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The NFL’s 2016 League Year and Free Agency Period Begins on March 15

Just down the hall here on the second floor of the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, the Jets pro personnel staff continues to prepare for free agency. After improving their win total by 6 games in 2015, the Green & White would like to take the next step in 2016 by earning a playoff berth and competing for a championship.

“We’re still a work in progress. In a perfect world, we’d like to keep all our players moving forward,” GM Mike Maccagnan told season ticket holders last week. “But now we’re in the evaluation process. We’ve sort of done our internal self-scout. Now we’re putting our board together for pro free agency and we actually include our own players in those stacks. We grade every player by position that is a pro free agent from top to bottom. We build a pro free agency board just like we build our draft board. And then we sit down and try to figure out fair market value for our players and you figure out an area you’d like to get the contract done at.”

Some of the prominent Jets who have expiring contracts include QB Ryan Fitzpatrickicon-article-link.gif, RBs Chris Ivoryicon-article-link.gif & Bilal Powellicon-article-link.gif, DE Muhammad Wilkersonicon-article-link.gif & NT Damon “Snacks” Harrison. The 2016 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:oo p.m. NY time on March 15.

“You actually have to set a limit on how high you will go with that contract because again you try to put all these pieces together like a puzzle to give you the best opportunity to be successful on the field,” Maccagnan said. “Our goal - in a very general way right now - is to kind of figure out our offseason free agency strategy. We have a good idea of what we’re doing. We’re still finalizing it, but it’s really knowing what we want to achieve which is keep as many as our free agents on the team as possible. But we always have to be prepared if they go elsewhere in free agency because other teams will pay them more than we would pay them per se. But the key is obviously trying to make sure we make decisions to help us to go to the next level going forward.”

Echoing head coach Todd Bowles, Maccagnan expressed his desire to increase the speed on the Jets’ roster.

“In terms of team needs, pass rusher would be one,” he said. “Maybe a speed edge, finesse-type pass rusher that can really challenge the corner… And then on the offensive side, we obviously want to make the tight end position more competitive. We always could use more speed on the outside. We have a good offensive line. At the end of the day, we just want to continue to add some young players in the draft to kind of stockpile that position for the future.”

@nyjets

Ragland, Hawkins, Floyd? ICYMI: An early look at mock drafts >> http://bit.ly/1SopsMe 

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The Jets enter this offseason in a much different financial position than they did a year ago. Last year, new general manager Mike Maccagnan had money to shop for free agents who had Fifth Avenue price tags. This year? It should be more like the bargain bin.

The Jets are currently projected to have $10 million to $16 million in salary cap space, depending on the precise 2016 salary cap figure, which will be established next month. There are some ways to create more space through cutting players or reworking deals, but they also have a few high-profile free agents of their own they are expected to re-sign.“It’s kind of a little different scenario from last year to this year,” Maccagnan said last week. “We’ll still have money to be active and do things with, but it ends up being like a puzzle and it’s not only trying to put all the pieces in different scenarios.

“There’s not a perfect answer to it, but what you’re trying to do is you’re trying to maximize your opportunity cost, so that’s where as we go through this, we’re going through all these different scenarios of how we’re going to attack free agency. The main goal is to keep as much of it in place on our team as we can, but the way free agency works itself out, eventually when players hit the market, you can’t determine where sometimes guys are going to be paid and you may have a certain point where you feel like that’s a little above where you want to pay.”Before free agency arrives on March 9, Maccagnan has plenty of work to do. The first order of business is clearing some more cap space. He can cut or negotiate a pay cut with corner Antonio Cromartie ($8 million cap figure) and tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson ($14.1 million) to clear some room. Players whose roles were dramatically reduced this year, such as wide receiver Jeremy Kerley ($3.1 million) and tight end Jeff Cumberland ($1.9 million), also could be released.

Maccagnan should be able to get the cap space to around $30 million. Then the issue becomes how much to spend on the Jets’ own free agents and how much to save for those from other teams. If Maccagnan uses the franchise tag on defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, as expected, that would eat up around half of their cap space. The franchise number for defensive ends is expected to be around $16 million.The other pending free agents the Jets are expected to try to re-sign are quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and nose tackle Damon Harrison. Running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell are also set to become free agents. It does not seem likely the Jets can keep all of them.“We obviously made progress from 4-12 a year ago to 10-6. We have some really good parts in place,” Maccagnan said. “We just need to kind of figure out what the best combination of all those things are going forward. The only difference this year would be that last year, we knew we were going to be more active because we had a lot of cap room. This year, we do have cap room still. It’ll have to be one of those ones where we determine if certain guys are available or not available, we may try to have contingency plans as the market kind of works itself out.”

The best avenue for the Jets to take may be to re-sign their priority free agents, then shop for bargains in free agency and wait until the draft to fill the remaining holes.“The real driver in any team’s success, ideally, is the draft,” Maccagnan said. “From our standpoint, we always have an idea that we want to do things in free agency that can impact us and help us and help us along. But in a perfect world, it’s kind of the younger guys and, that’s where I think, it’s not just the guys that you sign in free agency and the guys you retain.”

>     http://nypost.com/2016/01/19/how-jets-can-carve-out-30m-for-free-agent-chess-match/

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With each passing week of the NFL playoffs, more and more teams' seasons come to an end. On Sunday, Seattle's season concluded in Carolina, so the Seahawks won't play in the Super Bowl for the third straight year. 

As they enter the offseason, one of their biggest questions involves Bruce Irvin, an outside linebacker in their 4-3 defense. He is a pending free agent, because Seattle last offseason declined to pick up the fifth-year option in his rookie contract.The Jets just so happen to have a major need at outside linebacker/edge rusher. Even though coach Todd Bowles' base defense is a 3-4 scheme, Irvin could be a fit, with his 22 career sacks.But it's not clear if Irvin will even hit free agency. If he does, would the Jets be able to sign him, presuming they want to? (More on those uncertainties in a bit.) 

You'll remember Irvin from the 2012 NFL Draft. Seattle picked him 15th overall, one spot ahead of where the Jets drafted Quinton Coples, a defensive end whom they converted to a rush outside linebacker — with little success.The Jets cut Coples during the 2015 season. Their strong-side linebacker, Calvin Pace, is a 35-year-old pending free agent. And their weak-side inside linebacker, Demario Davis, is a pending free agent who underwhelmed in 2015. So the Jets might just let him walk in free agency. 

You can see why the Jets could be interested in Irvin if he becomes available. But will he ? 

Irvin told reporters in Seattle on Monday that he'd be open to taking a hometown discount on his next contract, to stay in Seattle. Irvin said head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider asked him Monday if he'd be willing to give the Seahawks a discount. Irvin's short answer: Yes. "I was asked that," Irvin said. "Pete and John asked me that when I met with them. If it came to that, I would definitely come back. $3, $4 million? $3, $4, $5 million? I would definitely come back because I'm established here. These are my brothers. I would definitely come back if they matched or if it was a little less. I would definitely come back to Seattle."

So even if Irvin, 28, does become a free agent in March, and doesn't re-sign with Seattle before the free agency period begins, it sounds like he's willing to give the Seahawks an initial leg up in the process. 

For teams like the Jets, Irvin won't come cheap this offseason, considering his accomplishments. 

He has three career interceptions, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, to go with his 22 sacks. Pro Football Focus rated him 15th among 4-3 outside linebackers in 2015, including 19th as a pass rusher, ninth in coverage (a weakness for Jets linebackers recently), and 16th against the run. Irvin is a valuable player who is about to get paid. And salary cap space will be an issue for the Jets this offseason.Overthecap.com currently projects the Jets with $10.6 million in cap space, based on a $150 million team cap estimate for 2016. Seattle, meanwhile, is at $26.2 million in cap space for 2016, according to overthecap.com. 

The Jets can create more cap space by cutting tight end Jeff Cumberland ($1.9 million cap savings) and wide receiver Jeremy Kerley ($1.3 million savings).Cornerback Antonio Cromartie is due to count $8 million against the cap in 2016, and the Jets can either ask him to take a pay cut, or release him. The latter option would save them an additional $8 million against the cap.But even if the Jets boost their cap space to about $21.8 million by cutting those three players, the organization can't just use that all on outside free agents.

The Jets want to re-sign defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell are also pending free agents, as is nose tackle Damon Harrison. It is highly unlikely the Jets will keep all of those guys. Fitzpatrick is a priority re-sign. General manager Mike Maccagnan would love to get a long-term contract finalized with Wilkerson. Those two players alone would occupy a bunch of cap space.So all of that could hinder the Jets' ability to sign a top-notch outside linebacker/edge rusher like Irvin. When you look at the top pending free agents among 3-4 outside linebackers, you're talking about guys like Von Miller, Tamba Hali, Aldon Smith, Nick Perry, and Courtney Upshaw. 

What does a successful outside linebacker generally cost? Based on 2016 salary cap hits for outside linebackers, you're looking at about $7 million to $10 million. That's not the entire value of the contract. Just a ballpark figure for what the 2016 cap hit could be.And with the NFL's cap going up again — from $143.28 million in 2015 to the $150 million neighborhood in 2016, and probably well beyond that in 2017 — you can probably bet the yearly outside linebacker price tag will skew toward the higher end of that $7 million to $10 million range. 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/01/jets_seahawks_bruce_irvin.html#incart_river_index

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  • 3 weeks later...

The NFL's free agency period is less than a month away.

It begins at 4 p.m. on March 9, the first day of the new league year. From March 7 until 4 p.m. on March 9, teams can negotiate with the agents of pending free agents, though no contract can officially be signed.The Jets have several key pending free agents, with defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson chief among them, but they can apply the franchise tag (about $16 million) to him, in order to essentially extend their negotiating period. 

Pro Football Focus has ranked pending free agents from across the NFL. Here's where the Jets' guys ranked : 

DE Muhammad Wilkerson

PFF free agent ranking: 1st among interior defenders

2015 salary cap figure: $6.969 million (fifth-year option figure) 

PFF's 2015 position ranking: 5th among 3-4 defensive ends 

PFF's analysis: Just 10 players on the defensive interior finished 2015 with a higher rating than Wilkerson's 89.2, and with how well he's played in the past four years, it seems crazy to think that the Jets might let him go. With Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams on board, the Jets got creative last year and we even saw him play a little bit of outside linebacker. If they do opt to spend their money elsewhere, Wilkerson becomes one of the top free agents available. Outstanding against the run, and as a pass rusher, he registered 12 sacks, 23 hits and 45 hurries in 2015.

 

NT Damon Harrison

PFF free agent ranking: 3rd among interior defenders 

2015 salary cap figure: $2.356 million (restricted free agent tender)

PFF's 2015 position ranking: 6th among defensive tackles/nose tackles

PFF's analysis: At 91.9, Harrison actually has the highest rating of any impending free agent on the defensive interior, with [Malik] Jackson and Wilkerson more attractive options purely because of their ability as pass rushers. Harrison is one of the best run defenders in the NFL and has been an absolute rock in the middle of the New York Jets defensive line since entering the league. Once an undrafted free agent, he racked up an incredibly 51 defensive stops, including a rare sack for the run stuffing superstar.

 

RB Chris Ivory

PFF free agent ranking: 3rd among running backs 

2015 salary cap figure: $2.75 million 

PFF's 2015 position ranking: 11th  

PFF's analysis: At 81.2, Ivory was our 11th-ranked running back, and while he might lack the upside of [Doug] Martin and [Lamar] Miller, he does come with dependable stability, with a positive rushing grade in all six of the seasons he's played since entering the league. He'll be 28 when the 2016 season begins, but 2015 was the first season of his career where he saw more than 200 carries. Tough to bring down, he forced 47 missed tackles and averaged 2.6 yards after contact per carry. If the past is anything to go by, he's unlikely to be viewed as a long-term option by anyone, but based on what we've seen, a team would be wise to lock him up for two to three years, where he can be a stable force at the position.

 

RB Bilal Powell

PFF free agent ranking: 6th among running backs 

2015 salary cap figure: $2 million 

PFF's 2015 position ranking: 24th

PFF's analysis: Powell is unlikely to be someone signed as a lead back, but what we saw from him in 2015 was a player who can definitely fill the role as part of a committee backfield. Forcing 10 missed tackles and averaging 2.7 yards after contact on 70 carries this year, he has totaled just 402 carries since entering the league in 2011. A cost-effective option, he can add something to an offensive somewhere in the league if the Jets don't bring him back.

 

RB Stevan Ridley

PFF free agent ranking: 8th among running backs 

2015 salary cap figure: $1.096 million 

PFF's 2015 position ranking: Not ranked 

PFF's analysis: At just 27, he still has youth on his side, but Ridley needs to prove that he isn't just the type of player who could find success in the New England scheme. Injuries have limited him to just 275 snaps in the past two seasons, but he did really impress in the second half of the 2013 season. Another candidate for a "prove it" deal, we have at least seen flashes from him in the past.

 

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

PFF free agent ranking: 3rd among quarterbacks 

2015 salary cap figure: $3.25 million

PFF's 2015 position ranking: 27th

PFF's analysis: Always one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league,Fitzpatrick had his ups and downs as a passer in 2015, but he made a number of big throws as the signal caller for the New York Jets. While he got away with risky throws throughout the year, he brought out the best in wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker on the outside, allowing them to make plays in the passing game. Fitzpatrick also proved to be an efficient and timely scrambler, finishing with a run grade of 92.6 that ranked fourth among quarterbacks. There's always been some risk/reward to Fitzpatrick's game, but he's not afraid to take chances down the field (fifth-highest percentage of deep pass attempts, at 15.3 percent) and that fearlessness proved valuable for the Jets in 2015. Fitzpatrick will rightfully be a starting quarterback in the league in 2016.

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/02/jets_free_agents_pro_football_focus_rankings.html#incart_river_index

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Have to resign Fitz.

Would be nice to sign Mo wilk, if not he gets franchised and we live with it for a year or deal him.

I really think Snacks is gone, love the player but some team that badly needs a run stopper will offer him a huge deal.

Would like to keep Ivory but I think he is gone unless the Rb market is very very soft.

Would really like to keep Powell but once again if some team over bids on him we will let him walk.

Ridley can f'k off right now.

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Wow, Mac actually sounds competent, unlike Idzik, who still doesn't even know what a cornerback does on a football team, and Tanny, who didn't quite know what an offensive lineman does. Unlike our last two GMs, I'm sure Mac is going to make decisions that will be smarter than anything we collectively come up with. 

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Running back Matt Forte announced Friday what many forecasted:2015 was his last season in a Chicago Bears uniform, as the team informed him it would not attempt to re-sign him as a free agent this offseason.

The recently-turned 30-year-old is certain to generate interest on the open market, and his future may be dictated by what he wants: an opportunity to play for an immediate contender (he's been to the postseason just once in his career) or to maximize the financial value of what could well be his last chance at a long-term contract.That's Forte's call, and he's earned the right to choose his path. If thinking strictly from a system fit, a team that comes to mind is theNew England Patriots. The team will be looking to pad its depth at the position this offseason (Dion Lewis continues to recover from a torn ACL and LeGarrette Blount and Steven Jackson are free agents to be) and covet what Forte offers: dependability.

Since entering the league in 2008, Forte has played 594 more snaps than any other running back in football. During three separate seasons, he played more offensive snaps than any other running back. He's durable, dependable and widely regarded as a quality teammate.He's averaged fewer than four yards per carry in three of his eight pro seasons, but while he is not a consistent home run hitter, he's among the league's most adept pass-catching backs (he had 102 receptions in 2014, the most by a running back in a single season in NFL history) and can play on all three downs.

Forte-to-New England is a sensible marriage. The financial side is tougher to predict this early in the offseason, but from a football fit, it's easy to see how such an arrangement would work.

Several NFL Nation writers offered a few other landing spots for Forte : 

~ ~  New York Jets

Forte could make sense for the Jets as a complementary back simply because there's so much uncertainty in the backfield. The Jets' top three backs -- Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley -- are pending free agents. At 30, Forte no longer is a No. 1 back, but he could be a fit in the third-down role if they can't re-sign Powell. The Jets would like to retain Powell and Ivory, but they have cap issues. -- Rich Cimini

rest of above article : 

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago-bears/post/_/id/4701954/patriots-packers-among-teams-that-could-make-sense-for-matt-forte

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Odds on where Matt Forte will move after leaving Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears told Matt Forte they will be moving on from the eight-year veteran who is set to hit free agency next month. He may be 30 with more than 2,500 touches on his tires - both bright red flags for running backs - but Forte will have plenty of suitors for his versatile skill-set, and Bears fans may cringe watching him suit up for one of several potential contenders who could see him as a missing piece of their contender.

The top 11 contenders to add Forte to their 2016 backfield  :

 

~ ~  3. New York Jets: On the outside looking in at the playoffs at 10-6 last season, the Jets are a run-first team that may lose bruising back Chris Ivory to free agency. Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley are also free agents. A playoff-caliber team with a journeyman quarterback who could use a versatile veteran in the backfield? Checks off a lot of boxes.

Odds of signing: 4-1

rest of above article : 

>   http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/NFL/2016/02/12/Odds-on-where-Matt-Forte-will-move-after-leaving-Chicago-Bears/3001455302732/

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FORTE COULD STABILIZE JETS' BACKFIELD

The Jets' top three backs -- Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley -- are pending free agents. With so much uncertainty at the position, Forte could be a nice option if the Jets can't re-sign Powell and Ivory.Where will Forte land?

 

>     http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

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just an fyi..

~ ~    There are some attractive players set to become free agents when the NFL's new league year begins in March. It doesn't mean they're all going to hit the open market (hello tags!), but the NFL will have its fair share of roster shuffling over the next few months. 

Yes, free agency is upon us. Players will be jumping from team to team when the action begins on March 9 at 4 p.m. (ET). The negotiating window opens on March 6. We'll be tracking it all right here. Stay tuned. But ... buyer's beware: Most of these players are hitting the market for a reason. They have some warts and are about to be paid. Teams are flush with money and desperate for help. The salary cap is on the rise and players are ready to cash in.

The Giants are going to be active players this year in free agency. They have money and three of the Top 36 in the Raanan Rankings are their own. CornerbackPrince Amukamara (18) and defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul (19) and Robert Ayers (36) are expected to test the market. But they all still could return.The Eagles and Jets also have key decisions to make. Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (2) is expected to be designated a franchise player, butdefensive tackle Damon Harrison (33) and running back Chris Ivory (43) could receive better offers elsewhere. 

The Eagles must address their starting quarterback situation in free agency this year. Sam Bradford is set to hit the market. Is he the short-term or long-term answer for new coach Doug Peterson? Or is he not an answer at all. We're about to find out. 

Let the free-agent frenzy begin, with these players at the top of the most wanted list. Above is my list of the NFL's Top 50 free agents in 2016. 

>      http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2016/02/nfl_free_agency_2016_top_50_free_agents_on_the_mar.html#incart_river_index

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saw this..

~ ~   Jermon Bushrod's stay in the Windy City is over.

The Bears on Tuesday released the expensive left tackle after a disappointing season that saw himstart just four games all year.

Every game, all season
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The league's transaction wire noted that Bushrod, 31, failed his physical, ending his time with Chicago just three years after signing a $35.965 million deal with $22.5 million in guarantees. He'll cost the Bears $4.4 million in dead money, but cutting Bushrod saves the team $4.3 million off the salary cap, per NFL Media's Albert Breer.

"We thank Jermon for his contributions to the Bears," general manager Ryan Pace said in a statement. "I have so much respect for how he carries himself on and off the field. He was a locker room leader and contributor in helping the younger players on our team grow. We wish him and his family the best as they move forward."

A fourth-round pick by the Saints in 2007, Bushrod was replaced by Charles Leno after suffering an early season concussion and shoulder injury. He never found his way back with the first-stringers after starting 30 games over the previous two seasons. While Leno wasn't perfect, he kept the role over Bushrod, who played just 238 snaps all year.

Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reported that Bushrod's failed physical was related to the surgery, which could require surgery. Once healthy, he's bound to find work at a reduced cost.

>    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000636571/article/bears-release-offensive-tackle-jermon-bushrod

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With free agency set to begin in just a few weeks, we'll all line up to declare winners and losers before the ink is dry on the new deals. But time and time again, the teams who actually 'win' free agency are the ones looking for fairly-priced, complementary pieces on the open market and not players who will fill a gaping void on offense or defense. Think the Patriots, not the Bills. Think theBroncos and Panthers, not the Dolphins.So who are these complementary pieces, you ask? Here is a primer on some of the players at each position that will come at a good bargain with a high upside, assuming they are not tagged or re-signed before the market opens. Bargain is a relative term in this context, as some players will inevitably command a higher price tag than others.

Quarterbacks:

 

The perfect example from 2016 wasRyan Fitzpatrick, who cost the Jetsnext to nothing and ended up playing well above replacement level. This year will not be the case, as the team will need to work out a long-term deal that will help both sides.

When looking at this year's QB class, names like Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford and Brock Osweiler stand out. But do we imagine any of those players living up to a franchise tag -- or higher -- salary? With the exception of Osweiler, who played with one of the best defenses in NFL history this year, could any of these players lift a team from middling to playoff contention on their own? Bradford could potentially be that quarterback, but the numbers coming from his camp are already high. What might they be once other offers start coming in?People will laugh at names like Colt McCoy, Brandon Weeden, Drew Stanton and Tarvaris Jackson, but for what they will cost and the output they could provide either as a quality backup or spot starter in case of injury, this is where the true value might lie. In four games as a starter last year, Weeden was 97-140 (almost 70 percent) for five touchdowns and two picks. His average quarterback rating was 96.8 per game. In his last eight -- very limited -- appearances, Jackson has a 75 percent completion rate, a 120.4 passer rating and no picks. And while the sample size is woefully small and skewed, he is in that nebulous crowd of veteran QBs that would likely outplay or seriously challenge a rookie in camp. The quality of quarterback play in the NFL for incoming rookies is not as high as it used to be, which means dedicated veterans are looking increasingly attractive.

If you're a team not named the Eagles, Broncos or Redskins not looking to ink your starter in this market, you are in trouble anyway. So might as well spend wisely!

Running Backs

 

What is the going rate for a former first-round pick at running back who is seeking a contract that will take him into his early 30s? Doug Martin is hoping to cash in after bookending his Tampa Bay career with 1,400-yard seasons. At 27, C.J. Spiller signed a four-year deal worth $16 million, with almost $9 million guaranteed. Ryan Mathews, coming off a significant injury, inked a three-year, $11 million deal. Mark Ingram signed a four-year deal worth $16 million that guaranteed $7.6 million.

Martin will command more and might actually get it. But is there actual value there? What are the chances he duplicates a Pro Bowl campaign? Is it worth $20-$25 million to find out?

Depending on his health and mileage, Chris Ivory might continue to be one of the best value backs in football. Bilal Powell also came on late in his Jets tenure, proving to be a solid dual-threat out of the backfield. If you're a contender, look no further than Matt Forte, who has talked openly about his desire to play for a contender over the highest bidder. Might he end up in the Frank Gore range of three years and $12 million?When it comes to future potential, there may not be a better deal than Lamar Miller assuming theDolphins don't drive his price up. At just 24, there is a lot to like from the former fourth-round pick and it could be a safer bet than selecting a rookie in the second or third round and hoping he contributes right away.

Wide receivers

 

The class behind Alshon Jeffery is pretty depressing which means one thing: Jeffery is set to make a good amount of money.While he's worth it, the point of this exercise is finding value -- and value might not mean spending $60 million on a wide receiver. The Jets paid $36.25 million over five years for Eric Decker in 2014, which might be the ceiling for teams not looking to make a splash this free agency -- and this year, there really is no player looking to command that type of money.

At 26, Jermaine Kearse might be the type of ascending, plug-and-play receiver that teams are looking for at a fair price. Kearse increased his number of receptions each of the last three years and he finished with a career-high five scores in 2015. TheSeahawks routinely received flak for their lack of star power on the outside, but it was because of intelligent wideouts like Kearse and Doug Baldwin that Seattle operated so smoothly. The team letGolden Tate walk in free agency two years ago and Tyler Lockett is starting to command a bigger role in the offense. Seattle loved having Kearse at the RFA tender salary of $2.356 million last season, but will they go any higher? Per contract analyst Joel Corry, a good No. 2 receiver in this market could be asking between $5 and $6 million per year.

Rueben Randle, the former second-round pick of the Giants, is also expected to hit free agency.Giants general manager Jerry Reese rarely spends big on second contracts for players he drafted, which means Randle could be testing the market. He is a big body with 4.43 speed and he caught a career-high eight touchdowns last year alongside Odell Beckham.

Tight ends

 

There will be a lot of buzz around the tandem from Indianapolis -- Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener. They should headline the market given their age and potential assuming the Colts can only pick one of two to bring back. But real bargain hunters might be salivating at the possibility of snaggingVernon Davis at the veteran's minimum. The trade to Denver did not work out for the 32 year old, but how can we expect someone to switch teams mid-season and just get on the same page with Peyton Manning? It's not a lock. Davis' numbers have been in a sharp decline over the past two seasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can't produce as a second tight end or slot-type hybrid on a team looking for athletes on offense.

Benjamin Watson and Marcedes Lewis are two experienced veterans who could also sneak out into free agency and be a crucial piece of a contending team moving forward.

Offensive Line:

 

Kelechi Osemele, Cordy Glenn, Mitchell Schwartz and Russell Okung will all be big-name free agents this offseason to some degree. Okung's situation as a self-represented free agent will be very interesting to watch.

But there are times when a veteran plug-and-play lineman is all you need, and this market is fairly appetizing for anyone in that boat.

The Giants' former starting left tackle, Will Beatty, was released after missing last year with a torn pectoral injury. Once one of the highest rated left tackles in football, Beatty could flourish with a change of scenery and can play both tackle spots well. With his injury situation, perhaps the best prove-it deal will win the bidding.

Donald Penn wants to retire as a member of the Raiders, but will they compensate him fairly? The two-year $9.6 million deal was a steal, and he's likened it in the past to a promotional price for HBO. Teams aren't breaking the bank for 32-year-old tackles, though, and Penn might end up as a supreme deal again.

Center Stefen Wisniewski outplayed a one-year deal last year and is only 26. Alex Boone is 28 and looking for a change of scenery.In terms of veteran deals that could just be one-year options, Evan Mathis, Jahri Evans, Willie Colon and Richie Incognito are extremely enticing. They could end up continuing a trend of valued veterans that wait until June or July before signing with a team.

>      http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000636422/article/free-agency-buyers-guide-where-to-find-value-on-o

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