The top free agent cornerback that will be on the market once the NFL Labor Dispute is settled will be the former Oakland Raiders Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha is as close as a true "shutdown corner" as there is in the league, as along with the New York Jets' Darrelle Revis, is considered among the top two cornerbacks in the NFL. Asomugha is sure to command the top payday in free agency, which will price most teams out of consideration.
Some of the teams reportedly open to trying to sign him are the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. You also cannot rule out the free-spending Washington Redskins. However, the rumors have been surfacing that he is being seriously looked at by the Baltimore Ravens. Nnamdi would almost certainly prefer to go to a team that has a chance to go to the playoffs and the Ravens have been a perennial contender and look to be on the same path in 2011.
With a slew of free agents, including three cornerbacks, the Ravens will have to decide not only who to re-sign, but also must look ahead to 2012 when DT Haloti Ngata is sure to command a boatload of cash to stay in purple. At the same time, adding Asomugha to the Ravens secondary along with rookie Jimmy Smith would almost give the Ravens defense an unfair advantage over their opponents.
If anyone can figure out how to make this happen, it's Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, who could decide to let his free agent cornerbacks (Chris Carr, Josh Wilson, Fabian Washington) leave for greener pastures, stick with Doonique Foxworth, Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Chykie Brown and just add the costly Asomugha to the mix. Decisions about other free agents would have to be based on this opportunity to sign the top one on the market, but the mere thought of this should have most Ravens fans drooling over the possibilities.