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Top Free Agents: Martin, Miller, Forte look to cash in on open market

Cliff McBride / Getty Images Sport / Getty

With free agency just around the corner, theScore takes a look at the top available players at each position. Unrestricted free agents can officially sign at 4 p.m. ET on March 9.

Top Free Agents By Position

Running Backs

Doug Martin

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 223 lbs.
Age: 27

2015 stats: 1,402 yards rushing, 6 TDs, 33 catches, 271 yards receiving, TD

Martin is set to hit the market at the ideal time, coming off a season in which he revitalized his stock and finished second in the NFL in rushing. Though the Buccaneers have expressed a desire to re-sign Martin, the team seems to have set an upper limit on what it's willing to spend and will allow Martin to test his value on the open market. Big-money deals for running backs have been very rare in recent seasons, but Martin has as good a chance as any of his peers to break the bank.

Potential landing spots: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans

Lamar Miller

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 225 lbs.
Age: 24

2015 stats: 872 yards rushing, 8 TDs, 47 catches, 397 yards receiving, 2 TDs

A case can be made that the Dolphins never properly utilized Miller's talents since drafting him in 2012. A case can also be made that Miller is to blame, as he lacks the week-to-week reliability of a true featured runner. The Dolphins say they want Miller back, and perhaps new head coach Adam Gase is the man to finally maximize Miller's talents, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Miller opt for a fresh start somewhere else. At his age and with his raw talent, plenty of teams will be interested.

Potential landing spots: Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans

Matt Forte

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 218 lbs.
Age: 30

2015 stats: 898 yards rushing, 4 TDs, 44 catches, 389 yards receiving, 3 TDs

Forte has strongly suggested he will take a discounted deal to play for a Super Bowl contender, which will make him a very attractive option to a specific class of teams. Though Forte's 2015 stats were down a bit due to injuries, there's still a widespread belief he has something significant left in the tank. If Forte is serious about working for cheap, he may have his pick of contenders.

Potential landing spots: New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers

Chris Ivory

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 222 lbs.
Age: 27

2015 stats: 1,070 yards rushing, 7 TDs, 30 catches, 217 yards receiving, TD

Ivory missed only two games in his three seasons with the Jets, which will go a long way toward him finally shedding the injury-prone label he earned in his first three seasons with the Saints. Teams will likely view Ivory as a committee back, which could depress his earning potential a little. Early-down pounders who come off the field on third downs and obvious passing situations don't typically earn the big bucks.

Potential landing spots: Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans

C.J. Anderson

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 224 lbs.
Age: 25

2015 stats: 720 yards rushing, 5 TDs, 25 catches, 183 yards receiving

Can we chalk up Anderson's relatively disappointing 2015 regular season to injury? Probably, but some teams may be wary about committing guaranteed money to a former undrafted free agent with a limited resume. Perhaps Anderson's best move would be to re-sign with the Broncos, where he might finally get to be "the man."

Potential landing spots: Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans

Ronnie Hillman

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Age: 24

2015 stats: 863 yards rushing, 7 TDs, 24 catches, 111 yards receiving

The second of the Broncos' two free-agent running backs, Hillman appears more likely to depart the team. He shouldn't expect to be signed as a feature back and may find teams are only interested in acquiring him as a complementary piece to an early-down runner already on the roster.

Potential landing spots: Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

Arian Foster

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 227 lbs.
Age: 29

2015 stats: 163 yards rushing, 1 TD, 22 catches, 227 yards receiving, 2 TDs

Major question marks about Foster's durability have plagued him through his career - he's appeared in only 25 of the Texans' last 48 regular-season games - and will likely scare many teams away. When healthy, Foster is one of the best tailbacks in football. But he'll be 30 when the 2016 season begins. Coming off a torn Achilles, it's fair to question whether Foster will ever be fully healthy again.

Potential landing spots: Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins

Alfred Morris

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 224 lbs.
Age: 27

2015 stats: 751 yards rushing, TD, 10 catches, 55 yards receiving

Is Morris already on the downside of his career at 27 years old? His rushing total has decreased every year since his rookie campaign in 2012 despite never missing a game due to injury, so it will be surprising if Morris is a hot commodity on the open market. His lack of receiving ability won't help his value, either.

Potential landing spots: New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LeGarrette Blount

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 250 lbs.
Age: 29

2015 stats: 703 yards rushing, 6 TDs, 6 catches, 43 yards receiving, TD

Bill Belichick figured out how to maximize Blount's strengths and minimize his weaknesses, but it's hard to see any other team getting the same kind of value out of the plodder. A return to the Patriots makes a lot of sense for both parties, but Belichick typically prefers to let players walk in free agency and find a cheaper replacement on some other team's trash heap.

Potential landing spots: New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts

Other notable free-agent running backs

  • Bilal Powell
  • Reggie Bush
  • James Starks
  • Joique Bell
  • Stevan Ridley
  • Chris Johnson

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