Poll: Who Will Be Jets’ Starting Quarterback?
Currently saddled with one of the thinnest quarterback depth charts in the league, the Jets reportedly aren’t rushing their decision on which veteran they decide to bring in to presumably deploy as their latest stopgap option after Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s exit.
They brought in Josh McCown for a visit this weekend and reached out to Jay Cutler earlier this week. That interest being mutual, it’s reasonable to expect Cutler to make a trip to meet with the Jets soon. Despite being linked to the polarizing passer via trade last year, Gang Green has reportedly closed the door on a Colin Kaepernick union to further limit their options.
However, it’s clear the Jets intend to sign at least one veteran to serve as a bridge player while they continue to evaluate Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. It’s not expected New York will draft a quarterback with its first-round pick, having taken Hackenberg in Round 2 last year. Although, if the Jets don’t see what they like out of the current market, it’s conceivable the rebuilding outfit could turn the reins over to Petty to continue an audition that an injury interrupted in 2016. However, the team is not believed to have much faith in either incumbent at this time.
Cutler is a higher-end talent than McCown but is coming off a rough 2016, which turned out to be a contract year since the Bears made him a first-time free agent. Once traded for two first-round picks, Cutler is probably the best quarterback available on the UFA market. He will turn 34 next month, but McCown will be 38 by the time Week 1 begins in September. McCown also served as Cutler’s backup for three seasons in Chicago. As recently as 2015, Cutler finished with a career-best 92.3 quarterback rating. He threw 21 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions during his one season in Adam Gase‘s offense. A 2008 Pro Bowler, Cutler threw for 28 touchdown passes in 2014. Only two Jets passers — Fitzpatrick and Vinny Testaverde — have matched such a showing in a season. But the 12th-year player carries considerable baggage at this point.
McCown played reasonably well with the 2015 Browns, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for a team devoid of much talent. But he missed most of last season due to injury and struggled for the 2014 Buccaneers. Since being given additional opportunities by multiple teams after a solid small success sample on the 2013 Bears, McCown has a 2-20 record as a starter over the past three seasons. He would be an upgrade over Petty and Hackenberg in the short-term but might not make a ton of sense for a team that just axed several veterans and doesn’t have much in the way of pass-catching talent presently, especially with Eric Decker‘s status uncertain. McCown, though, wouldn’t command the kind of per-year salary Cutler likely would.
Gang Green could pursue other options like Chase Daniel or Case Keenum, but the talent pool is thin at this juncture. The Jets bowed out of the Mike Glennon race due to his $15MM-per-year price tag and saw Geno Smith — considered a fallback option as a starter — sign with the Giants. Robert Griffin III wants to play for the Jets, but the team might not have the same interest it did last year after RG3’s uninspiring Browns season continued a steady descent.
For a team that is not likely to contend in 2017, throwing Petty or Hackenberg into the fire would make sense if the Jets believe either can be a medium- or long-term answer. But that doesn’t appear the case.
Tony Romo‘s eventual decision (or the Cowboys’, in the event of a trade) could open the door to a possible Trevor Siemian/Jets setup. The team would be interested in acquiring the Broncos’ 2016 starter via trade if Romo ends up in Denver, but conflicting reports have emerged on whether or not the Broncos would unload him. Siemian has two years remaining on a seventh-round rookie deal.
So how will the Jets proceed here? Will it be a caretaker like McCown, or will they roll the dice with Cutler? Will Gang Green’s search delve deeper into the UFA market and look at a career backup in Daniel? Or will the Jets decide to invest their No. 6 pick in one of the scrutinized rookies? Take PFR’s latest poll.
PFR Originals: 3/12/17 – 3/19/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- The first wave of free agency is in the books, but there are still plenty of high-quality players left on the board. Zach Links took a look at the best players remaining on the offensive side of the ball, a list that includes Jay Cutler, Adrian Peterson, and Jamaal Charles, while I examined the unsigned players on defense, including Johnathan Hankins, Dwight Freeney, and Zach Brown.
- The Saints are reportedly working on contract terms for Patriots restricted free agent corner Malcolm Butler, leading Zach to outline all the scenarios that could come into play between the two teams. As Zach details, it seems unlikely New Orleans would sacrifice their No. 11 overall pick by signing Butler to an offer sheet, so a less-costly trade is probably the preferable way of getting Butler to the Saints.
- Coaching staff alterations are often forgotten by the time free agency rolls around, but those move shouldn’t be overlooked. As such, I put together a list of 2017’s major coaching changes which tracks all head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator adjustments.
2017’s Major NFL Coaching Changes
Because most NFL coaching changes happen in January, those moves can often be overshadowed by the postseason and – subsequently – the major moves that teams makes in free agency. However, those coaching changes shouldn’t be overlooked.
A year ago, 13 of the league’s 32 teams made changes at at least one of their head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator spots, and many of these hirings turned into major stories throughout the 2016 season. New head coaches Adam Gase and Ben McAdoo led the Dolphins and Giants, respectively, to the postseason in their first go-rounds in charge, while new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph leveraged his one-year stint as a play-caller to become the next Broncos head coach.
Which new coaches could make a similar impact this year? We may have to wait to find out, but there are certainly plenty of candidates. The full breakdown of 2017’s major coaching changes from around the league is below:
Head coaches:
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Sean McDermott to replace Rex Ryan / Anthony Lynn (interim).
- Denver Broncos: Hired Vance Joseph to replace Gary Kubiak.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Retained Doug Marrone (interim) to replace Gus Bradley.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired Anthony Lynn to replace Mike McCoy.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Sean McVay to replace Jeff Fisher / John Fassel (interim).
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Kyle Shanahan to replace Chip Kelly.
Offensive coordinators:
- Atlanta Falcons: Hired Steve Sarkisian to replace Kyle Shanahan.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Rick Dennison to replace Anthony Lynn.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Mike McCoy to replace Rick Dennison.
- Houston Texans: Head coach Bill O’Brien will call plays, replacing George Godsey.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Retained interim OC Nathaniel Hackett.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Matt LaFleur to replace Rob Boras.
- Minnesota Vikings: Retained interim OC Pat Shurmur.
- New York Jets: Hired John Morton to replace Chan Gailey.
- Oakland Raiders: Promoted Todd Downing to replace Bill Musgrave.
- Washington Redskins: Promoted Matt Cavanaugh to replace Sean McVay.
Defensive coordinators:
- Atlanta Falcons: Promoted Marquand Manuel to replace Richard Smith.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Leslie Frazier to replace Dennis Thurman.
- Carolina Panthers: Promoted Steve Wilks to replace Sean McDermott.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired Gregg Williams to replace Ray Horton.
- Denver Broncos: Promoted Joe Woods to replace Wade Phillips.
- Houston Texans: Promoted Mike Vrabel to replace Romeo Crennel.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired Gus Bradley to replace John Pagano.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired Wade Phillips to replace Gregg Williams.
- Miami Dolphins: Promoted Matt Burke to replace Vance Joseph.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Robert Saleh to replace Jim O’Neil.
- Washington Redskins: Promoted Greg Manusky to replace Joe Barry.
Special teams coordinators:
- Denver Broncos: Hired Brock Olivo to replace Joe DeCamillis.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Hired Joe DeCamillis to replace Mike Mallory.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired George Stewart to replace Craig Aukerman.
- New Orleans Saints: Hired Brad Banta to replace Greg McMahon.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired Richard Hightower to replace Derius Swinton.
Other 2016 OCs, DCs with new jobs:
- Baltimore Ravens: Hired former Bills OC Greg Roman as senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired former Rams OC Rob Boras as tight ends coach.
- Denver Broncos: Hired former Raiders OC Bill Musgrave as quarterbacks coach.
- Detroit Lions: Hired former Texans OC George Godsey as defensive assistant/special projects.
- Houston Texans: Promoted former DC Romeo Crennel to assistant head coach/defense.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Hired former Falcons DC Richard Smith as linebackers coach.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired former Redskins DC Joe Barry as assistant head coach/linebackers.
- Los Angeles Rams: Hired former Jaguars OC Greg Olson as quarterbacks coach.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired former Chargers DC John Pagano as assistant head coach/defense.
Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Offense
The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.
Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.
Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.
We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.
Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:
Quarterback:
Jay CutlerChase DanielRyan Fitzpatrick- Colin Kaepernick
Josh McCown- Robert Griffin III
Case KeenumMatt McGloinMark Sanchez- Christian Ponder
Blaine GabbertRyan Nassib- Shaun Hill
Kellen MooreAustin Davis
Tony Romo is not a free agent…at least not yet. If the Cowboys do not find a suitable trade and release him, you’ll find him at the top of this list.
Laugh if you must, but Cutler is far and away the best quarterback available on the open market. While most of this year’s QB-needy teams are done with their free agent shopping, the Jets are still searching for their 2017 starter and no one would make more sense for them than Cutler. He’s not all that far removed from playing solid football and he’s a logical transitional option for the Jets until they can isolate a better, younger option for 2018. 
Kaepernick’s reps wisely told the press that he will be standing for the National Anthem this year. Still, Kaepernick is an outspoken guy who wants to use his platform to discuss hot button issues, so there’s no guarantee that the media circus around him will cease. Jets owner Woody Johnson loves seeing his team on the back pages of the New York tabloids, but even he has to have more sense than to entertain Kaepernick. McCown, who has been contact with the team, would be an okay choice if they can’t get something done with Cutler. Chase Daniel could be an option too, but there isn’t much game film on him.
Needless to say, the No. 3 ranked player on this list isn’t an option in New York.
Running back:
Adrian PetersonLeGarrette BlountJamaal Charles- Rashad Jennings
Tim Hightower- DeAngelo Williams
- Chris Johnson
Christine MichaelBenny Cunningham- Bobby Rainey
Brandon Bolden- Denard Robinson
- James Starks
Matt AsiataKenjon Barner
Honorable mention: DuJuan Harris, Antonio Andrews, Khiry Robinson
The Vikings have moved on and Peterson will not be back in Minnesota. Where he goes from here is anyone’s guess. When Peterson’s option was declined by the Vikings earlier this month, there were tons of stories (likely sourced by Peterson’s camp) about interest from a litany of contenders. Since then, each team – through anonymous sources – has denied being in the mix for the veteran. It would be easy to doubt Peterson at this juncture, but he has come back from serious injuries multiple times in his career and he is only one year removed from his stellar 2015 campaign. He gets the top spot over the bruising Blount as well as Charles, who hasn’t been healthy in a long while.
Jennings was brought to New York with the idea that he would be the team’s workhorse. Unfortunately, two of his three seasons with the G-Men were marred by injury. Jennings is currently putting his agility to good use on Dancing With The Stars and it remains to be seen how committed he is to football. After that, we have a trio of vets (Hightower, Williams, CJ2K) who could still advance the ball in limited spurts.
In case you’re wondering – Mike Gillislee is not listed here because he is a restricted free agent.
Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense
The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.
Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.
Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.
We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.
Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:
Edge defender:
- Dwight Freeney
Elvis DumervilChris Long- Mario Williams
Connor Barwin- Paul Kruger
- Trent Cole
- Erik Walden
- Jason Jones
Darryl TappDevin Taylor- Eugene Sims
- Howard Jones
Wallace Gilberry- Sam Acho
The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.
Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).
Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.
Interior defensive line:
Johnathan HankinsDontari Poe- Jared Odrick
- Vance Walker
- Sen’Derrick Marks
Ricky Jean-Francois- Roy Miller
Al WoodsTony McDaniel- Cullen Jenkins
Frostee RuckerCam ThomasJohn Jenkins- Tyson Jackson
Tyson Alualu
Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.
The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.
The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.
Latest On Saints, Malcolm Butler
The Saints and Malcolm Butler have begun negotiations on a new contract and hope to strike a deal this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. From there, the Saints will discuss the parameters of a trade with the Patriots.
Butler won’t be meeting with New Orleans until later this week, but the two sides are already discussing a potential deal. From here, there are a number of different potential outcomes:
- The Saints sign Butler to an offer sheet and risk losing their No. 11 overall pick to New England. This scenario, I feel, is unlikely. Butler has previously pushed for top ten cornerback money and the Saints would be borderline crazy to give up such a valuable pick in addition to that type of contract. Butler could potentially agree to a lesser deal, but he’ll only bend so far and the Saints won’t end up with him if the deal is team-friendly enough for New England to match.
- The Saints hammer out contract terms with Butler, then work out a less-costly trade with the Patriots. The Patriots and Saints obviously have a good rapport as evidenced by the Brandin Cooks deal. The Patriots can afford to lose Butler after adding Stephon Gilmore and they could be inclined to negotiate if they believe New Orleans will not sacrifice the No. 11 pick. A good middle-ground option here might see the Patriots get back their own No. 32 overall pick. Then, in essence, the two sides will have swapped Cooks for Butler with the Saints moving up from No. 118 overall to No. 103. In this scenario, to circumvent the rules of restricted free agency, the Patriots would “sign-and-trade” Butler to New Orleans.
- The Patriots refuse to agree to a trade and the Saints refuse to part with the No. 11 overall pick. This would result in Butler continuing his (restricted) free agency tour. If he can’t find a team willing to cough up a first-round choice for the right to sign him and the Pats do not give him a multi-year extension, he’ll only have one option: play out 2017 with the Patriots on the one-year, $3.91MM first-round tender. Butler is reportedly not entertaining any sort of holdout, so his contractual drama would be put on pause until March 2018.
PFR Originals: 3/5/17 – 3/12/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Zach Links unveiled PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents of 2017, a list topped by cornerback A.J. Bouye, who received $65MM from the Jaguars over a five-year term. Given that we’re nearly three days removed from the start of free agency, most of the players on the list have signed, but there are still 14 free agents from that ranking who are still on the open market. That group of available players is led by linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who placed fourth overall.
- In addition to PFR’s overall rankings, Zach and I surveyed the top-15 players at each position on both offense and defense. So far, the running back and non-rush linebacker position markets have been slow to develop, while wide receivers, interior offensive linemen, and interior defensive linemen have been flying off the board. We’ll have updates to each of these lists in the near future, examining the top players still around for the second wave of free agency.
- Many free agents were already spoken for by Friday, leading Zach to take a look at the best remaining players at that time, a list that included (and still includes) Adrian Peterson, Hightower, Eddie Lacy, Dontari Poe, and Johnathan Hankins.
- The NFL has seen seven trades go down this year, and the Patriots have already been involved in three! Keep track of all the deals by bookmarking our ongoing list of 2017 NFL Trades.
2017 NFL Trades
Although the NFL isn’t typically considered a trade-happy league, that reputation has been earned due to a lack of major trade-deadline activity, and doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. In the NFL offseason, big-name players and early-round draft picks change hands with greater frequency, as trades serve as a key tool for teams looking to upgrade their rosters or accelerate a rebuild.
We’ve already seen a few trades consummated since the 2017 league year began on March 9th, and with the draft not too far off, several more deals figure to be completed this spring. We’ll track those moves – and the rest of the year’s trades, right up until the fall deadline – in this space.
Here’s a breakdown of 2017’s trades to date, in reverse chronological order:
Post-Draft
- Bills acquired WR Kelvin Benjamin.
- Panthers acquired a 2018 third-round pick and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Jets acquired CB Rashard Robinson.
- 49ers acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Eagles acquired RB Jay Ajayi.
- Dolphins acquired a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick.
- 49ers acquired QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
- Patriots acquired a 2018 second-round pick.
- Seahawks acquired T Duane Brown and a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Texans acquired a 2018 third-round pick and a 2019 second-round pick.
- Jaguars acquired DT Marcell Dareus.
- Bills acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Bears acquired WR Dontrelle Inman.
- Chargers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Cardinals acquired RB Adrian Peterson.
- Saints acquired a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Dolphins acquired LB Stephone Anthony.
- Saints acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Steelers acquired S J.J. Wilcox and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
- Buccaneers acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Cowboys acquired LB Jayrone Elliott.
- Packers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Patriots acquired DE Cassius Marsh.
- Seahawks acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Seahawks acquired T Isaiah Battle.
- Chiefs acquired a conditional draft pick.
- Bills acquired WR Kaelin Clay.
- Panthers acquired CB Kevon Seymour and a 2019 seventh-round pick.
- Giants acquired CB Ross Cockrell.
- Steelers acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Ravens acquired OL Luke Bowanko.
- Jaguars acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick.
- Colts acquired QB Jacoby Brissett.
- Patriots acquired WR Phillip Dorsett.
- Rams acquired TE Derek Carrier.
- Redskins acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Cowboys acquired CB Bene Benwikere.
- Bengals acquired a conditional 2019 sixth-round pick.
- Browns acquired WR Sammie Coates and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Steelers acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Patriots acquired S Johnson Bademosi.
- Lions acquired a 2019 sixth-round pick.
- Titans acquired DE David King.
- Chiefs acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Vikings acquired CB Tramaine Brock.
- Seahawks acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Seahawks acquired DL Sheldon Richardson and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Jets acquired WR Jermaine Kearse, a 2018 second-round pick, and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Seahawks acquired CB Justin Coleman.
- Patriots acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Ravens acquired OL Tony Bergstrom.
- Cardinals acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Falcons acquired T Ty Sambrailo.
- Broncos acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- 49ers acquired G Laken Tomlinson.
- Lions acquired a 2019 fifth-round pick.
- Chiefs acquired OL Cameron Erving.
- Browns acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Steelers acquired TE Vance McDonald and a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- 49ers acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick.
- Patriots acquired LB Marquis Flowers.
- Bengals acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Saints acquired LS Jon Dorenbos.
- Eagles acquired a 2019 seventh-round pick (pick returned to New Orleans due to Dorenbos’ heart condition).
- Chiefs acquired LB Reggie Ragland.
- Bills acquired a 2019 fourth-round pick.
- Colts acquired LS Thomas Hennessy.
- Jets acquired S Ronald Martin.
- Eagles acquired CB Dexter McDougle.
- Jets acquired S Terrence Brooks.
- Steelers acquired CB Dashaun Phillips.
- Redskins acquired C Lucas Crowley.
- Seahawks acquired T Matt Tobin and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Eagles acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Bills acquired WR Jordan Matthews and a 2018 third-round pick.
- Eagles acquired CB Ronald Darby.
- Rams acquired WR Sammy Watkins and a 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Bills acquired CB E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick.
- Chiefs acquired LB Kevin Pierre-Louis.
- Seahawks acquired LB D.J. Alexander.
- Chargers acquired QB Cardale Jones.
- Bills acquired a conditional seventh-round pick in 2018 or 2019.
- Broncos acquired G Allen Barbre.
- Eagles acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick.
- Lions acquired T Greg Robinson.
- Rams acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Browns acquired S Calvin Pryor.
- Jets acquired LB Demario Davis.
During Draft
- Buccaneers acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 223; DT Steve Tu’ikolovatu).
- Dolphins acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 237; WR Isaiah Ford) and a 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Patriots acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 211; T Conor McDermott).
- Cowboys acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 216; CB Marquez White) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 239; WR Noah Brown).
- Cardinals acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 208; S Johnathan Ford).
- Raiders acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 221; DB Shalom Luani) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 231; T Jylan Ware).
- Bengals acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207; S Brandon Wilson).
- Titans acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 217; OL Corey Levin) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 227; LB Josh Carraway).
- Giants acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200; T Adam Bisnowaty).
- Titans acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 241; RB Khalfani Muhammad).
- Redskins acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 199; C Chase Roullier) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 230; S Josh Harvey-Clemons).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 201; TE Bucky Hodges) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 220; DE Ifeadi Odenigbo).
- Cowboys acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 191; S Xavier Woods).
- Jets acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Broncos acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 172; WR Isaiah McKenzie).
- Packers acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 175; WR DeAngelo Yancey) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 238; RB Devante Mays).
- Dolphins acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 164; OL Isaac Asiata) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 194; DT Vincent Taylor).
- Eagles acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 166; WR Shelton Gibson) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 184; S Nathan Gerry).
- Browns acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 160; OL Roderick Johnson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 224; K Zane Gonzalez).
- Jets acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 181; LB Dylan Donahue) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 188; RB Elijah McGuire).
- Chiefs acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 139; WR Jehu Chesson).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 170; WR Rodney Adams) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 180; OL Danny Isidora).
- Eagles acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 132; RB Donnel Pumphrey).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 139) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 230).
- Browns acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 126; CB Howard Wilson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 252; RB Matthew Dayes).
- Broncos acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 145; TE Jake Butt) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 175).
- Rams acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 125; LB Samson Ebukam).
- Jets acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 141; WR Chad Hansen) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197; CB Jeremy Clark).
- 49ers acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 121; RB Joe Williams).
- Colts acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 143; RB Marlon Mack) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 161; LB Anthony Walker).
- 49ers acquired RB Kapri Bibbs and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 177; WR Trent Taylor).
- Broncos acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick.
- Bears acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 112; S Eddie Jackson).
- Rams acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 117; WR Josh Reynolds) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197).
- Patriots acquired TE James O’Shaughnessy and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 216).
- Chiefs acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 183; LB Ukeme Eligwe).
- Buccaneers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 107; LB Kendell Beckwith).
- Jets acquired a 2018 fourth-round pick (No. 125) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 204; CB Derrick Jones).
- 49ers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 104; QB C.J. Beathard).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 109; DT Jaleel Johnson) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 219; WR Stacy Coley).
- Chiefs acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 86; RB Kareem Hunt).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 104), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 132) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 245; CB Jack Tocho).
- Patriots acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 85; OL Antonio Garcia).
- Lions acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 96; Kenny Golladay) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 124; LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin).
- Panthers acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 77; DE Daeshon Hall).
- Cardinals acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 98; WR Chad Williams) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 115; OL Dorian Johnson).
- Titans acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72; WR Taywan Taylor) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200).
- Patriots acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 83; DE Derek Rivers) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 124).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 70; OL Pat Elflein).
- Jets acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 79; WR ArDarius Stewart) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 160).
- Saints acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 67; RB Alvin Kamara).
- 49ers acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 229; CB Adrian Colbert) and a 2018 second-round pick.
- Bills acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 63; OL Dion Dawkins).
- Falcons acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 75; LB Duke Riley), 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149; CB Damontae Kazee), and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 156; RB Brian Hill).
- Vikings acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 41; RB Dalvin Cook).
- Bengals acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 48; RB Joe Mixon) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 128; WR Josh Malone).
- Bills acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 37; WR Zay Jones) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149).
- Rams acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 44; TE Gerald Everett) and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 91; S John Johnson).
- Cardinals acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 36; S Budda Baker) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 221).
- Bears acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 45; TE Adam Shaheen), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 119; RB Tarik Cohen), a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197), and a 2018 fourth-round pick.
- Jaguars acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 34; T Cam Robinson).
- Seahawks acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 35; DT Malik McDowell) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 187; S Mike Tyson).
- 49ers acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 31; LB Reuben Foster).
- Seahawks acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 34) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 111; S Tedric Thompson).
- Browns acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 29; TE David Njoku).
- Packers acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 33; CB Kevin King) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 108; LB Vince Biegel).
- Falcons acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 25; DE Takkarist McKinley).
- Seahawks acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 31), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 95; S Delano Hill), and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 249; RB Chris Carson).
- Texans acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 12; QB Deshaun Watson).
- Browns acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 25; S Jabrill Peppers) and a 2018 first-round pick.
- Chiefs acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 10; QB Patrick Mahomes).
- Bills acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 27; CB Tre’Davious White), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 91), and a 2018 first-round pick.
- Bears acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 2; QB Mitch Trubisky).
- 49ers acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 3; DL Solomon Thomas), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 67), a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a 2018 third-round pick.
Pre-Draft
- Raiders acquired RB Marshawn Lynch and a 2018 sixth-round pick.
- Seahawks acquired a 2018 fifth-round pick.
- Bengals acquired DE Chris Smith.
- Jaguars acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick.
- Eagles acquired DT Timmy Jernigan and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 99).
- Ravens acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 74).
- 49ers acquired C Jeremy Zuttah and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 198).
- Ravens acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 186).
- Patriots acquired WR Brandin Cooks and 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 118).
- Saints acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 32) and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 103).
- Patriots acquired DE Kony Ealy and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72).
- Panthers acquired 2017 second-round pick (No. 64).
- Dolphins acquired DE William Hayes and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 223).
- Rams acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 206).
- Browns acquired QB Brock Osweiler, a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 188), and a 2018 second-round pick.
- Texans acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 142).
- Patriots acquired TE Dwayne Allen and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200).
- Colts acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 137).
- Dolphins acquired TE Julius Thomas.
- Jaguars acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 240).
- Jaguars acquired T Branden Albert.
- Dolphins acquired a 2018 seventh-round pick (returned due to Albert’s release).
Updates On Top Remaining Free Agents
Some big names came off the board on Wednesday and Thursday, but tons of notable free agents remain. Here’s a look at some of the notables who are still out there and where they stand:
- Adrian Peterson, RB (Vikings): Poor, poor AD. As we summed up on Friday morning, there are no clear suitors for No. 28 at this time. Despite previous reports to the contrary, the Texans, Patriots, Raiders, Giants, and Seahawks are showing little to no interest in signing the veteran running back. The incumbent Vikings haven’t put an offer on the table since declining his bloated $18MM option. Peterson is one of the best running backs in NFL history, but teams are skeptical of what he can do as he looks to rebound from another serious right knee injury on the verge of his 32nd birthday. We know that there will be teams with interest in Peterson – perhaps even some of those aforementioned clubs – but Peterson is far from their Plan A and it doesn’t sound like any team wants to pay him like a top running back. Ultimately, Peterson seems likely to settle for a low-base, one-year deal with a good amount of performance incentives. His best payday, I think, would come from the Vikings. Peterson is a fan favorite and the organization would probably like to have him finish his career in purple. With all that said, Adrian’s dad publicly trashing the team probably isn’t helping matters.
- Eddie Lacy, RB (Packers): The Vikings, Seahawks, and incumbent Packers seem to be the frontrunners for Lacy at this time. The Seahawks will meet with Lacy, but they also have meetings scheduled with Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles. The Vikings, of course, are looking into Peterson replacements. Even though Lacy has had problems with consistency and conditioning over the years, he’s my top-ranked running back in this year’s FA crop.
- Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): Hightower, surely, has interest from a number of clubs. But, for whatever reason, leaks have been kept to a minimum. For all the speculation about the Dolphins and other clubs swarming the non-rush linebacker, we’ve only heard talk of “positive” dialogue between Hightower and the Pats. The Patriots are more unpredictable than ever, but I think the most likely outcome is that he re-signs. Bill Belichick was cocky enough to trade Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones in the same year – and it obviously worked out – but I don’t think he’s crazy enough to also let Hightower leave.
- Dontari Poe, DT (Chiefs): The defensive tackle market is starting to take shape. Brandon Williams has re-upped with the Ravens on a lucrative five-year, $54MM deal that includes $27MM in guarantees. Chris Baker, considered a run below Williams and Poe, has a three-year, $15.75MM with $9MM guaranteed. We had Williams and Poe fairly close to each other on the Top 50 list and the early thinking was that they could fetch similar contracts. However, the latest word is that he may have to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal. The Falcons, 49ers, and Redskins have been linked to Poe this week, but the Redskins might not be in the market for him anymore after adding Stacy McGee.
- Johnathan Hankins, DT (Giants): Hankins’ camp has been keeping things on the QT. There have been estimates that he could fetch around $7MM to $8MM per year (or more) on a multi-year deal. The Giants would love to keep the soon-to-be 25-year-old and we’re sure that other teams want him too, but there have been zero leaks from his negotiations. Hankins may not be as good as Williams right now, but the age factor could allow him to approach or top his contract. Teams also might feel better about committing years and dollars to Hankins over Poe. Of course, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison since Hankins is a 4-3 DT and Williams and Poe are 3-4 nose tackles. They are different players and they have different groups of suitors due to their scheme fits.
- T.J. Lang, G (Packers): Lang is a talented guard, but teams are concerned about his surgically-repaired hip. Right now, the Packers, Lions, and Seahawks are known to be in the mix for him, but he might not sign right away as teams go over his medical info. Teams might want to see him work out in full before committing to him. He’s ranked No. 14 overall on my Top 50 list and was second only to Kevin Zeitler on our list of free agent interior linemen.
- Martellus Bennett, TE (Patriots): There’s heavy mutual interest between the Raiders and Bennett and the Giants and Bills have also been linked to him. However, after the Giants spent a good chunk of coin to add Rhett Ellison, it’s not clear if Bennett is still a consideration. Bennett is far and away the best available tight end out there and he should fetch a nice payday for himself. It’s just not clear where that might be. A Patriots return can be ruled out after the Dwayne Allen trade. The Lions are also looking into tight ends, but we haven’t specifically heard about them reaching out to Bennett.
- Jared Cook, TE (Packers): The second-best tight end on the board is drawing interest from the Lions and Bills. Contract talks with the Packers have reportedly broken off, so he could very well wind up leaving.
- Jabaal Sheard, DE (Patriots): The Dolphins were linked to Sheard, but I’m guessing they’re no longer interested after acquiring William Hayes in a brilliant trade with the Rams on Thursday. He’s on his way to meet with the Colts and we haven’t heard a peep about any possible Pats reunion. Towards the end of the season, the feeling was that Sheard would not be back in New England.
PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents
It’s free agency week! This year, thanks to the salary cap increase, the dollars will be flying and players will make more than you ever could have expected. Our lists for offense and defense rank free agents based on overall ability, but our Top 50 ranks players based on earning power. Here, you’ll get a good sense of what the market will be like this week and who the big fish are.
The league’s “legal tampering” window will open on Tuesday at 11:00am CT. Technically, teams and players aren’t permitted to finalize agreements on contracts during that legal tampering window, but that’s often treated as a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule. We will almost certainly see handshake agreements go down on Tuesday and Wednesday before they become official on Thursday, the technical beginning of free agency.
Our list of 2017’s top 50 free agents doesn’t include restricted free agents, or franchise tagged players, since they’re effectively restricted free agents as well.
With those caveats out of the way, let’s dive right in! Here are Pro Football Rumors’ top 50 NFL free agents for 2017, along with a few predictions on how much they might earn and what teams could be in the mix to sign them:
1. A.J. Bouye, CB (Texans): Bouye is an overnight sensation, going from unknown to elite talent in the blink of an eye. No one knows exactly what to make of Bouye, but his upside is too much for teams to pass up. The Texans declined to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old (26 in August), but they’re still hoping to get a deal done this week. The Jets are said to have interest, but it’s not clear if they’ll have the room to get something done. Cornerback-needy teams like the Panthers, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, Bears, and Eagles can be expected to at least kick the tires on this year’s top player in the secondary. Could something like Janoris Jenkins‘ five year, $62.5MM contract ($28.8MM fully guaranteed) from last year be within reach? Jenkins had a longer history of success than Bouye, but consider these facts: Bouye nearly two years younger than Jenkins was at time of signing and the salary cap has risen by about $12MM.
Signed with Jaguars for five years, $67.5MM.
2. Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): He was hurt for most of 2015 and he slumped along with the entire Bears offense in 2016, but his natural ability is still evident and he is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. At one point, it seemed like Jeffery could wind up as the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. That won’t be the case, but he will likely get more cash than any other wide receiver in this year’s class. The Eagles and Titans have been hot on his tail for some time now. The 49ers could also get involved and a return to the Bears cannot be ruled out either. Ultimately, Jeffery should wind up fetching at least $10MM per year and perhaps as much as $12MM per year on his next deal.
Signed with Eagles for one year, $9.5MM.
3. Kenny Stills, WR (Dolphins): Jeffery isn’t the only wide receiver who could fetch $12MM per year. Stills isn’t necessarily the best wide receiver on his own team, but he is just on the cusp of his 25th birthday and his ability to stretch the field is tantalizing. It doesn’t sound like the Dolphins are ready to be the highest bidder for his services and it’s not hard to imagine a team like the Eagles landing him. Naturally, there’s quite a bit of overlap between the potential suitors for Jeffery and Stills: the Eagles, Titans, Bears, and 49ers will probably come calling. The Rams may not have enough room to squeeze in Stills, but they could certainly use a playmaker like him if they do not re-sign Kenny Britt. Stills reportedly likes the West Coast (who doesn’t?) so the Niners and Rams could have a leg up on the others if the bidding is close.
Re-signed with Dolphins for four years, $32MM.
4. Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): The market is capped for non-rush linebackers, but Hightower is pretty much the best at what he does and is also lauded for his intangibles. The Patriots have always embraced the “next man up” philosophy, so it is possible they will allow him to go elsewhere. The Dolphins have been frequently connected to Hightower, but that might be too ambitious for a team that has multiple major needs to address. The Colts might also make sense, but the price might be too rich for their blood. A Patriots return appears to be the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
Re-signed with Patriots for four years, $35.5MM.
5. Kevin Zeitler, G (Bengals): Zeitler has age on his side and he’s one of the safest free agents in the top ten after three consecutive years of dominance. Interior offensive linemen don’t get as much love as their counterparts on the outside, but they are still incredibly vital and Zeitler’s next contract will reflect that. If he doesn’t circle back to the Bengals, the Jaguars, Cardinals, Packers, and Seahawks all make varying degrees of sense for Zeitler. From a football standpoint, you can add the Jets to that group too, but I’m not sure they can meet a ~$12MM/year asking price.
Signed with Browns for five years, $60MM.
6. Logan Ryan, CB (Patriots): There are bigger names available at the cornerback position, but Ryan slots ahead of many of them after a career year. It also doesn’t hurt that this fresh-faced Super Bowl champ only just turned 26 in February. If the Patriots don’t tie him down, Ryan’s earning power could conceivably vault him past Trumaine Johnson in terms of guaranteed cash. The Jaguars and Titans would be wise to zero in on Ryan if they can’t land Bouye and it’s possible that some of their evaluators might even prefer Ryan over the Houston standout. Ryan’s next deal will probably pay him eight figures per year and it should be a lengthy pact.
Signed with Titans for three years, $30MM.
7. Terrelle Pryor, WR (Browns): There is strong mutual interest in a new deal between Pryor and the Browns. Still, the Browns passed on the opportunity to franchise tag the Ohio State product and he now appears poised to test the open market. With pretty much just one year to show, how will Pryor fare in free agency? His next deal should pay him at least $10MM/year and he could get up to $12MM/year. In addition to the Browns, the usual suspects for this year’s high-end WRs will explore signing Pryor (say it with me): Eagles, Titans, and 49ers. There’s conflicting word about whether the Steelers will get involved. The Giants are known to have interest, but I don’t think they’ll be splurging on free agents like they did one year ago.
Signed with Redskins for one year, $6MM.
8 .Ricky Wagner, OT (Ravens): There’s already talk of Wagner fetching around $10MM/year and it’s not like this year’s free agent market is flush with young, quality tackles. When you also consider the lack of quality tackles in the draft, it’s apparent that Wagner is about to get PAID, in all caps.Believe it or not, $10MM/year might be his floor. When all is said and done, he’ll be the league’s biggest earner at right tackle. The Bears are particularly interested in Wagner, so he could go from the AFC North to the NFC North this week.
Signed with Lions for five years, $47.5MM.
9. Calais Campbell, DL (Cardinals): Campbell was supposed to be an afterthought in Arizona after the addition of Chandler Jones. Perhaps motivated by a perceived slight, Campbell turned in a stellar year. Now, the Cardinals would very much like to keep him, but they can only go so far as they back up the Brinks truck for Jones and look into retaining other key free agents. If Jones does not agree to a cap-smoothing long-term deal between now and March 9th, the odds of Campbell leaving increase. The Jaguars are said to be a leading contender for Campbell while the Titans, Broncos, Colts, and Bears could also use a force like him. His age (31 in September) gives him a bit of a ceiling in terms of overall compensation, but he should still do nicely this month.
Signed with Jaguars for four years, $60MM.
10. Stephon Gilmore, CB (Bills): In terms of pure talent, Gilmore might be the best cornerback available. Trouble is, no one knows what to make of him after a down 2016. Some have openly theorized that Gilmore was playing it safe to avoid injury in his pivotal contract year. It’s also possible that Buffalo’s injuries in the front seven put undue stress on the secondary. The Bears are reportedly high on Gilmore and he may represent a cheaper option than Bouye or Ryan. A Bills return would also make sense here.
Signed with Patriots for five years, $65MM.
