As we head into the final days of February, it is time to start looking ahead to the March Madness that is NFL Free Agency. The annual period where franchise tags and massive deals fill the headlines with NFL players cashing in on their market value with big money contracts with teams desperate to make moves to put them into the Super Bowl race come September.
This March will be no different as several teams with over $50 million in cap space will have the opportunity to make waves in the open market in the aim to acquire enough talent to load up for a championship run. This column takes an aim at projecting which teams will be major players in free agency come early March and make major splashes by signing a star player for big money. Following are six teams that should be in the headlines once teams are cleared to negotiate with unrestricted free agents in a few short weeks:
Jacksonville Jaguars
Each March the Jacksonville Jaguars appear near the top of the list when it comes to cap space and 2017 will be no exception for a franchise that has been a constant player in free agency throughout their perpetual rebuild phase. When the free agency period opens, the Jaguars could have as much as $60 million to spend after they deal with their few unrestricted free agents. A figure that is encouraging for the Jags as they look to move on from former head coach Gus Bradley and start to climb out of the AFC South cellar after a rebuild that went horribly wrong.
In terms of potential free agency targets, the Jaguars could go in a variety of different directions with their offseason plan due to the fact they have several needs on a roster that hasn’t been good enough for a long time. Particularly on offense, where quarterback Blake Bortles and the rest of the unit have disappointed in an area that general manager Dave Caldwell needs to address with wise spending in the free agent market.
With Julius Thomas headed to Miami, look for the Jaguars to heavily pursue a replacement target for Bortles as their main priority. With no state tax in Florida, the cap space heavy Jaguars – along with the two other Florida franchises in Miami and Tampa – always manage to lure a top talent that is looking to maximize their earning potential on their contract. Expect that trend to continue in 2017 with the Jaguars likely to be desperate to bring in some talent to allow head coach Doug Marrone to improve upon the disastrous Bradley era in Jacksonville.
Tennessee Titans
Another AFC South team that is blessed with cap space due to a rebuild and focus on the draft in recent years, the Tennessee Titans are set to have a chance to build a true contender in their division after a second place finish in 2016 behind the Houston Texans. $62 million in cap space as of mid-February should give the Titans a golden opportunity to build on a promising second season with quarterback Marcus Mariota where the team was very close to a postseason berth before Mariota was lost for the year in Week 16 with a broken fibula.
That promising second season with Mariota will make the Titans big time buyers in free agency this season with the belief in the organization being that this roster could become a division champion in 2017 with the right spending. If general manager Jon Robinson can address the issues that kept the Titans away from wins in a handful of games they should have come out on top in last season, the Texans could be in big trouble in the AFC South.
Tennessee’s intriguing potential makes them very interesting buyers this free agency period as Robinson will be motivated to make some big moves to close a very small gap between his roster and his biggest division rival. Expect the Titans to focus on defense where they sorely need to add more talent for defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to build a defense that can compete with the Texans dominant unit that will return JJ Watt in 2017. The Titans will also likely add at least one offensive weapon to aid Marcus Mariota in what will be a spring where top free agents are attached to Tenneessee for the first time in years.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns make this list solely due to their whopping $100 plus million in cap space as of February 20, a number that gives general manager Sashi Brown and head coach Hue Jackson a huge pile of cash to attempt to lure free agents to a franchise with a bad reputation for losing. With very expiring contracts to deal with – save for their lone standout from 2017 in Terrelle Pryor St. – the Browns are likely to end up with over $90 million to convince players to buy into Jackson’s rebuild. An amount of money that will at least give the franchise a chance to make positive steps after they flirted with a 0-16 season for much of Jackson’s first year in charge.
Whether the Browns will be able to convince a top free agent to come to Cleveland at the start of what is assumed to be a multiple year rebuild is up for debate. However, with that amount of absurd money, Brown and Jackson at least have the potential to make a substantial splash in March. It is hard to gauge which free agents could be convinced to take big money to join an annual loser that is likely to lose for at least one or two more seasons before contending, but the Browns certainly have the assets to at least make a case for themselves while they look to change the culture in Cleveland.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Armed with former first overall pick Jameis Winston, the Bucs are in a similar situation to the Titans where they had an encouraging 2016 and now have a chance to build with a war chest of cap space to spend on talent acquisition. Exciting times for a franchise that finished second in the NFC South behind the eventual conference champion Atlanta Falcons with a 9-7 record. A record that shows progress for a franchise that saw exciting young prospects Jameis Winston and Mike Evans make the leap into stardom this past season.
With $61 million in cap space at the start of the offseason, the Bucs will be a major player as the Florida franchise with the best chance to contend for a Super Bowl right away. For players who want to cash in right away while also having the chance to win games along the way, the Bucs are the best spot this offseason and should be able to bring in some pieces to make a run at the Falcons spot at the top of the division.
Look for the Bucs to make a push for players with experience and winning pedigree in the free agency window to add to their young pieces that are already in place. Names like tight end Martellus Bennett, who is fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry comes to mind as veterans the Bucs might look to sign in March to bring that needed leadership experience into the fold. Regardless, with a trove of cap space, young talent, and no-state tax, it is inevitable that the Bucs will be the new home of at least one top free agent this offseason.
Carolina Panthers
After a dismal follow-up season to their Super Bowl appearance, the Carolina Panthers enter the 2017 offseason in desperate need of a quick overhaul to get back in the NFC hunt. A situation that makes the Panthers likely to make a push at a free agency splash in March in order to keep quarterback Cam Newton happy in Carolina after a frustrating season spent behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.
Expect the Panthers to do their best to acquire pass blocking talent this offseason after head coach Ron Rivera spent last season watching Newton take far too much damage under center. If Newton is to stay content with his situation in Carolina, offensive line help is a prerequisite to things getting back on track for a Panthers roster that needs a re-tool to avoid a one season wonder scenario after they regressed heavily the year after a Super Bowl appearance.
Beyond their obvious need for talent in the trenches, the Panthers will be likely buyers in the defensive back market after the Josh Norman departure proved to be highly costly for a defense that went from one of the best in the NFL to one that was in the bottom half of the defensive rankings. The Panthers are also expected to look for further weapons for Newton in the passing game, an interest that has already been indicated by bringing in veteran wideout Victor Cruz in for a visit after he was released by the New York Giants.
Oakland Raiders
Of the teams that feature on this list, the Oakland Raiders will have the least money to work with to make a splash with just $39 million to open up the offseason with deals needed for a handful of veterans who are now unrestricted free agents. The Raiders also have upcoming longterm deals for franchise draft picks Khalil Mack, Derek Carr and Amari Cooper on the horizon, but that won’t stop general manager Reggie McKenzie from doing his best to make a significant splash to put the Silver and Black over the top in the ultra-competitive AFC West.
With running back Latavius Murray potentially headed to a bigger free agency payday elsewhere, the Raiders are likely to make their free agency splash with a signing of a big name veteran looking to join a contender. Oakland’s breakout season and already loaded roster a perfect destination for players who are in the final years of their career to make as a landing spot to chase a championship before they hang up their cleats.
Expect the Raiders to be active players for that type of veteran player this offseason, particularly at running back where they are likely to replace Murray with a cheaper option if their young starter decides to cash in on a strong contract year. It likely won’t be a big money move with the Raiders needing to save some of their cap space for future contracts to star draft picks yet to ink longterm deals, but the Silver and Black will make noise in the veteran market this spring.
