Free is still a young player, and his worst years were playing out of position at left tackle and then first year back at RT with garbage at RG. Now he has settled into his natural position, and from what I've seen of other teams,he's at least an average starting RT, not lower tier, and having Martin beside him is working.
Free and Parnell will both draw interest in free agency, and both will want to be signed for starting RT money even if competing for the starting spot. I make Free a fair offer for what he is...with performance incentives. If he turns it down, I make Parnell an offer that is slightly lower but still starter's money. We cannot allow both to walk in free agency unless we sign someone else. We go into the draft not needing a starting RT, but In good shape if one drops to us.
If we can resign Free or Parnell and draft another project/backup player, then we can focus our free agent and draft resources to get what we need on defense. We need to upgrade at DE, CB, and S. The only way we stay pat at LB is if we resign free agents there....otherwise we are weak there as well.
