An NFL offseason that's been largely rooted in hypotheticals is about to become a lot more real this week.
While free agency doesn't officially begin until Wednesday, Monday marks the start of the league's negotiating window – or legal tampering period – for players hitting the open market. And it shouldn't take long for deals to materialize for the most highly sought-after figures.
The immediate fallout could be far-reaching. And while teams often have divergent strategies for handling free agency and the draft, early moves on the former front inevitably have a way of informing approaches for the latter.
USA TODAY Sports will update this latest mock-draft projection as free agency news unfolds on Monday and beyond, so check back often for all the latest analysis:
Here's one pick that won't be changing during this exercise. There's even less of a mystery around this selection than there was a year ago with the Titans at No. 1, as the Raiders haven't openly pondered any trade possibilities. Mendoza, a rhythmic and clean distributor, sizes up as a nearly ideal trigger man for new coach Klint Kubiak's system. The Maxx Crosby trade heightens the importance of identifying a formidable supporting cast to bring aboard through free agency and the draft, but at least Las Vegas has ample resources with which to enact its offseason transformation.
