NFL: Predicting Where the Top 5 Best Remaining NFL Free Agents Will Be Playing in 2015
It's been a wild offseason for NFL fans.
So many notable players, like Ndamukong Suh, Darrelle Revis and DeMarco Murray, are all on different rosters this year. Obviously the best and most elite players have already been signed, but there's still a few gems out on the open market. Let's take a look at some of the most notable players who are still unsigned.
Reggie Wayne
He's one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. Reggie Wayne will end up in Canton one day, that's for sure, but for now, he's got to find a team to play for. Wayne is 36 years old and obviously past his prime, but let's not count him out just yet. Even last season with the Indianapolis Colts, Wayne had a valuable 64 catches and 779 receiving yards. There are plenty of teams that could have used that production last season.
Possible Fits: The Denver Broncos would be a great fit considering Peyton Manning threw passes to Wayne for 11 seasons and tight end Julius Thomas is no longer on the team. Both the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns could use a veteran wide receiver as well.
Wes Welker
Wes Welker is obviously one of the best slot receivers ever, but head injuries have halted teams from signing him this offseason. The New England Patriots have done just fine without him, having won the Super Bowl last season. Welker can still make a difference in short yardage situations.
Possible Fits: The Buffalo Bills could use a guy like Welker to help E.J. Manuel to complete short yard completions while Sammy Watkins continues to thrive downfield. Even the Kansas City Chiefs should consider Welker, especially given the fact that Alex Smith is a short yard play-it-safe type of quarterback.
Jake Long
This is a pretty tough situation. Jake Long has been a great offensive lineman in the NFL having played for both the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams, however he did tear his ACL last season. Long is a former No. 1 overall draft pick out of Michigan, and he's a great teammate. Long is also just 30 years old.
Possible Fits: The New York Giants have been rumored to be interested, but nothing has been confirmed yet. The Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars gave up the most sacks last season, so bringing in Long wouldn't be a huge risk.
Steven Jackson
Running backs don't usually play great past the age of 30, but Steven Jackson could be a good addition for a team that needs rushing help. Jackson has 11,388 career rushing yards; that's the most rushing yards of any active player in the NFL. He's obviously not in his prime, but Jackson still had 707 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season on a terrible Atlanta Falcons squad. Jackson has also stayed healthy playing in 15 games last season, and has missing just five total games the last five seasons.
Possible Fits:
The Dallas Cowboys could sign Jackson to a short-term deal for a backup plan. The Cowboys no longer have Murray on the roster, and Darren McFadden is injury prone. The San Diego Chargers may even want to consider getting Philip Rivers some running help.
Knowshon Moreno
A very talented running back who has been the victim of some bad injuries, Knowshon Moreno led the Broncos to the Super Bowl just two years ago with 1,038 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, but he tore his ACL last season with the Miami Dolphins.
Possible Fits:
The Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders had the two worst rushing attacks in the league last season, and they should at least bring in Moreno for a workout. The Cardinals don't have a reliable quarterback who can stay healthy, and the Raiders have to get Derek Carr some help.
Other notable NFL free agents include Michael Vick, Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, John Abraham, Santana Moss and Brandon Lloyd.