Sun-Sentinel: free agents to watch

Scott, Dansby and Atogwe are my main targets, I'd love to have one or two of them in Miami for the 2009 season.

Julius Peppers...dare to dream, no way the Panthers let him go..

 

Ill take all of them.

 

Somewhere along the lines or Asomugha or OJ.

 

I would add Asomugha to that list.
Those would be my 4 main guys. Althouh Asomugha will probably get hit with the tag.
My top 2 chices are Dansby and Asomugha or Atogwe if Asomugha gets tagged.

 

Defense has to be a priority this offseason with FA, esp. secondary.

 

Can't imagine Peppers wanting to be a predominantly 3-4 DE.

Otogwe is probably the most likely to migrate south.

Dansby would be ideal, but I'd imagine he'd prefer to stay in AZ, tag or not. Whereas Bart Scott is probably more likely to leave. No way they let Suggs go. And hard to imagine them letting Ray Lewis go either.

 

I last heard they were working on a five year extension with Ray Lewis. They have another offensive linemen, whose name escapes me right now, as a free agent and he's a good one. They'll have to work with him as well.

 

I see a center on that list but no OG. We probably take a center in the draft but we still need quality back ups at OG. Any names people want to mention in that reguard?

 

Nnamdi Asomugha would be a great signing, though I'd doubt we would get him. How do you guys see the WR position? Do we cut Wilford and go after anyone in FA?

 

You're looking for the name Jason Brown. He's a RFA (not sure what picks we'd have to give as compensation - I believe he was a 4th round pick when drafted out of UNC) but a 6'3" 320lbs guy who can play C and G, and run blocks extremely well.

I'd take Atogwe, Brown, and Dansby in a perfect world. Any one of those three would be fine though.

 

That's who it was. Thank you.

 

Bart Scott and Otogwe would cure a lot of ills on this team.

Fetch another DT in the draft, look at secondary depth and perhaps a wideout in either free agency or the draft (or both) and I think we have an improved team over this year's model.

 

Peppers was very good basketball player at UNC as well football player.

He'd be a great candidate for converison to OLB.

 

I could have sworn we had more cap space.

 

Or the hybrid DE/OLB we love to play...

 

We will, people always restructure/get let go to give us more wriggle room. I think Chad had some bonuses and whatnot too that he accomplished so that eats into it as well.

The bottom line though is that we will be able to pursue whoever we want really.

 

I expect Atogwe to be a Dolphin and I hope to see the team retain the top four free agents that we have this year.

With that we can go into the draft looking to complete the interior line, add a pass rusher (plus maybe Jason Taylor for a last hurrah), and perhaps a nose tackle, wide receiver, and cornerback by the end of round four.

It's all just guessing though at this point really. One could argue that Atogwe wouldn't be as prudent as Carlos Dansby but who knows really? Safeties do matter and Atogwe is a good one.

 

Jason Brown as mentioned previously could also be the answer. If you give him a 7m a year deal to be your starting C you've effectively gained one of the better young Cs in the NFL and for all intensive purposes fixed your offensive line if Carey returns. With the stability of that line you're running game is a near guarantee.

Brown also is very effective against a 3-4 defense with that size he possesses. That's particularly useful against New England since it allows your capable and fast pulling guards to really attack the LB core of New England. He's also effective against a 4-3 to be sure. With Ray Lewis a guarantee, it's either Suggs or him that are lost to free agency and I think it'll be Brown. Pass rushers are harder to find than Cs.

If we acquired Brown we could go into the draft looking to add:

1- OLB
2- NT
2- S
3- WR
4- CB

Plus maybe Jason Taylor as well. With Satele as a guard backup our depth would also look fairly strong.

 

Brown is not a RFA. I remember crying for us to trade a second to sign him last year when he was. As a UFA you'd better believe he's worth the money.

Athletic, capable (no lack of IQ or anything), tough, and strong Cs do not come around much AT ALL. You can't have a good running game without a real C.

 

They were there for Cooper and not the other guys?

 

I've been thinking about JT a lot the last few weeks as well.

At this point, I think he's best suited for a situational pass rushing role. I believe he'd come back here in a second. I believe he'd accept a situational role. And I believe he'd accept a bargain contract to boot.

That said, this regime would have to want him back. That's the key.

 

They're not heartless here. If a player is committed they'll have him play and I think Taylor would be a great fit on third downs and as said a situational pass rusher the kind that could be useful along with a second round draft pick (now that Sintim looks out of range). Him and possibly Barwin from Cinncinnati together could make a great duo to come off the bench to substitute for Porter and Roth.

 

He'd have to come back hat in hand IMO.

The key is in your post. They're not heartless, but after last spring I think they have doubts about his level of commitment. They put those guys thru a hellish offseason program, while he absconded to Los Angeles. That grated Parcells to no end.

After all that and coming off the season he had, JT would have to do quite the sell job IMO. Assuming Washington lets him go, of course.

 

That would definitely be awesome. Getting him back the next year, right after we have used Washington's picks.

 

sure, if Josh Brown (C), Ashomugha (CB), Atogwe (FS), or Dansby (OLB) are available, you make them great offers. Each could be a centerpiece type of guy.

but do you really think any will be available?

Josh Brown maybe, I think he's priority number 3 in Baltimore, behind Lewis and Suggs.

Ashomugha probably gets franchised again. Atogwe is in St. Louis, who has just as much if not more cap room than we do. They can pay him.

Dansby is hard to figure, but seeing as how Zona's defense has been instrumental in their playoff run, his value to them has gone up. They'll work to keep him if they can.

In other words, I could see all 4 staying put.

 

In regards to Dansby, Boomer hit on this several times in the draft forum, the Cards still have to figure out Boldin's situation, Kurt Warner's situation, and Adrian Wilson's situation. Something's gotta give there.

 

Otogwe is the player who is first on my free agent wish list. I don't think St.Louis will keep him either due to a regime change and that guy likely wanting to start over and bring his own guys in.

 

Please come back Yeremiah Bell

 

I read somewhere today the Cards have over 40 million in cap space. Granted, they have done stupid and cheap things in the past, but with that kind of room, they should be able to get their key people back in the fold.

I believe Brown should be priority No. 1. He is only 26, fits what the Trifecta is looking for in a center and weakens another AFC power. They have some tough choices to make and maybe he slips through. Hoping they don't get a deal done with Suggs and have to franchise him and not Brown.

Atogwe would be great as well, although I see St. Louis franchising him as safety is one of the cheaper positions to franchise in the league. Unless they use it to bring back CB Ronald Bartell, but Atogwe seems a bigger priority.

Another FA to watch for is Jim Leonhard in Baltimore. Played very well at SS this year and is also a pretty good return man and special teams player. He's a tough guy Parcells and Co. should love.

Free agency should be fun.

 

Ronin hit the Cards situation pretty well. They just dont have the money to resign all these guys.

I do wonder if they win the SB though that Warner might hang it up. But if he wants to come back, they are left with some tough tough choices out there and something will give.

There will be a decent number of FAs out there, just need to see who teams start signing/tagging early before we can get to horribly excited.

 

Id LOVE to see us sign Atogwe. Descriving him as a poor mans ed reed seems to make sense. The guy has a nose for the ball, and is a sure tackler. Put him back there with Bell, and our pass defense dramatically improves IMO.

I think we should have an easier time attracting some quality free agents this year after our bigtime improvements this season. We've positioned ourself well as a team players willw ant to come to again.

 

Ronnie Brown? How many years does Ronnie Brown have left on his contract?

 

^1 year

 

Ypu think we will resign him this year to a contract extension

 

Jason Brown. Center from the Ravens.

 

If we were to return with our full group of free agents and a solid draft we'd probably be doing enough to seriously compete again but I do expect an upgrade somewhere. Dansby would be ideal and might be the target along with Brown followed by Atogwe. On the other hand I'd really like to see some sort of loyalty established with bringing back Carey. Having to bust a first day pick just because you don't want to sign him is stupid. He's a part of the solution and is the second best lineman especially with Smiley injured and recovering.

Retaining him would be bigger for me than bringing in a number of players. It would mean you're basically a player away from creating that superior offensive line we're so close to having.

 

This, Brown and Dansby would be great pickups.

 

My Top 3 Free Agents:

1) Asomugha - Even if the Raiders do Franchise him. He is worth a Late 1st & 3rd round pick from the Dolphins.

2) Dansby - Don't seem him leaving the Cards. They will find a way to keep him and they are balling right now in the playoffs. He will be a Card for less, I would think...

3) Peppers - Although he would not like the 3-4 base scheme to much. It would be great to have yet another Great Pass Rusher at the DE position.

I hope we send picks to the Raiders for Asomugha. He would just make this defense so much better. Our secondary is 30+ years old at the starting positions. Goodman would be a very good Nickel and would be making some big plays. But whoever is the #2 & #3 had better get ready to be targeted by QB's. Asomugha will not be targeted more than 3-5 times a game. Hell I would just flat out avoid him...lol.