Summer Bowl 2004 is a week behind us, Free Agency opens tomorrow, the NFL-USFL Transfer window a week later, and then on to the draft in January. So much to consider, and with so many players either retiring or joining the free agent pool, there is no shortage of needs on pretty much every roster. We prepare for a busy offseason by looking at each club and assessing where the biggest areas of need are, and how they might try to resolve them. We start in the West and move our way east, looking at each club and what we think could be their strategy over the next 5 months.
Before we look at each team’s situation, there has been some news over the past week and a half that merits attention, as it will impact how teams are handling the offseason. So, let’s bring everyone up to speed first and then look at each team’s path forward.
Philadelphia Interviews Two Former Players for Coaching Position
The coaching search in Philadelphia is getting interesting as the Stars seem to be dipping into the young turk section of the coaching ranks, speaking with two former pro players who are both now coaching for a potential leap into a head coaching position. This past week the Stars had extended interviews with former Blitz and Wrangler QB Greg Landry, who currently serves as the OC for his former club in Arizona, and with former NFL QB and current Oakland Raiders QB Coach Jim Harbaugh. Both former quarterbacks have made names for themselves in their brief time on the sidelines as innovative coaches who connect well with players, not surprising since both were charismatic leaders on the field as players. The expectation is that the Stars will be making their choice soon, as the clubs head into free agency and the NFL-USFL Transfer Window.
Retirement Announcements Continue to Impact Teams
We have seen the retirement announcement wave start to slow down, but not before several significant departures have been made official across the league. We start in Oakland, where two of the three HBs in the Invader stable have opted to step away from the game. Mack Strong’s retirement is not a surprise as he has been dealing with ongoing issues with both his knee and his hip. It seems those injuries are necessitating the move. What is a bit more surprising is that former Gold and last year’s lead back, Rashaan Salaam has also announced that he will step away from the game. Salaam was a reclamation project for Oakland after a pretty highly publicized incident with drugs led to his suspension and release from Denver. Last season he returned to a role as lead back for the Invaders and had moderate success, rushing for 762 yards and a 3.9 YPC average.
Another potentially problematic retirement for his club is that of New Jersey’s combo corner & safety Jason Sehorn. Sehorn was a team captain on defense and will be missed by the league champion. In Arizona, just days after Summer Bowl 2004, we learned that lead back Stephen Davis and defensive standout, LB Winfred Tubbs, would both be entering retirement. Both are big blows to the Western Conference Champs, who finally, after years of futility, developed a run game based on Davis as the lead back. So it may be back to square one for the Wranglers run game.
Other retirement announcements this week include Baltimore TE Jay Riemersma, Birmingham CB Torey James, Boston TE Chris Gedney, Jacksonville guard Mike Verstegen, Las Vegas wideout Patrick Rowe, New Jersey DE Roosevelt Nicks, and Ohio WR Tyree Davis.
Intriguing OC Choice for Jerry Glanville in Vegas
The Man in Black has begun assembling his staff, and one choice has raised some eyebrows as Coach Glanville and the Thunder announced this week that they were signing former Head Coach Joe Tiller of Seattle as their OC. Tiller, known for wide open offenses in college, was a bit more conservative with the Dragons, but may be empowered to open things up again with the Thunder as Coach Glanville will likely leave the offense completely up to Tiller to focus on the team’s less-than-stellar defense. The question, of course, for Tiller, is whether or not Las Vegas has the personnel to run the type of wide open offense he prefers. With Aaron Brooks as his current starter (that may change), a mediocre HB group, and some aging receivers, that may be a lot to ask.
TEAM PROFILES
LAS VEGAS THUNDER
Free Agents: TE Lonnie Johnson, DT Leon Bender, CB DeShea Townsend, WR Freddie Scott, QB Akili Smith, WR Curtis Mayfield. Retired: WR Patrick Rowe, QB Jon Stark, FB Arnulfo cowley, G Scott Connover
Cap Situation: $19M-20M under the cap.
Needs: Even with Aaron Brooks the likely starter at QB, potentially losing Akili Smith and Jon Stark means that QB has to be a top priority. Wideout is another, though mostly for depth behind Hatchette and Muhammad. The run game could use an upgrade, though rookie Julius Jones showed some talent. And beyond that, pretty much talent infusions across the defense and O-line.
Options to Consider: The big question is how will the new ownership boost the offense. Are they comfortable with Brooks at QB, or will they make a deal to bring in another option. Brian Griese is the top free agent, but we don’t see him as a very Jerry Glanville type of QB. Could Vegas take a shot at Utah’s Alex Smith or make a deal with division rival Oakland to try to land Aaron Rodgers? For the run game, Vegas has the cap room to take a shot at either Ahman Green or Duce Staley.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS
Free Agents: DT Norman Hand, FB Shawn Bryson, CB Ray Crockett, LB James Goode, C J.P. Machado, WR R. Jay Soward, QB Rob Johnson, LB John Holocek, WR Kahlil Hill. Retired: none
Cap Situation: Between $7M-$8M under the cap.
Needs: The Express have a pretty young roster, but are losing several solid players in free agency. The toughest to replace will be Norman Hand, so DT seems a big focus point. Linebacker is likely another. They are in a good position ,with enough cap room to deal with lower cost positions like DT and LB, but with enough for at least one big signing.
Options to Consider: Hand is the best DT in free agency, but does not seem interested in a return to LA. Others to consider might be Pat Riley (TBY) or Darwin Walker (CHI). There are more options at LB, so they might try to strengthen that group in free agency and then look at the draft for a young, athletic DT, with US’'s Mike Patterson an obvious T-Draft option for them.
OAKLAND INVADERS
Free Agents: FS Jerome Woods, TE Christian Fauria, QB Marques Tuiasosopo, LB Scott Fujita, CB Dwayne Goodrich, WR Bucky Brooks, WR Karsten Bailey Retired: HB Mack Strong, HB Rashaan Salaam
Cap Situation: Between $10M-$11M under the cap.
Needs: There are obvious needs at HB after the sudden retirement of Rashaan Salaam and Mack Strong. Justin Fargas is developing but does not seem ready to be a lead back. Wideout and Tight End could also see upgrades, but, as with so many teams, the biggest question is at QB. Trent Green is a solid player, but he led the league in picks this year. Will Oakland build around him or perhaps bring in a young player to develop for a year behind Green and then take over?
Options to Consider: After being burned by Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers, there seems to be a lot of concern that Oakland will draft Aaron Rodgers from Cal and then fail to sign him too. Would they trade away that pick to perhaps get a player already under contract? There have been rumors that Oakland has been speaking with Michigan about Drew Brees and with Orlando about Joey Harrington. Trading the option to sign Rodgers for a player or two, or some picks, may be the way to go. Especially if Oakland can get a HB out of the deal.
SEATTLE DRAGONS
Free Agents: HB Brian Mitchell, QB Jeff Garcia, LB Barry Minter, K Jay Feely, HB June Henley, DE Lorenzo Bromell. Retired: DT Kelvin Pritchett
Cap Situation: $3M to $4M over the cap.
Needs: Outside of Corey Dillon there is no RB group to speak of, so signing both a backup and a decent 3rd Down back is a high priority. A veteran QB to help mentor Byron Leftwich would also be a good move. Improving the 2nd WR spot could be big, but the defense is solid and talented at all 3 levels, so the Dragons can stay focused on one side of the ball.
Options to Consider: The issue in Seattle is their cap situation. They could be a top seller in trades, swapping expensive players for draft picks. We expect most of their moves to be draft related, but that won’t get them a veteran QB. Can they add someone like Rick Mirer or Jim Miller to sit at #2 but help Byron Leftwich develop?
ARIZONA WRANGLERS
Free Agents: SS Je’Rod Cherry, TE O.J. Santiago, LB Steve Tovar, HB Chester Taylor, WR Scotty Anderson Retired: HB Stephen Davis, LB Winfred Tubbs
Cap Situation: $16M-$17M under the cap.
Needs: No sooner does Coach Fassel finally develop a run game in Tempe than Stephen Davis retires. Halfback will be a priority, as will TE and LB with the losses of Tovar and Tubbs. Arizona would love to be able to sign a couple of quality starters in free agency and then use the draft to build up their O-line and maybe even find a young protégé for Jake Plummer.
Options to Consider: With their cap room and need at HB, we expect them to woo both Ahman Green and Duce Staley. They could also make a big push to sign a top LB in free agency, with several looking like good fits: Ted Johnson, Greg Biekert, or Al Wilson all could do well in Coach Fassel’s system. As for QB, we think a rookie, one who will sit behind Plummer for a couple of years and learn from the gunslinger. How about someone like Arizona State’s Andrew Walter (a T-Draft option) or Kyle Orton of Purdue?
DENVER GOLD
Free Agents: SS Sean Lumpkin, LB Chris Cowart, CB Rashad Bauman, DT Mark Bouette, TE David LaFleur Retired: CB Clayton Holmes, HB Robert Holcombe, TE Marco Battaglia
Cap Situation: $20M-$21M under the cap.
Needs: With both LaFluer and Battaglia departing, Tight End is a key position to be sure, but Denver also lost their top HB in Robert Holcombe. Rod Smart cannot carry the load alone. And, just in case you all forgot, the Gold still have a need for speed outside, as Peerless Price is not a burner and needs a clear #2 to take away the double coverage. Add in some O-Line and D-Line pickups and Denver could be ready to make another division title run.
Options to Consider: The problem with Denver having over $20M in cap room is that they are notoriously cheap. Every year they have more than enough money to add 3-4 high price free agents, but they never seem to do it. Will this year be any different? Will they go after Ahman Green or settle for a cheaper rookie option at HB? Will they spend to sign Lonnie Johnson or Christian Fauria at TE, or go for a less expensive option like a Bradford Banta or Itula Mili? Fans want the Gold to go big, but ownership rarely seems willing to do so.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS
Free Agents: HB Kevin Faulk, SS Chris Carter, G Matt Lehr, DTChad Eaton, TE Kevin Landoldt Retired: CB Vince Buck, G Joe Patton, QB Doug Flutie
Cap Situation: $12M-$13M under the cap.
Needs: Finding a good 3rd down back for Coach Phillips will be a priority. Assuming Matt Hasselbeck’s recovery is going well, QB will not be a focus. We expect Houston to focus on depth and perhaps a bit of an upgrade in pass protection, but they could also legitimately play the “Best Player Available” strategy in the draft.
Options to Consider: Unlike Denver, the Gamblers do tend to throw money around and make splashy signings. Problem is, they don’t have splashy needs. They can be frugal, sign some key depth players, and maybe just one impact player on offense and be fine. Their T-Draft pool is pretty weak, so we think they might focus attention on the open draft. We love the idea of Houston signing a top flight pass-rushing LB like DeMarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman.
TEXAS OUTLAWS
Free Agents: WR Carl Pickens, HB Brian Westbrook, FS Mike Prior, WR Kirby Dar Dar, TE Roland Williams, LB Mike Stonebreaker Retired: DE Tony Hill, LB Stephen Boyd, QB Billy Joe Tolliver
Cap Situation: $20M-$21M under the cap
Needs: Texas is an interesting case. They have a new head coach with a college background, so they may look at defense first, and they certainly lost a lot of talent there this offseason, but there is also a growing concern that Jeff Lewis is just not good enough to help them win consistently. Could they be an early contender for Alex Smith in the draft?
Options to Consider: The Alex Smith question is a real one for the club. If they sign significant defensive help in free agency, that could be a sign that they are taking a hard look at QB in the first round. If not, then perhaps defense or WR, since they have to replace Carl Pickens. They have the cash to make a case to either Andre Rison or Robert Ferguson if that is what they want to do.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
Free Agents: C Mike Flanagan, TE Fred Baxter, FB Paul Williams, TE Itula Mili, WR Isaac Byrd Retired: QB Brett Favre, LT Richmond Webb, CB Torey James
Cap Situation: $14M-$15M under the cap.
Needs: With the retirement (out of spite?) of Brett Favre, the need in Birmingham is clear. No way do they want to go into the season with Danny Kanell or Eric Zeier as their number one. And with no top flight free agent QB’s out there, they have to either hope the NFL has a top QB unsigned by February or look at the draft.
Options to Consider: The Stallions have one potential prospect in their wheelhouse, as QB Jason Campbell of Auburn will be in their T-Draft pool. They certainly would not make fans in Alabama angry if they could sign Campbell, but can he help them win? And, with Richmond Webb retiring, can Birmingham nab a quality left tackle to protect him if they do sign the rookie? This is a very weak pool of tackles, but New Jersey’s Matt Light would be a solid pickup if they could land him.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS
Free Agents: SS Reggie Tongue, HB Tony Carter, DT Howard Green, QB Gino Torretta, WR Tydus Wynans Retired: CB Darrien Gordon, HB Dorsey Levins, LB Jim Schwantz
Cap Situation: $15M-$16M under the cap.
Needs: Memphis lost some real quality in Tongue, Levins, Schwantz,and Gordon. That is four different positions to rebuild, while also trying to address a serious lack of talent at wideout. Receiver has to be a focus area, and HB as well. The Showboats were designed to win with offense, so unless Coach Mora thinks the D is ready to become dominant, they need to rebuild that offensive team.
Options to Consider: Memphis could make a play on one of the big free agent halfbacks, but if we were them, we would draft a HB and spend the money to sign Andre Rison, Robert Ferguson, or even 33-year old Carl Pickens. The Showboats cannot go into next season without at least 1 new receiver, and more would be better.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS
Free Agents: HB Ahman Green, CB Steve Israel, G Bobby Williams, DE Chad Bradtzke, LB Greg Favors Retired: CB Otis Smith, LB Kevin Hardy
Cap Situation: $13M-$14M under the cap.
Needs: Cornerback and linebacker need attention, but there is no bigger need than finding a primary back who can come close to the numbers that Green put up. His refusal to resign with Nashville was a huge blow, and they need to figure out an alternative, because Todd Collins is not a “carry the team on his shoulders” kind of player.
Options to Consider: Duce Staley is an option, but we think the obvious choice is for Nashville to trade up in the draft or make a deal with Birmingham to get a shot at either Ronnie Brown or Cadillac Williams out of Auburn. The Stallions don’t need a new HB, but will they make a deal to help a division foe get a player they need? That could be a tough trade to make. If that is not possible, there is always working with the Outlaws to see if a deal can be made for Longhorn Cedric Benson.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS
Free Agents: HB Ricky Williams, DE Mike McCrary, C Chukki Okobi, FS greg Myers, QB Jesse Palmer Retired: DE Clyde Simmons, DE Chidi Ahonotu, G Chris Maumalanga, LB Lamar Lathon, CB Latin Berry
Cap Situation: Between $17M and $18M below the cap.
Needs: The Breakers relied on vets last year, and that led to a very rough retirement slate with both starting DE’s as well as a quality CB and their defensive captain, All-USFL LB Lamar Lathon all hanging up their cleats at the same time. Add to this the decision to let Ricky Williams go, and you have a pretty rough offseason in the Crescent City.
Options to Consider: The Breakers have cap room, thanks to all those departures, so they had better work quickly if they want to rebuild a defense for Coach Nolan. They are set at QB and have decent receivers, so it is all about that D, and maybe getting a HB with a bit more burst than Olandis Gary can provide.
CHICAGO MACHINE
Free Agents: C Jim Pyne, CB James Trapp, DT Darwin Walker, HB Duce Staley Retired: HB Charles Rogers, P Nicholas Louis
Cap Situation: $4M-$5M under the cap.
Needs: The Machine were ready to move on from Duce Staley and feel good with Michael Turner as their lead back, but they will want to add depth behind him. The bigger issue may be at DT, where Walker’s very likely departure means they need to bring in someone who can hold the middle for them.
Options to Consider: There is some talent at DT in the draft, so Chicago may be a team that sits out a lot of free agency, perhaps makes a deal to get a couple of draft picks, and then focuses on bringing in youth.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
Free Agents: LB Ted Johnson, LB Greg Biekert, FB Zach Crockett, QB Rick Mirer, P James Schafer, LB Eric Hill. Retired: DE Anthony Abrahms
Cap Situation: Around $12M in cap room.
Needs: The Panthers tried to sign both Ted Johnson and Greg Biekert, but both have opted for free agency, so that makes LB, particularly MLB and the weakside LB, key to their offseason. The will want to bring in a veteran QB to back up Brees as well, and HB is still a possible target for them as well.
Options to Consider: Bringing in a vet like Al Wilson or Donta Jones could be a good move at LB, but we could also see the Panthers coveting a rookie beast like Ware, Merriman, or Georgia’s Thomas Davis. At QB, Brian Griese could be a good option for Michigan, and he is a former Wolverine, so there is a good fan factor there as well.
OHIO GLORY
Free Agents: DE Cedric Harden, C Todd McClure, WR Malcolm Floyd, TE Shawn Draper Retired: WR Tyree Davis
Cap Situation: $1M-$2M under the cap.
Needs: Depth is the interest of Ohio coaches. They have strong starting squads across the roster, but 2004 showed that their depth was not what they needed in a long season. Problem is that they have very little cap room, even after restructuring some of their bigger contracts. They will likely have to focus on the draft as their main offseason talent sources.
Options to Consider: Trading out of the first round might be a great strategy for Ohio. If they can acquire some 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks, they could build the depth they are hoping for. But, one player they should definitely target in their T-Draft is CB Dustin Fox of Ohio State, a position of need.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS
Free Agents: WR Andre Rison, G Paul Zakauskas, DE Bob Kuberski, LB Akin Ayodele, WR Eddie Kennison, HB Winslo Oliver, SS Chris Jones Retired: DT Nick Salua
Cap Situation: $3M-$4M under the cap.
Needs: With Nate Burleson and Antwan Randle-El as the2 best returning wideouts, it seems clear that the Maulers need to pay a lot of attention to the position. After relying on Andre Rison’s skills for several years, they need to rebuild their receiving corps. They also could definitely use help with their pass rush, especially with Kuberski likely gone.
Options to Consider: The draft has several good receivers to choose from, including Michigan’s Braylon Edwards, South Carolina’s Troy Williamson, and USC’s Mike Williams, but will those players make it to the open draft? Another option might be for Pittsburgh to trade for a wideout and perhaps give up draft picks to get a guy who wants to test his ability to be a #1 instead of a #2 option.
BOSTON CANNONS
Free Agents: WR Robert Ferguson, G Eric Mahlum, SS Adrian Wilson, HB Verron Hayes, G Peter Campion Retired: FB Richie Anderson, TE Chris Gedney
Cap Situation: Under $2M above the cap.
Needs: Tiki Barber cannot be happy about losing not only his fullback, but the better blocking TE and two guards from the offensive line in Boston. The good news for cap-strapped Boston is that fullback, tight end, and guard are three of the least expensive positions in both free agency and the draft.
Options to Consider: Expect Boston to bring in a veteran FB, but to use the draft for most other needs. They just don’t have the wiggle room under the cap to do much else.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
Free Agents: FS Joe King, LB Allen Aldridge, FS Paris Lenon, TE Howard Bishop, CB Eric Warfield Retired: G Mike Verstegen, FB Edgar Bennett
Cap Situation: Around $6.5M left under the cap.
Needs: While some fans might want Jacksonville to make a splashy QB or HB move, the real need for the Bulls is on defense, where they lost several starters this offseason. Both free safeties leaving in free agency is a weird quirk of the Bulls’ roster, but one they have to fix and fix fast.
Options to Consider: The good news for Jacksonville is that FS has a few options in the free agent pool, even if Joe King does not want to return. The Bulls could target Jerome Woods (OAK) or Mike Prior (TEX) and they would be happy with either. They also need to try to find some upgrades or at least some depth on both the offensive and defensive lines. A nice receiver to line up opposite Anquan Boldin would not be a bad move either.
ORLANDO RENEGADES
Free Agents: DE Corey Sears, LB Zach Thomas, TE Tyrone Davis, WR Reidel Anthony, HB Shyron Stith Retired: None
Cap Situation: Somwhere around $10M in cap room.
Needs: The defense lacked punch last year, but so did the offense, so what do you do if you are Orlando? We know one thing is to potentially move on from Joey Harrington. The rumors are that he is on the trading block and that Orlando will try to get a rookie QB to sit behind Jeff Blake for a year. But will they find a taker for Harrington? Other than that, their cap room makes them a mid-range player for free agent talent.
Options to Consider: First off, we think that Joey Harrington still could develop into a quality starter, so who is in a position to take him in? Texas? Oakland? Arizona? Maybe even Chicago? Think of teams with older QB’s who may be willing to spend a year rehabbing Harrington’s confidence. As for who Orlando could target, Oakland has the option on Aaron Rodgers, Birmingham on Jason Campbell, or perhaps someone like Texas would be open to trading Jeff Lewis. There are options if the price is right.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS
Free Agents: DT Pat Riley, OT Andre Johnson, TE Bradford Banta, QB Kent Graham, HB Tony Vinson, CB Jeremy Lincoln Retired: SS LeRoy Butler
Cap Situation: Just about $9M in cap space after several cuts and reconfigurations of bonuses.
Needs: The Bandits had few gaps last season but LeRoy Butler’s retirement certainly creates an obvious one. We fully expect either Joe King (JAX), Jerome Woods (OAK), or Mike Prior (TEX) to be wearing a Bandit jersey next year. Bradford Banta seemed poise to become the starter over Jeremy Shockey at TE, but he is now a free agent. Tampa still has Shockey and 2 young TE’s on the squad, so we are not sure if they prioritize the position or not.
Options to Consider: If Tampa Bay does decide to sign a quality TE, they have a few to choose from, including Las Vegas’s Lonnie Johnson, Arizona’s O.J. Santiago, and Oakland’s Christian Fauria. But with Strong Safety being the biggest issue, we expect Tampa Bay to make a major push for either Je’Rod Cherry (ARZ) or Sean Lumpkin (DEN) as a replacement for Butler. If not, then they do have the rights to U of Miami product Antrel Rolle in the T-Draft.
BALTIMORE BLITZ
Free Agents: WR J.J. Stokes, WR Bill Schroeder, G Kaulana Noa, DT Alan Harper, DE Grant Wistrom, HB Marcel Shipp Retired: T Blake Brockermeier, TE Jay Riemersma, WR Rob Moore
Cap Situation: Just under $8M in cap space.
Needs: Wideout, wideout, wideout. The Blitz have only 3 left on the roster and none are true starters. They could also upgrade several positions on the roster, as overall their talent level was not up to snuff with others in their division, but it has to start at wideout.
Options to Consider: Can Baltimore entice Andre Rison to town? What about Robert Ferguson? And who would be best suited to the offense that Tom Coughlin wants for QB Ben Roethlisberger? We could see Baltimore be a player in the WR hunt, but they could also use a pretty early pick to trade down in the draft and stock up in the mid rounds, hoping to find a diamond in the rough in a pretty deep WR pool.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS
Free Agents: DE Phil Hansen, LT Matt Light, WR Donald Hayes, QB Todd Boumann, G Matt O’Dwyer Retired: CB/S Jason Sehorn, DE Roosevelt Nicks
Cap Situation: About $3M over the cap. Might have to dump some salary.
Needs: You cannot replace Phil Hansen. So what can New Jersey do? They can shift their D-line to support Sean Ellis and hope that they can get a solid run/pass dual skill DE opposite Ellis. That may be the best path since Hansen is almost certainly out of their limited price range. The Generals also need to figure out where to find some O-line help if they lose both Light and O’Dwyer, which seems very likely.
Options to Consider: The league champions are not in a situation like many title winners, where their entire roster is going to be picked apart in free agency, but they are likely to be weaker in the O-line as well as losing their star DE. So, what to do? They could shoot for Oklahoma’s Dan Cody, and perhaps pair him with a veteran signing like a Bob Kuberski or Cedric Harden. That would be a lower cost option.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
Free Agents: QB Brian Griese, LB Sam Rogers, WR Bobby Engram, DE Cedric Scott, WR Chris Brantley, SS Yeremiah Bell Retired: K Jeff Jaeger
Cap Situation: $17M in cap room is a good place to be.
Needs: While there is need to upgrade in several areas, Philadelphia is clearly looking at two key offensive skill positions, QB and HB. We expect them to spend big bucks to reinvent their offense, having let Brian Griese go and being clearly unimpressed with Larry Johnson’s first two seasons as a Star. HB is pretty obvious. If they can get into the Ahman Green sweepstakes, they have the money to land the league’s rushing champion. But QB is a tougher nut to crack. Where will a quality starter who can produce results come from. Is that Akili Smith? Does not seem likely.
Options to Consider: If we were the Stars, we would be all over Ahman Green’s agent to try to sign him on Day 1. We would then be looking at who could use an early draft pick and would be willing to trade a QB to get it. Either that or take a risk and try to draft and sign Alex Smith out of Utah. But with only Will Furrer and untested David Garrard on the roster, that seems very risky to us.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS
Free Agents: LB Al Wilson, WR Bobby Shaw, G Tuten Reyes, T Kris Farris, LB John Rutledge Retired: DE Tony Brackens, DT Reggie Rogers, LB Bobby Hamilton, QB Scott Zolak, TE Jamie Asher
Cap Situation: Just under $16M of cap room, quite a bit for a team that is usually conservative with $$$.
Needs: A backup for Kordell Stewart would be good, but more important is trying to shore up that D-line after the retirements of Brackens and Rogers. Replacing Bobby Hamilton with an athletic, speedy LB could also be a good move for a Washington team that slipped to mediocrity last year.
Options to Consider: DE Erasmus James of Wisconsin is now within Washington’s T-Draft pool, so they should absolutely work to sign him. They could also improve at TE with Uva’s Heath Miller at that spot. That means that they will have funds for a DT, and maybe a LB in free agency. We also expect the Feds to add a young QB to sit behind Stewart and veteran Jon Kitna. Jared Lorenzen was a fun pick last year, but is he really an option for the Feds, even if he has lost weight?
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