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In the last edition of the 2013 NFL offseason primer we looked at all the implications of the salary cap. Essentially creating a framework for your teams options in the free agency market.

Winning teams have proven that you don’t win championships by winning the offseason. Spending big on guys that teams didn’t want to overpay for is not a recipe for success in the NFL. That said, finding a piece or two to complete a roster or adding depth at a position is never a bad idea.

At 4:00 PM EST on March 12 we will usher in the free agency period. Many of the top players will have already be dealt with, either via a new contract or the franchise tag. The top of our current list will have the top taken off by teams placing the franchise tag on them. Guys like Ryan Clady, Joe Flacco, and Jairus Byrd will never see the light of day on the open market.

Our rankings are based off several factors. 1). Positional value, 2). Age, 3). Overall performance. This is the reason you will see guys like Dwight Freeney so far down the list. While he plays a premium position, his age is catching up with him and his performance declined this season.

So without further ado, here’s our top 50 2013 NFL free agents.

RANK	PLAYER			TEAM		POSITION	AGE
1	RYAN CLADY			DENVER		OT	26
2	JOE FLACCO			BALTIMORE		QB	28
3	JAIRUS BYRD			BUFFALO		S	26
4	HENRY MELTON			CHICAGO		DT	26
5	BRANDON ALBERT			KANSAS CITY		OT	28
6	DWAYNE BOWE			KANSAS CITY		WR	28
7	SEBASTIAN VOLLMER			NEW ENGLAND		OT	28
8	WES WELKER			NEW ENGLAND		WR	32
9	ANDRE SMITH			CINCINNATI		OT	26
10	ANDY LEVITRE			BUFFALO		OG	27
11	MIKE WALLACE			PITTSBURGH		WR	27
12	JAKE LONG			MIAMI		OT	28
13	MICHAEL BENNETT			TAMPA BAY		DE	27
14	GREG JENNINGS			GREEN BAY		WR	29
15	CONNOR BARWIN			HOUSTON		OLB	26
16	ED REED			BALTIMORE		S	34
17	AQIB TALIB			NEW ENGLAND		CB	27
18	DASHON GOLDSON			SAN FRANCISCO		S	28
19	WILL BEATTY			NEW YORK GIANTS		OT	28
20	ANTHONY SPENCER			DALLAS		OLB	29
21	BRENT GRIMES			ATLANTA		CB	30
22	GOSDER CHERILUS			DETROIT		OT	29
23	WILLIAM MOORE			ATLANTA		S	28
24	PAUL KRUGER			BALTIMORE		OLB	27
25	CLIFF AVRIL			DETROIT		DE	26
26	MICHAEL JOHNSON			CINCINNATI		DE	26
27	TONY GONZALEZ			ATLANTA		TE	37
28	PHIL LOADHOLT			MINNESOTA		OT	27
29	RANDY STARKS			MIAMI		DT	29
30	JERMON BUSHROD			NEW ORLEANS		OT	29
31	HEATH MILLER			PITTSBURGH		TE	30
32	CHRIS HOUSTON			DETROIT		CB	28
33	SHAUN PHILLIPS			SAN DIEGO		OLB	32
34	LOUIS DELMAS			DETROIT		S	26
35	DANNELL ELLERBE			BALTIMORE		ILB	27
36	SEAN SMITH			MIAMI		CB	26
37	PHILLIP WHEELER			OAKLAND		OLB	28
38	STEVEN JACKSON			ST. LOUIS		RB	30
39	DESMOND BRYANT			OAKLAND		DT	27
40	DARYL SMITH			JACKSONVILLE		OLB	31
41	DANNY AMENDOLA			ST. LOUIS		WR	27
42	DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE			PHILADELPHIA		CB	27
43	OSI UMENYIORA			NEW YORK GIANTS		DE	31
44	DWIGHT FREENEY			INDIANAPOLIS		DE	33
45	CARY WILLIAMS			BALTIMORE		CB	28
46	SAM BAKER			ATLANTA		OT	28
47	JASON JONES			SEATTLE		DT	27
48	DEREK COX			JACKSONVILLE		CB	26
49	BRIAN HARTLINE			MIAMI		WR	26
50	REY MAUALUGA			CINCINNATI		ILB	26

Restricted free agents, those with expiring contracts that have played three seasons, can receive offers from other teams. That player’s team has the right to match the highest bidder. Should they elect not to match the offer, they would receive draft pick compensation for that player corresponding to the level of tender placed on the player.

Teams are less likely than ever to tender offers for restricted free agents for two real reasons. First, most teams have gotten hip to the fact that you build the core of your team through the draft. Secondly, the new CBA has relieved the heavy financial burden of high draft picks. Making teams less likely to want to part with picks.

So, it would appear that we won’t see many of these guys change teams but it’s worth a look.

RANK	NAME			TEAM		POSITION
1	VICTOR CRUZ			NEW YORK GIANTS		WR
2	EMMANUEL SANDERS			PITTSBURGH		WR
3	SAM SHIELDS			GREEN BAY		CB
4	STEVIE BROWN			NEW YORK GIANTS		S
5	DENNIS PITTA			BALTIMORE		TE
6	STEVE MCLENDON			PITTSBURGH		DT
11	JONATHAN DWYER			PITTSBURGH		RB
7	ANDRE BROWN			NEW YORK GIANTS		RB
8	ED DICKSON			BALTIMORE		TE
9	EVAN DIETRICH-SMITH			GREEN BAY		OC/OG
10	ROBERT MCCLAIN			ATLANTA		CB
12	CASSIUS VAUGHN			INDIANAPOLIS		CB
13	DAVID NELSON			BUFFALO		WR
14	LEGARRETTE BLOUNT			TAMPA BAY		RB
15	AMARI SPIEVEY			DETROIT		S