Free Agency - CBs of interest

ayjackson said:

We're already in better position than we were going into last season. I think the second seasons of Wheatley, Wilhite and Richardson are more promising than combined prospects of the motley crew of retreads we broke camp with in 2008.

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So what you are saying is Wheatley, Wilhite and Richardson are not a motley crew of young CBs now? Not too good. The Pats have scouts. I can't blame this all on BB and SP. Wheatley has been injured in college many times and came with a warning label. Wilhite said "back up only" and needed to have one of those big truck reverse alarms when he arrived. Richardson was a "Charlie says, take this kid".
Look, if we had at least gotten it straight on one of those three we wouldn't need two CBs going into the draft....The other scary thing is Wheatley was a ?.....second round pick! Yikes...we have three seconds. Lets get some scouts from our FA division to pick? Think they have such a designation on draft day? We got Guyton, Redd and The Law Firm.
It gets better, then they resign Mr. Sanders for more money than a good CB FA would cost!
Jeeze, I am getting cynical listening to some of you guys! Sorry.
DW Toys

If McFadden is close to re-signing in Pittsburgh, it sounds like it is down to:

Bodden
Greer

As noted in Miguel's thread on the cap impact of escalators, it sounds like the Pats really only have $6-8mm total for external free agents. Not enough money to sign a top pass-rushing OLB like Peppers, or a veteran like ILB Ray Lewis, but probably enough to get one second-tier free agent corner.

I think Greer is a better fit for the Pats system, although I've seen more of him than Bodden. Both would be nice upgrades. I assume either could be signed for a deal that cost under $5mm on the cap this year, given an escalating structure.

I think this is the single most important use of the remaining cap money.

The supply of 3-4 free agent OLB's is thin. The list of draftable rookie 3-4 OLB's, however, is deep, and with six picks in the top 100 rounds, the Pats should be able to get a player that could at least rotate with Woods, at worst.
The available free agent safeties aren't big upgrades over the league-average pair the Pats have, and with Sanders signed to a $9mm deal, there's not a great imperative to sign another starter.

At corner, the Pats could really use a veteran free agent.
A line-up including Greer/Bodden, Hobbs, Wheatley, Wilhite, and top-two-rounds rookie would be a huge upgrade over last year's Hobbs, ONeal, Lewis, Sanders, Wheatley, Wilhite.

DW Toys said:

So what you are saying is Wheatley, Wilhite and Richardson are not a motley crew of young CBs now? Not too good. The Pats have scouts. I can't blame this all on BB and SP. Wheatley has been injured in college many times and came with a warning label.

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This is false. It was ONE injury that had some complications. The least you could do is do your homework on the guy. He had a broken right wrist that has a faulty rod put in. The rod snapped during play and had to be replaced. BTW, you do know it was he LEFT wrist that snapped this time, right?

DW Toys said:

Wilhite said "back up only" and needed to have one of those big truck reverse alarms when he arrived.

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Sure. That's why Wilhite was starting by the end of the season.

DW Toys said:

Richardson was a "Charlie says, take this kid".

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Richardson damn near earned a spot on the team his rookie year. ANd would have been if he hadn't been injured in camp. Moss said the kid had game. That is a big statement.

DW Toys said:

Look, if we had at least gotten it straight on one of those three we wouldn't need two CBs going into the draft....The other scary thing is Wheatley was a ?.....second round pick! Yikes...we have three seconds. Lets get some scouts from our FA division to pick?

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Since when do the Pats need 2 CBs going into this draft?

DW Toys said:

Think they have such a designation on draft day? We got Guyton, Redd and The Law Firm.
It gets better, then they resign Mr. Sanders for more money than a good CB FA would cost!
Jeeze, I am getting cynical listening to some of you guys! Sorry.
DW Toys

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You've been cynical since the day you started posting. Not only that, but your rants about Sanders haven't changed one bit. I have news for you. None of the FA CBs have signed for less than 5 mill a year. They got Sanders (a safety, not a CB) was signed for 3.

If the Pats have significant cap restraints, then Surtain might be the guy they go after. He'd demand less investment than either Bodden or Greer, and could allow the Pats to make a move for Jason Taylor as a platoon player on the outside. I'd take Surtain and Taylor if that's what the cap situation dictates.

DaBruinz said:

Anyone else find it very interesting that the CBs have been very slow to sign. Beyond Hall re-signing with the Skins, Foxworth signing with the Ravens, Ivy signing with the Jets, and Bartell re-signing with the Rams, things have been very quiet.

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I think I am surprised how they have been slowly signed. But the reason, I think, is simple. These guys are just demanding too much money for their productivity. Theyre pulling in $7M/year when theyre guys probably worth 3M/year. most teams arent biting. Only the teams desperate are biting on this.

DW Toys said:

Good, can we trade him now? Maybe the Browns or Eagles give up a forth or fifth rounder?
DW Toys

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And you wonder why people disrespect your knowledge of football? Seriously DW, BB just rubbed your nose in your ignorance, it's time to shut-up and learn something about life in the secondary.

Popular belief here in @#$%sburgh is that McFadden is indeed leaving. I was just on "behind the steel curtain" (their lame site) and alot think it's less than 50/50 that he'll stay. Many think he'll be replaced by William Gay for financial reasons. I am more and more surprised everyday that no one is getting to terms with him, all I can figure is that he's just demanding too much money. He was someone I really wanted in a Pats uni.

Here's a list of some corners still available, age, and last year's team:

Leigh Bodden - 27 (Lions) - good press corner, struggled in zone last year
Bryant McFadden - 27 (Steelers) - missed time w/broken arm last year but was solid in coverage before that
Shawn Springs - 34 (Redskins) - age and injury issues
Philip Buchanon - 28 (Bucs) - visiting with SD now; was solid for Tampa Bay [*EDIT: Buchanon has signed with Detroit*]
Jabari Greer - 27 (Bills) - stuck behind McKelvin and McGee in Buffalo [*EDIT: Greer has signed with New Orleans*]
Justin Miller - 25 (Raiders) - better known for returns than playing CB
Corey Ivy - 32 (Ravens)
Chris Carr - 26 (Titans)
Terry Cousin - 34 (Browns)
Ralph Brown - 30 (Cardinals) - 3 picks in 4 games in December & January
Dre Bly - 32 (Broncos)
Keiwan Ratliff - 28 (Colts)
Eric Green - 27 (Cardinals)
Fahkir Brown - 31 (Rams)
Travis Daniels - 26 (Browns)
Chris McAlister - 32 (Ravens) - will his knees hold up?
Daven Holley - 27 (Browns) - missed 2008 with torn ACL and MCL
DeMarcus ***gins - 30 (Texans)
Donald Strickland - 28 (49ers)
Karl Paymah - 26 (Broncos)
David Barrett - 32 (Jets)
Benny Sapp - 28 (Vikings)
Patrick Surtain - 33 (Chiefs)
Deltha O'Neal - 32 (Pats)
Lewis Sanders - 31 (Pats)
Ty Law - 35 (Jets)
Jason Craft - 33 (Rams)
Ahmad Carroll - 26 (Jets)
Jamar Fletcher - 30 (Bengals)
Rickey Manning Jr - 28 (Rams)
Stanley Wilson - 26 (Lions)
RW McQuarters - 32 (Giants)
Fernando Bryant - 32 (Steelers)
Jimmy Williams - 30 (Texans)
Michael Lehan - 29 (Saints)
Hank Poteat - 32 (Jets)
Sam Madison - 35 (Giants)
Aaron Glenn - 37 (Saints)
Tyrone Poole - 37 (Titans)
Adam Jones - 25 (Cowboys) - just say no

Restricted Free Agents:
Kevin Dockery - 25 (Giants)
Cortland Finnegan - 25 (Titans)
Cletis Gordon - 26 (Chargers)
Kevin Hobbs - 25 (Seahawks)
Derrick Martin - 23 (Ravens)
Evan Oglesby - 27 (Ravens)
Leigh Torrence - 27 (Saints)

I'd hope for Phil Buchanon, but Bodden or Springs for cheap would be a nice alternative.

greer signed with saints

New Orleans Saints sign cornerback Jabari Greer - New Orleans Saints Beat - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

I think that Wilhite, Wheatley and Richardson are up and comers. I too agree that Richardson has shown a lot of promise. I would expect that Richardson and/or Wheatley will be the starters come Sept.

Jabari Greer has signed with the Saints.

Chris Carr is coming for a visit. Didn't he play drums for Kiss?

Cross Jabari Greer off the list of available corners.

New Orleans Saints sign cornerback Jabari Greer - New Orleans Saints Beat - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

The New Orleans Saints hit one of their free agency goals today with the signing of cornerback Jabari Greer, according to league sources. It is a four-year deal.

Greer, 5 feet 11, 180 pounds, comes to the Saints after starting 23 games the past two seasons as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills.

Greer, 27, has four career interceptions, including two last season that he returned for touchdowns. He missed the final six games of last season with a knee injury. The Saints beat out Cleveland, Tampa Bay and Detroit for Greer.

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A Tampa paper is now reporting that Philip Buchanon has signed with Detroit.

Buchanon Lands in Motown

Buchanon, who started at left cornerback for the Bucs last year, agreed to terms with the Lions on a two-year deal Wednesday.

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And Buchanon signed with the Lions.

i am little sick of BB not addressing the CB position properly via free agency. seriously, last year we were stuck with deltha o neal and fernando bryant. also, we've had the same OL for the past several seasons now. that needs to be upgraded - Khalif Barnes is out there as well as others.

TommyBrady12 said:

i am little sick of BB not addressing the CB position properly via free agency. seriously, last year we were stuck with deltha o neal and fernando bryant. also, we've had the same OL for the past several seasons now. that needs to be upgraded - Khalif Barnes is out there as well as others.

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Yes.. You know OH so much. I mean, how many SB rings do you have? And is Khalif Barnes, who wasn't extended by the Jaguars that much of an upgrade over Kaczur?

As for the CB position, he does what he can with the money he as. If you don't like it, you can go join the Redskins fan club or something.

In case it wasn't added:

Updating previous reports, Adam Caplan, of Scout.com, reports CB Jabari Greer's deal with the New Orleans Saints is a four-year, $23 million contract. It includes $10 million in guarantees.

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If Greer is in about the same league (or lower) than Bodden, that might explain why we haven't signed him. That seems like a fairly rich contract.
Starting to look more and more like the draft must answer our need for one more corner, pref. a dominant one.