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Welcome to Bleacher Report's NFL1000 free agency preview, a series where we'll use the power of the 17-man NFL1000 scouting department to bring you in-depth analysis of every NFL free agent this offseason. In this first installment, lead scout Doug Farrar and quarterback scout Cian Fahey dive into this year's QB class.

Each year, NFL teams with stout defenses and potent rushing attacks miss the postseason for one primary reason: They don't have the right quarterback. And if you can't get the right quarterback in the draft, your other main hope is free agency.

When it comes to signing quarterbacks in free agency…boy, do you need to be careful. The game's most important position is also the highest-paid position, and when multiple teams are angling for the best signal-caller in any free-agent class, things can get pricey in a hurry.

Teams with smart front offices don't overspend at any position. Not even quarterback. They cool their jets, align themselves with players who fit their system and personnel, and strike at the right time. That's what the Saints did with Drew Brees. Brees was coming off a shoulder injury in San Diego in 2005, but new head coach Sean Payton saw enough to know he had the mental ability to understand his complex playbook and the physical gifts to execute it. Coach, quarterback and front office were aligned, and the rest is history.

What happens when a front office takes a stab in the dark in desperation? Look no further than the Texans giving Brock Osweiler a four-year, $72 million contract with $37 million guaranteed based on a limited number of snaps as Peyton Manning's backup. In 2016, Osweiler was terrible—he failed to grasp head coach Bill O'Brien's system and was rarely on the same page with his own receivers. Now, Texans owner Bob McNair has said the team is again likely looking for a franchise quarterback, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Unless they change their thought process, they may only compile their mistakes.

When the 2017 league year begins in early March, the new wave of free-agent quarterbacks will be on the market. Here's how we see the top 10.