Free agency can be a risky venture in any scenario, but wide receiver is a position that has burned teams often in recent years. Just three years ago, the Miami Dolphins threw piles of money at Mike Wallace and received just two years in return before shipping him off to the Minnesota Vikings for a swap of late-round picks.
The top free agent wide receivers of 2016
Teams in the market for a top wide receiver will be looking for the same boost the Chiefs got when they signed Jeremy Maclin in 2015.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Still, it’s a position that has already had some success stories in the last couple years, including the Kansas City Chiefs finally finding a receiver who could catch touchdowns after a year without a wide receiver catching one. Jeremy Maclin was the top receiver on the market in 2015 and helped the Chiefs reach the postseason with 1,088 yards and eight touchdowns, the highest marks for any receiver in the Alex Smith era in Kansas City.
Teams in the market for a top pass catcher in 2016 will be looking for a similar boost in the passing game.
Here are the eight wide receivers who made our top 100 free agents of 2016 list:
Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears
Unrestricted
Despite playing in three different offenses in four years, Alshon Jeffery has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier young wideouts. Though he missed seven games in 2015, he still tallied over 800 receiving yards and continues to pose a threat on jet sweeps and reverses. His size -- 6’3, 216 pounds -- makes him an ideal No. 1 receiver and a fit for any offensive scheme.
Easily the top receiver in the free agent class, Jeffery expects to garner plenty of interest should the Bears allow him to depart. That doesn’t seem likely, however, as Chicago has the franchise tag at its disposal and no better candidate on which to apply it. Jeffery would earn roughly $14.5 million under the tag, which should give the team every motivation to work out a more sustainable long-term deal.
Marvin Jones, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Unrestricted
Jones spent his career being a supporting player to A.J. Green in Cincinnati, but there are reasons to believe he has untapped potential. He showed flashes of that potential in 2013, when he caught 10 touchdown passes. However, Jones’ 2014 season was a wash -- he picked up a foot injury in training camp that never got better, forcing him to miss the entire season.
Jones came back strong in 2015 with 65 catches for 816 yards and four touchdowns. He’s still just 25 years old and could be in for bigger things with a team that gives him the No. 1 receiver role.
Travis Benjamin, WR, Cleveland Browns
Unrestricted
Benjamin’s breakout 2015 season was hard to see coming. A career special teamer who only played offense in specific packages for most of his career, Benjamin was handed a starting job at receiver in 2015. He responded with the best season of his career, hauling in 68 catches for 966 yards and five touchdowns.
Benjamin’s year may end up being a fluke, but he’ll be a hot commodity in a free agent market starving for high-end receivers. Whether he stays in Cleveland or signs with another team, the 26-year-old is certain to get a big payday.
Mohamed Sanu, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Unrestricted
The Bengals have a number of free agents this offseason, and re-signing Mohamed Sanu doesn't appear to be a priority. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports there's "virtually no chance" the Bengals will bring the four-year veteran back, meaning he's primed to hit the open market.
Sanu’s production declined in 2015, as he only caught 33 passes for 394 yards. In the previous season, 2014, Sanu reeled in 56 passes and was targeted 98 times.
With A.J. Green’s presence at wideout and Tyler Eifert’s emergence, it seems as if Sanu will have to play elsewhere if he’s looking for a bigger role. With former Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson being named Browns head coach in January, Cleveland appears to be a possible landing spot for Sanu.
Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Unrestricted
Anquan Boldin has been in the NFL for well over a decade, but the 35-year-old wide receiver is still productive.
Boldin’s spent the last three seasons in San Francisco, where he’s averaged 79 catches per season. His production dipped a bit last year, but that may be more reflective of the 49ers’ tenuous quarterback situation than Boldin’s ability.
In 13 NFL seasons, Boldin has proven to be a highly reliable No. 2 receiving option. He’s gained 1,000 yards or more seven times and has also reeled in more than 80 catches on seven occasions as well. He has said he wants to return to San Francisco, but given the relative dearth of proven wideouts on the free agent market this offseason -- outside of Alshon Jeffrey -- he’ll probably have a number of suitors. Despite his age, if the 49ers are going to keep Boldin, they may have to pay up on a short-term deal.
Rishard Matthews, WR, Miami Dolphins
Unrestricted
Rishard Matthews was in the midst of a breakout season before he broke his ribs after 11 games, and the contract he lands this offseason will probably reflect that.
Matthews, 26, was the Dolphins' second-leading receiver in 2015, catching 43 passes for 662 yards. The Dolphins reportedly reached out to Matthews early this offseason, which indicates they probably view retraining him as a priority despite their crowded depth chart at wide receiver (Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings are all signed for next season).
Potential often pays on the NFL free agent market, and Matthews was on his way to a Pro Bowl-caliber season before he got injured. Several teams that need wide receivers will likely be trying to court him once the new league year begins.
Jermaine Kearse, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Unrestricted
If the Seattle Seahawks could've punched the ball in from the 1-yard line at the end of Super Bowl XLIX, Jermaine Kearse would've been remembered as a hero. With 1:14 remaining in regulation, Kearse came down with an improbable juggling catch to advance Seattle into the Patriots' red zone. But then Wilson threw a game-ending interception a couple of plays later, and Kearse's efforts were largely forgotten.
But Kearse picked up exactly where he left off in 2015, putting forth his best year as a professional. The fourth-year wideout caught 49 passes for 685 yards and developed into the team’s No. 2 receiver behind Doug Baldwin. He ended the season on a high note, recording a season-high 110 yards and reigning in two touchdowns in Seattle’s 24-point second half against the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional round.
Given the Seahawks’ salary cap constraints, Kearse may have to move on if he’s looking to be paid top dollar this offseason. But that would hardly be a death knell for the Seahawks, given their depth at the wide receiver position. Star tight end Jimmy Graham is slated to return from injury next season as well.
Percy Harvin, WR, Buffalo Bills
Unrestricted
It’s a testament to Harvin’s world-class athleticism that he makes it on any list of top free agents despite catching just two touchdown passes in the last three seasons while bouncing between three different teams. But there’s still so much potential upside that could come with a cheap contract given to Harvin.
While injuries and personality clashes have defined his NFL career, Harvin will only be 28 when the 2016 season begins and was one of the most promising young talents in the league when he made a Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2009. It was enough promise to convince the Seahawks to trade away a first-round pick in the 2013 and other draft picks for Harvin, even after he was dealing with migraines and ankle injuries in Minnesota.
Harvin signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Bills last year, but the team got all 19 receptions out of him before a nagging hip injury eventually ended his year and reportedly had the receiver on the brink of retirement. The good news for any team interested in Harvin is that his price tag will have dropped since then and it’s still a signing that could have a potentially high reward.
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