Free Agent Frenzy Weekend

This has been a very busy weekend to kick off the NFL free agency period. Across the league, several teams were busy jockeying for position to sign the elite of this years free agent class.

There were several big winners early on. First, the Chicago Bears, who signed Julius Peppers. They added the presence on defense that they have lacked for a few years.

Add him to Urlacher and the present group they have on that defense, it will make for a tough team to score on. Second, the Miami Dolphins.

They signed Karlos Dansby for their linebacker core. This could be Bill Parcell's biggest move of this off season. He will change this defense. The New York football Giants, my team, has made a tremendous splash with Antrel Rolle. He is the safety that they need and combined with a healthy Kenny Phillips, the secondary will be a force and help the pass rush immensely.

The Baltimore Ravens acquired Anquan Bolden to be that big play receiver that they have always lacked. Finally, the Cleveland Browns. Yes, the Browns. They added a super bowl winning linebacker in Fujita. Now, we get to my list of losers so far early on.

This list must start and maybe even finish with the Arizona Cardinals. You heart has to go out to them. It was only a year ago, that they were just short of winning the super bowl. Now, they have lost their franchise quarterback, franchise linebacker, franchise safety and the receiver that helped Fitzgerald get open so often, Bolden.

That is the definition of the word decimated. The roster will be completely different after this and their draft will be hard to predict. They have a quarterback that they don't believe in (Leinart), they still have two or three good receivers, but no defense at all.

My other pick, for free agency loser, will be a controversial one. Many people I explain this to whole heartedly disagree with me, but try to follow my logic. The New York Jets are on my list of bad job done. I wouldn't exactly call them losers in this yet, but they are not winners. Here's why. They sign a cornerback in Cromarte, who is exceptional and matched with Revis will be quite to duo. But they release a cornerback, in Sheppard and a traded a safety in Rhodes.

They add one and lose two. You do the math. Even elementary math teaches us that you are left with 1 - 2= -1. I know Kerry Rhodes created controversy and chaos in the locker room, I know Lito Sheppard didn't quite live up to his previous performances. Still, that is not an addition, it is subtraction. It is addition by subtraction as many may argue, it is subtraction.

I hope the rest of the free agency period leading up to the draft is as exciting as this past weekend was. This only leaves me with one, still unanswered question. I have asked every expert I know, no one can give me a answer to this question that completely satisfies my curiosity. Why can't baseball's free agency be this fast?

The NHL, NBA, and NFL all have massive signings as soon as the period begins. Why can't baseball? All of these sports have super agents and massive contracts with massive talent and massive egos to match, just like baseball. So why does it take baseball players so long to sign? Case in point, there are still free agents waiting to sign and teams are already playing baseball in Florida. What gives? Why?

If anyone can answer this without me being able to give a counter argument, then they deserve their own sports talk show. Say what you want about free agency in the major sports, but it has made sports more entertaining. For that we have to be thankful.