We are only a week into NFL free agency, and already the makeup of every team is looking different. None are more notable, however, than the two Super Bowl contenders.
The New England Patriots and New York Giants have had to deal with the downfalls that come from success. The rest of the league has snatched up quality players from both of these teams, forcing them to fill roster spots with savvy free agent pickups and smart draft picks. The Patriots have probably lost more than any other team up to this point: Pro-Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, Randall Gay went to the New Orleans Saints and safety Eugene Wilson isn't expected back.
Luckily, the team agreed to terms with its biggest free agent, Randy Moss, for three years and $27 million. No matter what, that signing guarantees that the Patriots will stay a contender. Any team with a quarterback like Tom Brady and a receiver like Moss is one that will have an explosive offense.
The Giants, meanwhile, have lost important players but have made no move as important as the Moss signing. Safety Gibril Wilson, one of the team's leaders on defense, signed a lucrative contract with the Oakland Raiders. The team also lost linebacker depth as starter Kawika Mitchell and his backup Reggie Torbor signed with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, respectively.
The G-men did manage to pick up veteran Sammy Knight to replace Wilson, but still have plenty of work to do this offseason. In addition, future Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan, who contemplated retirement during training camp last year, still hasn't committed to returning to the team for the 2008-09 season.
On the other side of free agency, there are a few borderline teams that are trying to put themselves over the edge by spending this offseason. The best example is the Cleveland Browns, who won 10 games last year but missed the playoffs. They've traded for Shaun Rogers, one of the game's premier defensive tackles, and signed him to a six-year, $42 million extension. They also picked up 27-year-old tackle Corey Williams, who should be another strong addition to their defense.
On the offensive side, they signed Donte' Stallworth to complement Braylon Edwards and Joe Jurevicius, and they signed revelation Derek Anderson to a three-year deal. The Browns fan base is probably the most optimistic in the country right now.
But other fans have things to look forward to as well. The Minnesota Vikings have made some smart personnel moves. They released the unlikable Dwight Smith and then signed Madieu Williams, a quality player and character guy, to replace him. They then added wide receiver Bernard Berrian to give them a legitimate deep threat, and they picked up 27-year-old fullback Thomas Tapeh who is familiar with coach Brad Childress from their days in Philadelphia.
Then there are those teams that think they have improved but have really accomplished nothing. The Jacksonville Jaguars have notoriously lacked a quality wide receiver for years and for a long time have been committed to the "throw him against the wall and see if he sticks" approach. They love receivers with high-upside who have never shown any evidence of ever reaching their potential. Matt Jones and Reggie Williams were supposed to be star receivers by now.
To improve their depth at the position, the Jags signed Jerry Porter and traded for Troy Williamson. The book on those two is pretty simple; they're high-upside wide receivers that have never shown any signs of actually living up to their potential. Does this sound familiar? Porter is good, but he has quite an attitude for a guy who's never had a 1,000 yard season, while Williamson has the speed but is missing one key attribute: the ability to catch. Don't be surprised if those guys turn out to be busts.
The other team that's tried to make a splash but has produced no more than a ripple is Philadelphia. Sure, the Eagles signed Asante Samuel, but how good will that move prove to be? Samuel struggled against the Giants, who he'll now see twice a year - and he'll be without Bill Belichick's defensive schemes.
The better defensive signing by the Eagles was locking up end Chris Clemons to a five-year deal. Clemons is only 26 and had eight sacks last year. But the team could have made a major splash by inking Moss, for whom it made a strong push. Their two biggest problems heading into the offseason are still their two biggest problems: a poor receiving corps and an unhappy Donovan McNabb.
