2017 NFL Free Agency: Predicting which teams will be the most active
Free agency is just a few weeks away, and fans everywhere are excited to see whom their team will sign. Some teams use this time to plug up a few holes to make a run at the Super Bowl. Others use this period to rebuild and try to see where they stand before the draft. And there are some teams who do absolutely nothing (looking at you, Green Bay). These five teams will undoubtedly be active in free agency this year.
Cleveland Browns
This could be the most important offseason in Cleveland Browns history. They are armed with loads of draft picks and over $100 million in cap space. If they play their cards right, they could enter the 2017 season with lots of building blocks for the future. Before the Browns go crazy signing other free agents, they should re-sign Terrelle Pryor first. He is the only weapon they have that is somewhat reliable, so bringing him back should be their top priority.
After that, the Browns can do pretty much whatever they want. They need to boost their offensive line, so a center like J.C. Tretter or A.Q. Shipley should be something to look at. Wide receivers Pierre Garcon or Kenny Britt would be welcome additions to a weak receiver group. Johnathan Cyprien could also be a target for Cleveland’s weak secondary.
Tennessee Titans
Just one year after being the worst team in the league, the Tennessee Titans finished 9-7, which was just shy of first place in the AFC South. They have $62 million in cap space, so they will definitely be aggressive in their efforts to improve the team. They also have two first-round draft picks, one of which is the fifth pick. This is the year for them to solidify themselves as a contender.
Tennessee’s priority should be to improve their secondary. This free agency group is rich in defensive backs, so expect the Titans to sign one or two big names. Players like A.J. Bouye, Stephon Gilmore and Trumaine Johnson will all be tied to the Titans throughout these next few weeks. Tennessee should also look for some weapons for Marcus Mariota. If Alshon Jeffery isn’t available, then they should look for someone like DeSean Jackson. If that doesn’t work out, then they can always re-sign Kendall Wright and draft Mike Williams or Corey Davis.
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Chicago Bears
Year in and year out, the Chicago Bears always tend to make headlines in free agency. Not all of their moves work out, but they aren’t afraid to go after their targets. With less needs than last year, this could be the year that they go all-out on a big free agent.
The Bears should do their best to re-sign wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. They don’t have a lot of proven weapons outside of him, so they should do anything they can to make sure he stays. Improving their secondary should also be a focal point of the Bears’ free agency period. Tony Jefferson would fit well alongside Adrian Amos, while a cornerback like Stephon Gilmore, Logan Ryan or Trumaine Johnson would help Chicago’s defense go to the next level.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are starting over, and that’s a good thing. Under the leadership of new general manager Chris Ballard, they look to reverse all of the free agency mistakes that Ryan Grigson made. Thankfully for them, they have just over $54 million in cap space to do so.
Indy’s defense is a mess: they were the third-worst defense in the league this past year. They should start by upgrading their front-seven, which has holes pretty much everywhere. Calais Campbell or Dontari Poe would be a great addition to their defensive line (the latter has ties to their new GM). Someone like Nick Perry would be a welcome addition to an edge rusher group that just lost Robert Mathis to retirement. The Colts could also use some more offensive line help, so Ricky Wagner will be a name to look out for.
Philadelphia Eagles
Unlike the other four teams on this list, the Philadelphia Eagles don’t have a lot of cap space. In fact, far from it: they currently have the fourth lowest cap space total in the NFL. However, they have plenty of needs and players that they’ll want to sign. They’ll have to make a lot of veteran cuts to free up cap space. Players like Ryan Mathews, Connor Barwin and Jason Kelce could be let go this offseason. They don’t have a lot of their own free agents to sign, but bringing back defensive tackle Bennie Logan should be a priority.
The Eagles only have so much time before Carson Wentz’s rookie contract expires. They should look to be as active as possible before they have to give him a triple-digit deal. Alshon Jeffery and cornerbacks like Trumaine Johnson could be targets this year.
– Jacob Infante is a National Editor for cover32 and also covers the Chicago Bears. He can be followed on Twitter @jacobinfante24.
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