Dan Pompei

The money waves of free agency have long since crashed into the shores. The waters are calm now.

But that doesn’t mean there still are not free agents available with something to offer. In fact, some of these players who still are on the market probably will end up being better values to their new teams that the players who got the fat paychecks back in March.

Here is a look at what’s still out there.

Quarterbacks
The two best are Rex Grossman and J.P. Losman, a pair of former first-round picks who bombed out with their first teams. It is interesting that no teams up to this point have tried to turn these players into reclamation projects.

We have seen many passers fail with their first team only to find themselves with a second team later in their careers, and it is possible Grossman or Losman could be one of those players.

There is a trend among teams to go with two young backups rather than to bring in a retread, however.

Running backs
A number of big names who are nearing the end still are for hire, including Warrick Dunn, Deuce McAllister and Ahman Green. The player with the most juice left in his legs might be Edgerrin James, who helped the Cardinals down the stretch.

Receivers
There is some real talent here in the form of Plaxico Burress. If he were clean off the field, he would have been one of the most pursued free agents on the market at any position. But teams don’t even know if Burress will be playing this season because of his troubles with the law and a probable NFL suspension.

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Matt Jones is in a similar boat. As a player who has gotten better and better each year, he has some value. But he isn’t so good that he can get away with being an law breaker off the field.

The other interesting name is Marvin Harrison — clearly one of the greats of an era, Harrison has lost a step. But he still could help a team if he were willing to accept a reduced role and greatly reduced salary.

Offensive linemen
Levi Jones could be the best free agent available at any position, and the only reason he is available is because he was released late in the process as a result of the Bengals drafting Andre Smith. The other name that stands out at this position is Jon Runyan. He should be snapped up before too long.

Defensive linemen
The pickings are slim here because pass rushers almost always are overvalued. Among the best available are Kevin Carter and Dewayne Robertson.

Linebackers
There are two players available at this position who were highly productive last season — Pisa Tinoisamoa and Derrick Brooks.

Tinoisamoa, the Rams’ leading tackler in 2008, is available because he really didn’t fit the Rams new defensive system. He was cut after the draft and should be an excellent addition to a team that wants a quick, run-around style linebacker.

Brooks is not the Brooks that some of us would like to remember him as, but he still was a pretty good player last season, making 111 tackles for the Bucs. It might take an injury for him to get a call because of his age (36).

Cornerbacks

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One name stands out in this group — Chris McAlister. Once one of the game’s best cover men, McAlister still has the size and savvy to play the position as well as most. One of the reasons he’s still out there is teams may be concerned about a prickly personality.

Another player who was released late in the process who has value is Rod Hood. He started 14 games for the NFC champion Cardinals last season, and a number of teams are interested.

Safeties
How about these for big names? Rodney Harrison, Lawyer Milloy and Mike Brown.

No doubt all three of these players could be big contributors in the right roles. But more and more teams are looking for safeties who, in effect, are cornerbacks who can hit. These aging players are strictly box safeties who might be exploited in coverage.

And in the case of Brown, durability concerns have cost him opportunities.

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