Rating the top free agents by position

Posted June 15, 2009 @ 11:40 a.m.

Updated at 12:40 p.m. EST Monday, June 15

The following list ranked the top free agents as of Feb. 26, one day before the start of the free-agent signing period, and it includes players who were released before Feb. 27. We have ranked the top available players at each position. Players who are released Feb. 27 or later will be added to the list in the appropriate spot. For a complete list of key free-agent moves, click on the link at the bottom of this page.

Free-agent designations: FFA - franchise free agent; TFA - transition free agent; UFA - unrestricted free agent; RFA - restricted free agent; cut - released by 2008 team; ^ - signed franchise tender

Rk.	Free agent	Type	2008 team	2009 team	Comment
Quarterbacks
1	Matt Cassel	FFA	New England	Kansas City	Dealt to Kansas City, along with LB Mike Vrabel, for a second-round pick
2	Kurt Warner	UFA	Arizona	Arizona	Signed a two-year deal reportedly worth $23 million to stay with Cardinals
3	Byron Leftwich	UFA	Pittsburgh	Tampa Bay	Could compete to start with Bucs
4	Kerry Collins	UFA	Tennessee	Tennessee	Steady game manager who limited mistakes and took control of Titans' offense last season
5	J.P. Losman	UFA	Buffalo		Has the physical tools to be successful; is a change of scenery all he needs?
6	Jeff Garcia	UFA	Tampa Bay	Oakland	The top backup to JaMarcus Russell
7	Chris Simms	UFA	Tennessee	Denver	Will compete with Kyle Orton for No. 1 job
8	Dan Orlovsky	UFA	Detroit	Houston	Texans targeted him after trading Sage Rosenfels
9	Rex Grossman	cut	Chicago	Houston	If Texans keep three QBs, he is likely to stay on roster
10	Patrick Ramsey	UFA	Denver	Tennessee	Will compete with Vince Young to be Titans' No. 2 QB
11	J.T. O'Sullivan	UFA	San Francisco	Cincinnati	Streaky passer who makes too many mistakes
Running backs
1	Brandon Jacobs	FFA	N.Y. Giants	N.Y. Giants	Signed a four-year deal to stay with Giants two days before free agency began
2	Darren Sproles	FFA	San Diego	San Diego	Likely to have a bigger role in Chargers' offense in 2009
3	Derrick Ward	UFA	N.Y. Giants	Tampa Bay	The Bucs' new starting RB
4	Leonard Weaver	UFA	Seattle	Philadelphia	The top fullback available
5	Fred Taylor	cut	Jacksonville	New England	Career may be extended by joining Pats' RB-by-committee offense
6	Cedric Benson	UFA	Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Boosted flagging Bengals' running game in '08 and partly repaired reputation
7	Edgerrin James	cut	Arizona		Produced when he returned to the lineup late last season; may be best in a rotation
8	J.J. Arrington	UFA	Arizona	Denver	Will be kick returner and third-down specialist with Broncos
9	Correll Buckhalter	UFA	Philadelphia	Denver	Tough runner who could become goal-line RB in Denver
10	Maurice Morris	UFA	Seattle	Detroit	Will back up Kevin Smith and start in pinch
11	Lorenzo Neal	UFA	Baltimore	Oakland	One of the best fullbacks of his generation
12	Jason Wright	UFA	Cleveland	Arizona	Dependable third-down back
13	Justin Griffith	cut	Oakland	Seattle	Athletic fullback
14	Deuce McAllister	cut	New Orleans		Best in a rotation
15	Warrick Dunn	cut	Tampa Bay		Brings added value as a leader
Wide receivers
1	T.J. Houshmandzadeh	UFA	Cincinnati	Seattle	Caught 92 passes last season, quite the feat considering offense's problems; the Seahawks' No. 1 receiver
2	Antonio Bryant	FFA	Tampa Bay	Tampa Bay^	Signed franchise tender; must prove impressive '08 season was no fluke
3	Terrell Owens	cut	Dallas	Buffalo	Signed to spark the Bills' passing game
4	Laveranues Coles	cut	N.Y. Jets	Cincinnati	Caught 70 passes last season; replaces Houshmandzadeh
5	Nate Washington	UFA	Pittsburgh	Tennessee	Could blossom in an expanded role; Steelers had luxury of using him as No. 3 WR
6	Lance Moore	RFA	New Orleans	New Orleans	Coming off a breakout '08 season; such a threat in Saints' high-powered offense
7	Torry Holt	cut	St. Louis	Jacksonville	Longtime Rams star can still help an offense, though perhaps no longer as a No. 1 target
8	Marvin Harrison	cut	Indianapolis		Coming off 60-catch season; will be 37 in August, so how much he has left is up for debate
9	Bobby Engram	UFA	Seattle	Kansas City	Has proven time and again he knows how to get open
10	Amani Toomer	UFA	N.Y. Giants		Likely to move on; could be best-suited as No. 3 receiver at this stage of his career
11	Brandon Jones	UFA	Tennessee	San Francisco	Comes off the best season of his career
12	Devery Henderson	UFA	New Orleans	New Orleans	Has speed to burn
13	Bryant Johnson	UFA	San Francisco	Detroit	Has caught between 35 and 49 passes in all six NFL seasons
14	Jabar Gaffney	UFA	New England	Denver	Bolsters Broncos' WR depth
15	Reggie Williams	UFA	Jacksonville		Has flashed potential at points of his career
16	Jerry Porter	cut	Jacksonville		A major disappointment in lone season with Jaguars
17	Joey Galloway	cut	Tampa Bay	New England	Speedy receiver joins a strong New England WR corps
18	Drew Bennett	cut	St. Louis		Played only one game because of injury in 2008
Tight ends
1	Owen Daniels	RFA	Houston	Houston	Wants lucrative contract extension
2	Bo Scaife	FFA	Tennessee	Tennessee	Solid pass-catching tight end who does best work on short and intermediate routes
3	L.J. Smith	UFA	Philadelphia	Baltimore	Signed one-year deal with Ravens
4	Chris Baker	cut	N.Y. Jets	New England	Joins Patriots' TE rotation
5	Robert Royal	cut	Buffalo	Cleveland	Caught career-high 33 passes last season
Offensive tackles
1	Stacy Andrews	UFA	Cincinnati	Philadelphia	Joins his brother, Shawn, on Eagles' line
2	Orlando Pace	cut	St. Louis	Chicago	Has been limited by injuries in recent seasons; will be Bears' left tackle
3	Mark Tauscher	UFA	Green Bay		Rugged, dependable right tackle; coming off of knee injury, which has affected the market for him
4	Max Starks	FFA	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh^	Steelers could not let him hit market after he played well at OLT in '08, considering scarcity of replacement options
5	Tra Thomas	UFA	Philadelphia	Jacksonville	Still a dependable starter
6	Jon Stinchcomb	UFA	New Orleans	New Orleans	Has been a solid starter throughout Sean Payton's tenure in New Orleans
7	Khalif Barnes	UFA	Jacksonville	Oakland	Looking for a fresh start
8	Marvel Smith	UFA	Pittsburgh	San Francisco	When healthy, a solid starter, but back problems are an issue
9	Donald Penn	RFA	Tampa Bay	Tampa Bay	Young OLT with upside
10	Jon Runyan	UFA	Philadelphia		Had microfracture surgery on knee in offseason; longtime starting ORT
11	John St. Clair	UFA	Chicago	Cleveland	Has started at both right and left tackle
12	Kwame Harris	cut	Oakland		Has 55 career starts; struggled in only season with Raiders
13	Ephraim Salaam	cut	Houston	Detroit	Experienced backup who can start in a pinch
Offensive guards
1	Jahri Evans	RFA	New Orleans	New Orleans	One of the game's up-and-coming stars at his position
2	Jason Brown	UFA	Baltimore	St. Louis	Likely will play center for Rams
3	Derrick Dockery	cut	Buffalo	Washington	Signed second lucrative deal in three years
4	Harvey Dahl	RFA	Atlanta	Atlanta	Had a breakout season in 2008
5	Brandon Moore	cut	N.Y. Jets	N.Y. Jets	Released, then re-signed, by Jets
6	Chris Kemoeatu	UFA	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Rugged left guard who's strong in the running game
7	Pete Kendall	UFA	Washington		Has had a long, productive career; still a capable starter
8	Richie Incognito	RFA	St. Louis	St. Louis	Plays with an undeniable competitive fire
Centers
1	Jason Brown	UFA	Baltimore	St. Louis	Strong, versatile pivot will help Rams establish power running game
2	Jeff Saturday	UFA	Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Sweetened offer keeps him in Indy
3	Matt Birk	UFA	Minnesota	Baltimore	Vikings stalwart replaces Jason Brown in Ravens' lineup
4	Brad Meester	UFA	Jacksonville	Jacksonville	Has long been one of more steady players at his position but has missed time with injuries the last two seasons
5	Jake Grove	UFA	Oakland	Miami	Replaces Samson Satele in Dolphins' lineup
Defensive ends
1	Julius Peppers	FFA	Carolina		Would like to be traded, but Panthers still hold the cards
2	Chris Canty	UFA	Dallas	N.Y. Giants	Will play DT in Giants' 4-3 scheme
3	Antonio Smith	UFA	Arizona	Houston	Will play DLE in Houston's 4-3 scheme; regarded as a player on the rise
4	Jason Taylor	cut	Washington	Miami	Notched only 3½ sacks in 13 games in '08 but was a pass-rush standout in first stint with Dolphins
5	Igor Olshansky	UFA	San Diego	Dallas	Rugged 3-4 end
6	Vonnie Holiday	cut	Miami		Tough run-stuffer
7	Bertrand Berry	UFA	Arizona	Arizona	Solid pass rusher; played well during Arizona's postseason run
8	Travis LaBoy	cut	Arizona		Can bring pressure off the edge but struggles to stay healthy
9	Anthony Weaver	cut	Houston		Run-stuffing left end
10	Kevin Carter	UFA	Tampa Bay		Strong, tough, durable starter
11	Victor Adeyanju	RFA	St. Louis	St. Louis	Has shown some pass-rush potential
Defensive tackles
1	Albert Haynesworth	UFA	Tennessee	Washington	Got highest guaranteed sum ever as Skins roll dice again
2	Jovan Haye	UFA	Tampa Bay	Tennessee	Has been an effective interior pass rusher at times
3	Kedric Golston	RFA	Washington	Washington	Solid DT who plays well in a rotation
4	Rocky Bernard	UFA	Seattle	N.Y. Giants	Has some pass-rush ability
5	Grady Jackson	UFA	Atlanta	Detroit	Run-stuffing is his game
6	Dewayne Robertson	cut	Denver		Disappointed in only season in Denver
7	La'Roi Glover	UFA	St. Louis		Production fell off last season
Linebackers
1	Terrell Suggs	FFA	Baltimore		Ravens gave him franchise tag for second consecutive year; one of game's best 3-4 rush OLBs
2	Karlos Dansby	FFA	Arizona	Arizona^	One of the benefits of Cards' playoff run? Fans everywhere got to see how good Dansby is
3	Ray Lewis	UFA	Baltimore	Baltimore	Brings value as a player and leader
4	Bart Scott	UFA	Baltimore	N.Y. Jets	Will team with David Harris to form one of NFL's best ILB duos
5	Leroy Hill	UFA	Seattle	Seattle	Signed long-term deal with Seahawks after franchise tender was pulled
6	Channing Crowder	UFA	Miami	Miami	Re-signed with Miami just before start of free agency
7	Jonathan Vilma	UFA	New Orleans	New Orleans	Let him run to the ball and good things happen; re-signed for five years
8	Michael Boley	UFA	Atlanta	N.Y. Giants	Speed is his greatest asset
9	Mike Peterson	UFA	Jacksonville	Atlanta	Has played his best football in cover-2 scheme
10	Keith Brooking	UFA	Atlanta	Dallas	Produced in good times and bad for Falcons
11	Freddie Keiaho	cut	Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Undersized cover-2 LB who has been productive in two seasons for Colts
12	Derrick Brooks	cut	Tampa Bay		Nearing the end of distinguished career
13	Marcus Washington	cut	Washington		Strong-side LB who can add something as a pass rusher
14	Rashad Jeanty	RFA	Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Plays over the TE in 4-3 scheme; strong vs. run
15	Angelo Crowell	UFA	Buffalo	Tampa Bay	Missed '08 season after having arthroscopic knee surgery; multitalented
16	Kevin Burnett	UFA	Dallas	San Diego	Solid on special teams; ready to be a starter?
17	Zach Thomas	UFA	Dallas	Kansas City	Production started to slide in second half of '08
18	Cato June	cut	Tampa Bay	Houston	Cover-2 OLB
19	Eric Barton	UFA	N.Y. Jets	Cleveland	Has notched more than 100 tackles in three of last five seasons
Cornerbacks
1	DeAngelo Hall	UFA	Washington	Washington	Redskins make big commitment to talented but inconsistent corner
2	Bryant McFadden	UFA	Pittsburgh	Arizona	Up-and-coming zone CB; likely to start next to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
3	Dunta Robinson	FFA	Houston		Made impressive comeback from knee injury; wants long-term contract
4	Domonique Foxworth	UFA	Atlanta	Baltimore	Man-coverage ability is a plus
5	Ronald Bartell	UFA	St. Louis	St. Louis	Regarded as player on the rise
6	Ken Lucas	cut	Carolina	Seattle	Looking to bounce back after not playing particularly well down the stretch in '08
7	Andre Goodman	UFA	Miami	Denver	Came on very well at the end of last season
8	Chris Carr	UFA	Tennessee	Baltimore	Has flashed some ability on defense; also a very good returner
9	Shawn Springs	cut	Washington	New England	Physical corner; is he a fit at free safety at this stage of his career?
10	Chris McAlister	cut	Baltimore		If healthy, can still be a capable starter
11	Jabari Greer	UFA	Buffalo	New Orleans	Returned both interceptions for TDs in 2008
12	Phillip Buchanon	UFA	Tampa Bay	Detroit	Athletic, experienced starter
13	Drayton Florence	cut	Jacksonville	Buffalo	Did not live up to expectations with Jaguars but was well-regarded entering free agency last season
14	Leigh Bodden	cut	Detroit	New England	Ideal size for the position; good ball skills
15	Dre Bly	cut	Denver	San Francisco	Has 40 career interceptions
Safeties
1	O.J. Atogwe	FFA	St. Louis		Rams' most valuable player on defense; one of the best at his position at forcing turnovers
2	Brian Dawkins	UFA	Philadelphia	Denver	Joins a Broncos defense in need of secondary help
3	Yeremiah Bell	UFA	Miami	Miami	Bell will team up with newcomer Wilson to man safety spots
4	Sean Jones	UFA	Cleveland	Philadelphia	Talented but needs to improve consistency
5	Gibril Wilson	cut	Oakland	Miami	Was productive in only season in Oakland; Dolphins moved quickly to sign him
6	Jermaine Phillips	UFA	Tampa Bay	Tampa Bay	Had 59 tackles and three interceptions last season
7	Jim Leonhard	UFA	Baltimore	N.Y. Jets	Instinctive; can also return punts
8	James Butler	UFA	N.Y. Giants	St. Louis	Developed into a solid starter
9	Atari Bigby	RFA	Green Bay	Green Bay	Was a difference maker in '07 but banged up in '08
10	Gerald Sensabaugh	UFA	Jacksonville	Dallas	Athletic playmaker, but off-field issues a concern
11	Mike Brown	UFA	Chicago		Instinctive and a very good leader but injury-prone
12	Roy Williams	cut	Dallas	Cincinnati	A force vs. the run but a liability vs. the pass
13	Jarrad Page	RFA	Kansas City	Kansas City	Quietly has developed into a good player for Kansas City
14	Dawan Landry	RFA	Baltimore	Baltimore	Missed most of last season with neck injury but likely to be Baltimore's starter in '09
15	Chris Crocker	UFA	Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Did not pan out in Miami but made an impact with Bengals
16	Lawyer Milloy	UFA	Atlanta		Strong vs. run
17	Vincent Fuller	UFA	Tennessee	Tennessee	Has flashed good ball skills
18	Rodney Harrison	UFA	New England		Elected to retire
Punters
1	Michael Koenen	FFA	Atlanta	Atlanta^	Opponents returned only 20 of his punts last season
2	Sam Koch	RFA	Baltimore	Baltimore	Third in AFC in net average last season
3	Craig Hentrich	UFA	Tennessee	Tennessee	Entering 12th season with Titans and 17th NFL season overall
4	Hunter Smith	UFA	Indianapolis	Washington	Averaged a career-high 38.8 yards per net punt in '08
Placekickers
1	Shayne Graham	FFA	Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Consistently accurate
2	Mike Nugent	UFA	N.Y. Jets	Tampa Bay	May have upside to improve
3	Matt Stover	UFA	Baltimore		Return to Ravens may be in cards if young PKs struggle
4	John Carney	UFA	N.Y. Giants		NFC's Pro Bowl PK in '08; will be 45 in April
5	Jay Feely	UFA	N.Y. Jets	N.Y. Jets	Dependable veteran
Return specialists
1	Chris Carr	UFA	Tennessee	Baltimore	Returns kickoffs, punts; also a pretty good CB
2	J.J. Arrington	Cut	Arizona	cut	Broncos signed him away from Arizona but released him because of a knee injury.