1. Nnamdi Asomugha
Along with Darelle Revis, one of the best two cornerbacks in the league right now, Nnamdi Asomugha's value in a pass-happy league could not be higher. However, I worry about Asomugha in that he's reached that scary age of 30. Having seen Nate Clements sign a gargantuan contract with the 49ers around that same age only to be nothing more than an average player makes me wary of signing aging players. Asomugha is a better player than Clements was, and at 6'2" and 210 pounds, he doesn’t have to totally rely on speed to be effective, though he is still very fast. I think for the next three years he can be an elite player and change the complexion of an entire defense.
The Texans have been horrible defending the pass, and he could go a long way toward solving their problems in the secondary. Asomugha could mentor second year corner Kareem Jackson and eliminate half the field while Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans, and Mario Williams make up a formidable trio in the front seven. Landing Asomugha could make the Texans an elite, playoff-level team as opposed to an 8-8 disappointment. He’s that big of an impact player, and the Texans are that close to competing.
Other potential suitors include the 49ers, who should think twice before signing a 30-year-old corner to a mega deal; the Jets, who somehow get in on every free agent discussion and just imagine a duo of Asomugha and Revis; and the Lions, who could also really use his services to combine with rising star safety Louis Delmas and a nasty front four. Asomugha could turn Detroit's into a powerful defense.
2. Osi Umenyiora
The word is Osi Umenyiora is unhappy in New York, and the Giants would be amenable to trading him for the right price while grooming Jason Pierre-Paul as his replacement. Umenyiora is right in his prime at 29 and last year compiled 11.5 sacks with 10 forced fumbles. Getting to the passer and creating turnovers is the magic elixir to winning games in the NFL; Umenyiora excels at both. He could play 3-4 outside linebacker, but I like him more with his hand down.
Philadelphia might want him, but I doubt the Giants would trade him in the division. New England could certainly use a pass rusher as that has been the weakest part of their team for years, but when has a New York team been willing to help a Boston team?
3. Sidney Rice
In Brett Favre's first year with the Vikings, Sidney Rice looked like one of the best receivers in the game. Last year in Minnesota the whole season was an unmitigated disaster, and Rice was injured for much of the year, so I'll write that season off.
A proven deep threat that was the number one receiver on a team that reached the NFC Title Game, a huge threat in the red zone with elite ability to retrieve jump balls, I would love to see him come San Fran way, but I doubt he wants to play with Alex Smith.
New England would be an interesting fit as Rice would complement all of their underneath pass catchers with a certifiable deep threat who doesn't carry half of Randy Moss' baggage.
St. Louis, Chicago, San Diego, Baltimore, and Detroit also seem like viable landing spots; all could use a big-time, number one wideout/deep threat and all are in a position to compete this year.
4. Jonathan Joseph
Jonathan Joseph is a top-10 corner in the league, and at age 27 he’s a much safer guy to give a long term contract to than Asomugha. With great speed and pure cover skills, Joseph can be the number one corner on the majority of NFL teams.
Since Nate Clements will likely be cut, I would love to see the 49ers pursue Joseph, who is younger and will be less expensive than Asomugha. I believe they will at the very least consider making a move for him, and other suitors could be Baltimore, Philadelphia, the Giants, Arizona, St. Louis, Detroit, and the Texans.
5. Santonio Holmes
When his head is right, Santonio Holmes is one of the best receivers in the league and instantly upgrades any passing attack.
Baltimore should be interested to add some speed opposite Anquan Boldin. Pittsburgh maybe could look to bring him back and replace Hines Ward, though that seems unlikely.
The Bears have to think about going after him. With Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Johnny Knox, and Holmes, they would finally be respectable at the skill positions.
Detroit, St. Louis, San Francisco, San Diego, and Kansas City could all benefit from his services as well, though with Dwayne Bowe and first round pick Jonathan Baldwin in house K.C. might not be willing to spend on another wideout.
6. Ahmad Bradshaw
Super-talented all-around back Ahmad Bradshaw probably can’t carry the ball 25 times per game, but 18 reps would be just fine to get big-time production out of him. He’s got great vision and tremendous speed, and is only 25 years old, which is still young even for a running back. He should be productive barring injury for at least three more years and perhaps up to five more.
I would bet the Giants want to resign this guy after rushing for over 1,200 yards last year, but he is the definition of a scatback and probably understands that he needs to be in a two-back system.
He’d be a nice complement to the more bruising Frank Gore in San Francisco, though both are such top-flight backs there may not be enough carries to go around.
Bradshaw could be a nice complement to Cedric Benson (also a free agent) in Cincinnati, but I doubt any free agent is clamoring to land with the Bungles. Seattle is running back deprived but again; that’s not exactly a team on the upswing.
The Dolphins love to run the ball and if they re-sign Ronnie Brown, bringing in Bradshaw as a change of pace back would be lethal.
If Bradshaw demands to be the feature back, Seattle, Detroit, Denver, and Washington would be viable landing spots.
7. DeAngelo Williams
Running backs are always a scary free agent proposition no matter how good they are, but few backs have the talent of DeAngelo Williams. He is 28, at which point some backs are done and others are declining, and he lost most of last year to injury. However, the two prior years, splitting carries with Jonathan Stewart, Williams tallied 1,515 and 1,117 yards rushing, respectively, and averaged well over 5 yards per carry in both campaigns. Still with home run ability, Williams can change a game with one touch, so I think he has tremendous value. Probably if you sign him to a three-year deal or so, you’ll likely get your money’s worth.
Williams will likely want to play for a competitor so I will rule out teams like Washington, Denver, and Seattle.
Most teams are committed to a two-back system these days so it wouldn’t be shocking to see him go to teams like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, or Chicago especially if winning is Williams’ main goal.
The Jets may not have a ton of money to spend, but I like him as a complement to the young bruiser Shonn Greene as Ladaninan Tomlinson continues to age.
If Indianapolis has the money Williams would be a great pickup to finally give them juice in the running game and a feature back.
8. Paul Posluszny
Only 26 years old, this tackling machine would be a nice addition to any defense. Paul Posluszny finds the football, and though he’s not going to tally up sacks or interceptions, he will cover well and is a very sure tackler. He’s a Pro Bowl-level young player, and though the Bills will likely re-sign him, there will be plenty of potential suitors if they don’t.
The Lions could certainly use an impact linebacker as could the 49ers, Cowboys, Colts, and perhaps even the Saints.
The Packers have an abundance of good linebackers but with Nick Barnett aging, “Poz” could play inside our outside and along with Clay Matthews, Dez Bishop, and the like and create one of the best linebacking corps in the league.
9. Antonio Cromartie
Ask him the names of all his children; you may have a problem. Ask him to lock down a top-flight receiver; this is your man. The Texans, 49ers, Lions, Ravens, Steelers, Vikings, Bears, and Eagles should all consider adding Cromartie.
10. Kevin Kolb
Though Kevin Kolb isn't a free agent, he's going somewhere because his value is simply too high right now for the Eagles not to cash out on him. Some speculate he’s worth anywhere from two first round picks to just a single second rounder. I tend to believe it's closer to the latter, but who knows what teams will do in this quarterback-driven and -deprived league.
All the hype over Kolb is a bit mysterious to me. He’s played in nineteen total games and accumulated a passer rating of 73.2 with 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions—not exactly Peyton Manning numbers. But insanity is contagious amongst NFL owners, and in a condensed transaction period anything could happen.
My best guess is that he heads to Arizona because they can’t throw Max Hall into that fire again, and Derek Anderson is god awful. The Cardinals might be willing to give up a first rounder for Kolb. Since they have talent on the offense, landing Kolb could mean winning the division.
Other interested teams should be Seattle, Buffalo, Washington, Miami, and Oakland.
11. Jared Gaither
A mammoth man at 6’9” and somewhere in the ball park of 340 pounds, Jared Gaither is young at just 25 and the perfect fit for a mauling running game. Suited as a right tackle and athletic enough to be a good pass protector, Gaither's strength is as a road-grater in the running game.
If the Ravens don’t resign him, the Steelers should be interested given their injuries and old age along the offensive line. I also think he would be a nice physical addition to the Colts' offensive line, which always seems to lack punch and physicality.
The Texans, Lions, and maybe even the Packers could look at him if they think he could possibly play guard, but he’s probably too tall for that position.
The Bears and Redskins desperately need offensive line help as well and should seriously consider Gaither.
12. Zach Miller
If you succeed in the passing game in Oakland, you can really play. Zach Miller is a legit, Pro Bowl-level talent at tight end that could help a litany of teams.
Cleveland could really use a middle of the field target to help out Colt McCoy. Of course they could use Holmes, Rice, and Braylon Edwards too.
The Dolphins could use another pass catching threat to take heat off of Brandon Marshall, so Miller would be a nice fit in Miami as well.
The Giants, Cardinals, Rams, and even the Falcons with the 200-year-old Tony Gonzalez, would also be good landing spots for Miller.
13. Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards has as much God-given ability as any player in the league, but he drops balls, loses focus, and has some attitude issues. Still, if things break right, he could be an absolute steal.
Detroit could make a nasty duo with Calvin Johnson and Edwards representing the most physically imposing pair of receivers in the league.
St. Louis, San Francisco, Arizona, Chicago, Baltimore, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Miami are all teams that could use his talents and places he might actually consider going.
14. Donovan McNabb
Not a free agent either, Donovan McNabb is as good as gone in Washington. Last year playing with offensive weapons that, and this is not my joke, “couldn’t even get you arrested if you carried them through airport security,” McNabb still posted a decent 77 passer rating. It’s not his fault that Ryan Torrain, Santana Moss, and Chris Cooley were his best options, nor that he played behind an offensive line with more leaks than Julian Assange. I don’t understand why everyone has buried him so fast. Just the year prior his rating was 93 and he was a Pro Bowl performer.
I’d love to see McNabb come to San Francisco on a two-year deal and play with some talent—Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree—and help develop Colin Kaepernick, whose physical gifts resemble McNabb’s in his early years in that he's mobile and strong with a big arm.
McNabb could also be a good fit with the Vikings, though I would hate to see a good man walk that plank, and he could also go to Arizona.
15. Cullen Jenkins
When Cullen Jenkins is healthy, he’s as disruptive a 3-4 end as any in the league. He’s a monster at the point of attack and consistently gets penetration and disrupts plays in the backfield. Even at the ago of 30, a 3-4 end can play for a long time in this league because athleticism is not as paramount as brute strength.
He would be a scary addition to the Ravens. Other teams that might be in the market for a 3-4 end are Buffalo, San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City, and Houston. Perhaps the Colts could even use him as a 4-3 defensive tackle.
--from @AdamHocking
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