[Chief Rum]

Day One

Big Signings

It figures. The very first day of free agency was simply huge. A ton of stars signed contracts, and much of the initial juice of this free agency was zapped before it even got started. Here are the biggest names that signed.

DT Ted Washington signs with the Ravens The #3 free agent DT became the first signing of the 2004 free agency by agreeing to a 3-year, $4.08 M contract with the Ravens. Washington played with New England last year. He turned down an offer from Jacksonville for less years, and the Patriots did not make an offer.

CB Troy Vincent signs with the Skins The top corner was quick to sign his name, and he did it after receiving several offers for his services. He agreed to a $21.12 M contract over 3 years, just edging out a $20.98 M deal for the same from his former team, the Eagles. The Colts, Chiefs and Jets also all made offers, but for less money and years.

CB Willie Williams signs with the Colts Indianapolis was the only team to give him an initial offer, a $6.32 M/ 2 year contract. No surprise Seattle didn't go for him, since they have a top young ciorner in Marcus Trufant and franchised Shawn Springs. Williams was the #8 CB in FA, and is Indy's consolation prize for missing out on Vincent.

ILB Ted Johnson signs with the Vikings Former top notch middle linebacker Ted Johnson didn't get much playing time as an injury-riddled backup for the Patriots last year, but his agent (Henry Wayne) was gold for him. Johnson signed a $2.25 M/ 2-year contract with the Vikings, turning down the exact same offer from the Niners. The Pats did not pursue Johnson, so they have now lost two defensive players from their team (Washington). Wayne is the NFL's top agent.

OLB Carlos Emmons signs with the Chiefs A year ago, Emmons' teammate and partner at outside linebacker Shawn Barber went to the Chiefs. He ended up with a Defensive POY award as a result. That was good enough for Emmons, the #2 OLB in free agency, who followed in Barber's footsteps by signing a $9.70 M/3 year contract with Kansas City. Emmons actually turned down a slightly more lucrative deal from the Saints to go to KC. Philly, which has now lost two big ticket defenders in Vicnent and Emmons, did not make an offer.

DE Bobby Hamilton signs with the Vikings Minnesota continues to raid New England. The Vikings signed the #4 DE in FA in Hamilton to a $4.52 M/3-year contract. The Pats lose their third defender and this is just the first day. As with Johnson and Washington, the Pats made no effort to keep Hamilton around. The Vikings were Hamilton's only initial offer.

WR Keyshawn Johnson signs with Green Bay Me-Shawn took his flapping gums to Green Bay and Favre's cannon arm, where he figures to be the top receiver for the Packers. Johnson signed a nice $8.69 M/3-year deal to make the switch. Neither the Buccs, and nor anyone else, made an offer for him.

DT Steve Martin signs with the Giants Who? The comedian? Yeah, I'm not too familiar with Martin in real life either, but he is the #4 DT in this free agent class. The former Texan signed a $1.92 M/2-year deal, which seems kinda small for a 50+ rated DT to me. Still, it was his nest offer, with only Cincy also making an offer for even less money. Houston didn't pursue him.

DE Greg Ellis signs with the Raiders Oakland lost a lot to free agency and retirement, so this is a huge step in the right direction for them. Ellis was the #2 DE in free agency, and one of the few real difference makers available at the position. He signed a rich $25.42 M/5-year deal, which was another year and another million per richer than the only other initial offer he got, from the Skins.In fact, the deal he signed is so much better, I think his agent (Thomas Matthews) took the Raiders for a ride. The Cowboys didn't offer him.

QB Peyton Manning re-signs with the Colts What is more amazing? That Manning signed so quickly back with his old team, or that he didn't receive a single initial offer from any other team? I guess agent Lance Burns' demands were too high for most. Manning, the #1 QB and probably highest-profile FA, is rich, of course--he signed a $101.04 M/ 6-year deal (almost $17 M per).

K David Akers signs with the Cards We get our first big signing of this dynasty! Well, okay, it's just a kicker, but I am happy to land a good, young kicker like Akers. He signed a $7.93/5 year deal (yeah, I know that's rich for a kicker) to leave the Eagles, which didn't offer him. No one else offered him either.

CB Champ Bailey signs with the Falcons The Falcons tooka big step in rebuilding their free-agent-fled secondary by signing one of the biggest and best corners in the biz. Bailey was the #2 corner available, after Vincent, and he signed quickly, to a $50.45 M/6-year deal. Surprisingly, the best young corner available got no other initial offers, even from the Skins, his old team.

DE Jevon Kearse signs with the Cowboys Now you know why the Cowboys don't care about letting Ellis go. They got the one guy in this class that is better instead. The Freak is the real difference maker at this position in this class. He signed a $33.56 M/5-year deal, which doesn't seem like enough for a high-profile DE, but maybe I am just reading too much into it. Kearse, again surprisingly, didn't get a single offer from any other team, including his old squad, the Titans.

NOTES AFTER DAY ONE

Well, the first day is in the books, and we already have the top two corners and defensive ends off the market, as well as two of the top four defensive tackles, the #2 OLB and premier free agent Manning. There are a lot of pl;ayers still to go, but that is rather stuinning.

Especially since Vincent was the only player to get more than one other offer, and several star players (Bailey, Kearse, Manning) didn't even get one other offer.

I don't remember all the little decisions I made for the Cards at this point, but I believe I was lerading on everyone I went after except for T John Tait. The offer on Tait was big enough for me to toss on an offer at developing tackle Matt Hill (the unknown, but decent talented guy on the other side of Seattle's line from mammoth tackle Walter Jones), just in case.

CR