NFL Roundtable: Free Agency, NFL Draft, and Brett Favre

Thanks to Michael Whittenberg for this awesome roundtable idea.

You have to love this time of year. Both free agency and the NFL Draft bring loads of excitement to every football fan, whether his or her team is good, or bad.

To help sort out the different aspects and opinions that are raised at about this time, I have enlisted the help of some of the best NFL writers on Bleacher Report. Here is what they have to say regarding the state of the game...

Is Rex Grossman the answer in Chicago?

Sean Crowe

To steal a phrase from Adam Schein, if Rex Grossman is the answer, I'm not sure I want to know the question.

Rex Grossman is the reincarnation of Tony Eason, which is good for us longtime Patriots fans because we get to watch the Bears go through what we went through in 1985.

Except to the most ardent homers in Chicago, the answer in Chicago isn't currently on their roster.

Matt Ryan would be perfect, but realistically they can't get him. Brian Brohm is a possibility, but I was killed in my Mock Draft column for suggesting such a thing. Chad Henne, if he's there in the second round, is another possibility.

Ron Johnson

Simply put, Lovie Smith has not found a legitimate quarterback to lead his Midway Monsters to a Super Bowl Championship since taking the reigns a few years ago.

Let's not forget the fact that Grossman is not the only reason, but the primary reason the Bears both made and lost the Super Bowl to the Colts. His second-half turnovers killed any chance that the Bears had of winning it all last year. It's time for a change in Chicago, but please don't think for one second that Kyle Orton will save the offense of the Bears.

John Fennelly

No, but he might be the least of their problems...RB, LB, WR are all questionable.

Shari Toomey

While I don't believe Rex Grossman is necessarily the answer in Chicago, I also don't feel he is completely responsible for the Bears' disappointing 2007 season. The Bears lost a huge portion of their Super Bowl coaching staff and roster, and many adjustments needed to be made.  

Overall, the entire team played poorly. The defense was ranked 28th, the offensive line was weak, and they couldn't find a running game. If they plug the holes, Grossman is capable of leading the team for now. Sign him to an incentive-based contract, and save the energy and money for other positions.  

What team needs to make a move in free agency the most?

Sean Crowe

Sounds dumb, but the New England Patriots. They need to re-sign Randy Moss. They need to sign a defensive back, assuming Samuel signs somewhere else. They need to sign a linebacker (or preferably two), especially if Bruschi and Seau retire. 

The Pats may be looking to replace their No. 1 corner, their No. 3 corner (Gay is entering free agency as well), and both starting middle linebackers from the Super Bowl. 

Ron Johnson 

Miami needs to make major moves in free agency.

After giving both Trent Green and Zach Thomas their walking papers this offseason, the Dolphins need to find players and fast. It’s hard enough to build a winning franchise with nothing but rookies on your team, but not having a proven leader on neither offense nor defense is much worse.

The easiest thing for these guys to do is go after Jonathan Vilma, who got his papers in New York. Also see about trading with a few teams in the draft wouldn’t hurt them either.

John Fennelly

New England. They need to maintain the high standard they've set.

Shari Toomey
 

The Chicago Bears went from potential to potential nightmare in one season. They desperately need to stop the bleeding, and acquiring a big free agent should help.   

When the free agency period begins, the Bears need to wine, dine, and sign Steelers guard Alan Faneca. He still has some prime years ahead, and he could be a difference maker for the Bears. With Faneca helping to solidify the O-line, things might start looking a little better for Chicago's beleaguered offense.

Sean Crowe

The New York Jets seem to think they’re closer to the AFC elite than reality would suggest, so I would expect them to try to land a few marquee free agents to put them over the top. 

I don’t expect it to work, but I’m certain they’ll try. They’ll be in on Asante Samuel.  They’ll be in the market for a linebacker, either through free agency or the draft. Given their obsession with former Patriots, I’d expect them to go after Rosevelt Colvin. Washington is always active, but they might be hampered a bit by their cap. 

The 49ers are another team that will be extremely active. They’re probably going to go hard after Lance Briggs.  It’d be nice if they’d sign a real wide receiver.

Ron Johnson

This one’s a toss up due to coaching changes that occurred during the offseason. But if I had to take a guess/gamble on which team will move most during this time, I would say Dallas.

The Cowboys need a proven defensive leader to counter the mistakes they made against the Giants in the playoffs. On top of that, their center was well below mediocre in that playoff game not even getting the snap count right.

As far as the offense goes, they need a new receiver to back up TO because it became clear that Clayton and Glenn didn’t live up to their hype in that game either. If Wade Phillips expects to win big next season, he might want to stock up his line, both offensive and defensive wise. Otherwise, the Giants will be winning the division next season for sure.

John Fennelly

New England and Miami. New England for reasons I stated above—and Miami because they have the cap room.

Shari Toomey

The Miami Dolphins need to have a very busy offseason.

With a new coaching staff in position, the Dolphins will turn their attention to rebuilding their aging defense and solidifying their offense. They are hoping to find a backup quarterback, wide receiver, and numerous defensive positions in the free agency market, and are expected to draft defensively with the No. 1 pick as well. Look for Miami to stay active throughout the offseason. 

With Brett Favre mulling retirement, how, if at all, does it affect Green Bay's plans?

Sean Crowe

It doesn’t. Whether it’s Favre or Aaron Rodgers, the game-plan next season won’t change much at all. Rodgers has looked decent in limited action. The Packers are confident in him should Favre not come back. They might even secretly prefer it. At some point, the kid needs to play.

At some point, the old man needs to retire.

Ron Johnson

Brett Favre is, no doubt, the cornerstone of the Packers’ franchise. His future will determine where the Packers go in the draft.

If he stays, expect the Packers to start helping him out by grabbing an offensive lineman or defensive lineman. If he goes, they’ll be scrambling around to see if there is a good, or at least decent, quarterback to back up Aaron Rodgers.

Everyone knows that Brett loves this game, but the question isn’t how long he can keep going, but rather how many times can Green Bay come up short before he finally decides that it’s time to hang it up. His decision will have a severe impact on what the Packers do in April.

John Fennelly
 

Not at all. It’s about time he hung it up. Rodgers will fill the role just fine.

Shari Toomey

The Green Bay Packers have gotten used to the annual Brett Favre retirement question—if the rest of the world realizes “The Ageless One” is actually aging, it stands to reason the Packers are aware of the situation as well. 

Aaron Rodgers is waiting in the wings, so the Packers already have Favre's designated successor. Therefore, Favre's contemplation, while nerve racking, does not really hinder the Packers in their offseason endeavors.

Who is the favorite in the AFC?

Sean Crowe

It’s a three-headed monster in the AFC.  The Chargers and Colts will be there again. The Patriots will be there, but they’re no longer leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the AFC.   

The Patriots have taken a step back so far this offseason. If they lose Bruschi, Seau, Colvin, Samuel, Gay, Moss, and Stallworth—which is a possibility, they might drop down below the other two teams. 

This is an important offseason for the Patriots. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Ron Johnson 

Shockingly enough, it isn’t the big powerhouses that are the favorites next season. I see San Diego or Pittsburgh capitalizing on the anguish of being on the short end of the stick for many years.

The Bolts have been in the playoffs and almost made it to Super Bowl, but couldn’t beat New England. The Steelers couldn’t handle their own weather against Jacksonville. But, the favorite for next season is Jacksonville because they are all there for next season.

Their offense was clicking this season, and they almost beat New England in their own backyard. The Jags will make things happen, and may be able to do what Coughlin couldn’t do before he left: Make it to the Super Bowl.

John Fennelly   

The Colts. If they come back healthy and stay healthy, they will win it.

Shari Toomey

The Indianapolis Colts will be the team to beat in the AFC in 2008. They had a solid 2007, and they will remain largely intact for 2008.

While New England will remain a strong contender, they will not come close to the domination they wreaked on the AFC in 2007. The Chargers should remain in the Top 3 as well, but the Colts will finish on top.

Who is the favorite in the NFC?

Sean Crowe

The regular season favorites are the Dallas Cowboys, but since Wade Phillips is involved, they’ll once again choke in the playoffs against an inferior team. 

After the Cowboys, it’s wide open in the NFC. Anyone from the group of the Seahawks, Giants, Redskins, Packers, Saints, Bucs, and Vikings could step up. 

Ron Johnson 

With a possible angry mob coming after me for this one, I have to say that the favorite for the NFC is Seattle. This is Holmgren’s last chance to ride off into the sunset with another Super Bowl title.

The Seahawks have the most to gain and most to lose in regards to the problems in Dallas and Favre’s future. Seattle proved it can win outside its division. Now, they have to prove that they can win when it counts.

The loss in Green Bay hurt its chances, but the Seahawks still have a chance to prove themselves worthy of playing in the NFC (something they’ve been trying to do since the transition). I say, that depending on how the other three teams do in the West, Seattle will have the defense to get to the Super Bowl; now the offense needs to help them out a lot next season.

John Fennelly  

Hard to pick against the Giants, especially if they make major upgrades on defense.  

Shari Toomey

If Brett Favre returns for the 2008 season, look for the Packers to dominate the NFC.

Favre had a huge season in 2007, and he has to be feeling devastated by the loss to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game. He wants to claim one more ring, and it will be do-or-die for him in 2008. However, if Favre decides to hang his cleats, look for the Cowboys to finally get it together to become the NFC's toughest team.

Who would you label as a "sleeper" for the 2008 season?

Sean Crowe

The Carolina Panthers. They were devastated by injuries in 2007. They’re not as bad as their record would indicate.  

If they can keep a quarterback healthy (any quarterback, except maybe David Carr) and make a few shrewd moves, they can easily surpass the overrated Bucs. 

My early (and this is very early) prediction for 2008 is that they’ll be competing with the Saints for the top spot in the NFC South.

Ron Johnson

I’m going with four teams for this one. Denver can be labeled as a sleeper because of their team unity from last season.

Jay Cutler proved that he could win (and lose) as a starter. The Broncos have to get their running game back to what it used to be and the wide receivers need to realize that Rod Smith is gone and they need to step up.

The second team is Houston. The Texans got to .500 last season, and that’s a big one for Houston. The Texans showed they have the skills to hang with the best in the league, and they just might shock some more people next season. Big things are in the future for Houston.

The final two teams are both out of the NFC West. Arizona almost made the postseason last year. Kurt Warner capitalized big time on the injury to Matt Leinart and possibly resurrected his career in the process.

The other is St. Louis. Despite a dismal season, the Rams are having high hopes and have the motivation. The passing of owner Georgia Frontierre will serve as a huge motivator for the Rams to show why they were originally called “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

John Fennelly  

In the NFC, I like the 49ers. Everyone thought they were going to break through last year and they didn't. Instead, they'll do it this year. In the AFC, I'll go with Houston.  

Shari Toomey

Surprisingly, the Pittsburgh Steelers are my pick for sleeper this year.

They need to rebuild their offensive line this offseason. If they move Colon or Simmons to center, and lose Alan Faneca and/or Max Starks to free agency, they will need to make some big adjustments. Drafting a tackle or guard will help, but it's going to take a few games for this new line to gel.

The Steelers will get off to a disappointing start, but will rally by midseason to finish strong.

Who will be taken first overall in the NFL Draft?
 

Sean Crowe

A month ago, I thought it was Glen Dorsey. I still think he’s the best defensive lineman in the draft. But, it seems like teams are shying away from him because of his health issues, so I’m not so sure anymore.

Matt Ryan has been talked about as the No. 1 pick, which would be a decent move for the Dolphins.  If you held a gun to my head right now, I’d probably say Chris Long is the guy. But I reserve the right to change my mind.

Ron Johnson

This is no question. Darren McFadden has made enough noise to be the first pick.

He made sure everyone knew who he was at season’s end last year, and the scouts enjoyed his team spirit at the combine.

Miami needs someone who can run. No disrespect to Ronnie Brown, but the guy sucks.

OK, maybe it is disrespect to Brown, but hey, the truth hurts sometimes. Matt Ryan or McFadden will be holding up No. 1 at draft time, and I’m taking a small bet on McFadden clinching it.

John Fennelly  

McFadden had a monster week at the combine. He raised a lot of eyes. 

My philosophy in drafting first is to take the unique player. That means a guy who comes along every once or twice a decade. This draft doesn’t really have one. There are a lot of good players, but I don't see the one standout. Translation: trade down.

Shari Toomey

The Miami Dolphins had a defense that collectively could almost collect social security. Cutting out the elderly and weak, Bill Parcells is setting the stage for a younger, fresher defense to take over.

Miami is going defense with the first pick of the draft: Chris Long DE from Virginia. Long will fit in nicely if the Dolphins go with the 3-4 defense, and in all probability, they will.

Many thanks to the four writers who quickly got back to me. I appreciate their willingness to contribute to something like this, and I hope we can do it again in the near future!