The NFL free agent market has names like James Jones, Jermaine Gresham, Zach Miller, Pierre Thomas, Steven Jackson, Michael Vick, Wes Welker, Reggie Wayne, Chris Johnson and Knowshon Moreno available and teams like the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins could be interested in some of those players heading into training camp.
The spring means OTA workouts and the start of offseason activities for teams and that could lead to some adding free agents heading into camp. There have been a number of notable players cut over the past couple months and some other notable names remain on the market from after the season. According to Pro Football Talk, the "2015 All-Unemployed Team" has some solid players to look at, including Jones and Johnson, two players that were fairly productive last season.
The deadline for players counting against the compensatory draft formula has passed and that could see teams take fliers on players they may not have signed a few weeks ago. Injuries always happen in OTA workouts and in training camp and that also could lead to some deals going down. According to ESPN Dallas, Johnson is not currently "on the radar" for the Cowboys, but there is a chance down the line the team looks at adding a free agent running back.
Johnson, Pierre Thomas, Steven Jackson and Knowshon Moreno are the top backs left on the market and as veterans they likely will have to wait for training camp to get work. Last year saw players like Michael Turner sit on the sidelines waiting all season to get work and it never came and that could happen again with some of these guys. The RB position is a tough one, as once players get to a certain age it's hard to get back into action.
Jackson was up and down with the Falcons over the past couple seasons, while Thomas was released by the Saints. The team now has CJ Spiller and Mark Ingram as the starters and that left Thomas the odd man out behind Khiry Robinson. Moreno was injured last season and missed most of the year for the Dolphins, while Johnson put up career-low numbers for the Jets. The Cowboys have Darren McFadden as the starter with Joseph Randle and they could add another back behind Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams.
James Jones could be a solid depth option, as he comes in after leading the Raiders in receiving last year. Jones had 73 catches last season and he could be a nice fit as a fourth receiver for certain teams. The Raiders released Jones after signing Michael Crabtree. Crabtree was a target for the Dolphins along with Wes Welker, but the team signed Greg Jennings instead.
Welker could be a solid depth pickup, but right now he has not generated much buzz on the market. The Denver Broncos lost Jeff Heuerman to an injury and he will be out for the season after being drafted. The team signed Owen Daniels already, but the injury could make the Broncos take a look at Gresham or Miller as free agent tight ends on the market for Peyton Manning.