Shutdown Corner’s NFL free-agent rankings: Defense, specialists
When free agency starts March 9, NFL teams will be in a race to sign a class that can push them over the top and perhaps into Super Bowl LI.
Here are Shutdown Corner’s free-agent rankings for defensive players and specialists (for offensive players, click here) with every relevant unrestricted free agent set to hit the market:
1. Muhammad Wilkerson: The New York Jets are very likely to place the franchise tag on WIlkerson, who is one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL.
2. Olivier Vernon: He is 25, has good size (6-foot-2, 275 pounds) and is coming off a 7.5-sack season for the Miami Dolphins with an 11.5-sack season on his resume from 2013. He’s going to get a massive deal.
3. Malik Jackson: Jackson was unbelievable in the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 win. He is a terror against the run and a good interior pass rusher too. He is a wonderful fit for any 3-4 defense.
4. Greg Hardy: What do you make of Hardy? We all know about his off-field issues and his sideline disruptions with the Dallas Cowboys last year. He is also an elite pass rusher (26 sacks between 2012 and 2013 with the Carolina Panthers) and 27 years old. What is a franchise’s tolerance for the rest of his baggage?
5. Jason Pierre-Paul: Nobody thought twice when the New York Giants gave the franchise tag to Pierre-Paul last offseason. He was an elite talent. Then he severely injured his hand in a fireworks accident and had just one sack in eight games — though he played better than the stats indicate. Still, he is a huge gamble.
6. Jaye Howard: Howard started his career slow but became a starter in 2014 and had a nice breakthrough in 2015, with 57 tackles and 5.5 sacks for the Kansas City Chiefs. At 27, some team will be catching a player on the rise.
7. Robert Ayers: Ayers, a former first-round pick, finally had his career year with the New York Giants. Ayers had 9.5 sacks and a career-best 41 tackles in just 12 games. He’s 30 but seems to be peaking.
8. Chris Long: After two poor seasons, which were plagued by injuries, the St. Louis Rams cut Long. A team could bank on a healthy Long recapturing the form that produced 50.5 sacks his first six seasons.
9. Junior Galette: Galette signed a $41.5 million extension with the New Orleans Saints in September of 2014, by summer of 2015 he was cut with a massive salary cap hit. The Saints tired of his behavior and a domestic violence arrest (charges were dismissed). The Washington Redskins signed him, he tore an Achilles in practice and didn’t play all season. A wild card for many reasons.
10. Cedric Thornton: Thornton is big and versatile, and as a 3-4 end with the Philadelphia Eagles he was a valuable asset against the run.
11. Jason Jones: Jones has been a regular starter most of his career, including the last two with the Detroit Lions. He’ll turn 30 this offseason but can still be a solid starting option.
12. Adrian Clayborn: Clayborn had 7.5 sacks as a rookie after he was a first-round pick, and his future looked bright. Since then, injuries have derailed his career, and he’s coming off a quiet season with the Atlanta Falcons. He still has the size and draft pedigree.
13. Derrick Shelby: Because of an injury to Cameron Wake, Shelby got to start for the first time in his career and fared OK, getting 3.5 sacks for the Miami Dolphins. He’ll be 27 next season and isn’t a bad option.
14. Wallace Gilberry: Mostly a part-time player through his career, Gilberry has 31.5 sacks in eight NFL seasons, so he has value.
15. William Hayes: Hayes got a chance to start 11 games for the St. Louis Rams last season mostly due to injuries, and had a decent year with 5.5 sacks. He’ll be 31 next season and would be a good depth addition.
16. Jared Crick: Crick has started opposite J.J. Watt in the Houston Texans’ 3-4 defense the last couple years, and is a plugger against the run without much pass rush.
17. Andre Branch: Big things were expected of Branch, but in four Jacksonville Jaguars seasons he had just 14 sacks. He is still young but expectations are low.
Others worth noting: Alex Carrington, Chris Clemons, Mike DeVito, Leger Douzable, Larry English, Akiem Hicks, Jarvis Jenkins, Jeremy Mincey, Kendall Reyes, George Selvie and Antonio Smith.
1. Damon Harrison: Harrison is a 350-pound force in the middle. He was a monster run stuffer with the New York Jets and can instantly improve anyone’s rush defense by clogging up the middle.
2. Ian Williams: Williams took a while to break out, but put some bad injury history in his past to start 16 games for the San Francisco 49ers last season, the first time he has played more than nine games in his five-year NFL career. He’s a good run stopper in the middle and won’t turn 27 until Aug. 31.
3. Nick Fairley: Fairley had a quiet season with the St. Louis Rams, with just 29 tackles and half a sack. But he is just 28 and was the No. 13 overall pick not that long ago. His talent is still enticing.
4. Brandon Mebane: Mebane has been an unsung part of the Seattle Seahawks’ great defensive run the past few years. He is huge and tough to block in the middle. He just turned 31 but he can still be a big part of a defense.
5. Tyrunn Walker: He was a hot name last offseason, but his 2015 with the Detroit Lions ended after four games due to a broken leg. He’ll still be just 26 this season and has a lot of room to grow.
6. Terrance Knighton: Knighton has grown a name for himself from being a funny, media-friendly 354-pound tackle. He is also a pretty solid tackle and can be a good situational player against the run.
7. Haloti Ngata: Ngata was a great player for the Baltimore Ravens. But he is 32 now, though a solid second half with the Detroit Lions indicates he has at least another year or two left.
8. B.J. Raji: He isn’t the same player he was during the Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl run in the 2010 season, but he can still be a contributor in the middle.
9. Ahtyba Rubin: The longtime Cleveland Browns tackle started all 16 games last season for the Seattle Seahawks. At 325 pounds, he eats up a lot of space.
Others worth noting: Cullen Jenkins, Tony McDaniel, Steve McLendon, Henry Melton, Paul Soliai, Kevin Williams and Al Woods.
1. Von Miller: No need for other teams to worry about Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP who will get the franchise tag or a long-term deal from the Denver Broncos.
2. Bruce Irvin: The former first-round pick was part of a great Seattle Seahawks defense the past few years, but he’s hard to gauge as a free agent. He came into the NFL as a defensive end, then moved to strong-side linebacker, but likely will land in a situation where he can be a pass rusher again. He had 22 sacks in four seasons, but a big investment would mostly be faith that his great athleticism pays off in the right situation.
3. Tamba Hali: Hali has quietly amassed 86 career sacks for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is durable, missing just four games in 10 years, and very steady. At 32, he is still a good option.
4. Nigel Bradham: Bradham had a good 2014 season but a new scheme for the Buffalo Bills and an ankle injury slowed him in 2015. He’s a good 4-3 outside linebacker who can cover as well.
5. Nick Perry: Perry was a first-round pick in 2012, and had 12.5 sacks in four seasons. He never became a starter for the Green Bay Packers. But he turned it on in the playoffs this past postseason with 3.5 sacks. He is an intriguing option as a former first-round pick who will be just 26.
6. Mike Neal: Neal is a big outside linebacker who can play the run and is also a decent pass rusher, with between four and five sacks each of the last four seasons. It’s possible an Al Jazeera report that claimed Neal received steroids from a former employee of an anti-aging clinic in Indianapolis could affect his free agency. Neal has denied the claims in that report. He was suspended four games in 2012 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
7. Dwight Freeney: Freeney was a remarkable story in 2015. He was unsigned until the Arizona Cardinals gave him a deal in October, and he went on to have eight sacks in 11 games. If the 36-year-old wants to play again, he’ll have a shot.
8. Vincent Rey: He worked his way into being a regular part of a good Cincinnati Bengals defense. And now the Bengals have to decide if they want to retain the versatile veteran.
9. Aldon Smith: We all know the downsides to Smith. He got a year suspension last November, so he’s not going to be a factor until the second half of the season. But we also know the talent. He is 26, was once the seventh pick of the draft, and his 19.5-sack season in 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers wasn’t that long ago.
10. Tahir Whitehead: Whitehead got a chance to start 24 games the past two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He fared well among Pro Football Focus’ rankings for linebackers (37th in 2014, 16th in 2015) and even though not many people know him, he could be a sneaky good value.
11. Emmanuel Lamur: Lamur wasn’t a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, and might not be cut out for that, but he is athletic and can cover pass catchers. In today’s NFL, that has value.
Others worth noting: James Anderson, Kroy Biermann, Justin Durant, Chad Greenway, Calvin Pace, Courtney Upshaw and Philip Wheeler.
1. Derrick Johnson: This outstanding player is an unusual case. He is 33, with 11 NFL seasons under his belt. Yet last season, coming off an Achilles injury, he had 116 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is still a very good middle linebacker, but for how much longer?
2. Danny Trevathan: He bounced back from an injury-ravaged 2014 to play a big role for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. He is a tackling machine and not bad in coverage either, and he’ll be just 26 next season.
3. Jerrell Freeman: Freeman is a tackling machine, with 478 total tackles in four Indianapolis Colts seasons. He is consistent, has the ability to play all three downs, and is a fine piece for the middle of any defense.
4. Demario Davis: Davis is a good, solid inside linebacker who didn’t miss a game in four seasons with the New York Jets and averaged more than 100 tackles the last three seasons.
5. James Laurinaitis: The St. Louis Rams’ all-time leading tackler was released in a salary-cap move. He might be overrated but still has never missed a game in seven seasons and posted 100 tackles each year.
6. Rolando McClain: Give McClain some credit because nobody a couple years ago figured on the former top-10 pick re-emerging as a competent inside linebacker. McClain has put together two straight solid seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, and off-field issues aside, he is just 26 and isn’t a bad option – albeit one with risk.
7. Stephen Tulloch: Tulloch came back to the Detroit Lions after an embarrassing knee injury caused from a post-sack celebration. He was a two-down player but played that role fairly well, and after it was announced the Lions will cut him, he should have other opportunities even at age 31.
8. Jasper Brinkley: A veteran who has started for the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants, Brinkley is a dependable two-down player who can do a fine job in that role.
9. Zach Brown: Brown started his career nicely, showing he can play against the run, cover and even rush the quarterback. After a torn pectoral wiped out almost all of his 2014 season, he came back and started just five games for the Tennessee Titans last season.
10. Shea McClellin: He started his career as an outside linebacker/defensive end, and then moved to inside linebacker. The former first-round pick was OK on the inside, not exactly a newfound star but maybe could land with a team looking for a run stopper.
11. Will Compton: Compton got his chance to start last season in the third year of his career with the Washington Redskins. He did a decent job, collecting 96 tackles. He didn’t prove to be a top-end starter, but he might get a longer look after putting something on film.
12. Craig Robertson: Robertson had a nice four-year run with the Cleveland Browns after going undrafted. He was mostly a situational player and special teamer for Cleveland last year and could find himself back in that role for the Browns or another team.
13. Sean Spence: A third-round pick in 2012, Spence missed his first two years due to a leg injury. Then he came back as a reserve and spot starter, and played pretty well when he had the chance. He is 27 and could be a nice bargain.
14. Mason Foster: A former third-round pick and starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Foster moved on to the Washington Redskins and was a backup until the final five games. He was up and down in those contests but productive enough to get another shot.
15. Kelvin Sheppard: Sheppard has mostly been a backup in his five NFL seasons, but started 14 games for the Miami Dolphins last year and had 105 tackles. He’s probably best suited as a situational player.
Others worth noting: Audie Cole, Erin Henderson, James-Michael Johnson, Jamari Lattimore, Joe Mays, Spencer Paysinger, Keenan Robinson, Anthony Spencer and Jason Trusnik.
1. Josh Norman: Norman emerged as one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in 2015, and the Carolina Panthers will likely give him the franchise tag if a long-term deal can’t be reached.
2. Janoris Jenkins: This is a great example of a draft gamble gone right. Jenkins had red flags that caused him to drop to the second round, but he was a good four-year starter for the Rams. He’ll cash in now, too.
3. Trumaine Johnson: Johnson had a good year for the St. Louis Rams and as a big corner (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) and having just turned 26, he’ll be one of the most coveted free agents on the market.
4. Casey Hayward: Hayward can play inside or outside, and did a fine job for the Green Bay Packers in his four seasons. He’ll get a big offer and it might not be with the Packers, who have good young depth at corner.
5. Prince Amukamara: Amukamara has battled injuries and inconsistency, but the former first-round pick will be in demand. His flashes of very good play will net a large contract.
6. Sean Smith: Smith is an enormous corner who has provided good coverage for most of his seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. He’s going to get a nice deal in free agency and be someone’s starter again next season.
7. Adam Jones: While we’ll remember Jones’ 2015-16 season for the personal foul penalty late in a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was very good for the Cincinnati Bengals all season. Even though he’ll turn 33 during the 2016 season, he showed he has a lot left.
8. Jeremy Lane: Lane broke his wrist and tore his ACL on the same play in Super Bowl XLIX, which caused him to play in just six games in 2015. He got two interceptions last season for the Seattle Seahawks, and started three games, including a playoff win at Minnesota, and probably showed enough that teams will trust he is healthy going into 2016.
9. William Gay: Gay just turned 31, but has been a solid starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers for years. He is a good option for teams that like experience.
10. Leon Hall: He had a fine career with the Cincinnati Bengals, but injuries and age might be catching up to him. Even though he’ll turn 32 late in the 2016 season, a team might take a chance on him with a short-term deal.
11. Jerraud Powers: The Arizona Cardinals’ “other” starting cornerback, Powers has done well in his three seasons starting opposite Patrick Peterson. He’s not a big cornerback, but has starting experience and is a good second-tier option for teams needing help.
12. Shareece Wright: After being cut by the San Francisco 49ers in October of last season, Wright was picked up by the Ravens and he played well in the second half of 2015. Now he has positioned himself to get a decent free-agent deal.
13. Morris Claiborne: The sixth overall pick of the 2012 draft by the Dallas Cowboys never panned out. A torn patella tendon in 2014 is at the top of his injury history. His best option might be a one-year deal to build his reputation back up.
14. Greg Toler: Toler has been bothered by injuries in his time with the Indianapolis Colts, and is too vulnerable to the big play when he is in the lineup. Now at age 31, he might need to wait for a market to develop.
15. Patrick Robinson: The 2010 first-round pick has resurrected his career after suffering a patella tendon injury in 2013. He had a good season with the San Diego Chargers last year and is just 28.
16. Terence Newman: Newman’s longevity is amazing. He was 37 last season, but started all 16 games for the Minnesota Vikings and played pretty well. No reason to believe he can’t be good at 38.
17. Antonio Cromartie: Cromartie has been in the NFL 10 seasons with three different teams. He came back to the New York Jets for 2015 and after one year was released. There will still be a place for him in the league, even if he gives up too many big plays.
18. Nolan Carroll: Carroll was having a good 2015 season for the Philadelphia Eagles before breaking his ankle on Thanksgiving. If he doesn’t return to Philadelphia, he’ll have some teams interested in signing him.
19. Sterling Moore: Moore signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, and did OK. He can cover outside or the slot, and he’ll help some team’s depth.
Others worth noting: Alan Ball, Tarell Brown, Josh Robinson, Coty Sensabaugh and Kyle Wilson.
1. Eric Berry: What a comeback story. Berry beat cancer, came back to the Kansas City Chiefs and made a Pro Bowl. At his best, he has an argument that he’s the best strong safety in the NFL.
2. Eric Weddle: Weddle was great for the San Diego Chargers for nine seasons, but his time there ended in a messy way. He can do it all in a defensive backfield and even at age 31 he’ll be a top priority for a lot of teams.
3. George Iloka: He is big, strong and can cover well. And he’ll be just 26 years old next season. He’ll be in high demand.
4. Walter Thurmond: Thurmond can play up or back, and his versatility will make him a nice target in free agency. He had 71 tackles and three interceptions last year with the Philadelphia Eagles, his first season as a full-time starter.
5. Mark Barron: Barron could be included with the outside linebackers because it appears that is where his career is headed. He was the seventh pick of the 2012 draft, bombed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but was a key piece for the St. Louis Rams playing mostly linebacker.
6. Michael Griffin: Griffin is a big-time hitter, and started from his rookie year in 2007 through last season with the Tennessee Titans. He just turned 31 and would be a fine choice for a team needing a quick fix.
7. Tashaun Gipson: Gipson went from 11 interceptions in the 2013-14 seasons to just two last year, but he is still a quality free safety and won’t turn 26 until August.
8. Rodney McLeod: McLeod had a nice season for the St. Louis Rams. He has been a starter for three seasons, and is a good deep safety option in free agency. He doesn’t turn 26 until late June.
9. Reggie Nelson: Nelson made his first Pro Bowl last season, at age 32. He led the NFL with eight interceptions. He’s a good coverage safety and has shown no signs of slowing down.
10. Isa Abdul-Quddus: A run support safety, Abdul-Quddus started the second half of the season for the Detroit Lions and made a good impression. That was his first shot at being a regular starter and it might have shown teams his potential.
11. Quintin Demps: Demps has bounced around, changing teams each of the last three seasons. He started a career-high 13 games for the Houston Texans and wasn’t bad. He could land in a spot where he can start again.
12. Rashad Johnson: Johnson is tough, and also has nine interceptions the past two years with the Arizona Cardinals. He was mostly a backup for his first five seasons, then played well the last two after becoming a full-time starter.
13. Tyvon Branch: Branch seemed to be signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an insurance policy in case Berry wasn’t back to his old form, but Berry was fine and Branch didn’t play much. Branch is still talented, as long as he can stay healthy.
14. Husain Abdullah: Abdullah started all 16 games for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014, then went back to mostly a reserve role in 2015. He is a good depth option in free agency.
15. Brandon Meriweather: He seems like a good idea for safety-needy teams, but it has been a while since Meriweather has been a top player. But he is only 32 with a ton of experience, so he’ll be on teams’ lists.
16. Ryan Mundy: Mundy played pretty well for the Chicago Bears in 2014, then a hip injury cost him all of the 2015 season. He’ll have to show he is healthy, and even if he is, the market might be limited for the 31-year-old.
Others worth noting: Will Allen, Robert Blanton, David Bruton, Chris Conte, Louis Delmas, Dwight Lowery and William Moore.
1. Justin Tucker: Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said the team will give Tucker the franchise tag (and Tucker’s agent said the team told them they plan to tag him), so unless there’s a serious turn of events, Tucker won’t hit the open market. He has made 87.8 percent of his field goals, many of which were from very long range, and has never missed an extra point in the NFL.
2. Mason Crosby: Other than a strangely terrible 2012 season, Crosby has been fantastic in nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He has hit at least 80 percent of his field goals in four of the last five years.
3. Adam Vinatieri: Vinatieri has to be on anyone’s list of greatest kickers ever, and remarkably he has hit 55-of-58 field goals the last two years, which was supposed to be the twilight of his career. He’s 43 but still one of the best in the game.
4. Josh Brown: The New York Giants kicker hasn’t made fewer than 88.5 percent of his field goals since 2011. He’ll be 37 next season and he is aging well.
5. Phil Dawson: Even at 41 he is among the best in the game. He missed just three field goals last year for the San Francisco 49ers.
6. Greg Zuerlein: After making a big splash early with the St. Louis Rams, Zuerlein has gone from 92.9 percent on field goals in 2013 to 80 in 2014 to 66.7 last year. He has a strong leg but needs consistency. He’s only 28.
1. Marquette King: King was ninth in the NFL among qualifying punters with a 40.7-yard net average and second with 40 punts downed inside the 20. The Oakland Raiders aren’t likely to let him go.
2. Bryan Anger: Not only was Anger drafted in the third round by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was drafted ahead of Russell Wilson. Anger hasn’t been that bad, but good luck living up to that draft history.
3. Brad Nortman: Nortman is an average, young punter who helped the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 season.
4. Shane Lechler: Lechler is one of the greatest punters ever, and 2015 was another good season for him. He’ll be 40 next season, and he isn’t at the same level he was when he was a six-time All-Pro with the Oakland Raiders, but he is still a good option.
5. Jon Ryan: The Canadian has been a solid punter for 10 seasons, the last eight with the Seattle Seahawks. However, his net average has slipped each of the last three years and he ranked just 29th among qualifying punters in that category last year.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
