Is it just me or does the start of the 2010 NFL free agency period just not have the “sexiness” of past years? The big name free agents are just not there this year.
Sure, if you’re a fan of the Chicago Bears or the Baltimore Ravens, nothing could be further from the truth. The Bears alone scooped up two of the top free agents in the class, Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor, early on day one… but both are 30, one is a career backup and the other is known to quit when he gets frustrated. What happens when you guarantee a player who takes plays off $40M? Don’t get me wrong, both are great players that would upgrade any team, but there IS baggage attached.
The best move so far has been the Baltimore Ravens acquiring stud receiver Anquan Boldin for a box of oranges and some shoe strings. The Ravens acquire their first star receiver… like, ever, and basically give up nothing for him other than what they’re paying him. If I recall correctly, didn’t Arizona reject some offers that included first round picks last year? Or were they just false reports released by the Cardinals themselves to up the ante?
The most shocking of all moves came from a team that usually has signed one or two insane contracts by now… the Washington Redskins. The Skins didn’t sign a soul, while cutting a ton of old baggage, some of them huge free agency mistakes of the past. Is Danny-Boy Snyder growing up or did Shanahan grab him by the collar and tell him what’s up now that he’s the sheriff in town?
A few teams made some (overpaid) splashes and others came to terms with some of their current players. Here’s a quick recap of some of the big day 1 activity:
Signings:
– Chicago Bears signed DE Julius Peppers
– Chicago Bears signed RB Chester Taylor
– Chicago Bears signed TE Brandon Manumaleuna
– New York Giants signed FS Antrel Rolle
– Miami Dolphins signed LB Karlos Dansby
– Atlanta Falcons signed CB Dunta Robinson
– Detroit Lions signed WR Nate Burleson
Trades:
– Baltimore Ravens acquire WR Anquan Boldin from Arizona Cardinals and a 2010 fifth-round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens Friday in exchange for third and fourth round picks in 2010
– Cleveland Browns traded DL Corey Williams and a seventh-round draft choice to the Detroit Lions for a fifth-round draft choice.
– San Diego Chargers traded CB Antonio Cromartie to the New York Jets. The Chargers will get a third-round draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft that could turn into a second-round draft pick based on Cromartie’s playing time and the Jets’ performance.
Re-Signings:
– Miami Dolphins re-signed QB Chad Pennington to a 1-year deal
– Green Bay Packers re-signed OT Chad Clifton to a 3-year deal
– Philadelphia Eagles re-signed RB Leonard Weaver to a 3-year deal
Releases:
– Miami Dolphins released LB Joey Porter
– Miami Dolphins released FS Gibril Wilson
– Miami Dolphins released LB Akin Ayodele
– New York Jets have released RB Thomas Jones
– Philadelphia Eagles have released LB Will Witherspoon
Stay tuned for more free agency, NFL and NFL Draft updates.
