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2017 NFL free agency all-star team, the best players available at each position

Posted by on Mar 6, 2017 12:00

NFL free agency is getting underway this week. On Tuesday, teams can begin talking to unrestricted free agents and discussing contracts with them. And on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET, signings can become official as the new league year begins.

News of players switching teams and big contracts being handed out, and what effects those developments may have on the NFL landscape will soon be flooding our news feeds and generating hot takes and analysis.

Who are the best available players at each position in NFL free agency? We put together an all-star team made up of the names now on the open market.

Quarterback: Geno Smith

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

That’s right, I think Geno Smith is better — or at least has a higher ceiling — than Colin Kaepernick, Mike Glennon, Brian Hoyer and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

It’s easy to forget that Smith was viewed as the New York Jets’ starter before a teammate broke his jaw prior to the 2015 season. And there were signs he was coming around. During the final four games in 2014, the then-second-year signal-caller completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,001 yards, along with six touchdowns, two interceptions, a 9.2 yards-per-attempt average and a 105.3 passer rating.

Sure, it’s a small sample. But Kaepernick turns 30 next year, and he hasn’t been good since 2013. Smith is still just 26. This could change if Jay Cutler or Tony Romo hit the market, but right now Smith is the only impending unrestricted free agent who has even a small chance of becoming a successful starter.

Possible destinations: Bills, Bears, Jets, Texans
Backup(s): Kaepernick, Hoyer, Glennon

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk

The 25-year-old is a great all-around player, which is why he’s coming off a Pro Bowl season. He’s caught 35-plus passes in each of the last two years.

Possible destinations: Ravens, Panthers
Backup(s): James Develin

Running back: Eddie Lacy

The 26-year-old averaged 5.1 yards per carry in five starts before getting hurt in 2016. He was finally staying in shape and on the right track, which has me thinking a fresh setting and better luck with injuries could help him get back to Pro Bowl form.

That’s why I’m rolling with Lacy over the Adrian Peterson, who will soon turn 32 and has missed 28 of Minnesota’s last 48 games. Peterson is averaging just 2.9 yards per career in his last nine outings. He’s probably done, while Lacy and other younger backs like Latavius Murray and Rex Burkhead are actually better buys.

Possible destinations: Packers, Giants, Vikings
Backup(s): Murray, Burkhead, Peterson

Wide receivers: Terrelle Pryor, Alshon Jeffery

Pryor is an incredibly dangerous weapon coming off a breakout season as a receiver and Jeffery has Pro Bowl talent. The former has to prove he wasn’t a one-hit wonder in 2016 and the latter has to become more reliable in general, but both have the ability to become solid No. 1 options.

Not sure you can say the same for Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson or Brandon Marshall, all of whom appear to be declining. In fact, no receiver had a lower reception rate on 100-plus targets in 2016 than Marshall.

Possible destinations: Browns, Bears, Titans, Eagles, 49ers
Backup(s): Kenny Britt, Jackson, Garcon

Tight end: Martellus Bennett

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The 30-year-old had 55 catches for 701 yards and seven touchdowns despite starting just 12 games for the Patriots in 2016. He caught a ridiculous 75.3 percent of the passes thrown his way, and that wasn’t a major anomaly. Bennett has caught at least 69 percent of the passes thrown his way for 700-plus yards in three of his last four seasons.

Possible destinations: Giants, Cardinals, Rams, Broncos
Backup(s): Jack Doyle, Jared Cook

Offensive tackles: Andrew Whitworth, Ricky Wagner

(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Whitworth is 35, so he’s not a long-term guy. But he was one of the best left tackles in the game while earning a Pro Bowl nod last season and no other premier players at that position are slated to hit free agency. The 27-year-old Wagner was solid in 14 starts at right tackle for the Ravens, surrendering just three sacks while earning superb Pro Football Focus grades.

Possible destinations: Vikings, Seahawks, Panthers, Giants, Bears for Whitworth; Rams, Jaguars, Broncos, Seahawks, 49ers, Chargers for Wagner
Backup(s): Russell Okung, Kelvin Beachum, Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff

Guards: Kevin Zeitler, T.J. Lang

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Both were top-10 guards at PFF in 2016. Zeitler has an edge, though. At 27, he’s two and a half years younger than Lang, who is also recovering from hip surgery.

Possible destinations: Seahawks, Dolphins, 49ers, Buccaneers, Texans, Chargers, Colts
Backup(s): Larry Warford, Patrick Omameh, Austin Pasztor

Center: J.C. Tretter

(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

The 27-year-old was one of the best starting centers in the NFL before suffering a torn MCL in October. He has the ability to become a Pro Bowler in 2017 and beyond.

Possible destinations: Packers, Rams, 49ers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Jets
Backup(s): Nick Mangold, Joe Hawley

Defensive linemen: Brandon Williams, Chris Baker, Dontari Poe

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Focusing on interior 4-3 defensive linemen and run-stopping 3-4 tackles and ends, we have a deep group of impending free agents that contains no real stars. Williams is young, massive and consistently reliable, and good enough that a lot of folks thought he’d be hit with the franchise tag. Same applies to Poe, really. And Baker has played at a semi-Pro Bowl level the last couple years in Washington.

Possible destinations: Ravens, Redskins, Chiefs, Raiders, 49ers, Lions, Colts
Backup(s): Nick Fairley, Dominique Easley, Johnathan Hankins, Alan Branch

Edge rushers: Calais Campbell, Nick Perry, Jabaal Sheard

With Melvin Ingram, Chandler Jones and Jason Pierre-Paul all receiving franchise tags, the pool is shallow. Campbell, however, is a stellar run-stuffer and pass-rusher who has started 120 games over the last eight years in Arizona. He’ll be 31 this year, but Campbell can be a difference-maker up front in the right spot.

The younger Perry and Sheard have flashed for short stretches. The former is coming off a breakout, 11-sack season, and the latter has 36 sacks in his six-year career.

Possible destinations: Cardinals, Packers, Patriots, Browns, Lions, Saints, Rams, Ravens, Colts, 49ers, Bills
Backup(s): Lorenzo Alexander, Mario Addison, DeMarcus Ware

Linebackers: Dont’a Hightower, Zach Brown

Hightower is a star. He’s a top-notch playmaker with no real weaknesses, he’s in his prime and he seems to come up big in important moments. Coming from a place like New England, that’s tantalizing. Meanwhile, Brown had a breakout age-27 season, recording 97 tackles while earning a Pro Bowl nod in Buffalo.

Possible destinations: Patriots, Bills, Lions, Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins, Broncos, Bears, Chiefs
Backup(s): Lawrence Timmons, Gerald Hodges

Cornerbacks: A.J. Bouye, Stephon Gilmore

Bouye broke out in 2016, becoming a shutdown corner as his age-27 season wore on. There was a chance he’d be franchise tagged. Same with Gilmore, who had five interceptions in 15 games while earning a Pro Bowl nod for the Bills. Both are younger than 27 and surefire No. 1 corners going forward.

Possible destinations: Texans, Bills, Panthers, Saints, Jets, 49ers, Packers, Bears, Titans
Backup(s): Logan Ryan, Prince Amukamara, Morris Claiborne, Captain Munnerlyn

Safeties: Tony Jefferson, John Cyprien

Both were top-10 safeties at PFF in 2016. Jefferson was even a franchise tag candidate in Arizona, but that went to Chandler Jones. They’re not superstars yet — they had a combined zero interceptions in 31 games last season — but neither has turned 27. Their ceilings are high.

Possible destinations: Jaguars, Cardinals, Colts, Buccaneers, Redskins, Browns, 49ers, Bears, Titans
Backup(s): T.J. McDonald, Barry Church, D.J. Swearinger

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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