[Chief Rum]

Day Twelve

Big Signings

P Jessie Samuels signed with the Rams Here's a nice story for you. Samuels was an unwanted undrafted free agent last season. For two games, the Jets lost their starter Dan Stryzinski, and need a replacement. They signed Samuels. For two games for the oft-punting Jets, Samuels boomed the ball for 46.0 yards per punt (16 total punts). He was cut again when Stryzinski came back, but that performance alone (and solid ratings) has made Samuels a surprise success story, at least with regards to money. He got $780K/2-years from the Rams. No one else made an offer for the #6 P.

P Jeff Feagles signed with the Chiefs Feagles, the #8 P, moved from the Giants to the Chiefs in this deal. He signed a $870K/1-year offer. No other team was interested in him.

G Mike Compton signed with the Buccs The Patriots are now losing players off of their offense as well. Compton will help replace the departed guards Coleman and Jenkins on Tampa Bay's line. He agreed to a $3.70 M/3-year deal, taking the Buccs offer over a lesser offer from the Browns. The Pats, as is their way, made no offer to him.

P John Jett re-signed with the Lions The Lions made a big special teams move when they brought back their 2003 punter in Jett. Jett, the #3 P in free agency and best remaining punter on the market, signed a $5.13 M/4-year deal to rturn to Detroit. He took the Lions' offer over others from the Eagles, Buccs, and Skins. Washington's offer was better than the Lions' offer.

WR Antonio Freeman signed with the Chiefs The crop of receivers in this calls may not be too impressive, but that didn't stop the #1 WR from singing a very nice deal to go from the Packers to the Chiefs. Freeman becomes a legit receiver for the Chiefs, which have seemingly gotten by with medicority at the position for years now (not that Freeman is much better). Freeman signed a $12.46 M.3-year deal. The Chiefs need not have offered so much--no other team made an offer for Freeman.

OLB Steve Foley signed with the Raiders The Raiders have now replaced both of their departed OLB. The #6 OLB in free agency, Foley comes to the Raiders from Houston. He will pair with #5 free agent OLB Cornell Brown to replace the retired Romanowski and new Raven Barton. Foley signed a $1.65 M/2-year deal. No other teams were pursuing Foley.

RB Michael Pittman signed with the Ravens Former starter Pittman apparently isn't looking to return to starter status anymore. If he was, he certainly wouldn't sign with Baltimore, which features one of the league's best backs in Jamal Lewis. Pittman backed up Thomas Jones last year for Tampa Bay, and was the #9 RB going into free agency (Jones was #5). Pittman signed a $560K/1-year deal, and wasn't offered any contracts by any other team.

P Scott Player signed with the Steelers We lost somebody! I knew if I went long enough, I would eventually see the league get to the miserable level my free agents-to-be were on. Player was the only one in a position's top ten, as the #9 punter. Of course, I need a punter and almost all of the guys who are rated better than Player are gone, so I guess you could say I'm not doing too good a job here with punting. Player signed a $560K/1-year contract to play for the champs. No one else offered hima deal.

WR Bobby Shaw signed with the Giants Shaw followed int he path of former teammate K Lindell, when he, too, left the Bills for the Giants. Shaw, the #10 WR, signed for $1.49 M/2-years. The Giants were the only team on him.

QB Marc Bulger signed with the Cards I will generally take losing a punter while getting a quarterback. Bulger is a potentially big signing for the Cards, even if he may not unseat Blake at the position this year. Bulger has tremendous upside and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do. He signed for $5.55 M/3-years, and was not pursued by any otherteams, inclduing his former team, the Rams.

P Brian Moorman signed with the Giants Apparently the highway between Buffalo and New York City is a one-way road. Moorman becomes the third former Bill to cross the state to join the Giants. He joins Lindell again as the specialist twosome for the Giants after both served int hat acapacity for the Bills. Moorman, the #7 free agent P and the last top specialist ont he market at either kicking position, signed with the Giants for $4.30 M/5-years. He did not receive any other offers.

S Corey Harris signed with the Saints The Lions have their guy in Beckett, so it was no surprise they let Harris walk. Harris, the #5 S in free agency, signed a $2.59 M/3-year deal with New Orleans. He only had one offer on the table.

Other Signings

The Chargers signed OLB Jeff Gooch away from the Lions for $700K/1-year.
The Seahawks signed DE Regan Upshaw away from the Skins for $2.45 M/2-years.
The Packers signed G Damien Woody away from the Patriots for $2.52 M/2-years.
The Giants signed OLB Adalius Thomas away from the Ravens for $1.26 M/2-years.
The Jags signed T Todd Wade away from the Fins for $3.63 M/3-years.
The Pats signed T Maurice Williams away from the Jags for $4.20 M/3-years.

NOTES FROM DAY TWELVE

Well, signing Bulger was a big deal for us, even if on a league-wide scale he isn't that good. I still have the top offers on G Fiore and CB Buchanan and S Freeman, but I still have hope I can sign Stinchcomb, one of the best of the remaining free agents.

CR