2012 NFL Free Agency: 5 Immediate Game-Changers on the Market

In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts will select Andrew Luck. The St. Louis Rams will pick Justin Blackmon and the Jacksonville Jaguars (if they're smart), will pick up Quinton Coples or Morris Claiborne.

That's great for those first three teams, but what will the other 29 teams do to tweak their roster?

Yes, the truth is that successful teams build depth and stability with talented and tenacious players in the draft. But for each up-and-comer in the league who gets a shot at starting, there's an incumbent veteran looking for a new job. Some of those players just didn't get the job done in their first contract, while others had contracts but still weren't getting the job done.

Much like the draft, there are plenty of players who bust once they change teams. But for every Albert Haynesworth there's a Julius Peppers (who has eight sacks so far on the season).

And that's what's we're looking at here.

This coming offseason provides plenty of big names in free agency. While the market will dry up a bit once teams employ their franchise tags, there will still be plenty of talent available for team owners to drool over.

Here's a look a handful of those guys who could find themselves making big plays for another team next year. And no, Drew Brees is not on this list.

New Orleans' favorite adopted son won't go anywhere, regardless of what his current contract status is. The same goes for Mario Williams and Ray Rice, two other players who should be locked in with their current team long before they hit the open market.

These are players who stand a serious chance of scoring fat checks and touchdowns in another city in 2012.

Quarterback Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers

Matt Flynn wouldn't be the first backup quarterback to land a huge payday and a shot at a starting gig.

In fact, he wouldn't be the first Matt to do it, either.

Matt Schaub and Matt Cassel both capitalized their starting quarterback's misfortune and found themselves leading a team of their own.

Yes, both players were technically traded: Green Bay should use that as a template to get something out of Flynn before he leaves town.

Right now, it's the Green Bay Way that wins championships. Flynn has been a part of that his entire professional career. He watched Aaron Rodgers finish growing into one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Next year, someone will look to give Flynn the chance to do the same thing.

Running Back Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Someone once told me that Matt Forte was a poor man's Adrian Peterson, and I thought the idea was ridiculous.

This year, Forte's done his best to prove me wrong, though the Chicago Bears haven't been paying a lot of attention. The Bears haven't locked Forte in for a deal, and their lack of concern shows that they're probably looking for the next new thing at running back.

Chicago's loss is someone else's gain. Forte isn't a used-up rusher with bad knees in his late 20s.

Forte will turn 26 in a couple days, and should give his team at least four more productive years. He catches the ball well out of the backfield and finally hit his stride in the running game. This year, he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry.

The Bears will miss Forte in the backfield. Forte, meanwhile, will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles

The latest antics from DeSean Jackson could spell his departure from Philadelphia, and it wouldn't be the first time the Eagles cut loose a talented, but distracting wide receiver.

But Jackson is certainly talented, and his explosiveness would make an immediate impact. As a receiver, he stretches the field and commands double teams from the secondary.

Among kick and punt returners, Jackson is one of the Top Five in the league. If he can regain his focus and eliminate the distractions, he would be a top five receiver, too.

Someone will take a chance on Jackson doing just that.

Wide Receiver Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills

For a seventh-round pick, Steve Johnson certainly acts like a big-name diva. He blames God for dropped passes and his touchdown dance against the Jets showed his slightly broken social filter.

But some of the diva act is well deserved. Johnson brings a big-play threat to the Bills' offense, and helped bring some respectability back to Buffalo.

The question will be if Johnson's talent is worth his antics and a solid paycheck. If the Bills decide to let Johnson walk, there will be plenty of teams interested in ignoring his sideshow to upgrade their receiver corps.

Defensive End Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts should complete their historically bad season at 0-16, but don't blame their record on Robert Mathis.

Even at 30 years old, Mathis continues to collapse the pocket and hit the quarterback. His 5.5 sacks so far this season are well below his usual production, but that's the story about the Colts across the board this year.

Peyton Manning hit a major payday just before his neck surgery, and the Colts will likely pay heavily for Andrew Luck's contract. And with Dwight Freeney and Reggie Wayne likewise on the payroll, Mathis could find himself edged out in Indy.