Free Agency and the Draft

The NFL Free-Agency period is a time for teams to supplement their rosters with either impact veteran players or to provide depth and competition at certain positions. With the 2009 NFL Draft just around the corner, let’s take a look at 3 questions that were raised this past weekend through both player signings and trades.

1. How has the trade of QB Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots to the Kansas City Chiefs altered the top of the draft board?
While it is widely assumed that quarterbacks Matt Stafford (Georgia) and Mark Sanchez (USC) are considered potential top 5 picks, the Chiefs landing their franchise QB in Matt Cassel has created all sorts of shake-ups to mock drafts across the nation. The Detroit Lions, whom hold the 1st overall pick in April’s draft, were believed to be chasing one of the two marquee quarterbacks. Yet, the Lions were rumored to be involved in trade talks to potentially land QB Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. This act alone could possibly show that Detroit is not comfortable with either Stafford or Sanchez at the #1 pick, or believe that they could possibly land a QB later in the 1st round at pick #20.  

The Chiefs on the other hand now have various options at pick #3 to select either a big Offensive Tackle: Jason Smith (Baylor), Andre Smith (Alabama), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), or Michael Oher (Ole Miss); or set their sights on a defensive stud such as LB Aaron Curry (Wake Forest) or DE Brian Orakpo (Texas). An interesting note is that the New England Patriots opted for only a 2nd round pick from Kansas City for Cassel and didn’t even consider moving to the #3 pick.

2. Is the 2009 NFL Draft Linebacker class not living up to the hype?
Each year, NFL executives and coaches begin the Free-Agency period immediately after spending a week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, evaluating this year’s incoming draft class. Usually if teams target a specific position early in the free-agency process, than that means the talent pool of incoming draft players may be suspect at that particular position. This past weekend had numerous linebackers signing big time contracts such as Bart Scott (New York Jets), Jonathan Vilma (New Orleans Saints), Michael Boley (New York Giants), Takeo Spikes (San Francisco 49ers), and Keith Brooking (Dallas Cowboys). Don’t forget that future Hall of Fame players such as Ray Lewis and Derrick Brooks are also looking for new contracts.
Going into the combine, the linebacking position looked to be pretty deep, especially with a first round talent pool of players such as Aaron Curry (Wake Forest), Everette Brown (Florida State), Brian Cushing (USC), Rey Maualuga (USC) and James Laurinatitis (Ohio State). Yet, NFL teams may be cautious that the talent might not be as deep in the mid to later rounds. With many teams converting to a 3-4 defense, teams have begun to target hybrid defensive ends that can also drop back into coverage. These players are often times viewed as “projects” for a team and could take a few years to develop and transition to this type of player, thus forcing teams to target more experienced veterans in free-agency to make an immediate impact.

3. What should NFL teams learn from this Free-Agency period heading into the NFL Draft?
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that: Offensive Line, Defensive Line and Defensive Backs are what every team needs, wants, and is forced to pay ridiculous amounts of money for every year when free-agency rolls around. These specific positions are critical to a team’s success in the NFL and should be a priority during draft time. With the threat of an uncapped salary year in 2010, it is imperative that teams get these positions locked up in contract extensions and stockpile these positions in the draft.

Notable 2010 Free Agents:
Offensive Line: Chad Clifton (Packers), Logan Mankins (Patriots), Marcus McNeil (Chargers), Benji Olson (Titans), Jeremy Trueblood (Buccaneers), Taitusi Lutui (Cardinals)
Defensive Line: Derrick Burgess (Raiders), Casey Hampton (Steelers), Richard Seymour (Patriots), Vince Wilfork (Patriots), Will Smith (Saints), Kyle Vanden Bosch (Titans), Aaron Kampmon (Packers)
Defensive Backs: Antoine Bethea (Colts), Will Blackman (Packers), Cedric Griffin (Vikings), Ellis Hobbs (Patriots), Danieal Manning (Bears), Terrence Newman (Cowboys), Deshea Townsend (Steelers), Adrian Wilson (Cardinals), Corey Webster (Giants), Antoine Winfield (Vikings), Ashton Youboty (Bills)