Free agency doesn't start until March 9. While waiting for the franchise tags to be applied and roster cuts to be made, Gregg Rosenthal couldn't help but dream of the frenzied first few days of signings. Below: one fun player addition for every NFC team.
Atlanta Falcons: Johnathan Hankins, defensive tackle
What to get for the team that says it has everything? More size up front would help a defense that finished ranked No. 29 against the run, according to Football Outsiders.
Arizona Cardinals: Morris Claiborne, cornerback
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim promised to "be aggressive" in free agency, with cornerback and guard being the team's two most obvious needs. Claiborne should come at a discount because of his injury-plagued career, but it would be fun to pair him with his former LSU college teammates Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu.
Carolina Panthers: Kenny Stills, wide receiver
The Panthers have bulk at wide receiver, but their only speed at the position (Ted Ginn) is headed for free agency at 31 years old. Stills is seven years younger and more complete as a receiver at this stage of his career. He has the wheels necessary for catching up to those deep Cam Newton throws.
Chicago Bears: Stephon Gilmore, cornerback
The Bearshave the cap room to sign virtually any player they want, and GM Ryan Pace feels the desperation to turn this team around quickly. Gilmore would upgrade a cornerback depth chart long on options and short on reliability.
Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware, defensive end/linebacker
Cowboys fans would love to make a run at Jason Pierre-Paul, and owner Jerry Jones always finds a way to magically create more salary-cap room than anyone expects. With the price for JPP possibly topping $15 million per season, bringing back old friend Ware is a lot more realistic. Less is more with Ware at 34. The former Cowboy could make a big impact as a situational pass rusher and should be willing to take a low-cost deal to return "home."
Detroit Lions: Jabaal Sheard, defensive end
Lions GM Bob Quinn was part of the Patriots front office when New England signed Sheard from Cleveland on an affordable two-year deal. After one great season and one disappointing campaign, Sheard could be a relative bargain again. The Lions should be looking for pass-rush help opposite Ezekiel Ansah in the draft, but signing Sheard would make the need less pressing.
Green Bay Packers: Bennie Logan, nose tackle
GM Ted Thompson doesn't often invest in free agents, but he has a great track record of success when he tries. Logan would be an excellent run-stopping partner to pair with Mike Daniels and could end Green Bay's never-ending quest to replace the early career version of B.J. Raji.
Los Angeles Rams: DeSean Jackson, wide receiver
It's almost too easy to connect the dots. Former Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay, desperate for a starting wideout as the Rams' head coach, brings Los Angeles native DeSean Jackson with him across the country. With Kenny Britt expected to leave L.A. in free agency and the team's highest-paid player (Tavon Austin) a gadget player, why not bring in a speedster that actually gets vertical? McVay's other starting wideout in Washington, Pierre Garcon, is also an option.
Minnesota Vikings: Ricky Wagner, tackle
No team is thirstier for reliable tackle help than the Vikings, who should be looking for starters on both sides of the line. Wagner is not a big name, but he devoured quality snaps without much fanfare for the Ravens the last three seasons. Minnesota is ripe to overpay someone like Wagner or offensive tackle Riley Reiff.
New Orleans Saints: Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end
Few teams take as many big swings in free agency as the Saints, and they usually miss. They have more cap space than they've had in years, and coach Sean Payton said adding a pass rusher is "a must" this offseason. With Jeff Fisher out of the league, Payton and GM Mickey Loomis are the new 7-9 kings. They should be feeling do-or-die pressure to deliver a winning season -- and that's a sure recipe to overspend like a bachelor party in New Orleans.
New York Giants: Latavius Murray, running back
Murray is an upper-middle-class man's version of Rashad Jennings, the veteran running back the Giantsrecently released. In Paul Perkins, the Giants have a young runner to groom. Shane Vereen is an asset on passing downs if he stays healthy. Murray is best used in a committee, and he would immediately be the best interior runner on the Giants' roster.
Philadelphia Eagles: Trumaine Johnson, cornerback
All of the talk about wide receiver in Philadelphia makes sense, but the team's need at cornerback is nearly as desperate. One year after bringing in former Rams safety Rodney McLeod, it would be worth it for the Eagles to check out Johnson's price tag. It's hard to imagine Los Angeles using the franchise tag on Johnson again for the price of $16.74 million.
San Francisco 49ers: Pierre Garcon, wide receiver
New Niners coach Kyle Shanahan found success bringing ex-players like Alex Mack and Taylor Gabriel with him to his offensive-coordinator gig in Atlanta. While there aren't many intriguing Falcons to grab in free agency, Garcon fits the bill as a dependable veteran who knows Shanahan's system from their days together in Washington. Garcon and Torrey Smith would comprise a solid starting duo for the 49ers' quarterback-to-be-named-later.
Seattle Seahawks: Russell Okung, tackle
Offensive line coach Tom Cable appears to prefer molding former basketball players and True Value hardware salesmen into NFL linemen rather than working with actual NFL linemen. It's not working. In Okung, the Seahawks could bring back GM John Schneider's first draft pick with Pete Carroll at a reduced price. Okung is not currently a free agent, but the Broncosare expected to release him before picking up a costly option in his contract.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adrian Peterson, running back
Unlike most of the players on this list, Peterson is not a free agent. Yet. The time is right for a divorce in Minnesota, with Peterson's exorbitant $18 million cap hit forcing a move sooner than later. Peterson has mentioned Tampa publicly as a potential destination, and it's a great fit on multiple levels. Coach Dirk Koetter wants to run an old-school power running offense combined with vertical throws from Jameis Winston. Peterson's lack of passing-down skills doesn't loom as large in Tampa, and the team has salary-cap space for days.
Washington Redskins: Dontari Poe, defensive tackle
The Redskins have almost been too quiet in free agency lately. This is a sneakily pressure-packed offseason, with GM Scot McCloughan needing to make a lot of roster upgrades on defense while the team likely says goodbye to its starting wideouts. Poe will be expensive, but he's no Albert Haynesworth. That's a good thing.
