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Top 5 offensive weapons in 2015 NFL Free Agency (part two)

By Dan Salem

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The top 10 offensive weapons in 2015 NFL Free Agency is an incredible list of game changers and super stars. We nailed it down with 6-10 in part one and the top five here in part two. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

DAN:

Time for the top five offensive weapons in 2015 NFL Free Agency. We nailed down 6 through 10 on Thursday in Part One with some top-tier talent. But these five players blow everyone else away.

We eliminated lineman and quarterbacks, but it was still hard to narrow this season’s free agents into an offensive top ten. Comment below with the players you want your team to add.

Top 5 Offensive Weapons in Free Agency:

5) Torrey Smith

TODD: A wide receiver who can break the top off any defense? Sign me up! Smith plays every week and scores touchdowns all the time. He’s more of a boom-or-bust guy than you’d want out of a number one, but few guys can cover him.

DAN: I like Smith a lot, but I have a hard time placing him ahead of Jordan Cameron who you slotted in at number seven. Both players are excellent adds in free agency and Smith certainly is explosive. This feels like semantics and I’m okay with that. Torrey Smith is a must sign.

4) Randall Cobb

TODD: Cobb is an interesting case in that we’ve never seen him play without one of the league’s best QBs throwing him the ball and without an elite receiver opposite him. He also plays in the slot, limiting his usefulness ever so slightly. But he’s clearly the best remaining guy. There is a bit of a tier drop between fourth and fifth on my free-agent list.

DAN: I would have never taken into consideration the fact that Cobb has played with Aaron Rodgers his entire career, if you had not mentioned it. It’s not a red flag per se, but it’s certainly worth a second thought if your team does not have a reliable quarterback. Cobb put up great numbers last season, with 12 touchdowns and over 1200 yards. Who cares if he’s in the slot? Most teams have a number one guy, but a slot receiver with number one talent is rare.

Editor’s Note: At the time this piece was written, Cobb was still a free agent. He has since re-signed with the Packers on a four-year deal worth $40 million, so take him off of the wishlist for WR-needy teams.

Dec 28, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back

DeMarco Murray

(29) carries the ball as Washington Redskins free safety

Ryan Clark

(25) and Redskins defensive end

Jackson Jeffcoat

(53) chase in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 44-17. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3) DeMarco Murray

TODD: I remain skeptical of Murray’s ability to carry the ball close to 400 times ever again. He finished with 80 more carries than any other back in the league. Nevertheless, his talents and production last year are undeniable.

DAN: Murray could easily be number one on this list, but you are correct. He’s unlikely to match the 400 carry mark ever again without sustaining a serious injury. That being said, more and more teams are splitting the load 2/3 to 1/3 between their running backs, if not 50/50. This makes Murray’s value even higher for a team with that second option. He dominated last season and should do so again in 2015.

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2) Julius Thomas

TODD: An injury-riddled end to his season be damned. Thomas is still one of the best pass-catching tight ends in football. He finished with 12 touchdowns last year even with the missed time.

DAN: Thomas is number one on my list. A pass catching tight end is the key to a dominant offense. Did Peyton Manning slump at the end of the season, or was the drop off in line with Thomas’ injury? Who is Tom Brady without his tight end? There are so many teams in need of a force at the tight end position that Thomas is more valuable simply because of supply and demand.

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas (80) run blocks in the second quarter of the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

1) Jeremy Maclin

TODD: Maclin is my top free agent. He put together a brilliant comeback season in 2014. Philadelphia considered franchising him but passed, making him an unrestricted free agent.

DAN: I love Maclin. He should shine no matter where he ends up. Considering Philadelphia never had a reliable quarterback and Jeremy still put up great numbers, he has the potential to explode on the right team with the right quarterback. He could also fade into the shadows, but that feel less likely. He’s my number two, but at this point there are no losers.

TODD: Also up for consideration but fell outside my top ten, in alphabetical order:

Reggie Bush
Harry Douglas
Roy Helu
Mark Ingram
Ryan Mathews
Knowshon Moreno
Cecil Shorts
CJ Spiller
Shane Vereen

DAN: As for your list of players worth mentioning, I find two guys that really stand out. I would put CJ Spiller into my top ten. He falls in around eight or nine. In the same vein as DeMarco Murray, Spiller can dominate in a split the carries type of situation. I really like his value.

I’m also a big Roy Helu fan. I don’t think we’ve seen anywhere near his potential yet as a running back. He too needs to split carries, but he’ll be young and hungry to prove himself this season. He’s not in the top ten, but certainly a solid player to sign.

Next: Top 10 offensive weapons in Free Agency players 6-10

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