Ranking the top 15 NFL free agents
8. Teddy Bridgewater, QB
Bridgewater will be one of the great mysteries of this free agent class. He could’ve topped this list if not for the devastating knee injury that has cost him two full seasons, leading to him becoming a free agent at 25 with many question marks. He’s smart, he’s physically gifted, and he’s immensely talented, but nobody has any clue how he’ll look after two years away from the game. A team like the New York Jets could certainly do far worse, but make no mistake, signing Bridgewater will be a big risk for whoever does it. It could just come with massive reward.
9. Malcolm Butler, CB
Whatever happened this past year, Butler can at least lean on very strong 2015 and 2016 seasons, and that should be enough to draw in many interested parties. His 2017 wasn’t as good, and he’s going into free agency on a very sour note after his abrupt Super Bowl benching. That may not be held against him in free agency, but he’s still not entering on a high. It might not matter — his resume will be enough to attract wide interest, though it’s pretty much a certainty he won’t be going anywhere near New England again.
10. Bashaud Breeland, CB
There’s a lot to like about Breeland. The 26-year-old defended 19 passes last season, has plenty of talent, and has been a starter for Washington since pretty much day one. Of course, he’s also been inconsistent and at times frustrating for a team and fanbase that feels that he hasn’t hit his full potential. Breeland will likely land elsewhere next season, and he’s not a sure thing, but he has enough talent to ensure that a new team — and a change of scenery — could end up getting a really good corner.
11. Sheldon Richardson, DE
On talent alone, Richardson should be much higher on this list. The 27-year-old defensive tackle had eight sacks in 2014 and looked like he was on the way up, but his career has stagnated and he wasn’t always a great teammate when he was with the New York Jets. A trade to the Seattle Seahawks prior to last season did nothing to reinvigorate his career, as he collected just one sack. Someone will take a chance on the talent — maybe even his old team — and perhaps they’ll be rewarded. It’s in there, but he’s been trending in the wrong direction.
12. Jimmy Graham, TE
Graham is no longer the superstar that he was when with the New Orleans Saints, but discount him at your own peril. He’s great as a red-zone threat, as evidenced by the ten touchdowns he reeled in for the Seattle Seahawks last season. That was his best single-season total since leaving New Orleans, which should offer some encouragement for potential free agent suitors. He’s 31, which is a touch worrisome, but he’s still producing, even if not at the levels he once was.
13. E.J. Gaines, CB
Gaines wasn’t expected to be much when the Bills acquired him in the Sammy Watkins trade. He ended up establishing himself as a starter, and he was a steady contributor to a playoff defense. Guys like that get paid, especially when they play cornerback, so don’t be surprised if Gaines lands himself a nice contract this offseason. He’s had some injury issues, but he’s certainly done well to establish himself as a good option.
14. Star Lotulelei, DT
Lotulelei isn’t a downright elite player, but he’s been a steady, reliable starter on what has ranked as one of the league’s elite defenses over the last several years. There’s definitely a market for guys like that, especially people who can plug up the middle and help pressure a quarterback, even if they aren’t the ones collecting the sacks. Lotulelei does have 11.5 of them in his career, plus 88 tackles over his five NFL seasons. He won’t anchor anyone’s defensive line, but he can certainly contribute.
15. Sammy Watkins, WR
Watkins is inevitably still being measured against the expectations that he came into the league with, and he has not met them. That said, he’s still a productive receiver who was good enough that the Rams considered using the franchise tag on him. In his season with the Rams, he underwhelmed with 593 receiving yards, but managed eight touchdowns, making him a valuable red zone contributor. Someone will find use for him, even if he isn’t the superstar everyone hoped he would be.
