Free Agent Wrap Up

Free agency is a time of year for teams and fans to get excited. It is a chance for your team to go out and pick up that missing piece that may put you over the top (Like Bret Favre to the Minnesota Vikings last year). Or maybe a chance to get that once in a life time player to build your franchise around (Like Drew Brees to the New Orleans Saints in 2006). Maybe you even want to go beyond that. Maybe you are a True Football Fans, and want to know how other teams around the league are going to affect things next year and for years to come. Maybe you are a 365 day a year fan that wants to know it all. With so many moves happening right now in free agency, it is hard to keep track of them all. It is hard to find the time to keep up with all the news. So we here at TrueFootballFans.com have went ahead a put the list together for you of all the important moves so far and what we think of them

Chicago Bears – Julius Peppers (Way over paid!!! Awful Move)
Chester Taylor (Cheap insurance, Smart Move)

Jacksonville Jaguars – Aaron Kampman (Depleted line needed the help, Great Move)

Miami Dolphins – Karlos Dansby (This has the Big Tuna written all over it and he knows you need two sides of the ball to be a champion so who am I to judge, Awesome Move)

New York Jets - Antonio Cromartie (3rd round pick? Well worth the role of the dice on his injuries, Great Move)

Baltimore Ravens – Anquan Boldin (He is injured a lot but you didn’t give up much for the only piece you are missing, the only question is he worth the 10 mil a year he is going to want, Good Move)

Atlanta Falcons - Dunta Robinson (Heck yeah I’ll take the guy, but he better be gold plated for that kind of money especially since he only plays two out of three game, Bad Move)

Kansas City Chiefs – Thomas Jones (Wait…2.5 mil…Ill take two, Awesome Move)

Detroit Lions – Lots of Defensive Players (At least some one has finally seen the light in Detroit, cant will if you need 63 points a game to do so, Awesome Moves)

New York Giants - Antrel Rolle (He isn’t cheap, but who is going to even attempt to through the ball against you now, Great Move)

Denver Broncos – Jamal Williams (Fine, I understand the enticement, but the guy hasn’t show up for years now, OK Move)

Cincinnati Bengals – Antonio Bryant (Expensive, poor work ethic, mediocre talent, troublesome and a big enough price tag when you are trying to get TO? Horrible Move)

2010 Free Agent- Defensive Linemen

The 2010 NFL free agent Defensive line class pretty deep, the only issue is that I don’t think many of them are actually going to be available. Good defensive linemen, especially pass rushers and nose tackles are just too hard to come by to let one go, but here are the candidates anyway.

Elvis Dumervil (Denver Broncos) Here is the big prize in this year’s class. This guy has been getting better and better each year he has been in the league, including leading the league in sacks last year. This guy was a key to the Broncos defensive turn around last year, and they would be out of their mind to let this guy go. Most experts believe the Broncos will spend the money to retain this guy, but they may be wrong. The Broncos only slapped a mid level tag on Dumervil and that is going to prompt a lot of teams to make offers. This was either a huge mistake by the Broncos or an attempt to get compensation for the guy, which would also be a big mistake. A good pass rush is essential in todays passing league and guys like this just don’t come along often enough.

Julius Peppers (Carolina Panthers) This maybe one of the most talked about free agents this year, but not in a positive light for Peppers. Everyone has realized that he just isn’t consistent, versatile or young enough to be considered elite anymore. He had the contact on the table from the Panthers last year and turned it down. Peppers has cost himself millions. Don’t get me wrong, they guy is still good, but not elite. His 10ish sacks and ok at best run defense is worth about 5 mill a year, not the 10 he is looking for. If your team ends up with this guy, don’t be excited, you probably over paid!

Aaron Kampman (Green Bay Packers) In my opinion Kampman is one of the most underrated 4-3 defensive ends in the league. The only problems is Green Bay moved him to 3-4 outside linebacker??? I know that Green Bay wanted to make the move to 3-4 and with their personnel, a passing league, and the price tag of good defensive linemen, I don’t blame them. However, they don’t have much of a need or reason to keep Kampman around. This guy should be a steal for a team looking to compliment a pass rusher. I could see Kampman ending up somewhere like St. Louis or Washington.

Adewale Ogunleye (Chicago Bears) Ogunleye still wants to start, but I am not sure there are many teams that are going to give him that chance. They guy is still a great situational pass rushers, but no longer a 3 down player. This is going to depend on how much money he is looking for. If he doesn’t want much, the Bears will retain him. If he wants a lot, look for a team like Pittsburg, who could use that situational pass rusher, to take a look at him.

Ray Edwards (Minnesota Vikings) This guy is being hyped after a good season. Maybe no one noticed, but he is playing on the same line as Pat and Kevin Williams and Jarred Allen? My grandma could make the Pro Bowl playing next to those guys. With the age of Pat and Kevin, I look for Minnesota to try and get a contract worked out, But make no mistake, if that doesn’t happen someone will over pay this guy and be disappointed.

You Can Have Him!

So the Superbowl is over and 31 teams are all saying ‘next year’. As we get around to all the offseason business one of the most significant names being mentioned is defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The idea of free agency, at least from a players perspective, is that one will get the best price the market will bare. So for a guy who has had 6 years with double digit sacks and has only missed 6 games in an 8 year career, one would think the market could bare a great deal, and indeed it probably will. In fact one might even say that Peppers could end up being the leagues highest paid defensive player, then again he may not accept that deal, just not good enough. Why do I say this? Because after Peppers worst seasonal performance of his career (2007, 2.5 sacks) the Panthers recognized that they still had an elite pass rusher on their hands and offered to make Peppers the highest paid defensive player, keep in mind this was after Dwight Freeney had received his deal, so Peppers would have been signing a deal worth at least 12 million a year, not good enough. Peppers did a radio interview earlier this month and said that the offer ‘didn‘t feel sincere’. What more sincerity does someone need?
So here it is people, a guy who has his head so far up his bum that he cannot see fit to sign a record deal even after a slump season is no player for me. If I am running an NFL scouting office, I give Peppers a grade ‘I’, as in IDIOT. I know some NFL players are brighter than others, but this guy (and his agent, quite likely) is dumber than a bag of hammers. He would not know a good deal if it smacked him in the face, and a good deal will come March 5th in spite of his ignorance.

By: Matthew Walden & Aaron Tull