UFA signings list (updated for all teams)

We have enough candidates. Surely ONE will pan out. Among the most likely for the KR/PR slots are Goodson, Robinson and Munnerly. I know there are 2-3 other undrafted FAs brought for the job, but realistcially they won't stick just as a return specialists.

 

TSN War Room on DT Morlon Favorite

War Room analysis

Strengths: Gives great effort. Is very strong at the point of attack. Plays with good leverage and low pad level. Has the lower body strength to take on the double team. Is quick to shed when single blocked. Has powerful hands and is a solid tackler.
Weaknesses: Lacks pass rush ability. Does not move off the line of scrimmage. Does not have the speed or quickness to get to the ball if he has to move laterally down the line of scrimmage.
Bottom line: Favorite has impressive strength, but that's about it. He does not have any pass rush moves and lacks the lateral speed and quickness to make plays down the line of scrimmage. Favorite is more of a free-agent type player in the NFL who may get drafted late because of his power and strength numbers.

 

TSN War Room on QB Cantwell

War Room analysis
Strengths: Has good size. Shows a strong arm; is able to make short, intermediate and deep passes.
Weaknesses: Is highly inaccurate, missing receivers on throws at all levels. Shows erratic judgment and vision. Has no feel for pressure in the pocket. Struggles to read coverage. Lacks experience, having started only four games for Louisville before the 2008 season.
Bottom line: Cantwell is strictly a developmental prospect. If he lands in the right situation, there's a chance for him to develop his physical tools while holding the clipboard for a few seasons. Based on his college production, he projects as a free agent, but because quarterbacks with his size and arm strength often impress in postseason workouts, it would not be a surprise if some team took a flier on him late in the draft.

 

TSN War Room on WR Jason Chery

War Room analysis
Strengths: Is one of the fastest players in the 2009 draft. Plays fast, too. Has soft hands and can snatch the ball outside his body. Has very quick feet. Uses his speed and quickness to get free off the line of scrimmage. Tracks the deep ball well. Is a jitterbug in the open field who can make the defender miss. Has good return ability.
Weaknesses: Needs to get stronger. Can be jammed off the ball by bigger cornerbacks. Will dance off the ball too much at times. Not a tackle-breaker. Needs to improve greatly as a route-runner. Is out of control at times.
Bottom line: Chery may well be the fastest player in the 2009 draft. He can flat-out fly, and he plays as fast as his 40 time. On one play in college, he ran across the field to make a block 50 yards downfield on a defensive back to free RB Tyrell Fenroy for a touchdown. Chery is not the biggest player on the field, but he is not afraid to go across the middle. He sometimes plays too fast and runs himself out of routes, but he has enough body control to learn to run crisper routes. Chery is also a good returner, and if drafted, his play on special teams will be the reason. He is a player on the rise, especially after a solid week at the Texas vs. the Nation game.

 

TSN War Room on LB Heygood

War Room analysis
Strengths: Is a better-than-advertised athlete with good quickness and short-area burst. Has loose hips and is a good open-field tackler. Rarely misses tackles; maintains balance in space and makes lots of one-on-one tackles. Explodes on contact; when running full speed, stacks and sheds blocks with force. Shows great closing speed, making tackles down the line and in the backfield. Shows the flexibility to elude blockers and shoot gaps to make tackles. Displays good man-to-man coverage skills against tight ends. Is a good straight-line blitzer.
Weaknesses: Lacks strength and length. Once tied up, gets driven or bounced out of plays. Takes poor angles to the ball. Is marginal in zone coverage, lacking awareness. Gets shaken by top running backs in man coverage. Must improve knowledge of routes.
Bottom line: Heygood may be undersized, but he consistently makes plays and is an exciting player to watch. He is around the ball often and makes a lot of tackles because of his great closing speed. Heygood's draft grade is lower than his production merits because of his lack of bulk and strength, but he will play in the NFL for years, with his best fit as a weakside linebacker.

 

TSN War Room on G/C CJ Davis

War Room analysis
Strengths: Is a powerful player with good lower-body strength and leverage. Has long arms. Plays with mean streak and finishes blocks with force. Is a strong run blocker. Fires off the snap low and explodes on contact with defenders, rolling his hips and driving his feet. Stuns defenders when locking on with strong hands. Is a strong run blocker. Shows upper-body strength to control defenders. Gets set quickly in pass protection. Is effective in short areas, and shows quickness on short pulls.
Weaknesses: Is short for an interior offensive lineman. Despite aggressiveness, struggles to make blocks at the second level and in the open field. Uses righthanded stance when lined up on left side. Lacks speed and change-of-direction skills. Gets top-heavy as a pass blocker, showing some stiffness in his knees and hips. Overextends on some blocks and ends up on the ground.
Bottom line: If Davis were drafted purely for his production, he could come off the board as early as Round 2. However, his lack of height is going to hurt his chances of being more than a fourth-round pick. Still, he is a hard-nosed player who should have a solid NFL career.

 

TSN War Room on C Grey

War Room analysis
Strengths: Shows quick footwork and speed to make any block. Gets through the line quickly to block linebackers out of plays. Shows flexibility to bend his knees and play with leverage to maintain blocks well after initial contact. Gets out of his stance and into pass set quickly, allowing him to pick up explosive, gap-shooting defensive tackles. Shows surprising quickness sliding out to pick up wide rushers who blitz around the offensive tackle. Uses good leverage to make seal blocks in-line.
Weaknesses: Lacks aggressiveness and does not physically dominate opponents. Gets jolted and driven back by big power rushers and struggles to create movement on straight-ahead run blocks. Struggles to get around shaded defensive linemen to make effective reach blocks; does not get his head past the defensive lineman's head, and lacks strength to keep the defender from riding him into the running lane. Does not always use his hands aggressively as blocker, allowing defenders to get into his chest and push him around at the point of attack.
Bottom line: Gray does not jump out on film because he does not physically dominate opponents, but his athleticism and ability to move and block so well in the open field is impressive. Gray will need a season or two to add bulk and strength and must improve his technique and aggressiveness, but with those improvements, he could become a solid starter in the NFL.

 

TSN War Room on OT Cadogan

War Room analysis
Strengths: Shows quick footwork and good agility. Fares best in short sets in pass protection, taking on pass rushers right at the line; blocks with great aggressiveness in such situations and pins defenders. When pass blocking with good knee bend, slides to edge to cut off speed rushers. Chips defensive linemen and reaches second level quickly to block linebackers out of plays. Seal blocks defensive ends to spring ballcarriers on off-tackle runs.
Weaknesses: Does not block with sound technique. Has very narrow three-point stance and struggles to fire out of it in pass protection. Gets caught blocking straight-legged and upright, hindering ability to redirect and slide quickly to adjust to pass-rush moves. Lacks aggressive punch in pass protection, grabbing rushers outside the shoulders while leaving his chest exposed, allowing them to drive him back into the quarterback's lap. Leans and reaches too often to get his hands on pass rushers. Stops moving his feet after initial contact with pass rushers, getting beat by secondary moves. Does not block with enough intensity to eliminate targets from plays.
Bottom line: Cadogan is a frustrating prospect. He has the size, smarts and athleticism to be a good starting right tackle in the NFL, but never mustered solid production in college. Cadogan will likely be drafted higher than we have him rated because he will impress teams during postseason workouts. However, unless he significantly improves his technique, Cadogan will be limited to a backup role.

 

TSN War Room on LB Brit Miller

War Room analysis
Strengths: Is a strong, physical force against the run. Gets moving toward the play fast, moves well in traffic and can bend his knees and drive up into ballcarriers to make hard tackles. Uses his hands well to keep blockers from getting a hold of him. Has the playing strength to hold ground and shed blocks. Has enough speed to chase down running backs between the hashmarks in pursuit.
Weaknesses: Is shorter than ideal. Lacks the playing speed and explosive closing burst to make plays outside along the sideline, catch up in man-to-man coverage or consistently finish plays. Has a bad habit of getting overaggressive as a tackler, leading to missed tackles he is in position to make. Looks stiff and awkward dropping off the ball into pass coverage.
Bottom line: Miller has many of the intangibles that NFL teams want in their middle linebackers, but he is missing an integral attribute: solid athleticism. That will probably keep him from being drafted, but he'd be a good free-agent signing by a team that plays a 3-4 defense.

 

TSN War Room on TE Brock

War Room analysis
Strengths: Is an excellent blocker with good technique. Shoots his hands and rolls his hips on contact. Drives his feet well. Plays with good leverage and can adjust laterally to hold his ground. Is a decent route-runner who knows how to get open. Sits down well on shorter routes and gets his head around quickly to give his quarterback a good target. Has soft hands. Plays within himself and understands his strengths and weaknesses. Never tries to do too much, but always seems to do his job well. Is a finisher who plays to the whistle. Is smart, tough and a leader.
Weaknesses: Needs to improve bulk and strength. Has average feet off the line of scrimmage and can be held up in his release. Is a straight-line runner after the catch. Has no moves; just covers the ball and plows ahead. Has some stiffness in his knees and back. Is a better football player than athlete.
Bottom line: Brock is a throwback player. He's a physical blocker and has just enough speed and quickness to be a threat as a receiver. He will not wow scouts at the NFL Combine, but he should have a fine career as a backup tight end who is a short-area receiver and specializes in blocking -- if he can stay healthy.