Devin
02-16-2007, 08:54 PM
1. Waiting for a better wave: Watch for the top teams to skip free agency's expensive first wave. The Colts, Patriots, Bengals, Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, Panthers and others probably will sit out the big spending. Their money will go into re-signings. Fans might be antsy if their home teams don't go big into free agency, but spending in free agency doesn't necessary translate into victories. The Colts won a Super Bowl by adding only kicker Adam Vinatieri (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3727), who signed for $2.4 million a year. The Chargers added only safety Marlon McCree (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5681) and backup tight end Aaron Shea (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5139), and won 14 games. The Patriots went to the AFC Championship Game and their net gain out of free agency was Reche Caldwell (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5934), who made $900,000 last year.
2. No time to waste: The big spending will go quickly. Expect most of the top players to be signed between March 2 and March 9. Already, agents for top players are getting feelers from teams. With most positions being only two to four players deep, agents for those players are being recruited. Meetings at next week's combine in Indianapolis already are being booked. Top interior linemen will get close to $6 million a year. Top corners could go between $7 million and $8 million a year. Top defensive ends should easily get $7 million. The key for all teams is identifying the top group and not slipping average players into the top pay scale.
3. More teams playing tag? With those prices in mind, more teams will use the franchise tag. It's better to keep an unhappy franchise player for a year than lose him to free agency. The Bengals were the first team to give the franchise tag by keeping defensive end Justin Smith (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5451). Defensive end Dwight Freeney (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5897) (Indianapolis), cornerback Asante Samuel (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6456) (New England), kicker Josh Brown (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6558) (Seattle), linebacker Lance Briggs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6404) (Chicago), defensive end Charles Grant (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5911) (New Orleans) and defensive tackle Cory Redding (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6402) (Detroit) are the main candidates. I'd be surprised if the Ravens didn't franchise linebacker Adalius Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5215). Players don't like the franchise tag. If a long-term deal isn't reached by March 15, the player usually holds out until the start of the regular season or works out a deal to report in time by not being tagged the next year. In this market, though, there is no way to replace a top player at a position cheaply. It's cheaper to keep a player for a year than lose him if no deal can be worked out.
Man is it getting expensive in the NFL. Just downright scary what average players are going to get paid this coming season.
Levy better have a ****ing masterful draft this year. Like last year x10.
Ive never been a doom and gloom type, and am certainly going to simply wait and hope for the best but at first glance things sure do look grim.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2767986
2. No time to waste: The big spending will go quickly. Expect most of the top players to be signed between March 2 and March 9. Already, agents for top players are getting feelers from teams. With most positions being only two to four players deep, agents for those players are being recruited. Meetings at next week's combine in Indianapolis already are being booked. Top interior linemen will get close to $6 million a year. Top corners could go between $7 million and $8 million a year. Top defensive ends should easily get $7 million. The key for all teams is identifying the top group and not slipping average players into the top pay scale.
3. More teams playing tag? With those prices in mind, more teams will use the franchise tag. It's better to keep an unhappy franchise player for a year than lose him to free agency. The Bengals were the first team to give the franchise tag by keeping defensive end Justin Smith (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5451). Defensive end Dwight Freeney (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5897) (Indianapolis), cornerback Asante Samuel (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6456) (New England), kicker Josh Brown (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6558) (Seattle), linebacker Lance Briggs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6404) (Chicago), defensive end Charles Grant (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5911) (New Orleans) and defensive tackle Cory Redding (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6402) (Detroit) are the main candidates. I'd be surprised if the Ravens didn't franchise linebacker Adalius Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5215). Players don't like the franchise tag. If a long-term deal isn't reached by March 15, the player usually holds out until the start of the regular season or works out a deal to report in time by not being tagged the next year. In this market, though, there is no way to replace a top player at a position cheaply. It's cheaper to keep a player for a year than lose him if no deal can be worked out.
Man is it getting expensive in the NFL. Just downright scary what average players are going to get paid this coming season.
Levy better have a ****ing masterful draft this year. Like last year x10.
Ive never been a doom and gloom type, and am certainly going to simply wait and hope for the best but at first glance things sure do look grim.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2767986