Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about Free Agency. The beginning of the Free Agent Signing Period starts at midnight on February 29th. These rankings were comprised regardless of free agent status (i.e. Restricted or Unrestricted) but the status is indicated as “RFA” for “Restricted Free Agent” and “UFA” for “Unrestricted Free Agent” to the right of the player name. The definitions of each are as follows:

UFA: A Player who has at least four years experience at the expiration of a contract can sign with any team with no compensation to his former club.

RFA: Restricted free agents have three years of experience at the end of their contracts and must be tendered an offer sheet before April 15. The player's current club has seven days to match the offer, or the player's rights revert to the team that tendered the sheet. Teams are awarded compensatory draft picks based on the quantity and quality of restricted free agents it loses to other squads in the previous year's free-agent period.

Top Five Free Agent Tight Ends

1. Dallas Clark- UFA- When Marvin Harrison went down due to his knee injury, you could see Clark became Peyton Manning’s security blanket and he really stepped up his game. Clark is an underrated weapon because he does so many things well aside from pass catching and blocking. Even when he doesn’t get the ball, his ability to work the slot forces opposing defenses to compensate for the mismatches he creates.

2. LJ Smith- UFA- An injury plagued 2007 likely means the end of his time in Philly, plus with the lack of talent amongst available free agent tight ends, Smith will get paid more than he’s worth and the Eagles won’t get into a bidding war. Smith’s potential to be great is what will allure possible suitors the most, but his inability to actualize said potential in five years is why some teams won’t bite.

3. Jerramy Stevens- UFA- While it’s true that he has battled the “Dropsies” just as much as he’s battled his own off-field issues, Stevens has the potential to be a top ten tight end in the NFL. Yes, I know what I just said. Send your hate email to paul@thefootballexpert.com. 6-7, 260 tight ends are hard to come by and if nothing else he has shown he is a very capable blocker with a notorious mean streak. Stevens really got it together at the end of 2007 with all four of his touchdown receptions coming in the last four games of the year.

4. Eric Johnson- UFA- Johnson has a great set of hands but that is pretty much the end of his notable athletic traits. He is incapable of doing anything after the catch, but could provide value to some team who is in need of a sure handed tight end.

5. Bo Scaife- UFA- Doesn’t it seem like the Titans just churn out mid level talent tight ends year after year? Scaife set career highs in catches and yards in 2007 and looked like Vince Young’s most trusted receiver throughout the season.

Best of the Rest:
6. Ben Utecht- RFA
7. Ben Troupe- UFA
8. Marcus Pollard – UFA
9. Anthony Becht- UFA
10. Christian Fauria- UFA