With Super Bowl LI in the books, NFL teams are already looking ahead to the 2017 season. They won’t have to wait long before trying to upgrade their rosters since free agency is less than a month away.
Free agents are allowed to officially sign with new teams on March 9, and some big names could be changing uniforms this offseason. The NFL’s best running back, a top quarterback and multiple Pro Bowl defenders are without contracts following the 2017 Super Bowl.
Most of the best players that are seeking new deals won’t be given the opportunity to go anywhere. They will likely be hit with the franchise tag, which locks a player into a one-year contract, paying him an average of the top five salaries at his position or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever number is higher. One franchise tag is allotted per team, and players that are franchised have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal.
There are times when teams are unwilling to shell out big money for their stars, allowing them to sign lucrative contracts elsewhere. That’s what happened last offseason when Josh Norman left the Carolina Panthers for the Washington Redskins.
Some players are almost certain to switch teams this offseason. Tony Romo is likely done with the Dallas Cowboys, though he’s still under contract and could be traded soon.
Here are the top NFL free agents in the 2017 offseason:
1) Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
He might not be in the first tier of NFL quarterbacks, but Cousins has been a top-10 player at his position in each of the last few years. With 54 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions, Cousins has helped give the Redskins one of the league’s best offenses. He’s the best quarterback on the market, and he’ll command a nine-figure contract if the Redskins let him go. Washington might not be willing to commit over $100 million to him just yet, but they’ll likely franchise Cousins since they can’t afford to lose him.
Kirk Cousins, pictured at Soldier Field in Chicago on Dec. 24, 2016, is in line for a big payday this offseason. Photo: Reuters/Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
2) Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in yards on the ground this past season, but Bell is the league’s most complete running back. Playing 12 games in 2016, he became the first player in league history to average at least 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards per contest. He was key to the Steelers’ success on offense, and the organization is likely to use the franchise tag to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last month that the Steelers could end up signing both him and wide receiver Antonio Brown to extensions this offseason.
3) Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
The 2016 season was Kansas City’s best in 13 years, and Berry was probably the team’s MVP. Just two years after Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the safety recorded 77 tackles and four interceptions, managing to score two defensive touchdowns. He even garnered a vote for Defensive Player of the Year. The Chiefs used their franchise tag on Berry last year, and it’s hard to believe they’d let him walk this offseason, potentially choosing to keep him instead of free-agent defensive tackle Dontari Poe.
4) Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers find themselves in an interesting position with the star defensive tackle. A year after it looked like Short would get a long-term deal with the Panthers, his production suffered. He recorded five fewer sacks and forced two fewer fumbles than he did in 2015, though he looked like his old self in the second half of the season. Carolina proved that they are willing to let their best players walk when Norman signed with Washington, though head coach Ron Rivera has admitted the team will probably use the franchise tag on Short.
5) Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals
After being traded from the New England Patriots last offseason, Jones looks to have a future in Arizona. Head coach Bruce Arians said, via Kyle Odegard of the team’s official website, that they won’t let the outside linebacker go elsewhere, which isn’t surprising considering the way he played in 2016. Playing in every game, Jones totaled 11 sacks and was a key part in the Cardinals ranking second in total defense.
6) A.J Bouye, Houston Texans
Bouye earned himself plenty of money after going undrafted in 2013. He’s the best cornerback in free agency, and he shined in the playoffs with two interceptions after recording 16 pass breakups in the regular season. Houston will look to keep a key part of their No. 1 overall ranked defense, though Bouye will be highly coveted if he hits the open market.
7) Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers
Ingram was one of the few bright spots for the last-place Chargers in the 2016 season. He had 60 tackles and eight sacks, totaling 18.5 sacks in the past two years. As one of the top outside linebackers available, LA might be forced to use their franchise tag on Ingram. If he hits the open market, Ingram could command a contract upwards of $80 million.
8) Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants
The defensive end was in the same position last year when he signed a one-year deal with the Giants, but that won’t happen again in 2017. Pierre-Paul has been adamant that he won’t sign another one-year contract, and that could spell the end of his time in New York. The Giants spent more than $200 million in total contracts on their defense last offseason, and they likely won’t be giving him the $85 million he reportedly desires. Pierre-Paul recorded seven sacks in 12 games, failing to play a full season for the third time in four years.
9) Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears
The wide receiver has certainly made it seem like he wants to return to Chicago, guaranteeing the team will win the Super Bowl in 2018. Jeffery played under the franchise tag this past season, catching 52 passes for 821 yards in 12 games. The 26-year-old was productive when healthy, considering Chicago’s issues at quarterback, but the Bears might not give him the contract he’s seeking after he failed to play a full season for a second straight year.
10) Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
The linebacker was one of the most important players on the Patriots’ championship defense, making a few key plays in the Super Bowl. He’ll get plenty of offers in free agency, and Bill Belichick has proven time and time again that he has no problem parting ways with players that are in line for a big payday. Just ask Jamie Collins, whom the team traded to the Cleveland Browns in the middle of the season.
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