(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — The NFL’s free agent market is set to open March 13, and the shelves should be full.
The NFLPA lists 644 players league-wide who have contracts that are potentially expiring in the coming weeks, though some (like Bills K Rian Lindell and Jets WR Patrick Turner) are already re-upping with their teams. Others like QB Kerry Collins and OLB Jason Taylor are retiring. Plenty more will likely get slapped with the franchise tag to keep them off the market (that probably means you, Drew Brees, Ray Rice and Wes Welker) if they don’t have new deals in place soon.
Other players could become available and sign elsewhere immediately — Peyton Manning? — if they are cut prior to the official beginning of free agency.
Bottom line, this is shaping up as a bloated market now that the new CBA again allows for players with four years of service to shop their talents (players with fewer years in the league can potentially move as restricted free agents). But last year’s lockout produced a lot of one-year deals that could lead to multi-year, multimillion-dollar pacts this time around; 49ers first-time Pro Bowl DBs Dashon Goldson and Carlos Rogers are prime examples of guys who gambled and should win.
Here is a partial list of prominent potential free agents by position:
QB — Drew Brees, Jason Campbell, Matt Flynn, Rex Grossman, Chad Henne, Brian Hoyer (RFA), Josh Johnson, Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, Alex Smith,Vince Young
RB — Cedric Benson, LeGarrette Blount (RFA), Ronnie Brown, Michael Bush, Matt Forte, Arian Foster (RFA), Ryan Grant, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Tim Hightower, Peyton Hillis, Steven Jackson (has voidable deal), Marshawn Lynch, FB Le’Ron McClain, Ray Rice, FB Michael Robinson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Cadillac Williams
WR — Dwayne Bowe, Deion Branch, Plaxico Burress, Marques Colston, Pierre Garcon, Ted Ginn, DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Stevie Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Mario Manningham, Robert Meachem, Laurent Robinson, Eddie Royal, Jerome Simpson, Steve Smith (Eagles), Mike Wallace (RFA), Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Roy Williams
TE — Jake Ballard (RFA), Martellus Bennett, John Carlson, Fred Davis, Jermichael Finley, Bo Scaife, Jeremy Shockey, Jacob Tamme
OL — Jeff Backus, Demetrius Bell, Jacob Bell, Matt Birk, Mike Brisiel, Vernon Carey, Dan Connolly, Brian De La Puente (RFA), Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, Andre Gurode, Nick Hardwick, Dan Koppen, Doug Legursky, Deuce Lutui, Todd McClure, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Myers, Carl Nicks, Samson Satele, Jeff Saturday, Jake Scott, Max Starks, Scott Wells, Jeremy Zuttah
DE — John Abraham, Cliff Avril, Dave Ball, Raheem Brock, Red Bryant, Calais Campbell, Adam Carriker, Andre Carter, Jonathan Fanene, Israel Idonije, Jason Jones, Robert Mathis, Jeremy Mincey, Cory Redding, Dave Tollefson
DT — Brodrick Bunkley, Antonio Dixon (RFA), Aubrayo Franklin, Antonio Garay, Sione Pouha, Shaun Rogers, Paul Soliai
LB — Marcus Benard (RFA), Chase Blackburn, Ahmad Brooks, London Fletcher, David Hawthorne, Geno Hayes, E.J. Henderson, LeRoy Hill, D’Qwell Jackson, Bradie James, Jarret Johnson, Manny Lawson, DeAndre Levy (RFA), Curtis Lofton, Jameel McClain, Kirk Morrison, Matt Roth, Barrett Ruud, Ernie Sims, Anthony Spencer, Stephen Tulloch, Erik Walden, Mario Williams
CB — Brandon Carr, Cortland Finnegan, Brent Grimes, Richard Marshall, Rashean Mathis, Tracy Porter, Carlos Rogers, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Lardarius Webb (RFA)
S — Jordan Babineaux, Tyvon Branch, Brian Dawkins, Thomas DeCoud, Abram Elam, Dashon Goldson, Deon Grant, Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, James Ihedigbo, Sean Jones, LaRon Landry, Jim Leonhard, Brandon Meriweather, Reggie Nelson, Bob Sanders
K/P — Connor Barth, Britton Colquitt, Phil Dawson, Jay Feely, Nick Folk, John Kasay, Donnie Jones, Mat McBriar, Mike Nugent, Matt Prater, Neil Rackers, Josh Scobee, Steve Weatherford
NFL free agent market could offer more than 600 players is a post from: PhatzRadio.com
