DBAHO Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 From FoxSports.com, Champ Bailey, cornerback, Redskins Will be a franchised player on the trade market. There's a lot to like about Bailey. He has outstanding cover skills. He's very fluid as an athlete, but also possesses good physical tools to play bump-and-run coverage. Bailey also has shown good ball skills, but not many quarterbacks challenge him. Sometimes, Bailey can get a little over-aggressive when he tries too hard to make something happen, but it's not a glaring problem. This is a guy that you build a franchise and a defense around. Bailey is a guy who simply wants to win and doesn't draw red flags in the intangibles department like some other top corners. Possible fits: Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, New Orleans, Jacksonville. Most likely destination: Detroit. Bailey has the tools that new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron needs to blend with Dre' Bly. He would take the Lions' secondary to a whole new level with his blend of physical and athletic skills. Adewale Ogunleye, defensive end, Dolphins This restricted free agent has evolved into a solid all-around end. He's a very good upfield pass rusher who possesses a lot of good techniques. He displays a very quick first step and isn't afraid to take the inside lane to the quarterback. Ogunleye has very good strength and knows how to use it. That allowed him to make strides as a run defender this past season. Ogunleye also has a good feel for the game. There's a lot of debate about whether Oguleye is a product of being paired with Jason Taylor, but some feel he's a better overall defender than Taylor at this stage. I give Ogunleye a lot of credit for working himself to this level. He's a natural fit for teams that make getting after the quarterback a priority. Possible fits: Seattle, Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia. Most likely destination: That's a very good question. A lot depends on how the open market fares. The price tag includes draft picks and a huge signing bonus. Miami would like him back, but is prepared to let him go if the market is high. Jevon Kearse, defensive end, Titans Is coming off a great year as a pass rusher. His very explosive first step makes it very tough for most left tackles to match up against him. There are some concerns about Kearse in terms of his lack of durability and the fact that he doesn't play well through injuries. Relies solely on his first step, which spells trouble down the road once he begins losing some of his quickness, but that shouldn't be a problem for at least another few years. Possible fits: Washington, Seattle, Tennessee, Houston. Most likely destination: Washington. The Redskins are desperate for a pass rusher and Dan Snyder has a tough time looking away from the big stars. Al Wilson, middle linebacker, Broncos Wilson is a very productive guy in the middle of a defense due to his instincts and aggressiveness. He has the speed to cover a lot of lateral ground against the run. He's excellent at chasing down ball-carriers and laying some heavy wood on them. Wilson is very aggressive and tenacious when asked to blitz. He is also athletic enough to cover backs and tight ends in the passing game. But Wilson does tend to get a little too aggressive and finds himself out of position at times — especially against the pass. Wilson plays his best on the move and occasionally struggles to shed blocks. Two things I like about him are his aggressiveness and leadership skills. Possible fits: Denver, Philadelphia, New Orleans. Most likely destination: Most likely to re-sign with Denver. Unless the bidding gets too high, he's too valuable as a leader for the Broncos to allow him to walk. Chad Clifton, offensive tackle, Packers Top left tackles who master pass protection always fall into this category. Clifton isn't a great athlete for a left tackle, but he has a big frame to get around and uses his hands very well to lock on to defenders. Grades only as adequate in the run blocking department, which isn't a problem so long as he remains a solid pass blocker. Possible fits: Chicago, Cleveland, San Diego, Tampa Bay. Most likely destination: Chicago. Jerry Angelo prefers to build core talent through the draft, but Clifton would fill a tremendous need for the Bears. A lot will depend on the bidding services. Darren Howard, defensive end, Saints Howard doesn't rate as a natural pass rusher with top speed and power. He grades above average in those areas of natural ability. But Howard is an instinctive upfield player who has a good feel as a pass rusher and locates the ball well against the run. He plays with a lot of intensity and can be physical, but is much better as a defender on the move rather than playing in-line and going straight up against blockers. Howard has also evolved into a solid leader in the locker room for the Saints. If there is one concern about Howard, it's durability. He's gotten nicked up quite a bit during his career. Possible fits: New Orleans, Baltimore, Buffalo, Seattle, Detroit. Most likely destination: Re-sign with New Orleans. Both sides have actively been working to keep Howard in a Saints uniform. Grant Wistrom, defensive end, Rams Although he gets worn down at times and isn't your prototypical rush end, there are not many players who play with the motor and display the intensity of Wistrom. He has an excellent first step off the ball and shows good pass rush techniques. Although he's a little on the small side against the run, he's very strong and locates the ball very quickly. Wistrom also does a great job dropping into coverage. Possible fits: Jacksonville, St. Louis, San Diego. Most likely destination: Re-sign with St. Louis. The Rams have a difficult decision to make regarding which of their key free agents to retain. It's a tough decision, but letting Wistrom go would be very hard. Bobby Taylor, cornerback, Eagles Taylor has been coveted by several teams over the past few years due to his ability to match up and lock down against bigger receivers. Taylor knows how to press receivers at the line and uses his long arms to maintain good positioning. Taylor is smart and reacts well to the ball, but will have some trouble against quicker athletes because he's a little slow to change directions. Despite his solid resume, he does arrive on the market with some concerns. He's turned 30 and is coming off a lingering foot injury. He may have slipped a notch and could slip from the elite class of cornerbacks, but can still be a very strong competitor in a defense that wants its corners to play up at the line of scrimmage and remain tight with receivers. Possible fits: Kansas City, Cincinnati, Washington, New Orleans, Atlanta, Arizona. Most likely destination: Kansas City. Would be a natural fit in Gunther Cunningham's defense and help take that defense to the next level. Terrell Owens, wide receiver, 49ers Owens possesses a combination of strength and explosiveness that make it difficult for opponents to match up with him physically. He also has good speed for his size. Sometimes, Owens loses his focus and drops a lot of balls. He's not a true bad guy, but allows too many distractions to be drawn his way. His frequent flare-ups do nothing but hurt his team. Owens will be turning 31 in December, but should still have a few solid seasons left as an impact receiver. Owens is another guy where you have to evaluate more on how he fits into the makeup of a team in regards to its chemistry. Receivers like Owens also sometimes bring down the potential of an offense at times. He's disruptive when he doesn't get the ball enough. But when you force the ball to him, you sometimes lose sight of the other weapons your offense may possess. Possible fits: Baltimore, Miami, New York Jets. Most likely destination: Baltimore. Would be a good fit in Baltimore because Brian Billick knows how to work with personalities such as Owens. Owens also would provide a dramatic boost to the Ravens' passing game. Damien Woody, center/guard, Patriots Woody brings a lot of size and strength to the interior. He's also a good athlete who moves well for his size. He can get out in the open field for screens and draws. Woody also displays good footwork in pass protection. The biggest question that always arises with Woody remains his conditioning, which could take a toll on his career, as he's getting a little older. He has been immature in the past, but the disciplined environment in New England helps him remain focused. Possible fits: New England, San Diego, Cleveland. Most likely destination: Re-sign with New England. Much depends on what the price tag will be once the bidding occurs, but both parties would be better off re-committing to each other. If the price tag become too large, New England most-likely will let him go and plug in a cheap veteran. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSoxShuf Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Last time I checked Clifton was staying with cheesef***s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxin' Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Isn't Orlando Pace a FA? If he is a free agent, why wouldn't he be in the top ten. I would love to see him in a Bears uni next fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSoxShuf Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 He got slapped the franchise tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted February 23, 2004 Author Share Posted February 23, 2004 He got slapped the franchise tag. So did Peyton Manning, which means Indy is gonna hav to cut sum Defensive players to fit him into the salary cap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 How stupid do you have to be to let Peyton Manning get to Free Agency??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Did Walter Jones get franchised too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.