Free Agency Roundup

A lot has happened over the last few days in free agency.  Here’s the Neighborhood’s recap and analysis:

1-A few significant wide receiver signings/lack of signings happened over the last few days.  Derrick Mason resigned with the Ravens, giving Baltimore a solid receiving corps after bringing in Dante Stallworth and Anquan Boldin in the offseason.  Stallworth gives them the explosive deep threat and Boldin and Mason are tough possession receivers.  Sounds like a good balance.

The Bengals also made a move to solidify their WR position, signing Antonio Bryant, formerly of the Bucs, to a 4 year deal.  The signing came after Bryant and Terrell Owens met with the Bengals on the same day.  The signing of Bryant has got to mean the Bengals aren’t interested in TO, and that the market for his services is drying up.  Only a finite number of teams will want a reciever of TO’s age that brings the locker room problems and attitude that he’s known for.  As of now, no other suitors for TO are known, since Baltimore, the only other team linked to TO, has solved its WR problem.  Someone will eventually sign TO, it just may be a while before we find out who that is.

As for non-deals, Brandon Marshall still remains a Denver Bronco.  That Seattle didn’t sign Marshall to an offer sheet after his visit with the Seahawks indicates that the Seahawks probably aren’t willing to give away the 6th pick in the draft for Marshall.  It likely means that Seattle is trying to strike a deal for lesser picks (maybe the 14th pick or a 2nd and a player) for Marshall.  I doubt that Denver wants to part with Marshall for anything less than a 1st round pick, and is likely waiting to see if anyone else will bite on Marshall before proceeding.  So don’t be shocked if the Marshall situation isn’t resolved until the end of the month or early April.

2- Veteran RBs are (slowly) on the move.  Thomas Jones, the prize of the free agent RBs, signed a 4 year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.  This move gives the Chiefs a potent running attack, with the explosive Jamal Charles coming on strong at the end of last year and Jones serving as a great between-the-tackles banger and short yardage back.  It’s unclear how the carries split will go hear, and I’m somewhat surprised Jones was willing to go to a situation where his role seems so uncertain on a non-contender team.  This situation sucks for fantasy football players, but is great for Chiefs fans, where the running game should take pressure off Matt Cassel.  Now if the Chiefs just had an offensive line…

In other RB news, LaDanian Tomlinson met with the Vikings to come in as their backup/change of pace RB to take Chester Taylor’s place.  LT has said he wants to play for a contender and the Vikings are looking for a versatile, pass catching back, so this match seems logical.  I bet a deal gets done and LT wears purple and gold.  The next question is if that will help entice Brett Favre back to the team, but I’m not touching that with a 10 foot pole.

3- The Browns are in the midst of a QB purge.  The Browns first traded a seventh round pick for Senecca Wallace of the Seahawks.  Then they cut Derek Anderson who went on a rampage against Cleveland fans and how they don’t deserve a winning team before quickly apologizing.  (Anderson will now meet with the Seahawks and Cardinals.)    Now there are rumors that they are shopping Brady Quinn.  Jake Delhomme is coming in for a visit.  Mike Holmgren certainly doesn’t seem satisfied with the state of Cleveland’s QBs and all the movement seems to spell the end of the Quinn/Anderson era in Cleveland.  While Wallace and Delhomme aren’t the long term answer at QB, it looks like they’ll compete for the starting job in the short term– although, I don’t know how much value the Browns can get for Brady Quinn– my guess is max a 3rd or 4th rounder.