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NFL Free Agency Storylines

Marshall Cherrington |
March 8, 2015 | 2:52 p.m. PDT

Staff Writer

Ndamukong Suh has a new home in Miami, but where are his defensive linemen counterparts headed? (@SInow/Twitter)
Ndamukong Suh has a new home in Miami, but where are his defensive linemen counterparts headed? (@SInow/Twitter)
With the new NFL league year all set to begin on Tuesday afternoon at 1 pm PST, teams are gearing up to make runs at some of the top free agents in the league. The legal tampering period, where teams can start to negotiate with free agents, started on Saturday at noon and you’re now seeing news stream in about some of the top free agents coming to terms with new teams. Most notably, Ndamukong Suh has agreed to a massive six-year, $114 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, and Randall Cobb has re-signed with the Packers for four years, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Here are some of the top storylines heading into Tuesday’s free agency period.

Who is left after Suh on the defensive lineman market?

There’s no doubt that Suh was the top defensive lineman and arguably the top player on the market. Now that the Dolphins have lured him to Miami, where will the other top defensive linemen head? Jerry Hughes, Nick Fairley and Greg Hardy are just a few of the names remaining on the board. Teams with pass rushing needs would love to have Hughes or Hardy, but the off-the-field concerns that come with Hardy may be too much for some general managers. Fairley is a force inside and the Lions will probably make a big push for him now that their defensive line has been weakened with the loss of Suh. Another name to watch is defensive tackle Jared Odrick, who won’t be returning to the Dolphins. He’s a force inside and would be a nice fit in a 3-4 defense.

Where will DeMarco Murray, Adrian Peterson and C.J. Spiller end up?

After leading the league in rushing yards last year, most would think Demarco Murray would be set for a big payday. However, with the decline of value at the running back position and the Cowboys not wanting to pay top dollar for Murray when Adrian Peterson could soon be available, Murray’s market does not look so hot. Murray won’t ever miss a meal after he signs his new contract with the team of his choice, but it may be for less than people originally thought it would be. Other than the Cowboys, the Jaguars, Ravens, Colts, Falcons and Jets are in on the running back market. With Peterson, it’s all about if he wants to return to the Vikings or not. If he doesn’t, the bidding for him could get a little crazy as there’s no doubt he’s been one of the best running backs in the NFL over the course of his career. Also, it’ll be really interesting to watch how the market for C.J. Spiller evolves. There’s no doubt the talent is there, but can he stay healthy and produce for a full season? Something else to watch is that teams might be looking to play him more in a wide receiver hybrid role, something Spiller may or may not be okay with.

The combination of McCourty and Maxwell would provide a huge boost to the Philadelphia secondary. (@Tim_McManus/Twitter)
The combination of McCourty and Maxwell would provide a huge boost to the Philadelphia secondary. (@Tim_McManus/Twitter)
How will the defensive back market shape out?

With defensive back being such a weak position group in this year’s NFL draft, players like Byron Maxwell and Devin McCourty are salivating over the opportunity of a big payday. Maxwell will benefit greatly from playing with elite defensive players around him for the past couple of years. The Eagles are hot after the former Seahawks corner and according to a report by Jayson Braddock, Maxwell has agreed to a five-year deal worth $53 million and $25 million guaranteed with Philadelphia. That’s a huge contract for a guy who hasn’t put up that outrageous of numbers thus far in his career. McCourty is arguably the top free agent on the market now and the Eagles liked him a lot before they signed Maxwell. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the safety back with the Patriots, but as of now, it’s looking like he could be heading elsewhere.

Are there any quality wide receivers looking for new teams?

Randall Cobb surprisingly returned to the Packers on a four-year deal on Saturday and really depleted the top end of the wide receiver market. So who else remains? Jeremy Maclin is a big name guy, but it’s popular belief that he will be returning to the Eagles. Michael Crabtree is another big name guy who hasn’t always put up numbers to match his name, but he will easily find a new home. The Seahawks would be nice fit for the former 49ers receiver, but for some reason, he probably won’t be signing with the former Super Bowl champions because of a certain cornerback on the team. Torrey Smith has been a consistent deep threat for the Ravens over the course of his career and there is growing optimism that he could be headed to the Bay Area to take Crabtree’s spot in the 49ers’ receiving corps. 

Have we all forgotten about the offensive linemen free agency class?

Given, this year’s offensive linemen free agency class isn’t as good as it has been in year’s past, but there are still some quality players out on the open market. Mike Iupati is one of the best guards in the league, Bryan Bulaga has been exceptional in his time with the Packers and former Chiefs center Rodney Hudson is one of the most improved linemen in the league. Denver guard Orlando Franklin has protected Payton Manning very well over the past couple of years and he’s another guy to watch in free agency. Although it may not be a deep class, there are still some quality linemen on the top end of the market.

Reach Staff Writer Marshall Cherrington here or follow him on Twitter



 

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