The first 24 hours of free agency are likely to be a whirlwind with hundreds of millions of dollars being dolled out it in guaranteed money. However, there are a handful of players every year that go under the radar and add significant value to their new clubs generally at bargain rates. Consider Chris “CJ2K” Johnson (196/814/3) to the Arizona Cardinals, Michael Crabtree (85/922/9) joining the Oakland Raiders, and Evan Mathis who was added to the Broncos’ offensive line. Here are the noteworthy free agents that will break the bank and those that may not necessarily grab early headlines but could be difference-makers wherever they end up. Free Agent Tiers 2016.
NOTE: Tiers 2, 3, and 4 have comparable talent but differ in terms of age, injury history, character concerns, and household name value.
Tier 1 – Franchise Cornerstones… maybe.
- Malik Jackson – Broncos – Defenisve End/Tackle
- Jason Pierre-Paul – Giants – Defensive End – He could just as easily be in Tier 4
- Danny Trevathan – Broncos – Linebacker
- Lamar Miller – Dolphins – Running Back – Miami kept their horse in the stables
- Janoris Jenkins – Rams – Cornerback
Tier 2 – Plug and Play starters.
- Doug Martin – Buccaneers – Running Back – Great 2015; Miller > Martin
- Mario Williams – Bills – Defensive End
- Kelechi Osemele – Ravens – Offensive Guard
- Bruce Irvin – Seahawks – Linebacker
- Eric Weddle – Chargers – Safety
- Matt Forte – Bears – Running Back – Fine wine
- Ryan Fitzpatrick – Jets – Quarterback – Best quarterback on open market
- Sean Smith – Chiefs – Cornerback
- Derrick Johnson – Chiefs – Kansas City Chiefs
- Tamba Hali – Chiefs – Linebacker
- Damon Harrison – Jets – Nose Tackle
- Prince Amukamara – Giants – Cornerback
- Reggie Nelson – Bengals – Safety
- George Iloka – Bengals – Safety
- Robert Ayers – Giants – Defensive End
- Marvin Jones – Bengals – Wide Receiver – Best receiver on open market…sheesh
- Haloti Ngata – Lions – Defenisve Tackle
- Donald Penn – Raiders – Offensive Tackle
- Casey Hayward – Packers – Cornerback
- Rodney McLeod – Rams – Safety
- Alex Boone – 49ers – Offensive Guard
- Brandon Brooks – Texans – Offensive Guard
- Jahri Evans – Saints – Offensive Guard
- Alex Mack – Browns – Center – Could opt-out of current contract
- Brandon Boykin – Steelers – Cornerback
Tier 3 – Good players you’ve never heard of.
- Jaye Howard – Chiefs – Defensive End/Tackle
- Derrick Shelby – Dolphins – Defensive End – Olivier Vernon’s replacement?
- Jerrell Freeman – Colts – Linebacker – Second ranked ILB by PFF trailed only Luke Kuechly
- Ian Williams – 49ers – Defensive Tackle – Best 49er defender in 2015 (better than Bowman?)
- Kelvin Beachum – Steelers – Offensive Tackle
- Mitchell Schwartz – Browns – Offensive Tackle
- Ramon Foster – Steelers – Offensive Guard
- Rashad Johnson – Cardinals – Safety – 12 INTs over last three seasons
- Mike Neal – Packers – Linebacker – Swiss Army Knife
- William Hayes – Rams – Defensive End
- Akiem Hicks – Patriots – Defensive Tackle – Only Chandler Jones was better on New England’s D-line
- Tahir Whitehead – Lions – Linebacker – Overshadowed by Tulloch and Levy
- Zach Brown – Titans – Linebacker
- Vincent Rey – Bengals – Linebacker
Tier 4 – Starters w/???
- Brock Osweiler – Broncos – Quarterback
- Russell Okung – Seahawks – Offensive Tackle
- Chris Long – Rams – Defensive End
- Tashaun Gipson – Browns – Safety
- Chris Ivory – Jets – Running Back
- Andre Smith – Bengals – Offensive Tackle
- Walter Thurmond – Eagles – Safety
- LaDarius Green – Chargers – Tight End
- Aldon Smith – Raiders – Linebacker
- Antonio Gates – Chargers – Tight End
- Travis Benjamin – Browns – Wide Receiver
- Dwayne Allen – Colts – Tight End – Has to stay on the field, really good player, my sleeper free agent
- Adam Jones – Bengals – Cornerback
- Greg Hardy – Cowboys – Defensive End
- Richie Incognito – Bills – Offensive Guard
- Mark Barron – Rams – Linebacker
- Rishard Matthews – Miami – Wide Receiver
- Evan Mathis – Broncos – Offensive Guard – Mid 30s, under-went surgery, zone scheme… sign him
- Nigel Bradham – Bills – Linebacker
- Junior Galette – Redskins – Linebacker
- Stephen Tulloch – Lions – Linebacker
- Patrick Robinson – Chargers – Cornerback
- William Gay – Steelers – Cornerback
- Joe Barksdale – Chargers – Offensive Tackle
- Stefen Wisniewski – Jaguars – Center
- Rueben Randle – Giants – Wide Receiver
- Zach Miller – Bears – Tight End
- Jarvis Jenkins – Bears – Defensive End
- Benjamin Watson – Saints – Tight End
- Rolando McClain – Cowboys – Linebacker
- William Moore – Falcons – Safety
- Jeff Allen – Chiefs – Offensive Guard/Tackle
- Tyvon Branch – Chiefs – Safety
- Jerraud Powers – Cardinals – Cornerback
- Jeremy Lane – Seahawks – Cornerback
- Will Beatty – Giants – Offensive Tackle
- James Laurinaitis – Rams – Linebacker
- Jermon Bushrod – Bears – Offensive Tackle
- Donald Stephenson – Chiefs – Center
- Ben Jones – Texans – Center
- Chad Greenway – Vikings – Linebacker
- Sean Weatherspoon – Cardinals – Linebacker – Another favorite of mine, like Allen, can’t stay healthy
- Antonio Cromartie – Jets – Cornerback
- Greg Toler – Colts – Cornerback
Tier 5 – Role players deserving a home.
- Nick Fairley – Rams – Defensive Tackle
- B.J. Raji – Packers – Nose Guard
- Coby Fleener – Colts – Tight End
- Anquan Boldin – 49ers – Wide Receiver
- Alfred Morris – Redskins – Running Back
- Mohamed Sanu – Bengals – Wide Receiver
- Chase Daniel – Chiefs – Quarterback
- Cedric Thornton – Eagles – Defensive End – Classic 5-technique offers no pass rush
- Terrance Knighton – Redskins – Nose Guard
- Jermaine Kearse – Seahawks – Wide Receiver
- Percy Harvin – Bills – Wide Receiver
- Dwight Freeney – Cardinals – Defenisve End/Linebacker
- Courtney Upshaw – Ravens – Linebacker
- LeGarrette Blount – Patriots – Running Back
- Leon Hall – Bengals – Cornerback
- Nick Perry – Packers – Linebacker
- Nolan Carroll – Eagles – Cornerback
- Michael Griffin – Titans – Safety
- Bilal Powell – Jets – Running Back
- Brian Quick – Rams – Wide Receiver
- David Bruton – Broncos – Safety
- Brandon Mebane – Seahawks – Defensive Tackle
- James Starks – Packers – Running Back
- Chris Johnson – Cardinals – Running Back – I’d like to see him back in Arizona
- Adrian Clayborn – Falcons – Defensive Tackle/End
- Steve McLendon – Steelers – Nose Guard
- Tyrunn Walker – Lions – Defensive Tackle
- Jason Jones – Lions – Defenisve End
- Colt McCoy – Redskins – Quarterback
- Ronnie Hillman – Broncos – Running Back
- Jermaine Gresham – Cardinals – Tight End
- Henry Melton – Buccaneers – Defensive Tackle
- Mike DeVito – Chiefs – Defensive End
- Tracy Porter – Bears – Cornerback
- Terrence Newman – Vikings – Cornerback
- Husain Abdullah – Chiefs – Safety – It’s almost as if every defender on the Chiefs’ roster is on this list
