NFL Free Agency in Full Bloom
Barry F. Hess
March 16, 2006
It may have taken a few extra weeks to get started after the Players Association and the NFL failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement but the free agency season is in full bloom after just one week.
In all, 470 players filed for free agency many of which have already signed with new teams and with just under a month until the NFL Draft teams are beginning to shape their rosters for next year.
As in every off season there are winners and losers and then there are those teams that are somewhere in the middle.
Let?s take a look at some of the early winners, losers and middle of the road teams.
New Orleans: Winner
The New Orleans Saints and new coach Sean Payton signed quarterback Drew Brees yesterday to a six-year 60 million dollar deal, with 10 million guaranteed this year.
Brees appeared confident in his press conference yesterday not only about his shoulder being healthy for the season but that he could help the Saints win football games right away.
It seems like at Purdue and then the Chargers and then to here -- it's kind of a situation where maybe they had a couple of rough seasons. The community was just craving that winner,? Brees said at his signing press conference. ?That's what we did at Purdue and at San Diego, and now we plan on doing that here.?
The big signing may also help New Orleans when it comes to signing other big name players that may have shied away from the city in prior years.
The signing of a solid quarterback combined with the already solid running game of Duce McAllister in the back field will certainly help the Saints improve on the offensive side of the ball.
After losing defensive end Darren Howard to Philadelphia New Orleans will still have to improve on the defensive side of the ball through the draft but they have to be considered early winners after landing themselves their most dependable quarterback since Archie Manning.
Washington: Winner
It seems like every year the Washington Redskins managed to sign four or five high profile free agents yet somehow they still come up short on the field.
This year is no different, at least in the off-season.
The seemingly endless pockets of owner Daniel Snyder once again convinced players like wide receiver Antoine Randel El and safety Adam Archuleta to sign with the Redskins.
Randel El, who threw a touchdown pass in the Steelers 21-10 Super Bowl victory over Seattle, received a seven-year 31 million dollar contract while the veteran safety took considerably less.
Randel el is a versatile player that can make plays anywhere on the football field while Archuleta,547 career tackles, shores up a Redskins? secondary that struggled at times last year.
Once again, on paper, the Redskins have put themselves in good position to win a lot of football games and make a run at the NFC East but there is no telling how the new additions will fit into coach Joe Gibbs? system.
Minnesota: Losers
The Vikings and new coach Brad Childress have done nothing but lose players since free agency began.
After they were forced to trade franchise quarterback Daunte Culpepper to the Dolphins the Vikings are left with an aging Brad Johnson under center and didn?t even throw their names in the mix for Brees or Bengals quarterback John Kitna.
The purple people eaters also missed out on the chance to sign former Denver running back Mike Anderson after they were among the league?s worst running teams last year.
After losing both Randy Moss and Culpepper in two years the Vikings are losing steam and losing it fast.
They will now have to rely heavily on the draft to improve the team. Don?t be surprised if they try to get New Orleans to trade that sexy No. 2 draft pick, the only problem is that they have nothing to offer in return.
Philadelphia: Loser
After a phenomenal off season two years ago that saw both Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse sign long term contracts the Eagles have failed to make any noise for the second straight year.
The signing of defensive end Darren Howard, six years and 30 million, will certainly take some of the pressure off Kearse this year as teams will not be able to double team him as much but defensive end was the least of Philadelphia?s troubles heading into the off-season.
After the TO debacle left the Eagles with no number one receiver the birds lost the opportunity to sign Randel El and failed to sign a suitable running back to support the fragile Brian Westbrook.
Deals with both Mike Anderson and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard fell apart and the Eagles are left with many of the same problems they had at the conclusion of their disappointing 6-10 season last year.
The loss of offensive lineman John Runyan didn?t help matters much either.
The Eagles have put themselves in the precarious position where they love to air it out, yet they have no capable wide receivers, and refuse to run the ball because of a disintegrating offensive line and a fragile back.
Arizona: Middle of the Road.
The Cardinals shocked everyone by their willingness to go out and sign running back Edgerine James to a four-year 30 million dollar contract. The four-time Pro Bowler and two time NFL leading rusher will not only bring solidarity to the Cardinals backfield but the entire offense which already has established receivers in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
Arizona still has to improve almost every position on the defensive side of the football, however, and they are still without a legitimate starting quarterback, issues they will have to address in the upcoming draft if they want to be in contention for a playoff berth.
Baltimore: Middle of the Road
The Ravens signed Mike Anderson to an eight million dollar contract and managed to resign veteran back Jamal Lewis as well. While the addition of the former Denver back is an improvement how coach Brian Billick decides to use the two will make or break the Ravens? season. Lewis has already stated he wants the majority of the rushes but the younger, more athletic Anderson should get his share of the reps as well. The Ravens are also still shopping for a quarterback after Kyle Boller has either under performed or been injured each of the past three years. Though the current defense is not nearly as good as the unit that earned a Super Bowl title Ray Lewis and company are returning for what should be a solid season. If the Ravens can find a dependable quarterback they may get back into the playoffs this year.
In all, 470 players filed for free agency many of which have already signed with new teams and with just under a month until the NFL Draft teams are beginning to shape their rosters for next year.
As in every off season there are winners and losers and then there are those teams that are somewhere in the middle.
Let?s take a look at some of the early winners, losers and middle of the road teams.
New Orleans: Winner
The New Orleans Saints and new coach Sean Payton signed quarterback Drew Brees yesterday to a six-year 60 million dollar deal, with 10 million guaranteed this year.
Brees appeared confident in his press conference yesterday not only about his shoulder being healthy for the season but that he could help the Saints win football games right away.
It seems like at Purdue and then the Chargers and then to here -- it's kind of a situation where maybe they had a couple of rough seasons. The community was just craving that winner,? Brees said at his signing press conference. ?That's what we did at Purdue and at San Diego, and now we plan on doing that here.?
The big signing may also help New Orleans when it comes to signing other big name players that may have shied away from the city in prior years.
The signing of a solid quarterback combined with the already solid running game of Duce McAllister in the back field will certainly help the Saints improve on the offensive side of the ball.
After losing defensive end Darren Howard to Philadelphia New Orleans will still have to improve on the defensive side of the ball through the draft but they have to be considered early winners after landing themselves their most dependable quarterback since Archie Manning.
Washington: Winner
It seems like every year the Washington Redskins managed to sign four or five high profile free agents yet somehow they still come up short on the field.
This year is no different, at least in the off-season.
The seemingly endless pockets of owner Daniel Snyder once again convinced players like wide receiver Antoine Randel El and safety Adam Archuleta to sign with the Redskins.
Randel El, who threw a touchdown pass in the Steelers 21-10 Super Bowl victory over Seattle, received a seven-year 31 million dollar contract while the veteran safety took considerably less.
Randel el is a versatile player that can make plays anywhere on the football field while Archuleta,547 career tackles, shores up a Redskins? secondary that struggled at times last year.
Once again, on paper, the Redskins have put themselves in good position to win a lot of football games and make a run at the NFC East but there is no telling how the new additions will fit into coach Joe Gibbs? system.
Minnesota: Losers
The Vikings and new coach Brad Childress have done nothing but lose players since free agency began.
After they were forced to trade franchise quarterback Daunte Culpepper to the Dolphins the Vikings are left with an aging Brad Johnson under center and didn?t even throw their names in the mix for Brees or Bengals quarterback John Kitna.
The purple people eaters also missed out on the chance to sign former Denver running back Mike Anderson after they were among the league?s worst running teams last year.
After losing both Randy Moss and Culpepper in two years the Vikings are losing steam and losing it fast.
They will now have to rely heavily on the draft to improve the team. Don?t be surprised if they try to get New Orleans to trade that sexy No. 2 draft pick, the only problem is that they have nothing to offer in return.
Philadelphia: Loser
After a phenomenal off season two years ago that saw both Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse sign long term contracts the Eagles have failed to make any noise for the second straight year.
The signing of defensive end Darren Howard, six years and 30 million, will certainly take some of the pressure off Kearse this year as teams will not be able to double team him as much but defensive end was the least of Philadelphia?s troubles heading into the off-season.
After the TO debacle left the Eagles with no number one receiver the birds lost the opportunity to sign Randel El and failed to sign a suitable running back to support the fragile Brian Westbrook.
Deals with both Mike Anderson and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard fell apart and the Eagles are left with many of the same problems they had at the conclusion of their disappointing 6-10 season last year.
The loss of offensive lineman John Runyan didn?t help matters much either.
The Eagles have put themselves in the precarious position where they love to air it out, yet they have no capable wide receivers, and refuse to run the ball because of a disintegrating offensive line and a fragile back.
Arizona: Middle of the Road.
The Cardinals shocked everyone by their willingness to go out and sign running back Edgerine James to a four-year 30 million dollar contract. The four-time Pro Bowler and two time NFL leading rusher will not only bring solidarity to the Cardinals backfield but the entire offense which already has established receivers in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
Arizona still has to improve almost every position on the defensive side of the football, however, and they are still without a legitimate starting quarterback, issues they will have to address in the upcoming draft if they want to be in contention for a playoff berth.
Baltimore: Middle of the Road
The Ravens signed Mike Anderson to an eight million dollar contract and managed to resign veteran back Jamal Lewis as well. While the addition of the former Denver back is an improvement how coach Brian Billick decides to use the two will make or break the Ravens? season. Lewis has already stated he wants the majority of the rushes but the younger, more athletic Anderson should get his share of the reps as well. The Ravens are also still shopping for a quarterback after Kyle Boller has either under performed or been injured each of the past three years. Though the current defense is not nearly as good as the unit that earned a Super Bowl title Ray Lewis and company are returning for what should be a solid season. If the Ravens can find a dependable quarterback they may get back into the playoffs this year.
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