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The best NFL free agents still on the market
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The best NFL free agents still on the market

The Seattle Seahawks signed former Pro Bowl defensive lineman Ezekiel Ansah to a one-year contract Wednesday night. While he was one of the best remaining NFL free agents available, there are other good players still on the market.

Here are the 12 best remaining NFL free agents:

 
1 of 12

Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Suh isn't an All-Pro-caliber player like he was five years ago, but he's still elite. That was certainly the case down the stretch last season, as he posted six solo tackles, five quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks during the playoffs. Whichever team lands him will not just be adding a bargain. Suh is one of the last players on the market who can make a major impact on the 2019 season.

 
2 of 12

Eric Berry

Eric Berry
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of impactful players still on the free agent market, Berry is one as well. He's dealt with a ton of injuries over the last few years, but if fully healthy he is an elite safety. Of course, that's a big "if," as Berry has played only three games the last two seasons. That's likely the reason he remains unsigned.

 
3 of 12

Tre Boston

Tre Boston
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The market for safeties was much better this offseason than last year when Boston had to settle for a one-year deal, but once again he is struggling to find a multiyear contract. That's surprising, considering Boston had 10 interceptions in the last two seasons combined. Turning just 27 in June, Boston is arguably an even better option than Berry at safety.

 
4 of 12

Morris Claiborne

Morris Claiborne
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The 29-year-old never lived up to the hype he received for being the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. But he did become a reliable starter with the Jets the last two years and picked off three passes in 30 games. On a good defense Claiborne is probably not a starter, but he's one of the best available cornerbacks right now.

 
5 of 12

Jay Ajayi

Jay Ajayi
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Running backs coming off ACL tears always find it difficult landing a job. That's not any different for Ajayi this offseason. He played in just four games last season before suffering a knee injury. Ajayi turns 26 in June, but he's now two years removed from his last and only 1,000-yard rushing season.

 
6 of 12

Jamie Collins

Jamie Collins
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Similar to other players on this list, Collins is far from the great player he was a few years ago, but he can still bring a lot to an NFL defense. Last season he posted 104 combined tackles, including 73 solos. He also posted a career-best 13 tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits. That's not bad for someone regarded as "not as good as he used to be."

 
7 of 12

Nick Perry

Nick Perry
Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

The 29-year-old has ended each of the last two seasons on injured reserve, which is probably keeping a lot of teams away from him in free agency. When he played last season, Perry wasn't quite as productive either, recording 24 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks in nine games. Two years ago, though, he posted seven sacks in 12 games. Rolling the dice on Perry re-finding his pass rushing ability is going to be worth the risk for some team this summer.

 
8 of 12

Michael Crabtree

Michael Crabtree
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The 31-year-old has never been a great downfield threat, but with the Ravens, Crabtree wasn't as great of a red-zone target like he had been in Oakland either. Crabtree hasn't averaged more than 11.3 yards per reception since 2013, and he caught just three touchdowns last year. In his defense, part of that was the emergence of Lamar Jackson. After the rookie quarterback became the starter, Crabtree never had more than three catches or 36 yards in a game. If used properly, Crabtree can still be a decent possession receiver and red-zone threat.

 
9 of 12

Glover Quin

Glover Quin
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

During six years with the Lions, Quin was one of the most underrated safeties in the league. In 96 games he posted 331 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 37 pass defenses and 19 interceptions. Last season his statistics weren't as good, as he didn't have a single interception and recorded 74 combined tackles. But Quin has enough to offer to make him worth a one-year deal.

 
10 of 12

Muhammad Wilkerson

Muhammad Wilkerson
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

After seven years with the New York Jets, Wilkerson's tenure with the Packers was short, as he suffered an ankle injury three games into 2018 and then landed on injured reserve. Four years removed from his 12.0-sack season in 2015, Wilkerson can't be counted on for more than four or five sacks (he actually has just eight since 2015), but he can be a solid addition to any defensive line rotation, especially if a team can utilize him strictly in a pass-rushing role.

 
11 of 12

Corey Liuget

Corey Liuget
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The 29-year-old missed four games because of a PED violation, and then he suffered a season-ending quad injury in November last year. As a result Liuget played in just six games, recording 14 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks. But Liuget has been an underrated defensive tackle over the years and can put pressure on the quarterback from the inside. He's the best defensive tackle free agent option after Suh.

 
12 of 12

Donald Penn

Donald Penn
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Every year offensive linemen are among the most picked-over position players in free agency. Teams looking to add linemen have to do it in March or settle for, at best, replacement-level players. Penn was a Pro Bowl player two years ago, but last season he lost his job to rookie Kolton Miller in training camp. Penn then suffered a season-ending groin injury during Week 4. At 36 years old, he shouldn't be considered a starter anymore, but a team desperate for an offensive tackle could role the dice in hopes he returns healthy and angry in 2019.

Dave Holcomb began working as a sports writer in 2013 after graduating from Syracuse University. Over the past six years, he has covered the NFL, NHL, MLB, fantasy sports, college football and basketball, and New Jersey high school sports for numerous print and online publications. Follow Holcomb on Twitter at @dmholcomb.

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