NFL Free Agency: Bold StatementsMarch 11, 2008By Carlisle Richards Bodog Nation Contributing Writer With all the big moves in free agency complete, we give our opinion on some of the NFL's biggest transactions Like gas and cigarettes, the price of NFL free agents always seems to go up, regardless of quality. This year was no different. Some teams succumb to fan pressure to make a big move and end up making a dumb one. Others are so scared to take a hit on their cap that they miss out on the talent needed to improve. In the end, like every NFL offseason, some teams make the right moves while others remain clueless. Here are my thoughts on the more notable transactions and rumors so far: The Cleveland Browns have had the best offseason but still aren't better than the 2007 team. I can't front. The Browns made a lot of solid moves in free agency, even if their first pick in the 2008 draft won't happen until fullbacks start to have value (third round). They traded away second- and third-round picks for solid defensive tackles Corey Williams from Green Bay and Shaun Rogers from Detroit, grabbed receiver Dante Stallworth from New England, and re-signed quarterback Derek Anderson. They dished out a lot of cash to solidify their defensive front and offensive attack, but ask me if they'll improve on their 10-6, 2007 record, and my answer is "No." Check out Bodog and start winning NOW! Bodog is known in the online gambling industry for having a phenomenal customer service department, safe and secure deposit methods, fast payouts and terrific bonuses! Sign up today at Bodog and deposit by using their comprehensive deposit screening, with your credit card or with MoneyGram! If Shaun Rogers didn't help the Lions' defense improve, how will he help the Browns' D? (AP Images)Despite the addition of two solid tackles on defense, it's hard for me to believe that both will help turn a defense that's ranked 30th in total yards allowed into a top-15 D. Plus, the Browns currently have rookie Eric Wright listed as the only for-sure starter at corner. They lost their other starter, Leigh Bodden, as part of the Rogers trade with Detroit. Anderson returns to the offense, but now that the defense has had a full season to plan for the third-year pro, things might not go as smoothly. There were signs of his potential struggles in the final four games of the 2007-08 season. Anderson went from dropping 255.2 passing yards per game to averaging 181.3 in the final four games. If Anderson suffers a sophomore slump, the Browns won't hesitate to give rookie QB Brady Quinn a chance. But regardless of how good he is, his inexperience will at best bring them an 8-8 record. Oakland Raiders owner/general manager Al Davis is either senile or is watching game tapes from three years ago. The Raiders made Tommy Kelly the highest paid DT in the league with a seven-year $50.5 million contract. Then, they made former Bronco Javon Walker one of the highest paid receivers with a six-year $55 million deal. Kelly is coming off reconstructive knee surgery and wasn't even a top-10 tackle when he was healthy, while Walker's best days were about three years ago and may need career-threatening micro-fracture knee surgery. Al Davis needs to be in a home, not managing a franchise. (AP Images)Unless Davis has the medical crew from Star Trek lurking somewhere in the "The Black Hole," he just blew $100 million-plus on two one-legged players, which immediately has me questioning his sanity. The signs have been there for a while. He's gone through four coaches in five years and is trying to cut out his current coach Lane Kiffin for reasons inconceivable besides expecting a Super Bowl from the first-year coach. And what's more disturbing is that he doesn't seem to recall the reason why he hired Kiffin in the first place. (Nobody else wants the job.) No matter which free agents the New England Patriots lose, the re-signing of Randy Moss means they're still a SB favorite. They lost starter cornerback Asante Samuel (to Philadelphia) and WR Stallworth, but they won't sweat it because every player in the Pats' system is interchangeable or replaceable... except two: Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Brady is a Pat for life, and thankfully, they re-signed Moss to a three-year $27 million deal. The offense was already top notch without Moss, but it reached superhuman levels when he joined the team. Without Randy Moss the Pats' offense is... human. (AP Images)I've seen Brady chuck bombs into double coverage only to see Moss make it look textbook. I've seen Wes Welker look like a solid wideout in Miami only to look like Marvin Harrison with Moss. His freakish size and speed stretched defenses so thin last year that Brady and the Pats' offense looked like target practice. It won't be another record-breaking season, but it'll likely be a SB year with Moss back on the wing. Herm Edwards is destroying the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs signed linebacker Demorrio Williams (63 tackles) so far this offseason, and according to coach Herm Edwards, they could be done. "If we don't get anybody else, that's OK," Edwards said. Done despite needs at receiver, corner, safety, offensive lineman and probably quarterback? He cut CB Ty Law, lost Pro Bowl linemen Willie Roaf and Will Shields, only has one WR worth starting - Dwayne Bowe - and handed the offense to second-year QB Brodie Croyle, who wasn't able to handle the SEC much less an NFL offense. He's gutted every winner on the team except for running back Larry Johnson (who is coming off a foot injury) and tight end Tony Gonzalez (who has about one great year left). And what does he plan on rebuilding with? Draft picks, 10 of them. It'll take quite a scout to turn this team around with 10 college kids. The Patriots or Colts have the luxury of building through the draft with their star QB in place. The Chiefs have Croyle. And although Edwards may think that he is the guy, he looks like a younger Billy Volek to me. No team signed a Pro Bowl defensive end this offseason... ... but three teams paid out Pro Bowl money. Justin Smith, Antwan Odom and Travis Laboy all got big paydays and not one had a Pro Bowl resume last year. Smith had his worst season on the league's worst D-line in Cincinnati. The seven-year vet produced only two sacks in 16 games, yet San Francisco gave him a six-year $42 million deal. The Titans shed a tear when they saw the Bengals sign Antwan Odom to a $29.5 million deal. (AP Images)Odom and Laboy, both former Tennessee Titans, combined for 14 sacks in 2007. But they were playing alongside star linemen Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth and were used mainly as situational ends. The Titans used Odom mostly in running situations, while Laboy was used during passing situations. Odom was given a five-year $29.5 million contract by the Cincinnati Bengals, while Laboy got five years and $22 million from the Cardinals. Money you'd expect for fulltime DEs. The Arizona Cardinals will not trade Larry Fitzgerald. Seems like the Cards have told teams and news outlets 1,000 times that Fitzgerald is not on the trading block, yet his name keeps popping up in rumor mills. Call it wishful thinking (and probably front office tapering) and nothing more. His two 1,400-yard, 100-catch seasons in his first four years has opposing teams, most notably the Philadelphia Eagles, salivating for the chance to add him to their roster via trade. His recent contract issues with the Cards only seems to be keeping these false hopes alive, but every football fan praying for Arizona to trade the superstar WR needs to realize that they don't need to dump his big cap number anymore. The Cards have tried and failed to restructure Fitzgerald's contract that has ballooned to $14.6 million against the cap in 2008. They missed out on many FA starters because of it. But with most of the big-name talent gone, the Cards can afford to bite the bullet on Fitzgerald's huge number... this year. The Cards know the kind of Hall of Fame talent they have in Fitzgerald and will hold on to him as long as possible. --- by Bodog at 1800-sports.com on March 18, 2008
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