Says martay and frank are the 2 best receivers left in free agency..
Not much left to choose from in free-agent pool
March 21, 2003
By Jay Glazer
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Jay your opinion!
What a change a mere 12 months can bring about. At this point a year ago, players' agents were looking for shoulders to cry on because of what they perceived was collusion by owners and GMs to impede the extreme cash payouts that free agency often brings.
Many bought into it, couldn't get enough of the drivel empathizing with the lack of player movement.
Some personnel guys feel Emmitt Smith might have some juice left, while others think he should call it quits.(Getty Images)
Fast forward 12 months, kids, and we've got a completely different ballgame. The 2003 free-agent market flung its doors open, didn't even bother to offer discounts, and saw its shelves raided by people who had a whole lot of Benjamins to shell out.
Takeo Spikes, Rosey Colvin, Daryl Gardner, Shawn Barber, Randy Thomas, Stephen Davis, Hugh Douglas, Dexter Jackson, Cory Harris, David Boston, Dre Bly ... finding work elsewhere was fairly easy for most of these free agents.
Even the restricted free agents jumped into the fray like Laveranues Coles, Chad Morton, Matt Bowens and most likely Kabeer Gbaja Biamilla. Quarterbacks like Jake Plummer, Kordell Stewart and Jake Delhomme have also found new homes.
The pace was fast and furious leaving the remaining field resembling a Who's Who of Former You Know Who's.
So who is left?
Who missed out on this frantic initial wave of free-agent barter? The remaining crop is filled with veteran talent who may or may not fit into a host team's scheme. All could still help but which host remains to be seen. Regardless, the drop-off is significant.
The following are a list of free agents still available to any team with some coin left over ranked in a very loose order of the best of the rest.
DE Vonnie Holiday: He fired his agent the night before free agency began and requested that interested suitors phone him directly at home. He's still at home waiting for what he thought would have been a huge blockbuster deal. That market has dried up considerably, although teams like Arizona and Seattle could make him a decent offer.
DT Sam Adams: Told SportsLine.com that he plans to lose quite a bit of weight for his new team. Adams is a proven winner, having helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl and the Raiders get to last year's big show. When healthy and not too rotund, Adams is one of the NFL's premiere interior forces.
TE Ernie Conwell: Tight ends are not a commodity and there is a decent selection in this year's draft. Still, Conwell is a proven starter.
OG Mo Collins: Unfortunately for the Raiders guard there is only one Daniel Snyder. Nobody else is going to give a guard a $7 million signing bonus. Collins does have the potential to be a big upgrade for a team weak on the inside.
WR MarTay Jenkins and Frank Sanders: Jenkins is actually a heck of a buy for a team looking for a tough wide out/special teams standout. Has good speed, is tough and makes yards after the catch. In fact, he is the top-rated receiver left on a few teams' boards. Sanders, along with Antonio Freeman, are the two best veteran wideout options remaining on the open market.
P Craig Hentrich: One of the best punters in the league but his agent was recently suspended and he is just sitting back, laying low right now.
LB/DE Jamir Miller: Has bulked up to shift up from linebacker to defensive end. Isn't getting any play because he missed last season due to an Achilles tear. The season before he was the Browns' best player and a solid candidate for defensive player of the year. He's a gamble that may pay off huge dividends if he can rebound to pre-injury form ... or he can be a big disappointment.
DE Chike Okeafor: Solid defensive end was highly coveted early, but the pace has cooled down quite a bit. He took his visits early. How his stock was affected by the Hugh Douglas signing remains to be seen.
FB Larry Centers: The best chip-blocker in the NFL and a great target out of the backfield. Recent addition to this free-agent list could help any team looking for a third-down back. The problem is that many teams do not want to pay a running back decent money if he's a part-timer and isn't a return specialist. Still, Larry is the consummate pro and could play on my team today, tomorrow and every day.
LB Dwayne Rudd: Don't let his boneheaded play of the year -- HelmetGate -- lower his grade. Rudd is an above average linebacker who can make a few big plays for a team with a very weak linebacking group.
RB Emmitt Smith: Some believe he can still be an answer for a team looking for a starting running back. Others believe he should simply go out on top rather than rent a year or two in a foreign city. Emmitt believes the former. Stacey Mack, Tyrone Wheatley Dorsey Levens and Shawn Bryson are the other starting caliber running backs still looking for work.
LB Charlie Clemons: Plays the middle but provides an interesting twist because of his pass-rush ability. Two years ago he was the Saints' best defensive playmaker. Now he finds himself visiting cities looking for a new home. Some teams actually like Wali Ranier because he's a better run guy but can't play nickel.
LB Earl Holmes: Stock has dropped considerably since his final start in Pittsburgh two years ago. Has been a proven starter in the past but too many teams are now down on him. His weight is also an issue. Detroit's Chris Claiborne is also still on the market and has found a few suitors looking to visit with him. Neither player is too exciting of an option.
CB Jason Sehorn: Isn't it amazing how nice everybody is to the NFL's favorite whipping boy now that the rest of the corners are off the market? Sehorn's confidence is shaken but if a team could help him rebuild it and he's healthy, he remains one of the league's most impressive athletic specimens. Has had interest from Carolina, Jacksonville, Cleveland and now, the Rams' Mike Martz? Yup, the same man who two years ago said he wished he could line up every play against, Sehorn is now excited to host him for a visit. Free agency is a crazy world. Kenny Wright, Dainon Sydney, Fred Weary, Tod McBride and Alex Molden are solid options for a team looking for a nickel corner but not a starter.
S Sammy Knight and Kwammie Lassiter: The best of the safeties still remaining on the market. Lassiter is a decent ball hawk who has hit the wall and will not see the type of money that Dexter Jackson received from Arizona and Cory Hall received in Atlanta. Knight is a crafty veteran who has taken hits for slowing down. Very professional player.
OL Solomon Page: Barely any tackles remaining on the open market, but Page hasn't received much play. Big, wide body with ample starting experience in the Big D. He is not very highly rated by personnel people. The 49ers' Matt Willig is just as good an option.
LB Junior Seau: Not yet on this list, but will be after June 1. Despite an ankle injury that slowed him last year Seau's addition to any team would be an instant upgrade. The knock on him is that he freelances too often and gets burned as a result at times. Guess what. This was the same knock on a guy named Lawrence Taylor at times in his career. I'd take his freelancing and fire any day or any week of any year.
Not much pickings left.
Not much left to choose from in free-agent pool
March 21, 2003
By Jay Glazer
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Jay your opinion!
What a change a mere 12 months can bring about. At this point a year ago, players' agents were looking for shoulders to cry on because of what they perceived was collusion by owners and GMs to impede the extreme cash payouts that free agency often brings.
Many bought into it, couldn't get enough of the drivel empathizing with the lack of player movement.
Some personnel guys feel Emmitt Smith might have some juice left, while others think he should call it quits.(Getty Images)
Fast forward 12 months, kids, and we've got a completely different ballgame. The 2003 free-agent market flung its doors open, didn't even bother to offer discounts, and saw its shelves raided by people who had a whole lot of Benjamins to shell out.
Takeo Spikes, Rosey Colvin, Daryl Gardner, Shawn Barber, Randy Thomas, Stephen Davis, Hugh Douglas, Dexter Jackson, Cory Harris, David Boston, Dre Bly ... finding work elsewhere was fairly easy for most of these free agents.
Even the restricted free agents jumped into the fray like Laveranues Coles, Chad Morton, Matt Bowens and most likely Kabeer Gbaja Biamilla. Quarterbacks like Jake Plummer, Kordell Stewart and Jake Delhomme have also found new homes.
The pace was fast and furious leaving the remaining field resembling a Who's Who of Former You Know Who's.
So who is left?
Who missed out on this frantic initial wave of free-agent barter? The remaining crop is filled with veteran talent who may or may not fit into a host team's scheme. All could still help but which host remains to be seen. Regardless, the drop-off is significant.
The following are a list of free agents still available to any team with some coin left over ranked in a very loose order of the best of the rest.
DE Vonnie Holiday: He fired his agent the night before free agency began and requested that interested suitors phone him directly at home. He's still at home waiting for what he thought would have been a huge blockbuster deal. That market has dried up considerably, although teams like Arizona and Seattle could make him a decent offer.
DT Sam Adams: Told SportsLine.com that he plans to lose quite a bit of weight for his new team. Adams is a proven winner, having helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl and the Raiders get to last year's big show. When healthy and not too rotund, Adams is one of the NFL's premiere interior forces.
TE Ernie Conwell: Tight ends are not a commodity and there is a decent selection in this year's draft. Still, Conwell is a proven starter.
OG Mo Collins: Unfortunately for the Raiders guard there is only one Daniel Snyder. Nobody else is going to give a guard a $7 million signing bonus. Collins does have the potential to be a big upgrade for a team weak on the inside.
WR MarTay Jenkins and Frank Sanders: Jenkins is actually a heck of a buy for a team looking for a tough wide out/special teams standout. Has good speed, is tough and makes yards after the catch. In fact, he is the top-rated receiver left on a few teams' boards. Sanders, along with Antonio Freeman, are the two best veteran wideout options remaining on the open market.
P Craig Hentrich: One of the best punters in the league but his agent was recently suspended and he is just sitting back, laying low right now.
LB/DE Jamir Miller: Has bulked up to shift up from linebacker to defensive end. Isn't getting any play because he missed last season due to an Achilles tear. The season before he was the Browns' best player and a solid candidate for defensive player of the year. He's a gamble that may pay off huge dividends if he can rebound to pre-injury form ... or he can be a big disappointment.
DE Chike Okeafor: Solid defensive end was highly coveted early, but the pace has cooled down quite a bit. He took his visits early. How his stock was affected by the Hugh Douglas signing remains to be seen.
FB Larry Centers: The best chip-blocker in the NFL and a great target out of the backfield. Recent addition to this free-agent list could help any team looking for a third-down back. The problem is that many teams do not want to pay a running back decent money if he's a part-timer and isn't a return specialist. Still, Larry is the consummate pro and could play on my team today, tomorrow and every day.
LB Dwayne Rudd: Don't let his boneheaded play of the year -- HelmetGate -- lower his grade. Rudd is an above average linebacker who can make a few big plays for a team with a very weak linebacking group.
RB Emmitt Smith: Some believe he can still be an answer for a team looking for a starting running back. Others believe he should simply go out on top rather than rent a year or two in a foreign city. Emmitt believes the former. Stacey Mack, Tyrone Wheatley Dorsey Levens and Shawn Bryson are the other starting caliber running backs still looking for work.
LB Charlie Clemons: Plays the middle but provides an interesting twist because of his pass-rush ability. Two years ago he was the Saints' best defensive playmaker. Now he finds himself visiting cities looking for a new home. Some teams actually like Wali Ranier because he's a better run guy but can't play nickel.
LB Earl Holmes: Stock has dropped considerably since his final start in Pittsburgh two years ago. Has been a proven starter in the past but too many teams are now down on him. His weight is also an issue. Detroit's Chris Claiborne is also still on the market and has found a few suitors looking to visit with him. Neither player is too exciting of an option.
CB Jason Sehorn: Isn't it amazing how nice everybody is to the NFL's favorite whipping boy now that the rest of the corners are off the market? Sehorn's confidence is shaken but if a team could help him rebuild it and he's healthy, he remains one of the league's most impressive athletic specimens. Has had interest from Carolina, Jacksonville, Cleveland and now, the Rams' Mike Martz? Yup, the same man who two years ago said he wished he could line up every play against, Sehorn is now excited to host him for a visit. Free agency is a crazy world. Kenny Wright, Dainon Sydney, Fred Weary, Tod McBride and Alex Molden are solid options for a team looking for a nickel corner but not a starter.
S Sammy Knight and Kwammie Lassiter: The best of the safeties still remaining on the market. Lassiter is a decent ball hawk who has hit the wall and will not see the type of money that Dexter Jackson received from Arizona and Cory Hall received in Atlanta. Knight is a crafty veteran who has taken hits for slowing down. Very professional player.
OL Solomon Page: Barely any tackles remaining on the open market, but Page hasn't received much play. Big, wide body with ample starting experience in the Big D. He is not very highly rated by personnel people. The 49ers' Matt Willig is just as good an option.
LB Junior Seau: Not yet on this list, but will be after June 1. Despite an ankle injury that slowed him last year Seau's addition to any team would be an instant upgrade. The knock on him is that he freelances too often and gets burned as a result at times. Guess what. This was the same knock on a guy named Lawrence Taylor at times in his career. I'd take his freelancing and fire any day or any week of any year.
Not much pickings left.
