2014 NFL Free Agents

Packers’ Aaron Rodgers Wants New Deal

Aaron Rodgers wants a new contract, according to a league source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. At least, that’s part of what part of what the Packers quarterback is seeking after saying that his future is “uncertain”. 

Rodgers is looking for a stronger commitment from the Packers following their first-round selection of Jordan Love. Currently, he’s slated to make $22.35MM, $25.5MM, and $25.5MM in each of the next three seasons.

At the time of signing in 2018, Rodgers’ four-year, $134MM extension positioned him as the NFL’s highest-paid player of all-time. Today, that’s good for just fifth among quarterbacks. At the age of 37, the likely MVP recipient wants a deal to reflect his status and solidify his relationship with the Packers.

The Packers should be incentivized to rework his deal too. Currently, Rodgers is slated to carry a $37MM cap figure for 2021 — a new deal could smooth out the hit while giving Rodgers a pay bump.

Since taking over as the starter for the Packers in 2008, Rodgers has thrown for 312 touchdowns (the second most in the league) and led the Packers to the playoffs in eight seasons out of ten.

Notable Free Agents Impacted By June 1st Date

A number of writers–including ourselves–have published lists of the best free agents available within the past couple of months. However, now that June 1 is finally here, we can expect a number of names to come off of those lists. Our Luke Adams described the importance of June 1 as it pertains to free agency several days ago, but to summarize just one pertinent point from his piece, any free agents signed after June 1 will not impact the signing team’s compensatory pick formula.

As such, there is often a “mini-surge” of free agents signed after June 1, as teams are attaching more and more value to their compensatory picks. However, the important thing to keep in mind is that signing players whose contracts did not expire naturally–in other words, players who were released–does not impact the compensatory pick formula anyway. Those players, then, will not necessarily be impacted by the June 1 date.

As the offseason progresses and as players get injured and coaches reevaluate their rosters, released players like Santonio Holmes, Asante Samuel, James Harrison, Richie Incognito, and Michael Bush may find an opportunity. But teams are not going to pay any more attention to them simply because June 1 has arrived. With that said, here are a few of the top free agents whose contracts expired naturally and who will therefore receive more interest simply because of today’s date:

  1. Jermichael Finley: Finley recently received full medical clearance to play and had a free agent visit lined up with a “mystery team” on Friday. Given his athletic abilities and the fact that he is in the prime of his career, Finley may find work sooner rather than later despite his injury history. The Patriots make a good deal of sense, considering how thin they are at tight end behind Rob Gronkowski, who of course has major health concerns of his own. Some have speculated that New England is, in fact, the aforementioned “mystery team.”
  2. Kevin Williams: the long-time Viking still offers value as a run-stopper in the interior of a defensive line, and he visited the Giants and Seahawks this offseason, but he has stated he will consider retirement if he does not get an offer he likes.
  3. Eric Winston: Winston played very well for the Texans for a number of years, but he was released by the team in 2012, and he was cut by the Chiefs in 2013 after just one season in Kansas City. He did not impress after signing a one-year deal with the Cardinals last season, but he may still find a team that will give him a chance to start. The Ravens have been mentioned as a natural fit because of their lack of experience at right tackle and Winston’s familiarity with Baltimore’s new offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak.
  4. Terrell Thomas: Thomas played fairly well in 2013 after back-to-back torn ACLs, and he recently visited with the Lions and Patriots. Teams looking for a third corner could do much worse. Other veteran cornerbacks who teams might also look to include Drayton Florence and Quentin Jammer.
  5. Brett Keisel: Kesiel’s age (he will turn 36 in September) and recent struggles with injuries limit his market, but he did post four sacks and fair PFF grades last season. He could certainly offer veteran leadership and some pass rush capabilities to someone’s defensive line. Although Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did not rule out a reunion with Keisel, it is unclear if other members of the Steelers brass are interested in Keisel’s return.

 

Poll: Best Remaining Free Agent

In March, PFR’s Peter Sowards took a look at the best remaining free agents. Each of those players has since found a new home, as have many of their peers. With that said, team’s don’t need to necessarily scrape the bottom of the barrel if they’re still looking to add a veteran presence.

On the offensive side of the ball, Jermichael Finley is certainly the most intriguing player available. The 6-5 tight end caught 55 passes for 767 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011, following by a solid 2012 campaign. He appeared in only six games this past season after suffering a spinal cord injury.

Teams may also be interested in former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. He has only appeared in 15 games over the past two seasons, but he was certainly a productive wideout prior to that. On the line, two-time Pro Bowler Davin Joseph seemed to have recovered nicely from a 2012 knee injury, appearing in all 16 games this past season.

Linebacker James Anderson led the 2013 Bears in tackles, but has yet to sign with a team. The 30-year-old had compiled more than 100 tackles in three of the last four seasons. Six-time Pro Bowler Kevin Williams is also on the market. The big defensive tackle is certainly slowing down, but he still appeared in 15 games for the Vikings last season. In the secondary, Terrell Thomas could be a good option for teams lacking depth. Thomas returned from ACL tears in 2011 and 2012 and ultimately played 16 games for the Giants.

Who do you think is the best remaining free agent? Did I forget anybody? Let us know in the comments.

Recap Of Undrafted Free Agent Signings

Since the draft came to an end on Saturday evening, we’ve been keeping tabs on undrafted rookies signing with NFL teams, passing along the moves that have been confirmed by either a club or the league itself. Over the course of the week, all 32 clubs have made their UDFA signings official, and we’ve rounded up those announcements below, sorted by team.

In some cases, teams have added one or two extra rookie free agents to their group after announcing their initial class, so we’ve tried to keep those moves contained to the same post in which we initially passed along the team’s UDFA class, wherever possible.

Check out the list below to find your favorite team’s undrafted free agent signings:

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Restricted Free Agency

Two players who received restricted free agent tenders this season remain unsigned, as Doug Baldwin of the Seahawks and Byron Bell of the Panthers have yet to accept the offers from their respective clubs. Since today is the deadline for either player to sign an offer sheet with a rival club, it’s worth taking a closer look at exactly what restricted free agency entails, and how it works.

Restricted free agency applies to players who have exactly three accrued seasons, meaning they’ve been on a full pay scale for at least six regular-season games in three years in the NFL. Players with fewer than three accrued seasons and no contract are exclusive rights free agents, while players with four or more accrued seasons are eligible for unrestricted free agency. For draftees, the default rookie contract runs for four years, meaning those players will generally be unrestricted free agents when their original deals expire.

As such, restricted free agents are generally players who aren’t coming off traditional rookie contracts. Baldwin, Bell, Broncos cornerback Tony Carter, and Lions running back Joique Bell are among the notable players who were restricted free agents this offseason, and all four guys went undrafted out of college.

As the name suggests, restricted free agency limits players from negotiating freely with all potential suitors. Unsigned players don’t become restricted free agents by default after their third accrued season — the player’s previous club must extend the player a qualifying offer, also known as a restricted free agent tender, to ensure that the player doesn’t become unrestricted. The amount of that offer varies depending on how much the team is willing to pay for one year of the player’s service, and how much the player made in the previous season. For instance, in 2014, the RFA tender amounts were the following amounts, or 110% of the player’s previous salary, whichever is greater:

  • $3.113MM – First round tender
  • $2.187MM – Second round tender
  • $1.431MM – Original round tender
  • $1.2MM – Right of first refusal only

All four tender amounts give the player’s previous club the right to match any offers for the player, so the difference in the offers – besides the salary – is related to the compensation the team would receive if the player signed with another team. For example, Baldwin received a second-round tender worth $2.187MM from the Seahawks. That means that if the veteran receiver signed an offer sheet with another team, Seattle would receive a second-round pick from that club.

Given the compensatory picks tied to those top two tenders, we typically see teams pursue RFAs who received the lower tenders. For example, Andrew Hawkins reportedly received a $1.431MM tender from the Bengals prior to free agency. Had Hawkins been, for instance, a fifth-round pick, the Browns would have had to give up a fifth-rounder of their own when they poached the wideout from their division rival. Because Hawkins was an undrafted free agent though, the Bengals maintained the right of first refusal, but didn’t receive a compensatory pick when they decided not to match the offer.

After a player signs an offer sheet, his previous team has five days to decide whether or not to match that offer, which is why leave sheets must be signed at least five days before the draft to ensure that draft pick compensation gets resolved in time. If Baldwin or Bell were to sign an offer sheet today, the Seahawks or Panthers could pick up an extra second-round pick next week by declining to match that offer. Typically, that draft-pick cost is too steep for potential suitors, so it’s more likely we’ll see Baldwin and Bell simply accept their one-year tenders, earn $2.187MM salaries in 2014, and be eligible to hit the unrestricted market in 2015.

The rules of restricted free agency apply to players as long as that qualifying offer remains in play, but teams can withdraw the QO at any time, making the player an unrestricted free agent. Additionally, restricted free agents are eligible for the franchise tag, which creates a sort of heightened version of restricted free agency — salaries are larger for franchise players, and the price tag for rival clubs to sign away a franchise player is two first-round draft picks, which is why we haven’t seen any action on Jimmy Graham this offseason.

As for exclusive rights free agency, which I mentioned earlier, it’s a more strict form of restricted free agency as well, one that essentially removes any “free agency” from a player’s decision. It applies to players with less than three accrued seasons. If a player receives an exclusive rights free agent tender from his club – which is almost always worth the minimum salary – he must either accept the offer or not play in the NFL. He’s not eligible to negotiate with any other teams.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Information from OverTheCap.com was used in the creation of this post.

Largest 2014 FA Contracts By Position

When I examined 2014’s largest free agent contracts by overall value, per-year value, and fully guaranteed money last weekend, many of the players on my lists played the same positions. Of the 17 total players who ranked among the top 10 free agent contracts in at least one of those three categories, 12 were cornerbacks, offensive tackles, or defensive ends.

Given how players at a handful of key positions dominated those lists from the weekend, it’s worth breaking things down a little differently, and checking in on how players at other spots did in free agency. In the list below, you’ll find the top 2014 free agent contracts by overall value, per-year value, and fully guaranteed money, sorted by position.

The players below are listed under the position they played most last season, even if their new teams don’t necessarily plan to play them at that specific spot — this can often be the case with linebackers, as well as offensive and defensive linemen. Additionally, a player’s total contract amount is considered to be the deal’s base value, not including incentives. Players who re-signed with their previous teams before free agency opened also weren’t considered.

With the help of OverTheCap.com’s free agent tracker, here are the largest 2014 free agent contracts by position:

Quarterback:

  • Overall: $10.5MM, Matt Cassel (Vikings)
  • Per year: $5.25MM, Cassel
  • Guarantee: $5.65MM, Cassel

Running back:

Wide receiver:

Tight end:

  • Overall: $16MM, Brandon Pettigrew (Lions)
  • Per year: $4MM, Pettigrew
  • Guarantee: $5.2MM, Pettigrew

Offensive tackle:

  • Overall: $47MM, Branden Albert (Dolphins)
  • Per year: $9.4MM, Albert
  • Guarantee: $20MM, Albert

Offensive guard:

  • Overall: $31,347,233, Rodger Saffold (Rams)
  • Per year: $6,269,447, Saffold
  • Guarantee: $11MM, Saffold

Center:

  • Overall: $42MM, Alex Mack (Browns)
  • Per year: $8.4MM, Mack
  • Guarantee: $18MM, Mack

Defensive tackle:

3-4 defensive end:

  • Overall: $33MM, Arthur Jones (Colts)
  • Per year: $6.6MM, Jones
  • Guarantee: $10MM, Jones

4-3 defensive end:

3-4 outside linebacker:

  • Overall: $11.455MM, Brian Orakpo (Redskins)*
  • Per year: $11.455MM, Orakpo
  • Guarantee: $11.455MM, Orakpo

4-3 outside linebacker:

Inside linebacker:

  • Overall: $24MM, Karlos Dansby (Browns)
  • Per year: $6MM, Dansby
  • Guarantee: $12MM, Dansby

Safety:

  • Overall: $54MM, Jairus Byrd (Saints)
  • Per year: $9MM, Byrd
  • Guarantee: $18.3MM, Byrd

Cornerback:

Kicker:

Punter:

  • Overall: $5.5MM, Donnie Jones (Eagles)
  • Per year: $1,833,333, Jones
  • Guarantee: $1MM, Jones

* Orakpo accepted and signed a one-year franchise tender from the Redskins, though the two sides may still work out a longer-term deal that reduces the 2014 amount.

Poll: Which 2014 Free Agent Was The Most Overpaid?

Playing off of Bill Polian‘s assertion that ‘B’ players were seeking ‘A’ money, Mike Klis of the Denver Post compiled his list of the most overpaid free agents from this offseason. Klis lists 15 signees, and a staggering 14 of them inked deals with non-playoff teams. The writer attributes this to desperation, stating that some teams “didn’t know how to spend their newfound riches or were forced to overpay to lure players to their bad franchises.”

The first player on Klis’s list is Vikings‘ defensive end Everson Griffen, who will earn $13MM in 2014 despite only getting 5.5 sacks last season. The FalconsPaul Soliai (5 year/$32 MM, $11MM in ’14) and Tyson Jackson (5 years/$25MM, $9.5MM), the Bears‘ Lamarr Houston (5 years/$35MM, $9MM) and the Jaguars‘ Toby Gerhart (3 years/$10.5MM, $4MM) round out his top-five.

Of course, this list doesn’t include some of the more high-profile contracts dished out this offseason, and those are often the contracts that are the most scrutinized. Eric Decker inked a five-year, $36.25MM deal including $15MM guaranteed with the Jets. The 27-year old has certainly had a handful of good seasons with the Broncos, but it’s unknown if he can lead a receiving core.

On defense, DeMarcus Ware got $20MM guaranteed from the Broncos even though the player will soon be 32. Darrelle Revis struggled in 2013 but still got $16MM to play with the Patriots for a season. We also can’t forget about Aqib Talib, who signed the largest contract based on overall base value at $57MM over six years.

Finally, there’s offensive tackle Branden Albert, who got $20MM guaranteed from the Dolphins. It wouldn’t be a list unless I added in the player who’ll be guaranteed to take home the most money.

Combining Klis’s top-five with my list of notable free agents signed to large contracts, who do you think was the most overpaid this offseason? Did I forget somebody? Are you offended by one of my suggestions? Sound off in the comment section.

Largest Free Agent Contracts Of 2014

No NFL free agent signed a contract this offseason with a larger overall value than Aqib Talib‘s $57MM deal with the Broncos, which would keep the cornerback under contract through 2019 if he played out the entire pact. Of course, the odds of that are extremely slim. Talib’s deal includes just $11.5MM in guaranteed money, about 20% of the total value, so it’s a sort of pay-as-you-go arrangement for the Broncos, who could easily cut bait after a couple seasons without owing Talib anywhere near $57MM.

As Talib’s case exhibits, total overall value isn’t necessarily the best way to evaluate which free agent contracts were the most lucrative signed in a given offseason. But if we combine it with other factors and variables, it can help provide a more complete picture.

So rather than just looking at the 2014 free agent contracts with the largest overall value, let’s break down the deals with the most fully guaranteed money and the highest per-year value as well. With the help of OverTheCap.com’s free agent tracker, here are the top 10 contracts in each category signed by the members of the 2014 free agent class (not including deals signed prior to free agency):

Largest contracts by overall base value:

  1. Aqib Talib (CB, Broncos): $57MM, six years
  2. Jairus Byrd (S, Saints): $54MM, six years
  3. Branden Albert (OT, Dolphins): $47MM, five years
  4. Michael Johnson (DE, Buccaneers): $43.75MM, five years
  5. Everson Griffen (DE, Vikings): $42.5MM, five years
  6. Alex Mack (C, Browns): $42MM, five years
  7. Eugene Monroe (OT, Ravens): $37.5MM, five years
  8. Eric Decker (WR, Jets): $36.25MM, five years
  9. Vontae Davis (CB, Colts): $36MM, four years
  10. (tie) Jared Veldheer (OT, Cardinals), Lamarr Houston (DE, Bears), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Giants): $35MM, five years

Largest contracts by per-year average:

  1. Darrelle Revis (CB, Patriots): $16MM
  2. DeMarcus Ware (DE, Broncos): $10MM
  3. Aqib Talib (CB, Broncos): $9.5MM
  4. Branden Albert (OT, Dolphins): $9.4MM
  5. (tie) Jairus Byrd (S, Saints), Vontae Davis (CB, Colts): $9MM
  6. Michael Johnson (DE, Buccaneers): $8.75MM
  7. Julius Peppers (DE, Packers): $8.667MM
  8. Everson Griffen (DE, Vikings): $8.5MM
  9. Alex Mack (C, Browns): $8.4MM
  10. (tie) DeSean Jackson (WR, Redskins), Jared Allen (DE, Bears): $8MM

Largest contracts by fully guaranteed money:

  1. Branden Albert (OT, Dolphins): $20MM
  2. Everson Griffen (DE, Vikings): $19.8MM
  3. Eugene Monroe (OT, Ravens): $19MM
  4. Jairus Byrd (S, Saints): $18.3MM
  5. Alex Mack (C, Browns): $18MM
  6. DeMarcus Ware (DE, Broncos): $16.5MM
  7. (tie) Michael Johnson (DE, Buccaneers), DeSean Jackson (WR, Redskins): $16MM
  8. Jared Allen (DE, Bears): $15.5MM
  9. (tie) Vontae Davis (CB, Colts), Eric Decker (WR, Jets): $15MM
  10. Linval Joseph (DT, Vikings): $12.5MM

Notable Remaining Free Agents On Defense

As we noted yesterday when we examined the notable free agents still available on the offensive side of the ball, the first few weeks of 2014 free agency haven’t left the cupboards totally empty. There are still many intriguing players out there looking for work, and the best bargain signings of the offseason may be yet to come.

Since we published that piece, a pair of veteran safeties – Danieal Manning and Patrick Chung – have agreed to deals, while another (Rafael Bush) signed an offer sheet. Still, plenty of free agent defenders remain on the market. Let’s highlight a few of them….

Defensive Ends:

There are a handful of 2013 starters among the group of available defensive ends, but not all those starters are created equal. Jason Hunter and Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, for instance, logged 600+ defensive snaps for their respective clubs last season, but both ranked in the bottom five qualified 4-3 defensive ends, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Meanwhile, longtime starters Will Smith and Anthony Spencer are recovering from an ACL tear and microfracture surgery, respectively, so betting on the two former Pro Bowlers to return to peak form in 2014 seems unwise.

Perhaps the most interesting name in this group is Brett Keisel, another former Pro Bowler who logged four sacks and modest PFF grades for the Steelers in 2013. He’ll turn 36 in September, which helps explain why he hasn’t found a new home yet, but he could still help fortify a defensive line, particularly in a part-time role.

Defensive Tackles:

After 11 seasons in Minnesota, which included five All-Pro nods, Kevin Williams doesn’t appear likely to continue his career with the Vikings, but he’s still an above-average run-stopper and could be a nice piece for a team in need of interior line help.

Among the other notable names at this position: A pair of ex-Packers in Johnny Jolly and Ryan Pickett, longtime Niner Isaac Sopoaga, and Colin Cole and Aubrayo Franklin, neither of whom were difference-makers last season in 300+ defensive snaps. Kyle Love is also worth keeping an eye on — after a couple solid seasons with the Patriots in 2011 and 2012, he was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes and cut by the team before the 2013 regular season. Love is a bounce-back candidate if he’s healthy.

Outside Linebackers:

Teams willing to roll the dice on a veteran who is past his prime but could still contribute have a couple solid options here in James Harrison and Will Witherspoon — neither player should be a full-time starter in 2014. Ernie Sims, Rocky McIntosh, and Michael Boley fall into a similar boat. They aren’t as old as Harrison or Witherspoon, but their resumés also aren’t as impressive, and their starting days are probably behind them.

Marvin Mitchell, James Anderson, and Stephen Nicholas are a few of the other players to watch here.

Inside Linebackers:

London Fletcher hasn’t 100% committed to retirement yet and considering he hasn’t missed a start since 2000, it’s probably best to keep him on the list of possibilities to be safe. However, he’ll turn 39 next month and doesn’t seem likely to play in 2014.

Age is also a concern for Paris Lenon, who turns 37 in November, and there will be questions about the health of veterans Larry Foote and Jonathan Vilma, who both spent most of the 2013 season on injured reserve. Throw in a torn MCL for Nick Barnett and off-field concerns for Erin Henderson, and there are certainly no slam dunks in this group. 27-year-old Pat Angerer may be the most appealing name here, but he’s certainly no beacon of good health himself.

Cornerbacks:

Champ Bailey doesn’t appear quite ready to change positions or retire quite yet, and the future Hall-of-Famer certainly represents the biggest name on the market. Still, there are a few other noteworthy veterans here: Jabari Greer, Quentin Jammer, Asante Samuel, Rashean Mathis, Drayton Florence, and Dunta Robinson are among them.

Corey Webster and Josh Wilson are among the other players on the market who have extensive starting experience, but my favorite potential bargain buy might be Terrell Thomas, who returned admirably from back-to-back torn ACLs in 2013.

Safeties:

Safety is perhaps the deepest defensive position in free agency, even after Manning, Chung, and Bush came off the market. According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), Steve Gregory, Ed Reed, and Quintin Mikell had the best 2013 seasons among this group, but there are plenty of other longtime starters or players with upside here.

Thomas DeCoud, Reed Doughty, and Major Wright are reportedly drawing some interest this week. Meanwhile, Mike Adams, Yeremiah Bell, Michael Huff, and Jim Leonhard have a combined 341 NFL starts to their names, for clubs in search of veteran experience.

Notable Remaining Free Agents On Offense

We’re 24 days into free agency, and even the big-name players who weren’t available when the free agent period began on March 11, such as Darrelle Revis and DeSean Jackson, have found new homes in recent days and weeks. Still, with many teams no longer actively pursuing many free agents and a number of players still looking for jobs, this could be prime bargain-hunting time for teams with a couple holes to fill.

Over the next two days, we’ll take a look at some of the more intriguing free agents still on the board, starting today with offensive players. Let’s dive in…

Quarterbacks:

When free agency opened, we questioned whether any members of this year’s quarterback class would even land a starting job. Josh McCown appears to have done so with the Buccaneers and Michael Vick may have the inside track with the Jets, but now that the market has dried up, there aren’t many reliable backups left, let alone guys with starting potential.

Among the notable names still on the board: Matt Flynn, who looks like a decent bet to rejoin the Packers; Rex Grossman, who could be destined for a reunion with Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland; and Josh Freeman, who is waiting to see if any team is willing to bet on the upside and promise he displayed prior to 2013.

Running Backs:

As we’ve seen so far this offseason, it’s more profitable to be a free agent kicker in the NFL these days than a free agent running back. When even 2014’s top free agents like Ben Tate, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Rashad Jennings are only seeing very modest paydays, there isn’t much hope for the guys still on the board.

Still, perhaps a few of the remaining players can at least eke out salaries worth more than the minimum. Andre Brown looks to me like the most interesting back available, though there are a handful of capable veteran backups out there, including Michael Bush, Willis McGahee, Felix Jones, and Justin Forsett. Clubs in the market for a fullback could also kick the tires on John Kuhn, Vonta Leach, and Le’Ron McClain, among others.

Wide Receivers:

This group gets significantly less interesting with Jackson having committed to the Redskins, but there are plenty of noteworthy names here. For teams in need of a high-character veteran who can play out of the slot, Nate Burleson or Jason Avant could be of interest. For clubs looking for a veteran with slightly more playmaking ability, Miles Austin and Santonio Holmes have appeal, and Earl Bennett may be worth a shot. A franchise looking to roll the dice on a player with a higher ceiling could target Sidney Rice.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning Doug Baldwin, who has yet to garner much reported interest after receiving a restricted tender offer from the Seahawks. We haven’t seen many teams target other players’ restricted free agents this offseason, but the one RFA who signed a surprisingly lucrative offer sheet was also a receiver (Andrew Hawkins). Baldwin, who is still just 25 years old, likely won’t draw a similar offer, since it would cost a draft pick to sign him, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.

Tight Ends:

Two of the players who opened the offseason among the top five tight ends available, Jimmy Graham and Jermichael Finley, are still available, though neither player is generating a whole lot of excitement. If there was a team considering making a run at Graham and giving up the two first-round picks he would cost, I imagine that club has decided by now to pass. As for Finley, he has upside, but he needs to be fully cleared following his spinal injury first.

It’s more likely we’ll see guys like Ed Dickson and Owen Daniels come off the board before those two bigger names. Dustin Keller, Kellen Winslow, and Jeff King are among the other tight ends still without a team.

Tackles:

Tyson Clabo, Tony Pashos, and Byron Bell were regular starters at right tackle for their respective clubs in 2013, and all three were passable. Bell is a restricted free agent who seems likely to return to Carolina, while Clabo and Pashos may be having trouble finding a club with an open starter’s job.

Eric Winston, Ryan Harris, and Bryant McKinnie are among the other options on the market, and it should just be a matter of time until all three find work.

Guards:

Offseason cuts have added some talent to this group, with players like Uche Nwaneri and Daryn Colledge hitting unrestricted free agency after becoming cap casualties for their respective teams. Garrett Reynolds and Wade Smith should draw some interest as well, and there would probably be plenty of teams willing to bring aboard Brian Waters or Travelle Wharton if they decide to continue their playing careers.

One wild card here, of course, is Richie Incognito, whose involvement in the Dolphins’ bullying scandal has made teams reluctant to even express interest. I think we’ll probably see Incognito back in the NFL at some point, but whether or not that happens this year remains to be seen.

Centers:

Two of my top three free agent centers remain available, though one (Alex Mack) has been saddled with the transition tag by the Browns. That tag means the Browns retain the right to match any rival offer, so Mack appears likely to remain in Cleveland. The other top center, Brian De La Puente, has visited the Redskins and been linked to several other teams, but has yet to reach an agreement anywhere. Depending on what his price tag looks like, he could be one of the better under-the-radar pickups of free agency’s second month.

Other potentially intriguing options for teams seeking a center include Fernando Velasco, Dan Koppen, Ryan Cook, and especially Jonathan Goodwin, who looks like he may be done in San Francisco, and could be a nice short-term solution for a contender.