The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs presumably are done making waves in the offseason veteran CB market, but what about the NFL's other 30 clubs?
A quick glance at the final quartet standing a year ago reflects how much the best NFL teams value cornerbacks in a modern passing league:
The Philadelphia Eagles sent the Buffalo Bills their top receiver and a third-rounder last August to add a No. 1 cornerback, Ronald Darby, then spent a second-rounder on a potential future No. 1 in Sidney Jones. The New England Patriots awarded Stephon Gilmore one of the richest CB contracts ever last spring, in excess of $40 million guaranteed. The Jacksonville Jaguars invested the fifth overall pick two years ago and $26 million guaranteed last spring to secure the NFL's best lockdown tandem. The Minnesota Vikings extended All-Pro Xavier Rhodes last offseason with a deal containing more than $32 million guaranteed and have fellow former premium picks in Trae Waynes, Terence Newman and Mackensie Alexander in the NFL's No. 2 pass 'D' a year ago.
With that in mind, let's look at six veteran corners of interest on a free-agent market with a nice blend of established No. 1s, potential future stars and tried-and-true options with some tread left on the tires.
1. Malcolm Butler
Suffice to say, he's the offseason's only available option with a Super Bowl-sealing interception and a Super Bowl-benching that might have helped seal the Patriots' fate. The 28-year-old's disappointing fourth season began with him being dangled on the trade market and ended with his puzzling benching in Super Bowl 52 as Nick Foles was laying waste to the New England 'D.'
In between, Butler led all Patriots defenders (and all Patriots' non-O-linemen not named Tom Brady and Brandin Cooks) in offensive and defensive snaps. He took a step back from his career year in 2016 (career-high 4 INTs, 17 PD), but intermixed in his inconsistency, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder still showed a full skill set that includes challenging receivers at the line, making quarterbacks pay for mistakes and supporting the run.
He's clearly not long for Foxboro, and how much other NFL clubs know about the details surrounding his benching that wasn't exclusively performance-based could impact the contract he commands. But it's going to be a monster — likely in the $14 million range annually with at least $30 million guaranteed — and it will surprise no one if the New Orleans Saints are first in line after meeting with the then-restricted free agent privately and nearly consummating a deal last year.
2. Aaron Colvin
Will Colvin be a luxury the Jaguars can afford with Ramsey and Bouye already absorbing a good chunk of the cap and homegrown talents like Yannick Ngakoue and Myles Jack soon eligible for huge deals?
The bulldog nickel back is one of the NFL's better-kept secrets, an excellent cover man who's a fearless run supporter and blitzer, and he'll be just 27 in October. But Colvin also has just one career interception — in last season's wild-card round — and a PED suspension on his resume.
The Jaguars extended Blake Bortles largely as a cap-massaging move to ensure Allen Robinson doesn't get away, but will there be enough left to appease Colvin, who'll reset the price tag on an inside cover man, if not command starter's money? If not, we could see two clubs with a boatload of cap room that have barely managed to tread water in their secondaries — the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns — in hot pursuit.
3. Kyle Fuller
Although we can't envision the Bears allowing Fuller to leave, he deserves mention for his marvelous 2017 rebound on the heels of a lost 2016 campaign that landed him in Chicago's doghouse.
Fuller tallied 22 passes defensed, trailing only NFC North rival Darius Slay among all NFL corners, in addition to two interceptions and a career-high 69 tackles last season. Just as importantly, he proved to be coachable, shining under the tutelage of Ed Donatell and Vic Fangio, who publicly questioned Fuller's buy-in and mental toughness after the former first-rounder missed all his third season following an August knee scope.
Fuller cut down on penalties and learned to play the ball in the air, the issues that plagued him most in a disappointing sophomore 2015 campaign, and played both the run and pass with a level of urgency unmatched by most NFL corners.
The question, then, is can the Bears feel confident that Fuller's transformation wasn't a contract-year aberration? It's why the franchise tag remains the most likely avenue for the two sides as they work toward a long-term deal that makes sense for everyone.
4. Bashaud Breeland
We know Washington botched its QB situation, even if Alex Smith is a nice consolation prize. But it's possible that a few years from now we'll be talking about the team's handling of its CB situation in a similarly negative light.
It took longer for Kirk Cousins to learn firsthand from Washington that it acquired Smith than it did for NFL observers to openly question the wisdom of including Kendall Fuller — the defense's highest-graded performer internally last season — as the trade's sweetener.
Now, with Fuller gone and Josh Norman approaching his age-31 campaign in which he's set to cost more than $17 million toward the cap, Washington risks losing Breeland. A 26-year-old four-year starter with eight interceptions but more potential than current production, is he a priority re-signing for Washington with needs everywhere? Washington might think it has a few potential bargains in Quinton Dunbar and talented but unproven Fabian Moreau to offset the loss of Fuller and, potentially, Breeland.
If Breeland were outgoing, keep an eye on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans, each with aging vet free agents (Brent Grimes and Johnathan Joseph) and dire needs to top their pass defenses from bleeding.
5. Terence Newman
This ageless wonder turns 40 (!) in September, yet just logged more than 550 regular-season snaps and appeared in all 18 games on the Minnesota Vikings' top-rated 'D.' That's just preposterous.
Newman stays in incredible shape and has maintained some of the best technique among any corner in the game. The NFL's oldest active corner has at least one pick in all 15 seasons, and his wealth of not only production but knowledge can help any defense. Whether the Vikings bring him back for a fourth season, though, after diving into the deep end of the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes is debatable.
6. Pierre Desir
At 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, Desir boasts coveted length in addition to plenty of speed and athleticism. He now also boasts some impressive tape after setting career highs in starts (six), passes defensed (seven) and grabbing his first pick last season with the Indianapolis Colts.
Desir and fellow sneaky-solid Colts DB Rashaan Melvin helped themselves in contract years and, if Chris Ballard doesn't retain both, they'll have suitors. Could one of them be the Seattle Seahawks, who waived Desir in September before he was claimed by Indianapolis? That was before ironman Richard Sherman ruptured his Achilles. Also keep an eye on the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins, two clubs that value length in their corners and have already expressed interest in veteran corners this offseason.
