Written by James Brady at SBNation.com
We’re six days into the NFL free agency period and while the best players wound up signing on the first and second days of the new league year, there are still plenty of starting caliber players available. Going into Monday, the top free agent still on the market was safety Eric Weddle, who was trying to decide between four different teams.
Weddle wound up signing a four-year, $26 million deal with $13 million guaranteed with the Baltimore Ravens. His absence weakens the remaining class quite a bit, but of SB Nation’s list of top 100 free agents, a healthy number still remain.
Many of those players are offensive linemen, but it’s important to note that all of these notable offensive linemen are capable of starting, and many of them are tackles. There are plenty of other good players to be had for teams still searching the market, too.
Some of these players will be signed and some could be waiting around until after the 2016 NFL Draft when teams have a better understanding of their roster. But for now, we’re going to break down some of the best remaining players and what they have to offer potential new teams.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick had his best years being coached by Chan Gailey, so when he took over as offensive coordinator of the New York Jets, Fitzpatrick becoming an option for the team was a given. The Jets acquired Fitzpatrick, surrounded him with weapons like Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Chris Ivory, and the quarterback had his best season yet. He had 3,905 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, both career highs.
Still, he’s considered a journeyman quarterback and likely wants more money than the Jets want to pay. That said, Fitzpatrick is more valuable for them than he’ll be for anybody else, so rejoining the Jets makes sense with Geno Smith being the only other real option on that roster.
OT Russell Okung: Cordy Glenn never made it to market as the Bills used the franchise tag on him, and the top lineman to hit the market, Kelechi Osemele, signed a deal with the Oakland Raiders. That makes Okung, a first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2010, the top tackle available. When active, Okung is high level tackle who can play on either side of the line who excels in pass protection.
The big issue: Okung has an extensive injury history and is coming off a big one from last season. He has missed plenty of time in his short career and on top of that, has been particularly bad with penalties. There are some caveats to his play, but ultimately, he’s an above average left tackle and in the NFL, that’s huge.
To continue reading this article, click here.
