[CBFF] 2008 free-agent tracker from Pro Football Weekly - Sent Using Google Toolbar

Fri Feb 29 02:45:06 MST 2008

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Feb. 28, 2008

2008 free-agent tracker

The following list ranked the top free agents as of Feb. 28, one day before
the start of the free-agent signing period, and it includes players who were
released before Feb. 28. We have ranked the top available players at each
position. Players who are released Feb. 28 or later will be added to the
list in the appropriate spot. For a complete list of key free-agent moves,
click on the link at the bottom of this page.

Free-agent designations: FFA — franchise free agent; TFA — transition free
agent; UFA — unrestricted free agent; RFA — restricted free agent; cut —
released by 2007 team.
       *Rk.* *Free agent* *Type* *2007 team* *2008 team* *Comment*  *
Quarterbacks*  1 Derek Anderson RFA Cleveland   Strong 2007 play pushed
Brady Quinn into the background  2 Josh McCown UFA Oakland   Some evaluators
say he's simply been a victim of playing on bad teams over the years  3 Todd
Collins UFA Washington    Played like a No. 1 quarterback at end of last
season  4 Daunte Culpepper UFA Oakland   Mobility is a concern  5 Billy
Volek UFA San Diego   Reliable backup and capable short-term starter  6 Byron
Leftwich cut Atlanta   Career is at a crossroads after being cut by Falcons
*Running backs*  1 Marion Barber RFA Dallas   Routinely runs through
first-tackle attempts  2 Michael Turner UFA San Diego   LaDainian
Tomlinson's longtime backup likely to get a starting job of his own  3 Julius
Jones UFA Dallas   Average starter would be best sharing carries, a la
Dallas  4 DeShaun Foster cut Carolina   Can be a breakaway threat, but
longest run last season was only 20 yards  5 Leonard Weaver RFA Seattle   Best
of the fullbacks available  6 Derrick Ward UFA N.Y. Giants   Change-of-pace
back's career took off last season  7 Chris Brown UFA Tennessee   Slashing
No. 2 back  8 Ron Dayne UFA Houston   Rushed for a career-high 773 yards
last season  9 T.J. Duckett UFA Detroit   Succeeded in a limited role for
Lions  10 Tony Richardson UFA Minnesota   Made the Pro Bowl last season as
FB at age 36  11 Tatum Bell UFA Detroit   Very good speed, but ball
security, toughness are problematic  12 Aaron Stecker UFA New Orleans
 Dependable
backup can fill a variety of roles and start in a pinch  *Wide
receivers*  1 Randy
Moss UFA New England   Caught a record-setting 23 TDs last season  2
Donté Stallworth UFA New England   Evaluators have mixed feelings about him
3 D.J. Hackett UFA Seattle   Athletic, physical West Coast receiver  4 Bernard
Berrian UFA Chicago   Vertical threat could strike it rich in WR-needy
market  5 Jerry Porter UFA Oakland   Some question his character, but he's a
proven starter with some big-play ability  6 Bryant Johnson UFA Arizona   Gets
his chance to get out of Fitzgerald and Boldin's shadow  7 David Patten UFA New
Orleans   Can still get deep  8 Devery Henderson UFA New Orleans   Strictly
a vertical threat  9 Ernest Wilford UFA Jacksonville   Tall, physical
red-zone threat  10 Isaac Bruce cut St. Louis Rams stalwart — he even played
one season in Anaheim — was cut for salary-cap reasons  11 Nate Washington
RFA Pittsburgh   Has potential to develop into a No. 2 receiver; needs to be
more consistent  12 Marty Booker cut Miami   Complementary receiver  13 Jabar
Gaffney UFA New England   Thrived as defenses were preoccupied with
Patriots' many pass-catching threats  *Tight ends*  1 L.J. Smith FFA
Philadelphia   The first player to receive the franchise tag  2 Alge
Crumpler cut Atlanta   Still one of the better all-around players at his
position, but knee troubles are a concern  3 Bubba Franks cut Green Bay   Best
days are behind him, but brings value as a No. 2 tight end  4 Bo Scaife RFA
Tennessee   One of Tennessee's more dependable targets  5 Ben Utecht RFA
Indianapolis   Has caught 68 passes the last two seasons  *Offensive tackles
*  1 Jordan Gross FFA Carolina   Career took a star turn in '07  2 Flozell
Adams UFA Dallas Dallas Struck deal to stay in Dallas one day before free
agency started  3 Stacy Andrews FFA Cincinnati   Can also play guard;
Bengals were not going to let him hit market  4 Damien Woody UFA Detroit   In
thin market for tackles, Woody's stock got a major boost when he thrived on
right side in final weeks of season  5 David Stewart RFA Tennessee   Titans
would like to sign him for the long term  6 Max Starks TFA Pittsburgh   Massive
right tackle has slow feet but is a capable starter  7 Trai Essex cut
Pittsburgh Three-year backup with some potential  8 Shane Olivea cut  San
Diego   Fifty-seven career starts  *Offensive guards*  1 Alan Faneca UFA
Pittsburgh   More accomplished than any of the guards who struck it rich
last offseason  2 Jason Brown RFA Baltimore   One of the more promising
players at his position  3 Jacob Bell UFA Tennessee   Has made 46 career
starts  4 Justin Smiley UFA San Francisco   Played in only eight games last
season  5 Maurice Williams UFA Jacksonville   Can also play tackle, but
biggest impact likely to come inside  6 Larry Allen UFA San Francisco   Said
to be contemplating retirement  *Centers*  1 Jeff Faine UFA New Orleans   Lack
of centers available in free agency increases his value  2 Casey Wiegmann
UFA Kansas City   Has logged 136 career starts  3 Jeremy Newberry UFA
Oakland   Capable starter, but has a history of injuries  *Defensive ends*
1 Jared Allen FFA Kansas City   May have been the best defensive player in
football in '07  2 Justin Smith UFA Cincinnati   Durability, dependability
and athleticism are assets  3 Antwan Odom UFA Tennessee   Thrived as a
pass-rushing DLE last season  4 Chris Canty RFA Dallas   Starting to hit his
stride  5 Travis LaBoy UFA Tennessee   Ability to pressure the passer his
greatest asset  6 Bobby McCray UFA Jacksonville   Comes off disappointing
season but has potential  7 Marques Douglas UFA San Francisco   Rugged 3-4
end  8 Kevin Carter cut Tampa Bay Strong at the point of attack  9 Jevon
Kearse cut Philadelphia Looking to rekindle his career after struggling in
'07 with Eagles  10 Antonio Smith RFA Arizona   Came into his own last
season  *Defensive tackles*  1 Albert Haynesworth FFA Tennessee   Was
dominant in 2007 after years of not playing to his potential  2 Corey
Williams FFA Green Bay   Packers are deep at tackle but wanted to keep
improving Williams in the fold  3 Tommy Kelly UFA Oakland Oakland Signed
seven-year, $50.5 million deal to stay in Oakland; versatile, but coming off
a knee injury  4 Jovan Haye RFA Tampa Bay   Quick inside pass rusher  5 Rod
Coleman cut Atlanta   Injury history a major concern  6 Darwin Walker cut
Chicago    Disappointed in one-year stint in Chicago  8 Spencer Johnson UFA
Minnesota   Solid rotation player  9 Grady Jackson UFA Jacksonville   Run
stuffer  *Linebackers*  1 Terrell Suggs FFA Baltimore   Pass rusher with the
potential to be special  2 Lance Briggs UFA Chicago   Finally gets his
free-agent payday  3 Karlos Dansby FFA Arizona   Has starred in 3-4 and 4-3
schemes  4 Calvin Pace UFA Arizona   Found a niche as pass-rushing OLB
 5 Landon
Johnson UFA Cincinnati   Can play all three LB spots in a 4-3  6 Michael
Boley RFA Atlanta   Notched 109 tackles last season  7 Kawika Mitchell UFA
N.Y. Giants   Steady starter  8 Demorrio Williams UFA Atlanta   Speedy,
smallish linebacker an asset in pass coverage  9 Reggie Torbor UFA  N.Y.
Giants   Strong-side 'backer who can rush the passer  10 Tedy Bruschi UFA New
England   Superb instincts and leadership ability  11 Clark Haggans UFA
Pittsburgh   Has 32½ career sacks  12 Rosevelt Colvin cut New England Struggled
to stay healthy with Patriots  13 Victor Hobson UFA N.Y. Jets   Solid in
pass coverage; 57 career starts  14 Boss Bailey UFA Detroit Undersized but
athletic  15 Danny Clark UFA Houston Versatility, leadership skills and
special-teams ability make him valuable  16 Dan Morgan cut Carolina Has a
history of injuries  17 Brendon Ayanbadejo UFA Chicago   Special-teams ace
*Cornerbacks*  1 Asante Samuel UFA New England   Instinctive playmaker the
only impact cornerback freely available in free agency  2 Nnamdi Asomugha
FFA Oakland Oakland Exclusive franchise tag keeps him with Raiders for at
least one more season  3 Marcus Trufant FFA Seattle   Put it all together in
fifth NFL season  4 Drayton Florence UFA San Diego   Capable starter and
very good nickel back  5 Ty Law cut Kansas City Is a move to safety in the
cards for Law, 34?  6 Domonique Foxworth RFA Denver   Key component of
Denver's "sub" packages  7 Eric Green RFA Arizona   Cardinals like what they
saw from him last season  8 Andre Dyson cut N.Y. Jets   Has 22 career
interceptions, but he's missed 12 games in the past two seasons  *Safeties*
1 O.J. Atogwe RFA St. Louis   Led NFC in interceptions last season  2 Ken
Hamlin FFA Dallas   Likely would have drawn considerable interest if tag
hadn't been applied  3 Madieu Williams UFA Cincinnati   Durability is the
most pressing question with him, but athleticism, versatility are
assets  4 Gibril
Wilson UFA N.Y. Giants   His profile rose on Super Bowl-champion
defense  5 Yeremiah
Bell UFA Miami   Coming off an Achilles injury; impressed scouts two seasons
ago  6 Eugene Wilson UFA New England   Can also play cornerback  7   Will
Demps UFA Houston Pro Bowl alternate in '07  8 Chris Crocker UFA Atlanta Can
play free or strong safety  9 Marlon McCree cut San Diego Could draw some
interest off of '06 play  10 C.C. Brown RFA Houston

Defended eight passes last season
  *Punters*  1 Dustin Colquitt RFA Kansas City   One of the best punters in
the game  2 Michael Koenen RFA Atlanta Also can attempt long field
goals  3 Matt
Turk UFA Houston   Tied for fourth in AFC in net average (37.9) in '07  *
Placekickers*  1 Josh Brown UFA Seattle   Hit a career-high 28 FGs last
season  2 Rob Bironas RFA Tennessee   Missed only four FGs last season en
route to Pro Bowl appearance  3 Jason Elam UFA Denver   Will be 38 in March,
but he's still going strong (54-of-60 on FGs the past two seasons)  *Return
specialists*  1 André Davis UFA Houston Houston Returned three kickoffs for
TDs in '07; was Houston's top vertical threat when Andre Johnson was
sidelined  2 B.J. Sams UFA Baltimore   Experienced returner, but doesn't
have extra gear elite returners boast and doesn't play another position well