Just checked his player profile on yahoo to see how durable he is. Played in 106 of 112 regular season games
I'd be all for a 3-4 year deal for somewhere around $5M per. If he's any more expensive take my chances through the draft.
$5M/year sounds a bit too good to be true, especially when players like Jabari Greer are seeking $7-8M/year. That seems more realistic.
Speaking of "too good to be true", here's a fantasy scenario:
1. Trade Cassel and #23 to KC for #3 and #34.
2. Draft day trade: #3 to Jacksonville for #8 and #40 (and possibly an additional 2010 pick to make up the 300 point difference). In this scenario, Jax would trade up to get one of the top 2 OLs, Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith.
3. Trade #34 and #89 to Carolina for Peppers. Sign him for somewhere in the $6-8M/year range.
That would leave us with #8, 40, 47 and 58 in the draft. I could see something like the following:
#8: BVA, which to me would likely be DT BJ Raji, or possibly OT Andre Smith. Aaron Curry or Michael Crabtree falling and Everett Brown might also be options.
#40: Best DB available among Sean Smith, Alphonso Smith, DJ Moore, Louis Delmas, Patrick Chung and William Moore. A small trade-up might help secure one of these guys if we really want one in particular.
#47/58: some combination of the following players: Connor Barwin LB, Clint Sintim LB, Jarron Gilbert DE, Alex Mack OG/C, Eric Wood OG/C, one of the previously mentioned DBs, or possibly a WR who falls. Being that I am all about the defense, I would vote for Jarron Gilbert at 47 and Connor Barwin at 58 (or in reverse order, depending on how their draft stock looks) particularly if we are able to sign a FA DB and if Mike Wright doesn't stay or we release or move Jarvis Green. I am warming to the idea of Gilbert as a replacement for Richard Seymour after 2009. I would like to keep Seymour, but with all of the expiring contracts and all of the teams converting to 3-4 who may throw big money at him, I'm not sure it will be possible. In this scenario, either Vrabel or AD would move inside to SILB (I would vote for Vrabel).
This would give us a defense that looks like the following (new players in bold):
DT: Vince Wilfork,
BJ Raji, LeKevin Smith
DE: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren,
Jarron Gilbert, Mike Wright/Jarvis Green
OLB: Adalius Thomas, Julius Peppers,
Connor Barwin, Shawn Crable, Pierre Woods/Tully Banta-Cain/Vince Redd
ILB: Jerod Mayo, Mike Vrabel, Gary Guyton, Tedy Bruschi
DB: Brandon Meriweather, Ellis Hobbs, Terrell Wheatley and Gerald Wilhite; one
FA signing and one
1st day rookie; 2 resignings from the current group of safeties (James Sanders/Lewis Sanders/Tank Williams)
We could use all of our day 2 picks on offense: OG, TE, and WR (and possibly RB unless we sign Fred Taylor).
Just a fantasy, but a pleasant one. The defensive front 7 would be unreal. We could also run a lot of 4-3 sets with Mayo at MLB, either a "big" set with Raji/Wilfork in the middle and Peppers/AD at OLB, or moving one or both of Peppers/AD up to 4-3 DE in more of a speed rushing set. Raji, Peppers, Gilbert and Barwin would also make sure that the defense was pretty much set even if we lose one or more of Wilfork/Seymour/Green after 2009.