers

I highly doubt that San Francisco lets Carlos Rogers walk after the year that he is having, but still the former first round pick's contract is set to expire following the 2011 season. 

New Orleans needs to find a veteran upgrade at the corner position, one that can cover one-one and Carlos Rogers has been among the best in the league at doing that so far. 

Right now, Patrick Robinson is struggling a great deal and Tracy Porter is returning from injury. So, we will have to wait to see how the remainder of the year plays out. 

Either way, expect them to make a play for a second tier corner like Rogers in the off-season. 

Seattle Seahawks: QB Matt Flynn

I am not sure if the Tarvaris Jackson experiment can be deemed a failure quite yet. In fact, he looked pretty decent against the Atlanta Falcons defense last week, but who hasn't? 

Call me a cynic, but I do not have a whole lot of faith in Jackson as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He doesn't seem to have the pocket presence necessary to succeed in the league. I have noticed him have issues reading defenses, throwing into coverage too much and holding onto the ball (when he has had time). 

Charlie "Clipboard Jesus" Whitehurst isn't the answer either. Seattle seems to have some talent on offense with Zach Miller, Mike Williams, Sidney Rice and the surprising Doug Baldwin on offense. It would make a world of difference if they had a capable, above-average starting quarterback. 

Matt Flynn might actually be the most prized after quarterback in the 2012 free agent class with the struggles of Kyle Orton in Denver. He has shown a great arm, above average instincts and the ability to make plays in limited playing action so far in his career. 

I am a really big fan of Flynn's and think he would make a world of difference in Seattle. As of right now, Seattle is looking at a top 15 pick in the draft, but probably wont be able to get either Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley. Look for them to go the free agent route if Tarvaris Jackson proves he isn't up to the task. 

Houston Texans: DT Paul Soliai

The Houston Texans defense has improved a great deal under Wade Phillips this season and are now utilizing a 3-4 scheme. This has moved Mario Williams to the outside linebacker position as a pass rush specialist. Still, there remains a glaring hole in this defense. They do not have a true 3-4 net tackle to man the middle of the front three. 

At 301 pounds, Shaun Cody doesn't have the bulk to man that position and the rush defense is suffering because of it. They rank in the bottom half of the NFL in rush defense. 

Enter into the equation, Paul Soliai of the Miami Dolphins. He is a man among boys up the middle at a whopping 355 pounds and seems to be one of the best pure net tackles in the NFL. 

Miami franchised the former Utah star last season, so they won't be in a hurry to give him up. However, if he hits the open market expect Houston to be one of the first teams to call him. 

Tennessee Titans: TE Jermichael Finley

It doesn't matter who the starting quarterback will be next season in Tennessee. Either Jake Locker or Matt Hasselbeck will need to have a pass catching tight end in this system, something they don't currently have. 

Jared Cook and Craig Stevens have combined for just 11 receptions in four games this season. With Kenny Britt expected back at full-health, Tennessee looks to be solid at the wide receiver position: at least, atop it. 

Jermichael Finley would add a huge target up the middle and down the seam for the Tennessee Titans next season. However, it will be incredibly hard for any team to pry him away from Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. 

As far as draft options go, Coby Fleener (Stanford) would seem to fit this role extremely well too, may want to keep an eye on him if you are a Titans fan. 

Minnesota Vikings: WR Jerome Simpson

You can blame a lot of the Vikings lack of success in the passing game (31st in the NFL) on Donovan McNabb, but his receivers aren't doing any favors either. Percy Harvin and Michael Jenkins are averaging less than ten yards per catch combined and Bernard Berrian has been an absolute dud with just two receptions in four games. 

I am not sure how the legal situation is going to play out with Jerome Simpson, he might even be looking at prison time. Still, you cannot deny the talent that he has. 

The young receiver would provide a very nice target for Christian Ponder on the outside and wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. For all you Vikings fans that were looking for a bigger name receiver here just look at how the Sidney Rice situation played out. If they were going to dole out big bucks it would have been for him. 

Depending on where Minnesota drafts, likely to be top five, Justin Blackmon remains a solid option.