It's everyone's favorite time of year again - free agency. It's the only time of the year you get to exchange cold hard cash for a "free" player. Let's take a look at some of the top available players who were not retained in any fashion by their current team. That means I won't be including EFA's on this list since most won't be bid on, and also to avoid controversy pointing out another team's player.
OLB Derrick BrooksIt makes sense that Brooks is one of the first on the list of top free agents considering he is possibly the best OLB in the league. His 87 SPD is only matched by second year LB Teddy Lehman, which doesn't even take into account Brooks is maxed out at 99 AWR/99 TAK. Brooks is 32 years old, but will still be a good player in this league until he's
at least 35. He is one of the prime candidates for a mega bid this year.
FS Brian DawkinsFull disclosure: I bid on Brian Dawkins. As of this writing there are 5 other teams who also bid on him, and it's quite likely that number will surpass the 7 teams that can be shown on the site. Dawkins has long been one of the most athletic safeties in the league which makes him the definition of an elite player in the league considering he also has 99 AWR/70 CTH/77 TAK. Like Brooks, Dawkins' shear athleticism will make him an impact player long past his prime, and I can see someone like him still having 3+ productive years left despite his age.
OG Ruben BrownI think one of the greatest truths in the SFL so far is that you are usually going to choose between athleticism and experience - finding athletic, high AWR players is not very common in this league. Brown is one of the rare players in the league that has both. While he isn't the strongest in the league, his 64 SPD/68 AGI/71 ACC is only matched by 12 other OL with 80+ AWR. I would be surprised if he didn't receive a fair amount of attention this FA cycle.
OT Tony BertiThe newly-named Tony Berti is on the market for the first time since the inception of the league. The Cardinals signed him originally to a max deal (to a three year deal mistakenly), before trading him to the Chargers last season. With the Chargers facing some financial difficulty, Berti his the open market again. He is another example of an extremely polished
and athletic player, and should command the most money of any FA OL on the open market.
DE Kevin CarterI'm not sure I fully ever evaluated Carter, because part of me is just realizing what a beast he is at the DE position. His 75 SPD/88 STR combination is only matched by Richard Seymour and Osi Umenyiora, while his 90 AWR is almost exactly double that of Osi's. Meanwhile, his 6'8", 290 lb frame makes him one of the most physically imposing players in the league. I actually think the market could be lighter than expected for Carter due to the overwhelming amount of DL talent already in the league, Carter is not a talent to overlook and he will greatly help whichever team manages to land him.
DT Pat WilliamsDT Pat Williams is another incredibly old player on this list, but he is yet another example of a player who still has something left to contribute in this league. His 94 STR/68 AGI combo is matched by only 7 other DTs in the league, and his 86 AWR/85 TAK makes him by far the most polished of the bunch. He may not be the sexiest pick up this free agency, but he has averaged six sacks per season for the Bills and is sure to make an impact for whoever makes it a priority to win his services.
QB Elvis GrbacIt may be odd to see an 81 OVR QB with 79 AWR and 88 THA on this list, but I think he is going to be a hot commodity as the best available FA quarterback. Even semi-talented backups are a rare occurrence in this league, and there are bound to be several teams looking to improve their standing in that regard, especially after all the quarterback injuries we saw last year. He is nowhere near as talented as any of the other players on this list, but I think his position alone and the fact that he's the only option will see him get plenty of bids.
