Best of the rest: Top free agents left on the market
After a busy start to NFL free agency, theScore offers you a roundup of all the best players still available. Some of the biggest names remain up for grabs, and a handful of teams have the cap space to sign anyone.
Offense
Quarterbacks
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- Jay Cutler
- Colin Kaepernick
- Chase Daniel
- Geno Smith
- Josh McCown
- Ryan Fitzpatrick
- Case Keenum
- Blaine Gabbert
- Mark Sanchez
- EJ Manuel
Mike Glennon took advantage of the weak quarterback market, scoring a three-year deal worth $14.5 million per season, but his competition appears to be playing the waiting game. With Tony Romo's departure from Dallas coming soon, anyone looking for a potential starting job could be best served by holding on until that domino falls.
Running Backs
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- Adrian Peterson
- Latavius Murray
- LeGarrette Blount
- Jamaal Charles
- Rashad Jennings
- Darren McFadden
The first big name at the running back position came off the board Tuesday when Eddie Lacy landed with the Seahawks on a one-year deal. Murray could be next. With the Vikings entering the mix, he has at least three teams showing interest.
Wide Receivers
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- Michael Floyd
- Victor Cruz
- Vincent Jackson
- Anquan Boldin
- Kamar Aiken
The league's top pass-catching free agents didn't wait long to find new homes, as Alshon Jeffery went to the Eagles, DeSean Jackson joined the Buccaneers, Terrelle Pryor landed in Washington, and Pierre Garcon jetted off to San Francisco. The second-tier market has to wait a little longer.
Tight Ends
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- Jared Cook
- Jacob Tamme
- Luke Willson
- Mychal Rivera
Teams looking to upgrade their tight end position had slim pickings to choose from. With Martellus Bennett now off the market, Cook is the only slightly exciting option available.
Offensive Linemen
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- Nick Mangold
- Ryan Clady
- John Sullivan
- Sebastian Vollmer
- King Dunlap
Offensive linemen were among the winners on the first day of free agency, as Kevin Zeitler, Andrew Whitworth, Riley Reiff, Russell Okung, Ricky Wagner, and Matt Kalil all landed monster contracts. T.J. Lang had to wait a few days, but was eventually rewarded for his first Pro Bowl season with a three-year deal from the Lions.
Defense
Defensive Ends/EDGE
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- Jared Odrick
- Connor Barwin
- Mario Williams
- Elvis Dumervil
- Chris Long
- Dwight Freeney
This year's edge rushers are fairly weak, with the best available names having already passed their primes. The Eagles' release of Barwin on Thursday added one more over-30 veteran to the crew of complementary pieces.
Defensive Tackles
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- Dontari Poe
- Johnathan Hankins
- Sen'Derrick Marks
- Vince Wilfork
- Al Woods
- Tyson Alualu
Brandon Williams became the NFL's highest-paid nose tackle on Thursday night, setting the stage for Poe and Hankins to get big deals from teams hoping to improve their run defenses.
Linebackers
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- Dont'a Hightower
- Zach Brown
- Kevin Minter
- Gerald Hodges
- Manti Te'o
- DeAndre Levy
- Keenan Robinson
The market for Hightower may not have been quite what he was hoping for, as the Super Bowl champion was unable to land with a team right out of the gate. After him, there's little available in the immediate-impact category. It could be a while until some of these players find new homes.
Defensive Backs
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- Morris Claiborne
- Brandon Carr
- Sam Shields
- T.J. McDonald
- Nickell Robey-Coleman
- Darrelle Revis
- Bradley McDougald
- Rashad Johnson
- Jairus Byrd
- Aaron Williams
- Alterraun Verner
- Brandon Flowers
- Terence Newman
The cream of the defensive back crop - A.J. Bouye, Tony Jefferson, Logan Ryan, and Stephon Gilmore - found new homes quickly, which should allow the remaining talent to come off the board soon. Various teams should be able to find No. 2 corners, nickel backs, and complementary safeties.