While the season of basketball is at its prime as the major conferences of collegiate basketball are in the midst of their tournaments before the Big Dance and NBA teams are fighting for their respective seeding in the playoffs, football GM's are sweating while stressing over which free agents to sign and what bright young prospective stars to use their draft picks on. There has already been plenty of drama in the free agency pool as Terrell Owens was released by Dallas and recently found a new home in Buffalo and multiple mock drafts have been created by experts and fans all across the world. So here are my thoughts on top free agency news and the upcoming draft.
"Owens has once again found a new home. His next destination? Buffalo. His final destination? Unknown..."
2009 Top Free Agents
Albert HaynesworthTop free agent Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins came to a mutual agreement early on in the off-season.
What this does to the Titans? The Titans had a very successful season in the '08-'09 campaign as their defense guided them to the top of the AFC in the regular season, only to fall short in a disappointing loss in the playoffs. With pro bowl defensive linemen Albert Haynesworth out of the picture the Titans have already signed a quality defensive tackle in four year young gun Jovan Haye, but he will not enforce the same presence that Haynesworth once did in Tennessee.
What this does for the Redskins: While Washington had a solid secondary, their interior defensive line lacked veteran leadership and power. With Haynesworth conducting the middle of the trenches, look for the Redskins to be one of the better defenses in the upcoming season.
Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs
The dream defensive end for any defense is the hybrid in Suggs who is capable of also playing the linebacker position with his explosive speed and quick reaction time. This athletic defender spent his first six seasons at Baltimore and is now a free agent in high demand.
Why the Ravens should resign Suggs: With Bart Scott out of the defense, losing Suggs would cause an even larger blow to a defense that has worked together for years. With recent success in the previous year as the Ravens were one of the top teams in the AFC, losing two key defenders would cause a lot of trouble in rebuilding the lineup that led them to the playoffs in '08-'09. Even if Suggs were to be replaced by another top linemen or linebacker, chemistry won't be flowing as well it did last year and there aren't many dual defenders out there that can do what Suggs did. On top of replacing issue of outside linebacker, the defensive end corps of the Ravens isn't really a strong side. If the Ravens are interested in making another run for the playoffs, resigng Suggs would be wise.
Why the Ravens should let Suggs move on: The Ravens might not see themselves in the following seasons playoffs or for the next few seasons, but Suggs might require a lot of money that the Ravens could be using elsewhere. With much help needed, the Ravens may need to spend most of their remaining money on the offense. If Baltimore has the patience, it may be wiser to look into the future by signing a younger less money-consuming linebacker or defensive end in order to replace Suggs and spend the rest of their money in developing an offense that could actually put up some convincing points.
T.J. Houshmanzadeh
The silent receiver that has been under the spotlight of Chad Johnson has continously put up impressive numbers and has finally decided to find a home elsewhere as he has signed with the Seattle Seahawks.
What is to happen to the Bengals: A team that has always had a lineup full of possible stars have continously let their home town down as they didn't even come close to reaching the playoffs. Nothing seems to be going right for the Bengals as they have dealt with many disciplinary issues and stars have fallen way short of their expectations. When things were at its worst, Houshmanzadeh often times would come to the rescue by picking up Chad Johnson's slack. Without Houshmanzadeh, the receiving corps will be a joke to defensive secondaries throughout the league and the Bengals will be in a reconstruction period for possibly decades.
New life for the Seahawks? Seattle has had a less than acceptable performance last season as they weren't able to win the NFC west and. With a struggling defense and an offense that doesn't know how to maintain a drive, this off-season is a very stressful period for Seattle's front office. Bringing in Houshmanzadeh solves the problem in the wide receiver corps as they lacked a star go-to receiver. Now with Houshmanzadeh's presence, the Seahawks can look into their 4th overall draft pick in the 2009 draft by deciding whether they want a running back, an offensive linemen or a possible future impact player on defense. There is still plenty of work to be done in order for Seattle to regain the success they once had just a few years ago but the acquisition of the former Cincinnati wide receiver is an excellent start.
Owen Daniels 
Tight ends are one of the most overlooked positions in this sport and many followers of football aren't aware of how much of a difference a top tight end can make. If your team is lacking a respectable tight end, this is the guy to spend your money on. Daniels, who's contract just ended with the Texans, is looking for a new home and your team's city could be his next destination.
Why the Texans should resign Daniels: With a lack of depth in receivers, it couldn't hurt the Texans to spend some money on Daniels to come back. With Daniels, Shaub will be able to get rid of the ball quickly when in trouble and less pressure could be applied to the young running back.
Why the Texans need to take a different route: With a less than intimidating wide receiver crew and an average defense, the Texans can forget about trying to resign Daniels. They need to spend the rest of their budget on a veteran wide receiver and role players that will fill in the missing pieces on defense. Daniels is a great player but not much has gone right for the Texans so, they will need to take a different gameplan for the future. Even with his presence on the field, the wide struggling wide receivers haven't been able to keep the pressure off of them by sending most of the attention to Daniels and the running game. Letting Daniels go to another team would be the wiser decision.
Jason Brown
The young successing center is no longer with the Ravens and is now with the Rams who have been one of the biggest disappointments in the previous seasons after playing in two Super Bowls in just three years early in the year 2000.
Are the Ravens grieving the departure? You can forget about that. With Jason Brown out of the picture at center for the Ravens, Baltimore quickly responded by acquiring veteran center Matt Birk who spent most of his career in Minnesota. Though Birk may have some age under his belt, the far more experienced center will help the Ravens develop an offense around him as he supports the core of the offensive line.
A bittersweet arrival for St. Louis? The Rams have constantly struggled to protect their quarterback in the past and the Rams have spent the last few years in an attempt to revamp their offense. Jason Brown is a huge pick up as the young center is possibly what the Rams exactly needed. But as Brown comes in, the possibility of veteran Orlando Pace's return becomes dimmer. The goodbye may be hard for many faithful Rams fans and the team but bringing in a younger linemen could be very beneficial to a team that was once know as "The Greatest Show on Turf". With Brown at center, the Rams could focus a little less on rebuilding their offensive line and put more focus on their disappointing defense.
Matt Birk
The Vikings very own Matt Birk has found a new home but will continue to sport the flashy purple jersey, just this time it'll be for the Ravens.
What will happen to the Vikings: The Vikings will have plenty of trouble trying to replace the veteran leader at center and the team that snuck themselves in last year's playoffs can forget about another post season unless they can find a new guy at center. This is arguably the most imporant position on the offensive line, if not the entire offense at times.
Help in the trenches for the Ravens: Even though the Ravens released a young center that was only improving, signing veteran Matt Birk has quickly filled in the gap and the Ravens could probably be even more productive on offense as Birk will lead the rest of the offensive line to battle with some of the most dominant defensive lines and blitzes.
"Dawkins was known as the ferocious leader of the Eagles defense. Times have changed..."The outstanding leader that has been the icon of Philadelphia's fearsome defense over the past decade is no longer a part of the Eagles and is now a Denver Bronco as he teams up with pro bowl cornerback Champ Bailey.
Can the Eagles ever replace Dawkins? The Eagles have already been quick to act as they signed two young safeties in Sean Jones and Rashad Baker. These two are nowhere close to the talent that Dawkins brought in for the Eagles defense but the Eagles can't expect too much as the price tag on these two is much less than how much it would have costed them to keep Dawkins. The Eagles will need to spend some more money on revamping the rest of their defense in order to attempt replacing Dawkins.
The Broncos aim high: As the Broncos searched through this off season's deep pool of free agents, the Broncos found themselves a weapon that many teams have dreamed of having a hold of. As Brian Dawkins came to an agreement with the Broncos, the team is looking ahead to the bright future as they will represent one of the most explosive and fearsome secondaries the league has ever witnessed.
Julius Peppers
A seven year veteran star who has always managed to find his way to the quarterback or a tackle for a loss, since being released by the Panthers Peppers has yet to find a new team to suit up for but you can be well assured that plenty of teams are looking at this monster in the trenches.
Why the Panthers should resign Peppers: Year after year, the Panthers have been a top candidate to be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl but haven't always lived up to the hype. If the Panthers want to be a top pre season team in the NFC once again, it wouldn't hurt to spend some money on the veteran leader that knows how to conduct an offense.
Why the Panthers should look for a different solution: With Peppers' contract expiring, a lot of of their salary cap opens up and gives Carolina multiple routes to take. It is not easy to replace Peppers but after these constant let downs of failing to compete for the Super Bowl, the Panthers might want to look more towards young potential stars in order to develop their team and chemistry for the many seasons to come. With this decision, anything could happen. The team could become more successful very quickly or the team could suffer for a few seasons without getting to see a glimpse of the playoffs. It won't be too much of a worry with veteran leaders all around this team's offense and defense. They could acquire a few young studs in the making, granted they won't all live up to expectation but someone that they sign is bound to step up.
Torry HoltAlways a top receiver in the league over and over again. The aging receiver that was once part of the most exciting offense in the league has been released by his very own St. Louis Rams. Despite his age, give the man a solid quarterback that can throw the ball within his area, he will grab the ball and take it safely into the endzone for any team that is smart enough to sign him.
Why the Rams will miss Holt: Having released the veteran pro bowler, the Rams most likely have no intention of resigning him but with this, it opens up a lot of cap space for the Rams. Unless they use this money wisely, this team could end up having to rely on their star running back to single handedly carry their team through yet another painful season. The Rams management better get to work and act fast and smart. These could be the next Detroit Lions. Ouch.
Why your team should sign Holt: We said he's aging, but we never said that he was slowing down. He may require a little bit of money out of the team's pocket, but it will be more than worth it. The best location for Holt would be a team that has a go to receiver but could use a second receiver that has plenty of talent. Holt could also help a team that NEEDS a go to receiver but with the age factor kicking in, it'd be more compatible for Holt to be the second receiver on the team.
2009 NFL Draft
With plenty of talent being offered by the draft class of 2009, teams are strategically over viewing what they will do on April 25th. Here are the
With the #1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select...
Matthew Stafford The junior out of the University of Georgia has a rocket arm and has the NFL potential at the quarterback position that comes every once in a long while. A lot of previous drafts show that drafting a quarterback early in the draft is not the wisest choice but it hasn't always gone wrong. Stafford is the kind of talent that you just don't pass by on. The Lions have been relying on Jon Kitna to carry this team at the quarterback position but it just hasn't been working out. Stafford may not be a perfect decision maker but with the power he has and the quick decision making, he could easily become a dangerous factor for the Lion's offense. Imagine him teaming up with college rival Calvin Johnson. Those two may possibly be become a well known combination. Ironically enough...
#2
The St. Louis Rams select... Jason Smith out of Baylor University
Probably the top offensive lineman in this year's draft. The 6'5" 310 pound senior wasn't always the top choice linemen in this year's draft but his stock increased has he continued to impress the scouts. The Rams have acquired a new center and have a bright young tackle in Alex Barron, but with the likely departure of Orlando Pace, the Rams are going to have to look for more help at the line if they want Bulger to have a future. It isn't often that one player can change a team around in football but if it's going to be any position that makes as big of an impact, it'll be an offensive lineman.
#3
The Kansas City Chiefs select... Brian Orakpo out of the University of Texas
A questionable decision if this selection goes accordingly, but with the abilities that Orakpo brings to Kansas City's defense, a lot can be expected of this future star to be. The 6'3" 265 pound senior brings a lot of power and speed to the Chiefs defense as he a recorded a 4.70 40-time. That is one fast linebacker. The Chiefs could definitely use a hard hitter like Orakpo and if things go as planned, the Chiefs might have just bagged a franchise player on defense. Ray Lewis' descent? Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
#4
The Seattle Seahaws select... Eugene Monroe out of the University of Virgnia
The four year senior offensive tackle for the Cavaliers will now join the NFL as he looks to be a top pick and a gamechanger. The Seahawks that had a very disappointing season in 2008 were plagued by injuries and will need to do some rebuilding on the offense. Everyone should know that an offense begins with the line. Give the credit to the quarterback, running backs, and receivers as they put on the highlights, but the real work begins in the trenches. The Seahawks will need to add youth and new life into their O-line as they look to draft the lanky Eugene Monroe. Speed is on the slow side but he makes up for it with his size and strength. The Seahawks couldn't possibly go wrong with this selection.
#5
The Cleveland Browns select... Aaron Curry out of Wake Forest
The top draft choice in many mock drafts could easily slip to the fifth slot as this opportunity would be a blessing for the Browns but the likelihood of Curry being off the list before this pick is very high. There is no need to explain why the Browns should select this man of boys. You may wonder why I have the Chiefs selecting Orakpo over Curry if this beast is as good as he is hyped up to be. The difference between these two linebackers is Curry may have a little more speed but his overaggresiveness will cause him to make costly decisions. Size is also a factor as Orakpo has about 2 inches on the 6'1" Curry. Height is very helpful when playing the linebacker position. With that being said, if Curry falls into the hands of the Browns at #5, you won't be hearing any complaints from them.
#6
The Cincinnati Bengals select... Andre Smith out of the University of Alabama
A young man who's stock had dropped over the past few months has been questioned on his complete athleticism. The successful young man that caused defensive lines struggles throughout the nation in the collegiate level, regardless of his speed and footwork, could be just what the Bengals need. Carson Palmer has been stressed with pressure throughout the season and I'm sure he won't mind seeing the Bengals select a potential pro bowl offensive tackle.
#7
The Oakland Raiders select... Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech Universtiy
This freak talent has always played above expectations day in and day out. Never disappointing the fans and spectators as he continuously outplayed the rest on the field as he had "success" written all over him. The Raiders have no talent at wide receiver and acquiring Michael Crabtree would be huge for this offense. With a very young offense in the developing stage right now for Oakland, adding Crabtree could mean a very bright future for this Raider offense.
#8
The Jacksonville Jaguars select... Jeremy Maclin out of the University of Missouri
Two wide receivers get selected back to back in the draft as the Jaguars need a wide receiver just as much as the Raiders do. Maclin who may not have the accolades that Crabtree earned in the collegiate level, but while Crabtree was holding his own at Texas Tech, Maclin was hanging right with him in the Big 12 as he got plenty of connections from Chase Daniels into the endzone over at Mizzou. A little shorter than Crabtree, the 6' receiver has plenty of speed and athleticism.
#9
The Green Bay Packers select... Everette Brown out of Florida State University
Size and speed may be questionable for this linebacker but lacking talent is not an issue. He has plenty of aspects that you want in a linebacker and he plays with a lot of fire. With a 6'1" body frame, the undersized linebacker makes up for it while playing with his heart. A hardworker in Brown will learn a lot as he develops over the coming seasons.
#10
The San Francisco 49ers select... Mark Sanchez out of USC
What about Alex Smith? That dud was supposed to develop years ago. His chance is over and it's now time for the 49ers to go a different direction. The 49ers haven't been in the playoffs since the Owens/Garcia era and Owens has already worn three other uniforms since then. The 49ers have young talent and adding Sanchez at the quarterback position could fit well. But then again, Pete Carroll could make an argument for the 49ers saying that Sanchez is not ready for the league...
#11
The Buffalo Bills select... Michael Oher out of Ole Miss
Yet another offensive lineman that is in high demand. After seeing Miami's quick success after acquiring Jake Long last season, how could you not want an offensive lineman. Oher has a lot of developing to do but he will quickly learn as he will be blocking for a quarterback that has a new receiver in Terrell Owens and you know if Owens doesn't get balls thrown to him because the quarterback doesn't have enough time, the rookie is going to get it from the hot head. Either way, Oher has plenty of talent and will learn a lot as he develops over the first few seasons.
To be completly honest, I may possibly go 1/11 in these calls but anything goes in the draft. As for the rest of the 21 picks in the first round, the possibilities are endless with the wide range of talent. Also, most of the rest of these teams have lots of talent on both sides of the ball and will probably be selecting based on who they would like to experiment at certain positions. Just make sure to tune into ESPN as fresh new talent joins the NFL on April 25th, 2009.
More on the NFL later, but now is the time for March Madness fanatics and NBA crunch time lovers. Get your brackets ready!
-Jason C
Matthew Stafford The junior out of the University of Georgia has a rocket arm and has the NFL potential at the quarterback position that comes every once in a long while. A lot of previous drafts show that drafting a quarterback early in the draft is not the wisest choice but it hasn't always gone wrong. Stafford is the kind of talent that you just don't pass by on. The Lions have been relying on Jon Kitna to carry this team at the quarterback position but it just hasn't been working out. Stafford may not be a perfect decision maker but with the power he has and the quick decision making, he could easily become a dangerous factor for the Lion's offense. Imagine him teaming up with college rival Calvin Johnson. Those two may possibly be become a well known combination. Ironically enough...#2
The St. Louis Rams select... Jason Smith out of Baylor University
Probably the top offensive lineman in this year's draft. The 6'5" 310 pound senior wasn't always the top choice linemen in this year's draft but his stock increased has he continued to impress the scouts. The Rams have acquired a new center and have a bright young tackle in Alex Barron, but with the likely departure of Orlando Pace, the Rams are going to have to look for more help at the line if they want Bulger to have a future. It isn't often that one player can change a team around in football but if it's going to be any position that makes as big of an impact, it'll be an offensive lineman.
#3
The Kansas City Chiefs select... Brian Orakpo out of the University of Texas
A questionable decision if this selection goes accordingly, but with the abilities that Orakpo brings to Kansas City's defense, a lot can be expected of this future star to be. The 6'3" 265 pound senior brings a lot of power and speed to the Chiefs defense as he a recorded a 4.70 40-time. That is one fast linebacker. The Chiefs could definitely use a hard hitter like Orakpo and if things go as planned, the Chiefs might have just bagged a franchise player on defense. Ray Lewis' descent? Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
#4
The Seattle Seahaws select... Eugene Monroe out of the University of Virgnia
The four year senior offensive tackle for the Cavaliers will now join the NFL as he looks to be a top pick and a gamechanger. The Seahawks that had a very disappointing season in 2008 were plagued by injuries and will need to do some rebuilding on the offense. Everyone should know that an offense begins with the line. Give the credit to the quarterback, running backs, and receivers as they put on the highlights, but the real work begins in the trenches. The Seahawks will need to add youth and new life into their O-line as they look to draft the lanky Eugene Monroe. Speed is on the slow side but he makes up for it with his size and strength. The Seahawks couldn't possibly go wrong with this selection.
#5
The Cleveland Browns select... Aaron Curry out of Wake Forest
The top draft choice in many mock drafts could easily slip to the fifth slot as this opportunity would be a blessing for the Browns but the likelihood of Curry being off the list before this pick is very high. There is no need to explain why the Browns should select this man of boys. You may wonder why I have the Chiefs selecting Orakpo over Curry if this beast is as good as he is hyped up to be. The difference between these two linebackers is Curry may have a little more speed but his overaggresiveness will cause him to make costly decisions. Size is also a factor as Orakpo has about 2 inches on the 6'1" Curry. Height is very helpful when playing the linebacker position. With that being said, if Curry falls into the hands of the Browns at #5, you won't be hearing any complaints from them.
#6
The Cincinnati Bengals select... Andre Smith out of the University of Alabama
A young man who's stock had dropped over the past few months has been questioned on his complete athleticism. The successful young man that caused defensive lines struggles throughout the nation in the collegiate level, regardless of his speed and footwork, could be just what the Bengals need. Carson Palmer has been stressed with pressure throughout the season and I'm sure he won't mind seeing the Bengals select a potential pro bowl offensive tackle.
#7
The Oakland Raiders select... Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech Universtiy
This freak talent has always played above expectations day in and day out. Never disappointing the fans and spectators as he continuously outplayed the rest on the field as he had "success" written all over him. The Raiders have no talent at wide receiver and acquiring Michael Crabtree would be huge for this offense. With a very young offense in the developing stage right now for Oakland, adding Crabtree could mean a very bright future for this Raider offense.
#8
The Jacksonville Jaguars select... Jeremy Maclin out of the University of Missouri
Two wide receivers get selected back to back in the draft as the Jaguars need a wide receiver just as much as the Raiders do. Maclin who may not have the accolades that Crabtree earned in the collegiate level, but while Crabtree was holding his own at Texas Tech, Maclin was hanging right with him in the Big 12 as he got plenty of connections from Chase Daniels into the endzone over at Mizzou. A little shorter than Crabtree, the 6' receiver has plenty of speed and athleticism.
#9
The Green Bay Packers select... Everette Brown out of Florida State University
Size and speed may be questionable for this linebacker but lacking talent is not an issue. He has plenty of aspects that you want in a linebacker and he plays with a lot of fire. With a 6'1" body frame, the undersized linebacker makes up for it while playing with his heart. A hardworker in Brown will learn a lot as he develops over the coming seasons.
#10
The San Francisco 49ers select... Mark Sanchez out of USC
What about Alex Smith? That dud was supposed to develop years ago. His chance is over and it's now time for the 49ers to go a different direction. The 49ers haven't been in the playoffs since the Owens/Garcia era and Owens has already worn three other uniforms since then. The 49ers have young talent and adding Sanchez at the quarterback position could fit well. But then again, Pete Carroll could make an argument for the 49ers saying that Sanchez is not ready for the league...
#11
The Buffalo Bills select... Michael Oher out of Ole Miss
Yet another offensive lineman that is in high demand. After seeing Miami's quick success after acquiring Jake Long last season, how could you not want an offensive lineman. Oher has a lot of developing to do but he will quickly learn as he will be blocking for a quarterback that has a new receiver in Terrell Owens and you know if Owens doesn't get balls thrown to him because the quarterback doesn't have enough time, the rookie is going to get it from the hot head. Either way, Oher has plenty of talent and will learn a lot as he develops over the first few seasons.
To be completly honest, I may possibly go 1/11 in these calls but anything goes in the draft. As for the rest of the 21 picks in the first round, the possibilities are endless with the wide range of talent. Also, most of the rest of these teams have lots of talent on both sides of the ball and will probably be selecting based on who they would like to experiment at certain positions. Just make sure to tune into ESPN as fresh new talent joins the NFL on April 25th, 2009.
More on the NFL later, but now is the time for March Madness fanatics and NBA crunch time lovers. Get your brackets ready!
-Jason C
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