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Prisco's Points
Pete Prisco weighs in on various issues on the NFL beat.
Upgrading through free-agency an overrated exercise
Name the key free agents the San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots signed in 2006?
Come on, now. One or two names, please?
They were the three best teams in the NFL last season, the Colts winning the Super Bowl, but you have to be a real superfan to remember the big free-agents signings for those three teams.
Why? They really didn't have any.
And that's the message here: Free-agency is overrated.
The Colts traded to get Booger McFarland during the season, but their biggest free-agent signing last spring was kicker Adam Vinatieri. Sexy, right?
The Patriots signed a handful of "B" players last spring, with no big-ticket item. The Chargers' top free-agent signing was safety Marlon McCree, not exactly one of their 10-12 best players.
Yet all three teams had successful seasons. The reason is they've drafted well, and they know when to say when on veteran players.
The Colts were ripped for letting Edgerrin James leave via free-agency last spring. But Joseph Addai, the man they drafted to replace him, had a productive season and will be better.
The Patriots lost Willie McGinest and Vinatieri and David Givens to free-agency last year. While Vinatieri had a good year for the Colts, rookie Stephen Gostkowski had a good season replacing him. McGinest was just okay for the Browns, while Givens was hurt in Tennessee.
Good teams know the right time to let big-money players go and when it's wise not to overspend on players.
Bad teams don't.
The Colts, Patriots and Chargers are all examples what good drafting does for a team and how it can keep you from being forced to spend.
Free-agency is overrated. Just don't tell that to the agents.
• If we didn't think the spending frenzy was nuts after the first weekend, Tuesday gave us even more reason to think so.
When a so-so tight end (Daniel Graham) gets a contract that makes him the second-highest paid tight end in football, you know it's nuts.
When receiver Bobby Wade, a third receiver at best, gets a deal that averages $3 million from the Vikings, you know it's nuts.
When Kenyon Coleman, a situational pass rusher, gets a deal from the Jets that includes $7 million in guaranteed money, you know it's nuts.
Do these teams have any fiscal responsibility?
These are Ford Taurus-like players going for BMW prices. It makes no sense.
Spending for the sake of spending is absurd.
The Broncos' signing of Graham is made more perplexing given the fact they drafted a tight end (Tony Sheffler) in the second round last season. When you use a high pick on a position, that player should be the starter in Year 2, and you shouldn't be forced to spend stupid money on another player at that position, a marginal player no less.
So are the Broncos admitting a draft mistake in Sheffler? If they are, then that brings us back to the root of all this wild spending.
Draft well, and you don't have to spend wildly.
Make mistakes with premium picks, and you will.
Quick hits
• Lance Briggs must be bristling now. When he sees Joey Porter sign a deal that includes $20 million in guaranteed money, and he has a franchise tag on him limiting his movement, it has to eat him alive. Briggs was designated as the franchise player by the Chicago Bears, meaning he either signs a long-term deal or he plays for the $7.2 million tag this season. I can understand Briggs wanting a long-term deal -- if he gets hurt this season, the $7.2 million is all he'll probably see -- but the players have to understand that the franchise tag is part of the system their union bargained to put in place. It's a tool the teams have to protect losing key players. Is it fair? No. Not when you see Porter and the rest of this class getting funny money, but that's how the system works. Briggs needs to quit pouting. After all, he did reportedly turn down a deal for six years and $33 million.
• The Saints reduced the contract of corner Fred Thomas Tuesday, which will keep him in New Orleans. That might not be a good thing. Thomas was awful late last season. One scout said the problem is he can't play on the right side of the defense. The Saints clearly need an upgrade at corner. Thomas looked as if he lost his confidence late last season.
Updated: Mar/06/2007 05:11 PM
Bad signs for Miami
Sometimes, when you think a team has it figured out, clearing out old players not worth the money, they change gears and then make a foolish move, one that makes you wonder if they know what they're really doing.
That's you, Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins released Kevin Carter, Jeno James, Randy McMichael and Joey Harrington, then they signed linebacker Joey Porter to a deal that will pay him over $6 million a year.
Porter has a bark much worse than his bite.
Quite simply, he is overrated.
He had seven sacks last season, will turn 30 this year and he's never been comfortable dropping into coverage.
For that, the Dolphins shelled out a deal that includes $20 million in guaranteed money.
Please.
Sure, defensive coordinator Dom Capers made his bones by coaching the 3-4 defense with the Steelers, and Porter played in that style his entire career, but the Pittsburgh front office is as good as any in the NFL. They're not wrong often timing when to let go of veterans.
Just look at players like Carnell Lake, Rod Woodson, Kimo Von Oehlhoffen, Chad Brown and others.
Porter's best days are behind him. The Dolphins are making a mistake here.
Pete Prisco weighs in on various issues on the NFL beat.
Upgrading through free-agency an overrated exercise
Name the key free agents the San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots signed in 2006?
Come on, now. One or two names, please?
They were the three best teams in the NFL last season, the Colts winning the Super Bowl, but you have to be a real superfan to remember the big free-agents signings for those three teams.
Why? They really didn't have any.
And that's the message here: Free-agency is overrated.
The Colts traded to get Booger McFarland during the season, but their biggest free-agent signing last spring was kicker Adam Vinatieri. Sexy, right?
The Patriots signed a handful of "B" players last spring, with no big-ticket item. The Chargers' top free-agent signing was safety Marlon McCree, not exactly one of their 10-12 best players.
Yet all three teams had successful seasons. The reason is they've drafted well, and they know when to say when on veteran players.
The Colts were ripped for letting Edgerrin James leave via free-agency last spring. But Joseph Addai, the man they drafted to replace him, had a productive season and will be better.
The Patriots lost Willie McGinest and Vinatieri and David Givens to free-agency last year. While Vinatieri had a good year for the Colts, rookie Stephen Gostkowski had a good season replacing him. McGinest was just okay for the Browns, while Givens was hurt in Tennessee.
Good teams know the right time to let big-money players go and when it's wise not to overspend on players.
Bad teams don't.
The Colts, Patriots and Chargers are all examples what good drafting does for a team and how it can keep you from being forced to spend.
Free-agency is overrated. Just don't tell that to the agents.
• If we didn't think the spending frenzy was nuts after the first weekend, Tuesday gave us even more reason to think so.
When a so-so tight end (Daniel Graham) gets a contract that makes him the second-highest paid tight end in football, you know it's nuts.
When receiver Bobby Wade, a third receiver at best, gets a deal that averages $3 million from the Vikings, you know it's nuts.
When Kenyon Coleman, a situational pass rusher, gets a deal from the Jets that includes $7 million in guaranteed money, you know it's nuts.
Do these teams have any fiscal responsibility?
These are Ford Taurus-like players going for BMW prices. It makes no sense.
Spending for the sake of spending is absurd.
The Broncos' signing of Graham is made more perplexing given the fact they drafted a tight end (Tony Sheffler) in the second round last season. When you use a high pick on a position, that player should be the starter in Year 2, and you shouldn't be forced to spend stupid money on another player at that position, a marginal player no less.
So are the Broncos admitting a draft mistake in Sheffler? If they are, then that brings us back to the root of all this wild spending.
Draft well, and you don't have to spend wildly.
Make mistakes with premium picks, and you will.
Quick hits
• Lance Briggs must be bristling now. When he sees Joey Porter sign a deal that includes $20 million in guaranteed money, and he has a franchise tag on him limiting his movement, it has to eat him alive. Briggs was designated as the franchise player by the Chicago Bears, meaning he either signs a long-term deal or he plays for the $7.2 million tag this season. I can understand Briggs wanting a long-term deal -- if he gets hurt this season, the $7.2 million is all he'll probably see -- but the players have to understand that the franchise tag is part of the system their union bargained to put in place. It's a tool the teams have to protect losing key players. Is it fair? No. Not when you see Porter and the rest of this class getting funny money, but that's how the system works. Briggs needs to quit pouting. After all, he did reportedly turn down a deal for six years and $33 million.
• The Saints reduced the contract of corner Fred Thomas Tuesday, which will keep him in New Orleans. That might not be a good thing. Thomas was awful late last season. One scout said the problem is he can't play on the right side of the defense. The Saints clearly need an upgrade at corner. Thomas looked as if he lost his confidence late last season.
Updated: Mar/06/2007 05:11 PM
Bad signs for Miami
Sometimes, when you think a team has it figured out, clearing out old players not worth the money, they change gears and then make a foolish move, one that makes you wonder if they know what they're really doing.
That's you, Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins released Kevin Carter, Jeno James, Randy McMichael and Joey Harrington, then they signed linebacker Joey Porter to a deal that will pay him over $6 million a year.
Porter has a bark much worse than his bite.
Quite simply, he is overrated.
He had seven sacks last season, will turn 30 this year and he's never been comfortable dropping into coverage.
For that, the Dolphins shelled out a deal that includes $20 million in guaranteed money.
Please.
Sure, defensive coordinator Dom Capers made his bones by coaching the 3-4 defense with the Steelers, and Porter played in that style his entire career, but the Pittsburgh front office is as good as any in the NFL. They're not wrong often timing when to let go of veterans.
Just look at players like Carnell Lake, Rod Woodson, Kimo Von Oehlhoffen, Chad Brown and others.
Porter's best days are behind him. The Dolphins are making a mistake here.
