It’s a foregone conclusion that receiver Greg Jennings won’t be back with the Green Bay Packers in 2013. The Packers have other business to attend to and Jennings has already put his house on the market.
Where might he end up? Here are the top possibilities.
First, we’re going to eliminate what might seem like two obvious possibilities.
Detroit Lions — Yes, they have Calvin Johnson, but what else? Jennings is from Michigan, so it seems like a no brainer to put Detroit on the list. The problem is, the Lions are already over the 2013 salary cap and they have bigger issues to address, namely on defense.
Arizona Cardinals — The Cards certainly need some offensive help and Jennings trains in the offseason with Larry Fitzgerald, but they have the same problem as Detroit. They’re currently over the 2013 cap and have other, larger issues. At the top of that list is an offensive line and a quarterback that actually belong in the NFL.
So here’s the list.
1. Miami Dolphins
The obvious destination. Miami has more than $38 million in cap space, their best receiver right now is Brian Hartline and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is their head coach. Jennings’ sister also went on some Twitter rant during the season about how her brother should sign with Miami next season, for whatever that’s worth.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have a new regime that includes former Packers exec John Dorsey as general manager. They’re expected to lose their No. 1 receiver, Dwayne Bowe, in free agency, so there’s a need. Kansas City also has $16 million in cap room. We also know Andy Reid likes to throw the ball.
3. Minnesota Vikings
Your worst nightmare. The Vikings are reportedly already interested in Jennings and a move to Minnesota would keep him close to home. They’re expected to lose Percy Harvin in the offseason and they have the necessary cap room — $16.1 million. On the positive side, Jennings gets to play with Adrian Peterson, which could mean a fair amount of single coverage. On the negative, he also has to play with Christian Ponder.
4. Seattle Seahawks
You could argue the Hawks already have a No. 1 receiver, but Jennings is a big upgrade over either Sidney Rice or Golden Tate. There’s another former Packers exec running the show here — John Schneider — and Seattle has the necessary cap space — $18.6 million. They’re already a playoff team and Russell Wilson is only going to get better.
5. Cleveland Browns
I can’t name one receiver on the Browns. Can you? There’s obviously a need. The Browns also have a ton of money to throw around — $48.9 million — so they can overpay. The positives for Jennings are he remains close to home and gets to play on an offense coordinated by Norv Turner. The negatives are he’s playing for the Browns.
6. Tennessee Titans
The Titans are lacking a true No. 1 receiver and have a young quarterback they’re trying to build around in Jake Locker. They have $19.4 million in salary cap space and probably aren’t too many players away from competing for a playoff spot.
7. San Diego Chargers
The Chargers definitely have some talent. It’s just not at the receiver position. In San Diego, Jennings could make Philip Rivers look good again. He’d certainly get plenty of targets and a shot at the playoffs. The Chargers would have to free up some more money to sign Jennings though. They’re currently $8.7 million under the cap.
8. Cincinnati Bengals
Much like the Browns, Cincinnati has a ton of money to play with — $55.1 million to be exact. They’re also a playoff team. The question is whether Jennings would want to play second fiddle to A.J. Green.
9. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts really have an ideal situation for a free agent receiver — great young quarterback, $46 million to spend and they’re a playoff team. Their No. 2 guy, Donnie Avery, is a free agent too. One problem. Where does Jennings fit in with Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton already on the roster?
10. St. Louis Rams
Sam Bradford needs someone to throw to. He’s needed someone to throw to since he got drafted. Jennings is an obvious solution and St. Louis is on solid ground as long as Jeff Fisher is the coach. They’d have to do a lot of maneuvering to make that happen. They’re currently only $1.8 million under the cap.