Peter King's top UFAs

[silvermike]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ.../08/mmqb/1.html

 

1. Vince Wilfork, NT, New England. With more teams valuing 3-4 tackles, Wilfork will be in demand.

 

2. Karlos Dansby, MLB, Arizona. Watch his 2008 postseason and you'll see he's going to be well-paid.

 

3. Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina. He woke up about three weeks ago. He's ridiculously talented, obviously. Question is, who's going to pay $12 million a year or so for Peppers, knowing they have absolutely no idea what kind of production he'll give?

 

4. Aubrayo Franklin, NT, San Francisco. The best run-stopper you've never heard of, and he won't cost what Wilfork will get.

 

5. Kevin Walter, WR, Houston. Productive, smart and willing to play any role, outside or slot.

 

6. Ryan Pickett, NT, Green Bay. Three nose men in the top six. Dr. Z would be so proud of me.

 

7. Ryan Clark, FS, Pittsburgh. Underrated soul of the Steelers defense, but he's absorbed lots of hard hits.

 

8. Aaron Kampman, OLB/DE, Green Bay. I get the feeling he wants to put on a few pounds and go back to end, which he feels is his home.

 

9. Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay. I'd like to see him stay healthy and attitude-free.

 

10. [redacted]

 

11. Darren Sharper, FS, New Orleans. Normally, I'd say a 34-year-old player (his birthday was last Wednesday) should be avoided in free agency. But the age rules don't apply to Sharper, Ray Lewis and Jack LaLanne.

 

12. Brian St. Pierre, QB, Arizona. Someone might see him as 2010's Matt Cassel and go buy him for a fifth of the cost.

 

13. Ben Watson, TE, New England. Patriots never seemed to warm to him. Maybe another team will.

 

14. Roy Williams, S, Cincinnati. Career rehab is going just fine, but he's not going to be the big star he was for a couple of years in Dallas.

 

15. Chad Pennington, QB, Miami. I might be wrong. I think if I were running Cleveland, or some team looking to develop a rookie quarterback next year, I'd pay Pennington $4 million to play for a season, hold the fort, and teach the kid how to be a professional.

[Bill from NYC]

Mike, notice there isn't one blocker on that list. Maybe someone will swap firsts with us and hand us a left tackle.

[Armchair GM]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ.../08/mmqb/1.html

 

There's 5 guys I'd love to see in a Bills uni next year...

Dansby

Peppers

Franklin

Pickett

Kampman

[silvermike]

Mike, notice there isn't one blocker on that list. Maybe someone will swap firsts with us and hand us a left tackle.

 

Yeah, well, also it's Peter King. If there isn't a single UFA lineman better than Brian St. Pierre next year, I'd be shocked. Note: I think it's more likely than we get Brian St. Pierre.

[BuffaloWings]

If we get a new regime in here and TO is gone, I'd like to see them go after Kevin Walter. I know the OL and QB play needs to be addressed first, but this might be a perfect guy to fit in as a #2 WR.

[Thoner7]

That is a joke of a list. Justin Bannan? Antonio Bryant? Roy Williams? St. Pierre?

 

What about Orton, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, Braylon Edwards (I dont think he was extended but Im sure he will be), Miles Austin, Owen Daniels, Tony Scheffler, Elvis Dumervil, Richard Seymour, Shawne Merriman, Thomas Davis, Thomas Howard, Derrick Johnson, Carlos Rogers, Antoine Bethea.

 

O and to get the OL who he skipped over: Jahri Evans, Logan Mankins, Marcus McNeill, Winston Justice.

 

Lots of OL, LB, and DL help.

 

Time to spend some big bucks their Scrooge, I mean Ralph.

[C.Biscuit97]

That is a joke of a list. Justin Bannan? Antonio Bryant? Roy Williams? St. Pierre?

 

What about Orton, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, Braylon Edwards (I dont think he was extended but Im sure he will be), Miles Austin, Owen Daniels, Tony Scheffler, Elvis Dumervil, Richard Seymour, Shawne Merriman, Thomas Davis, Thomas Howard, Derrick Johnson, Carlos Rogers, Antoine Bethea.

 

O and to get the OL who he skipped over: Jahri Evans, Logan Mankins, Marcus McNeill, Winston Justice.

 

Lots of OL, LB, and DL help.

 

Time to spend some big bucks their Scrooge, I mean Ralph.

 

 

McNeil's very interesting and it is going to be a tough decision for SD between him and Merriman. I don't think they can afford both.

 

And gimme a break with Justin Bannan. He is the same average player he was here. Leif LArsen would be a productive player on the Ravens.

[Lori]

Kyle Williams IS Justin Bannan.

 

I found this part of King's column far more interesting:

Cleveland is looking for another solution.

 

On Saturday at NBC, I reported Cleveland owner Randy Lerner has spoken with, or will speak with, former Super Bowl-team architects and/or coaches Ron Wolf, Mike Holmgren and Ernie Accorsi about the football czar position he hopes to fill to set his organization on a better path. Translation: He wants someone with a great résumé to be a helping hand for Mangini -- and, depending how the rest of the year goes, to perhaps be the one who tells Lerner, "You've got to fire this guy and start over. Again.''

 

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ.../08/mmqb/1.html

Translation of his translation: at least Lerner's looking. Are we? Don't bet on it.

[LynchMob23]

That is a joke of a list. Justin Bannan? Antonio Bryant? Roy Williams? St. Pierre?

 

What about Orton, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, Braylon Edwards (I dont think he was extended but Im sure he will be), Miles Austin, Owen Daniels, Tony Scheffler, Elvis Dumervil, Richard Seymour, Shawne Merriman, Thomas Davis, Thomas Howard, Derrick Johnson, Carlos Rogers, Antoine Bethea.

 

O and to get the OL who he skipped over: Jahri Evans, Logan Mankins, Marcus McNeill, Winston Justice.

 

Lots of OL, LB, and DL help.

 

Time to spend some big bucks their Scrooge, I mean Ralph.

The reason he listed all of the people he did and not the list that you provided is that the majority (save Richard Seymour) are all RFAs this year under the CBA. So you cannot just out-bid a team for them, because their team will put a 1st and 3rd on most of them and at the least a 2nd round pick, assuming they don't match you (and with no salary cap they can do so easily). There's not going to be a "this guy or that guy" because without a cap, SD can sign both as RFAs, re-sign both or just use them as trade bait. At this point, some owners may opt for the cap free year just so they can cut a ton of people without the cap ramifications and lower the floor for vets lower.

 

And all four linemen you mentioned offensively, have less than 6 years accrued so they would be RFAs as well.

[shrader]

I'll plead complete ignorance when it comes to players around the league, but a 3rd string QB on the list of top free agents available? Can a free agent class get much weaker?

[billsfreak]

Why wouldn't you want to look at #10 because it is Justin Bannan and he played for the Bills? That's pretty dumb actually. Not a very good look at the quality FA's, this list is pretty weak. Can't believe I am saying it, but as weak as this list is, T.O. should probably be on it.

[Red]

I like the Ben Watson and Aaron Kampman possibilities...

[CarolinaBill99]

With the 3 nose tackles out there, it might be a good year to switch to a 3-4 defense with a coaching change. I think we have some guys here who can switch positions and Maybin will never be anything at DE.

[bills_red]

Aubrayo Franklin is a guy I like

[Thoner7]

The reason he listed all of the people he did and not the list that you provided is that the majority (save Richard Seymour) are all RFAs this year under the CBA. So you cannot just out-bid a team for them, because their team will put a 1st and 3rd on most of them and at the least a 2nd round pick, assuming they don't match you (and with no salary cap they can do so easily). There's not going to be a "this guy or that guy" because without a cap, SD can sign both as RFAs, re-sign both or just use them as trade bait. At this point, some owners may opt for the cap free year just so they can cut a ton of people without the cap ramifications and lower the floor for vets lower.

 

And all four linemen you mentioned offensively, have less than 6 years accrued so they would be RFAs as well.

 

Ok I didnt realise that. I guess I am hoping a new CBA gets done. Very unlikely it doesnt.

[billsfan89]

There's 5 guys I'd love to see in a Bills uni next year...

Dansby

Peppers

Franklin

Pickett

Kampman

 

Never going to happen. The guy I would love to have on that list and is possible to come here is Chad Pennington. Chad is a veteran QB who can play smart and give you a chance to win almost every game. Yeah he is limited and not the long term awnser but if you draft a QB high Chad is a guy who can be a smart teacher and give the guy a chance to learn while Chad takes the ball.

 

Big time free agents are never going to come to the Bills as long as they are bad. We don't want to overpay for mid level talent and most guys just don't want to play on a bad Buffalo team even if the price is right.

 

I also think the Bills have an outside shot at Derrick Johnson if they are going to land a somewhat big name. He fills a need and won't come at the biggest price (He will cost a decent price but not a crazy bidding war) so if a new regime comes in and they want a guy to make an impact that's a guy I could see targeting. He would be a smart pick up and help out this D so much.

 

I would also like to see this team go after some veteran backups. This team (Other then the secondary) is pretty thin. I know its hard to spend on depth but if you can't land the big names land some guys that can make this team deeper and more prone to finishing strong.

[JohnC]

Kyle Williams IS Justin Bannan.

 

I found this part of King's column far more interesting:

 

Translation of his translation: at least Lerner's looking. Are we? Don't bet on it.

 

Lori, Ralph Wilson has his executive overseer in Russ Brandon. Not only can he identify mediocre talent for the boss but he can double up and make lucrative marketing deals for him at ther same time.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

The reason he listed all of the people he did and not the list that you provided is that the majority (save Richard Seymour) are all RFAs this year under the CBA. So you cannot just out-bid a team for them, because their team will put a 1st and 3rd on most of them and at the least a 2nd round pick, assuming they don't match you (and with no salary cap they can do so easily). There's not going to be a "this guy or that guy" because without a cap, SD can sign both as RFAs, re-sign both or just use them as trade bait. At this point, some owners may opt for the cap free year just so they can cut a ton of people without the cap ramifications and lower the floor for vets lower.

 

And all four linemen you mentioned offensively, have less than 6 years accrued so they would be RFAs as well.

 

That is why the uncapped year isn't that bad for the teams, even the small markets. All of their players will be protected as RFAs through their most productive years. On top of that the top players like Dansby may not hit free agency because teams are given two franchise tags to protect their players beyond 6 years. Without a new CBA there is no cap, but there really won't be many quality free agents to spend on either.

[shrader]

With the 3 nose tackles out there, it might be a good year to switch to a 3-4 defense with a coaching change. I think we have some guys here who can switch positions and Maybin will never be anything at DE.

 

They'd have to sign about 8 LBs.

[Zona]

can we please put Kampman ideas to rest? We already have 3 Aaron Kampman's on the roster. PLUS he is old and slow. I just watched the entire GB vs TB game this weekend and Kampman is Schobel. He may even be less than schobel. I was less than impressed with a once good player. The dude needs to retire.