Next week it’s finally starting: The Free Agency starts on the 14th. March, from 12. On March 1, the advisors of players with expiring contracts are allowed to officially start talks with other teams. But who is actually on the market? SPOX looks at this year’s best defense free agents, the offense follows on Monday. SPOX is ticking from the 12. March the week over until Friday live!
Bashaud Breeland, CB, Washington Redskins
Kenny Vaccaro, S, New Orleans Saints
Avery Williamson, LB, Tennessee Titans
Star Lottery, DT, Carolina Panthers
Julius Peppers, DE/OLB, Green Bay Packers
Alex Okafor, OLB, New Orleans Saints
Eric Reid, S, San Francisco 49ers
Rashaan Melvin, CB, Indianapolis Colts
Kyle Williams, DT, Buffalo Bills
NaVorro Bowman, LB, Oakland Raiders
The rock in the turbulent surf of the Packers-Secondary last season – both in terms of his performance and his role as leader. The biggest question mark at Burnett, which was also convincing in some cornerback snaps, is likely to be the persistent injury problems of recent years.
Game-intelligence and versatility are undoubtedly there, and if the Packers actually put the forecast money into Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, it will be hard to keep the 29-year-old.
The position of the classic Inside Linebacker has become less and less valuable over the past few years. The times when a linebacker only had to read his gaps and hit hard are over. The important thing is that you can play all three downs – that is, you are able to cover.
Brown undoubtedly has this quality, while last year he also played very well against the run. If he can repeat last year’s season, he will have a big value for a defence in 2018 – perhaps a team like New England will be interested. In view of the situation around Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh could also need quick linebacker help. Washington itself has not been trying for weeks to keep the 28-year-old for nothing.
Players like Poe, who combine such a size and mass with this athleticism, are rare, even in the NFL. Nevertheless, last year’s massive defensive tackle was only awarded a one-year contract for eight million dollars by the Falcons – and there’s a reason for this: however helpful Poe may be against the run, as long as he’s not a dangerous pass hawker, his value in today’s NFL will always be limited.
But in Atlanta Poe not only played well overall, he also showed that he can work in a 4-3 defense. And what’s more: Pro Football Focus lists him with a proud 39 pressures for the past season. All this will help his market. In addition, teams with run-defense problems will accept the pass rush production, which is by no means on a par.
Maybe this year’s best defensive allround free agent. Johnson is certainly not an elite-cornerback, but he is solid to above-average in all corner disciplines – that alone will give him a certain market. Johnson always has games in which he admits too much, but at the same time he brings ideal cornerback tools such as his physique with him.
This makes it difficult to assess the bottom line, also in terms of its market. It is no coincidence that the Rams gave him the day twice in a row and finally let him go, instead of agreeing on a long-term basis at some point. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson allowed 759 yards in coverage last season, the fifth highest value of all cornerbacks. This may have been due to the scheme, but Johnson doesn’t belong to the group of top-cornerbacks either.
Can fill various linebacker spots and is very reliable in coverage and stable against the run. In short: Bradham is an athletic, flexible linebacker that can play three downs and has been a fixed pillar in the outstanding front seven of the Eagles over the last two years.
After the injury-related outbreak of the Middle Linebacker Jordan Hicks season, Bradham also announced the signals on the pitch for the first time and was in charge of communications. The 28-year-old is regarded as a great player in terms of character and also as an internal leader, it cannot be completely ruled out that Philly Bradham won’t let anything come onto the market at all. But a very difficult cap situation is likely to stand in the way.
Page 1: The places 10-5
Page 2: The places 5-1