Name: 2021 NFL free agency: Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson headline deep, talented wide receiver market
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2021 NFL free agency: Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson headline deep, talented wide receiver market

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site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories |section: | slug: 2021-nfl-free-agency-chris-godwin-allen-robinson-headline-deep-talented-wide-receiver-market | sport: football | route: article_single.us |6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/storiesByThere is arguably no position deeper this free agent cycle than wide receiver. From essentially top to bottom, premier talent can be found at nearly every corner, making this an ideal class for those teams looking to boost their offense. Two of these players found themselves in the top 10 in the league in receptions in 2020, another led the league in receiving touchdowns a year prior and there's also a brand new Super Bowl champion in the mix. Not too shabby. But this isn't just a stars-and-scrubs class as there are plenty of savvy veterans to be had as well and would make a strong complementary piece for offenses needing that one extra boost to get them over the top. As we await free agency -- which is just a month out -- to kick off this game of musical chairs, we're going to take a bird's-eye view of this wide receiver class that could hit the open market. We'll also be taking a gander at what each could fetch in terms of a contract from an average annual salary standpoint. (Note: The top-10 most notable are ranked by market value -- courtesy of Spotrac.)CHI •WR •12Most recent team: Age: 27Market value: $20 millionIt's truly remarkable what Allen Robinson has been able to do in his career when you look at the quarterbacks he's played with. Whether it's Blake Bortles in Jacksonville or the Mitchell Tubisky-Nick Foles combo in Chicago, the young receiver has never had a legit upper-echelon quarterback throwing him the football. Nevertheless, he's put up some impressive numbers, including stats in 2020 that found him inside the top 10 in the league in receptions and receiving yards. That only makes you wonder what kind of numbers he'd be able to total if he could land in a situation with a more proven quarterback under center. If Robinson does reach the open market, he, in all likelihood, is the top player at his position, given his age and production to this point. That said, he may not even reach free agency with reporting that the Bears are prepared to place the franchise tag on him. TB •WR •14Most recent team: Age: 24Market value: $17.1 millionChris Godwin is going to have himself a fantastic 2021. He's already secured the first championship of his career and will now enter unrestricted free agency, setting up a massive pay raise from the $2.23 million he made in base salary this past season. While the 24-year-old's stats weren't as eye-popping in 2020 as they were during his Pro Bowl season in 2019 (1,333 yards receiving and nine touchdowns), Godwin has proven to be an elite receiver in the league and could end up being the top option of this free agent class. With the Buccaneers possibly looking to place the franchise tag on pass rusher Shaq Barrett, that paves the way for Godwin to see what other teams may offer him. That said, it will be interesting to how he views Tampa Bay, which does have over $27 million in cap space. If the Bucs see him as a vital piece to their chances of repeating and he wants to give it another kick at the can, they could make a strong push toward a reunion. DET •WR •19Most recent team: Age: 27Market value: $17 millionGolladay is another top-flight option in this receiver class, but it remains to be seen if he actually hits the open market. La Canfora has recently reported that Golladay is expected to be hit with the franchise tag by the Lions, but that doesn't necessarily mean that his future will be in Detroit. A possible tag-and-trade scenario may be in the cards here as the Lions try to squeeze out assets for their rebuild. That still makes Golladay an attainable option for teams, but it may just cost them a bit more and shrink what could have been a rather healthy market. All things being equal, Golladay is right up there with Robinson, Godwin, and the other elite receivers potentially looking at free agency. He's not far removed from a 2019 season where he led the league in receiving touchdowns (11) and posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons (2018, 2019). The 2020 season was somewhat of a lost campaign for the 27-year-old as he played in just five games due to a hamstring injury. When healthy, he's a legit No. 1 option in a receiving unit. HOU •WR •15Most recent team: Age: 26Market value: $16.9 millionIf you're looking for someone who can separate and stretch the field, look no further than Fuller. The 2016 first-rounder has plenty of speed at his disposal and notched a career-high 16.6 yards per reception in 2020. Fuller was made available at the deadline this past season, but ultimately stayed in Houston. With the Texans looking at a teardown, with possibly being traded, it's not expected that Fuller sticks around. He does have game-breaking ability, but one thing that teams may need to be wary of is his durability. Fuller has yet to play a full 16-game season, largely due to injury. However, 2020 saw Fuller miss the final five games of the regular season after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was officially suspended for six games, so he'll also need to miss the first game of the 2021 season, but that likely won't hurt his value too much on the open market.  PIT •WR •19Most recent team: Age: 24Market value: $16.1 millionThe Steelers could always place the franchise tag on Smith-Schuster and gear up the offense for what could end up being one final push with . In the event that they don't, the receiver does possess a strong combination of talent and youth that will make him a very sought-after piece by teams that need pass-catching help. The 2017 second-round pick already has two 90-plus catch seasons under his belt and is averaging 931.5 yards receiving per season. Smith-Schuster has also shown a nose for the end zone, totaling 26 touchdowns over his career including nine in 2020. He currently may be a tick below the Robinson-Godwin-Golladay trio if we were to tier this free agent class, but the 2018 Pro Bowler is oozing with talent and certainly seems as if he has plenty of room to grow, giving him plenty of upside going forward. CAR •WR •10Most recent team: Age: 24Market value: $12.4 millionSamuel is another receiver with a ton of potential and a unique skill set that could separate him from some of his peers. Not only was the former second-round pick able to post strong numbers as a receiver, but the Panthers used Samuel out of the backfield at times in 2020 with success. He rushed for 200 yards on 4.9 yards per carry and two touchdowns, which put him over 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season. With offensive creativity seemingly at an all-time high in the , coordinators could end up salivating over the prospect of injecting a talent such as Samuel in their offense. That's also not even mentioning that he won't turn 25 until August. DET •WR •11Most recent team: LionsAge: 30 Market value: $10.5 millionThis is another tier drop and where we begin to turn our attention from the young and budding stars and more toward the savvy veterans that still have talent in the tank and looking to cash in on another big deal. While there are more household names on the free agent market than Jones, the 30-year-old may be the best of the bunch. He enjoyed his best season since 2017 with the Lions last year and has been a strong scoring option, posting nine touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. With Detroit looking at a rebuild, it wouldn't be surprising to see Jones move on and search for a contender after playing with the and Lions over his first nine years in the league. He could also be a good candidate for teams that already have an established No. 1 receiver but are still looking for another boost. Green Bay is the first team that comes to mind in that regard, but Jones should have plenty of suitors once the top dominoes fall. IND •WR •13Most recent team: Age: 31Market value: $10.1 millionIt's almost crazy to think of Hilton in any other uniform other than the Indianapolis Colts. Owner Jim Irsay has already expressed a desire to keep Hilton in Indy for the foreseeable future, but the club will need to come to terms on an extension with him prior to the start of free agency if they want to fully ensure that. If he does reach the point where he can speak to other teams, Hilton will likely get plenty of calls from clubs looking to add the deep threat into the mix for 2021, especially if they strike out on Fuller. The 31-year-old isn't the same player he was during the early portions of his career, but still average 13.6 yards per reception last season. He's not a No. 1 option anymore, but absolutely a solid complementary piece to an offense looking for that No. 2 option and someone who can still stretch the field. TEN •WR •84Most recent team: Age: 26Market value: $9.8 millionDavis was a nice surprise in 2020. The No. 5 pick in the 2017 had the rare Year 4 breakout totaling 65 receptions for a career-high 984 yards and five touchdowns in just 14 games played. This 2020 season does make for a rather fascinating free agency cycle for Davis as it'll be curious how teams view him. If they consider his 2020 campaign a sign of things to come, he could have plenty of suitors. If they think it was just a flash in the pan, he could be sitting out there for quite a while. If it's the former, there's plenty to be excited about. His draft status alone should be a sign of his talent and he also is built like a No. 1 receiver, standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 209 pounds. The Titans are not in the most favorable cap space situations in the NFL and have more pressing needs along the defense this offseason, so that could open the door for Davis to sign elsewhere. CIN •WR •18Most recent team: BengalsAge: 32Market value: $6 millionGreen leaving the Bengals feels like a fate that has been building for the past few years. It looked as if a divorce was going to occur last offseason but Cincinnati placed the franchise tag on the seven-time Pro Bowler, keeping him in a Bengals uniform for another year. Now, however, it seems as if we're finally going to see the 32-year-old step into free agency and ink a deal with another club. Similar to Hilton, Green isn't the same elite player he was during the early stages of his career but should be a valuable presence within an offense as a No. 2 option. While his numbers in 2020 weren't exactly prolific and at times seemed out of sync within the offense, the biggest takeaway from Green's season is that he was able to play in all 16 regular-season games. As long as he's healthy, he can still be a weapon. Jordan Dajani• 2 min readJordan Dajani• 1 min readChris Bengel• 1 min readJordan Dajani• 1 min readAlex Barutha• 4 min readJoel Corry• 10 min read()

site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories |section: | slug: 2021-nfl-free-agency-chris-godwin-allen-robinson-headline-deep-talented-wide-receiver-market | sport: football | route: article_single.us |6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/storiesByThere is arguably no position deeper this free agent cycle than wide receiver. From essentially top to bottom, premier talent can be found at nearly every corner, making this an ideal class for those teams looking to boost their offense. Two of these players found themselves in the top 10 in the league in receptions in 2020, another led the league in...

2021 NFL free agency: Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson headline deep, talented wide receiver market

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