Free Agent List For 2012 Season Starting March 13

[chad72]

Man, this list is stacked:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/02/nfl-free-agent-market-could-offer-more-than-600-players/1?csp=25&kjnd=%2FApAG0JZPjA2hyAJt%2B3WdX6FFgQx56UpdMikwIV3aON26iR275AL5JC0sfMFKutS-e16943d4-4579-4ea6-aefa-9950543c477d_B6takbr44Z3uoa5T5JMDCRkq8PVEXCqqLDJkGj4taCDY0q8BgrTOmzaVoxawe6UU

• QB -- Drew Brees, Jason Campbell, Matt Flynn, Rex Grossman, Chad Henne, Brian Hoyer (RFA), Josh Johnson, Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, Alex Smith,Vince Young
  
• RB -- Cedric Benson, LeGarrette Blount (RFA), Ronnie Brown, Michael Bush, Matt Forte, Arian Foster (RFA), Ryan Grant, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Tim Hightower, Peyton Hillis, Steven Jackson (has voidable deal), Marshawn Lynch, FB Le'Ron McClain, Ray Rice, FB Michael Robinson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Cadillac Williams
  
• WR -- Dwayne Bowe, Deion Branch, Plaxico Burress, Marques Colston, Pierre Garcon, Ted Ginn, DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Stevie Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Mario Manningham, Robert Meachem, Laurent Robinson, Eddie Royal, Jerome Simpson, Steve Smith (Eagles), Mike Wallace (RFA), Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Roy Williams
  
• TE -- Jake Ballard (RFA), Martellus Bennett, John Carlson, Fred Davis, Jermichael Finley, Bo Scaife, Jeremy Shockey, Jacob Tamme
  
• OL -- Jeff Backus, Demetrius Bell, Jacob Bell, Matt Birk, Mike Brisiel, Vernon Carey, Dan Connolly, Brian De La Puente (RFA), Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, Andre Gurode, Nick Hardwick, Dan Koppen, Doug Legursky, Deuce Lutui, Todd McClure, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Myers, Carl Nicks, Samson Satele, Jeff Saturday, Jake Scott, Max Starks, Scott Wells, Jeremy Zuttah
  
• DE -- John Abraham, Cliff Avril, Dave Ball, Raheem Brock, Red Bryant, Calais Campbell, Adam Carriker, Andre Carter, Jonathan Fanene, Israel Idonije, Jason Jones, Robert Mathis, Jeremy Mincey, Cory Redding, Dave Tollefson
  
• DT -- Brodrick Bunkley, Antonio Dixon (RFA), Aubrayo Franklin, Antonio Garay, Sione Pouha, Shaun Rogers, Paul Soliai
  
• LB -- Marcus Benard (RFA), Chase Blackburn, Ahmad Brooks, London Fletcher, David Hawthorne, Geno Hayes, E.J. Henderson, LeRoy Hill, D'Qwell Jackson, Bradie James, Jarret Johnson, Manny Lawson, DeAndre Levy (RFA), Curtis Lofton, Jameel McClain, Kirk Morrison, Matt Roth, Barrett Ruud, Ernie Sims, Anthony Spencer, Stephen Tulloch, Erik Walden, Mario Williams
  
• CB -- Brandon Carr, Cortland Finnegan, Brent Grimes, Richard Marshall, Rashean Mathis, Tracy Porter, Carlos Rogers, Aaron Ross, Terrell Thomas, Lardarius Webb (RFA)
  
• S -- Jordan Babineaux, Tyvon Branch, Brian Dawkins, Thomas DeCoud, Abram Elam, Dashon Goldson, Deon Grant, Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, James Ihedigbo, Sean Jones, LaRon Landry, Jim Leonhard, Brandon Meriweather, Reggie Nelson, Bob Sanders
  
• K/P -- Connor Barth, Britton Colquitt, Phil Dawson, Jay Feely, Nick Folk, John Kasay, Donnie Jones, Mat McBriar, Mike Nugent, Matt Prater, Neil Rackers, Josh Scobee, Steve Weatherford
  

[doogansquest]

Jake Scott, eh....

[Wyld1]

Thanks for the list! Some nice names out there...too bad a few are Colts ;) It should be interesting to see how this offseason plays out via the Free agency route?

[BleedingBlue]

Now we know why Irsay got Grigson. Smart move.

[chad72]

Now we know why Irsay got Grigson. Smart move.

Hope we can say that years from now .

[chrisfarley]

thx 4 the list. raheem brock? wow, i like some of those names. Ryan Grigson is hard at work trying to figure out how we can afford some of these guys. there are some ppl on that list that could help immediately and we do the rest through the draft and late period trades and acquisitions down the road.

[That Guy]

Jake Scott, eh....

I saw the same thing. I would prefer him over Carl Nicks (even though everyone seems ready to sell our souls for him).

He is familiar with our players (if not necesarily our new schemes or coaches), and he would be cheaper and easier to attract back to Indy.

[MR. Blueblood]

After yet another year on IR I wonder what Sanders even thinks he's worth or if he should even try to play. Surely it would be a league minimum deal with a bonus if he can play more than a game or two IF he can get a team to bite on him.

[vinatierifan4]

I think we should focus on getting our guys back first before hitting F/A

[CCH]

After yet another year on IR I wonder what Sanders even thinks he's worth or if he should even try to play. Surely it would be a league minimum deal with a bonus if he can play more than a game or two IF he can get a team to bite on him.

If we get Mark Barron or another S in the draft I would consider bringing Bob in for the vet minimum, I'm not sure how much he'd play but he could teach the rookie some things, and if Bob is finally healthy who knows what could happen.

[chad72]

and if Bob is finally healthy who knows what could happen.

The eternal optimist , hope is a wonderful thing to have in your life .

[doogansquest]

I think we should focus on getting our guys back first before hitting F/A

I don't think this was meant as a shopping list. Big time free agents is where a lot of teams >>> up anyway. Bringing back someone like Scott or Sanders might be beneficial for Manning's last ride, however, as they could be had for relatively cheap, AMD we know what they bring when healthy. Nicks is a big risk, however, as he's going to demand huge bank, and may not perform well with another QB, or a different guard opposite him. I think NO will try to keep him anyway.

[JoKeR]

I wonder which players are most likely resigned?

Brees, Manningham are probably locks.

[Andy]

Well if the Colts move to a 3-4 (they could with all the new coaches previously being in a 3-4 defense), I would really like to target Antonio Garay, he would be a great NT.

Targeting a SS would be good too. It's not a must though. Melvin Bullit is a competant starter, but if they want to take it to the next level, they should target Grant, or Decoud.

The Draft should help us, so free agency should be for immediate impacts and for depth.

[betheafan41]

I wonder which players are most likely resigned?

Brees, Manningham are probably locks.

Id say Brees is resigned, Manningham resigns and colston resigns for sure and Carl Nicks gets franchised

[betheafan41]

Well if the Colts move to a 3-4 (they could with all the new coaches previously being in a 3-4 defense), I would really like to target Antonio Garay, he would be a great NT.

Targeting a SS would be good too. It's not a must though. Melvin Bullit is a competant starter, but if they want to take it to the next level, they should target Grant, or Decoud.

The Draft should help us, so free agency should be for immediate impacts and for depth.

Id say sign Laron Landry, Garay at NT and maybe Mario Williams for that 3-4 defense. may think im crazy about Mario Williams, BUT the texans have to resign Foster and he is going to demand alot of money.

but could get dangerous go after Laron Landry, Antonio Garay, and try to go after Forte,Rice, Lynch, Mcclain, or Hillis to try to get the run game going. plus could help out which ever QB the colts select with the first pick. Rice or Forte will give luck a great check down recieving target to hit. i know its wishful thinking but hey doesnt hurt to put it out there lol

[MAC]

Now we know why Irsay got Grigson. Smart move.

Huh? There is a big list of free agents every year. The best ones get resigned by their own teams. The "big names" that shake loose invariably sign cap crushing contracts that they can't possibly live up to . A good GM can pluck a bargain FA here and there, but that's the icing on the cake, not the foundation of your team.

Grigson was "got" because he supposedly has a terrific eye for talent. He reportedly had nothing to with the Eagles free agent spree, and personally I'm relieved by that thought.

[OllyDawes]

Well if the Colts move to a 3-4 (they could with all the new coaches previously being in a 3-4 defense), I would really like to target Antonio Garay, he would be a great NT.

Targeting a SS would be good too. It's not a must though. Melvin Bullit is a competant starter, but if they want to take it to the next level, they should target Grant, or Decoud.

The Draft should help us, so free agency should be for immediate impacts and for depth.

Garay will have worked with Manusky at Chargers no?

Think SS will be Zbikowski, he's a free agent too I think.

[Andy]

Garay will have worked with Manusky at Chargers no?

Think SS will be Zbikowski, he's a free agent too I think.

He did! Another reason why we should sign him IF the Colts switch to a 34

[CCH]

The eternal optimist , hope is a wonderful thing to have in your life .

Well how could you get hurt when you're not even playing lol, I think even Bob can handle that.

[Andy]

Id say sign Laron Landry, Garay at NT and maybe Mario Williams for that 3-4 defense. may think im crazy about Mario Williams, BUT the texans have to resign Foster and he is going to demand alot of money.

but could get dangerous go after Laron Landry, Antonio Garay, and try to go after Forte,Rice, Lynch, Mcclain, or Hillis to try to get the run game going. plus could help out which ever QB the colts select with the first pick. Rice or Forte will give luck a great check down recieving target to hit. i know its wishful thinking but hey doesnt hurt to put it out there lol

I think you're thinking a little too crazily, but they're all good ideas. Laron Landry is injury prone, and pretty expensive. Not worth the risk, especially with our history with Bob.

If the Colts switch to a 3-4 D, I would imagine that Freeney/Mathis would be the OLBs. They're way too small for a 34 DE. Williams would be a waste.

The Colts are overpopulated at RB. They just drafted Carter, signed Addai and Brown is turning the corner. Another signing would not only kill the Colts salary cap, but would also make the RB spot a very crazy spot in the sense that Addai, Brown and Carter would probably not be happy. Don't draft or sign RBS.

Like I said, sign Garay, only if they move to a 34, and maybe sign a guy like Decoud/Grant. Use the FA for depth and maybe one or two potential starters.

[OllyDawes]

I'd quite like Soliai/Garay, Carriker, Zbikowski and a WR but I can't place one that we could get.

[BleedingBlue]

Grigson was "got" because he supposedly has a terrific eye for talent.

exactly what I was saying.

He reportedly had nothing to with the Eagles free agent spree, and personally I'm relieved by that thought.

exactly what I was saying. never implied that i thought we were going to dive heavily into the FA pool, but if we did have to dip our toes in, its good to know we have a guy that can get wet.

I will add that there are waaaaay more marquee FA this year than have been in a while.

[GoColts00]

Robert Meachem WR

Dan Koppen C

Brandon McKinney NT

Brent Grimes CB

resign Mathis & Garcon

[everybodysgotone]

That is a stacked list. Wow. As for off season matters all bets are off when it comes to "status quo" in Indy. And I like it. It'll be very interesting to see how personnel and roster issues are handled. Exciting times.

[Colts#1fan]

If we get Mark Barron or another S in the draft I would consider bringing Bob in for the vet minimum, I'm not sure how much he'd play but he could teach the rookie some things, and if Bob is finally healthy who knows what could happen.

Give this guy a chance and not Peyton. Wow some times I wonder if people just like to type

[bigunjohn]

Bring back Jake for a last hurrah!!!

[bigunjohn]

Should resign Tamme! He has been loyal and a very capable backup for Dallas!

[WSO]

This is one of the most stacked off seasons I've ever seen. . .add Manning possibly in that mix and it might be the most stacked of all time.

[Coffeedrinker]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Jarrett Johnson yet. Not only does he have connection with Pagano but his play was instrumental in the Ravens D. He doesn't get the accolades because he plays with Lewis, Suggs, Ngata and Reed, but the past two years Johnson has been as big a part for the Ravens D success as those other 4.

[Larry Horseman]

Well if the Colts move to a 3-4 (they could with all the new coaches previously being in a 3-4 defense), I would really like to target Antonio Garay, he would be a great NT.

Miami is not going to try to sign back or franchise Paul Soliai because they are moving to a 4-3. He's my top pick for a NT if we go the FA route.

Targeting a SS would be good too. It's not a must though. Melvin Bullit is a competant starter, but if they want to take it to the next level, they should target Grant, or Decoud.

Calling Bullitt competent is being generous. He is a very nice ST player and fine back-up SS who is capable of providing some spot starts. He is not a solid or even mid-range starter at SS in the league. I wanted an upgrade at the SS position last year via FA, but the Polians opted to ignore more talented and similarly priced options for Bullitt. I don't see how Grigson can't either draft or play the market for one this year. I'm not sure what the cap ramifications are but I wouldn't be surprised if Bullitt is cut for health and performance reasons. I'm not overly impressed with any of the SS FA options this year, but Landry has a ton of upside and would be a solid option if he would sign a shorter incentive-based contract b/c of his injury history the last two years.

[PrincetonTiger]

Could Be an interesting FA period

[betheafan41]

I think you're thinking a little too crazily, but they're all good ideas. Laron Landry is injury prone, and pretty expensive. Not worth the risk, especially with our history with Bob.

If the Colts switch to a 3-4 D, I would imagine that Freeney/Mathis would be the OLBs. They're way too small for a 34 DE. Williams would be a waste.

The Colts are overpopulated at RB. They just drafted Carter, signed Addai and Brown is turning the corner. Another signing would not only kill the Colts salary cap, but would also make the RB spot a very crazy spot in the sense that Addai, Brown and Carter would probably not be happy. Don't draft or sign RBS.

Like I said, sign Garay, only if they move to a 34, and maybe sign a guy like Decoud/Grant. Use the FA for depth and maybe one or two potential starters.

did they re sign addai? i must have missed that news. coulda sworn he was a FA. but even so, i think one of those FA backs i said would be a major upgrade over Addai.

[Andy]

Miami is not going to try to sign back or franchise Paul Soliai because they are moving to a 4-3. He's my top pick for a NT if we go the FA route.

Calling Bullitt competent is being generous. He is a very nice ST player and fine back-up SS who is capable of providing some spot starts. He is not a solid or even mid-range starter at SS in the league. I wanted an upgrade at the SS position last year via FA, but the Polians opted to ignore more talented and similarly priced options for Bullitt. I don't see how Grigson can't either draft or play the market for one this year. I'm not sure what the cap ramifications are but I wouldn't be surprised if Bullitt is cut for health and performance reasons. I'm not overly impressed with any of the SS FA options this year, but Landry has a ton of upside and would be a solid option if he would sign a shorter incentive-based contract b/c of his injury history the last two years.

Paul Soliai is also extremely expensive making over 11 million dollars this last year. I think the Fins could still resign him but ask him to play as a 4-3 NT. If they do release him, I would be for him coming, but it would have to be for a cheap price.

Bullitt is a competant starter. This is the guy who got 4 picks in his second to last healthy year. He gets 70+ tackles. Im for getting Tony Dye or somebody like him in the middle rounds, but unless Barron drops to the 2nd, it's not worth spending a high pick on a SS. He's good enough for one more year. Landry is more injury prone than Bullitt, and there are better options out there than Landry. Plus, he's gonna want a lot of money becuase he and Fletcher have been the voices of that D. I think it's better for the Skins to resign him. Decoud or Grant are better picks than Landry, imo. I just don't think with the PM situation it's good to start spending money in the FA. Just keep Bullitt for now, and draft a guy in the middle rounds.

[chad72]

I think the Fins could still resign him but ask him to play as a 4-3 NT. If they do release him, I would be for him coming, but it would have to be for a cheap price.

I don't see Soliai coming cheap, he will demand in the range of $30 mil. for a 4 yr. contract at the very least, IMO.

The 3-4/4-3 hybrid, I also wonder if we can get by with 320-330 lb NTs if we use the Wade Philips/Bum Philips 1-gap style of 3-4. Then, the need for 350 lb NTs is not as big, just a thought. Athletic NTs in the 320 lb range would be a better fit then, and make it easier to use several guys from the draft like Brandon Thompson, Josh Chapman, and even my sleeper pick Akiem Nicks (324, 4.98, 6'5" from Regina) . Jay Ratliff of the Cowboys barely weighs 300 lbs and he played NT in Wade Philips' style of 3-4. If we are using the hybrid, it makes little sense to pay so much for an NT if he is not playing NT in all formations (3-4 and 4-3).

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8451/shaun-cody

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5884/earl-mitchell

Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell, the 2 NT rotation for the Texans, was mighty effective. Cody is about 301 lbs and Earl Mitchell 291 lbs. The behemoth NT that is 350 lbs that cannot move as well is of less use to us than a 310-320 lb guy that can really move.

[doogansquest]

This is one of the most stacked off seasons I've ever seen. . .add Manning possibly in that mix and it might be the most stacked of all time.

Manning would make any list the most stacked of all-time. There's never been a better player.

[Andy]

I don't see Soliai coming cheap, he will demand in the range of $30 mil. for a 4 yr. contract at the very least, IMO.

The 3-4/4-3 hybrid, I also wonder if we can get by with 320-330 lb NTs if we use the Wade Philips/Bum Philips 1-gap style of 3-4. Then, the need for 350 lb NTs is not as big, just a thought. Athletic NTs in the 320 lb range would be a better fit then, and make it easier to use several guys from the draft like Brandon Thompson, Josh Chapman, and even my sleeper pick Akiem Nicks (324, 4.98, 6'5" from Regina) . Jay Ratliff of the Cowboys barely weighs 300 lbs and he played NT in Wade Philips' style of 3-4. If we are using the hybrid, it makes little sense to pay so much for an NT if he is not playing NT in all formations (3-4 and 4-3).

http://espn.go.com/n...8451/shaun-cody

http://www.rotoworld...4/earl-mitchell

Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell, the 2 NT rotation for the Texans, was mighty effective. Cody is about 301 lbs and Earl Mitchell 291 lbs. The behemoth NT that is 350 lbs that cannot move as well is of less use to us than a 310-320 lb guy that can really move.

That's what I said either here or in another thread. He's making 11M this year, and unless he comes for cheap, dont get him. We can all agree he ain't coming for cheap.

In a 3-4, it's good to have an athletic guy in the middle, or a really big guy, they're both good to have. Now there is a problem with the players you named. Thompson, and is not that athletic. Thompson could be a great pick, but there is someone better that plays 3-4. Alameda is the perfect 3-4 to target with the 2nd round pick. Then pick a CB in the 3rd and maybe 4th. I see what you're saying though, but if we can target a Vince Wilfork or a young Shaun Rogers, take him.

[LUVTHESHOE]

Some really interesting receivers on that list, and man we could use a couple of them.Bowe, L. ROBINSON OR V.Jackson would head my list.

[Andy]

Some really interesting receivers on that list, and man we could use a couple of them.Bowe, L. ROBINSON OR V.Jackson would head my list.

Watch out for Vincent Jackson to New England, just putting it out there.

[LUVTHESHOE]

Watch out for Vincent Jackson to New England, just putting it out there.

Yea for sure, they have been exposed at that position.