Balzer: 2018 NFL Free Agent guide

If the first two months of the 2018 NFL offseason are any indication, expect the action to be dizzying when the new league year begins at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. That's when free agents can begin signing contracts and trades that have been consummated become official. A number of trades have been agreed to, with the Los Angeles Rams involved in four as they work to reshape their defense in the image of coordinator Wade Phillips. There is no other explanation for the decision to jettison linebackers Robert Quinn and Alec Ogletree, while acquiring cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. The Rams also placed a franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner. Ogletree had signed a lucrative contract extension last October. Friday saw more change in Seattle when cornerback Richard Sherman was released with a failed physical designation and cornerback Jeremy Lane was also released. Lane was traded to Houston during the 2017 season only to head back to the Seahawks after failing his physical. The Cleveland Browns reportedly acquired quarterback Tyrod Taylor for a third-round draft pick after the team acquired wide receiver Jarvis Landry from Miami earlier in the day. The Browns also sent quarterback DeShone Kizer to Green Bay for cornerback Damarious Randall. Meanwhile, teams and agents can begin negotiating agreements Monday although no contracts can be signed until after 4 p.m. Wednesday. But please, everyone, cease referring it to as legal tampering. It's not tampering if it's allowed. Following is The Sports Xchange's top 75 free agents. Just don't expect Saints quarterback Drew Brees actually to be available. Below the elite 75 are our free-agent rankings by position with players in the top 75 in bold. The lists will be updated as developments occur. *Indicates player released. FFA are franchise players, TFA transition player and RFA restricted free agents. 1. QB Drew Brees, New Orleans 2. DE DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas (FFA) 3. CB Trumaine Johnson, L.A. Rams 4. RB Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh (FFA) 5. DE Ezekiel Ansah, Detroit (FFA) 6. T Nate Solder, New England 7. G Andrew Norwell, Carolina 8. QB Kirk Cousins, Washington 9. DT Sheldon Richardson, Seattle 10. CB Kyle Fuller, Chicago (TFA) 11. DT Dontari Poe, Atlanta 12. WR Sammy Watkins, L.A. Rams 13. WR Allen Robinson, Jacksonville 14. DT *Muhammad Wilkerson, N.Y. Jets 15. QB Case Keenum, Minnesota 16. WR Jarvis Landry, Miami (FFA) 17. CB Rashaan Melvin, Indianapolis 18. S Lamarcus Joyner, L.A. Rams (FFA) 19. CB Brent Grimes, Tampa Bay 20. CB Malcolm Butler, New England 21. C Weston Richburg, N.Y. Giants 22. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota 23. RB *Doug Martin, Tampa Bay 24. T/G Justin Pugh, N.Y. Giants 25. QB AJ McCarron, Cincinnati 26. RB Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 27. CB Patrick Robinson, Philadelphia 28. CB Aaron Colvin, Jacksonville 29. G Alex Boone, Arziona 30. LB Avery Williamson, Tennessee 31. LB Nigel Bradham, Philadelphia 32. DT Star Lotulelei, Carolina 33. WR Terrelle Pryor Sr., Washington 34. TE Jimmy Graham, Seattle 35. TE Trey Burton, Philadelphia 36. S Kenny Vaccaro, New Orleans 37. G Jack Mewhort, Indianapolis 38. DE Adrian Clayborn, Atlanta 39. T Chris Hubbard, Pittsburgh 40. WR Paul Richardson, Seattle 41. CB Bashaud Breeland, Washington 42. C Ryan Jensen, Baltimore 43. RB Dion Lewis, New England 44. C/G Zach Fulton, Kansas City 45. WR Danny Amendola, New England 46. S Tre Boston, L.A. Chargers 47. LB Zach Brown, Washington 48. TE Ed Dickson, Carolina 49. Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati 50. *RB DeMarco Murray, Tennessee 51. WR Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis 52. LB NaVorro Bowman, Oakland 53. G Nick Easton, Minnesota (RFA) 54. WR Marqise Lee, Jacksonville 55. RB Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland 56. DE Julius Peppers, Carolina 57. CB Prince Amukamara, Chicago 58. LB Demario Davis, N.Y. Jets 59. LB Todd Davis, Denver 60. DT Bennie Logan, Kansas City 61. CB E.J. Gaines, Buffalo 62. G Josh Sitton, Chicago 63. WR Tyrell Williams, L.A. Chargers (RFA) 64. TE Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay (RFA) 65. G Josh Kline, Tennessee 66. WR Mike Wallace, Baltimore 67. S Morgan Burnett, Green Bay 68. DL David Irving, Dallas (RFA) 69. RB Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota 70. C John Sullivan, L.A. Rams 71. G Quinton Spain, Tennessee (RFA) 72. WR Albert Wilson, Kansas City 73. RB Frank Gore, Indianapolis 74. C Matt Paradis, Denver (RFA) 75. CB *Richard Sherman, Seattle QUARTERBACKS Drew Brees, New Orleans Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Case Keenum, Minnesota Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota AJ McCarron, Cincinnati Josh McCown, N.Y. Jets Sam Bradford, Minnesota WIDE RECEIVERS Sammy Watkins, L.A. Rams Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jarvis Landry, Miami (FFA) Terrelle Pryor Sr., Washington Paul Richardson, Seattle Danny Amendola, New England Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Tyrell Williams, L.A. Chargers (RFA) Mike Wallace, Baltimore Albert Wilson, Kansas City Brice Butler, Dallas Willie Snead IV, New Orleans (RFA) John Brown, Arizona Jaron Brown, Arizona Kendall Wright, Chicago Taylor Gabriel, Atlanta Jordan Matthews, Buffalo Eric Decker, Tennessee Matthew Slater (ST), New England RUNNING BACKS Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh (FFA) *Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Carlos Hyde, San Francisco Dion Lewis, New England *DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Frank Gore, Indianapolis LeGarrette Blount, Philadelphia Alfred Morris, Dallas Rex Burkhead, New England Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati *Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eddie Lacy, Seattle TIGHT ENDS Jimmy Graham, Seattle Trey Burton, Philadelphia Ed Dickson, Carolina Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay (RFA) Austin Seferian-Jenkins, N.Y. Jets Luke Willson, Seattle Benjamin Watson, Baltimore *Martellus Bennett, New England OFFENSIVE LINEMEN Nate Solder (T), New England Andrew Norwell (G), Carolina Weston Richburg (C), N.Y. Giants Justin Pugh (T/G), N.Y. Giants Alex Boone (G), Arizona Jack Mewhort (G), Indianapolis Chris Hubbard (T), Pittsburgh Ryan Jensen (C), Baltimore Zach Fulton (C/G), Kansas City Nick Easton (G), Minnesota (RFA) Josh Sitton (G), Chicago Josh Kline (G), Tennessee John Sullivan (C), L.A. Rams Quinton Spain (G), Tennessee (RFA) Matt Paradis (C), Denver (RFA) Brandon Fusco (G), San Francisco Russell Bodine (C), Cincinnati Joe Berger (G/C), Minnesota Senio Kelemete (G), New Orleans Brett Jones (C), N.Y. Giants Luke Joeckel (G/T), Seattle Kenny Wiggins (G), L.A. Chargers Spencer Long (C), Washington Shawn Lauvao, Washington Jermon Bushrod (G/T), Miami DEFENSIVE ENDS DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas (FFA) Ezekiel Ansah, Detroit (FFA) Adrian Clayborn, Atlanta Julius Peppers, Carolina DaQuan Jones, Tennessee Dion Jordan, Seattle (RFA) William Hayes, Miami Alex Okafor, New Orleans *Derrick Shelby, Atlanta *Charles Johnson, Carolina DEFENSIVE TACKLES Sheldon Richardson, Seattle Dontari Poe, Atlanta *Muhammad Wilkerson, N.Y. Jets Star Lotulelie, Carolina Bennie Logan, Kansas City David Irving (DE), Dallas (RFA) Beau Allen, Philadelphia Kyle Williams, Buffalo Frostee Rucker, Arizona Haloti Ngata, Detroit Clinton McDonald, Tampa Bay Ahtyba Rubin, Atlanta LINEBACKERS Avery Williamson, Tennessee Nigel Bradham, Philadelphia Zach Brown, Washington NaVorro Bowman, Oakland Demario Davis, N.Y. Jets Todd Davis, Denver Preston Brown, Buffalo Anthony Hitchens, Dallas Connor Barwin, L.A. Rams Derrick Johnson, Kansas City *Brian Cushing, Houston *Pernell McPhee, Chicago Tahir Whitehead, Detroit Junior Galette, Washington Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville Trent Murphy, Washington CORNERBACKS Trumaine Johnson, L.A. Rams Kyle Fuller, Chicago (TFA) Rashaan Melvin, Indianapolis Brent Grimes, Tampa Bay Malcolm Butler, New England Patrick Robinson, Philadelphia Aaron Colvin, Jacksonville Bashaud Breeland, Washington Prince Amukamara, Chicago E.J. Gaines, Buffalo *Richard Sherman, Seattle Dontae Johnson, San Francisco Nevin Lawson, Detroit Jeremy Lane, Seattle TJ Carrie, Oakland Johnson Bademosi, New England Morris Claiborne, N.Y. Jets DeShawn Shead, Seattle Nickell Robey-Coleman, L.A. Rams Justin Bethel, Arizona SAFETY Lamarcus Joyner, L.A. Rams (FFA) Kenny Vaccaro, New Orleans Tre Boston, L.A. Chargers Morgan Burnett, Green Bay *Quintin Demps, Chicago Eric Reid, San Francisco Tyvon Branch, Arizona *Kurt Coleman, Carolina KICKER/PUNTER Chris Boswell (K), Pittsburgh (RFA) Dustin Hopkins (K), Washington Chandler Catanzaro (K), N.Y. Jets Pat O'Donnell (P), Chicago Sebastian Janikowski (K), Oakland Kevin Huber (P), Cincinnati Dustin Colquitt (P), Kansas City Cairo Santos (K), Chicago Blair Walsh (K), Seattle Mike Nugent(K), Chicago *Nick Folk (K), Tampa Bay