NFL Free Agents 2015: Top wide receivers could hit the open market

Wide receiver talk around the Miami Dolphins focuses primarily on Mike Wallace as of late, with most people trying to determine if the club will bring back their top receiver for the 2015 season. Stories of the receiver removing himself from the game to coach Joe Philbin benching Wallace, as well as potential frustration by both Wallace and his teammates, could lead the Dolphins, who would count for a $12.1 million salary cap hit if he remains with the team, to release the star, potentially gaining $6.9 million in salary cap space from the move.

If the Dolphins were to release Wallace, he would not be the only big named wide receiver who could hit the market this offseason.

The Kansas City Chiefs seem to be facing the exact same situation with Dwayne Bowe as the Dolphins with Wallace. Perhaps Bowe does not have the reports of quitting that are surrounding Wallace this offseason, but he still is a player seen as overpaid, and the lack of touchdowns - as in zero touchdowns scored in 2014 - is a big part of why there is speculation that the Chiefs could be looking to unload Bowe. There is talk that the Chiefs could be looking for Bowe to restructure his contract, similar to reports that the Dolphins may be getting ready to ask the same thing of Wallace, but Kansas City could release Bowe if those talks do not lead anywhere.

Former Miami and current Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall may be on his way out of his third team since being a fourth round draft choice of the Denver Broncos in 2006. The UCF product has his entire $7.5 million salary become fully guaranteed in March, so, while the Bears would still pick up millions in dead money from Marshall's signing bonus, they could get out from under his salary and find some salary cap savings. The relationship between Marshall and the Bears seems to have turned, with the possibility that John Fox, who starts as the Bears head coach this year, will want to clean out the drama that always seems to follow Marshall.

The New York Jets could be looking to unload Percy Harvin as well, with the team not suffering any cap hit from the move.  It would actually provide the team a $10.5 million cap savings this year, plus free up nearly $10 million each year between now and the end of his contract after the 2018 season. Like Marshall, drama seems to follow Harvin, plus there are injury concerns for the former Florida Gators wide out.

This is in addition to players like Dallas Cowboys wide out Dez Bryant (who could be franchise tagged this week), the Philadelphia Eagles' Jeremy Maclin, Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, and Michael Crabtree from the San Francisco 49ers, who all are scheduled to become free agents when the league year changes in March.

The wide receiver market could see some big names become available this offseason. Will Wallace be one of them? Could the Dolphins then target one of the other receivers available? This will be an interesting offseason, and one with a lot to watch, both for the Dolphins and across the NFL.