Free Agent Cap-Hit Rankings
1.
Carolina Panthers — HB Fred Taylor
91 OVR, age 31
Attributes: 89 SPD | 78 STR | 92 BTK
Cap: Y1 $12.70M; Y2 $15.30M
Taylor owns the largest opening cap hit in the qualifying class.
Carolina is paying for an immediate offensive centerpiece rather than
future projection.
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2.
Pittsburgh Steelers — WR Javon Walker
86 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 95 SPD | 65 AWR | 88 CTH
Cap: Y1 $8.77M; Y2 $10.42M; Y3 $12.55M;
Y4 $15.33M; Y5 $18.93M
Walker’s 95 speed and 88 catching give Pittsburgh a true vertical No. 1
receiver, but this is also the most aggressively escalating contract in
the class.
Player Page
3.
New Orleans Saints — LE Charles Grant
99 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 72 AWR | 87 STR | 90 TAK
Cap: Y1 $6.70M; Y2 $7.96M; Y3 $9.59M
Grant is the highest-rated signing of free agency and arrives at a lower
Year 1 cost than Taylor, Walker and Rumph.
Player Page
4.
Detroit Lions — CB Mike Rumph
86 OVR, age 28
Attributes: 91 SPD | 91 AWR | 57 CTH
Cap: Y1 $6.49M; Y2 $7.83M; Y3 $9.57M;
Y4 $11.82M; Y5 $14.76M
Detroit paid premium money for one of the most aware corners available.
Rumph’s deal carries substantial back-end commitments.
Player Page
5.
Philadelphia Eagles — LT David Diehl
84 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 70 AWR | 89 PBK | 89 RBK
Cap: Y1 $5.94M; Y2 $7.12M; Y3 $8.65M;
Y4 $10.65M; Y5 $13.24M
Philadelphia made Diehl the most expensive qualifying offensive lineman
in Year 1. His balanced blocking ratings allow him to fit almost any
offensive approach.
Player Page
6.
Pittsburgh Steelers — CB Asante Samuel
84 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 91 SPD | 81 AWR | 61 CTH
Cap: Y1 $5.60M; Y2 $6.68M; Y3 $8.08M;
Y4 $9.91M; Y5 $12.28M
Samuel is young enough to grow with Pittsburgh’s roster and already
possesses the speed and awareness required to start immediately.
Player Page
7.
Green Bay Packers — DT Anthony Adams
88 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 56 AWR | 95 STR | 90 TAK
Cap: Y1 $5.00M; Y2 $5.84M; Y3 $6.93M
Adams is one of the class’s strongest interior defenders. Green Bay paid
for power and tackling rather than elite awareness.
Player Page
8.
Dallas Cowboys — MLB Ray Lewis
94 OVR, age 32
Attributes: 78 SPD | 95 AWR | 95 TAK
Cap: Y1 $4.90M; Y2 $5.74M
Lewis remains elite mentally and as a tackler. The two-year structure
makes this a clear win-now move without creating a lengthy age-related
commitment.
Player Page
9.
Cleveland Browns — DT Marcus Stroud
91 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 74 AWR | 90 STR | 90 TAK
Cap: Y1 $4.53M; Y2 $5.50M; Y3 $6.77M
Stroud gives Cleveland an unusually complete defensive tackle with no
glaring weakness among the three featured attributes.
Player Page
10.
Arizona Cardinals — ROLB London Fletcher
94 OVR, age 32
Attributes: 82 SPD | 99 AWR | 88 TAK
Cap: Y1 $4.51M; Y2 $5.26M; Y3 $6.25M;
Y4 $7.53M; Y5 $9.19M
Fletcher’s 99 awareness is the best featured linebacker rating in this
class.
Player Page
11.
New England Patriots — LE Richard Seymour
94 OVR, age 28
Attributes: 84 AWR | 88 STR | 82 TAK
Cap: Y1 $4.34M; Y2 $5.23M; Y3 $6.39M;
Y4 $7.90M; Y5 $9.86M
New England retained an elite defensive lineman without placing him
among the top 10 opening cap hits.
Player Page
12.
Tennessee Titans — RG Mike Williams
86 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 73 AWR | 92 PBK | 90 RBK
Cap: Y1 $4.32M; Y2 $4.96M; Y3 $5.78M;
Y4 $6.85M; Y5 $8.25M
Williams gives Tennessee a strong, balanced blocker who is particularly
dependable in pass protection.
Player Page
13-T.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — MLB Dan Morgan
87 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 83 SPD | 82 AWR | 86 TAK
Cap: Y1 $4.26M; Y2 $4.93M; Y3 $5.81M
Morgan offers the athleticism to stay on the field in every defensive
package and received a manageable three-year commitment.
Player Page
13-T.
Minnesota Vikings — RG Vince Manuwai
85 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 67 AWR | 90 PBK | 90 RBK
Cap: Y1 $4.26M; Y2 $5.09M; Y3 $6.17M;
Y4 $7.57M; Y5 $9.41M
Minnesota secured a 26-year-old guard with perfectly balanced 90
blocking ratings, although the deal becomes substantially more expensive
in its later seasons.
Player Page
15.
Buffalo Bills — SS Derek Pagel
86 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 91 SPD | 73 AWR | 65 CTH
Cap: Y1 $3.85M; Y2 $4.65M; Y3 $5.69M;
Y4 $7.03M; Y5 $8.78M
Pagel gives Buffalo top-end speed at safety and remains young enough to
justify the five-year investment.
Player Page
16.
Kansas City Chiefs — LT Jeremy Bridges
83 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 65 AWR | 89 PBK | 89 RBK
Cap: Y1 $3.54M; Y2 $4.34M; Y3 $5.38M
Bridges is another balanced offensive-line addition, with a shorter
three-year term than most of the comparable contracts.
Player Page
17.
Miami Dolphins — WR Doug Gabriel
85 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 91 SPD | 63 AWR | 92 CTH
Cap: Y1 $3.38M; Y2 $4.06M; Y3 $4.95M; Y4 $6.11M
Gabriel’s combination of 91 speed and 92 catching makes him one of the
most dangerous skill-position values in the class.
Player Page
18.
Cincinnati Bengals — RE Terrell Suggs
91 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 56 AWR | 80 STR | 99 TAK
Cap: Y1 $3.31M; Y2 $3.77M; Y3 $4.35M;
Y4 $5.11M; Y5 $6.11M
Suggs is arguably the best age-adjusted acquisition of free agency. A
26-year-old, 91-overall edge defender with 99 tackling costs Cincinnati
only the 18th-largest Year 1 charge.
Player Page
19.
San Francisco 49ers — RT Tim Provost
85 OVR, age 25
Attributes: 75 AWR | 90 PBK | 90 RBK
Cap: Y1 $3.29M; Y2 $3.74M; Y3 $4.32M;
Y4 $5.08M; Y5 $6.07M
Provost is the youngest offensive lineman in the qualifying group and
already owns balanced 90 blocking ratings.
Player Page
20.
Miami Dolphins — RT Wade Smith
82 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 69 AWR | 91 PBK | 91 RBK
Cap: Y1 $3.24M; Y2 $3.78M; Y3 $4.48M
Miami supplemented its Gabriel signing with a solid, evenly rated
starting tackle on a modest three-year agreement.
Player Page
21.
Green Bay Packers — RE Dewayne White
82 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 72 AWR | 81 STR | 65 TAK
Cap: Y1 $3.16M; Y2 $3.80M; Y3 $4.64M; Y4 $5.74M
White is more of a developmental bet than Green Bay’s Anthony Adams
signing, but he is young and carries a reasonable opening charge.
Player Page
22-T.
Philadelphia Eagles — MLB Antonio Pierce
87 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 84 SPD | 87 AWR | 80 TAK
Cap: Y1 $3.09M; Y2 $3.72M; Y3 $4.54M;
Y4 $5.60M; Y5 $6.98M
Pierce combines strong awareness with better speed than most veteran
middle linebackers, giving Philadelphia a dependable defensive
organizer.
Player Page
22-T.
Denver Broncos — RT Dustin Rykert
88 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 56 AWR | 99 PBK | 99 RBK
Cap: Y1 $3.09M; Y2 $3.52M; Y3 $4.06M;
Y4 $4.78M; Y5 $5.70M
Rykert owns the best pure blocking ratings of any qualifying lineman.
Denver obtained 99 pass and run blocking for the same Year 1 charge
Philadelphia assigned to Pierce.
Player Page
24.
Indianapolis Colts — DT Tyler Brayton
85 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 60 AWR | 92 STR | 82 TAK
Cap: Y1 $2.92M; Y2 $3.50M; Y3 $4.25M;
Y4 $5.21M; Y5 $6.45M
Brayton’s 92 strength makes him an attractive interior disruptor at a
sub-$3 million opening charge.
Player Page
25.
Washington Redskins — RT Marques Ogden
87 OVR, age 25
Attributes: 70 AWR | 90 PBK | 88 RBK
Cap: Y1 $2.87M; Y2 $3.36M; Y3 $4.01M;
Y4 $4.84M; Y5 $5.92M
Ogden may be Washington’s long-term answer at tackle. He is only 25,
already carries an 87 overall rating and never exceeds a $6 million cap
hit.
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26.
Oakland Raiders — RT Marc Colombo
85 OVR, age 29
Attributes: 74 AWR | 90 PBK | 90 RBK
Cap: Y1 $2.85M; Y2 $3.41M; Y3 $4.13M
Colombo gives Oakland a polished, balanced starter without a long-term
financial commitment.
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27.
San Francisco 49ers — RG Ben Sobieski
83 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 65 AWR | 87 PBK | 87 RBK
Cap: Y1 $2.80M; Y2 $3.19M; Y3 $3.68M;
Y4 $4.33M; Y5 $5.17M
Sobieski is not as advanced as Provost, but San Francisco secured two
young starting-caliber linemen for a combined $6.09 million in Year 1.
Player Page
28.
Pittsburgh Steelers — DT Tron LaFavor
82 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 64 AWR | 90 STR | 81 TAK
Cap: Y1 $2.66M; Y2 $3.16M; Y3 $3.80M;
Y4 $4.64M; Y5 $5.74M
LaFavor adds 90 strength to Pittsburgh’s interior rotation at a much
lower price than the team’s headline additions.
Player Page
29.
Detroit Lions — RT George Foster
86 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 72 AWR | 99 PBK | 86 RBK
Cap: Y1 $2.58M; Y2 $2.94M; Y3 $3.40M;
Y4 $4.00M; Y5 $4.78M
Foster’s 99 pass blocking makes this one of the strongest values on the
board. His cap charge remains below $5 million throughout the agreement.
Player Page
30-T.
Minnesota Vikings — DT Aubrayo Franklin
82 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 62 AWR | 89 STR | 84 TAK
Cap: Y1 $2.38M; Y2 $2.87M; Y3 $3.51M;
Y4 $4.34M; Y5 $5.40M
Franklin supplies Minnesota with a young, physical interior defender on
a gradual cap progression.
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30-T.
New York Giants — QB Patrick Ramsey
83 OVR, age 28
Attributes: 67 AWR | 96 THP | 90 THA
Cap: Y1 $2.38M; Y2 $2.79M; Y3 $3.33M
Ramsey was the only quarterback to meet the article’s criteria. His 96
throw power and 90 accuracy make him a legitimate starting option
despite a modest 67 awareness rating.
Player Page
32.
Minnesota Vikings — ROLB Joe Odom
87 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 83 SPD | 80 AWR | 81 TAK
Cap: Y1 $2.22M; Y2 $2.66M; Y3 $3.24M;
Y4 $3.98M; Y5 $4.95M
Odom is one of the class’s best bargains: young, athletic, aware and
under $5 million in every season.
Player Page
33.
Carolina Panthers — TE Eric Johnson
86 OVR, age 28
Attributes: 80 SPD | 80 AWR | 85 CTH
Cap: Y1 $2.21M; Y2 $2.71M; Y3 $3.36M
Johnson provides Carolina with a reliable receiving tight end to
complement its expensive investment in Taylor.
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34.
Tennessee Titans — WR Tyrone Calico
83 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 88 SPD | 73 AWR | 80 CTH
Cap: Y1 $2.20M; Y2 $2.50M; Y3 $2.89M;
Y4 $3.40M; Y5 $4.06M
Calico offers Tennessee size, speed and reasonable awareness without
requiring a premium cap commitment.
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35.
Denver Broncos — CB Ricky Manning
81 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 92 SPD | 66 AWR | 58 CTH
Cap: Y1 $2.16M; Y2 $2.51M; Y3 $2.96M;
Y4 $3.55M; Y5 $4.32M
Manning’s speed gives Denver flexibility in man coverage, although his
awareness and catching lag behind the more expensive corners.
Player Page
36.
Seattle Seahawks — WR Koren Robinson
82 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 96 SPD | 78 AWR | 72 CTH
Cap: Y1 $2.08M; Y2 $2.51M; Y3 $3.07M;
Y4 $3.80M; Y5 $4.74M
Robinson has the highest speed rating among the qualifying receivers and
costs less than half of Walker’s opening charge.
Player Page
37.
New York Giants — LOLB Hunter Hillenmeyer
84 OVR, age 25
Attributes: 81 SPD | 66 AWR | 90 TAK
Cap: Y1 $1.97M; Y2 $2.30M; Y3 $2.73M
Hillenmeyer’s 90 tackling and age make him a strong developmental
addition, with only modest financial exposure.
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38.
San Diego Chargers — RT Seth Wand
81 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 64 AWR | 85 PBK | 92 RBK
Cap: Y1 $1.88M; Y2 $2.30M; Y3 $2.85M
Wand is a clear run-blocking specialist whose 92 rating should help San
Diego’s ground game immediately.
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39.
Tennessee Titans — TE Richard Angulo
84 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 72 SPD | 61 AWR | 85 CTH
Cap: Y1 $1.72M; Y2 $1.96M; Y3 $2.26M;
Y4 $2.66M; Y5 $3.17M
Angulo’s 85 catching rating gives Tennessee a dependable target at one
of the lowest opening charges in the class.
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40.
Green Bay Packers — TE Teyo Johnson
82 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 77 SPD | 68 AWR | 80 CTH
Cap: Y1 $1.29M; Y2 $1.48M; Y3 $1.73M; Y4 $2.06M
Johnson is an inexpensive, athletic tight end whose contract never
exceeds $2.06 million.
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41.
Denver Broncos — SS Chris Crocker
81 OVR, age 27
Attributes: 86 SPD | 72 AWR | 55 CTH
Cap: Y1 $0.92M; Y2 $1.05M; Y3 $1.21M;
Y4 $1.42M; Y5 $1.70M
Crocker carries the second-lowest displayed opening charge and should
immediately outperform the financial cost of his contract.
Player Page
42.
Kansas City Chiefs — DT Kevin Williams
82 OVR, age 26
Attributes: 52 AWR | 90 STR | 92 TAK
Displayed cap: Y1 $0.90M; Y2 $1.17M; Y3 $1.52M;
Y4 $1.98M; Y5 $2.58M
Williams has excellent strength and tackling for the lowest displayed
Year 1 charge in the class.
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