Less than a month into the 2008 free-agency period, the Buffalo Bills find themselves rummaging through the National Football League's bargain bin.
Not that there is much else left. The multi-year, big-signing bonus guys were just about all gone by St. Patrick's Day, leaving personnel departments across the land to find gems amid the rubbish left at the curb by other franchises.
Two weeks ago, Buffalo's marquee visitor was one James Hall, a defensive end who collected 11.5 sacks while playing for Dick Jauron while the Bills' present head coach was the defensive coordinator in Detroit.
Hall was waived by St. Louis this winter after managing just 2.5 quarterback drops in his lone season with the Rams, whose 438 points allowed were the second-most in the league. Seen as a possible pass-rushing specialist, Hall left town without a deal.
Last week, the Bills signed cornerback William James, who was known as Will Peterson before leaving the New York Giants for Philadelphia in 2006. At 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, James adds size at the position, if he can stay healthy. Back problems limited him to five games in 2005 and '06, but he rebounded to appear in 14 contests for the Eagles last season, starting six.
Buffalo's lone other recruit of note was another cornerback, Chris Carr of the Oakland Raiders, who became expendable when Al Davis traded for former Falcons malcontent DeAngelo Hall. At 5-9, 183, Carr would not add size to Buffalo's depth chart, but he's of interest more for his kick-returning skills.
Terrence McGee remains a threat on kickoff returns, registering the fifth scoring runback of his career last season, but putting your top cornerback in one of the game's most dangerous spots several times a week is asking for disaster.
The Bills aren't the only AFC East team looking for role players and reclamation projects.
Having lost out on former Dolphin Zach Thomas, who signed with Dallas, the New England Patriots continued their constant search for aging, broken-down linebackers by courting Takeo Spikes.
Spikes had a solid 2007 after leaving Buffalo for Philadelphia and stayed healthy enough to play in 14 games, registering 86 tackles. But the Eagles apparently decided a 31-year-old with a history of injuries and declining production wasn't worth keeping around. Besides the Patriots, Spikes also visited with the 49ers, a franchise that has proven itself unafraid to overpay free agents (see also Jennings, Jonas and Clements, Nate).
In short, the major additions are over for the Bills -- and everyone else -- until next month's draft. Which makes this a perfect time to assess this year's offseason haul, even if it is more than five months until any of the additions play in a meaningful game.
Buffalo's biggest addition, in both physical size and potential impact, was not even a free agent. But by trading third- and fifth-round picks to Jacksonville for 6-foot-6, 310-pound (at least) defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, the Bills' polycephalic front office addressed the most painfully obvious weakness on the roster shortly after the market opened. If he stays healthy. And if he doesn't get suspended again for using steroids.
Signing strong-side linebacker Kawika Mitchell away from the New York Giants on the first weekend of free agency further bolstered the run defense, which collapsed repeatedly in meaningful situations, particularly late in the season.
Snagging Minnesota tackle Spencer Johnson deepened the defensive front, while re-signing Jason Whittle, a 2007 signing from the Vikings who missed most of the season with a torn hamstring, did the same on the other side of the line.
The Bills have not fared as well at the offensive skill positions. Their main hope to add size at wide receiver, former Cardinal Bryant Johnson, signed with the 49ers. Tight end Ben Troupe, formerly of Tennessee, chose the warmth of Tampa Bay over Buffalo.
The Bills did sign a very large, veteran tight end -- just not one who caught a pass in 2007.
At 6-6 and 270 pounds, Courtney Anderson was one of the few tight ends out there who makes the departed Michael Gaines look small. He had a couple decent seasons in Oakland, catching a combined 49 passes for five scores in 2005-06. But last season, he played in just two games each for Detroit and Atlanta, putting him squarely in the reclamation-project category.
While the Bills improved themselves in a couple key spots -- as of late March, at least -- their division foes have been at least as busy.
Bill Parcells wasted no time in starting his makeover of the 1-15 Dolphins, adding wide receiver Ernest Wilford from Jacksonville, guard Justin Smiley from San Francisco, defensive tackle Randy Starks from the Titans, quarterback Josh McCown from Oakland, outside linebacker Charlie Anderson from Houston and kicker Dave Rayner from San Diego.
Signing elsewhere were quarterbacks Trent Green and Cleo Lemon, wide receiver Marty Booker, running back Jesse Chatman, linebacker Derrick Pope and the aforementioned Mr. Thomas.
So the Dolphins got younger and probably better. But mostly younger.
The New York Jets were clearly out to upgrade an offensive line that surrendered 53 sacks, fourth-most in the NFL. They signed former Steeler Alan Faneca, the top guard on the market, and Damien Woody, a starter for New England's championship teams in 2001 and '03 before signing with Detroit.
To provide additional protection for easily shaken quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens, the Jets added fullback Tony Richardson, most recently of Minnesota.
Adding Faneca, Woody and Richardson would make New York the best-blocking team in the division -- if this were 2002. At this point in their careers, though, the three 30-somethings are just more typical Jets signings: too much, too late, for too little.
In keeping with a long-standing policy of signing players on the decline, New York grabbed ex-Green Bay tight end Bubba Franks, whose productivity has dropped each year since 2004.
They also snatched Jesse Chatman, who hadn't touched the ball in three years before getting his shot with Miami last year because everyone else was in the hospital.
New York's biggest score was linebacker Calvin Pace, a former first-round bust with Arizona whom the Jets rewarded for five inconsistent seasons in the desert with a six-year, $42 million contract. And talk about frugal spending -- only $22 million of the deal is guaranteed!
The only Jet to depart via free agency was safety Erik Coleman, who missed only one game in four seasons, notching more than 100 tackles in each of the first three. Good thing they got rid of him. Those young, productive guys will kill you.
New England's biggest signing was keeping Randy Moss with a three-year, $27 million deal. Not a bad price for someone who just had the best season by any wide receiver not named Jerry Rice in history.
Bill Belichick's most notable acquisitions in what has otherwise been a quiet offseason were a pair of former Bills -- wide receiver/special teams demon Sam Aiken, and Jason Webster, a cornerback who spent all but one game of his only season in Buffalo on injured reserve.
Meanwhile, the Patriots lost three key members of their secondary -- cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, along with safety Eugene Wilson and wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who caught 46 passes last year.
So at this early date, it looks like the Bills have gotten better at a few key spots, Miami has gotten younger and better, the Jets have done the opposite, and the Patriots have experienced their usual late-winter exodus.
And the rest of us can stop speculating about free agency and start making guesses about the draft.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | March 25 2008 |