Week 7 Transactions

Image by Jeffrey Beall via Flickr

Each week we share insights, analysis, and opinions of the week’s transactions. To see previous posts, click here and start working back. 

We’ll begin with the latest Colts injury and what it means. The Colts put TE Dallas Clark on injured reserve Friday with a wrist injury, meaning that he’ll miss the rest of the season. It’s a huge blow to the Colts, because Clark is a terrific receiver who is versatile enough to be in-line, in the slot, or even split out wide. He had more than 100 catches last season, and he’s one of the best red-zone targets in the league. Clark’s injury is the latest blow for a Colts team that is also without RB Joseph Addai and WR Austin Collie when they return from their bye next week. Those injuries limit how creative Peyton Manning can be in spreading the ball around, and it may allow defenses to key on WRs Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon. Maybe Anthony Gonzalez can return to significant action for the first time since 2008, but this is a troubling sign for the Colts. Those injuries, plus the problems at safety where Melvin Bullitt is on IR and Bob Sanders is out until December, make the Colts look vulnerable, even though they’re a solid 4-2. The Colts are hoping that this isn’t the year that injuries catch up to them, but right now it looks like the horseshoe on their helmets isn’t nearly lucky enough.

Jaguars (add QBs Todd Bouman and Patrick Ramsey, cut S Gerald Alexander) – With David Garrard and Trent Edwards hurting, the Jags brought in QB reinforcements and may be forced to start Bouman against the Chiefs this week. Alexander has started the last three games for the Jags at safety, but now he’s gone. Jacksonville has gotten rid of two starters, Alexander and Anthony Smith, in the last week or so. That’s a big indictment on how the secondary has played this year.

Texans (cut OT Ephriam Salaam) – With starting OLT Duane Brown returning from his four-game suspension, the Texans released the veteran Salaam.

Bengals (activate S Tom Nelson from the physically unable to perform list) – Nelson was a key backup last year and even started three games, and now he’s finally recovered enough from a knee injury to get off the PUP list and on the field to help the Bengals.

Bears (cut DE Charles Grant) – The Bears brought Grant in a few weeks ago, but they quickly came to the same conclusion that the Dolphins and Saints did – that Grant no longer has it. Chicago promoted DE Barry Turner from the practice squad to take Grant’s place.

Lions (add LB Bobby Carpenter) – Carpenter, a former first-round pick, has bounced from Dallas to St. Louis to Miami over the past several months, and he lost his gig with the Dolphins after some crucial special-teams mistakes. But given the Lions’ lack of LB depth, Carpenter will get a defensive shot in Detroit. He’s at least worth a look to the Lions.

Browns (put OT Tony Pashos and DE Robaire Smith on injured reserve) – Pashos and Smith, both starters, are now out for the season for the Browns. That talent loss is a blow for a team that doesn’t have enough premium guys on the roster.

Football Relativity: 2010 trades

This post compares trades made during the 2010 season between the opening game and the trade deadline on October 19 (after Week 6). For analysis and comparison of trades made during training camp and the preseason, check out this post.

10 – Patriots trade WR Randy Moss and a 2012 seventh-round pick to Vikings for 2011 third-round draft pick – The Vikings, desperate to contend this season, gave up a third-round draft pick to bring Moss back after a five-plus-year absence. Moss has long been one of the preeminent downfield threats in the league, and although he has just nine catches through four games this year, he has been a 1,000-yard receiver in 10 of his first 12 NFL seasons. And when he’s motivated – which this trade plus a contract drive should provide – he’s still one of the most dominant players around. Brett Favre has long wanted to play with Moss, and now he gets the chance. The move comes at a good time, because the Vikings are without Sidney Rice for at least another month, and Percy Harvin’s migraine issues can keep popping up. This is the kind of trade a team makes to remain a contender, and while it mortgages the future via a draft pick, the Vikings had already gone all-in with Favre. That makes this trade make sense. For the Patriots, trading Moss seems foolhardy on the surface, because they have no one to replace him. But Moss wasn’t happy in New England, and he’s been known to institute Operation Shutdown in similar situations in Oakland and Minnesota. So trading Moss might have become a necessity. The offense will suffer, as the Pats rely on Brandon Tate to emerge as a legitimate outside threat. Wes Welker will be even more of a security blanket for Tom Brady, and rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez will have to continue their early-season production. That still leaves a hole at an outside spot, with either Julian Edelman moving outside or rookie Taylor Price getting a shot. Regardless of what the Patriots do, a bit of a decline in 2010 is inevitable. But the Pats now have a young and talented receiving corps headlined by one veteran in Welker, and they also have double picks in the first four rounds of April’s draft. Again, the Patriots must at some point use these picks to upgrade, but they are rebuilding on the fly and doing it very well. It’ll be interesting to see if the Patriots can survive offensively in 2010, but it’s easy to foresee them thriving in the future because of trades like this. That future plus Moss’ past made this move sensible for Bill Belichick and company.

9 – none

8 – none

7  – Bills trade RB Marshawn Lynch to Seahawks for 2011 fourth-round pick and conditional 2012 draft pick – Lynch, a former first-round draft pick, has been effective but unspectacular in his three-plus years in Buffalo, although off-field issues have raised consternation. He’s averaged around 4.0 yards per carry, which is good but not great, and last year Fred Jackson began to surpass Lynch on the depth chart. This year, the Bills spent a top-10 overall pick on C.J. Spiller, who is more explosive than Lynch and took more carries away. And given the depth of the Bills’ needs elsewhere, having three starting-caliber backs was foolish. So the Bills finally gave in and dealt Lynch to Seattle for a fourth-round pick this year and a sixth-rounder in 2012 that can become a fifth-rounder if things go well for Lynch with the Seahawks. The trade doesn’t significantly lessen the Bills’ chances of recording even a single win, so whatever price they got will help. For the Seahawks, Lynch represents an upgrade over Julius Jones (who was released when the deal went down). He is a far better every-down back who can be supplemented by former college teammate Justin Forsett and Leon Washington to add more explosiveness. It’s another piece for a Seahawks offense that is adding pieces wherever it can to upgrade the talent level. Given the weakness of the NFC West, adding Lynch could help the Seahawks get another win that could get them to 8-8, which could be enough for a playoff berth. Given that situation, then, this price isn’t too much to pay for a guy who will come in and start for 12 games in 2010 and who is also signed for 2011.

7 (con’t) – Seahawks trade WR Deion Branch to Patriots for 2011 fourth-round draft pick – After trading away Randy Moss, the Patriots bolstered their receiving corps by bringing back Deion Branch from the Seahawks for a fourth-round pick. With Moss gone, the Patriots needed another outside receiver who could keep pressure off Wes Welker in the slot and allow Brandon Tate to develop. Branch may not be able to do this, because he topped out at just 53 catches in his four full seasons in Seattle, but his presence will undoubtedly make Tom Brady comfortable. Maybe Branch can emerge into a Jabar Gaffney-type threat for New England and deliver enough presence to keep Welker and Tate from being mobbed by defenders. Given Branch’s history with Brady, which includes a Super Bowl MVP trophy and 213 catches as a Patriot, the move makes sense. New England overpaid for Branch by giving up a fourth-round pick in 2011 (it’ll be the higher of New England’s pick or the pick the Pats acquired from the Broncos for RB Laurence Maroney), but from the Patriots’ perspective Branch will be more valuable than Maroney, and so the net result is a win. The Seahawks, meanwhile, get a solid asset back for a guy who has been starting but has just 13 catches this season. With youngsters Golden Tate and Deon Butler, reclamation project Mike Williams, and recently signed vet Brandon Stokley, the Seahawks didn’t really need Branch, so getting a pick they can use to upgrade their talent level works – as long as they don’t think about the first-rounder they traded away to get Branch for four mostly disappointing seasons.

6 – none

5 – Patriots trade RB Laurence Maroney and 2011 sixth-round pick to Broncos for 2011 fourth-round pick – Maroney, a former first-round pick, never lived up to the hype in New England. He had three 700-yard seasons out of four, but never had more than 835 yards. He also failed to grasp the passing game well, which kept him from getting playing time. And this season, Maroney fell behind a healthy Fred Taylor, as well as role players Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk, which led to him being inactive in Week One. So he goes to Denver to be reunited with Josh McDaniels, who likes to collect running backs. Maroney won’t replace starter Knowshon Moreno, but he could usurp Correll Buckhalter as the backup. The Broncos don’t lose a draft pick but instead trade back from the fourth round to the sixth, giving up the equivalent of a late fourth-rounder. That’s a significant but not prohibitive price to pay for a guy who might just be a first-round bust.

4- none

3 – Jaguars trade S Anthony Smith to Packers for conditional 2011 7th-round draft pick – With Morgan Burnett out for the year and Atari Bigby still on the PUP list, the Packers called in reinforcements by signing Smith. The fifth-year veteran had started three games for the Jaguars, but he’s a passable veteran but not much more. Still, given the Pack’s injury woes, adding Smith for such a small price is a worthy investment. They’re hoping that Smith provides stability in the back end for them.

2 – Eagles trade RB Mike Bell to Browns for RB Jerome Harrison – In a classic change-of-scenery trade, the Eagles and Browns traded backup running backs. Harrison had some huge games down the stretch for the Browns last year, but even in most of those games he wasn’t breaking big runs. He’s not huge, but he can make one cut and go. He was surpassed this year by Peyton Hillis in Cleveland, and so the trade makes sense. His running style and receiving skills seem to fit better in Philadelphia’s West Coast offense. Bell, who signed as a free agent with the Eagles in the offseason, is more of a banger who runs a lot like Hillis and who makes more sense as a Hillis-style runner for Cleveland. Since both players are on the final year of their contracts, both teams are looking for someone who better fits their offense right now, and thus this trade is a why-not-try scenario.

2 (con’t) – Chiefs trade DE Alex Magee to Buccaneers for 2011 draft pick – Magee, a third-round pick in Kansas City in 2009, never panned out as a defensive line contributor for the Chiefs. But he’s got good size at 6-3, 300 pounds, and the Bucs need a lot of help at defensive end both against the run and the pass. So spending a conditional draft pick on a prospect like Magee makes sense.

1 – Vikings trade DE Jayme Mitchell to Browns for late-round 2012 draft pick – Mitchell, who played in two of the Vikings’ first three games and had just one tackle, moves to Cleveland, where he will add depth on the defensive line. The five-year veteran has played just six games since 2007 for the Vikings, but he should be good enough to contribute for the Browns.

Jersey Numbers: Defensive Backs

This is our final post in picking the best players at each position by jersey number. If you have quibbles, or want to add someone I forgot, leave a comment and we’ll update this post. Next, we’ll combine all of our posts to create our all-jersey number 2009 team.

We started this project with wide receivers in this post and then with tight ends in this post and quarterbacks in this post and running backs in this post and offensive linemen in this post and kickers/punters in this post and defensive linemen in this post and linebackers in this post. Now we move to defensive backs, who wear numbers between 20 and 49.

20 – Ed Reed, Ravens – This hasn’t been Reed’s best year because of injury, but he still has three interceptions and three forced fumbles in 11 games. No safety in the league has had more impact this decade than Reed, and the fact that he won the league’s defensive player of the year award in a year that his team didn’t make the playoffs speaks to his greatness. So he gets the nod over long-time standouts S Brian Dawkins of Denver and CB Ronde Barber of Tampa Bay. Other notable 20s: Mike Adams, Browns; Alan Ball, Cowboys; Atari Bigby, Packers; Ralph Brown, Cardinals; Antoine Cason, Chargers; Chris Gamble, Panthers; Randall Gay, Saints; Brent Grimes, Falcons; Nick Harper, Titans; Michael Johnson, Giants; David Jones, Bengals; Keenan Lewis, Steelers; T.J. Rushing, Colts; Anthony Smith, Jaguars; Keith Smith, 49ers; Craig Steltz, Bears; Justin Tryon, Redskins; Jonathan Wade, Rams; Donald Washington, Chiefs; Donte Whitner, Bills; Madieu Williams, Vikings

21 – Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders – It’s an incredibly difficult call to go with Asomugha over Green Bay’s Charles Woodson, who is having an epic renaissance year in Green Bay. But while Woodson has eight interceptions, Asomugha has one pick and just four passes defensed because teams refuse to throw his way. That ultimate sign of respect ultimately gives Nnamdi the nod. Injured Colts S Bob Sanders, a former defensive player of the year, would be in this discussion were he able to stay healthy. Other notable 21s: Asher Allen, Vikings; O.J. Atogwe, Rams; Derek Cox, Jaguars; Vontae Davis, Dolphins; Andre’ Goodman, Broncos; Corey Graham, Bears; Joselio Hanson, Eagles; Mike Jenkins, Cowboys; Kelly Jennings, Seahawks; Dwight Lowery, Jets; Chris Owens, Falcons; Kenny Phillips, Giants; Sabby Piscitelli, Buccaneers; Brodney Pool, Browns; Antrel Rolle, Cardinals; Lardarius Webb, Ravens; John Wendling, Bills; Dante Wesley, Panthers

22 – Asante Samuel, Eagles – First in New England and now in Philadephia, Samuel has been and still is a top-level cornerback. His eight interceptions this year is the second-best total in his career, and he now has 34 in his career. Other notable 22s: Nate Clements, 49ers; Vincent Fuller, Titans; William Gay, Steelers; Chevis Jackson, Falcons; Johnathan Joseph, Bengals; Pat Lee, Packers; Brandon McDonald, Browns; Tracy Porter, Saints; Carlos Rogers, Redskins; Samari Rolle, Ravens; Benny Sapp, Vikings; Matt Ware, Cardinals; Terrence Wheatley, Patriots

23 – DeAngelo Hall, Redskins – It pains me to honor Hall, but he’s the best of the lot at a thinner number. Hall was OK in Atlanta and then awful in Oakland, but in D.C. he’s been pretty good. So he gets the nod over New England’s Leigh Bodden, a solid but unspectacular corner, declining CB Marcus Trufant of Seattle, and CB Dunta Robinson of Houston. Other notable 23s: Tyrone Carter, Steelers; Cedric Griffin, Vikings; Renaldo Hill, Broncos; Kevin Hobbs, Lions; Chris Houston, Falcons; Marcus Hudson, 49ers; Quentin Jammer, Chargers; Tim Jennings, Colts; Sherrod Martin, Panthers; Donnie Nickey, Titans; Dimitri Patterson, Eagles; Jermaine Phillips, Buccaneers; Hank Poteat, Browns; Mike Richardson, Chiefs; Corey Webster, Giants

24 – Darrelle Revis, Jets – Revis has had a breakout season as the preeminent lockdown corner in the league. So even though he wears the same number as all-time great CB Champ Bailey of Denver, stud safety Adrian Wilson of Arizona, and former Pro Bowl S Chris Hope of Tennessee, Revis is the obvious choice. Other notable 24s: Al Afalava, Bears; Ron Bartell, Rams; Sheldon Brown, Eagles; Jarrett Bush, Packers; Brandon Flowers, Chiefs; Dominique Foxworth, Ravens; Deon Grant, Seahawks; Tye Hill, Falcons; Michael Huff, Raiders; Dante Hughes, Chargers; Terrence McGee, Bills; Kalvin Pearson, Lions; Sean Smith, Dolphins; Ike Taylor, Steelers; Terrell Thomas, Giants; Leigh Torrance, Saints; Jonathan Wilhite, Patriots; Eric Wright, Browns

25 – Ryan Clark, Steelers – In a battle of former teammates, we’ll go with hard-hitting strong safety Clark over CB Bryant McFadden, who left Pittsburgh to play corner for Arizona in the offseason. Clark doesn’t get the hype that his teammate Troy Polamalu does, but he’s a good player who really fits into the attitude of the Pittsburgh defense. Other notable 25s: Will Allen, Dolphins; Kevin Barnes, Redskins; Tarell Brown, 49ers; Chris Carr, Ravens; Pat Chung, Patriots; Kevin Ellison, Chargers; Nick Ferguson, Texans; Coye Francies, Browns; Danny Gorrer, Rams; Bruce Johnson, Giants; Tyrell Johnson, Vikings; Ellis Lankster, Bills; William Moore, Falcons; Reggie Nelson, Jaguars; Jerraud Powers, Colts; Kerry Rhodes, Jets; Aqib Talib, Buccaneers; Morgan Trent, Bengals; Pat Watkins, Cowboys; Marvin White, Lions

26 – Antoine Winfield, Vikings – Winfield is not just a great cover corner; he also hits with the tenacity of a safety. Even though he’s missed several games this season, we’ll give him the nod. So he gets the nod over fine Lions rookie S Louis Delmas. Other notable 26s: Will Allen, Buccaneers; Josh Bell, Packers; Michael Coe, Jaguars; Erik Coleman, Falcons; Abram Elam, Browns; Ken Hamlin, Cowboys; Kelvin Hayden, Colts; Sean Jones, Eagles; Kevin Kaesviharn, Titans; Dawan Landry, Ravens; Ty Law, Broncos; Mark Roman, 49ers; Stanford Routt, Raiders; Lito Sheppard, Eagles; Quinton Teal, Panthers; DeShea Townsend, Steelers; Eugene Wilson, Texans; Josh Wilson, Seahawks; Ashton Youboty, Bills

27 – Rashean Mathis, Jaguars – He doesn’t get a lot of attention because he plays in front of empty seats, but Mathis is a terrific cover corner. He gets the nod over two safeties, Jordan Babineaux of the Seahawks and Philadelphia’s Quintin Mikell. Other notable 27s: Michael Adams, Cardinals; Kyle Arrington, Patriots; Will Blackmon, Packers; Daniel Bullocks, Lions; Joe Burnett, Steelers; Reggie Corner, Bills; Torrie Cox, Buccaneers; Jamaal Fudge, Falcons; Cletis Gordon, Cowboys; Walt Harris, 49ers; Malcolm Jenkins, Saints; Jacob Lacey, Colts; Paul Oliver, Chargers; David Roach, Rams; Fred Smoot, Redskins; Nick Sorensen, Browns; Donald Strickland, Jets; C.J. Wilson, Panthers

28 – Gibril Wilson, Dolphins – Wilson was a safety on the Giants’ Super Bowl champion team, and then got a contract that was too big from the Raiders. But the Raiders cut him after the season, and Wilson found a great home in Miami. Other notable 28s: Darius Butler, Patriots; Thomas DeCoud, Falcons; Steve Gregory, Chargers; Marlin Jackson, Colts; Leodis McKelvin, Bills; Antwuan Molden, Texans; Curtis Taylor, 49ers; Greg Toler, Cardinals; Usama Young, Saints; Tom Zbikowski, Ravens

29 – Leon Hall, Bengals – Hall has been the breakout corner of the season, as he and Johnathan Joseph have given the Bengals a terrific pair of corners. Hall has five picks and 20 passes defensed this season. He gets the nod over Arizona’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, another good young corner. Other notable 29s: Tyrone Culver, Dolphins; Drayton Florence, Bills; Lendy Holmes, Redskins; D.J. Johnson, Giants; Eric King, Lions; Derrick Martin, Packers; Marcus McCauley, Saints; William Middleton, Jaguars; Ryan Mouton, Texans; Ryan Mundy, Steelers; Glover Quin, Texans; Derrick Roberson, Buccaneers; Shawn Springs, Patriots; Brian Williams, Falcons; Cary Williams, Ravens

30 – Mike Brown, Chiefs – At a popular safety number, Brown gets the nod with his renaissance season in Kansas City. He has stayed healthy all season after injury problems plagued him in three of his last five years in Chicago. So he earns the choice over Charles Godfrey of Carolina, LaRon Landry of Washington, and Brandon McGowan of the Patriots. Other notable 30s: David Bruton, Broncos; Chris Clemons, Dolphins; Drew Coleman, Jets; Gerard Lawson, Browns; Jason McCourty, Titans; D.J. Moore, Bears; Geoffrey Pope, Eagles; Ko Simpson, Lions; Reggie Smith, 49ers

31 – Cortland Finnegan, Titans – If Antoine Winfield isn’t the most physical corner in the league, Finnegan is. He’s vital to the Titans’ defense and their strong second half of the season. So he gets the nod over rookie sensation Jarius Byrd of Buffalo and corners Antonio Cromartie of San Diego and Al Harris of Green Bay. Other notable 31s: Dre’ Bly, 49ers; Phillip Buchanon, Lions; Hiram Eugene, Raiders; Ellis Hobbs, Eagles; Justin King, Rams; Maurice Leggett, Chiefs; Ken Lucas, Seahawks; Richard Marshall, Panthers; Darcel McBath, Broncos; Brandon Meriweather, Patriots; Bernard Pollard, Texans; Pierson Prioleau, Saints; Aaron Ross, Giants; Scott Starks, Jaguars; Nathan Vasher, Bears; Fabian Washington, Redskins; Roy Williams, Bengals

32 – Eric Weddle, Chargers – At a tough number to call, we’ll give Weddle, a key player in the Chargers’ defense, a nod over CB Jabari Greer of New Orleans and big-money safety Michael Lewis of San Francisco. Other notable 32s: Jason Allen, Dolphins; Fred Bennett, Texans; Anthony Henry, Lions; Orlando Scandrick, Cowboys

33 – Charles Tillman, Bears – Tillman isn’t a premier cover corner, but he’s pretty good in coverage. He’s also a good tackler and great a punching the ball out, as his six forced fumbles attest. He gets the nod over Raiders SS Tyvon Branch, who has a ridiculous 110 tackles this season. Other notable 33s: Melvin Bullitt, Colts; Michael Griffin, Titans; Nate Jones, Dolphins; Elbert Mack, Buccaneers; Jamarca Sanford, Vikings; Alphonso Smith, Broncos; Eric Smith, Jets; Brandon Underwood, Packers

34 – Dominique Barber, Texans – At a thin number, Barber, a part-time starter at safety for the Texans, gets the nod over Mike McKenzie, a long-time solid pro who recently re-signed with the Saints. Other notable 34s: Marquice Cole, Jets; Travis Daniels, Chiefs; Kyries Hebert, Bengals; Roy Lewis, Seahawks; Mike Mitchell, Raiders; Byron Westbrook, Redskins

35 – Zack Bowman, Bears – Bowman took over as a starting cornerback in Chicago, replacing Nathan Vasher. He gets the nod over rookie safety Macho Harris of the Eagles. Other notable 35s: Kevin Dockery, Giants; Todd Johnson, Bills; Jacques Reeves, Texans

36 – Nick Collins, Packers – Collins is a terrific safety for the Packers, and he gets the edge over another safety, Tanard Jackson of Tampa Bay, because Jackson missed four games due to suspension earlier this year. Collins has six picks this year, while Jackson has four. Other notable 36s: Jamar Adams, Seahawks; Josh Barrett, Broncos; Josh Bullocks, Bears; Quincy Butler, Rams; Courtney Greene, Jaguars; Mike Hamlin, Cowboys; Brandon Hughes, Chargers; Jim Leonhard, Jets; Lawyer Milloy, Seahawks; James Sanders, Patriots; Shawntae Spencer, 49ers

37 – Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins – Bell is a solid starting safety for the Dolphins, and his tackle total (103) is among the tops for defensive backs across the NFL. So we opt for Bell over George Wilson, another tackling machine playing safety for Buffalo, and Raiders CB Chris Johnson. Other notable 37s: James Butler, Rams; Sean Considine, Jaguars; Reed Doughty, Redskins; Eric Frampton, Vikings; Roderick Hood, Titans; Anthony Madison, Steelers; Chip Vaughn, Saints

38 – Dashon Goldson, 49ers – Goldson is emerging as not just a starter at free safety but as an impact player for the Niners. He gets the nod over Packers CB Tramon Williams and Bears S-CB Danieal Manning. Other notable 38s: Brandon Anderson, Buccaneers; DeMarcus Faggans, Texans; Bret Lockett, Patriots; DaJuan Morgan, Chiefs; Mark Parson, Texans; Charlie Peprah, Falcons; Ramzee Robinson, Browns

39 – Brandon Carr, Chiefs – Carr has started all 30 games at cornerback for the Chiefs since he entered in the NFL as a 2008 fifth-round pick. He gets picked on a bit because Brandon Flowers is emerging as a good corner on the opposite side, but Carr has broken up 16 passes this year. Other notable 39s: Husain Abdullah, Vikings; Quintin Demps, Eagles; Trevor Ford, Packers; Chris Reis, Saints; DeAngelo Smith, Lions

40 – Marquand Manuel, Lions – Manuel has bounced around a lot, but he has been a starter in all but one of his six NFL stops. This year in Detroit, he started six of the nine games he played before going on injured reserve. Other notable 40s: John Busing, Texans; K.J. Gerard, Ravens; Jamie Silva, Colts

41 – Antoine Bethea, Colts – Bethea, the Colts’ starting free safety, has had to be the one constant in the secondary for the Colts this year, and he’s played his role well with 90 tackles and four interception. He gets the nod over Cowboys CB Terrence Newman, Saints S Roman Harper, and Bengals S Chinedum Ndukwe. Other notable 41s: Tyron Brackenridge, Jaguars; C.C. Brown, Giants; Antoine Harris, Falcons; William James, Lions; Corey Lynch, Buccaneers; Brice McCain, Texans; Kareem Moore, Redskins; Captain Munnerlyn, Panthers; Evan Oglesby, Dolphins; Karl Paymah, Vikings; C.J. Spillman, Chargers; Raymond Ventrone, Browns; Frank Walker, Ravens

42 –Darren Sharper, Saints – Sharper’s veteran leadership has helped the Saints stabilized their secondary, and the veteran continues to make plenty of plays. He has eight picks this year, three of which he’s returned for touchdowns, and now 62 career interceptions. Other notable 42s: Gerald Alexander, Jaguars; Chris Crocker, Bengals; Brian Russell, Texans; Jack Williams, Lions

43 – Troy Polamalu, Steelers -Polamalu has been hurt much of the year this year, but his ability to range and make plays is what takes the Steelers defense from good to great. He may miss the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season, but he still gets the nod here in a walk. Other notable 43s: Craig Dahl, Rams; Aaron Francisco, Colts; Chris Harris, Panthers; Hakuri Nakamura, Ravens; Tom Nelson, Bengals; Bryan Scott, Bills; Gerald Sensabaugh, Cowboys

44 – Jarrad Page, Chiefs – Page was in his third season as a starting safety in K.C. before going on injured reserve after playing five games this season. Still, that’s a better resume than that of Kevin Payne, who has lost his starting safety job with the Bears. Other notable 44s: James Ihedigbo, Jets; Rico Murray, Bengals

45 – De’von Hall, Colts – Hall, an undrafted rookie out of Utah State, has seen action in four games in his rookie season, notching three tackles. He is the only active defensive back wearing 45.

46 – none

47 – Jon McGraw, Chiefs – McGraw is in his eighth season, and he has started seven games for Kansas City this season, which is a career high. He also recorded his first career sack this season. His long career of contributing gives him the nod over rookie Cary Harris of Buffalo and fourth-year man Matt Giordano of Green Bay.

48 – Chris Horton, Redskins – Horton, a second-year player out of UCLA, emerged as a starter in his rookie season but fell out of the lineup before a midseason injury stopped his sophomore campaign. He is the only notable DB wearing 48.

49 – Rashad Johnson, Cardinals – Johnson, a third-round pick out of Arizona, is the only active defensive back wearing 49. He has not seen action this year.

FR: Free agency weekly review part 2

The second week of free agency started out with a kaboom when Terrell Owens signed with Buffalo. We have many thoughts on that signing in this post. As for other signings this week, we’ve compiled a list comparing them to each other below. (Click through for the opening weekend comparison and the first full week comparison) As always, the following moves are compared relative to each other using a 10-point scale, with 10 being the most impactful move of the week and 1 being a move that’s barely worth noting. Remember that these moves are compared only to each other; this week’s 10 level would have been merely a 5 or 6 last week.

10 – Cowboys (added DE Igor Olshansky and S Gerald Sansbaugh) – Olshansky isn’t an impact player, but he’s a solid, dependable end who does his job as a 3-4 defensive end and allows the glamour players (Shawne Merriman in San Diego, now DeMarcus Ware in Dallas) to rush the passer and get their sacks. Olshansky, who got a 4-year contract worth $18 million,  is replacing Chris Canty and should put forth a performance in the ballpark at Canty’s at a much cheaper price. This is the best way the Cowboys could have replaced Canty. To replace Roy Williams, the Cowboys need options, and Sansbaugh is at least that. He is an acceptable option who might still have the upside to take a step forward in his career. To get someone like him on a one-year contract is another win for Dallas.
(Note: I know that Olshanksy isn’t much of a 10 move. But that’s what you get when you compare moves on a relatively slow week.)

9 – Jaguars (added OT Tra Thomas) – The Jaguars had massive offensive line problems last year (mainly because of injury), and they throttled the Jags’ chances of a successful season. With starting OLT Khalif Barnes a free agent who expects a contract beyond what Jacksonville is willing to play, they had to get a replacement. Thomas, a three-time Pro Bowler who has played left tackle his whole career, is a pretty good one. While Thomas may not be the player he once was, he’s still pretty good. If he can play 16 games, he’ll be an asset protecting David Garrard’s blind side. Plus, Thomas is big and physical enough to be a good run blocker, which is important given Jacksonville’s offensive bent toward the ground game.

9 (con’t) – Rams (added S James Butler and FB Mike Karney) – Butler played for new Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo with the Giants, and he now moves to the Gateway City with Spags to be the run-stopping strong safety in the St. Louis defense. The Rams have focused on their secondary in free agency, resigning CB Ron Bartell and franchising FS O.J. Atogwe, and Butler (who got $17 million over 4 years) gives them another young building block in that area. Karney is a block-first fullback who fills an important role as the Rams move to a less wide open, more run-first offense. He’s a nice player to have around, and the price (3 years, $3.6M) is reasonable.

8 – Cardinals (added CB Bryant McFadden and LS Mike Leach) – McFadden isn’t a big name at cornerback, but scouts are high on his abilities — especially as a second cornerback. Rookie sensation Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will be the Cards’ undisputed No. 1 corner going into his second season, and McFadden brings physicality and reliability on the other side. This is a good addition in an offseason marked by departures in Arizona. Leach is a dependable long snapper who will replace Nathan Hodel.

7 – Falcons (added LB Mike Peterson and C Brett Romberg) – Peterson was a longtime stalwart in Indianapolis and Jacksonville, but he clashed with Jags head coach Jack Del Rio last year, and that paved his way out of Jacksonville. But Peterson had great success with current Falcons head coach Mike Smith in Jacksonville, so the fit is good. Add that to the fact that the Falcons have lost OLBs Michael Boley and Keith Brooking, and so there was a big need for a veteran ‘backer in the ATL. Romberg fits in as a backup who won’t kill you if he has to start.

7 (con’t) – Chargers (added LB Kevin Burnett) – Burnett was an emerging linebacker in Dallas, but the Cowboys’ desire to lock DeMarcus Ware to a long-term deal made him expendable. The Chargers run a similar system, and so Burnett has a chance to continue his ascent there. He can be a plus starter in San Diego, and he should step in immediately to help that defense.

6 – Browns (added LB David Bowens, DE C.J. Mosley and CB Hank Poteat) – It was ex-Jets week in Cleveland, as new head coach Eric Mangini brought in some players he knows and who, just as importantly, know his defensive system. Bowens is the headline here – he’s an effective pass rusher as a 3-4 outside ‘backer. Poteat is at this point a grizzled vet who can fit in as a cornerback but shouldn’t start except in an emergency. Mosley will be a rotation guy at defensive end.

6 (con’t) – Dolphins (added CB Eric Green) – After Andre Goodman left for Denver, the Dolphins needed to add a potential starter at cornerback. Green can be that. He started six games in Arizona last year before rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie seized that job. Green isn’t great, but he’s an acceptable guy to start a position competition with.

5 – Seahawks (kept OT Ray Willis) – Willis is a versatile player who could potentially play tackle, although he’s slated to start at guard for the Seahawks. Given the contract that Frank Omiyale got from Chicago, Willis (a similar player) was a good guy for Seattle to keep.

5 (con’t) – Patriots (added CB Leigh Bodden and LS Nathan Hodel) – Bodden has played well in his career, but his play really fell off last year. But was that because his skills are slipping or because he was stuck in Detroit? I tend to believe he has a little bit left, which is why this move is above some others. It’s a steal for New England to get him for a minimum salary. Hodel replaces Lonnie Paxton, who moved to Denver.

4 – Bears (added S Josh Bullocks; kept RB Kevin Jones) – The Bears needed safety depth, and so they’re giving Bullocks a shot. Bears fans aren’t excited, thanks mainly to this YouTube video called “How can a safety be this bad?” Even if he is that bad, the price makes it a shot worth taking given the talent drain in Chicago over the past few years. Jones didn’t play much last year, but he showed talent in Detroit before a major injury. He’s an acceptable backup for ’08 rookie sensation Matt Forte.

3 – Packers (added S Anthony Smith) – Smith got less and less playing time in Pittsburgh last year as the season went on, but he still could be a decent safety option. The Packers have only chased bit-part players in free agency lately, and Smith fits that profile to a T.

3 (con’t) – Chiefs (added CB Travis Daniels, WR C.J. Jones and LB Corey Mays) – Daniels has bounced around a little, but he still could fit as a starter or nickel corner in the right situation. Jones and Mays both have Patriots ties, which made them attractive to new Chiefs head honcho Scott Pioli.

2 – Jets (added LB Larry Izzo and DT Howard Green) – Izzo is a special-teams ace, and Green is a rotation defensive tackle. Both will add depth for the Jets.

2 (con’t) – Vikings (kept CB Benny Sapp and DT Jimmy Kennedy) – Kennedy is important because the Vikings still may lose DTs Pat and Kevin Williams for four games each after the Starcaps issues of last season. Sapp fits in as a third or fourth corner.

1 – Texans (kept S Nick Ferguson) – Ferguson is a borderline starter who did a decent job in his first year in Houston last year, so they opted to keep him. He fits in as a backup who can play OK if called upon.

1 (con’t) – Lions (added OL Daniel Loper and LB Cody Spencer; kept RB Aveion Cason) – Loper and Spencer played in Tennessee when new Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was there. Like Cleveland and K.C., Detroit is filling the back half of its roster with guys the new bosses know.

1 (con’t) – Eagles (added S Rashad Baker) – Sean Jones is the big addition at safety for the Eagles, but Baker, a journeyman who was in Oakland last year, brings depth that’s badly needed after the departures of Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine.

1 (con’t) – Steelers (kept LB Andre Frazier) – Anytime the Steelers re-sign a free agent, it’s worth noting. Frazier isn’t a starter, but he can play the system in case of injury.