National Football League

Brian Billick's top 50 free agents

Published Mar. 12, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Below is my list of the Top-10 “value” free agents followed by a Top-50 free-agent ranking (signed, franchised and unsigned).

Typically, we focus on free agents who sign with new teams, but a signing of an existing player with his former team is just as significant when building a roster.

The first Top 10 is a ranking of value, with overall rank listed in parenthesis. Value can be defined as total cost, schematic fit, on-field performance, personality fit and off-field concerns.

Top-10 Value

1. (1) Peyton Manning, QB

Outside the obvious injury concerns, if I have to explain why he is No. 1 on the list, you probably got to this site by accident. --- UPDATE: Sources confirm he has told agent to negotiate contract with Denver.

2. (3) Mario Williams, DE/OLB

Coming off of an injury that caused him to miss 11 games last season has to be a concern, but this is a weak draft class for elite edge rushers, and that makes obtaining Williams even more valuable. He is a game changer, if healthy. --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Bills.

3. (4) Carl Nicks, OG

An elite interior offensive lineman whose only limitation in free agency is the overall value placed on guards. But the interior line is usually the final missing piece to solidifying a strong offensive line. Nicks will be a huge loss to the Saints if he goes elsewhere, especially in the running game. --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Bucs.

4. (11) Vincent Jackson, WR

Wide receiver has been a classic miss position in free agency, but Jackson has proven he is a legit No. 1. Jackson could be the proverbial “one player away from being a Super Bowl team.” --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Bucs.

5. (13) Mike Wallace, WR

Impact player, but could fall into the aforementioned overpaying-for-a-player category, especially with his tender.

6. (14) Cortland Finnegan, CB

Proven ability at a position with limited options. Needs to go to a team that can control his mental breakdowns. --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Rams.

7. (15) Ben Grubbs, OG

See Carl Nicks above. --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Saints.

8. (16) Matt Flynn, QB

Huge risk to pay what the market will demand for a player with just two starts on his resume. Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is intimately familiar with Flynn, and if he doesn’t make a run for him, there will be major questions as to why. --- UPDATE: Agreed to deal with Seahawks.

9. (17) Marques Colston, WR

Solid wide receiver, but hard to project outside of the Saints' passing system. He has No. 1 credentials, but something always seems to happen (injuries, drops, disappears in games) when on the verge of being named amongst the league’s elite. --- UPDATE: Re-signed with Saints.

10. (19) Lardarius Webb, CB

Hard to imagine the Ravens letting him get away. Corner is a need position and he brings return skills as well.

Top 50 Free Agents

RANK	NAME	POSITION	AGE	'11 TEAM	STATUS
1.	Peyton Manning	QB	36	Indianapolis	Selected DEN
2.	Drew Brees	QB	33	New Orleans	Franchised
3.	Mario Williams	DE	27	Houston	Joining BUF
4.	Carl Nicks	OG	27	New Orleans	Joining TB
5.	Ray Rice	RB	25	Baltimore	Franchised
6.	Arian Foster	RB	26	Houston	Re-signed
7.	Calais Campbell	DT	26	Arizona	Franchised
8.	Matt Forte	RB	26	Chicago	Franchised
9.	Jermichael Finley	TE	25	Green Bay	Re-signed
10.	Cliff Avril	DE	26	Detroit	Franchised
11.	Vincent Jackson	WR	29	San Diego	Joining TB
12.	Dwayne Bowe	WR	27	Kansas City	Franchised
13.	Mike Wallace	WR	26	Pittsburgh	Tender
14.	Cortland Finnegan	DB	28	Tennessee	Joining STL
15.	Ben Grubbs	OG	28	Baltimore	Joining NO
16.	Matt Flynn	QB	27	Green Bay	Joining SEA
17.	Marques Colston	WR	29	New Orleans	Re-signed
18.	Robert Mathis	DE	31	Indianapolis	Re-signed
19.	Lardarius Webb	DB	26	Baltimore	FA
20.	Wes Welker	WR	31	New England	Franchised
21.	Carlos Rogers	DB	31	San Francisco	Re-signed
22.	Stephen Tulloch	ILB	27	Detroit	FA
23.	Alex Smith	QB	28	San Francisco	FA
24.	Curtis Lofton	ILB	26	Atlanta	FA
25.	Marshawn Lynch	RB	26	Seattle	Re-signed
26.	Anthony Spencer	DE	28	Dallas	Franchised
27.	Paul Soliai	DT	28	Miami	Re-signed
28.	Red Bryant	DT	28	Seattle	Re-signed
29.	DeSean Jackson	WR	25	Philadelphia	Franchised
30.	Stevie Johnson	WR	26	Buffalo	Franchised
31.	Brandon Carr	DB	26	Kansas City	Joining DAL
32.	D'Qwell Jackson	ILB	28	Cleveland	Re-signed
33.	Jared Gaither	OT	26	San Diego	Re-signed
34.	Peyton Hillis	RB	26	Cleveland	Joining KC
35.	John Abraham	DE	34	Atlanta	Re-signed
36.	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	28	Denver	FA
37.	Brent Grimes	DB	29	Atlanta	Franchised
38.	David Hawthorne	ILB	27	Seattle	FA
39.	Cory Redding	DT	31	Baltimore	Joining IND
40.	Tyvon Branch	S	25	Oakland	Franchised
41.	Chris Myers	C	30	Houston	Re-signed
42.	Cedric Benson	RB	29	Cincinnati	FA
43.	Stanford Routt	DB	29	Oakland	Signed by KC
44.	Brandon Lloyd	WR	31	St. Louis	Joining NE
45.	Kyle Orton	QB	29	Kansas City	Joining DAL
46.	Pierre Garcon	WR	26	Indianapolis	Joining WAS
47.	Ahmad Brooks	OLB	28	San Francisco	Re-signed
48.	Evan Mathis	G	30	Philadelphia	Re-signed
49.	Michael Griffin	S	27	Tennessee	Franchised
50.	Mario Manningham	WR	26	New York Giants	Joining SF