[CBFF] Free-agent splashes often leave NFL teams all wet - Chicago Bears - Sent Using Google Toolbar

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Free-agent splashes often leave NFL teams all wet - Chicago Bears








LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Contrary to what all the hype this week might
indicate, the NFL does not award the Lombardi Trophy to the team that
spends the most money during the offseason.

Recent history shows that franchises like the Bears that believe in
re-signing their own players and building through the draft are much
more successful than those that shower unrestricted free agents with
lucrative signing bonuses and megabucks contracts.



 Last summer the Bears signed cornerback Charles Tillman to a six-year
extension. The San Francisco 49ers, for example, were a popular
dark-horse Super Bowl pick last season after signing cornerback Nate
Clements to an eight-year, $80 million that made him the highest-paid
defensive player in NFL history.

The 49ers also signed safety Michael Lewis and linebacker Tully
Banta-Cain to free-agent deals and promptly declined from 7-9 to 5-11.
San Francisco's defense didn't quite make the meteoric rise that some
expected, improving in the NFL rankings from 26th to 25th.

The Washington Redskins were in the same boat, giving 32-year-old
middle linebacker London Fletcher a $10.5 signing bonus and inking
cornerback Fred Smoot early in the free-agent process.

The only notable free-agent acquisition for the eventual Super Bowl
champion New York Giants was linebacker Kawika Mitchell.

After the Minnesota Vikings signed Giants free agent tight end
Visanthe Shiancoe to a five-year, $18.5 million deal last offseason,
New York replaced him by selecting tight end Kevin Boss in the fifth
round of the draft from Western Oregon.

While Shiancoe caught 27 passes for 323 yards and 1 TD for Minnesota,
Boss stepped in after Jeremy Shockey sustained a season-ending injury
and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl, making a key 45-yard
reception in New York's upset win over the New England Patriots.

Speaking of the Patriots, they signed free-agent linebacker Adalius
Thomas to a five-year, $37.5 million contract. But two players they
acquired via trades—wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker—made a
much greater impact, combining for 210 receptions, 2,668 yards and 31
TDs.

The two best free-agent signings last year arguably were defensive end
Patrick Kerney, who finished second in the NFL with 14½ sacks after
leaving the Falcons to sign a six-year, $39.5 million contract with
the Seahawks; and guard Eric Steinbach, who helped solidify the
Browns' offensive line after leaving the Bengals for a seven-year,
$49.5 million deal.

Other free agents didn't provide as much bang for the buck. The
Dolphins won only one game all season after signing linebacker Joey
Porter to a five-year, $32.5 million contract. The Bills finished 30th
in the NFL on offense after inking guard Derrick Dockery to a
seven-year, $49 million deal. Tight end Daniel Graham caught just 24
passes for 246 yards and 2 TDs after signing a five-year, $30 million
contract with the Broncos.

In a telling article in the Chicago Tribune a year ago, NFL columnist
Don Pierson wrote that "the free-agency season is more of an NFL plot
to steal publicity from basketball and baseball than it is a sure-fire
plan to improve teams."

Pierson pointed out that the top six free agents in 2006 (as ranked by
Pro Football Weekly) all failed to help their new teams win more games
than the previous season. One of those players, center LeCharles
Bentley, signed a six-year, $36 million deal with the Browns but still
has yet to take a snap since hurting his knee in his first training
camp practice.

Remember the outcry when the Redskins outbid the Bears for free-agent
wide receiver Antwaan Randle El in 2006, signing the Chicago native to
a seven-year contract worth $31 million including $11.5 million in
bonuses?

After losing out on Randle El, the Bears turned to the draft to
replace fumble-prone return specialist Bobby Wade and landed a decent
prospect named Devin Hester in the second round.
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