Run & Cover: The Top Defensive Free Agents
by Dave Gardner
In part two of his two part series, Dave Gardner takes a look at the top defensive free agents heading into February 29th.
The day has almost arrived! Free agency will begin tomorrow, and then all eyes will officially turn to the draft (if they haven’t already). Teams will re-evaluate their needs based on whom they are able to sign; and news and rumors will fly about every prospect, from how they looked at their pro days to how they looked in their underwear at the Combine. With the introduction already taken care of yesterday, let’s tackle the top defensive free agents:
1. Asante Samuel (CB, Patriots): After being franchised last year, Samuel is going to hit a market in which cornerbacks are now making more than defensive ends. He’ll be looking for a Nate Clements-type deal with about $10 million a year for at least five years. While he is one of the better cornerbacks in the league, he can’t play very physically, and he choked when the Patriots needed him the most (covering Tyree on his touchdown catch and dropping a potential game-clinching interception).
2. Lance Briggs (LB, Chicago): Briggs was another franchised player last year who will now benefit from more cap space. He is one of the best weak-side linebackers in the Tampa-2 scheme, but their statistics tend to be overblown because the flow of the blocking sends runners toward them, allowing for a lot of tackles. He is athletic, aggressive and disciplined, and he should be one of the first free agents to find a new home.
3. Kawika Mitchell (LB, Giants): Mitchell was a strong presence in the middle last year - especially in the playoffs - after leaving the Chiefs to sign a one-year contract with the Giants. Mitchell is an excellent defender against the run, and is a very good pass rusher as well, which is a rare quality for a Mike linebacker. He may not have a hot name, but he will be a solid player with his next team.
4. Justin Smith (DE, Bengals): Because pass rushers are at such a high premium - and because there is so much money to throw around at mediocre players - Smith will be a sought-after free agent. He was reliable for eight sacks a year until this past season, when he only had two. He’s a good all-around defensive end who can play the run as well, but he’ll be expecting, and demanding, way too much money.
5. Gibril Wilson (S, Giants): It doesn’t hurt an unrestricted free agent to have the publicity of being a Super Bowl champion coming off of his best season as a pro. Last year, Wilson notched 92 tackles and four interceptions. He is a hard tackler, and a solid cover guy who often plays close to the line of scrimmage to support the run or to man-up on a receiver. A versatile guy like that has a big market, especially when he was able to master a complex scheme like Steve Spagnuolo’s in one year.
6. Bobby McCray (DE, Jaguars): He is a similar player to Justin Smith in that he had a big year in 2006 (10 sacks), but couldn’t quite replicate it this season (three sacks). He was part of a Jacksonville front seven that was dominant against the run, and he still has a lot of upside. He should be looking at a very nice contract and a little share of the spotlight, moving out of the small Jacksonville market.
7. Antwan Odom (DE, Titans): A pass-rush specialist who recorded eight sacks last season, Odom isn’t quite yet an every-down defensive end. He also may have benefited from teams focusing on Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth. He is however, a bright young star who will certainly impress in a bigger role. His career looked promising before being limited to four games in 2006 because of injury; he came back in 2007 with a vengeance and is ready to see what kind of market he can command.
8. Drayton Florence (CB, Chargers): The Chargers are content in letting Drayton Florence walk away even though he is an above-average cornerback. The reason? Antonio Cromartie. The phenomenal second-year player is tall and speedy, and led the league in interceptions last season. Florence lost his job to Cromartie, but he is a physical corner who can play on an island.
9. Calvin Pace (LB, Cardinals): Cardinals linebackers can be hard to evaluate because the team switches between 4-3 and 3-4 fronts on a regular basis. Nonetheless, Calvin Pace was the second best linebacker on one of the league’s top groups last season. He probably benefited from teams running away from his comrade in the middle: Karlos Dansby (their franchise player). Notwithstanding, 98 tackles, six and a half sacks, six passes defensed, and an interception is a pretty impressive stat line.
10. Madieu Williams (S, Bengals): Nagging injuries have slowed down one of the more impressive young safeties in the league, Williams. In his two full year stints (he has played four years in the league), he has been good for at least 80 tackles, 3 interceptions, and two passes defensed. He has shown versatility in being able to be an eighth man in the box, and to rush the passer, but his true strength is in coverage.