Post by MizzouTiger on Feb 29, 2008 9:52:01 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/football/story/510691.html
NFL teams not expected to be big spenders as unrestriced free-agency begins
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
Unrestricted free-agency in the NFL begins today, but even with a roomy $116 million salary cap for 2008, don’t expect many teams to go on extravagant shopping sprees.
Even big spender Dan Snyder of Washington will set some limits this season.
“The price of what these guys are going to be paid is astronomical,” Washington vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said at last week’s NFL scouting combine. “So I don’t foresee us being a big player in free-agency. I don’t think Dan’s plane is going to be fired up ready to go.”
Certainly there are some big names heading the list of unrestricted free-agency, including New England wide receiver Randy Moss and cornerback Asante Samuel. Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs and wide receiver Bernard Berrian will attract a lot interest, as will Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca and Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith.
In any other year, San Diego running back Michael Turner, who has been LaDainian Tomlinson’s understudy, and Dallas’ Julius Jones, would be desirable free agents, but the crop of running backs available in the draft is so deep, teams can save their money for rookies as opposed to high-priced veterans.
That’s the direction the Chiefs have said they will go — use their 10 picks in the draft and sign second-tier free agents.
Some teams, such as the Indianapolis Colts, were busy this month signing their own free agents, such as tight end Dallas Clark, guard Ryan Lilja and safety Bob Sanders.
“We don’t have any more money to spend,” said Colts president Bill Polian. “I think we had a (heck) of a free-agency period.”
Still, there will be some teams who will find players such as Samuel, Briggs and Faneca irresistible.
“I would think a lot of teams probably identify maybe one or two guys they’ll go after,” Cerrato said. “A lot of the free agents will be overpaid. Then after a week or so, things will kind of settle down and get somewhat back to normal.”
Most teams have discovered the preferable route is to sign their own players and fill in later. In 2007, of 308 unrestricted free agents, 126 — or 41 percent — signed with new teams.
“Most people are signing their guys … because you know what you have,” Cerrato said. “You want to keep your core guys, so keep the guys you know instead of the unknown.”
Because most teams lock in their quarterbacks with long-term deals, that’s the one position clearly lacking in free-agency. Former Chiefs quarterback Todd Collins, who finished strong at Washington last season, could be in demand, especially by St. Louis, where Al Saunders is now offensive coordinator.
The best of the quarterback lot is Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, who is a restricted free agent. The Browns tendered Anderson the high qualifying offer of $2.562 million as a restricted free agent Thursday, general manager Phil Savage said. If a team signs Anderson, it would have to give the Browns a first- and third-round draft pick as compensation. The Browns would also have the right to match the offer.
Anderson wants a contract for six years, but the Browns, with 2007 No. 1 draft pick Brady Quinn waiting in the wings, want to offer three years.
Eleven players, including Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, were tagged as franchise players by their clubs, and one, Pittsburgh offensive tackle Max Starks, was designated a transition player. Allen, who will receive about $9 million for 2008 — the average salary of the top five players at his position — can negotiate with other clubs, but the Chiefs can match a new club’s offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if they decide not to match.
Besides the franchised players and unrestricted and restricted free agents who completed their contracts, there are plenty of street free agents recently released by their teams who can fill holes for other clubs.
They include linebacker Rosevelt Colvin (released by New England); quarterback Byron Leftwich (Atlanta); defensive end Jevon Kearse (Philadelphia) quarterbacks Kelly Holcomb (Minnesota) and Trent Green (Miami); offensive tackle Fred Miller (Chicago), wide receivers Isaac Bruce (Rams) and David Givens (Titans), fullback Lorenzo Neal (Chargers) and several players the Chiefs released, including wide receiver Eddie Kennision, cornerback Ty Law and linebacker Kendrell Bell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER NFL NEWS
•$21 MILLION FOR COUGHLIN? Tom Coughlin’s expected new contract extension reportedly will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches. The New York Daily News reported Thursday that Coughlin will receive a four-year extension worth about $21 million from the Giants after leading New York to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots. There are only minor details to be worked out, and the newspaper reported that an official agreement could be announced as early as next week.
•NO FAVRE RETIREMENT: Brett Favre’s retirement lore is becoming almost as popular as his on-the-field heroics. On Thursday, the Packers’ official Web site briefly reported he was retiring, but the page under the breaking news section was live for only a few minutes. “There’s nothing to it,” Packers director of public relations Jeff Blumb said. “People who handle our Web site had set up a dummy page in the event he was to retire. They were asked to take down that page.”
•A DEAL FOR BRUSCHI: Veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who recovered from a stroke in 2005 and later resumed his career, has agreed to a multiyear contract with the Patriots. A person within the league, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal is expected to be signed today.
•TEXANS KEEP DAVIS: Houston agreed to a multiyear contract with free-agent receiver and kick returner Andre’ Davis. The deal was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the negotiations who asked not to be identified because it had not yet been announced. Davis is expected to sign the contract today.
•SMITH A KEEPER: Beleaguered quarterback Alex Smith, a former No. 1 draft pick, got a vote of confidence from the San Francisco 49ers, who exercised a multimillion-dollar buyback clause in his contract that essentially extends his deal through 2010.
•SAUERBRUN ENTERS PLEA: Former Denver Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun, a former Chief, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and disturbing the peace stemming from a December confrontation with a taxi driver.
NFL teams not expected to be big spenders as unrestriced free-agency begins
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
Unrestricted free-agency in the NFL begins today, but even with a roomy $116 million salary cap for 2008, don’t expect many teams to go on extravagant shopping sprees.
Even big spender Dan Snyder of Washington will set some limits this season.
“The price of what these guys are going to be paid is astronomical,” Washington vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said at last week’s NFL scouting combine. “So I don’t foresee us being a big player in free-agency. I don’t think Dan’s plane is going to be fired up ready to go.”
Certainly there are some big names heading the list of unrestricted free-agency, including New England wide receiver Randy Moss and cornerback Asante Samuel. Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs and wide receiver Bernard Berrian will attract a lot interest, as will Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca and Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith.
In any other year, San Diego running back Michael Turner, who has been LaDainian Tomlinson’s understudy, and Dallas’ Julius Jones, would be desirable free agents, but the crop of running backs available in the draft is so deep, teams can save their money for rookies as opposed to high-priced veterans.
That’s the direction the Chiefs have said they will go — use their 10 picks in the draft and sign second-tier free agents.
Some teams, such as the Indianapolis Colts, were busy this month signing their own free agents, such as tight end Dallas Clark, guard Ryan Lilja and safety Bob Sanders.
“We don’t have any more money to spend,” said Colts president Bill Polian. “I think we had a (heck) of a free-agency period.”
Still, there will be some teams who will find players such as Samuel, Briggs and Faneca irresistible.
“I would think a lot of teams probably identify maybe one or two guys they’ll go after,” Cerrato said. “A lot of the free agents will be overpaid. Then after a week or so, things will kind of settle down and get somewhat back to normal.”
Most teams have discovered the preferable route is to sign their own players and fill in later. In 2007, of 308 unrestricted free agents, 126 — or 41 percent — signed with new teams.
“Most people are signing their guys … because you know what you have,” Cerrato said. “You want to keep your core guys, so keep the guys you know instead of the unknown.”
Because most teams lock in their quarterbacks with long-term deals, that’s the one position clearly lacking in free-agency. Former Chiefs quarterback Todd Collins, who finished strong at Washington last season, could be in demand, especially by St. Louis, where Al Saunders is now offensive coordinator.
The best of the quarterback lot is Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, who is a restricted free agent. The Browns tendered Anderson the high qualifying offer of $2.562 million as a restricted free agent Thursday, general manager Phil Savage said. If a team signs Anderson, it would have to give the Browns a first- and third-round draft pick as compensation. The Browns would also have the right to match the offer.
Anderson wants a contract for six years, but the Browns, with 2007 No. 1 draft pick Brady Quinn waiting in the wings, want to offer three years.
Eleven players, including Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, were tagged as franchise players by their clubs, and one, Pittsburgh offensive tackle Max Starks, was designated a transition player. Allen, who will receive about $9 million for 2008 — the average salary of the top five players at his position — can negotiate with other clubs, but the Chiefs can match a new club’s offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if they decide not to match.
Besides the franchised players and unrestricted and restricted free agents who completed their contracts, there are plenty of street free agents recently released by their teams who can fill holes for other clubs.
They include linebacker Rosevelt Colvin (released by New England); quarterback Byron Leftwich (Atlanta); defensive end Jevon Kearse (Philadelphia) quarterbacks Kelly Holcomb (Minnesota) and Trent Green (Miami); offensive tackle Fred Miller (Chicago), wide receivers Isaac Bruce (Rams) and David Givens (Titans), fullback Lorenzo Neal (Chargers) and several players the Chiefs released, including wide receiver Eddie Kennision, cornerback Ty Law and linebacker Kendrell Bell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER NFL NEWS
•$21 MILLION FOR COUGHLIN? Tom Coughlin’s expected new contract extension reportedly will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches. The New York Daily News reported Thursday that Coughlin will receive a four-year extension worth about $21 million from the Giants after leading New York to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots. There are only minor details to be worked out, and the newspaper reported that an official agreement could be announced as early as next week.
•NO FAVRE RETIREMENT: Brett Favre’s retirement lore is becoming almost as popular as his on-the-field heroics. On Thursday, the Packers’ official Web site briefly reported he was retiring, but the page under the breaking news section was live for only a few minutes. “There’s nothing to it,” Packers director of public relations Jeff Blumb said. “People who handle our Web site had set up a dummy page in the event he was to retire. They were asked to take down that page.”
•A DEAL FOR BRUSCHI: Veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who recovered from a stroke in 2005 and later resumed his career, has agreed to a multiyear contract with the Patriots. A person within the league, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal is expected to be signed today.
•TEXANS KEEP DAVIS: Houston agreed to a multiyear contract with free-agent receiver and kick returner Andre’ Davis. The deal was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the negotiations who asked not to be identified because it had not yet been announced. Davis is expected to sign the contract today.
•SMITH A KEEPER: Beleaguered quarterback Alex Smith, a former No. 1 draft pick, got a vote of confidence from the San Francisco 49ers, who exercised a multimillion-dollar buyback clause in his contract that essentially extends his deal through 2010.
•SAUERBRUN ENTERS PLEA: Former Denver Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun, a former Chief, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and disturbing the peace stemming from a December confrontation with a taxi driver.