[Chief Rum]

Kings Of Free Agency

SAN FRANCISCO FORTY-NINERS

Roster Strength +/-: +14.4

Key Players Lost: RB Garrison Heart, WR Tai Streets, DE John Engleberger, CB Jason Webster

Key Players Signed: G Chris Villarial, DE Lamar King, CB Antoine Wingfield, CB Fred Thomas

Comments: The Niners' haul doesn't look like much, but that was because they didn't lose much in the first place. King is an upgrade over Engelberger, and the Niners will get good enough corner play from either Wingfield or Thomas to replace Webster. Giys like Hearst or Streets seem liekly to be replaced from within.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Roster Strength +/- : +11.2

Key Players Lost: QB Quincy Carter, RB Troy Hambrick, C Gennaro Di Napoli, T Ryan Young, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, DE Greg Ellis, DT Michael Myers, CB Derek Ross

Key Players Signed: QB Tommy Maddox, RB James Jackson, T Walter Jones, T John Tait, DE Jevon Kearse, DE MArco COleman, DT Cornelius Griffin

Comments: The Cowboys' free agency looks very strong. They lost some solid players, but pretty much in each case, replaced them with better guys. Jones is one of the best tackles in the league. Kearse is a difference maker at defensive end. Griffin will at least provide about as much production as Myers. Maddox and Jackson are upgrades over the guys they are replacing from last year, and if Maddox puts up another year like he did witht he Steelers, this could be a dantastic class.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Roster Strength +/- : +10.8

Key Players Lost: RB Warrick Dunn, G Travis Claridge, DE Brady Smith. DE Travis Hall, ILB Chris Draft, OLB Sam Rogers, CB Kevin Mathis, CB Ray Buchanan, FS Keion Carpenter, SS Corey Hall

Key Players Signed: WR Robert Ferguson, G Jamie Nails, G Todd Perry, DT Chester McGlockton, DT Dan Wilkinson, ILB Don Davis, ILB Orlando Ruff, OLB Na'il Diggs, CB Champ Bailey, CB Tyrone Poole, S Doug Evans, S Donovan Darius

Comments: The Falcons entered the offseason losing several starters from one of the worst defenses in the league, which is a situation with both positves and negatives. I think it's safe to say they turned this into a positive. The Falcons rebuilt their front seven, getting massive vet tackles McGlockton and WIlkinson, and bringing in three linebackers, including Diggs, to join up with Brooking there. The standout signings, though, were int he secondary, where the Jags' got two of the league's best in Bailey and Darius. They also improved their one hole on offense by signing Nails to replace Claridge.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Roster Strength +/- : +10.4

Key Players Lost: RB Dorsey Levens (ret), WR Ike Hilliard, DT Cornelius Griffin, OLB Brandon Short

Key Players Signed: FB Dan Kreider, WR Bobby Shaw, DT Steve Martin, OLB Adalius Thomas, CB Jeff Burris

Comments: Like the Niners, this is a situation where the Giants more improved from within and a couple key free agents, rather than making a big splash in free agency alone. Shaw and Martin represent upgrades at those positions, and Thomas and Burris add depth to the defense. Kreider was one of the best fullbacks available.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Roster Strength +/- : +10.1

Key Players Lost: TE Byron Chamberlain, G Dave Fiore, DE Bruce Smith (ret), DE Regan Upshaw, DE Marco Coleman, DE Peppi Zellner, DT Jermaine Haley, DT Brandon Noble, CB Champ Bailey, SS Andre Lott

Key Players Signed: TE Fred Baxter, DE Eric Hicks, SE Brady Smith, DT Jason Fisk, CB Troy Vincent, S Mark Roman

Comments: You can poke holes in what the Skins did, noting the loss of Bailey and the unimpressive line talent they brought in to replace a devastated unit, but the fact is, the Skins improves just about everywhere. The big key is a guy that's not even mentioned above--the Skins re-signed top free agent safety David Terrell, one of the best in the league. They shouldn't miss Bailey too much, considering Vincent is even better. And Roman is a sharp upgrade over Lott. The secondary is simply excellent. Hicks and Smith won't replace the lost depth at defensive end, but they are as good as any one of the players the Skins lost. And Fisk is an upgrade at defensive tackle from either of the two lost starters there. Baxter should also be more than good enough to replace Chamberlain at tight end. How about that NFC Eats, eh? Three teams in the top five (poor Eagles).

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Roster Strength +/- : +9.6

Key Players Lost: RB Michael Bennett, TE Jim Kleinsasser, WR D'Wayne Bates, G David Dixon, G Chris Liewinski, T Lindsay Everett, T Mike Rosenthal, DT Billy Lyon, DE Lance Johnstone, DE KEnny Mixon, OLB Henri Crockett, CB Brian WIlliams, SS Corey Chavous

Key Players Signed: FB Greg Comella, WR Troy Brown, T Spencer Folau, DE Bobby Hamilton, DT John Browning, ILB Ted Johnson, ILB Chris Draft, S Damien Robinson

Comments: By appearances, it looks like the Vikings actually lost a lot, and didn't sign enough players to replace them all. That is technically true--the Vikings still need defensive line and secondary help, and they lost a lot on the line they haven't yet replaced. Still, you have to like what the Vikings did fix. The one lineman they got--Folau--is much better than either departed starters at the position. Brown is a nice upgrade over Bates and gives the Vikings a legit receiver opposite of Moss. Comella was the best fullback available in free agency. On defense, Hamilton is a big time end, and Browning should do well beside Hovan at defensive tackle. Johnson and Draft are solid linebackers, and Robinson is actually quite a bit more skilled than Chavous, who was probably played the best of all the free agents to leave Minnesota this season.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Roster Strength +/- : +7.3

Key Players Lost: QB Tommy Maddox, RB Amos Zeroue, FB Dan Kreider, T Todd Fordham, T Marvel Smith, DE Aaron Smith, SS Mike Logan

Key Players Signed: QB Mark Brunell, FB Patrick Hape, T Vaughn Parker, T Mike Gandy, DE Anthony Pleasant, ILB Wali Rainer

Comments: The Steelers were in the nice position of not really losing much, and the top guys that they did lose overachieved last season, meaning they may be easier to replace than you would think. And coming off of a championship season, that's a nice thing to have. Still, despite his better talent, you have to wonder if Brunell can be as good as Maddox was. We'll just have to wait and see. Elsewhere, the Steelers got better at tackle with Parker and Gandy, and Pleasant is an upgrade over Smith at defensive end. Rainer is a nice addition to an already deep linebacker corps. Hape won't be much of a fall off from Kreider. The Steelers did swing and miss on several of the top defensive tackles--apparently they view it as a need area and they still need to address it. Is it scary that this is the first AFC team on this list? Can you say "power shift"?

CR