Free agency is a little more than a week away but the expected big spenders are already starting to reveal themselves. Here's a look at the teams that will make waves, and the ones who will lay low once the market officially opens.
BIG SPENDERS:
1. Indianapolis Colts: With more than $40 million burning a hole in general manager Ryan Grigson's pocket, the aggressive executive will do his best to surround Andrew Luck with the pieces he needs to make a Super Bowl. Don't expect him to be fazed by some recent misses. Grigson won't be afraid to upgrade the pass rush, the backfield and his wide receiving corps.
2. Oakland Raiders:Â Oakland has a new coach and a fan base that deserves some fun. The Raiders have the second-most money to spend this offseason outside of the Jaguars, according to estimates by Spotrac and Over The Cap, and they have exciting core players that deserve complementary pieces.
3. New York Jets: Woody Johnson is a reactive owner. Mike Tannenbaum was accused of mismanaging the salary cap so he hired a cap guy -- John Idzik -- to replace him. Idzik was crushed for not spending a surplus of cap money, so Mike Maccagnan will likely make a splash and throw a little money around.
4. Cleveland Browns: With some recent draft misses spotlighting holes on the offense and defense, Ray Farmer needs to make quick work of a roster that has plenty of promise. The wide receiver market and cornerback group should be getting plenty of calls.
5. New York Giants: The team spent over $100 million on new contracts last season and supplemented their roster with a fantastic draft. But with Eli Manning's window rapidly closing, don't be surprised if Jerry Reese gives him the ammo for one more great run.
6.BONUS*Buffalo Bills*: Don't underestimate the influence Rex Ryan can have in a new room of people. Tannenbaum once signed LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Plaxico Burress and a slew of other veterans, after all.
LAYING LOW:
1. Seattle Seahawks: With too much money to spend on retaining their own superstars, the typically-noisy Seahawks will likely focus their attention internally.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: Their cap situation is not exactly the nightmare everyone is saying it is -- few cap situations are actually irreversible -- but the roster churn will not likely include more veteran free agents. The draft is the lifeline from here on out.
3. San Francisco 49ers: They have a ton of players already under contract and are very tight -- like $1.577 million under -- against the salary cap. They have a few easy moves to make to get them some breathing room, but not enough to land a big-ticket free agent.
4. New Orleans Saints: Don't be scared away by their current standing -- they're more than $20 million over the current estimated cap -- but the Saints won't be able to shave enough to spend serious money. Signing draft picks is priority No. 1.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: With an estimated $60.3 million, Dave Caldwell will spend some money. He has to. But we're thinking this is a new era in Jacksonville, one that will be highlighted by young, drafted talent and not big-ticket free agents.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down the annual "Top 101 free agents" list and discusses the latest in league news. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
