Mason's top 10 cornerback free agents
Andrew Mason lists his top 10 cornerback free agents for the 2018 offseason.
Butler's lack of defensive snaps in Super Bowl LII shouldn't give teams pause in light of his overall body of work, although his 2017 season did not match his 2016 campaign, with his interception tally dropping from four to two and his touchdowns allowed increasing by 50 percent, from four to six. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
The cap room the Bears have makes it likely that they could match any offer, but there could still be interest in Fuller after a stellar season in which he broke up 17 passes and allowed just two touchdowns. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Melvin took a big leap last year, emerging as a bright spot in a dark Colts season. Yet Colts general manager Chris Ballard didn't commit to bringing him back, saying at the Combine that he would "let the market play out" on players that hit free agency, including Melvin. Given Melvin's frame and reach, he should be plucked in the first wave of free agency. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
His first season with the Bills saw him post his best campaign, breaking up nine passes in 11 games (all starts) as he helped Buffalo reach its first playoff spot since 1999. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said at the Combine that the team's recent addition of Vontae Davis doesn't prevent them from bringing back Gaines, but he should probably find more playing time waiting for him on the open market. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Age hasn't hindered Grimes, who posted two of his strongest coverage seasons the last two campaigns with the Bucs. He turns 35 this year, so he is likely to receive no more than a one- or two-year contract, but if he stays healthy -- and he has missed just four games in the last five seasons -- he should still be effective. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
The Redskins' cornerback corps could look radically different in a few days if Breeland departs, as teammate Kendall Fuller is expected to be dealt to Kansas City in the widely reported Alex Smith trade that should be consummated at the start of the league year. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing passers mustered a rating of just 75.6 when throwing at Breeland last year, as he broke up 16 passes. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Rams gave Johnson the franchise tag in 2016 and 2017, but with Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters set to bolster their cornerback corps, they appear ready to move on from Johnson, who has been solid the last two seasons, but has not matched his dominant form of 2015, when he intercepted seven passes. (NFL Photos via AP)
As he heads into his ninth year, you would think that you had a read on what Robinson is, but his wild variance over the last three seasons -- outstanding in 2015 and 2017, struggling before succumbing to a groin injury in 2016 -- shows otherwise. But his 2017 campaign -- capped by a 50-yard pick-six in the NFC Championship Game -- revealed his ceiling and ensured he will not play 2018 on a contract like he played 2017 (one year, $775,000). (Al Tielemans via AP)
In his first season with the Giants, Cockrell broke up 11 passes, delivering the same kind of production he offered in his previous two seasons with the Steelers. Pro Football Focus credited him with a 70.3 passer rating allowed on passes targeted at him last season, the best single-season mark of his career. (Al Tielemans via AP)
It seems like every year at this time, we hear chatter about how age will catch up with Newman. Amazingly, it hasn't yet, even though he celebrated his 39th birthday last season. A return to Minnesota would likely suit him best. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
