Free Agents

Yeah "Look another free agent thread"

Free agent CBs
The Cornerbacks
Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee Titans
Finnegan’s reputation as a “dirty” player may overshadow his play at the cornerback position. He lacks ideal size but is a solid tackler and good cover man. He will be 28 heading into next season and should be prime for one last good contract. Rumors swirled of Finnegan’s discontent with the lack of contract talks coming into the season, which could lead to Finnegan hitting the open market.
Brent Grimes, Atlanta Falcons
Grimes may be the most underrated cover men in all of football. He’s coming of 11 interceptions in the previous two seasons. He will be 29 next season. He is a key piece of a struggling Atlanta defense and losing him would spell disaster for the Falcons secondary.
Carlos Rogers, San Francisco 49ers
Rogers is turning out to be the steal of free agency. SF waited as the big name CB’s took big money elsewhere much to the dismay of fans. Rogers was underwhelming in Washington but looks to be blossoming in San Francisco. The 49ers will most likely look to ink him before he hits free agency.
Brandon Carr, Kansas City Chiefs
Carr will be 26 next season which could make him a valuable commodity. He hasn’t had the best of seasons in 2011 or he would be higher on this list. He’s a solid number two corner that could garner a big payday based on history and age.
Tracy Porter, New Orleans Saints
Porter’s inability to stay healthy will cost him in his next contract. Porter is as talented as anyone on this list but he has to prove he can hold up for 16 games. Porter will just turn 26 at the start of the 2011 season so he has plenty of football left in him. Porter is a solid number two corner but may be looking to get paid as a number one.
Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville Jaguars
Mathis will be 32 at the beginning of the 2012 season. His age and decline in play are concerns but he is still a solid cover man and more than adequate number two CB at this point in his career. Mathis may look to play out his career in Jacksonville, with the team that drafted him.
Marcus Trufant, Seattle Seahawks
Trufant has played his last game in Seattle. At 31 he is on the downside of his career but still has enough in the tank to be a decent number two CB in the league. He is out for the season with back issues which cost him most of 2009. Injuries could be a concern with Trufant.
Terrell Thomas, New York Giants
Thomas will have to prove he can come back from a season-ending ACL injury. He is one of the best CB’s in the league in run support and has solid cover skills. He is unlikely to be back with the Giants and could provide good value coming off injury.
The Best of the Rest:
Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eric Wright, Detroit Lions
Aaron Ross, New York Giants
William Gay, Pittsburgh Steelers
Richard Marshall, Arizona Cardinals
Tim Jennings, Chicago Bears
Alan Ball, Dallas Cowboys
Elbert Mack, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Corey Graham, Chicago Bears
Zackary Bowman, Chicago Bears
Kelvin Hayden, Atlanta Falcons

Grimes is the only name I'm really familiar with. That and stealing from a divisional team would be nice

 

Finnegan, Grimes, and Rogers all had good statistical seasons and QB ratings. Rogers came out of nowhere, but really he's best served staying in the one situation he's had success.

Josh Wilson didn't have that good a year, since he was someone most of us, including me, wanted.

I would expect Asante Samuel to be cut, FWIW. He was good this past year, but I don't know that we'll be in love with his tackling enough to really pay him. He surrendered 2 TD this year, had a low # of completions, and stayed up to the task for the most part this year.

FWIW - it looks like corner might be expensive in FA this year, and a top ten corner pick would be cheaper.

 

8th best corner in the league this season according to Football Outsiders : http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2011/early-look-2011-cb-charting

Amukamara makes Thomas expendable in New York, and he'd be a decent add for this defense. Probably wouldn't cost a ton, plus he fits the system. Grimes will get a big contract to stay with Atlanta. Bummer we didn't get Rogers like I wanted.

 

interesting, hadn't seen that, but PFF has him 33rd with 43rd best QB rating. Based on FO's statements, Wilson will probably drop when you add in PI.

 

Probably also has to do with the subjectivity of charting coverage responsibility.

 

you can do your own if you prefer.

 

Always said that the stuff has its place, as I did buy Joyner's book a couple of times, but football just doesn't lend itself to definitive statistical analysis the way that baseball or basketball do. Too much interpretation and too much interrelated responsibility where the actions of one player affect the performance of another.

 

I've read that many times, doesn't make me buy it that much more now.

 

One site has a guy 8th and another has him 33rd.

 

using different criteria.