Intriguing Names Still on the Free-Agent Market This Offseason By Russell S. Baxter Jun 24, 2015 
Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports If you follow NFL transactions on a daily basis (and who doesn't?), you know things never really slow down when it comes to player movement.Still, this is that time of the year when there is a slight lull in the action when it comes to all 32 teams. Minicamps have wrapped up, and the opening of training camps is roughly a month away.Still, there are some veteran players still on the open market, and here we will take a look at eight performers (among the many still available, thanks to the fine staff at Spotrac) who may warrant a closer look. We will update you on what kind of interest they are drawing these days and suggest the best fit for each.While we may not see some of these players inked to contracts anytime soon, you may see them on a training-camp roster down the road.RB Pierre Thomas (Released by New Orleans Saints)
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports It remains somewhat of a surprise that no team has found room for a reliable veteran that has amassed some impressive numbers in eight seasons.Running back Pierre Thomas, released by the New Orleans Saints earlier this year, amassed 6,353 yards from scrimmage and scored 40 touchdowns with the club. In 2014, he finished with 222 yards rushing and two scores on 45 carries and also finished fifth on the team with 45 receptions, good for 378 yards and one touchdown in 11 games.In 105 regular-season contests, Thomas totaled 1,227 touches on runs, catches and kickoff returns and fumbled only six times. And he also came up big in the playoffs for the franchise, scoring four touchdowns in five postseason games—one of those visits to the end zone coming in Super Bowl XLIV.It’s hard to believe some team looking to bolster its attack doesn’t have room for the eight-year pro. And wouldn’t it be interesting if he wound up back in the NFC South?Best Fit: Carolina PanthersWR Reggie Wayne (UFA-Indianapolis Colts)
Andy Lyons/Getty Images Call us stubborn. We have been down this path before.Veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne ranks seventh in NFL history with 1,070 receptions and has more career catches than the 12 wideouts currently on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster combined.So why not bring a six-time Pro Bowler into the fold to groom young pass-catchers such as Ace Sanders, Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and 2015 draft choices Rashad Greene and Neal Sterling, as well as aid second-year quarterback Blake Bortles?Hampered by injuries for each of the last two seasons, Wayne totaled just 102 catches for 1,282 yards and four touchdowns in 22 games. During quarterback Andrew Luck’s rookie campaign in 2012, Wayne racked up 106 receptions for 1,355 yards and five scores.James Jones and Wes Welker are other veteran wideouts still looking for jobs. But in terms of fit, common sense says that Wayne would be a perfect not only a young team but he would also remain in the very-familiar surroundings in the AFC South.Best Fit: Jacksonville JaguarsTE Jermaine Gresham (UFA-Cincinnati Bengals)
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports Earlier this month, two-time Pro Bowl tight end Jermaine Gresham made a trip to the Big Easy as he looks for work in 2015.Nick Underhill of the Advocate reported that the former Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft choice met with the New Orleans Saints three weeks ago, and according to head coach Sean Payton, there is certainly some interest in adding the five-year pro.“He’s a player we were obviously well aware of coming out of Oklahoma five years ago,” said Payton said. “He’s recovering from an offseason surgery, and I thought the visit went pretty good.”In five seasons with the Bengals, the 2010 first-round pick amassed 280 receptions for 2,722 yards and 24 touchdowns. The team chose not to re-sign him and not only has 2013 first-rounder Tyler Eifert in the fold but added Tyler Kroft (Rutgers) and C.J. Uzomah (Auburn) in the third and fifth rounds, respectively, of this year’s draft.And as for Gresham joining the Saints? “It would be about the fit,” added Payton. “I think there’s a fit for us if it works out, and he’s a guy that we’ve studied quite a bit now in the last couple of months.”While New Orleans has been the team to show the most interest to date, we still feel there’s a club that could use his services even more.Best Fit: Cleveland BrownsG Evan Mathis (Released by Philadelphia Eagles)
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Cut loose earlier this month by the Philadelphia Eagles, two-time Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis remains on the open market…at least for now.And whose idea was it really to give the 10-year veteran his walking papers? Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com has much more on the matter.Meanwhile, Doug Farrar of SI.com recently did a little film study on arguably the best guard in the league (just ask Pro Football Focus, which has ranked him first or second four consecutive years dating back to 2011). He got a little assist from Mathis himself, who would be ideal for any number of clubs but could bring a little moxie to a particular franchise that has not only shown some interest (courtesy of Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel) but a club that has been playoff-starved for a number of years.Best Fit: Miami DolphinsC Chris Myers (Released by Houston Texans)
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports Who says you can’t go home…or at least back to the NFL team that released you earlier this year?Roughly two weeks ago, longtime heralded NFL writer John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter) informed us that the Houston Texans had reached out to two-time Pro Bowl center Chris Myers.Huh? Didn’t the franchise release the 10-year pro earlier this year?Meanwhile, are the Denver Broncos content with center Gino Gradkowski , added by general manager John Elway this offseason via trade from the Baltimore Ravens? And let’s not forget that new Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak has a long history with Myers, who started every game with the Texans in his seven seasons with the club from 2008-14.The veteran pivot may indeed wind up back in the Lone Star State. But it’s safe to say that the Broncos, with their offensive line in flux, may be in more dire need of Myers’ services.Best Fit: Denver BroncosDE Red Bryant (Released by Jacksonville Jaguars)
Richard Dole-USA TODAY Sports He’s back.In 2007 and 2008, the New York Giants defense was under the command of coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Big Blue would go on a late-season run that first year and would stun the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, while in ’08 the team finished 12-4 and captured the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs that season.But that was some years ago. Now Spagnuolo, who once upon a time was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams and spent 2014 with the Baltimore Ravens, is back working for Tom Coughlin once again.In 2014, only three teams gave up more total yards in the NFL than Coughlin and Co. And despite a pass rush that produced 47 sacks, the Giants ranked 30th in the league against the run.This past season, in his only year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, defensive end Red Bryant was tied for third in the league among 3-4 defensive ends in rushing defense, according to Pro Football Focus. The Giants usually stockpile their share of pass-rushing defensive ends, but the addition of this defender would be a nice change of pace.Best Fit: New York GiantsDE/OLB Mathias Kiwanuka (Released by New York Giants)
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports In nine seasons with the New York Giants and a career that included a pair of Super Bowl championships, versatile Mathias Kiwanuka racked up 38.5 sacks, three interceptions and 13 forced fumbles. Over that time, he made 82 starts in nine seasons and saw action at both defensive end spots and both outside linebacker positions in the team’s 4-3 defense.It’s a name that you haven’t heard a lot this offseason when it comes to the free-agent market, but Kiwanuka, a former Boston College star who totaled only 2.5 sacks in 2014, may still have enough in the tank to help a team in a limited role.There are other pass-rushers on the market in the form of Dwight Freeney and Osi Umenyiora, and both have also played defensive end and outside linebacker. But Kiwanuka offers something a little different than two veterans who went from 4-3 defensive ends to 3-4 outside linebackers.Can you think of a club that has a few issues at linebacker in terms of depth and a head coach who usually gets the very most out of a player?Best Fit: New England PatriotsILB Brandon Spikes (Released by New England Patriots)
Elise Amendola/Associated Press Let’s not forget, the title of this piece starts with “Intriguing Names.”To be clear, we are not making light of recent events that saw the New England Patriots release inside linebacker Brandon Spikes just weeks after bringing back the former second-round draft choice.After four seasons with the club from 2010-13, Spikes played for the Buffalo Bills this past season. He finished sixth on the league’s fourth-ranked defense with 54 tackles. Buffalo ranked 11th in the league in rushing defense in 2014 after finishing in the bottom five in the NFL against the run in each of the previous five seasons.After remaining on the free-agent market for a number of months, the Patriots opted to bring him back. Roughly two weeks ago, Spikes was involved in a suspicious car accident, and it didn’t take the Pats long to cut ties with the five-year pro. About two weeks ago, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports reported that Spikes was facing charges for his involvement in the accident.Here, we will not suggest a best fit for Spikes due to the uncertainty of his playing status. But we felt it was worth mentioning that he was back on the open market again...pending these issues. All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.link