NFL Free Agency Signings: Nate Burleson, Julius Peppers, Cromartie

It’s still Thursday where I’m living, and some big names are already on the move. Some haven’t “officially” signed yet, but they are as good as gold, one wasn’t even a free agent, but he’s been traded, and there’s so much more to come. I’ll update this a few times during the day as new signings are made public. Here’s what I think so far.

Nate Burleson, Detroit Lions: The former Seahawk, and Viking, is going to be a great second option for a Lions team that really didn’t have one. They are a young team looking to find some help for their franchise quarterback and one of the best #1 receivers in the NFL, Calvin Johnson. Nate is definitely that. He’s explosive, dynamic, and if he can stay healthy, he’ll turn single coverage into numerous touchdowns for the Lions next season. It’s a big deal, 25 million over 5 years with 11 million guaranteed, but Nate is a big play waiting to happen, and should be a big deal for the Lions. He rejoins Scott Linehan, his offensive coordinator, and that could be good for fantasy owners as Scott was the play caller during Burleson’s most productive season in the NFL.

Antonio Cromartie, New York Jets: The San Diego Chargers didn’t want Cromartie and his antics back with the team, and they got a 2011 3rd Round Pick in exchange for the poor tackling cover corner. That pick could end up being a 2nd rounder if Antonio meets playing time bonuses and the Jets succeed to a certain level. Cromartie’s ability level should continue to make the Jets one of the scariest defenses in the league, especially for opposing quarterbacks. A heavy pass rush and elite corners doesn’t make for an easy day. Already a top fantasy defense, the Jets just got better.

Julius Peppers, Chicago Bears: I have a feeling, that when I wake up this morning, Peppers will be a Chicago Bear for sure. I’m so sure that I’m going to go on and list the ups and downs of this signing. Chicago has to sign Peppers, and they’ll give him plenty of money to make it happen. JP is one of the most talented players in the league, he does freakish things and is as special as they get on the defensive line – but he doesn’t always have his motor revved to it’s highest potential, and I think Pep would be a scary guy to sign to a huge contract, both in cost and length. He’s a freak of nature, and maybe he’ll come in competitive and wanting to prove he’s worth the dollar. The Bears need some big names, but many people think Pep would be best as a 3-4 rushing OLB, and I agree – so in Chicago he’ll still be playing a 4-3 end. Hmm. I like Peppers, he’s one of my favorite guys to watch when he’s on his game – but is this a move that makes the Bears an elite defense? I don’t think so.

Peppers has officially signed. It’s a 6 year deal and I’m not sure about the total money, but think a lot. It’s said that the deal could pay him 40 million over the first 3 seasons. Look at the Bears spending money like they’re the Yankees….

Chester Taylor, Chicago Bears: Okay, now I’m guessing a little bit – but the first place Chester is flying to is Chicago, so I’m at freedom to at least mention this as a possibility. This would be a dumb move for both parties, but with Martz running an offense you just never know what stuff is going to go down. Matt Forte is a young back with solid vision that catches the ball very well out of the back-field. Chester Taylor might be a little better as a receiver, but Forte can obviously do the job, and for a team with so many needs, why would they waste free agent dollars on and older running back when you have a young guy that was great during his first season? I’d love to see Taylor go to a place where he would get starter carries, and I just don’t see him beating Forte out of at least a time share. Dumb, da-dumb, dumb, dumb… Hopefully Taylor’s plane gets delayed and has to fly a messed up detour to Seattle – he’d be a good pairing with Justin Forsett in that backfield. And

Chicago is officially Chester’s destination, what do you know. I think this is bad for both parties (in terms of fantasy stuff, and touches for Taylor, and bang for the Bears’ buck) but what do I know? I know that Chester does a lot of things well, and will certainly push Matt Forte, but he does seem like an excessive signing given that the Bears have a pretty successful 2-year player at running back, Matt Forte… The deal is for 12.5 million over 4 years with 7.5 million guaranteed. Bears = NFL’s Yankees, weird.

Brandon Manumaleuna, Chicago Bears: Giving away all their draft picks for Cutler was something I thought was stupid, but trading away a talented young pass catching tight end like Greg Olsen because your offensive coordinator (who will almost surely be fired after the season) doesn’t throw to tight ends is just plain idiotic. However, with the likely signing of Manumaleuna, that looks like what Chicago is up to. The big, bad, blocking tight end formerly of the Chargers is headed to Chicago first thing on Friday, and he’s a perfect fit for what Martz wants out of his TEs. You saw how Vernon Davis never did anything in Martz’s offense, and you see him now? Olsen is likely to be moved, and Manu is liked to be a Bear. I’ll update as soon as I know for sure. This opens up passes for Bears receivers, that’s for sure.

Olsen was one of the best receiving options in Chicago last year, and if he’s out of the picture, expect more balls to go the way of WRs, and running backs as well. Manumaleuna gets a 5 year deal with the Bears, it’s official – and let the Greg Olsen trade rumors begin. I don’t think it’s smart to drop your best players that don’t perfectly fit into your soon to be fired-one-and-done offensive coordinator’s plans- but hey, the Bears are trying to spend as much money as they can, and they’re winning!

Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers: The Panthers may have lost the services of Julius Peppers, one of the best defensive ends in the game, but they got rid of Jake Delhomme too – brilliant. Delhomme will cost the team 12 million bucks this year, but hey, that’s a bargain as far as I’m concerned, especially when you consider the fact that they’ll be saving money the next time the salary cap comes into play. Remember, this is an uncapped year, so I don’t think Delhomme will be the first overpaid guy that gets the axe. It’s redemption time for owners’ bad signings. And yes, that probably means Matt Moore, the young QB that finished the year as the Panthers #1, will probably be the guy in Carolina.

And as Jake has shown, any quarterback throwing to Steve Smith can put up good numbers on any given day. Apparently, the Panthers’ head coach, John Fox (also known for his team’s bad play calling) was seen crying after letting Delhomme go. I’m not sure what kind of tears they were, but I’m willing to bet that Steve Smith’s ribs aren’t sad about the decision.

Gary Brackett, Indianapolis Colts: Brackett quite possibly never became a free agent, per say, but he was going to, and the Colts decided it was best to resign one of their most consistent players from last year’s underrated defense. Bracket was signed to a 5 year extension worth 33 million and keeps the Colts defense improving. This group has some good young talent and some awesome veterans, and should be a good group moving forward.

Leonard Weaver, Philadelphia Eagles: When you sign a full back to a 3 year 10 million dollar deal with over half the money guaranteed, you are planning to use that player as more than just a full back. I promise. The running back catches the ball very well out of the backfield and runs hard between the tackles. I like Shady McCoy, no doubt, but Weaver is going to be drafted 10 rounds after the sophomore back out of Pitt, and I think their value will be a lot closer to even.

Kyle Vanden Bosch, Detroit Lions: Well, as it turns out the first big name defensive lineman to sign wasn’t Julius Peppers after all. Nope, Kyle Vanden Bosch makes the move to Detroit to try and help the Lions defense pull themselves out of the gutter. Vanden Bosch was one of the best defensive linemen on the market, and he stacks up good against both the pass and the run. For a team that needed a lot of help improving their roster, the Lions have already made some big time moves that should help them get back to respectability.

A.J. Feeley, St. Louis Rams: This is a little bit under the radar, but Feeley signed with the Rams this morning. It is likely that another quarterback will start for the Rams, either a #1 pick like Sam Bradford or a surly old vet via a trade. But right now, Feeley is the best quarterback in St. Louis.

Brandon Marshall, Seattle Seahawks: This is hard for me to believe, but the Hawks are said to be considering signing Marshall. If they just sign him to an offer sheet, the Broncos can either match (unlikely) or just take the #6 overall pick in the draft for themselves. There’s something to be said for not paying a rookie a ton of money, but putting tons of money into your receiver spot (Housh and Marshall) doesn’t make much sense, even in an uncapped year. And having a QB that can’t really throw down field to get the ball to a guy you just wasted tons of money and a #6 draft pick on also is interesting. I’m not really sure what’s happening, but if the Hawks do this I wouldn’t be all that impressed. There’s going to be lots of good players at #6 in the draft… It seems like they could have worked out a trade for Marshall prior to the whole “lose your 6th pick” time – but we’ll see.

Marshall left Seattle without a contract offer but that doesn’t mean the controversial receiver won’t end up in Seattle. Both sides said it was more of a meet and greet, for both sides to figure out if the fit was good – and now the Hawks, if they like what they saw, will try to make a fair deal with the Broncos.

Anquan Boldin, Baltimore Ravens: This is where a lot of people that kept saying “Anquan Boldin isn’t a #1 receiver” are going to get full helpings of their words. The tough-nosed Boldin will be out to prove everyone wrong, and if you have seen the guy play, he has the type of attitude that will help him excel to another level. Boldin was traded with a 5th round pick to Arizona for a 3rd and 4th rounder. Boldin gives the Ravens an instant boost offensive, and should open up the field for the running game just that much more. If Derrick Mason comes back, that gives the Ravens a very good 1-2 punch. Boldin also signed a new contract with the team, so he should be happy and ready to contribute even more-so now that he’s getting paid what he’s worth.

Joshua Cribbs, Cleveland Browns: Not that Cribbs was ever leaving the team for sure, but his signing strengthens the Browns in a lot of places. He’s the best returner in the league, no doubt about that, and he’s a strong guy, which is rare for an elite open field gamebreaker. So, if the Browns do intend to use him more in the wildcat formation or as a ball carrier, he has the type of body to take that punishment. He’s an interesting sleeper candidate late in fantasy drafts. Cribbs deserved a new deal as one of the premier gamebreakers in the league, and apparently could make 20 million over the next three seasons. Good for him, indeed.

Vince Wilfork, New England Patriots: Wilfork is one of the biggest reasons the Patriots are solid against the run, year after year. There isn’t much better than Wilfork as far as 3-4 nose tackles are concerned, and his 40 million bucks that made him the highest paid nose tackle in the league ends up being pretty impressive.He deserved a new deal, and the Patriots finally anted for one of their own guys not named Tom Brady.

Antrel Rolle, New York Giants: The Giants wanted Rolle more than anyone else in free agency, and they finally got him after a long day of NFL signings. Rolle played a big role in making the Cardinals a solid defense, and helping to shut down the run. He’s very versatile with corner speed and can be a big hitter in run coverage – plus he’s still getting better. The Giants are really trying to get back to elite defensive play, and Rolle is a good start in a secondary that struggled all year.

Chad Clifton, Green Bay Packers: Clifton visited the Washington Redskins, probably just to show the Packers that he was serious. He self admittedly loved Green Bay, but it probably took a trip to Washington to force the Packers into paying him at market value, maybe even a little more. When you consider what Aaron Rodgers had to go through and the pressure he dealt with all season, you can imagine how worried the Packers were about possibly losing their best lineman. Green Bay still needs to get better up front, but keeping Clifton was a good way to keep that offense going forward. His 3 year deal is worth 20 million. Apparently the NFL isn’t dealing with the same money issues as the NBA, eh?

Kevin Walter, Houston Texans: Walter was courted by a couple teams, but knowing his worth and the solid things he does on the field, helping the Texans to be one of the best passing offenses in all of football, it’s understandable why Houston resigned the receiver. I still think that the Texans would have been better off spending their money elsewhere and giving the talented speedster, Jacoby Jones, a shot – but Walter is back, and Jones is back to the #3 receiver, which turns out to be the #5 option in the offense. Terms weren’t disclosed.

Karlos Dansby, Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins really went big. Dansby was probably the 2nd best unrestricted free agent available this offseason, and the Dolphins could certainly use Dansby’s all around great play. The elite linebacker played a huge role in making Arizona one of the best run defense in the league, and he can get after the passer as well. Having athletes like Karlos is very important to the Dolphins defensive scheme, and it’s always good to get one of the best football players in the league to join your team. This guy will have a huge impact on the Dolphins’ improved defense.

Dunta Robinson, Atlanta Falcons: The Texans didn’t want to let Robinson leave, but they probably didn’t want to deal with franchise tagging him again, nor did they want to pay him that huge of a sum and watch him show up on the last day of the pre-season. The Texans might be sad, losing one of their best athletes in the secondary, a guy that had elite potential – but the Falcons couldn’t be happier. When it comes down to it, I don’t know if the Texans wanted to pay Robinson his market value because of his up and down play, but Atlanta will use him right away, as they are starting to build a pretty good secondary. Now if they could just stop the run. Nobody knows how much the deal is worth.

Kerry Rhodes, Cardinals: The Cardinals may have lost out on Antrel Rolle, but I honestly think they got better with the addition of Kerry Rhodes. Kerry was traded for a couple late round picks from New York to Arizona. Rhodes has been a beast for the Jets over the last few years, and while he might not have some of the speed explosion that Rolle has, he still is one of the best defensive football players on the field. With something to prove, I actually think Rhodes will work out better than Rolle did last season. And the two players are both 28 – so the Cards don’t lose much there.

Aaron Kampman, Jaguars: One of the best defensive ends on the market is no longer on the market. Early Sunday morning, or late Saturday Night, the former Green Bay Packers’ defensive end, Aaron Kampman, signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Maybe the Jags were sick and tired of drafting over-hyped defensive ends in hopes of improving their suspect pass rush, because they don’t have to hope their guy becomes a pro-bowler, Kampman already has been. He was forced to play OLB last year for the Packers when the switched to the 3-4, but he should move right back to comfort and his proper position in the Jags 4-3. This is one of the best pickups of the offseason.

Seneca Wallace, Browns: The short quarterback from Seattle was traded to Cleveland today and I think he becomes the best signal caller in Cleveland. I’m not sure why the Hawks would want to get rid of Seneca, a perfectly capable back-up that has awesome athletic talent – but they traded him for some picks. Holmgren obviously knows what he’s getting in Wallace, and that’s why he traded for him. Those who were hoping that Brady Quinn would become the stud that many expected might have to temper their hopes. Which Browns QB will start? That question now includes somebody besides Quinn and Anderson, and that somebody is the likely starter.

Leigh Bodden, Patriots: One of the best free agent corners on the market resigned with the team that helped his value skyrocket. Bodden has always had the talent, but it was really realized this year in the Pats’ scheme, and with very little talent out there to acquire, the Pats probably did a smart thing by locking up Bodden. There were more than a few teams after Bodden, and I’m sure the Pats didn’t want to pay him as much as they did (the terms are still unknown) – but it was probably worth it for a team built to win now.

Ryan Clark, Steelers: One of the Top 3 safeties on the market was resigned by his old club after taking a little free agent trip to Miami yesterday. Clark looked like a goner, and that would have certainly hurt the Steelers solid defense, but after a trip to Miami didn’t bang home a contract, Clark got a deal done with his old club. That’s good for Steelers fans, because he was one of the solid players on a very physical defense.

Tank Johnson, Bengals: In a move that will go under the radar for the most part, the Bengals resigned one of the best defensive tackles on the free agent market. Tank gets a bad wrap, and probably deservedly so, but he’s one hell of a defensive tackle, and his success last season played a big role in the Bengals being one of the best run-defenses in football. Before they got beat up in the final few games of the year, they were an awesome unit. Tank will continue to plug holes up front and keep blockers off the Bengals’ linebackers – a group that is very athletic and very good tacklers.