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 [...]]]> 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.

-The biggest name in the free agent class, Julius Peppers, signed with the  Bears for $91.5 million dollars over 6 years, with $42 million guaranteed.  Good lord that’s a lot of [...]]]> The first day of free agency yesterday resulted in a flurry of activity, including blockbuster trades, crazy rumors, and giant contracts.  Let’s break it down:

-The biggest name in the free agent class, Julius Peppers, signed with the  Bears for $91.5 million dollars over 6 years, with $42 million guaranteed.  Good lord that’s a lot of money– but for an extremely talented pass rusher the Bears needed in the wake of the tragic death of Gaines Adams.  People say that Peppers has questionable consistency and “takes plays off,” but I’ve honestly heard that about many of the great D-lineman in the league– shockingly giant pash rushers don’t bring maximum heat every play, perhaps to conserve some energy for more important/clear passing downs.  Plus, there’s this one guy, Randy Moss, who has heard this criticism and still continues to be one of the best WRs in the league.  Peppers may be on the wrong side of 30, but he’s still an elite pass rusher.   Althought the Bears paid a lot of money, they basically just signed Peppers to a 3 year 42 million dollar contract given that the rest isn’t guaranteed.  Not bad really.

-On the trade front, Anquan Boldin finally got his wish and was traded from the Cardinals to the Ravens for a3rd and 4th round pick.  The Ravens then signed Boldin to a 3 year, $25 million extension.  The Ravens finally get the consistent, No. 1 caliber wide receiver that they’ve been looking for for years.  Boldin is one of the toughest receivers in the NFL- he plays through injuries, goes over the middle, etc- which fits in perfectly with the Ravens’ ethos.  I wonder how Cowboys fans must feel after trading a 1st rounder and 3rd rounder for the lackluster Roy Williams…

-The Cards exodus continued with LB Karlos Dansby signing with Miami and released safety Antrel Rolle signing a deal with the Giants making him the highest paid safety in the NFL.  The Cards have taken a huge number of hits this offseason, losing 4 Pro Bowl quality players (Dansby, Rolle, Boldin, Warner).  The Cards can’t be considered the favorites in the NFC West any longer with huge elements of their offense and defense out of the equation.  Can you say 49ers win the West?

-In the unrestricted free agent area, it sounds like Brandon Marsall may be on the move from Denver soon.  Reportedly, Marshall is meeting with the Seahawks today to see if they can work out an offer sheet.  Offensive coordinator Jeremey Bates worked with Marshall as the former QB coach in Denver, so it makes sense that he would want Marshall.  Since the Broncos have a first round tender on Marshall, if Seattle were to offer Marshall a contract and the Broncos choose not to match, they would be entitled to the 6th overall pick in the draft.  Of course, Seattle and Denver could work out a trade for perhaps the 14th pick in the draft (which is the pick Denver traded to Seattle last year) or a lower pick and a player.  There’s two ways of looking at this: Seattle could trade the 6th pick for a young, 100+ catch Pro Bowl receiver (which sounds good), or Seattle would be trading the 6th pick for a risky, moody receiver that Mike Shannahan and Josh McDaniels both wanted to get rid of.  Ultimately, I think a deal for the 6th pick would be good for both teams.  Denver would have to be ecstatic to get such a high pick in the draft for Marshall, who they want to get rid of anyway.  Even if the Broncos are worried about the money they can always trade that 6th rounder for more picks in the draft.  Seattle would love to get a high impact reciever, and no one can question Marshall’s talent, so long as his attitude can be managed.  We’ll see what happens today…

-Browns kick returner/WR/RB Josh Cribbs got the extension he’s been seeking.  Mike Holmegren obviously likes what he sees in Cribbs, and who wouldn’t– he’s a speedy game breaker who’s been the best player on the Browns for the last two years.  It’ll be interesting to see if Cribbs has an expanded role this season to go along with that deal…