NFL Free Agency
 

Starts off with Jason Ferguson heading to Dallas.

Good signing (provided the contract is not bloated).

Now to see if the Cowboys' grab Ty Law or Fred Smoot or I guess Anthony Henry who has also been mentioned as a possible addition at corner.

Nice signing as it fills a desperate need. However, I'm wary because he probably got some big bucks and he's 30.

Anyone hear of any new signings on their local news/radio/papers? I can only press refresh on ESPN so many times.

Umm, didn't it start with Muhammed to the Bears?

Learn something new every day...here's something I didn't know about restricted free agency:


Rarely used...I've never seen it used at all.

I agree with what has been said. This is a good signing, provided they didn't break the bank on it. Next order of business - corner and safety.

As expected, the Packers cut Mike Wahle. He's likely to be the most sought-after player in FA this year and will land a rich contract very quickly.

I'm a Packers fan, and so while I'm bummed they couldn't work something out I was never very hopeful to begin with.

As an addendum to those who mentioned Dallas cutting Dexter Coakley... I read this morning that apparently he will run all offers through the Cowboys before signing anywhere else, giving them the opportunity to match anything. I don't know if they actually would or not, but that seems a strange way to do things. He didn't want to lower his salary because he thought he could get more in FA, so it almost looks like a test to see how much he's actually worth.

I'm sure most of you have read this , but in case you haven't, here is ESPN's take and rumored teams the top free agents will sign with.

I'd rather have the Cowboys get Ken Lucas that Fred Smoot, but that's just my opinion.

So essentially, Coakley is making him self a "Volunteer Restricted Free Agent"?

Yeah, that's what it looks like almost.

Saints are openly looking for a right tackle. Victor Riley will not be resigned after leading the team in false starts and never making it through a training camp without punching a teammate. We are interested in Fred Miller from Tenn., but will not pay him anything close to the $10 million signing bonus for which he is looking. I imagine we will end up with Pork Chop Womack or some other such serviceable player. We really need to save the cap room for Deuce's new contract.

And we are openly shopping franchised DE Darren Howard. I kind of hope that we can keep him (you can never have too many good pass rushers), but the team seems to think that the cap dollars can be better spent elsewhere. Who am I to argue.

Good, I love Dex...

Free agent time is always so boring for Steelers fans - aside from Staley last year, Jeff Hartings was probably their biggest FA pickup in the last 15 years (Farrior turned out to be a monster, but at the time he wasn't a huge pickup). I'd probably have a heart attack if they actually went out and got themselves a decent cornerback.

Agreed, and I'm not too keen on this idea of switching to the 3-4. When several of your top defensive players (Glover, Ellis, Coakley) aren't suited for that alignment, and you have enough problems as it is, it doesn't make sense to me to change the philosophy so greatly. I sincerely hope they don't. I don't mind if they bring in some guys who can play the 3-4 and run it on occasion with their current talent, but a wholesale change seems like the wrong move to me.

Looks like the Redskins signed the top center in free agency Casey Rabach. Its a good thing to, we need a good center bad.


from espn.com

The team also got an early start on other team's free agents, reaching agreement with center Casey Rabach.

Rabach, an unrestricted free agent widely regarded as the top center in the veteran pool, agreed to a multi-year contract early Wednesday morning, only a few hours after the start of the 2005 signing period. It marked the third year in a row that Redskins owner Dan Snyder signed at least one player on the opening day of free agency.

He found a willing partner in agent Tony Agnone, who also has a reputation for striking quickly in the market.

Contract details were not yet available, but Rabach, who should help stabilize the middle of the Washington offensive line, was scheduled to be a Redskins Park on Wednesday afternoon to have a physical exam and officially sign the contract. In past years, Snyder has dispatched his private jet all over the country to ferry in prospective veterans signees. With Rabach, he actually saved some money, since the four-year veteran can make the easy drive from Baltimore.

Washington officials had cited the center position as one of their top priorities going into the offseason and Rabach represents a considerable upgrade. The Redskins used Lennie Friedman and Cory Raymer at center in 2004 and neither played well. The Redskins, like many teams, had targeted Rabach in recent weeks.

Pat Williams and Antonio Pierce are said to be visiting Winter Park today. The Vikings signed Pierce to an offer sheet last year when he was a restricted free agent, so hopefully they can agree on a deal again this year.

Raymer wasn't a bad center, and he's a helluva nice guy... I hope he sticks around.

I ain't playin no foosball.

he was a bad center last year, before his knee exploded he was a good center though.

Rams got Coakley.

Wow, that was quick. I thought he was going to try and negotiate with Dallas based on offers he received. He must have went to them, they said "nope" immediately, and he signed with the Rams.

Maybe the impressive coaching of Martz won him over.

:mad:

Crap, I was really, really hoping that he would re-sign...

Nooooooooo!

I think there was a contingency in the deal that stated if you had 15,000 posts, he would've remained in Dallas. Dallas Front Office was sure you were going to eclipse 15K by this afternoon, but you let them down.

ESPN.com has Broncos SS Kenoy Kennedy going to the Lions.

Second.

Reports have Derrick Mason signing a 4 year deal with the Ravens.. woot!

Is Bradie James the new starter then or do the Cowboys go after someone else?

If/when Mason signs, Plaxico will heat up.

Reports are TJ Howsithangingramalamadingdong is re-signing with the Bengals today. Four years. Good. He had good chemistry going with Palmer and has played opposite Chad Johnson for years.

Yup...they're...um...Beavers.

I'm a little surprised that the Ravens are signing Mason. I figured they would give Burress a long look, both because he is talented and to smack the Steelers.

I guess the Jaguars and Jets are possible destinations for him now.

5 years for Mason in Baltimore apparently. Hopefully he doesn't follow in the footsteps of Frank Sanders and Kevin Johnson as guys who were once productive only to their careers die as a Raven.

Burress is a big risk to give a big money deal to.

I think Mason is a safer bet. He's apparently a good locker room guy and has built himself up from just being a return specialist through his early years. Plax has all the talent in the world but he hasn't exactly set the world on fire and that's with a solid running game and a Pro Bowler playing opposite him i Ward.

When looking for a #1 WR, sometimes it's risky to sign a #2 guy and expect him to up his production. Burress is talented but was always second fiddle to Hines Ward.

KJ was done before he got there. He was a desperate move by a team desperate for WR's.

Rams Sign Coakley

Dexter Coakley has spent his entire eight-year career with the Cowboys. But when Dallas released Coakley on Tuesday night, his search for a new home began. Apparently, that search started and ended in St. Louis.

Coakley reached an agreement with the Rams on a five-year, $14.5 million contract. He will receive a $3 million signing bonus.

http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/48065

posted!!!

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/for...8&postcount=23

See: Alvin Harper and Peerless Price.

Then again, maybe this only applies if they went to Tennesee. :D

Dear Scooper,

You don't know what you're talking about.

- Peerless Price

Dammit!

Difference with Burress is has the tools to be a #1. Those other guys did not. He's such a loafer though and they speculate he's the type that would sit on a big deal.

Vikings fan: You mean he'll play when he wants to?

But isn't he peer-less?

Dear Peerless,

I don't see any evidence that you can stand up to having top corners on you.

- Earth

I wouldn't even say that. I'm not a big Steeler guy but I've never seen the guy fired up or all out. Horrid in 2004. Just terrible. Even if you account for missed time he only had one good game.

Part of it was his role I guess. Looks like they just sent him deep.