Early Winners and Losers in Free Agency
While there are still many big names available in free agency, it’s easy to see which teams have a head start to the 2009 season in upgrading their rosters. Here’s our quick take on the transactions of the last 48 hours:
Winners
Washington Redskins
Daniel Snyder loves to throw his money around, and after a couple years of wasting a bunch of it, he’s finally figured it out. Instead of overpaying hype players like Randle El or Brandon Lloyd who’ll just end up getting cut in a few years, the Skins have found a cornerstone for their team. Albert Haynesworth is the real deal, and Skins fans should be very excited for the upcoming season. In recent seasons, Gridiron Experts would pick games based on whether Haynesworth was in the line-up or not, he has that much of a defensive presence. The best part about adding a player of this magnitude is that everyone around him gets better; Haynesworth demands double coverage on every down, allowing the linebackers and defensive ends more opportunities. Re-signing DeAngelo Hall was another smart move; he was a bust in Oakland but played great last year. The Skins also signed D. Dockery, a solid offensive linemen who will be forgotten about in the Haynesworth media frenzy.
New England
This team is so smooth when it comes to wheeling and dealing this time of year. Whether it’s trading for Randy Moss for a bag of footballs, or tagging a backup quarterback then dishing him for picks, the Patriots rarely make bad decisions. Signing Fred Taylor could be the biggest steal of the week. Taylor is a workhorse that could have a big fantasy year in ‘09; his running style fits the Patriots perfectly. There’s almost a hint of déjà vu with Taylor going to New England, as this reminds me of the Patriots signing Corey Dillon and reigniting his career.
Losers
Philadelphia
The Eagles improved their offensive line with the addition of Stacy Andrews on Friday, but had a few of their key players poached while they weren’t looking. Losing long time Safety Brian Dawkins is a heart breaker for fans, it also adds another hole to be filled. Correll Buckhalter and Sean Considine were solid backup players that were signed away, and trading away Lito Sheppard for next to nothing seems like a waste. The Eagles still have McNabb looking 
over their shoulders and begging for more weapons, but they seem reluctant to go after “Housh-yo-mama”.
Cleveland
Why? Why would they trade away Kellen Winslow Jr. for draft picks? Browns fans are tired of waiting, and with their cap room the Browns could have made a few moves to improve their team. Instead there are rumors of Brady Quinn not being the guy next season, and even if he is, they just sent a reliable weapon packing.
On the Fence:
New York Jets- Great you got LB Bart Scott & Lito Sheppard but who’s your QB?
Denver Broncos-Quantity over quality, but they’re having a good weekend
Arizona Cardinals- You’re slowly getting picked apart…better re-sign Warner soon, he’s in demand
The Colts caved quickly, giving their veteran center Jeff Saturday a new three year deal hours before free agency begins. After releasing Marvin Harrison the Colts must have felt pressured to keep Peyton Mannings happy, as I’m sure fans would be up in arms to see both go to new teams. While there’s no doubt that the Indianapolis Colts will look different without Harrison and Dungy next season, a small youth movement could be a good thing for the team.
NFL Fire Sale!
Marvin Harrison Released!
Enough To Go Pro? Or Should’ve Stayed In School?
time. Moreno’s stats show that he can handle a heavy work load. At first glance, no stats in his freshman year could trouble NFL scouts, but Moreno red-shirted his freshman year. This is almost as good as having clean up carries in games that were blow outs, as it shows maturity. Most kids can’t wait to get on the field and are hard to convince they should “red-shirt” a year, but it really does benefit them in the long haul.
