7/29/09
Each year, many free agents sign large deals that line their wallets.
Some of those players have an immediate impact on the teams that
sign them. Others have no impact at all. We take a look at each
team’s free agent comings and goings in this series.
In part 2 of this series, we look at the AFC South and NFC South
teams and analyze their free agent movements. Note: Players
are denoted in order of position and not by their impact.
HOU | IND | JAX
| TEN | ATL
| CAR | NO | TB
AFC South
Houston Texans
2008 record: 8-8
Key Additions: Franchised,
but unsigned: CB Dunta Robinson; Re-signed WR David Anderson,
TE Owens Daniels, TE Joel Dreessen, C Chris White, OT Rashad Butler,
DE Stanley McClover, S Nick Ferguson and FS Eugene Wilson; Signed
QB Rex Grossman, QB Dan Orlovsky, RB Clifton Dawson, FB Boomer
Grigsby, G Adrian Jones, OT Brandon Torrey, DE Antonio Smith,
DT Shaun Cody, LB Cato June, LB Buster Davis and S John Busing
Key Losses: Traded QB Sage
Rosenfels; Released/Failed to re-sign RB Darius Walker, RB Ahman
Green, C Bryan Pittman, OT Ephraim Salaam, DE Anthony Weaver,
LB Morlon Greenwood, CB Demarcus Faggins and S C.C. Brown
Analysis: Like last season,
the Texans were looking to improve on the defensive side of the
ball, but the offensive side of things looked promising. In 2008,
the Texans were 3rd in offense (total yards) and 22nd on defense.
The Texans signed DE Antonio Smith and LB Cato June to help bolster
that defense that is, despite some of the stats, maturing. With
two solid picks in the first 2 rounds (LB Brian Cushing and DE/LB
Connor Barwin) and if they can get Dunta Robinson into camp on
time, the defense should be better. Re-signing Owen Daniels helps
ensure that Matt Schaub has his 2nd favorite target again this
season.
Fantasy Outlook: Gone is the
QB controversy in Houston with the trade of Sage Rosenfels. Matt
Schaub runs a potent offense that features Andre Johnson as a
great WR (115 rec., 1575 yards) and second-year wonder Steve Slaton
(over 1600 yards rushing and receiving). If Schaub can stay healthy,
then the Texans will put up some very good offensive numbers.
Owen Daniels, despite catching 70 balls last season, is still
a nice value at TE and Kevin Walter can be sneaky at the tail
end of your roster. Even with the additions on the defensive side
of the ball, I would steer clear of them given some of the teams
that they need to play this season and their past performance.
Indianapolis Colts
2008 Record: 12-4
Key Additions: Re-signed RB Lance Ball, C Jeff Saturday, OL Dan
Federkeil, DT Daniel Muir, LB Freddie Keiaho, LB Tyjuan Hagler,
CB Kelvin Hayden and S Matt Giordano; Signed G Brandon Barnes,
DT Ed Johnson and LB Adam Seward
Key Losses: Released/Failed to re-sign RB Dominic Rhodes, RB
Clifton Dawson, WR Marvin Harrison, P Hunter Smith, DT Darrell
Reid, LB Buster Davis and CB Keiwan Ratliff
Analysis: The Colts are another one of those teams that consistently
loses players during the offseason, but still is in contention
for the Super Bowl. This season, the team will not have a fixture
on the offense in Marvin Harrison. Clearly he had lost several
steps and it was time for the team to move on, but the team will
need to see if they can continue their offensive prowess without
the likely HOF’er. They also lost Dominic Rhodes at RB to
backup Joseph Addai, but drafting Donald Brown should definitely
fill that void. The re-signing of C Jeff Saturday to maintain
continuity in the middle of the line is big. The re-signing of
Freddy Keiaho and FA Adam Seward should help the team at LB, while
the loss of Keiwan Ratliff will hurt a little. The big challenge
for this team will be the loss of Tony Dungy, Tom Moore (offensive
coordinator) and Howard Mudd (OL coach). Moore and Mudd are technically
“consultants” now, so the impact could be minimal
at that level, but replacing Dungy will not be easy.
Fantasy Outlook: Anthony Gonzalez did very well in lieu of Marvin
Harrison last season. The team would prefer to have Gonzalez in
the slot, but with Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark (at TE), Peyton
Manning has plenty of targets. Wayne should have a very good season
and be a top 10 WR and Gonzalez could be a very good option depending
on where he is taken. The slot option seems to be up in the air
with several players looking to fill the void. It is likely that
someone not currently on the roster will fill that position, but
that is speculation at this point. The line is still solid and
should be able to provide plenty of protection. It should be interesting
to see if the team still has concerns over Joseph Addai’s
ability to carry the load at RB since he had a disappointing last
season. The feeling is that the drafting of Donald Brown in the
first round was to both serve notice to Addai and be their possible
lead RB of the future.
Jacksonville Jaguars
2008 Record: 5-11
Key Additions: Traded for Gerald Alexander; Re-signed C Brad
Meester, C Joe Zelenka, DE James Wyche, LB Brian Iwuh and CB Scott
Starks ; Signed QB Todd Bouman, WR Torry Holt, OT Tra Thomas,
CB Tyron Brackenridge, S Marlon McCree, S Sean Considine and LS
Jeremy Cain
Key Losses: Traded Dennis Northcutt (who was signed) and DT Tony
McDaniel; Released/Failed to re-sign QB Cleo Lemon, RB Fred Taylor,
FB Anthony Cotrone, WR Jerry Porter, WR Matt Jones, WR Reggie
Williams, WR D'Juan Woods, TE George Wrighster, OT Khalif Barnes,
G Tutan Reyes, OT Charles Spencer, OT Stefan Rodgers, DE Paul
Spicer, DE Mkristo Bruce, LB Mike Peterson, CB Drayton Florence,
CB William James, CB Isaiah Gardner, S Pierson Prioleau, S Gerald
Sensabaugh and S Chad Nkang
Analysis: Jack Del Rio is at a cross roads in that he probably
has to make the playoffs this season to keep his job and he is
playing in one of the toughest divisions in the league, so he
could be looking at another 4th place finish. The Jaguars have
had issues with their receiving corps since the Jimmy Smith days.
Gone are Jerry Porter (horrible signing), Reggie Williams (consistently
disappointing) and Matt Jones (can he stay out of trouble?), but
the Jags hope that an older Torry Holt can be the go-to guy in
Jacksonville. The Jags have normally relied on their running game
and the loss of Fred Taylor will put more value on Maurice Jones-Drew,
but could also affect their effectiveness. Losses along the offensive
line (Barnes, in particular) are offset with the re-signing of
C Brad Meester, the FA signing of Tra Thomas and the drafting
of Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton (who I think is a great value).
The defense took some hits with the loss of Spicer, Peterson and
Florence, which could hurt them, particularly within the division
where there are some potent offenses.
Fantasy Outlook: I see Holt having a nice year and also helping
David Garrard have a better season than expected, but teams will
still be able to double team Holt leaving him as sort of a long-shot.
MJD should be a strong play given that he has the job to himself
and the team is building a very strong line. Marcedes Lewis is
ready to step up on the offense and could be a nice sleeper option
at TE. The team should have spent more effort on defense to compete
in that division, so don’t expect that they will be a viable
fantasy option this season.
Tennessee Titans
2008 Record: 13-3
Key Additions: Re-signed QB Kerry Collins, TE Bo Scaife (franchise
tag), K Rob Bironas, P Craig Hentrich and S Vincent Fuller; Signed
QB Patrick Ramsey, WR Nate Washington, WR Mark Jones, DT Jovan
Haye and CB Demarcus Faggins
Key Losses: Released/Failed to re-sign QB Chris Simms, WR Brandon
Jones, OL Daniel Loper, DT Albert Haynesworth, DL Amon Gordon,
CB Eric King and CB Chris Carr
Analysis: The big loss here was the high-profile signing by the
Redskins of Albert Haynesworth. The Titans defense was different
with him in the lineup and it will be interesting to see if they
can still be able to play the grind-it-out style without that
big run stopper in the middle. The team did well to keep Kerry
Collins for a while longer given the unsteady nature of Vince
Young these days. The signing of Nate Washington was a good one
as he could emerge as a nice target for Collins. Bo Scaife was
looking for a long-term deal, but a franchise tag is not so bad
at this point for a guy who was not top 10 in yards and had only
2 TD’s.
Fantasy Outlook: Chris
Johnson should be another year wiser and ready to attack NFL
defenses. It really showed how much poorer the Titans’ offense
was when he was not on the field. His questions of durability
will be part of the equation and a less whale-like LenDale
White could continue to garner carries, particularly at the
goal line. Bo Scaife (despite his yards and TD’s) is solid in
a PPR league. Collins is a good field general, but not a good
fantasy play unless you require 2 QB’s or a bye week replacement.
The WR position is better than in the past with the addition of
Nate Washington and he could be a nice later round flier (at least
the Titans really hope so). The defense should be a solid play
again this season as Jeff Fisher’s teams always have an attacking
style, but they may not be the Top 3 defense worthy of an earlier
round selection as they seem to be going earlier than I would
feel comfortable with.
NFC North
Atlanta Falcons
2008 Record: 11-5
Key Additions: Traded for TE Tony Gonzalez; Re-signed RB Jason
Snelling, TE Justin Peelle, P Michael Koenan (franchise tag),
OL Ben Wilkerson, OT Tyson Clabo, DE Chauncey Davis, DT Jason
Jefferson, LB Coy Wire, LB Tony Gilbert, CB Brent Grimes, S Jamaal
Fudge and S Antoine Harris; Signed RB Verron Haynes, WR Troy Bergeron,
C Brett Romberg, OT Will Svitek, DE Bertrand Berry, DT Thomas
Johnson, LB Mike Peterson, LB Edmond Miles, and CB Tony Tiller
Key Losses: Traded WR Laurent Robinson; Released/Failed to re-sign
QB Michael Vick, OT Todd Weiner, G Nathan Bennett, OT Renardo
Foster, DE Simon Fraser, DT Grady Jackson, DT Kindal Moorehead,
LB Keith Brooking, LB Michael Boley and CB Darius Vinnett
Analysis: At this time last season, people were mocking the Falcons
for their lack of a future. Fast forward a season and the Falcons
are a playoff team that is looking to build quickly under the
guidance of Tom Dimitroff. The blueprint is to build from the
QB out to both lines and fill in with depth. With Matt Ryan at
QB, it sure seems like they are following that plan. The reality
is the offensive line is made up of players that are unknown,
but the Falcons gave the 5th fewest sacks and rushed for the 2nd
most yards. They made a strong moves by trading for Tony Gonzalez
to further the passing game. They also signed Bertrand Berry,
while adding Jerry Peria along the defensive line to replace Grady
Jackson and help a defense that was 24th in the league in yards
allowed.
Fantasy Outlook: Michael Turner had a ton of carries last season
to help take the pressure off of (then) rookie Matt Ryan. It worked
as he had a great season and the team won games. Does that pose
an opportunity for Jerious Norwood to realize all of the potential
that he has shown in bursts? It is possible, but I would not bet
on it given the past scars that I have. Look for Turner’s
carries to drop some as the team looks towards Tony Gonzalez in
the passing game more and they allow Ryan a little more freedom.
That should continue to be a positive for Roddy White owners and
it may be the time for Michael Jenkins to step up as a solid #2
WR. The defense will still be a non-factor for fantasy owners
even with some of the moves that have been made.
Carolina Panthers
2008 Record: 12-4
Key Additions: Traded for LS J.J. Jansen; Re-signed TE Jeff King,
OT Jordan Gross, DT Nick Hayden, LB James Anderson, and S Nate
Salley; Signed G Justin Geisinger
Key Losses: Released/Failed to re-sign QB Brett Basanez, RB Nick
Goings, WR D.J. Hackett, WR Mark Jones, OL Geoff Hangartner, OL
Jeremy Bridges, DE Julius Peppers (franchise tag), DT J'Vonne
Parker, DL Frank Omiyale, LB Adam Seward and CB Ken Lucas
Analysis: Normally, a team that signs a single free agent from
another team and no first round pick is not going to be too happy
with the end result. However, the Panthers were saddled with the
franchise tag number of Julius Peppers and were unable to do anything
other than re-sign a few of their own free agents. Part of that
was extending Jordan Gross and locking up CB Chris Gamble at the
tail end of last season to extensions. When all was said and done,
the 12-4 Panthers are returning all but one of their starters
(S Ken Lucas being the exception). That bodes well for the team,
but they will be playing a first place schedule instead of a last
place schedule the year before along with non-division games against
the NFC East and AFC East, which should temper some enthusiasm.
Fantasy Outlook: The strong
running attack of the Panthers should be in full effect in 2009.
Deangelo Williams finished the season very strong and, with his
line still intact, he should have another strong season. It is
very possible that Jonathan
Stewart will see more goal line carries this season, but he
is again hurt during camp and he just can’t seem to stay on the
field. Jake
Delhomme has a new contract extension (at age 34) and a chip
on his shoulder after throwing 5 picks in a playoff game that
could have secured them home field advantage for the NFC Championship.
D.J. Hackett
is gone, but the enigma wrapped in a riddle will not be missed
by many fantasy coaches. Steve
Smith will have the opportunity for a full season and he should
put up another great season (1400+ yards despite the schedule).
The defense is going to be nothing better than a bye week replacement
given the schedule that they have.
New Orleans Saints
2008 Record: 8-8
Key Additions: Re-signed QB Joey Harrington, WR Lance Moore,
WR Devery Henderson, WR Courtney Roby, OT Jon Stinchcomb, G Jahri
Evans and LB Jonathan Vilma; Signed FB Heath Evans, WR D'Juan
Woods, WR Paris Warren, TE Dan Campbell, TE Darnell Dinkins, C
Digger Bujnoch, C Nick Leckey, DE Paul Spicer, DE Anthony Hargrove,
DT Rod Coleman, LB Anthony Waters, CB Jabari Greer, S Darren Sharper
and S Pierson Prioleau
Key Losses: Released/Failed to re-sign RB Deuce McAllister, FB
Mike Karney, WR David Patten, WR Terrance Copper, S Josh Bullocks,
DE Josh Savage, DT Hollis Thomas, DT Brian Young, CB Mike McKenzie
and S Kevin Kaesviharn
Analysis: The Saints had some difficult decisions to make this
offseason. They struggled to get on a roll all season and they
won 2 games in a row only once all season, mainly due to their
defense, which was 7th worst in the league in scoring, despite
an offense that led the league in scoring. The team brought in
veterans Paul Spice, Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer , re-signed
Jonathan Vilma and moved up to draft first rounder Malcolm Jenkins
to shore up that defense. Suspensions loom for Will Smith and
Charles Grant, which could impact the first 4 games of the season,
although none of those are within the division. Heath Evans should
make up for the loss of Mike Karney in opening some holes for
Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. The re-signing of Jahri Evans and
Jon Stinchcomb will help keep the line that needs to protect Drew
Brees intact. The loss of Deuce McAllister, despite his contributions
in the past, will not be felt to the offense.
Fantasy Outlook: Drew Brees should have another very strong season
as he has plenty of weapons, making him the favorite for many
to be the first QB taken in fantasy drafts. There are questions
as to whether Lance Moore will be ready to go at the start of
the season and Marques Colston has had a hard time staying on
the field (knee, thumb, etc.). As such, many are looking for Robert
Meachem to have his breakout, 3rd year WR campaign and he could
be a nice later round option. At RB, Pierre Thomas appears to
have the starting RB spot going into camp, but Reggie Bush could
be playing on the last year of his contract and he has a lot to
prove. Jeremy Shockey still has all of the physical skills but
lacks any intelligence whatsoever. Pick him as your TE at your
own peril, but you have to think that he is going to have a better
season than 2008 (career low 483 yards, 0 TD’s).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2008 Record: 9-7
Key Additions: Traded for Kellen Winslow II; Re-signed QB Luke
McCown, WR Antonio Bryant (franchise tag), WR Michael Clayton,
WR Cortez Hankton, TE Jerramy Stevens, DT Ryan Sims, S Will Allen
and S Jermaine Phillips; Signed QB Byron Leftwich, RB Derrick
Ward, WR Kelly Campbell, WR Joel Filani, WR Amarri Jackson, LB
Niko Koutouvides, LB Angelo Crowell and K Mike Nugent
Key Losses: Traded TE Alex Smith; Released/Failed to re-sign
QB Jeff Garcia, QB Chris Simms, QB Brian Griese, RB Warrick Dunn,
WR Joey Galloway, WR Ike Hilliard, WR Paris Warren, DT Jovan Haye,
LB Derrick Brooks, LB Cato June and CB Phillip Buchanon
Analysis: The Bucs let Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese and Chris Simms
walk. The team drafted QB Josh Freeman to compete with newcomer
Byron Leftwich to be the leader of a team with serious playoff
aspirations. To further push a RBBC, the team added Derrick Ward
to a backfield that already has Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams,
although they did lose long-time class act Warrick Dunn. They
let an aging Joey Galloway walk feeling convinced that Antonio
Bryant and Michael Clayton are more than adequate receivers along
with the addition of Kellen Winslow, Jr. That trade for Winslow
and the re-signing of Jerramy Stevens allowed them to trade Alex
Smith. On defense, the loss of Derrick Brooks, Cato June and Phillip
Buchanon could affect their standing as a Top 10 defense, but
they were able to hang onto Jermaine Phillips.
Fantasy Outlook: So, let’s see. We have a team that has
been traditionally driven by defense, has a new head coach and
defensive coordinator, along with training camp battles at QB
and RB. Leftwich may enter camp as the starter, but the drafting
of Josh Freeman in the first round adds a measure of confusion,
particularly if the team starts slow. At RB, there are 3 players
who could easily lay claim to the starting RB job in Graham, Ward
and Williams. They also have a WR (Bryant) who finally lived up
to the hype that he had coming out of college, but is not happy
with being tagged as a franchise player. Their next two players
in receptions behind Bryant (Hilliard and Dunn) are sipping Pina
Coladas as they await a call from another team. Add in a trade
for a TE, who has all of the skills, but makes stupid decisions
(no, we are not talking about Shockey again). On defense, they
lose one of their last bridges to their Super Bowl days (Brooks)
and a nice Tampa 2 defender (June), which might signal some changes
in defense that will take some time. What we end up with is a
team full of players that I would steer clear of unless they are
at the tail end of your roster when you are drafting your fantasy
team.
Material from personal interviews, wire services, team beat
writers, and league and team sources were used in this report.
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