free agents you'd like to see on the rams

PFF’S TOP 75 FREE AGENTS OF 2016

Matt Claassen reveals the top 75 players on the free agent market, selected by PFF’s team of senior analysts.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/02/15/pro-pffs-top-75-free-agents-of-2016/

Free agency kicks off in less than a month, so we are taking a look at the best players available this offseason. Our senior analysts have taken everything from past performance, age, injury history and more into account to give you our top 75 player about to hit the free agent market. The list is not based on what players will earn in their next deals, but rather how we think they’ll play going forward.

We will continue to update the list as cuts, franchise tags, and re-signings take place, so keep checking back to stay up to date.

(Editor’s note: This is the initial list, published on Feb. 15, 2016)

1. Von Miller, OLB
2015 team: Denver Broncos

Miller is technically a free agent, but let’s be honest—he’s not going anywhere. The Super Bowl MVP is an elite defender whose stock couldn’t be higher after an outstanding playoff run.

2. Alshon Jeffery, WR
2015 team: Chicago Bears

Jeffery struggled with injury in 2015, but was among the best receivers this season when he was on the field. His 2.87 yards-per-route-run ranked fourth among wide receivers. Jeffery is by far the top talent in an otherwise lackluster wide receiver free agent pool.

3. Josh Norman, CB
2015 team: Carolina Panters

Norman built upon a good 2014 season to blossom into one of the best cover cornerbacks in the league; he led all CBs with a 54.0 passer rating allowed into his coverage during the regular season.

4. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE
2015 team: New York Jets

His recovery from a broken leg might be a bit of a question mark, but he has finished among the top five 3-4 defensive ends in our grading in three of his four years in the league.

5. Olivier Vernon, DE
2015 team: Miami Dolphins

Vernon broke out in a contract year with a 92.5 overall grade that ranked behind only Khalil Mack and Von Miller among edge defenders. He had a league-high 57 total pressures over the final eight weeks of the season.

6. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
2015 team: New York Giants

JPP did not play as well against the run as he has in the past, but 41 total pressures and six batted passes in half a season proved he can still make an impact.

7. Kelechi Osemele, G/OT
2015 team: Baltimore Ravens

Osemele is best suited as a guard, but has the versatility that teams value. He was a top-10 guard each of the last two years prior to moving to tackle.

8. Eric Berry, S
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

Our Comeback Player of the Year regained his 2013 form to finish as the sixth-ranked safety in overall grade and coverage grade.

9. Malik Jackson, DE
2015 team: Denver Broncos

That’s back-to-back great seasons for Jackson, who can play a variety of defensive line techniques. He makes his mark as a pass rusher, but also plays well against the run. He’s tied for the seventh-most total pressures in the regular season among interior defenders.

10. Cordy Glenn, OT
2015 team: Buffalo Bills

Glenn ranked 11th among all offensive tackles in pass-blocking efficiency while allowing just two sacks and two hits all season. He was our 10th-ranked tackle overall tackle and has continued to improve as a pass-blocker each year.

11. Kirk Cousins, QB
2015 team: Washington Redskins

Cousins was a nice surprise for Washington in his first full year as a starter. In fact, he had the eighth-best passing grade over the last nine weeks of the regular season. His 78.5 accuracy percentage ranked second in the league. While he needs to be more consistent week to week, he showed improvement in 2015.

12. Eric Weddle, S
2015 team: San Diego Chargers

Weddle is still one of the better coverage safeties in the league, but did not have his best year in run defense. His 85.9 coverage grade ranked second among safeties in 2015.

13. Sean Smith, CB
2015 team: Kansas City

Smith posted three solid seasons with Kansas City to become their No. 1 corner. He allowed a reception once for every 12.7 coverage snaps in 2015, 12th-best among corners with at least 400 snaps in coverage.

14. Danny Trevathan, LB
2015 team: Denver Broncos

Trevathan is a well-rounded, young player who ranked fifth among inside linebackers in run stop percentage and tackling efficiency in 2015.

15. Sam Bradford, QB
2015 team: Philadelphia Eagles

Bradford led the league in accuracy percentage when under pressure and had just two negatively-graded games from Week 4 and on. He played over 1,000 snaps for the first time since 2012, but his injury history is certainly something for teams to consider.

16. Richie Incognito, G
2015 team: Buffalo Bills

Incognito returned to the field in dominant fashion as our top-ranked left guard last season. His strength is his run-blocking, but he has been good in pass protection over the years as well. Incognito hasn’t finished a season with a negative grade in pass- or run-blocking since 2007.

17. Damon Harrison, NT
2015 team: New York Jets

Harrison is the premier run-stuffing nose tackle in the league. He’s had the highest run-stop percentage among defensive tackles each of the last three years, and his 18.1 percent last year was the highest in the PFF era among interior defenders with at least 200 snaps in run defense.

18. Evan Mathis, G
2015 team: Denver Broncos

With a new team in 2015, his performance dipped a bit, but he still finished with the highest run-blocking grade among guards for the fourth time in five years.

19. Doug Martin, RB
2015 team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Martin had a career-season with an overall grade of 87.8 in his contract year with the Buccaneers. His 57 missed tackles forced and 906 yards after contact led the league. He’s just 27, and if he can stay healthy, he could be one of the few options for a long-term solution for a team.

20. Robert Ayers, DE
2015 team: New York Giants

Ayers hasn’t managed to expand his role to more than primarily a pass-rusher, but he’s been excellent in that regard. He’s ranked in the top 12 for pass-rushing productivity among 4-3 defensive ends each of the last three years, including the top mark of 15.2 in 2014.

21. Derrick Johnson, LB
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

The 33-year-old has long been one of the best inside linebackers over the last several years. Outside of an injury in 2014, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Johnson ranked in the top eight among all off-ball linebackers in coverage and run defense last season.

22. Nick Fairley, DT
2015 team: St. Louis Rams

Fairley settled for a one-year deal with the Rams last season, and had his highest-graded year, despite being limited in playing time.

23. Donald Penn, OT
2015 team: Oakland Raiders

The veteran left tackle is aging, but plenty of teams can use a reliable pass protector these days. Penn has also missed just 52 snaps over the past eight years.

24. Casey Hayward, CB
2015 team: Green Bay Packers

Hayward hasn’t quite replicated his excellent rookie year, but he has earned a positive coverage grade in each of his four seasons. If he can stay healthy again going forward, he’s free agency’s best option for a slot cornerback.

25. Kelvin Beachum, OT
2015 team: Pittsburgh Steelers

If not for his ACL injury last season, he may have been higher on this list. Beachum was one of the best pass protectors in 2014, allowing just 19 total pressures during the regular season.

26. George Iloka, S
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

Iloka is a well-rounded safety who has graded positively in run defense and coverage the last two seasons. In 2014, he allowed a passer rating of 18.4 when targeted in coverage, among the lowest out of all safeties that season.

27. Reggie Nelson, S
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

Best as a deep safety, Nelson has earned positive coverage grades each of the past five seasons, with last year’s +8.1 cumulative grade being the second-highest of his nine-year career.

28. Brandon Brooks, G
2015 team: Houston Texans

Brooks was a top-10 guard in 2013 and 2014 before experiencing a dip in run-blocking performance last season. On the plus side, he did have his best year in pass protection, and there is good reason to believe he can bounce back going forward for a team with a zone-heavy offense.

29. Marvin Jones, WR
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

Jones probably isn’t suited for a No. 1 receiver role, but he’s definitely proven to be an effective starter, particularly with his work after the catch.

30. Jerrell Freeman, LB
2015 team: Indianapolis Colts

Freeman drastically improved his run defense and tackling efficiency in 2015, after having his worst season against the run in 2014. He’s good in coverage, but which player will we see in run defense going forward?

31. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB
2015 team: New York Jets

He’s had his ups and downs over the years, but has also shown that he can be an effective starter in the league, and should be a consideration for a few teams.

32. William Hayes, DE
2015 team: St. Louis Rams

Hayes has been very effective in a part-time role over the last four seasons with the Rams. Last year was his most effective as a pass rusher, and he ranked among the top five edge defenders in run defense grades.

33. Mitchell Schwartz, OT
2015 team: Cleveland Browns

Schwartz has been good in pass protection, but the sheer number of dropbacks have made his pressure totals look worse than his overall efficiency. He’s a reliable player who has not missed a snap in his four-year career.

34. Lamar Miller, RB
2015 team: Miami Dolphins

For the second-straight year, Miller was effective in the ground game despite running behind one of the worst run-blocking offensive lines in the league. At 24-years-old and having averaged fewer than 200 rush attempts over the last three seasons, Miller should have several good years ahead of him.

35. Ramon Foster, G
2015 team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Foster has consistently been an above-average pass protector, and he earned a career-high run-blocking grade in 2015.

36. Bruce Irvin, LB
2015 team: Seattle Seahawks

Irvin’s athleticism has allowed his role to evolve over the years with the Seahawks, and his run defense has improved at the same time. However, his per-snap pass-rushing productivity has dipped as he’s asked to do more in coverage; he still might be best suited as solely a pass rusher.

37. Adam Jones, CB
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

When it comes to strictly on-field performance, Jones has always fared well in coverage. He plays almost exclusively on the outside, and is coming off his second-highest coverage grade since 2007.

38. Tashuan Gipson, S
2015 team: Cleveland Browns

In every free agent market, there are players who have fantastic highs, but dreadful lows. Gipson might be the best example of that this offseason. He was a top-10 coverage safety two years ago, but dropped all the way into the bottom 10 in 2015.

39. Jaye Howard, DE
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

Howard had some great run defense performances early on in 2015, and even though he didn’t sustain it for the full season, it was still impressive to see as his first full year as a starter.

40. Trumaine Johnson, CB
2015 team: St. Louis Rams

Johnson had his best season as a starter in 2015, allowing a 55.0 passer rating when targeted—second-lowest at the position.

41. Janoris Jenkins, CB
2015 team: St. Louis Rams

It’s tough to know what you are getting with Jenkins week-to-week, but he has shown the ability to create big plays. He has 13+ combined pass defenses and interceptions in three of his four years as a pro, but has also allowed at least five touchdowns in every season (22 total).

42. Derrick Shelby, DE
2015 team: Miami Dolphins

Shelby made quite an impact in his increased role, with 41 pressures and 25 run stops as he helped replace the injured Cameron Wake.

43. Prince Amukamara, CB
2015 team: New York Giants

Amukamara is a capable starter when he’s healthy and may have been higher on the list, but he’s missed multiple games in four of his five seasons. Still, he’s graded above average in coverage over the last four years.

44. Chris Ivory, RB
2015 team: New York Jets

Ivory is an underrated player who doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but has been very consistent with positive rushing grades in each of his six seasons in the league. He’s forced 99 missed tackles on rush attempts over the last two years.

45. Mark Barron, LB
2015 team: St. Louis Rams

Barron has fared well so far in his transition from safety to linebacker. He was still slightly below average in coverage, but was in the top-third of linebackers in run defense, despite being a little undersized.

46. Patrick Robinson, CB
2015 team: San Diego Chargers

Robinson allowed more than 30 receiving yards just once all season in his first year with the Chargers. The inconsistency he displayed with the Saints is still a concern, though.

47. Rolando McClain, LB
2015 team: Dallas Cowboys

2015 was somewhat of a disappointment for McClain, as he regressed in run defense in the few weeks following his return from suspension. He did play better down the stretch, and looked closer to his 2014 form, though.

48. Stefen Wisniewski, C
2015 team: Jacksonville Jaguars

Wisniewski had the third-highest pass-blocking efficiency among centers in 2015, as he allowed just 13 total pressures during his first season with Jacksonville. He’s a young, durable player who has missed 19 snaps over five seasons in the league.

49. Ian Williams, NT
2015 team: San Francisco 49ers

Williams is a level below Damon Harrison, but he’s a similar type of player who is a very good run defender at nose tackle.

50. Akiem Hicks, DT
2015 team: New England Patriots

The move to New England really seemed to bring out the best of Hicks once he got settled in. He earned the highest overall grade of his career despite playing a part-time role, and had above-average grades in both run defense and pass-rushing for the first time of his career.

51. Husain Abdullah, S
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

Regardless of whether he’s been a starter or a part-time player, Abdullah has played all over the field, and performed well in doing so. He’s earned a chance to be a full-time starter once again.

52. Walter Thurmond, S
2015 team: Philadelphia Eagles

Thurmond handled the transition from cornerback to safety better than could have been expected, while he also provides the flexibility to cover the slot. His +7.2 overall cumulative grade ranked 12th out of 88 qualifying safeties last season.

53. Leon Hall, CB
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

Hall isn’t quite the player he used to be, but he’s still one of the better options for slot cornerbacks in the league. He has earned positive overall grades and coverage grades in each of his nine NFL seasons.

54. Brandon Mebane, DT
2015 team: Seattle Seahawks

Mebane hasn’t been the same player since the Seahawks’ Super Bowl championship season, but he can surely still make some impact for a defensive front.

55. Alex Boone, G
2015 team: San Francisco 49ers

Boone has historically been good in the run game, but his first negative run-blocking grade came in 2015 with a switch to the other side of the line.

56. Greg Hardy, DE
2015 team: Dallas Cowboys

Hardy played well in Dallas, just not to the level we saw prior to his suspension. He could still be that great defender, but his off-field baggage may cause issues when trying to get a big contract.

57. Joe Barksdale, OT
2015 team: San Diego Chargers

Barksdale hits the market again after a one-year deal with San Diego. He has shown good stretches of play over the last few years, and if he can sustain that level for an entire season, he could be a steal of a signing on a small contract.

58. Brandon Boykin, CB
2015 team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Boykin wasn’t given much playing time early on in Pittsburgh, but once he was more involved, he continued to have success like he did in Philadelphia. Over the final five weeks of the regular season, he allowed a passer rating of 65.0 when targeted, and had the eighth-highest grade in coverage among cornerbacks.

59. Russell Okung, OT
2015 team: Seattle Seahawks

A few years removed from his best, Okung has shown his potential. Maybe a change of scenery can help him regain that form. If not, at worst he’s been an average tackle over the last three seasons.

60. Matt Forte, RB
2015 team: Chicago Bears

Forte has hit the dreaded age 30 for running backs, but if his play over the second half of the season is any indication, he still has something left in the tank. Forte was the highest-graded rusher over the final six weeks of 2015, and could continue to be effective in a lessened role to keep him healthy.

61. Haloti Ngata, DT
2015 team: Detroit Lions

Like Mebane, Ngata isn’t the run defender he once was—his -1.2 cumulative run defense grade in 2015 was the worst of his career. Still, he had one of his better pass-rushing years, as he generated 33 total pressures.

62. Manuel Ramirez, G/C
2015 team: Detroit Lions

Ramirez has been solid over his career and could still be a viable short-term option at age 33. He has the versatility to play either center or guard, which also helps his stock.

63. Antonio Gates, TE
2015 team: San Diego Chargers

Gates can still be an effective receiver as a short-term solution, despite his being one of the older players at the position. He had the seventh-highest overall grade and ninth-best yards per route run (1.79) among tight ends in 2015.

64. Nick Perry, OLB
2015 team: Green Bay Packers

Perry definitely hasn’t made the impact you want from a first-round pick, but he’s been far from poor. He has shown good pass-rushing games, even though it has been largely inconsistent week-to-week.

65. Dwayne Allen, TE
2015 team: Indianapolis Colts

2015 was rough for Allen, who had one of the lowest overall grades among tight ends (due largely to his performance as a run blocker) before a season-ending injury. However, good performances in 2014 and 2012 give hope for a bounce back next season for the 25-year-old.

66. Terrance Knighton, NT
2015 team: Washington Redskins

Knighton didn’t make much of an impact during his lone year in Washington, but he’s only 30, and might be able to regain his previous form that shined when he was with the Broncos.

67. Rishard Matthews, WR
2015 team: Miami Dolphins

Matthews managed to earn a starting spot despite three new receivers being brought in during last offseason. His season was shortened due to injury, but he ranked among the top 20 wide receivers in receiving yards per route run.

68. Jeff Allen, G
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

Allen turned his play around in 2015 to earn the first positive run- and pass-blocking grades of his career. However, which player is he going to be going forward: the one who graded negatively in his first three seasons, or the one who graded well in limited time in 2015?

69. Andre Smith, OT
2015 team: Cincinnati Bengals

Smith is coming off the worst season of his career, but injuries and concussions may have played a part. Still, he’s just a few years removed from being our highest-graded right tackle in the league,

70. Jason Jones, DE
2015 team: Detroit Lions

Jones has consistently generated pressure over the last two years, and would primarily be a rotational pass-rusher going forward.

71. Mike DeVito, DE
2015 team: Kansas City Chiefs

DeVito has consistently played well versus the run during his career, and should still be able to make an impact as a part-time role player.

72. Brock Osweiler, QB
2015 team: Denver Broncos

Osweiler struggled some with consistency during his small sample size last year, but did show enough with positive grades in five of his eight games to earn his shot at a starting gig next year.

73. Jeremy Mincey, DE
2015 team: Dallas Cowboys

Mincey’s playing time was cut down in 2015, and he had one of his least productive seasons with the arrival of Hardy. Prior to this past season, Mincey had earned above-average grades in five-straight seasons.

74. Ben Jones, C
2015 team: Houston Texans

Jones didn’t have as much success last year after moving from guard to center, but he proved capable of playing the position and should do better if he can cut down on the penalties.

75. Junior Galette, DE
2015 team: Washington Redskins

Galette has red flags with both injury and off-field concerns. Still, when it comes to strictly on-field play, he’s a proven pass rusher.

InvaderRam wrote:

. i’d like to see ladarius green.