Top 50 Free Agents
Sorry if this has been posted already. Can we get just one great CB and S to feel comfy in the back? I cant stand watching every team go into the red zone on almost every play, it also means less time for us on the field, less points. My picks are in BOLD.
Top 50 free agents: Former top pick Williams is top player on open market
By Pete Prisco | CBSSports.com Senior NFL Columnist
My rule when ranking NFL free agents: Nobody age 30 or over in the top 10 -- unless you are a quarterback.
You can be 30 and a star, and you won't be atop my list. I just can't see the rationale in spending big money on a 30-or-older player when it's almost a certainty that the player won't be playing at a high level for the duration of the contract.
The target age is 26 or 27.
Those players are reaching their prime. Their best football is to come. And, most importantly, they should play well to the end of their free-agent contracts.
It's bang for the buck.
As you scan my list of the top 50 free agents for 2012, you also won't see players that I fully expect to see get the franchise tag. That means players like New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, Chicago running back Mart Forte and Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell. There will be other players who get the franchise tag, but for now we'll just leave out those three.
One player I don't expect to get the tag is Houston defensive end/outside linebacker Mario Williams. If the Texans were to tag him, his franchise number would be $22 million. That's way too much for a cap-strapped team.
The Texans played without him for much of the season in 2010 and made the playoffs with emerging outside rushers in Conner Barwin and Brooks Reed. I would expect Williams would check out the market before re-signing with the Texans.
If he hits the market, I would expect him to become the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Williams just turned 27 in January and he has 53 career sacks in 5 1/2 seasons.
He's the No. 1 guy for this season -- even if/when when Peyton Manning hits the market, unless Manning can prove he can throw with the same zip.
One more thing: No backs in the top 10. I just wouldn't pay any of them --- no matter who they are. The value isn't there in a passing league.
1. Mario Williams, DE, Houston Texans -- The Texans used him as a 3-4 rush outside linebacker last year, but I think his best spot is as a 4-3 end.
In a passing league, a young, premium corner lilke Carr will attract top dollar.
2. Brandon Carr, CB, Kansas City Chiefs -- How often do good man-cover players in their prime hit the market? This kid is about to get paid. He is this high because he plays a premium position well. He turns 26 in May.
3. Carl Nicks, G, New Orleans Saints -- I consider him to be the best guard in the NFL. He is a nasty player who can block for the run or the pass. He turns 27 in May.
4. Cliff Avril, DE, Detroit Lions -- He has 19 1/2 sacks the past two seasons, including 11 last season. He has developed into a top pass rusher. He turns 26 in April, which makes him even more valuable.
5. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles -- The ability should get him a huge contract. But the attitude might cut that down some. Even so, this kid is a game-changer. Those guys don't hit the market all the time. He turns 26 in December.
6. Jermichael Finley, TE, Green Bay Packers -- He didn't quite have the season many expected in 2011 (55 catches), but he is still a heck of an athlete who can do a ton of things for a tight end. He turns 25 in March.
7. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers -- The Chargers want him back, but at what cost? The indication is that the team won't tag him. He turned 29 in January.
8. Brent Grimes, CB, Atlanta Falcons -- He is a feisty corner who can play man or zone. He is small, but he has great athletic ability. The Falcons missed him late when he was injured. He turns 29 in August.
9. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs -- The Chiefs want him back in the worst way, but at what price? He is their top target in the passing game, but do they tag him? He turns 28 in September.
10. Red Bryant, DT, Seattle Seahawks -- He had eight starts in his first three seasons, but started 16 in 2011 and was a force on the Seattle defense. He is a perfect 3-4 end, which is where he played last season. He is this year's Ray McDonald. He turns 28 in April.
11. Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens -- He is a big part of what the Ravens do, and there is a chance he could get franchised. But that's not a definite. He just turned 25 in January.
12. Robert Mathis, DE, Indianapolis Colts -- He is coming off his best season, but he turns 31 this month and is older than some teams would like for free agents. But he has improved against the run. He could easily make the transition from 4-3 end to 3-4 rush 'backer.
13. Steve Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills -- There has already been some outrageous numbers bandied about for Johnson. The Bills want him back, but the price could get high. He is a franchise tag possibility. He turns 26 in July.
14. Cortland Finnegan, CB, Tennessee Titans -- He just turned 28 this month and will be a hot commodity on the open market. It doesn't appear he's coming back to Tennessee. The Lions would seem to be a team that will make a push.
15. Carlos Rogers, CB, San Francisco 49ers -- He is the player who will benefit most from signing a one-year deal. He will cash in big after a good 2011 season for the 49ers. He isn't young, turning 31 in July.
16. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints -- The question with Colston is whether he would be as good in another system. I say yes, but he isn't a burner. He turns 29 in June.
17. Tyvon Branch, S, Oakland Raiders -- Branch led the Raiders in tackles and should have been in the Pro Bowl. He has improved in coverage as well. He turns 26 in December.
18. Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots -- He led the league in catches, but is he a No. 1 receiver in any other system? The other issue is age. He turns 31 in June.
19. Dashon Goldson, S, San Francisco 49ers -- He is coming off his most complete season. He has always been a good run defender, but improved against the pass this season with six picks. He seemed leaner and faster. He turns 28 in September.
Tracy Porter might prove to be too costly for the Saints.
20. Tracy Porter, CB, New Orleans Saints -- He is a good, solid starting corner, and those guys get paid. The Saints probably won't be able to keep him. He turns 26 in August.
21. Jeremy Mincey, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars -- This is a try-hard player who did some good things against some good tackles last season. He isn't a speed player, but he is a solid 10-sack, good-run player. He turns 29 in December.
22. Chris Myers. C, Houston Texans -- He was one of the better centers in the NFL last season, a perfect player for their cutback schemes. He turns 31 in September.
23. Jared Gaither, T, San Diego Chargers -- The Chargers added him late when Marcus McNeil went down and he played well down the stretch. He has ability, which he showed when he was a starter for the Ravens before back troubles slowed his career. He turns 26 in March.
24. Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Denver Broncos -- He is coming off his best season, the timing of it coming perfectly since he signed a one-year deal. He turns 29 in November.
25. Anthony Spencer, OLB, Dallas Cowboys -- In a league desperate for pass-rush help, he will get action on the market, even though his six-sack total was a disappointment last season. He just turned 28 in January.
