Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about Free Agency. The beginning of the Free Agent Signing Period starts at midnight on February 29th. These rankings were comprised regardless of free agent status (i.e. Restricted or Unrestricted) but the status is indicated as “RFA” for “Restricted Free Agent” and “UFA” for “Unrestricted Free Agent” to the right of the player name. The definitions of each are as follows:

UFA: A Player who has at least four years experience at the expiration of a contract can sign with any team with no compensation to his former club.

RFA: Restricted free agents have three years of experience at the end of their contracts and must be tendered an offer sheet before April 15. The player's current club has seven days to match the offer, or the player's rights revert to the team that tendered the sheet. Teams are awarded compensatory draft picks based on the quantity and quality of restricted free agents it loses to other squads in the previous year's free-agent period.

Top Five Free Agent Outside Linebackers

1. Lance Briggs- UFA- It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out during the offseason. Lance Briggs wants Brian Urlacher money but the Bears front office hates to spend money on anything especially on a free agent linebacker, a position that they feel they can restock and develop via the Draft.

2. Karlos Dansby - UFA- In 14 games last season, Dansby had 97 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, eight passes defensed and four forced fumbles. A college safety, Dansby has the speed and awareness to be a very versatile defender despite linebacker type size (6-4, 250). The Cardinals are expected to place the Franchise Tag on him to keep him around.

3. Calvin Pace- UFA- Cardinals DL-turned-LB Calvin Pace ended 2007 with 98 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, an interception and six passes defensed -- all career-highs. Pace had previously played as a defensive end but was moved to linebacker in the Cardinals' new 3-4 scheme and had the best year of his career. At 6-4, 272, Pace is an ideal end in a traditional 3-4 and with the team expected to Franchise Dansby, may hit the market unimpeded.

4. Clark Haggans- UFA- Haggans just turned 31 a month ago and finds himself in a similar situation as former teammate Joey Porter did a year ago. Haggans four sacks in 2007 was his lowest since 2003 but prior to that he averaged seven sacks a year from 04-06.

5. Kawika Mitchell - UFA- A year ago who would’ve thought Kawika Mitchell would be a Super Bowl Champion? While the knock against him has always been that he is undersized, Mitchell had a well rounded 2007 campaign with a career high 3.5 sacks, 76 tackles and two defensive touchdowns. Mitchell was an unrestricted FA a year ago and didn’t draw much interest from possible suitors. That will likely change this time around, however, as signing Super Bowl Champion players is always en vogue.

Best of the Rest:
6. Landon Johnson - UFA
7. Boss Bailey- UFA
8. Demorrio Williams- UFA
9. Junior Seau - UFA
10. Brandon Chillar- UFA
11. Na'il Diggs- UFA
12. Danny Clark- UFA