The Skinny on 2009 NFL Free Agency

In recent years, we NFL free-agency freaks have become accustomed to seeing the best players get tagged, and then to hope that our team ponies-up some ridiculous amount for a player overrated by hype. 

The mission for any team is knowing what to do but also what other teams will do. Then you can coordinate your moves strategically rather than just throw money up in the air and make it rain on the free agents. 

The case of Pacman Jones in that strip-club truly is an allegory for NFL free-agency.  The real difference between the behavior of Pacman Jones and the insanity of the market is the absence of violence.  However, some might equate Drew Rosenhaus to that of a highway or grave robber. 

That is why I always preach value in regards to free agents because when a team pulls the trigger on a bad contract, it is only because they fell prey to the temptation of "star players."  A team signs a player that is unconducive with the coach's system, which basically results in scrambled eggs and a heightened desire by the coach's for more control, which if given, doesn't work.  If NFL execs however, understood the coach's system and weren't beholdent to knee-jerk reactions from fans, writers and their egos -- then they wouldn't buy the snake-oil contracts. 

That however, leads to an ethical dilemna: how do you fairly compensate the players when the team makes exorbitant profits?  I really don't have the answer for that, other than to say, a team should focus on value and their system rather than throw money around; but increase the incentives for ProBowl and postseason berths, rather than generalize the success of a player.  Another ethical dilemna is: how do you accomodate the fans for without the fans, you have no team?  I would say, that if NFL execs truly believe in the coach's they hire, they'd be able to win, and winning is all that real fans desire.

Know how to find valuable players that were discarded by their team.  The maxim has always been: Well, if someone else didn't want you, why should I?  The answer is quite simple, if you understand the situation that player was in—then you can find value.  If you're merely trying to garner headlines for business decisions, then you might be in the wrong business.

Take Thomas Jones for instance.  Once a first-round flop in Arizona and then journeyman to Tampa Bay and lead runner for the Chicago Bears when they lost the Super Bowl.  Now an AllPro with the Jets.  Goes to show you, that stats can be deceptive.

Or Tyler Brayton.  A first-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2003, who left for Carolina in free agency after the 2007 season.  Brayton had showed promise early in his career before shifting between defensive end, defensive tackle, and linebacker every time a new regime came to town.  He finished 2007 with zero sacks, yet finished 2008 with four and a half sacks, 40 tackles, three passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.  Sounds like pedestrian stats to the average fan, but the fact is, Brayton's presence also helped Julius Peppers run wild (as he did for DE Derrick Burgess in Oakland), and contributed to a Carolina defense that helped the Panthers earn a first-round bye.  Not too shabby for a castaway from the Raiders.

Justin Smith is another example.  Tagged by the Bengals after the 2006 season, the Bengals declined to tag him after the 2007 season in favor of OL Stacy Andrews, and so Smith signed with the 49ers.  In 2007, Smith only produced two sacks in the 4-3 defense, yet went back to his average of seven in 2008 as part of the 3-4 defense.  Smith wasn't cheap, but was worth it for San Francisco.

Kyle Vanden Bosch is another good example.  A castoff from the Arizona Cardinals after the 2004 season with zero sacks and a total of four in four seasons with Arizona, Vanden Bosch signed with the Titans and produced 12.5 sacks for Tennessee.

Yet another example is Derrick Burgess.  A situational rusher and oft-injured in Philadelphia, the Eagles let him walk after the 2004 season and signed with the Oakland Raiders.  Burgess went on to lead the NFL in sacks with 16.5 in 2005 and a ProBowl and All-Pro selection.  Burgess earned another ProBowl berth in 2006.

The list goes on and on from Marc Colombo, Danny Clark to Jeff Faine and on and on.  The bottom line is, a team doesn't always need the spotlight in free agency, and in fact, the quiet moves often make the biggest difference.  Stats can be deceptive.  The purpose of the following information is not for readers to salivate for possible free-agents but to provoke thought in regards to the direction of their team -- some of the listed free-agents may have deals, or have sketchy contract situations.  But my main interest is to talk about what teams need and what I think they can do to maximize their options and player-potential for the future.  Some free-agents may vary.

With that said, I wanted to detail the free-agency questions facing NFL teams in 2009.

ARIZONA CARDINALS: QB Kurt Warner, LB Karlos Dansby, DE Bertrand Berry, DE Antonio Smith, FB Terrelle Smith.  Who do you tag?  Warner has led the Cardinals to their first championship game since 1947, when they were still in Chicago. On the other side is Arizona's receiver situation with Anquan Boldin in pursuit of more money.  As good as Boldin has been, the Cardinals can afford to trade him, thanks to the emergence of Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban and the potential of Early Doucet.

At Warner's age though, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals tagging Warner when Matt Leinart is still in the wings. However, Leinart has yet to prove that he belongs in the NFL, thus, passing the torch to Leinart seems like a risky venture.  Karlos Dansby meanwhile, is one of their better defenders even though the Arizona defense has been lackluster—so the question is: is the defense better with or without him in the long-term?  Plus, with DT Albert Haynesworth available, it might be more prudent to pursue Haynesworth, and trade Boldin for picks to bolster the defense.

In the long term, the Cardinals would be wise to focus on the draft for a replacement and to bolster the defense, and ride the success of Kurt Warner as long as possible.

ATLANTA FALCONS: CB Brent Grimes, S Lawyer Milloy, LB Michael Boley (RFA), G Harvey Dahl.  The defense needs to improve for this team to continue its strides, and could stand the addition of depth to the offensive line. The Falcons' pass-rush was anemic at best, outside of DE John Abraham. 

The Falcons would likely be served well by pursuing DT Albert Haynesworth or TE Bo Scaife, and generic things like a defensive back or an offensive lineman.  The Falcons would probably benefit from trade-downs to collect draft picks.

BALTIMORE RAVENS: LB Ray Lewis, LB Terrell Suggs, LB Bart Scott, C Jason Brown (RFA), DL Dwan Edwards, TE Daniel Wilcox.  Another case of who do you tag?  If the Ravens finish on top this year, Ray Lewis might retire, which would still leave the question between Suggs and Scott.  The likelihood is, Baltimore would tag Suggs, even if Lewis wants to play in 2009. 

Furthermore, C Jason Brown is a restricted free agent, but a crafty team could bid high enough to where the Ravens will pass.  Thus, the Ravens will likely lose Lewis and Scott, possibly Brown.  If I were the Ravens, I'd focus on the draft for value picks to bolster depth rather than pursue free agents.  They've lost more than this and still rebounded.

BUFFALO BILLS: CB Jabari Greer.  The starting right-cornerback for the Bills, Greer had 37 tackles and two INTs in 2008.  The Bills though have Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, and Ashton Youboty to work with.  The thinking is, why spend the money when you can use that money to bolster a different position? 

For a team that started 5-1, they could benefit from numerous changes: DE Chris Kelsay, C Melvin Fowler, WR Josh Reed, and TE Robert Royal.  DE Julius Peppers will likely get tagged, so don't count on that Bills fans.  Same goes for WR TJ Houshmandzadeh.  TE Owen Daniels in Houston will likely get tagged to, and possibly C Matt Birk and C Jeff Saturday.

The best move then would be for Buffalo to pursue a WR like Detroit's Shaun McDonald or a TE like Tennessee's Bo Scaife, and focus draft picks on value rather than trade-ups for supposedly better players.  The Bills in some ways are up a creek without a paddle. Their best moves would be to bolster their depth rather than their starters, and hope that the backups will bubble-up.

CAROLINA PANTHERS: DE Julius Peppers, OT Jordan Gross.  The Most Likely to Get Tagged is Julius Peppers, but the Panthers might decide that Jordan Gross is harder to replace, because of the progress of DE Charles Johnson.  But, my gut says they'll stick with Peppers and draft a tackle.

The Panthers need to bolster their defense and so if they tagged Peppers and pursued DT Albert Haynesworth—that would be one beastly defensive line.

UPDATE: Julius Peppers has stated that he desires to play for another team in order to challenge himself.  The Panthers could "tag and trade" Peppers, though.

CHICAGO BEARS: S Mike Brown, TE Desmond Clark.  With the progress of d-backs Kevin Payne, Corey Graham, and Danieal Manning, the Bears will likely pass on re-signing the oft-injured Brown.  If the Titans let Kerry Collins walk, the Bears would benefit from signing him.  The Bears drafted OT Chris Williams in the first-round in 2008, but would benefit from signing a tackle like Jordan Gross or Stacy Andrews. 

As for the draft, I think they should infuse the Front Seven with value picks; and so, if the Bears can add a tackle and quarterback in free agency, they would be able to trade down and collect draft picks for value.

CINCINNATI BENGALS: WR TJ Houshmandzadeh, RT Stacy Andrews, DT John Thornton, RB Cedric Benson.  This team has problems.  The Housh will likely get tagged but a loss of Andrews would create a hole on the offensive line.  The Bengals also need a better running back, resolve the situation with WR Johnson, decide if Carson Palmer is still their quarterback, and fix the defense. 

I think the key for the Bengals though is development—they need to develop their youth and shed the drama.  Players like LB Keith Rivers, DT Pat Sims, DE Frostee Rucker, LB Abdul Hodge, WR Andre Caldwell, WR Jerome Simpson, and S Marvin White need to be developed. 

Whereas, WR Johnson, WR Chris Henry, RB Cedric Benson, and S Dexter Jackson are probably hurting more than helping because of their attitudes and paychecks.  Tight end has long been a hole for Cincinnati so they would benefit from a better short yardage receiver than Reggie Kelly. 

Furthermore, my belief is that Carson Palmer has not risen to the challenge of being the leader for Cincinnati, and that the Bengals would benefit from moving on from him by pursuing a quarterback in the draft.  Thus, the Bengals would be best suited to pursue a TE like Bo Scaife, RB Derrick Ward or Brandon Jacobs, and OT Jon Runyan or G Pete Kendall.

Cut WR Johnson and the others. Pursue a defensive end or offensive tackle with their top draft pick, but if only if they decide that Palmer can still lead the Bengals. Otherwise, they should select a quarterback. 

CLEVELAND BROWNS: S Sean Jones, CB Daven Holly, LB Willie McGinest.  The Browns might tag Jones while McGinest and Holly are likely done in Cleveland because of the age of McGinest and the development of CBs Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright.  The Browns though lacked a running back, rusher, and receiver while the status of Kellen Winslow II's future in Cleveland is still uncertain. 

Surely, Browns fans will be tantalized by the prospect of adding Ray Lewis or Bart Scott from their archrival, Baltimore.  However, a tackler is not their problem, and so, spending money on the wrong position is more likely to be a detriment.  Andra Davis, D'Qwell Jackson, and Leon Williams are capable middle-linebackers for the 3-4 defense that new coach Eric Mangini will continue. 

However, what the Browns could use is a defensive leader, which is what Ray Lewis is.  The Browns would be wise to also pursue WR Devery Henderson in free agency to compliment WR Braylon Edwards, and running back Chris Wells in the draft (assuming he retains his draft status).  They'd still need a rusher, but I think a leader like Lewis can make other players better.

DALLAS COWBOYS: DL Chris Canty, DL Tank Johnson, WR Terrell Owens.  Biggest area to address, the secondary, with CB Jabari Greer a good prospect because that would allow Anthony Henry to move to safety.  They burned their first round pick for WR Roy Williams, so after that, the Cowboys should target offensive-line prospects to groom behind their starters.  Roy Williams has the ability to match TO's numbers if given the chance, so a complimentary receiver would make sense for Dallas.

DETROIT LIONS: WR Shaun McDonald, RB Rudi Johnson, OT George Foster, DT Shaun Cody.  Is fire in the hole an appropriate answer?  McDonald is worth a chance in the right system while Johnson and Foster are likely nothing more than good backups.  The Lions though should commit to building a solid offensive line and infusing the defense with value from the draft.  The Lions need to build a foundation before they worry about a franchise player, which is what Miami did as well as Carolina after their 1-15 season in 2001.

DENVER BRONCOS: None of note.  Denver needs to clean out the redundancy in the defense.  Either go with retreads or youth.  Their best move would be to sign CB Dunta Robinson of Houston and cut CB Dre Bly, the veterans on the defensive line, safety (Marquand Manuel, Marlon McCree), and at linebacker (Nate Webster, Jamie Winborn). 

Under Mike Shanahan, the Broncos would always develop no-names to run the ball. That will no longer be the case, and so, the Broncos should consider a running back like Derrick Ward or Brandon Jacobs, and focus the draft on value picks for the defense.

GREEN BAY PACKERS: OT Mark Tauscher.  The Packers need a cornerback and to bolster their defensive line and add depth to the offensive line.  Their best course of action would be to add a cornerback in free agency and use their top pick to bolster the Front Seven.  Maybe they'll dangle QB Brian Brohm to a QB needy team for more draft picks.

HOUSTON TEXANS: OL Fred Weary, TE Owen Daniels, CB Dunta Robinson.  The Texans could tag Daniels but I'm not sure as to how highly they value tight ends.  Robinson is expendable because the Texans have depth at corner.  The Texans most need better outside linebackers, depth at running back and stability at quarterback. 

A playmaking linebacker like Karlos Dansby and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard would be perfect fits for Houston.  As for the draft, adding more value to the offense would make the most sense.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: C Jeff Saturday, CB Kelvin Hayden, RB Dominic Rhodes, LB Tyjuan Hagler.  The Colts will probably tag Saturday and find defensive replacements in the draft or on their roster (ex, Tim Jennings, Marlin Jackson).

The biggest need for Indy is a defensive tackle, and of course, everyone's favorite free agent Albert Haynesworth would fit perfectly for Indy.  As for the draft: generic defense.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: OT Khalif Barnes.  The Jags will likely tag Barnes.  Their best strategy would be to bolster the front seven and infuse the defense with value picks.  Yes, they need a receiver, BUT I think they'd be fine if they'd played better defense.  A cornerback like Jabari Greer and a defensive tackle like Rocky Bernard would fit well in Jacksonville.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: S Jarrad Page, *RB Larry Johnson.  They Chiefs might not tag Page, but if so, the Chiefs would be best suited to pursue DT Albert Haynesworth and a defensive end with their top pick.  QB Tyler Thigpen played admirably, so I would stick with him and sign a veteran backup like Jeff Garcia.  Larry Johnson wants out but I think they have talent at running back.  After that, they should use their picks for value to add to the offense.

MIAMI DOLPHINS: OT Vernon Carey, RB Ricky Williams, LB Channing Crowder, DB Renaldo Hill.  I would tag Carey in order to retain the Miami offensive line, which fostered the success of the Wildcat and the offense in general.  Crowder is good, but there are comparable players in free agency. 

Ricky Williams might decide to resign with Miami regardless, but if not, the Dolphins should move on.  As for the draft, the secondary could use an infusion of youth while the offensive line needs depth.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: C Matt Birk.  The Vikings could tag Birk, but probably won't.  Their biggest need is quarterback, so they could pursue a QB like Jeff Garcia.  As for the draft, the Vikes could use their picks to infuse their lines of scrimmage with youth to groom.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: CB Deltha O'Neal, QB Matt Cassel, RB LaMont Jordan, WR Jabar Gaffney, LS Lonie Paxton, STG Larry Izzo.  The Pats will likely tag Cassel and develop yet another cornerback.  A running back like Rudi Johnson would be a good compliment to Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris, or they can resign Jordan.  As for the draft: value on defense.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: G Jahri Evans (RFA), LB Jonathan Vilma, WR Lance Moore; WR Devery Henderson, WR Marques Colston (RFA).  The Saints will likely tag Vilma to protect their defensive group.  The Saints most need a power player in the middle of the defensive line to compliment DT Sedrick Ellis, and support DE Charles Grant and DE Will Smith.  The best course of action would be to load up on defensive linemen and special teams in the draft.

NEW YORK GIANTS: RB Brandon Jacobs, RB Derrick Ward, WR Amani Toomer.  Tag Jacobs, draft for value generically.  They should consider trading their picks for future picks.

NEW YORK JETS: RB Jesse Chatman, LB Eric Barton.  Needs: QB, WR, ILB, youth on defense.  From Brett Favre to Jeff Garcia?  Possibly, but if not the Jets are staring at another down year with Kellen Clemens unless they pull a mega-trade to jump into the top three and select a quarterback. 

Another scenario would be to trade for Matt Leinart, but I honestly have never believed that Leinart would be a good pro because I think ex-Trojans are so accustomed to winning and being the toast of a big town that they fail to adjust when they go to a lousy team.  However, New York might be the right environment for Leinart.

OAKLAND RAIDERS: CB Nnamdi Asomugha, P Shane Lechler, RS Justin Miller, OL Cooper Carlisle, S Rashad Baker.  Asomugha, Lechler and Miller are all ProBowlers.  Unless the Raiders pony up for one of them before free agency and tag the other, they will likely lose one or two.  The Raiders need to shed payroll in the offseason: DT Gerard Warren, WR Javon Walker, RB Justin Fargas.

Rashad Baker made big plays but could be the defensive-back version of DE Chris Clemons (who signed with Philadelphia after leading the Raiders in sacks but flopped so far). 

Cooper Carlisle has been the best lineman on a hot-and-cold line.  LT Kwame Harris is probably better off on the right side while Mario Henderson has showed promise on the left.  Free agents would be a dream because I think the Raiders need to focus on their current talent, but if anyone, Albert Haynesworth is the hope.  In the draft, the Raiders should target a wide receiver with the top pick, and value picks at defensive and offensive tackle.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: S Brian Dawkins, RB Correll Buckhalter, TE LJ Smith, OT Tra Thomas, OT Jon Runyan.  Buckhalter and Smith will likely walk, Dawkins will re-sign and if not, the Iggles have depth at safety.  The big issue is the offensive line.  I'm not sure that any of the free agents are upgrades to what they have and so I would focus on the draft for replacements, and try to resign one.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS: LB James Farrior, OT Marvel Smith, CB Bryant McFadden.  Farrior will get tagged no question.  Smith was a ProBowler but might be overrated.  The Steelers would be wise to add offensive linemen to groom and find another cornerback, possibly Houston's Dunta Robinson. 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: DT Rocky Bernard, WR/RS Koren Robinson, WR Bobby Engram, RB Maurice Morris, LB Leroy Hill.  The Seahawks need a change of direction.  With Mike Holmgren leaving, the 'Hawks should consider a replacement for Matt Hasselbeck and to revamp their offensive line, and of course add value to the Front Seven.  Surely, the 'Hawks can find a team willing to trade for Hasselbeck (i.e. Tampa Bay).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: RB/RS Darren Sproles, G Mike Goff.  Knowing AJ Smith, he'll probably tag Sproles, trade LaDainian Tomlinson, and let Mike Goff walk.  The Chargers though need to clean up their secondary and add a power runner to compliment Sproles.  They would probably be best suited to trade their top picks for future picks or additional 2009 picks.  LT would be a good fit in Tampa Bay or Houston.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: RS Allen Rossum, OL Eric Heitman.  If I ran the Niners, I'd pursue a tackle like Stacy Andrews, QB Kerry Collins, and WR/RS Koren Robinson and focus the draft on value picks to bolster the defense, and another running back.  This team is probably a few smart moves away from contending for their division.  I wouldn't release QB Alex Smith, because I think he was rushed into starting after entering the league from a college system that was not NFL ready.  If the Niners can find a quarterback to lead them to success, that will take the pressure off Smith and allow him to rebound.  Smith, if released, would be good value for another team (i.e. Tampa Bay), so the thinking is, stick with Smith but find a servicable starter.

UPDATE: According to Tennessee headcoach Jeff Fisher, Kerry Collins will be the starter for the Titans if he resigns.  That of course, leaves the future of Vince Young in the balance.  My personal opinion is that the 49ers should offer Alex Smith and a draft pick to the Titans for Young; otherwise, the Niners are staring down the barrel of Jeff Garcia, Rex Grossman, Charlie Batch, Kyle Boller and Kyle Orton.

ST LOUIS RAMS: S Oshiomogho Atogwe.  The Rams need to move on from Marc Bulger and bolster the lines of scrimmage with youth and cut the paycheck junkies.  The Rams then would be wise to select a quarterback.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: QB Jeff Garcia, S Jermaine Phillips, CB/RS Phillip Buchanon.  Needs: DL, CB, QB, RB.  The Bucs would be wise to pursue DT Albert Haynesworth and find another QB because Garcia will likely leave, and then spend their draft picks to bolster the defense to ensure the health of their defense.  The Bucs will unlikely draft a QB because coach Jon Gruden prefers veterans so much so that I wouldn't rule out a trade for Damon Huard.  As for runningback, Warrick Dunn has long been underrated but I think Tampa Bay needs a power runner to split the load, while Cadillac Williams has been oft-injured.

UPDATE -- Jon Gruden was fired as headcoach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

TENNESSEE TITANS: DT Albert Haynesworth, QB Kerry Collins, WR Brandon Jones, TE Bo Scaife.  Unless the Titans pony up, Haynesworth is gone.  In free agency, the Titans could stand to sign a receiver like Shaun McDonald or Devery Henderson and use the draft to reload their front seven.  Bo Scaife is likely gone unless Tennessee cuts TE Alge Crumpler; otherwise, I think the Titans will replace Scaife in the draft.  Vince Young has had success in the NFL but so has Kerry Collins, and neither of whom would want to be backups.  Collins could easily help a team like San Francisco, Chicago, Minnesota or Tampa Bay, so the wise thing for Tennessee would be to tag Collins and trade him (or "tag and trade") for a 2nd or 3rd round pick in order to reload their roster.  And hey, those are all NFC teams so the Titans would only have to worry about Collins if they meet in the Super Bowl.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS: G Pete Kendall.  I would focus on drafting value for the lines of scrimmage and see if any of those backups will bubble-up.  Dan Snyder will likely throw the most money at DT Albert Haynesworth because if Jason Taylor followes through on his stated intent to retire, then the Redskins will need another impact player on the defensive line to stay afloat in the NFC East.

POSSIBLE VALUE PLAYERS:

RB Kevin Jones; RB Rudi Johnson; RB LaMont Jordan; QB Kyle Boller; WR Devery Henderson; WR Lance Moore

Appendix A: Free Agents

QB
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
QB Charlie Batch UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
QB Brock Berlin RFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
QB Kyle Boller UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
QB Matt Cassel UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
QB Kerry Collins UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
QB Bruce Eugene RFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
QB Charlie Frye UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
QB Jeff Garcia UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
QB David Garrard UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
QB Rex Grossman UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
QB Gibran Hamdan UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
QB J.P. Losman UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
QB Luke McCown UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
QB J.T. O’Sullivan UFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
QB Kyle Orton UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
QB Patrick Ramsey UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
QB Kurt Warner UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
QB Anthony Wright UFA New York Giants Free Agent

RB
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
RB Shaun Alexander UFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
RB J.J. Arrington UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
RB Cedric Benson UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
RB Correll Buckhalter UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
RB Jesse Chatman UFA New York Jets Free Agent
RB P.J. Daniels RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
RB DeDe Dorsey RFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
RB Andre Hall ERFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
RB Fred Jackson RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
RB Steven Jackson UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
RB Brandon Jacobs UFA New York Giants Free Agent
RB Rudi Johnson UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
RB Kevin Jones UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
RB LaMont Jordan UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
RB Maurice Morris UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
RB Jason Snelling UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
RB Darren Sproles UFA San Diego Chargers Free Agent
RB Aaron Stecker UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
RB Derrick Ward UFA New York Giants Free Agent
RB Danny Ware RFA New York Giants Free Agent
RB Ricky Williams UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
RB Quincy Wilson UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
RB Jason Wright UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
FB B.J. Askew UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
FB Tim Castille ERFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
FB Daniel Coats ERFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
FB Carey Davis RFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
FB Heath Evans UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
FB Zak Keasey RFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
FB Richard Owens UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
FB Ryan Powdrell ERFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
FB Terrelle Smith UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
FB Byron Storer RFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
FB Naufahu Tahi RFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent

WR
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
WR Miles Austin RFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
WR Hank Baskett RFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
WR Shaun Bodiford RFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
WR Marques Colston RFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
WR Bobby Engram UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
WR Jabar Gaffney UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
WR Rod Gardner UFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
WR Dante’ Hall UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
WR Devery Henderson UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
WR Sam Hurd RFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
WR Justin Jenkins RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
WR Brandon Jones UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
WR Dane Looker UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
WR Shaun McDonald UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
WR Lance Moore UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
WR Johnnie Morant UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
WR Ben Obomanu RFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
WR Terrell Owens UFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
WR Roscoe Parrish UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
WR Maurice Price RFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
WR Dominique Thompson UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
WR Amani Toomer UFA New York Giants Free Agent
WR Jeff Webb RFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
WR Demetrius Williams RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
WR Mike Williams UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
WR Cedrick Wilson UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
WR Wallace Wright RFA New York Jets Free Agent

TE
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
TE Dominique Byrd RFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
TE Mark Campbell UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
TE Desmond Clark UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
TE Jon Dekker RFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
TE Darnell Dinkins UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
TE Kevin Everett UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
TE Aaron Halterman UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
TE Will Heller UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
TE Jeff King RFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
TE Jim Kleinsasser UFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
TE Joe Kowalewski RFA New York Jets Free Agent
TE Itula Mili UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
TE Ben Patrick ERFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
TE Leonard Pope RFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
TE Stephen Spach UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
TE Tony Stewart UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
TE Quinn Sypniewski RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
TE Daniel Wilcox UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent

PK
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
PK Robbie Gould UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
PK Shayne Graham UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
PK Jason Hanson UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
PK Tyler Jones UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
PK John Kasay UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
PK Mike Nugent UFA New York Jets Free Agent
PK Matt Stover UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent

P
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
P Chris Hanson UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
P Craig Hentrich UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
P Sam Koch RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
P Shane Lechler UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent

OL
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
OG Cooper Carlisle UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
OG Kirk Chambers UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
OG Harvey Dahl UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
OG Mike Goff UFA San Diego Chargers Free Agent
OG Chris Gray UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
OG Eric Heitmann UFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
OG Russ Hochstein UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
OG Richie Incognito UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
OG Pete Kendall UFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
OG Seth McKinney UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
OG Blaine Saipaia UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
OG Mark Setterstrom RFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
OG Fred Weary UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
OG Tony Wragge RFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
OT Jordan Black UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
OT Mike Brisiel ERFA Houston Texans Free Agent
OT Vernon Carey UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
OT Richard Collier RFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
OT Marc Colombo UFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
OT Willie Colon RFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
OT Anthony Davis UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
OT Dan Federkeil RFA Indianapolis Colts Free Agent
OT George Foster UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
OT Adrian Jones UFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
OT Frank Omiyale UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
OT Mike Otto RFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
OT Jon Runyan UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
OT Marvel Smith UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
OT John St. Clair UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
OT Jon Stinchcomb UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
OT Mark Tauscher UFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
OT Tra Thomas UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
OT Chris L. White UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
OT Ray Willis UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
C David Binn UFA San Diego Chargers Free Agent
C Matt Birk UFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
C Nick Cole RFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
C Melvin Fowler UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
C Brad Meester UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
C Tom Nalen UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
C Lonie Paxton UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
C Bryan Pittman UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
C Grey Ruegamer UFA New York Giants Free Agent
C Jeff Saturday UFA Indianapolis Colts Free Agent
C Lyle Sendlein ERFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
C Ben Wilkerson UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
C Joe Zelenka UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
OL Rashad Butler RFA Houston Texans Free Agent
OL Damane Duckett UFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
OL Jahri Evans RFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
OL Renardo Foster UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
OL Chris Morris RFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
OL Tony Palmer RFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
OL Duke Preston UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
OL Zach Strief RFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent

DL
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
DL Victor Adeyanju RFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
DL Jonathan Babineaux UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
DL Bertrand Berry UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
DL Ray Blagman ERFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
DL Copeland Bryan RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
DL Kevin Carter UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
DL Shaun Cody UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
DL Dwan Edwards UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
DL Demetric Evans UFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
DL Fred Evans RFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
DL Ronald Fields UFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
DL La’Roi Glover UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
DL Kedric Golston RFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
DL Howard Green UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
DL Otis Grigsby RFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
DL Tommie Harris UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
DL Jason Hunter RFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
DL Tank Johnson UFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
DL Antwan Lake UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
DL Louis Leonard ERFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
DL Tony McDaniel RFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
DL Rob Meier UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
DL Jayme Mitchell RFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
DL Anthony Montgomery RFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
DL Mike Montgomery UFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
DL Eric M. Moore UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
DL C.J. Mosley UFA New York Jets Free Agent
DL Ryan Neill ERFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
DL Julius Peppers UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
DL Kenny Peterson UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
DL Ryan Sims UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
DL Paul Spicer UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
DL Michael Strahan UFA New York Giants Free Agent
DL John Thornton UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
DL Marcus Tubbs UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
DL Kenechi Udeze UFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
DL Jimmy Verdon RFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
DL Kevin Vickerson UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
DL Gabe Watson RFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
DL Jeff Zgonina UFA Houston Texans Free Agent

LB
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
LB Colin Allred RFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
LB James Anderson RFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
LB Eric Barton UFA New York Jets Free Agent
LB Monty Beisel UFA Arizona Cardinals Free Agent
LB Khary Campbell UFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
LB Anthony Cannon RFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
LB Ryan Claridge UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
LB Dan Cody UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
LB Jorge Cordova UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
LB Channing Crowder UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
LB Angelo Crowell UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
LB John DiGiorgio RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
LB Keith Ellison RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
LB Troy Evans UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
LB James Farrior UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
LB Tyjuan Hagler UFA Indianapolis Colts Free Agent
LB Kevin Harrison RFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
LB Michael Hawkes UFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
LB LeRoy Hill UFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
LB Brian Iwuh RFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
LB Larry Izzo UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
LB Clint Kriewaldt UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
LB Jason Kyle UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
LB Kenard Lang UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
LB Paris Lenon UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
LB Ray Lewis UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
LB Darrell McClover UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
LB Willie McGinest UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
LB Marvin Mitchell RFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
LB Quentin Moses ERFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
LB Marques Murrell RFA New York Jets Free Agent
LB Sam Olajubutu RFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
LB Mike Peterson UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
LB Brady Poppinga UFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
LB Nick Roach ERFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
LB Bart Scott UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
LB Cody Spencer UFA New York Jets Free Agent
LB Pat Thomas UFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
LB Zach Thomas UFA Dallas Cowboys Free Agent
LB Pago Togafau RFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
LB Jyles Tucker RFA San Diego Chargers Free Agent
LB Jonathan Vilma UFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
LB Mark Washington ERFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
LB Nate Webster UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
LB Sam Williams UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
LB Rod Wilson UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent

DB
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
CB Nnamdi Asomugha UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
CB Ron Bartell UFA St. Louis Rams Free Agent
CB Tyron Brackenridge RFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
CB Phillip Buchanon UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
CB Jarrett Bush RFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
CB Travis Daniels UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
CB Kevin Dockery RFA New York Giants Free Agent
CB Demarcus Faggins UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
CB Cortland Finnegan RFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
CB Chris Gamble UFA Carolina Panthers Free Agent
CB Andre’ Goodman UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
CB Charles Gordon RFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
CB Jabari Greer UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent
CB Brent Grimes UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
CB Antoine Harris ERFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
CB Kelvin Hayden UFA Indianapolis Colts Free Agent
CB Kevin Hobbs RFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
CB Daven Holly UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
CB Corey Ivy UFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
CB Eric King UFA Tennessee Titans Free Agent
CB Derrick Martin RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
CB Bryant McFadden UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
CB R.W. McQuarters UFA New York Giants Free Agent
CB Justin Miller UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
CB Dimitri Patterson RFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
CB Bruce Perry UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
CB Lamont Reid UFA Denver Broncos Free Agent
CB Dunta Robinson UFA Houston Texans Free Agent
CB Ramzee Robinson ERFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
CB Allen Rossum UFA San Francisco 49ers Free Agent
CB Duane Starks UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
CB Scott Starks UFA Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agent
CB Brandon Williams UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
CB Tramon Williams ERFA Green Bay Packers Free Agent
SS Mike Brown UFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
SS Sean Considine UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
SS Reed Doughty RFA Washington Redskins Free Agent
SS Abram Elam UFA New York Jets Free Agent
SS Josh Gattis ERFA Chicago Bears Free Agent
SS Rodney Harrison UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
SS Kyries Hebert UFA Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent
SS Sean Jones UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
SS Dawan Landry RFA Baltimore Ravens Free Agent
SS Jon McGraw UFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
SS Lawyer Milloy UFA Atlanta Falcons Free Agent
SS Jermaine Phillips UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
SS Chris Reis RFA New Orleans Saints Free Agent
SS Kerry Rhodes UFA New York Jets Free Agent
SS James Sanders UFA New England Patriots Free Agent
SS Darren Sharper UFA Minnesota Vikings Free Agent
FS Mike Adams UFA Cleveland Browns Free Agent
FS Will Allen UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent
FS Rashad Baker UFA Oakland Raiders Free Agent
FS Patrick Body UFA Detroit Lions Free Agent
FS Brian Dawkins UFA Philadelphia Eagles Free Agent
FS Renaldo Hill UFA Miami Dolphins Free Agent
FS Anthony Madison RFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
FS Jarrad Page RFA Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
FS Anthony Smith RFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent
FS C.J. Wallace RFA Seattle Seahawks Free Agent
FS George Wilson UFA Buffalo Bills Free Agent

DBT
Pos Player Name FA Status Previous Team Current Team
ST Jared Retkofsky UFA Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent

Appendix B: Salary Caps

1. Tampa Bay -- $42m under – New GM Mark Dominik steps into the fallout from one of the worst collapses in history. The Bucs were 9-3 and cruising. They finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs, losing in Week 17 to ex-coach Jon Gruden’s ex-team, the Oakland Raiders. Every team since 1993 that started 9-3 had made the playoffs until now. Time to get younger. DE Kevin Carter, LB Derrick Brooks, and CB Ronde Barber are turning 36, 36, and 34. Can they lock up free-agent WR Antonio Bryant now that his mentor Gruden was canned? He’ll test the market. QBs Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, and Luke McCown will all be gone. Classic rebuilding mode here.

2. Arizona -- $41m under – Charley Casserly quoted this astounding figure on CBS last week. It’s kind of deceiving because few teams have as many big names to re-sign. They only have 37 players under contract this year. QB Kurt Warner, DE Bert Berry, DE Antonio Smith and LB Karlos Dansby are free agents. Would Warner stay on a discount so he can stay with Larry Fitzgerald? Obviously WR Anquan Boldin wants more money. WR Steve Breaston warrants an extension. They can cut RB Edgerrin James and DE Chike Okeafor and free up $7m. Overall there’s no reason why Arizona can’t sign studs like DE Terrell Suggs (who went to ASU), C/G Jason Brown (another stud Raven), and maybe RB Darren Sproles (change-up for Hightower?).

3. Denver -- $34m under – New coach Josh McDaniels has needs everywhere, primarily on defense. This unit could see a massive slash-fest that frees up another $15m or so, giving them near $50m to spend! S Marlon McCree, S Marquand Manuel, LB Nate Webster, LB Boss Bailey, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, & DT Dewayne Robertson are just 6 of maybe 10-12 defense cap-cuts. McDaniels won’t leave offense off his wish list since he’s holding a platinum credit card. Free-agent RB Derrick Ward is a perfect fit. They have 2 great WRs in Brandon Marshall & Eddie Royal, but what about adding WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh? McDaniels witnessed T.J. burning New England for 26 catches, 340 yards and 1 TD in the last 3 meetings.

4. Kansas City -- $33m under – The youngest club in the league last year, and the stingiest too. “Astonishingly, the Kansas City Chiefs elected to not carry forward almost $22m of available cap room to 2009, preferring to leave their money on the table in 2008, never to be used again,” writes Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post. New GM Scott Pioli has complete control of operations & personnel and only answers to owner Clark Hunt. You can bet Pioli has the green light to spend – and this cap money plus the 3rd overall pick attracted him to the job. The real question is: What does he do with Larry Johnson?

5. Tennessee -- $31m under – DT Albert Haynesworth is this year’s big prize. They can’t franchise him again because of incentive clauses. Insiders say Haynesworth likes Nashville and might stay on a hometown discount but that’s unlikely. 2-3 other teams will offer tongue-dropping cash and he will leave. QB Vince Young’s cap figure is a manageable $4.6m but it jumps to $14.2m in 2010. If they cut Young it’s a $7.7m cap hit. Owner Bud Adams won’t give up on the flaky kid. Overall the Titans are not big shoppers so don’t look for major splashes. Note: C Kevin Mawae is 38. You know the Titans would love to pry free-agent C Jeff Saturday away from Indy.

6. Miami -- $28m under – Free-agent DE Julius Peppers is linked to the Dolphins in trade rumors. Miami has the cash and also an extra 2nd-rounder (from sending DE Jason Taylor to the Skins) so it’s possible. However, they’d have to part with their 1st rounder - 26th overall - this year too. Miami has some free agents to re-sign like S Yeremiah Bell, LB Channing Crowder, & CB Andre Goodman. OT Vernon Carey is also a free agent but he’ll be offered more money by someone else, if only for his versatility. S Renaldo Hill will probably walk too.

7. Buffalo -- $27m under – They can free up at least $10m more by slicing off some defensive fat, guys like S Ko Simpson, DE Chris Kelsay, DT John McCargo, etc. The Bills have a lot of UFAs to consider re-signing, however: C/G Duke Preston, CB Jabari Greer, LB Angelo Crowell, G Jason Whittle, and T Kirk Chambers. RB Fred Jackson is an exclusive rights free agent, which means they can keep him affordably – though he deserves a nice extension right now. They still gotta hammer out a mega-deal with OT Jason Peters.

8. Detroit -- $26m under – New coach Jim Schwartz is no dummy. The Lions have nowhere to go but up from 0-16. They have two 1st rounders, two 3rd rounders, and 5 of the top-82 picks overall. Owner William Clay Ford will spend money. And they could have way more than $26m in cap room – after trimming off CB Leigh Bodden, QB Daunte Culpepper, S Dwight Smith, TE Dan Campbell & G Edwin Mulitalo. This roster is in for a major overhaul and could be loaded with stud rookies and free agents.

9. San Francisco -- $26m under – In 2007 and 2008 the 49ers were top-3 in cap room, so they’re still hanging in there nicely. They can cut QB Alex Smith and OT Jonas Jennings and free up $7.3 million more. Smith is coming off the busted shoulder and simply isn’t a great player. Jennings has missed all or parts of 47 games the last 4 years. DE Justin Smith’s big contract last year has a bloated cap figure for 2009 - $10.5 million – but they’ll let it ride. Ninersnation.com is clamoring for the team to land free-agent DE Terrell Suggs at all costs.

10. Houston -- $25m under – Cutting S Will Demps, RB Ahman Green, LB Morlon Greenwood and DE Anthony Weaver could add more space to this figure. Defense and offensive line are always the big need, despite using six 1st-round picks on these two areas since 2004. The fans want free-agent DE Julius Peppers but he wants to be in a 3-4 scheme so that rules Houston out. Plus they don’t want to give up the 15th pick. DE Chris Canty (Cowboys) and LB Bart Scott (Ravens) are great fits. S Brian Dawkins could be a sneaky grab who lends valuable leadership to a young defense.

11. Philadelphia -- $25m under – The big question is what do they do with Donovan McNabb? He counts $10.3 million on the cap. If they trade him it would free up $9.2 million in cap space (with only $1.1m left on the books). S Brian Dawkins, OT Tra Thomas, OT Jon Runyan, RB Correll Buckhalter and S Sean Considine are free agents. They can cut TE L.J. Smith and CB Lito Sheppard to free up $5m. Bust WR Reggie Brown is staying because they take a $3m hit if they release him.

12. Cincinnati -- $22m under – Owner Mike Brown must be overcome with grief. QB Carson Palmer, WR Chad Johnson, and OT Levi Jones were all in the top-6 highest paid at their positions – and the Bengals were last in scoring, yards, and yards per play. They franchised RT Stacey Andrews last season after failing to sign him to a long-term deal for the 2nd straight year. This year they might franchise WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh at $7.85m guaranteed for 1 year. Overall none of this cap stuff matters to Cincy if Carson Palmer’s elbow is trashed. Stay tuned.

13. New England -- $21m under – This figure doesn’t count the (gulp) $14.8m one-year tender for Matt Cassel. If they tag Cassel they’ll have $28 million cap dollars tied up in 2 quarterbacks. However, they can make it work. DE Richard Seymour, OT Matt Light, WR Randy Moss, LB Adalius Thomas, and DE Jarvis Green have a combined $65m in cap charges – if 3 or 4 of those guys restructure it frees up $15m easily.

14. Minnesota -- $20m under – Last year the Vikings gave up a 1st & two 3rd-rounders for DE Jared Allen, then tossed him a whopping $31m in guaranteed money. Allen had 14.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a league-high 52 QB hurries. Cha-ching! This kind of aggressive management approach should set an example for flaccid clubs like Cincinnati and St. Louis. Go get your guy. Sign a true game-changer. This year the Vikings are rumored to be after QBs Matt Cassel or Donovan McNabb.

15. Atlanta -- $20m under – Some old reliables must go, including former superstar LB Keith Brooking. He’s scheduled to count $7m but his contract is voidable. Brooking’s fate was sealed when he got beat by Cardinals TE Stephen Spach in the wild-card game. GM Thomas Dimitroff isn’t afraid to make tough decisions – he cut franchise legends Alge Crumpler & Warrick Dunn last year. Fan favorite LB Michael Boley might be cut too. When they release Michael Vick he’ll still eat up $7.1m in cap space.

16. Pittsburgh -- $19m under – Supposedly a frugal club, the Steelers spent $128m in payroll last year, 6th highest in football. The product bears out that spending. And when they did Roethlisberger’s extension last March they pro-rated his $25m signing bonus over the 8 years of the deal, and his 2009 salary is “only” $4.75m, so his 2009 cap hit is a manageable $7.9m. The big question is will they re-sign G Chris Kemoeatu, T Max Starks, and T Marvel Smith, all free agents?

17. Baltimore -- $19m under – CBs Samari Rolle & Chris McAlister count a combined $17m. Pay cuts or both hit the road. The Ravens are a relatively low payroll club who’s squeezed the most they could out of what they have. 3 of the top-6 defensive free agents on the 2009 market are Ravens: DE Terrell Suggs, LB Bart Scott, and LB Ray Lewis. They can’t keep all three. Maybe only one. TE Todd Heap already took a pay cut once so they might just cut him. It would free up $3.6m. The big rumor is a straight-up trade: Terrell Suggs for Anquan Boldin. Wow!

18. Chicago -- $19m under – Key defensive studs like CB Nathan Vasher, CB Charles Tillman, and LB Brian Urlacher count a combined $20m. Re-do their deals. Yikes, there’s $5.4m in dead money for Cedric Benson, Muhsin Muhammad, and Brian Griese. They can free up $8m by cutting OT John Tait, FB Jason McKie, DE Adewale Ogunleye, DT Dusty Dvoracek, and WR Marty Booker. The Bears are rumored to be after safety O.J. Atogwe in free agency (if he isn’t franchised by St. Louis) and DE Terrell Suggs.

19. Green Bay -- $18m under – Getting rid of Brett Favre and his $12 million salary for a 3rd-round pick turned out to be the right move. Then they signed Aaron Rodgers to a cap-friendly 6-year, $65 million deal on Oct. 31 – shoveling $12 million onto the 2008 cap before the league deadline. If they waited another 24 hours the entire pay increase would have to be treated as a signing bonus -- and pro-rated over the length of the contract for cap purposes. Now they have cap room to extend WR Greg Jennings, S Nick Collins, and S Atari Bigby.

20. Cleveland -- $17m under – The Browns will probably cut Jamal Lewis. They’d be saving a cash payout of $6.4m in salary & roster bonus. RT Kevin Shaffer is a bust, but he only counts $4.4m on the cap so he might stay. WR Donte Stallworth has a roster bonus of $5m due – he’ll fly out to fleece his 5th team in March. The Browns can free up $12m in cap room by cutting QB Derek Anderson, DE Shaun Smith, LB Willie McGinest, LB Andra Davis, DT Robaire Smith, and G Ryan Tucker.

21. Jacksonville -- $16m under – Owner Wayne Weaver got burned last year, giving out $23m in guaranteed dollars to WR Jerry Porter and CB Drayton Florence. He spent $122m in total payroll, 8th most in the league. They’ll let OT Khalif Barnes walk in free agency. S Gerald Sensabaugh, LB Mike Peterson, and C Brad Mester might walk too. Only Meester seems to be on their list of priorities. WR Reggie Williams’ contract is voidable. He’s gone.

22. San Diego -- $14m under – Time for semi-rebuilding on both sides of the ball. Not a complete housecleaning, but GM A.J. Smith knows he has to shake it up. But first he has to extend Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman and Vincent Jackson, all going into the last year of their deals. As crazy as it seems, ending it with LaDainian Tomlinson makes sense. He’s 30 and his body is breaking down. Dumping him off frees up $6.725m in cap space. They also want to re-sign Darren Sproles, who was their MVP in December & January.

23. New York Giants -- $11m under – The first order of business is to lock up Brandon Jacobs, but can (will) they? He’ll want to test the open market and plenty of teams could offer more money. Rumor has it the Giants want free-agent DT Albert Haynesworth (imagine that defensive line with Osi Umenyiora returning from injury) but they’re actually set with DTs Fred Robbins & Barry Cofield. If Plaxico Burress is cut before June 1st he only counts $4.4m in dead money.

24. Dallas -- $10m under – Owner Jerry Jones will always empty his pockets and spend cash-over-cap so it doesn’t really matter how much room Dallas has. The first order of business is Terrell Owens. The reports that his release/trade would cause a massive cap charge are true – but the “net” hit is only $680,000. In other words, he already counts $8.99 million if stays. He counts $9.67m if he leaves. They have until June 1st when his $3.1m roster bonus is due. All-World LB DeMarcus Ware is entering a contract year and deserves to be one of the 5 highest-paid defenders in the NFL. Overall, every offensive starter is signed for at least 2 more years. Cutting QB Brad Johnson, G Montrae Holland, and S Roy Williams frees up $6m.

25. Carolina -- $9m under – Jake Delhomme counts $11m on the cap. Cut him and get $6m in net cap savings. Or accept his apology for the 6 turnovers vs. Arizona, re-do his deal and free up a few million. Ask CB Ken Lucas ($6m cap charge) to restructure too. Cut WR D.J. Hackett, RB Nick Goings, LB Landon Johnson, OG Keydrick Vincent, and CB Ricardo Colclough to free up $8m. Carolina could franchise-tag DE Julius Peppers and trade him for a 1st round pick (they currently don’t have a 1st rounder in this draft). We hear Cleveland and Miami are the most interested.

26. Seattle -- $9m under – The Seahawks can free up $14m in cap space by cutting QB Matt Hasselbeck, OG Mike Wahle, WR Bobby Engram, RB Maurice Morris, and WR Koren Robinson. Robinson might actually stay if his knee gets right. “He's been the key blocker on three of our four longest plays from scrimmage this year, and the receiver in our longest (90 yarder),” says Seahawks beat blogger Chris Sullivan. LB LeRoy Hill will likely be franchise-tagged at $8 million for one year. LT Walter Jones and WR Deion Branch count $17m combined by themselves. Pay cuts, fellas.

27. St. Louis -- $8m under – They could be releasing the last 3 players from their Super Bowl winning team in 1999 – WR Torry Holt, DE Leonard Little, and OT Orlando Pace. It would free up $14m and give them a chance to sign a couple free agents. WR Drew Bennett (coming off a broken foot) might not be back, though cutting him causes a $2.5m cap hit. Rams HC Steve Spagnuolo is rumored to be interested in free-agent DT Albert Haynesworth and DE Terrell Suggs. Who isn’t?

28. Oakland -- $4m under – Ouch, CB DeAngelo Hall counts $5m in dead money after being cut. To make it worse he suddenly played like a Pro Bowler again in Washington. WR Javon Walker has a $5m roster bonus due next month. He’ll actually collect it because of an injury guarantee – and his cap hit is $14m if they cut him. Stupid contracts, Al. OT Robert Gallery will have to rework his deal to shave off his $9.2m cap charge.

29. Indianapolis -- $2m over – Peyton Manning counts a massive $21m by himself, the 2nd biggest cap charge in NFL history behind Steve McNair’s $23m in 2006. The Titans ended up locking McNair out of team headquarters that summer. Indy won’t do anything quite that drastic, but they do need to discuss money with Peyton. They can free up $6m by cutting Marvin Harrison. Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, CB Kelvin Hayden and RB Dominic Rhodes are free agents. They could franchise-tag Saturday at $8.6m on the 2009 cap. Not too bad. Lots of work to do here, though.

30. Washington -- $3m over – Nothing new for owner Daniel Snyder, he’s from the Jerry Jones Cash-Over-Cap School. Boy, they’ve given out some stupid contracts over the years. Heck, WR Brandon Lloyd still counts $5.5m in dead money from 2007, plus they gave away 3rd & 4th rounders for him that year. We hear the Skins have their eye on 1 stud free agent – Panthers OT Jordan Gross, who could replace the declining Jon Jansen on the right.

31. New Orleans -- $5m over – They just got the credit card bill from their 2005-2008 shopping spree. Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, DE Will Smith, DE Charles Grant, CB Mike McKenzie, huge bonuses thrown around the room. It worked on offense, not so well on defense. Brees counts $14m on the cap but that’s 33% less than Peyton Manning’s rate. Smith counts $9.4m in 2009 so he needs to step it up under new DC Gregg Williams. They can cut RB Aaron Stecker, WR Devery Henderson, WR David Patten, DT Hollis Thomas, and CB Jason David to free up $11m in cap space.

32. New York Jets -- $7m over – Whew, last year they doled out over $100 million in guaranteed dollars. Those bonuses are pro-rated out over the next 4-5 years so they’re going to be in and out of cap jail for a while. Laveranues Coles counts $7m and they need him to accept a pay cut, which he won’t. Leon Washington deserves a big extension. Ks Jay Feely and Mike Nugent are both free agents – Nugent was hurt and Feely might have stolen the gig.

** 2009 is the last year with a salary cap under the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s complicated but you can learn more here at CBSsports.com.