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	Mark Zerof/US Presswire
	Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh probably will be a hot commodity in free agency.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

In less than 48 hours, Cincinnati Bengals receiver and pending free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh will hit the open market in search of a new team. He will be one of the NFL's most-sought-after free agents and has already resigned himself to leaving the Queen City.

So with that in mind, here are the top eight destinations where Houshmandzadeh could land during the offseason.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Why: Quarterback Donovan McNabb isn't getting any younger and has lacked a dependable No. 1 receiver since the departure of Terrell Owens. He is watching what the Eagles do closely and getting "Housh” could seal the deal for the veteran quarterback. Philadelphia is a team built to win right now and Houshmandzadeh could be that player to get the Eagles over the hump. He would be terrific in the West Coast offense. Houshmandzadeh also is an extremely hard worker and a tough player who would be a fan favorite in Philly.

Why not: Historically, the Eagles do not believe in acquiring big-name receivers. The Terrell Owens experiment was the exception in Philly, not the rule, and it left a sour taste with the organization. Houshmandzadeh's price tag also could be a little too much for the Eagles' liking.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Why: Houshmandzadeh is a California native who wouldn't mind going home, especially for the right price. San Francisco's quarterback situation is in flux, and the 49ers could use a top-level receiver to help a quarterback develop and complement the running game. The 49ers also are desperate to improve and probably would agree to Houshmandzadeh's salary demands.

Why not: Houshmandzadeh spent a lot of losing years in Cincinnati and may want to play for a contender right away. Although it's possible the 49ers could be on the rise under coach Mike Singletary, Houshmandzadeh may feel safer signing with a team that made the playoffs last season.

3. Seattle Seahawks

Why: The Seahawks need receivers in the worst way, so why not go for arguably the top free agent on the market? Houshmandzadeh is a prototype possession receiver with more than 200 receptions the past two years. He would be a great fit running routes in Seattle's West Coast offense as well. In Cincinnati, he had to share the ball with teammate Chad Ocho Cinco, but that wouldn't be the case with the Seahawks.

Why not: Same reasons as San Francisco. The Seahawks are a quality organization but with a new coach and instability at quarterback. Houshmandzadeh may want to play with a team that looks more competitive next season.

4. Tennessee Titans

Why: Houshmandzadeh's slick style of getting open underneath would be a great fit for veteran quarterback Kerry Collins. The Titans could use more consistency at receiver and a player who can get open against elite competition. Houshmandzadeh also can teach the ropes to the younger receivers on Tennessee's roster.

Why not: The Titans have big in-house free agents to pursue in defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and Collins. That will be distracting the team's efforts and it may not want to spend big bucks on a third free agent coming from outside the organization. There also is a lot of depth at receiver in this year's draft and that can be a cheaper alternative for the Titans.

5. Miami Dolphins

Why: The Dolphins won 11 games last year with a lot of smoke and mirrors on offense. Houshmandzadeh would bring a legitimate receiving threat to Miami for quarterback Chad Pennington and to complement tailbacks Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Former first-round pick Ted Ginn Jr. is not a No. 1 receiver. Neither is the solid but not spectacular Greg Camarillo. Houshmandzadeh could be that go-to guy.

Why not: Miami coach Tony Sparano said at the NFL combine that he likes his current receiver group and would prefer to build through the draft. We will see in a couple of days if that was more smoke and mirrors from the Dolphins.

6. New York Giants

Why: The Giants could part ways with troubled No. 1 receiver Plaxico Burress and would need to fill that void. New York proved last season that it couldn't win a Super Bowl without a No. 1 receiver, and Houshmandzadeh could fill those shoes. Houshmandzadeh is solid in the locker room and doesn't get in trouble off the field. The Giants would like all of those aspects.

Why not: Burress is still on the roster and the legal system hasn't run its course. Therefore linking Houshmandzadeh to the Giants might be premature. It could also come down to a potential bidding war with the Eagles, as both teams are trying to position themselves for NFC East supremacy.

7. Chicago Bears

Why: Chicago's No. 1 receiver is return specialist Devin Hester. Enough said. That experiment didn't work last year, so it's time for the Bears to find a more conventional receiving threat to jump-start Chicago's offense. Houshmandzadeh could be that player and help Hester develop as the deep threat in the No. 2 role.

Why not: The Bears may not be willing to pay top dollar and quarterback Kyle Orton is not nearly as good as other potential quarterbacks on this list, such as McNabb, Collins, Pennington or Eli Manning.

8. Baltimore Ravens

Why: The Ravens lack depth at the position and need to add more quality parts around rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. The defense has been consistently great, and the offense is finally coming around. Coming off an AFC title game appearance, adding a stud receiver could be the missing link to overtaking the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Why not: Baltimore needs a speedy deep threat to complement Flacco, not another possession receiver. Houshmandzadeh and Derrick Mason are very similar in their playing styles, so there is no reason for the Ravens to pay a steep price for Houshmandzadeh in free agency. The Ravens also have a lot of in-house free agents that need to be re-signed and will eat up their cap space.