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Notable Remaining Free Agents On Defense

April 4th, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

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

April 3rd, 2014 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

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.

Post-June 1 Cuts

April 2nd, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

As we covered in our contract bonuses entry in the Pro Football Rumors glossary, including bonuses in NFL contracts is a good way to spread out a cap hit that might otherwise be exorbitant. For instance, if a player’s five-year deal includes a $10MM signing bonus, that money can be paid immediately but spread out over five years for cap purposes. So the cap charge for the bonus would be $2MM per year, rather than $10MM in year one.

This practice can come back to haunt teams if they want to get out of a contract early, however. Suppose the team in the above scenario wanted to release the player in the third year of his contract. Even if none of the player’s base salary is guaranteed at that point, the team will still have to account for that remaining prorated bonus money. So rather than counting on the cap as $2MM per year for three seasons, that dead money “accelerates,” and applies to the cap for the league year in which the player is released. In other words, the remaining $6MM in prorated bonus money immediately counts against the club’s cap.

Although these rules apply to many cuts, a different set of rules is in place for players released after June 1. In that case, a team can spread the cap hit across two seasons rather than one — for the current season, the prorated bonus figure stays at its original amount, with the remaining bonus balance accelerating onto the following season. Referring again to the above scenario, that means the player would count against the cap for $2MM in the league year in which he was cut, with the remaining $4MM applying to the following league year.

The guidelines for pre-June 1 and post-June 1 cuts are fairly straightforward, but things become a little more complicated when we take into account that teams are allowed to designate up to two players as post-June 1 cuts even if those players are released before June. So far this offseason, players like Miles Austin (Cowboys), Daryn Colledge (Cardinals), Thomas DeCoud (Falcons), David Baas (Giants), LaMarr Woodley (Steelers), and Carlos Rogers (49ers) have been designated as post-June 1 cuts.

So how exactly does this scenario work? Let’s look at DeCoud’s contract for an example. Before he was cut, the remaining years on the safety’s contract looked like this:

DeCoud pre-cut

Typically, DeCoud’s release would mean a $1.8MM cap number for 2014, with the three $600K bonus charges accelerating to the current league year. However, because Atlanta decided to designate him as a post-June 1 cut, that’s not the case. For now, DeCoud remains on the Falcons’ books, as if he hasn’t been released. His non-guaranteed base salaries for 2015 and 2016 have been wiped out by the transaction, but for the time being, his 2014 base remains on the Falcons’ books, along with his bonus money. Until June 1, DeCoud’s contract will look like this:

DeCoud pre-June 1

When June 2 finally rolls around on the calendar, DeCoud’s non-guaranteed base salary will officially come off the books, as would any likely to be earned incentives. The result:

DeCoud post-June 1

Because the cap charge for the current league year isn’t reduced until June, designating a player as a post-June 1 cut isn’t hugely advantageous for teams. By June, just about every notable free agent is off the board, so the new savings likely won’t be put toward a major move.

Still, releasing a player in March and designating him a post-June 1 cut can be mutually beneficial. It allows the player to hit the market when potential suitors still have cap room and are still looking to add free agents, and it allows the team to spread out the player’s cap charge without having to actually wait until June 1 to release him — waiting until that point could mean paying roster or workout bonuses in the interim. Additionally, even if the team doesn’t need that June cap space for free agency, it will often come in handy for signing draft picks.

A couple loose ends related to post-June 1 cuts:

  • The same rules applying to players who are released apply to players who are traded — if a team trades a player after June 1, his remaining bonus money can be spread out over two seasons. However, a club can’t designate anyone traded prior to June as a post-June 1 player.
  • Teams cannot designate post-June 1 cuts during the final league year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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 Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

Corry On The Franchise Tag

April 1st, 2014 at 10:22pm CST by Rory Parks

After a flurry of low-key but significant signings, the night has suddenly grown quiet. While we wait for the next piece of news concerning DeSean Jackson, let’s take a look at a typically excellent piece from Joel Corry of the National Football Post. Corry describes how the rules surrounding the use of the franchise tag have become a bit antiquated and do not necessarily reflect how the league has evolved. Some snippets are provided below, but the entire piece is certainly worth a read.

On how to avoid the issues created by “tight ends” like Jimmy Graham:

A new classification differentiating between tight ends who take a majority of their snaps in-line and those who don’t could be created. One possibility could be for tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers to receive a franchise tag with the average of the tight end and wide receiver franchise tags. This hybrid tag would be $9.593 million this year.

Personally, the only problem I would have with this would be that it seems to create a new issue of what players qualify as “tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers.” As the league continues to evolve, there will be fewer and fewer players who play the majority of snaps as the traditional in-line end, and those that do are unlikely to have to worry about the franchise tag anyway; they will simply be end-of-the-roster players summoned in certain short-yardage or max protect packages.

As such, the term “tight ends that function similarly to wide receivers” will increasingly become a redundant one; almost all of them will function similarly to wide receivers. At that point, the only justification for labeling certain players as a tight ends will be their body type (i.e. are they built more like Tony Gonzalez or Jacoby Jones?), which is certainly an undesirable outcome.

Nonetheless, Corry is certainly right in theory, and a hybrid tag containing a tiered compensation system based upon how much time a player spends as an in-line tight end and how much time they spend in the slot or split out wide is probably the best bet. And if a player spends little to no time as an in-line tight end, then teams will simply have to bite the bullet and pay them like the wideouts they are.

On separating offensive linemen by specific position:

Offensive line should be split to reflect the three main positions (center, guard and tackle). Typically, the franchise tag is composed of tackles, so guards and centers get a financial windfall when franchised. For example, New York Jets center Nick Mangold had the only center salary cap number over $7 million while the 2013 franchise tag for offensive linemen was $9.828 million.

This is a common sense proposal and it is baffling as to why the NFL has not adopted it yet. Browns center Alex Mack, who was given the transition tag by Cleveland this offseason–the transition tag, of course, has similar compensation rules to the franchise tag–will be paid like a top left tackle, not a top center, which is nonsensical.

On eliminating the July 15 deadline for multiyear contracts:

Prior to the 2006 CBA, there was a 30-day period immediately following the franchise tag designation deadline to agree to a long-term deal with a franchise player before what essentially amounted to a four-month signing moratorium began. During this four-month period, if a franchise player signed a long-term deal, his designation lasted for the duration of the contract, which prevented teams from franchising another player until then. The restriction didn’t apply for long-term deals signed after July 14.

The 2006 CBA eliminated the rules—which led to the signing moratorium—but created a July 15 deadline for long-term deals. In 2013, Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Clady was the only one of the eight players given a franchise tag that got a multi-year contract. The deadline has led to Cliff Avril, Dwayne Bowe and Jairus Byrd missing parts of training camp and the preseason over the last two years to either protest their franchise tags or as an attempt to minimize the risk of injury before regular season play began. The best of the past and current CBA rules on franchise tag signings can be achieved by abolishing the July 15 negotiating deadline.

No problems here. For a league that ostensibly would like to put the highest-quality product on the field and protect its players’ long-term security, one would think that an arbitrary deadline limiting the possibility of a long-term deal would be eliminated.

On decreasing franchise tag compensation

Franchise players rarely switch teams because the compensation on an unmatched offer sheet is two first round picks….The current CBA eliminated the highest restricted free agent tender, which required first and third round picks as compensation for unmatched offer sheets. This level of compensation may be more appropriate for franchise players than two first round picks.

Although I tend to agree with this proposal, and although it would create more excitement as teams would be more hesitant to use the tag and other teams that covet a certain player might be more willing to pony up a first- and third-round pick rather than two first-rounders, it’s not necessarily a proposal that impacts fairness to the player or improves the quality of the game.

 

PFR Originals: 3/24/14 – 3/30/14

March 30th, 2014 at 4:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here’s the original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

  • The complete order of the 2014 NFL draft, which the Texans will kick off on May 8 with the first overall selection.
  • A look at draft picks by team, with the Rams and the Jets leading the way with 12 picks each.
  • A poll regarding the best value signing in free agency, with the Colts acquisition of receiver Hakeem Nicks taking the top spot with about 32% of the vote.
  • Rory Parks wrote an excellent piece, synthesizing several recent articles and looking at the devaluation of the running back, fullback, and the in-line tight end in the modern NFL.

RBs, TEs, And The Modern NFL

March 30th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Rory Parks

A number of writers have taken a recent look at the evolution of the NFL and how that evolution affects certain positions. It is not news, of course, that as the league has become increasingly conducive to the passing game, teams are throwing the ball more than ever before. As a result, certain positions–most notably, the “classic” tight end, the fullback, and the running back–are becoming devalued.

Here at PFR, we focus primarily upon news related to player and personnel movement: free agency, the draft, hirings/firings, etc. Sometimes, then, it is nice to step back and take a look at the dynamics underlying that movement. For instance, one of the primary reasons the Lions wanted to keep Brandon Pettigrew was that he is one of the very few active tight ends who have value as both a receiver and blocker. And has anyone heard from Vonta Leach since he was released by the Ravens? He has long been one of the best fullbacks in the league, and surely has another year or two left in the tank, but there does not seem to be much room for him in today’s NFL. And after Knowshon Moreno‘s strong season in 2013, would the Broncos have been so willing to cast him aside even five years ago? Would the Dolphins have been able to land him with such a small contract? The answer to both questions is probably a resounding “no.”

Through the eyes of former “classic” tight end Ben Coates, who currently serves as the offensive coordinator for St. Augustine’s University, Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the dearth of tight ends like Coates and Pettigrew, players just as capable of throwing a block as running a route. Coates believes that the reason for the absence of such players is twofold. First, teams are simply looking to capitalize on the nightmarish mismatches that players like Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski can offer. Second, the supply of “two-way” tight ends has been greatly reduced by the proliferation of spread offenses in college football, offenses that demand players built like traditional tight ends to run down seams and out-muscle smaller corners and less athletic linebackers.

As for running backs, Mike Klis of the Denver Post and OverTheCap.com take an in-depth look at the devaluation of the position, which is even more dramatic than one might think. In fact, contracts for running backs are most comparable to those being given out to kickers.

Of course, the contextual backdrop for all of this is the new CBA, which, as Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald points out, continues to squeeze the “middle class” of free agents. Tight ends who offer more as blockers than as receivers have probably been in that middle class–or lower–for some time, but running backs, even the good ones, are increasingly finding themselves in that caste. These days, when we hit what Beasley calls the “value spending” stage of free agency–that period of time after the most desirable players are signed and the league’s collective attention is turned towards the draft–teams can fill whatever holes they have at those positions on the cheap, or they can simply wait until the later rounds of the draft or for an undrafted free agent to fall into their laps.

All of the articles referenced above are worth a read, and they give you some useful context as you take a look at our posts, check for updates on your favorite team, and as you wonder why certain players remain unemployed.

2014 NFL Draft Picks By Team

March 26th, 2014 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we published the complete 2014 NFL draft order. In that list of 256 picks though, it may be a little tricky to find all your favorite team’s selections, so we’ve created a separate list which shows the breakdown of the 2014 draft picks by club. Here’s the complete list of 2014 NFL draft picks by team, sorted in order of total picks:

  1. New York Jets (12): 1st (18), 2nd (49), 3rd (80), 4th (104), 4th (115), 4th (137), 5th (154), 6th (195), 6th (209), 6th (210), 6th (213), 7th (233)
  2. San Francisco 49ers (12): 1st (30), 2nd (57), 3rd (70), 3rd (77), 3rd (100), 4th (106), 4th (129), 5th (150), 5th (170), 6th (180), 7th (243), 7th (245)
  3. St. Louis Rams (11): 1st (2), 1st (13), 2nd (41), 3rd (75), 4th (110), 6th (188), 6th (214), 7th (226), 7th (241), 7th (249), 7th (250)
  4. Houston Texans (10): 1st (1), 2nd (33), 3rd (65), 3rd (83), 4th (135), 6th (177), 6th (181), 6th (211), 7th (216), 7th (256)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (10): 1st (9), 1st (32), 3rd (72), 3rd (96), 5th (145), 6th (182), 6th (184), 7th (220), 7th (223), 7th (225)
  6. Jacksonville Jaguars (9): 1st (3), 2nd (39), 2nd (61), 3rd (93), 4th (114), 5th (144), 5th (159), 6th (205), 7th (222)
  7. Atlanta Falcons (9): 1st (6), 2nd (37), 3rd (68), 4th (103), 4th (139), 5th (147), 5th (168), 7th (253), 7th (255)
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers (9): 1st (15), 2nd (46), 3rd (97), 4th (118), 5th (157), 5th (173), 6th (192), 6th (215), 7th (230)
  9. Dallas Cowboys (9): 1st (16), 2nd (34), 4th (119), 5th (146), 7th (231), 7th (238), 7th (248), 7th (251), 7th (254)
  10. Baltimore Ravens (9): 1st (17), 2nd (48), 3rd (79), 3rd (99), 4th (134), 4th (138), 5th (175), 6th (194), 7th (218)
  11. Green Bay Packers (9): 1st (21), 2nd (53), 3rd (85), 3rd (98), 4th (121), 5th (161), 5th (176), 6th (197), 7th (236)
  12. New England Patriots (9): 1st (29), 2nd (62), 4th (105), 4th (130), 4th (140), 6th (179), 6th (198), 6th (206), 7th (244)
  13. Seattle Seahawks (9): 2nd (45), 2nd (64), 4th (108), 4th (123), 4th (132), 5th (172), 6th (199), 6th (208), 7th (227)
  14. Oakland Raiders (8): 1st (5), 2nd (36), 3rd (81), 4th (116), 4th (107), 7th (219), 7th (235), 7th (247)
  15. Detroit Lions (8): 1st (10), 2nd (40), 3rd (76), 4th (133), 4th (136), 5th (158), 6th (189), 7th (229)
  16. Chicago Bears (8): 1st (14), 2nd (51), 3rd (82), 4th (117), 4th (131), 6th (183), 6th (191), 7th (246)
  17. Miami Dolphins (8): 1st (19), 2nd (63), 3rd (67), 4th (125), 5th (155), 5th (171), 6th (190), 7th (234)
  18. Cincinnati Bengals (8): 1st (24), 2nd (55), 3rd (88), 4th (111), 5th (164), 6th (212), 7th (239), 7th (252)
  19. Washington Redskins (8): 2nd (47), 3rd (66), 3rd (78), 4th (102), 5th (142), 6th (186), 7th (217), 7th (228)
  20. Buffalo Bills (7): 1st (4), 2nd (44), 3rd (73), 4th (109), 5th (153), 7th (221), 7th (237)
  21. New York Giants (7): 1st (12), 2nd (43), 3rd (74), 4th (113), 5th (152), 5th (174), 6th (187)
  22. Philadelphia Eagles (7): 1st (26), 2nd (42), 3rd (86), 4th (101), 5th (141), 5th (162), 7th (224)
  23. Arizona Cardinals (7): 1st (27), 2nd (52), 3rd (84), 3rd (91), 4th (120), 5th (160), 6th (196)
  24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6): 1st (7), 2nd (38), 3rd (69), 5th (143), 5th (149), 6th (185)
  25. Cleveland Browns (6): 1st (8), 1st (22), 2nd (35), 3rd (71), 3rd (94), 4th (127)
  26. Tennessee Titans (6): 1st (11), 2nd (54), 4th (112), 4th (122), 5th (151), 6th (178)
  27. New Orleans Saints (6): 1st (20), 2nd (58), 4th (126), 5th (167), 5th (169), 6th (202)
  28. Kansas City Chiefs (6): 1st (23), 3rd (87), 4th (124), 5th (163), 6th (193), 6th (200)
  29. San Diego Chargers (6): 1st (25), 2nd (50), 3rd (89), 5th (165), 6th (201), 7th (240)
  30. Carolina Panthers (6): 1st (28), 2nd (60), 3rd (92), 4th (128), 5th (148), 6th (204)
  31. Denver Broncos (6): 1st (31), 2nd (56), 3rd (95), 5th (156), 6th (207), 7th (242)
  32. Indianapolis Colts (5): 2nd (59), 3rd (90), 5th (166), 6th (203), 7th (232)

Complete 2014 NFL Draft Order

March 26th, 2014 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL officially announced the 32 compensatory picks for the 2014 draft earlier this week, which means the order for May’s draft has been set. We’re still a few weeks away from the draft getting underway on May 8, so picks could still change hands in trades right up until that date. If they do, we’ll be sure to update this list, which can be found anytime on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Here’s the complete 2014 NFL draft order:

Read more

  1. Houston Texans
  2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars
  4. Cleveland Browns
  5. Oakland Raiders
  6. Atlanta Falcons
  7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. Detroit Lions
  11. Tennessee Titans
  12. New York Giants
  13. St. Louis Rams
  14. Chicago Bears
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers
  16. Dallas Cowboys
  17. Baltimore Ravens
  18. New York Jets
  19. Miami Dolphins
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Kansas City Chiefs
  24. Cincinnati Bengals
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)
  27. New Orleans Saints
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. New England Patriots
  30. San Francisco 49ers
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Seattle Seahawks

Round 2

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Cleveland Browns
  4. Oakland Raiders
  5. Atlanta Falcons
  6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. Tennessee Titans
  11. New York Giants
  12. St. Louis Rams
  13. Detroit Lions
  14. Pittsburgh Steelers
  15. Dallas Cowboys
  16. Baltimore Ravens
  17. New York Jets
  18. Miami Dolphins
  19. Chicago Bears
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Cincinnati Bengals
  24. San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City)
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. New Orleans Saints
  27. Indianapolis Colts
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. San Francisco 49ers
  30. New England Patriots
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Seattle Seahawks

Round 3

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Oakland Raiders
  4. Atlanta Falcons
  5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  6. Jacksonville Jaguars
  7. Cleveland Browns
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. New York Giants
  11. St. Louis Rams
  12. Detroit Lions
  13. San Francisco 49ers (from Tennessee)
  14. Dallas Cowboys
  15. Baltimore Ravens
  16. New York Jets
  17. Miami Dolphins
  18. Chicago Bears
  19. Cleveland Browns (from Pittsburgh)
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Kansas City Chiefs
  24. Cincinnati Bengals
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. Indianapolis Colts
  27. New Orleans Saints
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. New England Patriots
  30. San Francisco 49ers
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle)
  33. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory)
  34. Green Bay Packers (compensatory)
  35. Baltimore Ravens (compensatory)
  36. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory)

Round 4

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Atlanta Falcons
  4. New York Jets (from Tampa Bay)
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars
  6. Cleveland Browns
  7. Oakland Raiders
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. St. Louis Rams
  11. Detroit Lions
  12. Tennessee Titans
  13. New York Giants
  14. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Baltimore)
  15. New York Jets
  16. Miami Dolphins
  17. Chicago Bears
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers
  19. Dallas Cowboys
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Cincinnati Bengals
  24. Kansas City Chiefs
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. New Orleans Saints
  27. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. San Francisco 49ers
  30. New England Patriots
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Seattle Seahawks
  33. Detroit Lions (compensatory)
  34. Baltimore Ravens (compensatory)
  35. Houston Texans (compensatory)
  36. Detroit Lions (compensatory)
  37. New York Jets (compensatory)
  38. Baltimore Ravens (compensatory)
  39. Atlanta Falcons (compensatory)
  40. New England Patriots (compensatory)

Round 5

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars
  5. Cleveland Browns
  6. Seattle Seahawks (from Oakland)
  7. Atlanta Falcons
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Detroit)
  11. Tennessee Titans
  12. New York Giants
  13. St. Louis Rams
  14. New York Jets
  15. Miami Dolphins
  16. Chicago Bears
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers
  18. Dallas Cowboys
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Baltimore)
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Kansas City Chiefs
  24. Cincinnati Bengals
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. Indianapolis Colts
  27. New Orleans Saints
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. New Orleans Saints (from New England via Philadelphia)
  30. San Francisco 49ers
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Seattle Seahawks
  33. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory)
  34. New York Giants (compensatory)
  35. Baltimore Ravens (compensatory)
  36. Green Bay Packers (compensatory)

Round 6

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars
  4. Cleveland Browns
  5. Houston Texans (from Oakland)
  6. Atlanta Falcons
  7. Chicago Bears (from Tampa Bay)
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Buffalo)
  10. Tennessee Titans
  11. New York Giants
  12. St. Louis Rams
  13. Detroit Lions
  14. Miami Dolphins
  15. Chicago Bears
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers
  17. Kansas City Chiefs (from Dallas)
  18. Baltimore Ravens
  19. New York Jets
  20. Arizona Cardinals
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. New England Patriots (from Philadelphia)
  23. Cincinnati Bengals
  24. Kansas City Chiefs
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. New Orleans Saints
  27. Indianapolis Colts
  28. Carolina Panthers
  29. Jacksonville Jaguars (from San Francisco)
  30. New England Patriots
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Seattle Seahawks
  33. New York Jets (compensatory)
  34. New York Jets (compensatory)
  35. Houston Texans (compensatory)
  36. Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory)
  37. New York Jets (compensatory)
  38. St. Louis Rams (compensatory)
  39. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory)

Round 7

  1. Houston Texans
  2. Washington Redskins
  3. Cleveland Browns
  4. Oakland Raiders
  5. Atlanta Falcons
  6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars
  8. Minnesota Vikings
  9. Buffalo Bills
  10. Carolina Panthers (from New York Giants)
  11. St. Louis Rams
  12. Detroit Lions
  13. Tennessee Titans
  14. Dallas Cowboys (from Chicago)
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers
  16. Dallas Cowboys
  17. Indianapolis Colts (from Baltimore)
  18. New York Jets
  19. Miami Dolphins
  20. Oakland Raiders (from Arizona)
  21. Green Bay Packers
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Dallas Cowboys (from Kansas City)
  24. Cincinnati Bengals
  25. San Diego Chargers
  26. St. Louis Rams (from Indianapolis)
  27. San Francisco 49ers (from New Orleans)
  28. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina)
  29. New England Patriots
  30. San Francisco 49ers
  31. Denver Broncos
  32. Oakland Raiders (from Seattle)
  33. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory)
  34. St. Louis Rams (compensatory)
  35. St. Louis Rams (compensatory)
  36. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory)
  37. Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory)
  38. Atlanta Falcons (compensatory)
  39. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory)
  40. Atlanta Falcons (compensatory)
  41. Houston Texans (compensatory)

NFL.com was used in the creation of this post.

Poll: Best Remaining Free Agent

March 15th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Peter Sowards

It’s been an exciting and busy few days since the 2014 NFL league year officially opened Tuesday, and many of the top free agents have already relocated or re-signed with their respective teams. Also, marquee names released by clubs — like DeMarcus Ware and Darrelle Revis — have landed with top contenders priming for Super Bowl runs.

That being said, we’re interested in seeing who you think is the best remaining free agent. We’ll start with the players remaining from Luke Adams’ top 25 NFL free agents, then add players like Antonio Cromartie who were released by their teams and have yet to be signed.

Feel free to defend your vote in the comments section below.

PFR Originals: 3/3/14 – 3/9/14

March 9th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here’s the original content produced by the PFR staff this week:

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