2012 NFL Free Agency: Top Free Agents Will Affect the Draft

by Matthew Fairburn on Feb 12, 2012 12:27 PM EST in 2012 NFL Draft

As soon as Tom Brady's desperation hail mary hit the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium, it was draft season. The following week was filled with mock drafts, scouting reports and non-stop draft news. But maybe it's time to pump the breaks for a minute. The NFL Scouting Combine and free agency are still on the horizon, and each will have an enormous effect on the mock drafts around the country.

SB Nation recently took a look at some of the top free agents available and some possible destinations for those players. Among the most intriguing free agents are Matt Flynn, Mario Williams and Vincent Jackson. With a handful of quarterback needy teams at the top of the draft trying to trade up and grab Robert Griffin III, Matt Flynn's new choice of team will undoubtedly cross one team off that list.

Meanwhile, in a draft that is short on premiere pass rushers at the top, Mario Williams is one of the best free agents to come along at the position since Julius Peppers. Teams running the 4-3 defense that don't like what they see in Quinton Coples, or are out of the range to draft him, will be throwing a lot of money at the former No. 1 overall pick.

Vincent Jackson's decision may not be quite as pressing, but you can be certain that Justin Blackmon has his eye on the talented group of free agent wide receivers. Blackmon would certainly benefit from some of the wide receiver needy teams at the top of the draft staying clear of the position in free agency. Something tells me he won't be so lucky.

Not all needs can be filled in free agency, but the frenzy that ensues in March will have enough of an impact on the NFL Draft to make most mock drafts coming out now look silly by draft time.

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Giants could get rid of Osi, Jacobs, Ross, and Manningham......and probably still not have cap room for Mario Williams

But that’d be something if we could land him.

by #56 4life on Feb 12, 2012 12:35 PM EST reply actions

Dream team?

GIANTS! SB46 CHAMPS!

by Charles L on Feb 12, 2012 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

Forget Mario

He would cost too much. The Giants need to get better on the O-Line. I say take a shot at getting Carl Nicks or Ben Grubbs. The running game sucked last season and the Giants need to protect their franchise in Eli, especially after getting destroyed by the 49ers defense in the playoffs.

Then the Giants can draft TE Dwayne Allen, cause Ballard and Beckum are going to be on the PUP next season.

I’m all for trading Osi to a team for their 2nd rounder (maybe the Seahawks). Maybe release Diehl and do something about about Rolle’s enormous bump in salary next season.

by IrishPride187 on Feb 12, 2012 1:20 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

The Giants don't have the cap room to sign a 8th-year journeyman CB

Because the Maras once again put the league before their team.

My QB has 2 rings. Well, 3 if you want to get technical.

2012 NYG mock - 1: Dwayne Allen TE, 2: Brandon Boykin CB/RS, 3: A.J. Jenkins WR, 4: Vick Ballard RB, 5: Neiko Thorpe S, 6: Rishard Matthews WR/RS, 6: Blake DeChristopher G/T, 7: BPA

by ct17 on Feb 12, 2012 3:01 PM EST up reply actions

The NFL Scouting Combine and free agency are still on the horizon, and each will have an enormous effect on the mock drafts around the country.

That is why I don’t participate in mocks until after these events.

Many believe Flynn to Miami is a forgone conclusion, but Cleveland could be a darkhorse candidate to sign him. Holmgren would love to get him.

Also there are still four weeks before FA, and teams have that time to re-sign players. Typical negotiations last until close to the deadline. It will be interesting to see which players are available on March 13.

When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Feb 12, 2012 1:27 PM EST reply actions

Cleveland definetly could be a landing spot, but Flynn’s price tag seems too high at this time. He would be an upgrade over McCoy because he’s been schooled in the WCO for a longer period of time. Though he cannot expect to start right away in Cleveland due to there not being much info on him…

A bargain is something you don't need at a price you can't resist....
If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong!
My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch!
Once you start agreeing with TDSH, you know that you're wrong.

by J. W. on Feb 26, 2012 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

How about Michael Griffin?

He’s in his prime, a legit starting-calibre Safety who’s made it to the Pro-Bowl, and this draft has a widely-considered weak class of Safeties. Lots of teams will want him. That probably won’t affect the 1st round of the draft(as I have Barron dropping).

I think the interior-OLine class for FA is pretty deep this year with multiple Pro-Bowlers. That might effect the DeCastro or Konz picks.

It is what it is

by Middlesex on Feb 12, 2012 5:35 PM EST reply actions

So nice to actually know what your holes will be before the draft this year. Last year was just so much chaos.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Feb 13, 2012 8:11 AM EST reply actions