Sporting News Updated Salary Caps and Top 20 FA's

[Ken]

Sportting News...Updated Salary Caps and Top 20 FA's... Based on $85 million cap for 2005...



Hitting the market

The top available unrestricted free agents (listed with their 2004 teams):

1. Plaxico Burress, WR, Steelers
2. Pat Williams, DT, Bills
3. Kendrell Bell, ILB, Steelers
4. Gary Baxter, CB/S, Ravens
5. Derrick Burgess, DE, Eagles
6. Jeremiah Trotter, MLB, Eagles
7. Fred Smoot, CB, Redskins
8. Ed Hartwell, ILB, Ravens
9. Jermane Mayberry, G, Eagles
10. Reggie Hayward, DE, Broncos
11. Mark Fields, OLB, Panthers
12. Jason Ferguson, DT, Jets
13. Ken Lucas, CB, Seahawks
14. Andre Dyson, CB, Titans
15. Chike Okeafor, DE, Seahawks
16. Ben Hamilton, G/C, Broncos
17. LaMont Jordan, RB, Jets
18. Casey Rabach, C, Ravens
19. Anthony Becht, TE, Jets
20. Tony Williams, DT, Bengals

Other recent notable salary cap casualties who should garner interest:

Ty Law, CB, Patriots
Jeff Garcia, QB, Browns
Derrick Mason, WR, Titans
Kevin Carter, DE, Titans
# Complete list of Cap Cuts

A game of tag

Players who were given franchise tags, which means they remain property of their teams and are very unlikely to change teams:

Shaun Alexander, RB, Seahawks
Edgerrin James, RB, Colts
Julian Peterson, OLB, 49ers
Charles Woodson, CB, Raiders
Donovin Darius, SS, Jaguars
John Abraham, DE, Jets
Drew Brees, QB, Chargers
Darren Howard, DE, Saints
Rudi Johnson, RB, Bengals
Orlando Pace, OT, Rams
Corey Simon, DT, Eagles
Adam Vinatieri, K, Patriots
Bubba Franks (transitional), TE, Packers

Making sense of teams' dollars

A look at all 32 teams' salary cap status, based on a projected 2005 cap of $85 million:

Arizona: Has money to be a major free-agent player.
Atlanta: Waiting to decide how to prorate Michael Vick's bonus.
Baltimore: In its best cap shape since 1996.
Buffalo: Positioned well to re-sign key players, pursue other veterans.
Carolina: Releasing Muhsin Muhammad opened up $10.2 million.
Chicago: Has ample cap room and could create more if needed.
Cincinnati: Already budgeted all but $2 million of its cap space.
Cleveland: Dumping Jeff Garcia will put the Browns $9.5 million under the cap.
Dallas: Entered with plenty of ammo ($20 million) for free-agent market.
Denver: Scrambling to find the money to actively pursue free agents.
Detroit: $23 million in cap space, but lots of players to re-sign.
Green Bay: Little room to maneuver on the market.
Houston: Has about $5 million in space but won't be active in the market.
Indianapolis: $20 million cap cushion will disappear quickly.
Jacksonville: Plans to put its sizeable cap surplus to good use.
Kansas City: Should rectify its cap deficit relatively painlessly.
Miami: Cuts will put it under the cap but won't leave spending money.
Minnesota: Has as much cap space as any team in the league.
New England: After bloated contracts are trimmed, Pats will have room to maneuver.
New Orleans: Expected to be $4 million under but could easily free more cash.
N.Y. Giants: Should have more cap flexibility than in recent years.
N.Y. Jets: Anticipated $9 million in cap space when the free-agent period begins.
Oakland: In fine shape; will have more space if Rich Gannon's deal is adjusted.
Philadelphia: Will have about $8 million available for free agents.
Pittsburgh: Continues to sit right up against the cap.
St. Louis: Will have room to make a couple of moderate to large free-agent strikes.
San Diego: After tagging Drew Brees, will have $13 million to spend.
San Francisco: Poised to be a stronger market force with $20 million available.
Seattle: With plenty of players to re-sign, its available $22 million will go fast.
Tampa Bay: Needs to restructure contracts, make cuts to combat $14 million cap hole.
Tennessee: With a $27 million cap deficit, cuts are imminent.
Washington : Could make a few waves with $4 million in cap room.

[SALADIN]

Originally Posted by Ken

Sportting News...Updated Salary Caps and Top 20 FA's... Based on $85 million cap for 2005...



Hitting the market

The top available unrestricted free agents (listed with their 2004 teams):

1. Plaxico Burress, WR, Steelers
2. Pat Williams, DT, Bills
3. Kendrell Bell, ILB, Steelers
4. Gary Baxter, CB/S, Ravens
5. Derrick Burgess, DE, Eagles
6. Jeremiah Trotter, MLB, Eagles
7. Fred Smoot, CB, Redskins
8. Ed Hartwell, ILB, Ravens
9. Jermane Mayberry, G, Eagles
10. Reggie Hayward, DE, Broncos
11. Mark Fields, OLB, Panthers
12. Jason Ferguson, DT, Jets
13. Ken Lucas, CB, Seahawks
14. Andre Dyson, CB, Titans
15. Chike Okeafor, DE, Seahawks
16. Ben Hamilton, G/C, Broncos
17. LaMont Jordan, RB, Jets
18. Casey Rabach, C, Ravens
19. Anthony Becht, TE, Jets
20. Tony Williams, DT, Bengals

[View Full Quote]Other recent notable salary cap casualties who should garner interest:

Ty Law, CB, Patriots
Jeff Garcia, QB, Browns
Derrick Mason, WR, Titans
Kevin Carter, DE, Titans
# Complete list of Cap Cuts

A game of tag

Players who were given franchise tags, which means they remain property of their teams and are very unlikely to change teams:

Shaun Alexander, RB, Seahawks
Edgerrin James, RB, Colts
Julian Peterson, OLB, 49ers
Charles Woodson, CB, Raiders
Donovin Darius, SS, Jaguars
John Abraham, DE, Jets
Drew Brees, QB, Chargers
Darren Howard, DE, Saints
Rudi Johnson, RB, Bengals
Orlando Pace, OT, Rams
Corey Simon, DT, Eagles
Adam Vinatieri, K, Patriots
Bubba Franks (transitional), TE, Packers

Making sense of teams' dollars

A look at all 32 teams' salary cap status, based on a projected 2005 cap of $85 million:

Arizona: Has money to be a major free-agent player.
Atlanta: Waiting to decide how to prorate Michael Vick's bonus.
Baltimore: In its best cap shape since 1996.
Buffalo: Positioned well to re-sign key players, pursue other veterans.
Carolina: Releasing Muhsin Muhammad opened up $10.2 million.
Chicago: Has ample cap room and could create more if needed.
Cincinnati: Already budgeted all but $2 million of its cap space.
Cleveland: Dumping Jeff Garcia will put the Browns $9.5 million under the cap.
Dallas: Entered with plenty of ammo ($20 million) for free-agent market.
Denver: Scrambling to find the money to actively pursue free agents.
Detroit: $23 million in cap space, but lots of players to re-sign.
Green Bay: Little room to maneuver on the market.
Houston: Has about $5 million in space but won't be active in the market.
Indianapolis: $20 million cap cushion will disappear quickly.
Jacksonville: Plans to put its sizeable cap surplus to good use.
Kansas City: Should rectify its cap deficit relatively painlessly.
Miami: Cuts will put it under the cap but won't leave spending money.
Minnesota: Has as much cap space as any team in the league.
New England: After bloated contracts are trimmed, Pats will have room to maneuver.
New Orleans: Expected to be $4 million under but could easily free more cash.
N.Y. Giants: Should have more cap flexibility than in recent years.
N.Y. Jets: Anticipated $9 million in cap space when the free-agent period begins.
Oakland: In fine shape; will have more space if Rich Gannon's deal is adjusted.
Philadelphia: Will have about $8 million available for free agents.
Pittsburgh: Continues to sit right up against the cap.
St. Louis: Will have room to make a couple of moderate to large free-agent strikes.
San Diego: After tagging Drew Brees, will have $13 million to spend.
San Francisco: Poised to be a stronger market force with $20 million available.
Seattle: With plenty of players to re-sign, its available $22 million will go fast.
Tampa Bay: Needs to restructure contracts, make cuts to combat $14 million cap hole.
Tennessee: With a $27 million cap deficit, cuts are imminent.
Washington : Could make a few waves with $4 million in cap room.

How great would it be if we could keep our 2 #1's and still get Burress, Bell, William, Baxter and Smoot.

There is a positional need for all of them and with $15 million, BP and JJ who knows which one or two the Cowboys end up not signing.

Burress, Smoot & Williams
Hayward, Baxter and Bell

Now that would be a productive offseason

[Dale]

I realize Derrick Burgess has some solid potential and all, but is this guy really a top-5 free agent? He has a combined 2.5 sacks over the last three seasons, in which he has missed essentially all of two seasons. In his best season, he only compiled 6 sacks.

He's a good speed rusher off the edge and has some nice skills, but if there are only four better players than him on the market, this is one helluva poor free agency period.

[ShiningStar]

I wouldnt mind looking into Mason if he hasnt been signed yet..maybe not a number 1 guy but defintely experince at a lesser price perhaps.

[Eskimo]

Originally Posted by Dale

I realize Derrick Burgess has some solid potential and all, but is this guy really a top-5 free agent? He has a combined 2.5 sacks over the last three seasons, in which he has missed essentially all of two seasons. In his best season, he only compiled 6 sacks.

He's a good speed rusher off the edge and has some nice skills, but if there are only four better players than him on the market, this is one helluva poor free agency period.

Pass rusher pickings are pretty slim this year - only Hayward is available in FA. There's also Howard and Abraham with the franchise tags. Shaun Ellis got re-signed during the regular season.

My guess is we spend two of our top 3 picks on front 7 players who can get after the QB.

[Eagles-UK]

Burgess is a bit jekyll and hyde, he was very poor off the RE all season and only picked up a few coverage sacks but at LE he could be a good player as you saw in the postseason.

with 2 seasons on the IR already in his short career he is no way a top 5 FA

[big dog cowboy]

Not one Packer on the list?