Free-agent action may heat up after Tuesday's compensatory pick deadline passes
Free-agent signings in the NFL have dried up of late, and part of the reason is that any additions prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline still counted toward the compensatory draft pick formula.
For those who are understandably confused by the NFL's compensatory pick process, the league calculates the value of unrestricted free agents signed and lost based on their contracts, plus other factors such as postseason honors and playing time, and if a team has a net loss, then they're awarded equivalent draft picks in the following year's draft.
The Los Angeles Rams, for example, are likely to be awarded two third-round picks next year, according to OverTheCap.com, tied for most of any team. This is because Sammy Watkins and Trumaine Johnson were signed to two of the richest contracts in free agency, while the bulk of Los Angeles' additions were either through trade, such as Aqib Talib, or were someone who had been released, like Ndamukong Suh - neither trades nor released-player signings count toward compensatory picks.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
But now that the deadline has passed and any subsequent signings won't affect valuable compensatory picks, we may see a flurry of free-agent action over the coming days as teams look to snag the best of the remaining available players.
While most of the big names have long been off the open market, a solid group of free agents still need to find new homes.
Here are some notable free agents still available:
- QB Jay Cutler
- QB Colin Kaepernick
- RB DeMarco Murray
- RB Adrian Peterson
- RB Jamaal Charles
- WR Dez Bryant
- WR Jeremy Maclin
- TE Coby Fleener
- TE Antonio Gates
- DL Johnathan Hankins
- LB Lawrence Timmons
- LB NaVorro Bowman
- CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
- CB Adam Jones
- S Kenny Vaccaro
- S Eric Reid