NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS
OFF: 25 RUSH: 24 PASS: 23
DEF: 12 RUND: 19 PASD: 7
Cap Room: $24,220,000
1st Need: Start RB
2nd Need: Start T
3rd Need: Start DE
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
L.J. Shelton T 6 Start T 17 krb, 29.8 krb%, 6 ska, 1.2 sk%
Scott Player #20 P 7 Punter 106 pnt, 38.1 avg, 26 In20
Derrick Ransom DT 5 B-Up DT 29 tkl, 2.5 sk, 2 hurr
David Barrett CB 5 Start CB 54 tkl, 1 sk, 1 int, 6 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: The bad news is that I don't have nearly as much to spend as most teams, as I rank near the bottom of cap room. But of course part of the reason I have so little cap room is because I didn't just arbitrarily cut a bunch of players (the only team that didn't). Maybe I should have. I don't know. I guess we'll see. For now, I am happy that the roster I have in place can be a good base on whcih to build. It helps that I already have a solid and developing defense in place. Once I get a second corner in place, and maybe make some small improvements here or there, it could be a top ten defense. The problems are on the offensive side of the ball, where my quarterbacks suck, and my running back is retired. Also, I seriosuly think I have the worst line in football, outside of Kendall. So it's clear where my priorities will lie in this free agency.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
OFF: 3 RUSH: 5 PASS: 10
DEF: 5 RUND: 1 PASD: 12
Cap Room: $20,080,000
1st Need: Start RB
2nd Need: Resrv G
3rd Need: Start G
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Garrison Hearst* RB 10 B-Up RB 538 yd, 4 td, 32 rec, 206 rec yd
Tai Streets WR 5 Start WR 65 rec, 961 yd, 5 td
Eric Heitmann* G 3 PT St G 5 krb, 31.2 krb%, 3 ska, 1.3 sk%
Bill LaFleur P 5 Punter 84 pnt, 37.5 avg, 25 In20
John Engelberger* DE 5 Start DE 18 tkl, 13 sk, 10 hurr
Saleem Rasheed* OLB 3 PT St LB 20 tkl, 1.5 sk, 4 defn
Jason Webster CB 5 Start CB 52 tkl, 4 int, 14 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: The Niners don't have a lot of cap room to lose, but it seems likely their top priority should be just to bring back as much of last year's team as they can. The Niners had top-conference-team level stats, with the third best offense and the fifth-ranked defnese. It seems amazing to consider they didn't even make it into the playoffs, albeit just barely. If they get some breaks next year, they could make a leap from being out of the playoffs to one of the best teams in the NFL. It would be handy if they used some of what little cap room they have to bring back Engelberger and Webster, who both played key roles on the defense. They also need some help on the line, and a new partner across from Terrell Owens. Let's face it, though--these concerns are trivial compared to what other teams have to face this offseason, and few of those teams have as much talent as this one in the first place.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
OFF: 14 RUSH: 11 PASS: 16
DEF: 4 RUND: 4 PASD: 8
Cap Room: $30,580,000
1st Need: Start G
2nd Need: Start DE
3rd Need: Resrv G
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Itula Mili* TE 7 Start TE 31 rec, 312 yd, 5 krb
Bobby Engram* WR 9 Start WR 44 rec, 760 yd, 9 td
Darrell Jackson WR 5 B-Up WR 41 rec, 684 yd, 4 td
Chris Gray* G 12 Start G 14 krb, 20.5 krb%, 10 ska, 2.1 sk%
Steve Hutchinson* G 4 Start G 12 krb, 25.0 krb%, 4 ska, 0.9 sk%
Walter Jones #5 T 8 Start T 21 krb, 19.4 krb%, 1 ska, 0.2 sk%
Tom Rouen P 5 Punter 65 pnt, 38.0 avg, 17 In20
Lamar King DE 6 Start DE 31 tkl, 11 sk, 10 hurr
Chike Okeafor* DE 6 Start DE 20 tkl, 5.5 sk, 9 hurr
Randall Godfrey #1 ILB 9 Start LB 113 tkl, 5.5 sk, 3 hurr, 1 int, 6 defn
Willie Williams* CB 12 Start CB 45 tkl, 1 int, 12 defn
Ken Lucas* CB 4 B-Up CB 25 tkl, 3 sk, 4 defn
Doug Evans FS 12 Start S 71 tkl, 2 int 7 defn
Damien Robinson* SS 7 B-Up S 33 tkl, 1 sk, 5 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: Seattle had an amazing season last year, appearing at times to be dominating. They ended up with the wildcard, but they were just a game and a tiebreaker or two away from home field advantage and a first round bye. The test this offseason will be keeping it together without an immense amount of cap space, because the Hawks are losing some big players. There are two standouts, although the Seahwaks' free agent list is littered with quality players. Those two are tackle Jones on offense and ILB Godfrey on defense. Jones is one of the best linemen in the league, and is absolutely key for the Hawks' offensive line, which also loses its two starting guards. Godfrey has the honor of being the top-ranked inside linebacker in the league, ahead of even big names like Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher. He will command a lot of cash this offseason. He is the only linebacker lost, but the Seahawks have a ton of losses in front and behind him to take care of. Both defensive ends, including sack star King, are free agents now, and the impending free agency of Williams led to the odd decision to franchise Shawn Springs (they should have used it on Williams if anyone, although in fact neither should be worthy of that honor). Starting safety Evans is another key starter who is now looking for a job, maybe elksewhere. On offense, most of the Hawks' free agent problems are confined to the line, but what isn't there seems concentrated among their receivers, where two of the top three wideouts and their starting tight end are now on the market. I don't know if the Seahawks have the cap room to bring even half of these guys back
ST. LOUIS RAMS
OFF: 6 RUSH: 26 PASS: 2
DEF: 28 RUND: 12 PASD: 30
Cap Room: $19,940,000
1st Need: Start OLB
2nd Need: Resrv OLB
3rd Need: Start CB
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Marc Bulger QB 5 B-Up QB No attempts
Lamar Gordon* RB 3 B-Up RB 550 yd, 2 td, 8 rec, 56 rec yd, 1 rec td
Cameron Cleeland TE 7 Start TE 61 rec, 691 yd, 5 td
Andy McCollum* G 10 Start G 8 krb, 17.3 krb%, 9 ska, 1.9 sk%
Adam Timmerman #9 G 10 Start G 26 krb, 27.0 krb%, 2 ska, 0.3 sk%
Orlando Pace #4 T 8 Start T 25 krb, 30.1 krb%, 4 ska, 0.9 sk%
Grant Williams* T 9 PT St T 5 krb, 25.0 krb%, 4 ska, 1.5 sk%
Jeff Wilkins* K 11 Kicker 31-42 FG, 40-40 PAT
Sean Landeta P 19 Punter 69 pnt, 35.7 avg, 16 In20
Tyoka Jackson* DE 10 B-Up DE 11 tkl, 6 sk, 7 hurr
Tommy Polley* OLB 4 Start LB 34 tkl, 2 sk, 2 defn
Fred Weary CB 7 Start CB 60 tkl, 4 int, 7 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: The good news--most of the defense is coming back and was largely untouched by free agency. The bad news--the defense sucked. The Rams are liking at a very tight cap situation, and that's before they give franchise money to Grant Wistrom at DE. With four starters on the line taking a walk, including massive star tackle Pace, and guard Timmerman--both not only top-twenty, but top-ten linemen--the Rams' star offense could be hit right where it hurts in the trenches. They seem unlikely to be able to even approach bringing back as quality a line, and even of they did, they leaves very little for a very poor defense, especially in pass defense. It looks like the Rams will have to outscore their opponents again to win next year. Will they be able to do that without the massive line in front of them?
CR