According to scout.com……“31 of the top 50 are restricted. Last year, only three of the top 50 were restricted.” Here is the link to the article where I found this... http://mia.scout.com/2/938088.html Here is the link to the list of “Free Agents” this year. http://gnb.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=9&c=12&yr=2010&nid=83&lnid=83&rc=16 If you were Parcells what would you do??? Focus on the draft or look for more success stories under rocks like Cameron Wake?
Or run a scheme more attuned to the talent we already have, but Ireland is going to kick over rocks no matter what, I suspect maybe Ricky Foley from the CFL a DE/OLB ST player.
A recent review by The Associated Press found that 212 players who would have been unrestricted free agents now will be restricted. That list includes eight Pro Bowlers: receivers Miles Austin and Brandon Marshall, linebackers Elvis Dumervil and DeMeco Ryans, safety Nick Collins, guards Logan Mankins and Jahri Evans, and fullback Leonard Weaver. So, barring a late deal, there will be no salary cap but fewer quality players to spend the money on when free agency opens on March 5. And that list of attractive unrestricted free agents figures to get shorter. Rather than being able to use a franchise tag (average salary of top five players at position; two first-rounders as compensation) or transition tag (average salary of top 10 players at position; no compensation but seven days to match offer), teams will get a franchise tag and two transition tags. Thus, a team could practically lock up three of its unrestricted free agents instead of just one.
We are very lucky; our team is just star studded with talent and our coaching staff does a very good job of getting the very best out of the very least. I am so proud of our guys and how they didn't give up and how they fought to the bitter end. With that being said I don't think we need to depend on headline talent to build a solid team. I think we can find talent in other places (ie: Cameron Wake) and groom them into superstars. There was a comment made (I think by Shula) years ago that he would take a 5th round over an attention getting 1st rounder any day (paraphrasing). The reasoning behind this is that most of the 1st rounders end up being flops because they have already peaked or the expectation is very high, while the 5th rounder guy will kill himself to prove to you that he has what it takes. Because we "hunt and develop" so well I think we will excel this year while other teams fail. Take a fella like Lex Hillard for example, he was taken in the 6th round and is developing into a steal because he worked like hell to prove himself. It's because of production like that we will probably go to the big show next year.
