Top Offensive Free Agents
by Dave Gardner
In part one of his two part series, Dave Gardner takes a look at the top offensive free agents heading into free agency on February 29th.
The easiest way to appease appease a fan base that’s slowly turning into a mob is to fire the head coach and hire a big name to replace him. The second easiest way is to sign a big name free agent. Every year, it seems like the same teams make the same mistakes in free agency. The Redskins, for example, have traded away most of their picks in the past few drafts for big names who rarely earn their big paychecks. The smart teams will build through the draft and then supplement through free agency. The Patriots, for example, built both of their lines entirely through good draft day decisions, and then added under-the-radar free agents, like Junior Seau and even Randy Moss.
This year - as it always seems - the free agency crop seems highly unimpressive. However, every team is looking for someone who can run or cover; the smart teams see free agency coming and do just that - run and cover. Here are the top offensive free agents:
1. Randy Moss (WR, Patriots): The feeling here is that because the Patriots weren’t allowed to resign Moss (because of the structure of his contract) before free agency began, and because they didn’t want to upset him with the franchise tag, they have a deal in place that is ready for him to sign on midnight, February 29th. However, he’ll have to take less money to stay in New England, and a desperate team might offer him the last big contract of his career. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Moss.
2. Michael Turner (RB, Chargers): After turning down several trade offers for the back, G.M. A.J. Smith decided to keep LaDainian Tomlinson’s backup around for one more season. Now Turner will be able to step out of Tomlinson’s spotlight, and prove that he too can be an every down back. He’s an excellent downhill runner, with good vision, and some nice moves. He should crank out a 1,000-yard season wherever he lands.
3. Alan Faneca (G, Steelers): The premier guard in the NFL is packing his bags and leaving the only team he’s ever known. Last year, he had a confrontation with the organization who supposedly promised to resign him with 2 years remaining on his contract and then failed to do so. Any team will be happy to have the powerful run and pass blocker. He could have an Eric Steinbach-type effect on whoever’s line he ends up on; he will certainly get an Eric Steinbach-type deal.
4. Donte Stallworth (WR, Patriots): Last season, the Patriots signed Stallworth to a long-term deal that essentially boiled down to a one-year “prove yourself” contract. Stallworth was pretty good, but not good enough for the Pats to pick up his $8 million option bonus to keep him. He has elite speed, and he’s extremely dynamic after the catch, but he’s never really put it all together. Apparently, interest in him has cooled down, but he should find a new home without too much trouble and be pretty productive.
5. Flozell Adams (LT, Cowboys): Left Tackles are extremely difficult to find in this league, and they are also extremely vital to the state of your football team. Adams is an above-average LT whom the Cowboys seem content in letting walk away. While he’s a very good pass-blocker, teams will worry about how frequently he is penalized. He is this year’s Luke Petitgout, and will probably sign a decent - while not extravagant - contract and perform decently.
6. Jake Scott (G, Colts): When the Colts reached an agreement with Ryan Lilja to pay him $20 million over the next five years, it was pretty obvious that they were only going to keep Scott if he is so committed to Indianapolis that he would accept a below-market deal. As a protector of Peyton Manning on a line that is consistently one of the league’s top five, he should command some good attention in free agency and end up with a very nice deal.
7. Bryant Johnson (WR, Cardinals): Lost in the shuffle by the average fan, buried in the depth chart behind Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, is Bryant Johnson. But other teams have noticed him, and they’ve been waiting for him to hit the market. An elusive No. 3 receiver, Johnson has speed and is a very good route runner. Teams looking for a solid No. 2 receiver will be able to find it in Johnson.
8. Bernard Berrian (WR, Bears): Berrian is a speedster who has had an up-and-down career. Part of that could be attributed to the terrible quarterback situation in Chicago, but the better receivers in the league (i.e., Joey Galloway) manage to get the ball in their hands in spite of who is lobbing it up to them. Berrian should not pull a Rex Grossman and resign with this team; he needs to part ways with them. If he lands in the right spot, he could emerge as a very good No. 2 receiver.
9. Julius Jones (RB, Cowboys): A former second round selection, Julius Jones has never really inspired anyone with his running style. Over the past two years, he has been phased out of the starting job by the extremely talented Marion Barber III, whose hard running style will soon land him the big contract that Jones had been looking for this season. The problem with Jones is that he’s an impatient runner who makes his cuts too soon, and doesn’t seem to see the field to well. It’s hard to imagine that he’ll perform better somewhere else, because the Cowboys have one of the top O-lines in the league.
10. Chris Brown (RB, Titans): Brown will be entering his sixth season in the league, and his resume seems pretty solid, but there is little hype about him. He has shown the ability to be a game breaker (175 yards versus the Jaguars last season), and also to be a work horse (over 1,000 yards in 11 games in 2004). Brown will surprise a lot of people with his physical running with his new team. He could be a household name before too long.
Next Week: You don’t have to wait that long! Part 2 will be up tomorrow, ranking, of course, the top ten defensive free agents.