What is your free agency plan?
Posted February 17th, 2009 by Luke Chandler
With teams working to get under cap before February 27th, the offseason has truly started. Already we've seen some talented players like Fred Taylor and Chris McAlister hit the market as cuts. As the reader, we want to know what your dream plans are.
Currently the NFL salary cap is set for $123 million for 2009. If you would like a nice breakdown of how the cap works, check out this article by Al Lackner. Right now it looks like the Browns have roughly $17 million in cap space, which is an average amount. That would probably preclude them from having a huge offseason like they had under Phil Savage in 2005-2007.
Mike Florio of PFW has broken down the free agents by team and position. Both are updated as of today.
So what is your plan for the Browns in free agency? Leave us a comment and let us know what you would do, or what you think the Browns should do.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
As nice as it would be to get an impact player like Peppers or Suggs, the most logical use of the salary cap space would be to upgrade as much as you can and draft impact players.
1. Release Tucker and Stallworth to save some more cap space.
2. Trade DA for a third rounder prior to his bonus to save more cap dollars.
3. Sign Vernon Carey or Stacy Andrews to play RT and slide Shaffer inside where he won't have to face speed rushers.
4. Sign Justin McCareins, Devery Henderson, Nate Washington, Bryant Johnson, or Michael Clayton to replace Stallworth at WR.
5. Sign Byron Leftwich, Kyle Boller, or Chris Simms as a Back Up QB.
6. Sign Gerald Sensabaugh, Jermaine Phillips, or resign Sean Jones for SS.
7. Sign Jabari Greer, Bryant McFadden, or Domonique Foxworth as another veteran to compete at CB.
8. Draft Rey Maualuga in the 1st and whichever OLB is available in the second round (Larry English, Clint Sintim, Clay Matthews, Michael Johnson, Brian Cushing, etc.). Select Shonn Greene, Rashad Jennings, Donald Brown, or another RB with the 3rd round pick obtained for DA. Select Ramses Barden as a huge WR in the 4th.
9. Then sign a cheap player that has had some experience and some success in a 3-4 like Kevin Burnett or Jason Babin to provide a veteran player similar to Antwaan Peek at OLB.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I tried to lobby the Cleveland Browns to hire "br" as the next Browns GM instead of Kokinis… alas, I was turned away.
The most exciting thing "br" posted was drafting Rey Maualuga. He is a game-changing, hard-hitting linebacker the Browns desperately need.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Hey br…
Sorry dude…Anderson's money will count against the cap, whether he stays or goes.
Nice try, though.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Anderson's roster bonus is guaranteed if they cut or keep him. If he's traded it does not.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Luke is right, the only way we get out of the roster bonus is trading him before it hits. Unfortunately, the other 31 teams know that too and are most certainly going to make us eat that $5 million
February 17th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
We have the cap space to take the hit from Anderson's bonus.These are the players and positions I would target in free agency.Stacy Andrews,Khalif Barnes and Tyson Clabo for right tackle.Byrant McFadden,Domonique Foxworth,Dunta Robinson and Leigh Bodden at cornerback.Igor Olshansky or Chris Canty at defensive end would be a solid choice.Kelvin Hayden would also be a good signing at cornerback.Shaun Cody and Colin Cole could be added for depth along the D-line.The receivers as a group are very average.Nobody in that group is really worth investing a multiple year deal.But there is a good group of backup quarterbacks in free agency.Chris Simms,Kyle Boller,Rex Grossman,JP Losman and Dan Orlovsky.I would add Byron Leftwich but he said he's looking for an opportunity to compete for a starting job.J.T. O'Sullivan is another name who could draw some interest from the Browns.It would be a big mistake not to resign Sean Jones.He's only 26 and was coming off a troublesome knee injury.Jones struggled with the knee at the end of 2007 and all of 2008.A healthy Sean Jones is a very good safety.In fact if you look at how young our defensive backfield is Jones would be the elder statesmen at 26 years old.We need to put more pressure on the quarterback this season.Trading Derek Anderson could help us accomplish our draft goals.The Minnesota Vikings in my mind is a team that could give the Browns the trade value they need.The Vikings are a team that believes there a Super Bowl contender.They have a premier running back in Adrian Peterson, a deep threat at receiver in Bernard Berrian and one of the top defenses in the NFL.All they need is a quarterback who can stretch the field.It doesn't matter that they run the west coast offense.They want a big quarterback with a big arm.Brad Childress is fighting for his job and the Vikings owner wants a new stadium.Derek would only cost them 1.5 million in 09 and 7.5 million in 2010.His value would be at a premium for a team who feels the pressure to produce now.Anderson is 26 has a pro Bowl to his resume and a 29 touchdown season.He has game experience and is mature enough to win games.But also young enough to get better and have lengthy career. His contract works two fold in it allows a team to see if he can make them a contender.But not be a long term burden if their wrong.If Derek plays well in his first season they negotiate during the second season.With someone like Matt Cassell you not only have to give up a good draft pick.But you also have to negotiate a long term deal and if your wrong cha-ching.The window to be a Super Bowl contender is short 1 to 3 years depending on your roster.Teams are willing to take a chance when they believe it's their time.With 9 of their 16 games in a dome stadium that could help Derek with his accuracy.Plus with his arm strength those games late in the year at Chicago and Green Bay would allow them to still throw the ball some.A Good team in a weak division is a team willing to take a bit of a risk to reach it's goal.That would also help us achieve ours.GO BROWNS!!!
February 20th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Our defense is to young, use our first round pick and the third we would get from tampa for DA and go get Peppers from carolina. And pick up a veteran db (perfer safety) to help the young guys back.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Also make kellen a possession wr across from edwards, kellen cant block anyway.. move donte to the slot and spread it out
March 24th, 2009 at 5:39 am
I really liked your blog with the Adrian Peterson item. I think Peterson will be a star in Minnesota.
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