Temo
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The entire article on grantland is worth reading, but it's long, so here's just the players he mentions:
FIVE OVERRATED PLAYERS
Ray Edwards, DE
Braylon Edwards, WR
Jason Babin, DE
Ike Taylor, CB
Marc Bulger, QB
FIVE UNDERRATED PLAYERS
Jacob Ford
Mathias Kiwanuka
Jerome Harrison
Davin Joseph
Matt Leinart
FIVE BUY-LOW OPPORTUNITIES
Stephen Bowen: Took over at defensive end last season for the Cowboys after Marcus Spears suffered a calf injury. He wasn't exactly elite, but Bowen held his own as a starter on a bad team, producing seven hurries in the team's final eight games. At 27, Bowen still has fresh legs, and his prototypical size (6-foot-5, 300-plus pounds) suggests a player who could breakout with more playing time and experience.
Mark Clayton
LeRoy Harris
Tommie Harris
Richard Marshall
FIVE VETERANS WITH SOMETHING LEFT IN THE TANK
David Akers
Raheem Brock
Clinton Portis
Billy Volek
Pat Williams
FIVE BANDWAGONS TO JUMP OFF
James Jones
Danieal Manning
Shaun Smith
Steve Smith
Darren Sproles
TIER 4 — The likely-to-be-average players with some upside.
Antonio Cromartie
Brandon Mebane
Stephen Tulloch
Harvey Dahl
Marshal Yanda
Jermon Bushrod
Matt Hasselbeck
DeAngelo Williams
Dawan Landry
Sidney Rice
TIER 3 — The above-average starters.
The Three Tackles: Jammal Brown, Tyson Clabo, and Doug Free
Why: Each of our tackles has a case for being the top option on the market. Brown has the best reputation, with two Pro Bowl appearances for the Saints (2006, 2008). He has the longest record of looking like an elite pass-blocker. Clabo is the ***-kicker on the right side of the line, the elite run blocker who built himself up into an NFL success after years of bouncing around practice squads. His pass blocking has improved markedly over the past couple of seasons, leading to his first Pro Bowl berth last season. And Free just had an excellent debut season as the Cowboys' starting left tackle. He allowed just three sacks, which was half the total allowed by Flozell Adams at the same spot in the previous season. The rest of the team allowed 28 sacks last year. At 27, he should be entering his prime now, and with just 23 starts under his belt, he should be healthier than most tackles at a similar age.
Why not: They also all have obvious flaws. Brown had major hip surgery in 2009 and missed the entire season, and his hip continued to give him trouble last year, when he suited up at right tackle for the Commanders. Clabo is already at right tackle and isn't a great athlete, so as he ages, he's probably going to have to move inside and play right guard, where he isn't as valuable. As for Free, well, he's only got one year under his belt as a starter. Do you really want to offer $10 million a year to a guy who might have been a flash in the pan?
Where to: Brown is going to need some team to convince themselves that his hip will hold up. Buffalo and Arizona both desperately need left tackles, and Cincinnati might be ready to give up on oft-injured prospect Andre Smith and sign a veteran. Free is likely going to stay in Dallas, which has holes up and down the line and only one young asset in 2011 first-round pick Tyron Smith. Clabo would be an ideal fit for Tampa Bay, which needs a right tackle to replace the disappointing Jeremy Trueblood and could take Clabo away from a division rival in the process. Free agency is treacherous fun.
David Baas, C/G
Robert Gallery, G
Roman Harper, S
Cullen Jenkins, DE
Charles Johnson, DE
Zach Miller, TE
Paul Posluszny, LB
TIER 2 — The borderline Pro Bowlers.
Aubrayo Franklin, DT
Santonio Holmes, WR
Johnathan Joseph, CB
Barrett Ruud, MLB
Eric Weddle, S
TIER 1 — The true franchise player.
Nnamdi Asomugha, CB
FIVE OVERRATED PLAYERS
Ray Edwards, DE
Braylon Edwards, WR
Jason Babin, DE
Ike Taylor, CB
Marc Bulger, QB
FIVE UNDERRATED PLAYERS
Jacob Ford
Mathias Kiwanuka
Jerome Harrison
Davin Joseph
Matt Leinart
FIVE BUY-LOW OPPORTUNITIES
Stephen Bowen: Took over at defensive end last season for the Cowboys after Marcus Spears suffered a calf injury. He wasn't exactly elite, but Bowen held his own as a starter on a bad team, producing seven hurries in the team's final eight games. At 27, Bowen still has fresh legs, and his prototypical size (6-foot-5, 300-plus pounds) suggests a player who could breakout with more playing time and experience.
Mark Clayton
LeRoy Harris
Tommie Harris
Richard Marshall
FIVE VETERANS WITH SOMETHING LEFT IN THE TANK
David Akers
Raheem Brock
Clinton Portis
Billy Volek
Pat Williams
FIVE BANDWAGONS TO JUMP OFF
James Jones
Danieal Manning
Shaun Smith
Steve Smith
Darren Sproles
TIER 4 — The likely-to-be-average players with some upside.
Antonio Cromartie
Brandon Mebane
Stephen Tulloch
Harvey Dahl
Marshal Yanda
Jermon Bushrod
Matt Hasselbeck
DeAngelo Williams
Dawan Landry
Sidney Rice
TIER 3 — The above-average starters.
The Three Tackles: Jammal Brown, Tyson Clabo, and Doug Free
Why: Each of our tackles has a case for being the top option on the market. Brown has the best reputation, with two Pro Bowl appearances for the Saints (2006, 2008). He has the longest record of looking like an elite pass-blocker. Clabo is the ***-kicker on the right side of the line, the elite run blocker who built himself up into an NFL success after years of bouncing around practice squads. His pass blocking has improved markedly over the past couple of seasons, leading to his first Pro Bowl berth last season. And Free just had an excellent debut season as the Cowboys' starting left tackle. He allowed just three sacks, which was half the total allowed by Flozell Adams at the same spot in the previous season. The rest of the team allowed 28 sacks last year. At 27, he should be entering his prime now, and with just 23 starts under his belt, he should be healthier than most tackles at a similar age.
Why not: They also all have obvious flaws. Brown had major hip surgery in 2009 and missed the entire season, and his hip continued to give him trouble last year, when he suited up at right tackle for the Commanders. Clabo is already at right tackle and isn't a great athlete, so as he ages, he's probably going to have to move inside and play right guard, where he isn't as valuable. As for Free, well, he's only got one year under his belt as a starter. Do you really want to offer $10 million a year to a guy who might have been a flash in the pan?
Where to: Brown is going to need some team to convince themselves that his hip will hold up. Buffalo and Arizona both desperately need left tackles, and Cincinnati might be ready to give up on oft-injured prospect Andre Smith and sign a veteran. Free is likely going to stay in Dallas, which has holes up and down the line and only one young asset in 2011 first-round pick Tyron Smith. Clabo would be an ideal fit for Tampa Bay, which needs a right tackle to replace the disappointing Jeremy Trueblood and could take Clabo away from a division rival in the process. Free agency is treacherous fun.
David Baas, C/G
Robert Gallery, G
Roman Harper, S
Cullen Jenkins, DE
Charles Johnson, DE
Zach Miller, TE
Paul Posluszny, LB
TIER 2 — The borderline Pro Bowlers.
Aubrayo Franklin, DT
Santonio Holmes, WR
Johnathan Joseph, CB
Barrett Ruud, MLB
Eric Weddle, S
TIER 1 — The true franchise player.
Nnamdi Asomugha, CB
