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7/24/08
Top 10 NFL Free Agent Signings
Free Agents Who Are Going To Have A Big Time Impact
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NFL
Isn't it great?  We're almost only a month away from glorious football.  Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.  With training camps underway, there are many new faces for each team.  Rookies, traded guys, and free agents.  While all of the big talk has been of the many traded players (and Brett Favre), the free agent list was a very interesting one.  Which free agents are going to make the biggest impact?  Here are ten free agents I think will help their new teams the most.

10. Javon Walker, Wide Receiver, Raiders
Walker hasn't been the same since his one fluke season in Green Bay.  He didn't do squat in Denver, but now he comes to Oakland, where he HAS to be the guy.  Because, let's face it, the Raiders have nothing else at receiver.  Walker is bound to make an impact just because he's going to get a lot of passes thrown to him.  But don't expect him to have great numbers by any stretch, since he'll probably get a lot of attention.  However, he'll still be the best receiver Oakland has.

9. Sammy Knight, Safety, Giants
The Giants lost a couple of good starters on defense this past offseson.  Michael Strahan retired, Kawika Mitchell left, and Gibril Wilson left.  Wilson's departure left a pretty big hole in the strong safety slot, but the Giants grabbed Knight.  Knight might be a 33 year old veteran, but he had a great year last season in his only year in Jacksonville.  Not only is he a talented safety who will make an impact, but he also brings the veteran leadership that left with Strahan.  He's a very good tackler and he's a good coverage guy as well.

8. Jake Scott, Guard, Titans
It sure seems like every player that leaves the Colts ends up playing for Tennessee.  The Titans offensive line was average last year, and this past offseason they lost both of their starting guards.  (Jacob Bell left for free agency, Benji Olson retired) Scott played very well for the Colts, and is a very strong pass blocking guard, who also is an above average run blocker.  He'll definitely fit in there as a starter for a few years.

7. Drayton Florence, Cornerback, Jaguars

When Antonio Cromartie started making interception after interception, it meant that Florence would be demoted to a nickel back.  He's definitely a starter-caliber corner, and he'll fit right in with a strong Jacksonville defense.  With Rashean Mathis on the other side, he'll get a lot of balls thrown toward him, and he'll get a chance to show his playmaking abilities.  This will also give the Jaguars a chance to try the former #2 corner Brian Williams an opportunity to fill a hole at safety.

6. Jason Elam, Kicker, Falcons
I know what some of you are thinking.  "A kicker???"  The Falcons haven't had much at kicker for a while. They tried their punter at kicker, and it failed miserably, and then ended up settling for Morten Andersen.  Now I love Morten as much as anyone, but the guy is 47, and can't kick for any distance.  Elam has been a very good kicker for many years with the Broncos, and he'll give them opportunities to kick long field goals that Morten couldn't do.  And with an offense that bad, they need the ability to try long field goals.

5. Alge Crumpler, Tight End, Titans
The situation that Crumpler is heading into in Tennessee is almost exactly the same as his early time in Atlanta.  He has a fast but inaccurate quarterback throwing it to him, and no other receivers of any value at all around him.  Crumpler has aged a bit, and isn't nearly as speedy, but he still can get catches.  Looking at the other options at receiver, Vince Young is bound to start throwing it to Crumpler a lot, and he'll give him a decent target for the first time in his pro career.

4. Bernard Berrian, Wide Receiver, Vikings
The Vikings haven't had anything at wide receiver for a few years now.  Berrian can become what Troy Williamson was supposed to be.  He's a very speedy receiver who will give them a great deep threat, and his hands are solid as well.  He did pretty well even with a crappy offense in Chicago, now he has a great running game to set up the passing threat.  I believe that Berrian will have a lot of success this year with the Vikings.

3. Gibril Wilson, Safety, Raiders

It's interesting that someone would leave a team that won a Super Bowl to go to Oakland, but money definitely talks.  The Raiders will not be disappointed in their investment.  Wilson is a very physical safety who will make a lot of tackles, and he's a solid coverage safety as well.  He'll join Michael Huff to make one of the best safety combos in the league. With these two, and the starting corners of DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha, the Raiders look to have a very strong secondary.

2. Asante Samuel, Cornerback, Eagles

Anytime you sign a guy as talented as Samuel, it's a good move.  He's easily one of the very best corners in all of the league, and he'll definitely help a secondary that only had 11 interceptions last year.  There are a lot of rumors that Lito Sheppard may be traded, but regardless, he'll definitely take pressure off of Sheldon Brown, a good but not elite corner.  If Sheppard stays, it'll be really tough to throw on the Eagles.  Either way, I expect Samuel to keep his success going in Philly.

1. Alan Faneca, Guard, Jets

When you sign a guy that's a Hall of Fame caliber player, it's always a good thing.  Even though he's aging, Faneca was almost single-handedly holding together a bad Steelers offensive line this past year.  For many years, his phenomenal run blocking has helped make the Steelers successful.  The Jets line struggled last year, and he'll fit in perfect between the young D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold; both players who are improving and will be strong linemen.  Faneca is the type of lineman who instantly leaves a huge mark on an offense, and he'll definitely improve the Jets offense drastically.  (And weaken his old offensive tremendously)

These are the guys I think will be the biggest impact free agents.  Who do you think will make the largest impact, and who do you think will be the biggest flop?
9 comments
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7/24/08
5
Look for Atlanta now to lose games 28-6 instead of 28-0.

7/24/08
3
In defense of Javon Walker, that one season in Green Bay was definitely not a fluke.  When your knee decides to fall apart on you, you're just kind of screwed.

7/24/08
3

Right now Javon's problem is that he has brain pull that he still hasn't re-habed it.


7/24/08
3
Marty Booker didn't make the list? Stunned... STUNNED!

7/24/08
5
Look for Atlanta now to lose games 28-6 instead of 28-0.

7/24/08
2
I think you really missed the boat on a free agent that has to have an impact... Antwan Odom for the Bengals.  The Bengals D cannot get worse and Odom brings some serious pass rush skills... I gurantee he has a bigger impact than Drayton Florence or Javon Walker.

7/24/08
1

Good call on Berian too.  If my Packer fandom would allow for it, I'd be on the Vikings bandwagon.  The only thing holding them back is Tavaris Jackson.  If he progresses the Vikings are going to be damn good... unfortunately.


7/24/08
0
Fat wrote:
I think you really missed the boat on a free agent that has to have an impact... Antwan Odom for the Bengals.  The Bengals D cannot get worse and Odom brings some serious pass rush skills... I gurantee he has a bigger impact than Drayton Florence or Javon Walker.
Odom never really impressed me while he was in Tennessee.  While the Bengals D certainly can't get worse, I don't think Odom makes a huge impact.  He'll be a step up from guys like Robert Geathers, but not much of one.

7/24/08
0
I'm going to miss Drayton Florence out here in "Bolt" City...If you are a Jaguars fan, please view this "True" NFL Hit that Drayton Florence landed on Kevin Jones last year to understand a little more about him. You may not want to watch it again if you are a Lions fan...Here is the link, I uploaded it myself last year, but the NFL took it away a couple times:  Enjoy your new acquisiton Jags fans!

 
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