ChiefsCountry.com

Day#1 Brings Big $ … Weekend Cup O’Free Agents
March 6, 2010 - Bob Gretz |

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was on an airplane to Nashville and knocked on DE Kyle Vanden Bosch’s door a minute after midnight. Bears head coach Lovie Smith flew late Thursday night to Charlotte, where the Bears picked up DE Julius Peppers and gave him a ride back to Chicago.

And in Pittsburgh, the Steelers coaching staff was preparing for a trip to a ski resort in the nearby Laurel Highlands for a weekend bonding experience.

Such was the first day of free agency in the 2010 NFL season. Some teams were busy, some teams were focused and some teams were waxing their skies and packing turtlenecks, unfazed by the unrestricted free agent class that became available on Friday.

The big winner financially was Peppers (right), who signed a six-year deal with the Bears that’s worth at the top end $91.5 million. He may not see that figure, but the defensive end will get $42 million guaranteed and $40.5 million in the first three years of the deal. Remember when the Vikings signed Jared Allen two years ago as part of the trade with the Chiefs for the defensive end. Allen at the time got the biggest contract for a defensive player in NFL history: six years, $74 million and $31 million in guaranteed money. Peppers deal leaves Allen’s contract in the dust.
As usually happens in the first days of free agency, the cream was immediately scraped from the top of the free-agent market. Vanden Bosch, Peppers, RB Chester Taylor (Bears), LB Karlos Dansby-left (Dolphins), S Antrel Rolle (Giants), CB Dunta Robinson (Falcons), WR Kevin Walter (Texans) and WR Nate Burleson (Lions) were all taken off the market in less than 24 hours.

The Bears were busy in free agency like they’ve never been before, signing Peppers, Taylor and TE Brandon Manumaleuna to deals totaling $121 million and $55 million in guaranteed money. Their roommate in the NFC North in Detroit was busy as well, signing Vanden Bosch and WR Nate Burleson.

And then there were teams like the Steelers, unwilling to mix it up in the first days of the UFA fight. They’ll wait with a host of other teams for the second wave of more price-worthy free agents.

Of the league’s 32 teams, 12 did not sign a player on the first day of free agency. There were 11 other teams that signed only their own free agents players. That left the other nine teams creating all the activity in signing or trading for players: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Miami, New York Giants, New York Jets and St. Louis. The Ravens and Jets were the teams involved in trades, with CB Antonio Cromartie leaving San Diego for the Big Apple. Then, WR Anquan Boldin was swapped by Arizona to the Baltimore for draft picks.

The Chiefs were one of those 11 teams that signed only their own player, RB Jackie Battle. The NFL rumor mill had them in the sweepstakes for Boldin. Reportedly they were interested in WR Kevin Walter as well, but he re-signed with Houston.

Among the Chiefs free agents, OL Wade Smith made a visit to Buffalo and will also head to Houston. Reportedly Washington is interested in TE Sean Ryan.
The big scores went to defensive players when it came to guaranteed dollars. Peppers ended up with $42 million, Dansby pulled in $22 million, Rolle got $15 million and Vanden Bosch signed for $10 million in locked in money.

Those numbers do not include DT Vince Wilfork (right), who signed a long-term contract with the Patriots, who had named him their franchise player. Wilfork got $25 million in guaranteed money.

Here’s the update on all the movement on the roster in the last day:


•BEARS – signed UFA DE Julius Peppers (Panthers) to a 6-year contract, $91.5 million with $42 million in guaranteed money and 40.5 million paid out in the first three years; signed UFA RB Chester Taylor (Vikings) to a 4-year, $12.5 million deal with $7 million in guaranteed money; signed UFA TE Brandon Manumaleuna (Chargers) to a 5-year, contract with $5 million guaranteed.
•BILLS – re-signed veteran SS Bryan Scott.
•BRONCOS – signed UFA DT Justin Bannan (Ravens) to a four-year contract; signed UFA CB Nathan Jones (Dolphins); re-signed G Russ Hochstein and WR Brandon Lloyd.
•BROWNS – reached a new contract with WR/KR/RB/QB Joshua Cribbs.
•CHARGERS – re-signed a pair of former Chiefs players DE Alphonso Boone and TE Kris Wilson.
•CHIEFS – re-signed RB Jackie Battle.
•COLTS – re-signed LB Gary Brackett to a 5-year, $33 million deal with $12 million in guaranteed dollars; released DE Raheem Brock and QB Jim Sorgi.
•DOLPHINS – signed UFA LB Karlos Dansby (Cardinals) to a 5-year, $43 million contract with $22 million in guaranteed dollars and $27 million paid in the first three seasons; re-signed QB Chad Pennington; released S Gibril Wilson and LBs Joey Porter and Akin Ayodele.
•EAGLES – re-signed FB Leonard Weaver; 3-year deal worth $11 million and $6.5 million in guaranteed money; will release LB Will Witherspoon.
•FALCONS – signed UFA CB Dunta Robinson (Texans) to a 6-year deal; re-signed QB Chris Redman.
•GIANTS – signed UFA S Antrel Rolle (Cardinals) to a 5-year, $37 million deal with $15 million in guaranteed money and some $22.5 million paid out over the first three years.
•JETS – released RB Thomas Jones and CB Donald Strickland.
•LIONS – re-signed LB Vinny Ciurciu, OT Jon Jansen and TE Will Heller; signed UFA DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (Titans) to a 4-year $26 million contract with $10 million in guaranteed dollars; released DT Grady Jackson.
•PACKERS – re-signed LT Chad Clifton to a 3-year, $20 million deal with $7.5 million in guaranteed dollars; released S Matt Giordano and DE Michael Montgomery.
•PANTHERS – released DT Ma’ake Kemoeatu and LBs Na’il Diggs and Landon Johnson.
•PATRIOTS – re-signed franchise player DT Vince Wilfork to a 5-year, $40 million contract with $25 million in guaranteed money; re-signed UFA LB Tully Banta-Cain, 3-year deal with $6 million signing bonus; re-signed UFA Stephen Neal to a 2-year deal.
•RAIDERS – re-signed OT Khalif Barnes.
•RAMS – signed UFA QB A.J. Feeley to a 2-year deal for $6 million; released TE Derek Fine.
•RAVENS – made a deal with the Cardinals, acquiring WR Anquan Boldin and Arizona’s 5th-round selection for Baltimore’s 3rd and 4th-round choices in the 2010 NFL Draft. Boldin signed a 3-year, $25 million extension with $10 million in new guaranteed money.
•REDSKINS – re-signed OL Mike Williams, DE Philip Daniels, LB Lorenzo Alexander and C Casey Rabach.
•TEXANS – re-signed WR Kevin Walter to a 5-year, $21 million contract.

When vermil came he wanted play makers. They went and got holmes,roaf,kennison. Now we didnt when any champinships but atleast we could compete week in and week out. We cant even build good soild ground to start on.
The lions the last upteen years have been a joke of a team but it looks like they are trying this year. Same goes for the bears. But the steelers did nothing. Why? because the are already good, just need a player here and there. We need them everywhere.
Almost all they players in this years FA are 2nd teir players. Pioli said he wasnt bringing in teir1 players, or paying for them. Well go after some one,,,,, other than battles.

We've got so many holes to fill on this team it'll be a long drawn out process before we get to the point where we're competing again I fear.