With free agency quickly approaching, it is becoming more and more clear which big names players will be hitting the market this year. Based on the number of impact players available, this offseason could be one of the busiest in recent memory. Here’s a quick list of the top 10 free agents available (as of now) in 2015:
Byron Maxwell—Seattle Seahawks, cornerback: Maxwell is the best cornerback available this offseason, but because secondary players are so scarce this season he will be vastly overpaid. Nonetheless, still a great players and an immediate impact starter.
Greg Hardy—Carolina Panthers, defensive end: Hardy will not be available until he is reinstated, and there is still a possibility that he will be suspended for the beginning of this season. Despite his off the field issues, his talent and numbers on the field certainly make him one of the better defensive players available this offseason.
Mike Iupati—San Francisco 49ers, guard: Iupati has been one of the best run blockers in the NFL over his career. He is not coming off his best season, but maybe a change of scenery could help him out on the field.
Randall Cobb—Green Bay Packers, wide receiver: As it stands right now, Cobb is the best slot receiver available. Cobb can be a complete game-changer for both the punt return game and the offense as a whole. Aaron Rodgers’s numbers will certainly drop if he is not resigned.
DeMarco Murray—Dallas Cowboys, running back: Murray and Bryant both make the list form the Cowboys because they will more than likely only be able to keep one of them. Murray is an amazing player, but he does come with some risk. The Cowboys have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and on top of that he had an insane 497 carries this past season. Murray may not be the same coming back in 2015 with a new team.
Devin McCourty—New England Patriots, safety: McCourty is not the best coverage corner in the NFL, but he is the leader of one of the best defense in the league. McCourty has made it clear that he wants to stay in New England, but with their salary cap issues he may need to find a new home for 2015.
Jason Pierre-Paul—New York Giants, defensive end: Pierre-Paul has had some back issues, but those seem to be completely gone now. JPP recorded nine sacks over the last five games of the season, and he is a well-known run stopper. The Giants are leaning towards using the franchise tag, but if he hits the market he will be a great addition to any defense.
Dez Bryant—Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver: The Cowboys are most likely going to franchise tag Bryant, but his off the field behavior is making them question his reliability. Well, numbers don’t lie. He’s the best wide receiver available but a long shot.
Justin Houston—Kansas City Chiefs, outside linebacker: If it weren’t for Ndamukong Suh, Houston would be the best available player by a landslide. Houston was one sack away from breaking Michael Strahan’s record, and he has averaged 1.2 sacks per game over the past two seasons. If the Chiefs let him go he will be a great pick up.
Ndamukong Suh—Detroit Lions, defensive tackle: The only defensive lineman in the NFL right now that is playing better than Suh is J.J. Watt himself. Suh has had a Hall of Fame-type career so far: he shreds double teams, punishes quarterbacks, and stops running backs in their tracks. The Lions would have to pay $26.7 million to franchise tag him, so Suh may find a new team this season.