LIST OF THE TOP 25 FREE AGENTS

[wood20ks]

who would you guys want and why?
or any of the remaining fa`s that are available.....but I have not seen the list yet.

I highly doubt graham ever leaves NO.
Panthers are on the brink of a SB.They are missing an o-lineman and a wr.So I highly doubt Hardy leaves.
Orakapo would be great.........
He would be my top choice along with Johnson or Houston as 2nd options.

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints tight end
2. Greg Hardy, Carolina Panthers defensive end
3. Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins linebacker
4. Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills safety
5. T.J. Ward, Cleveland Browns safety
6. Alterraun Verner, Tennessee Titans cornerback
7. Branden Albert, Kansas City Chiefs left tackle
8. Michael Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end
9. Lamarr Houston, Oakland Raiders defensive end
10. Brent Grimes, Miami Dolphins cornerback
11. Eugene Monroe, Baltimore Ravens left tackle
12. Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts cornerback
13. Linval Joseph, New York Giants defensive tackle
14. Jason Hatcher, Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle
15. Jared Veldheer, Oakland Raiders left tackle
16. Aqib Talib, New England Patriots cornerback
17. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Denver Broncos cornerback
18. Alex Mack, Cleveland Browns center
19. Eric Decker, Denver Broncos wide receiver
20. Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks defensive end
21. B.J. Raji, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle
22. Sam Shields, Green Bay Packers cornerback
23. Walter Thurmond, Seattle Seahawks cornerback
24. Donald Butler, San Diego Chargers linebacker
25. Randy Starks, Miami Dolphins defensive tackle

 

[richig07]

Unless we make some cuts. We have very little cap space to make a splash in free agency.

 

[leomaz]

From what I am reading, we will still be able to sign at least 2 big named FAs if need be....I just dont want to give a huge contract like Peppers got and handcuff us for years

 

[leomaz]

Why isn't Henry Melton on there. Or the best QB in the league? I wonder how our free agents stack up?

 

[leomaz]

Durkin: Breaking Down The Bears? Salary Cap Situation « CBS Chicago


Good article

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

Most of these guys will never see the open market. Of the ones on here who might and that who i,d want on be bears, I think Starks makes the most sense.

Melton isn't on there for a couple of reasons, but one of them is we don't know if be will ever be the same after his injury.

 

[leomaz]

The bottom 6 intriges me. Except Raji

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I would jump on a top Safety, no need to say why. But if somehow Hardy,Johnson,Houston was there then DE. But I bet a Safety is there and we get one.

 

[blh7068]

Unless we make some cuts. We have very little cap space to make a splash in free agency.

Peppers is the notable cut. Pretty sure his cap hit is just about all salary.

 

[Smart]

I would jump on a top Safety, no need to say why. But if somehow Hardy,Johnson,Houston was there then DE. But I bet a Safety is there and we get one.

I agree, but Ward and Byrd have both struck me as being tremendously overrated. Neither is particularly adept at knocking the ball down. Ward is just not good round the ball, and while he is a decent tackler, his instincts aren't as good as his stats indicate. Joe Haden is a lockdown, so he just goes away from Haden and tackles guys in the flats. Byrd has a nose for the football, but isn't a good tackler in space.

I think that's a position we probably have to draft. There's not really a great safety out there. One other option is to sign a Thurmond, Talib or Rodgers-Cromartie and move Peanut over to safety. He's clearly lost a step, but i'm not sure Peanut wants to play safety or come back to us.

 

[richig07]

Peppers is the notable cut. Pretty sure his cap hit is just about all salary.

Peppers is definitely the big one. Micheal Bush would also free up close to 4 mil.

Podlesh 1.8... Weems 1.6. Both also expendable, IMO. Weems maybe you'd want to keep around as a special teams coverage guy, but IMO, you can get one of those for a bit cheaper.

 

[leomaz]

I agree, but Ward and Byrd have both struck me as being tremendously overrated. Neither is particularly adept at knocking the ball down. Ward is just not good round the ball, and while he is a decent tackler, his instincts aren't as good as his stats indicate. Joe Haden is a lockdown, so he just goes away from Haden and tackles guys in the flats. Byrd has a nose for the football, but isn't a good tackler in space.

I think that's a position we probably have to draft. There's not really a great safety out there. One other option is to sign a Thurmond, Talib or Rodgers-Cromartie and move Peanut over to safety. He's clearly lost a step, but i'm not sure Peanut wants to play safety or come back to us.

The problem is Peanut is not a Chicago Bear .

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

Peppers is definitely the big one. Micheal Bush would also free up close to 4 mil.

Podlesh 1.8... Weems 1.6. Both also expendable, IMO. Weems maybe you'd want to keep around as a special teams coverage guy, but IMO, you can get one of those for a bit cheaper.

to determine "freed up money", you have to subtract dead money from the cap hit. The players you listed actually free up the following amounts if they are cut:

Bush $1.85 million
Podlesh $1 million
Weems $1.1 million

So you cut them but then you have to turn around and re-sign guys that are going to cost at least that much to replace their roster value. No thanks.

The guy that "buys" the most free space under the cap is Peppers, but even he only frees $10 million because of the $8 million in dead money due to when he renegotiated.

It is like cutting Earl Bennett...it makes no sense, they would have to go out and buy a guy off the free agent market, and free agent mid-level WRs typically cost more than $2.4 million.

You cut guys if the savings and carrying the dead money are worth it because they aren't performing to their cap hit cost...maybe Podlesh fits that description, I don't know Weems and Bennett are washes, and Bush...hard to say. We cut Bush, we are going to need to sign another journey RB who is going to cost that anyway.

For my money, the guy not playing to being worth even paying $10 million is Julius, and cutting him is even worth the $8 million dead money hit. I wish this were not true, but we've got a full season of tape that says it is.

 

[richig07]

to determine "freed up money", you have to subtract dead money from the cap hit. The players you listed actually free up the following amounts if they are cut:

Bush $1.85 million
Podlesh $1 million
Weems $1.1 million

So you cut them but then you have to turn around and re-sign guys that are going to cost at least that much to replace their roster value. No thanks.

The guy that "buys" the most free space under the cap is Peppers, but even he only frees $10 million because of the $8 million in dead money due to when he renegotiated.

It is like cutting Earl Bennett...it makes no sense, they would have to go out and buy a guy off the free agent market, and free agent mid-level WRs typically cost more than $2.4 million.

You cut guys if the savings and carrying the dead money are worth it because they aren't performing to their cap hit cost...maybe Podlesh fits that description, I don't know Weems and Bennett are washes, and Bush...hard to say. We cut Bush, we are going to need to sign another journey RB who is going to cost that anyway.

For my money, the guy not playing to being worth even paying $10 million is Julius, and cutting him is even worth the $8 million dead money hit. I wish this were not true, but we've got a full season of tape that says it is.

Gotcha. What site can I go to if I want to see this info? I know what "dead money" is, but for instance, in everything I read it only states Bush's numbers at 3.85 mil. Without saying how much of that is dead money.

 

[leomaz]

Peppers is 8 million for 2 years......in dead monies

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

there are many sites that compile this info, over the last couple of years I have gotten used to Sportrac because they seem to be fairly reliable.

NFL Player Contracts, Salaries, and Transactions

 

[Smart]

The problem is Peanut is not a Chicago Bear .

As I said, "i'm not sure Peanut wants to play safety or come back to us."

 

[leomaz]

As I said, "i'm not sure Peanut wants to play safety or come back to us."

Like I said Peanut is not a Chicago Bear. He neither wants to play safety or come back to us.

He isn't coming back.


Book it

 

[Smart]

I hope you're wrong, but fear you are right. He's probably following Lovie to Tampa.

 

[leomaz]

Go Bears

there are many sites that compile this info, over the last couple of years I have gotten used to Sportrac because they seem to be fairly reliable.

NFL Player Contracts, Salaries, and Transactions

I got my info from Hub Arkush after the Cutler contract SportsHoopla.