Buc's sign another tight end and this one as useless as the last

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have added their 5th tight end to their roster late last night by signing former Seattle Seahawks veteran, Jerramy Stevens.

Stevens was an unrestricted free agent and was the Seahawks first round pick in 2002 and had played his entire five-year career with them before entering the free agent market nearly two months ago. The terms and financial details of the contract were not immediately available, but they should be released soon enough.

The former University of Washington star has recently been been having more off-the-field problems when in last March he was arrested for a DUI and marijuana possession and is facing charges in Arizona. Stevens also previously pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge in 2003 and served two days in jail for that offense. In 2000, Stevens was convicted on hit-and-run charges after driving into a nursing home. There was also a string of team-related offenses for which Stevens was disciplined by coach Mike Holmgren.

From Deadspin:

Stevens agreed to perform field-sobriety tests, but declined after an initial "walk-and-turn" test. He also declined a portable breath test, and the officer indicated that was when Stevens was placed under arrest. The officer stated in the report that there were paper napkins with a loose clump of "green leafy substance" in Stevens' back pants pocket. A second officer indicated he smelled the odor of marijuana in the driver's-side seat.

Stevens has also been having plenty of troubles on the field. He dropped several easy passes in the Super Bowl which the Hawks eventually lost to the Steelers then in 2006 he was then kneed in the crotch by former Raider's 2003first-rounder, Tyler Brayton.

"On Monday November 6th, 2006 in a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Brayton issued a knee to the groin of Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens, after Stevens kneed him and was ejected from the game. Brayton was later fined $25,000 by the NFL. Stevens was fined $15,000. This incident led to Brayton's nickname of 'Nut Cracker'."

Stevens caught a total of 130 passes for 1,458 yards and 15 touchdowns in 71 career games at Seattle and is coming off of another poor season in which he caught 22 balls for 231 yards and 4 touchdown.

"He's a former first-round pick and he's had some off-the-field issues that have hampered him a little bit," Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said. "He had a recent public mistake. . . . [But] we brought him in [earlier] in free agency and we had a great understanding of what he is. We've talked to him since the [March] incident and we had a very serious talk with him today. I think Jerramy Stevens is a good young man, and he's focused on doing things right. More importantly, he understands he has to do the right things."

Stevens will be joining an already lengthy depth chart in Tampa Bay, on the Buc's depth chart they have Anthony Becht, Alex Smith, Keith Heinrich and T.J. Williams.

Chris Leak is offically an NFL quarterback

According to ESPN's Michael Smith, the Chicago Bears and former Florida quarterback, Chris Leak have agreed to a free-agent contract.

Chris Leak led his Florida Gator's to a National Championship in 2007 against the Ohio State Buckeyes and Heisman winner, Troy Smith. And unlike Smith, Leak was not selected in this weekend's NFL Draft. The details of the contract are not known at this point, but i'm sure it will be revealed sometime tomorrow.

In his 4-year career at Florida, Leak played in 51 games, he threw for 11,213 yards, 88 touchdowns and 42 interceptions. One of the biggest reasons everyone passed on Leak in the draft was his height, Leak stands at only 5'11", but is a solid athlete who can make stuff happen with his feet and throws well on the run and he is a hard worker and is very competitive. Like I said, the downfalls on Leak is his size and his arm strength is just average and never really developed into the player that he was projected to be coming out of high school. He will likely go into training camp competing for the Bears third string quarterback position.

UPDATE:

Here's the link to the Bears signing free-agent Chris Leak to a contract.

"We were happy that he is with a Super Bowl team like the Bears," his father, Curtis Leak, told the Charlotte Observer on Monday. "It's a good situation for him. That's all that matters to us. I feel great about it."

Cowboys sign safety Ken Hamlin.

As I was watching my Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-4, I noticed that the ticker at the bottom of the screen showed that the Dallas Cowboys have signed safety Ken Hamlin. If I can verify this, then it's a great move for the Cowboys who were in need of another safety that could play along side of Roy Williams. This also would mean the Cowboys could set their focus on improving other positions instead of safety during the draft such as cornerback and wide receiver. Oh well, so long Michael Griffin, hello Ken Hamlin.

Last season Ken Hamlin overcame a serious head injury and returned to form, making 96 tackles and 3 interceptions. He is fantastic against the run and is a big hitter and should be a star for the Cowboys. (Pun intended)

Update: NFL network's, Adam Schefter is now reporting the Hamlin deal.

"The Dallas Cowboys have reached agreement with free-agent safety Ken Hamlin on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Hamlin also had visited the Saints, but he spent the past few days trying to finalize the deal with the Cowboys. Now Hamlin and Roy Williams will form one of the most formidable safety tandems in the league."

This is a great deal. Not only did they get a great, young player the Cowboys got a great, young CHEAP player. $2.5 million is nothing in today's market and a duo of Hamlin and Williams is going to be pretty scary in Big D.

Big Names getting Big Deals pt. 4

The Seahawks have to re-write history in order to sign Grant.

The Seattle Seahawks were content on not losing out on another highly touted free agent, and they were willing to pay in order to secure safety Deon Grant. The Seahawks and Grant agreed to a 6-year $30 million deal and included into the deal is a signing bonus that is certainly going to raise some eyebrows because it is being reported to have topped the $11.1 million given to Dallas Cowboy's safety, Roy Williams. If in deed it is higher than that then it would be the highest signing bonus given to a safety in NFL history.

Deon Grant is very athletic and durable, he has started in 96 consecutive games. He is also a very good coverage safety that will surely upgrade the Seahawks dismal secondary. The 6'2" 210 pound safety registered 60 tackles last season and 2 interceptions.

The Rams sign one of the best tight ends in football; and I find another reason to hate them.

The St.Louis Rams have agreed to terms with recently released tight end, Randy McMichael. It is a 3-year $11 million and includes a $3 million signing bonus. The craziest part of this deal is year-by-year breakdown. McMichael is an absolute bargain, he will be getting $1.5 million in 2007, $2.9 million in 2008 and $3.6 in 2009. And just think, the Miami Dolphins released him over the $3 million he was owed for a roster bonus. Meh!

hate all the Ram's players...in fact I like exactly 3 of them, well 4 now with the signing of I'm sure not many people that read this blog(all 3, not including Grandma) are unaware of my hatred for the St.Louis Rams. Well, it exists even though I am a resident of St.Louis(sadly) and it is partly because of the 1999-00' Super Bowl, when I was a fan of the Tennessee Titans(before they threw dirt in their great players such as Eddie George) and the Rams beat them by that 1 fucking yard. But that is a story for another time. Anyways I don't necessarily McMichael, I think Steven Jackson is a great runningback, Torry Holt is one of the best wide receivers I have had the pleasure of watching over the years and Marc Bulger is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league. But I hate Kurt Warner(even though he doesn't play there anymore) , I hate Mike "can't manage a game" Martz and I especially hate Mike Fucking Jones(no, not the rapper.)

Big Names getting Big Deals pt 3. (& trade rumors)

Daniel Graham is getting paid by the Broncos.

After Daniel Graham left the New England Patriots for more of a starting job and a bigger payday, well he has received both from the Denver Broncos. Late Tuesday night, the Broncos locked up the talented tight end with a 5-year $30 million and that includes $15 million in guaranteed money. Although Graham is very talented and is a good route runner and can be very useful in the redzone he hasn't had the "break-out" season quite yet. I am a fan of Graham and I think he will be great in Denver, because one of the biggest reason for him not having great numbers was the system he was in, in New England they run a two tight end system and sharing time with an unbelievable athlete like Ben Watson it's no wonder why he hasn't quite had his coming out party so to speak.

Minnesota is hoping Bobby Wade can solve their receiving problems.

Bobby Wade has been getting a lot of attention after entering free-agency and the Minnesota Vikings have locked up this young talented receiver before anyone else really got the chance to court him. Wade has agreed to a 5-year $15 million deal and he will likely start with the possibility of having some returning responsibilities. Included into is deal is $4 million in guaranteed money.

The Miami Dolphins and Trent Green are kinda into each other.

According to league sources, ever since the Kansas City Chiefs inked Damon Huard to a 3-year deal Green has been expressing his interest in being traded. And according to those same sources, the Miami Dolphins are extremely interested in acquiring the veteran quarterback. Green in all likely hood would be an insurance option in case Dante Culpepper isn't ready to go. And if he isn't then their is something seriously wrong with him, because that would give him almost two years to recover from his torn ACL, MCL, PCL and any other "CL's" he may have torn while in Minnesota.

Ladies and Gents, I present to you, The 2007-08 Super Bowl Champion...

The NFL Fanhouse is reporting that the New England Patriots and Donte' Stallworth have agreed to a 6-year $32 million deal that would give the 25-year old wide receiver almost $12 million guaranteed. Although they did update with reports that the deal is premature.

I had mentioned earlier that the Patriots were still desperately searching for the elusive "#1 receiver" and if this deal has legs, they may have just found him. Although Stallworth only played in 12 games last season, he racked up 725 yards on just 38 receptions, 5 touchdowns and an impressive average of 19.1 per catch. Meaning he is a HUGE big play threat and if he can stay healthy he can be an All-Pro wide out and then add Tom Brady in the mix, the Patriots are going to be awfully hard to beat, no matter what Davey says.

The New England Patriots have been very busy during the past week, here's their moves.

Added:

1. Adalius Thomas- Outside Linebacker(BAL)
2. Wes Welker- Wide Receiver(MIA)
3. Sammy Morris- Runningback(MIA)
4. Kyle Brady- Tight End(Jacksonville)

Lossed:

1. Corey Dillion- Runningback
2. Daniel Graham- Tight End

Joey Porter is reportedly a dolphin.

According to WXPI.com,

The outspoken outside linebacker is on his way to South Beach. The complete details of the contract are immediately known but sources say that included into the deal is $24 million guaranteed and a $12 million signing bonus.

Although Joey Porter is 30 years old, he still has plenty of good years ahead of him. Porter will add more versatility to an already great defense with his ability to get to the quarterback. In 2006 Porter had 55 tackles, 7 sacks and 2 interceptions(1 returned for a touchdown). Add him to a defense that has the reining Defensive MVP(Jason Taylor), the greatness that is Zach Thomas, and with up and coming stars such as Channing Crowder and Matt Roth, this team appears to be on pace for a very successful 2007. Well defensively, obviously they still have some problems on the offensive side of the ball.

Porter said that his final choices were between the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals. Oh great, looks like we just missed out on adding someone that would help stop the comparisons to that of a defense of a 5th grade girl's flag football team. Oh well, hopefully Landon Johnson and Caleb Miller can up their play and hey maybe even Odell Thurman can avoid puking on Cops and getting suspended for the entire year. Oh and David Pollack is eye a return to the NFL after breaking his neck, hopefully he does well seeing as how he is one of my favorite defensive players.

Update: ESPN is now reporting that the deal is for 5-Year $32 Million. Also the guaranteed amount is $20M, not $24M as I mentioned earlier.

Big Names getting Big Deals pt.3.

After the Broncos trade Tatum Bell, they sign runningback Travis Henry.

The Denver Broncos are going to try something new this season. Instead of taking a random runningback and turn him into a 1000 yard rusher, they are going to sign a known 1000 yard rusher and see what happens. After they traded starter, Tatum Bell to the Lions, the Broncos had a bit of a hole at RB, a hole that will be filled quite nicely by Henry. The deal is reportedly a 5-year deal that includes $12 million guaranteed.

The New York Jets rape the Bears of their starting runningback.

In a shocking move Monday, the Chicago Bears agreed to trade Thomas Jones and their 2nd round pick(63rd overall) to the Jets in exchange for one of their 2nd round draft picks(37th overall). Jones was frustrated when Cedric Benson started receiving more and more carries as the season went along. That prompted the 1,210 back to request a trade as soon as the offseason started. So just a quick breakdown, the Bears give up a Pro-Bowl like runnningback who still has many years ahead of him just to move up in 26 spots in the 2nd round. I am still not seeing the point of this trade, if you could be so kind, explain it to me. Please?

Big Names getting Big Deals pt. 2.

Dallas adds size and strength to their offensive line.

The Dallas Cowboys and offensive lineman Leonard Davis agreed to a deal worth $50 million over the next 7-years and would give Davis $18 million guaranteed. The offensive line was one of the Cowboy's biggest problem area coming into the offseason and adding the former #2 overall pick in 2001 will surely help keep Tony Romo on his feet. It still isn't known which position Davis will be playing in 2007, but whether it be a tackle or a guard. The Cowboys are currently working hard on trying to lock up Marc Colombo long term and if they do do that it is very likely that Davis will play right tackle.

Hey, I got another one right; Lions sign defensive end, Dwayne White.

Just a day after shipping DE James Hall to the St.Louis Rams for a 5th round pick, the Detroit lines signed one of the top defensive ends on the free-agent market. Although White has just 14 career sacks in his short career, he is expected by man to make a huge jump this season in his production and possibly even rack up double-digits in sacks this year. The deal is reportedly a 5-year $29 million. Dwayne White will definitely add some talent to a stale defensive line in Motown.

Travis Henry has become more popular in the past two days than my entire existence.

Recently released Travis Henry has been getting a lot of interest from many different teams over the past two days. Some teams that have contacted the resurgent runningback are the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos. After having back-to-back disappointing seasons, Henry stormed back onto the scene with the Titans gaining 1200 yards and 7 touchdowns. All four of the teams interested in Henry have significant need at runningback, Green Bay released Ahman Green, Tiki Barber retired leaving the Giants searching for a replacement, Denver traded Tatum Bell and the Jets went with a RB by committee last year and it didn't really work out to say the least.

WR Drew Bennett signs long-term deal with St.Louis.

Former Titan wide receiver, Drew Bennett, and the St.Louis Rams agreed to a 6-year $30 million deal Saturday. The deal comes just days after the Rams lost two receivers, Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald, to free-agency. The deal also is a clear sign that long time Ram, Isaac Bruce may be on his last year in St.Louis.

Drew Bennett is a very explosive receiver that has great size and good hands, he has great speed and will give the Rams one more down-field threat.

Bennett's best season was in 2004, when he had personal bests with 80 receptions, 1,247 yards and 11 touchdowns and started all 16 games. Eight of the touchdowns came in three games, tying a record set by someone you may have heard of, a guy by the name of Jerry Rice.

According to sources, Bennett's deal includes $10 million in guaranteed money. It will pay him a total of $9.5 million over the first year of the contract.

Big Names getting Big Deals.

Nate Clements signs historic contract with the Niners.

Highly touted cornerback, Nate Clements, has agreed to the highest contract for a defensive player in NFL history. The San Francisco 49ers addressed one of their biggest needs in signing Clements to an 8-year $80 million contract Friday. He is also receiving $22 million of his deal guaranteed. Clements was atop of many people's "Top FA" lists(including mine) because he is in the prime of his career, being only 27, he has great size for a corner, great tackler and has a nose for the ball. In order for him to show that he's is worth it, Clements is going to have to be a dominant shut down corner. Which Clements is more than capable of. San Francisco is expected to add at least 7 new starters on defense including safety an Philadelphia Eagle, Michael Lewis, and former Dolphin linebacker, Donnie Spragan on Saturday to name a few. They are already approaching the $100 million plateau with their signings thus far.

The Bills sign 3 on the first day of free-agency.

Obviously the Bills are more than willing to spend a little cash to get the guys they want. Buffalo's first deal was made shortly after 12:01 they signed versatile offensive linemen Jason Whittle. And they kept their aggressive signing going throughout the day signing two more offensive linemen, Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery. Both guys are absolutely massive, Walker stands at 6'8" 345 and Dockery at 6'6" 345. Walker is a guy that knows how to use his size to his advantage, just knocking most guys around, he can play either the guard or tackle position but the only knock on him is he has a tendency to not give his full effort so to speak and doesn't always pick up blitzes. Dockery is very athletic for such a big man, and is a very impressive run blocker. He should open up many running lanes for whoever is running the rock in Buffalo.

Steinbach opts to stay in Ohio, signs with Cleveland.

Former Bengal signs with the Browns and will add immediate athleticism and versatility to Cleveland's offensive line(if you can call them that). It is being reported that Steinbach signed a 7-year $49 million deal. Also it is reported that the Browns will switch him from right guard to right tackle and trust me, Eric will make a great tackle. I just wish he was still a Bengal.

Patriots sign maybe the best overall linebacker in the NFL.

It is reported that the New England Patriots and hybrid outside linebacker, Adalius Thomas, have a deal in principle. The terms of this outstanding signing aren't known yet, but i'm sure Thomas is going to be getting paid quite well for his services. Thomas fits in perfectly in the Pat's 3-4 scheme, being a hybrid he will take over OLB duties and could even see time at defensive end. I know it's early and I am certainly not taking any of the thunder of the Clements deal, but this is by far the most significant deal we will see this season. The Patriots had a big need and I was fully expecting them to try and fill the need during the draft(which they still may, you can never have enough depth) but no one in the draft can provide the immediate presence that Thomas does and now with Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel in the inside and Rosevelt Colvin and the addition of Thomas, the Patriots have the best linebacker core in the NFL.

Redskins add some veteran leadership in the form of London Fletcher.

The Washington Redskins locked up London Fletcher with a 5-year $25 million deal. In addition to his $24 million he will also receive a $10.5 million signing bonus. Fletcher neglected to re-sign with the Buffalo Bills after having one of his best seasons of his career with 146 tackles, 2 sacks and a tied a career high 4 interceptions. Fletcher is one of the most consistent linebackers with having at least 119 tackles in 7 straight seasons. More deals are expected to be made by Washington throughout the weekend, word on the street as the kids would say is that cornerback Fred Smoot is close to completing a deal with the Skins'.

John Clayton's phone is ringing.

ESPN's John Clayton is reporting that the San Francisco 49er's are close to signing cornerback, Nate Clements. The niners are really in need of adding depth to their secondary and signing Clements could really go along way to restoring their niner's swagger.

Othe moves Clayton is reporting:

The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a deal with Ovie Mughelli that would make him the highest paid fullback in the NFL. The deal is said to be worth $18M over 6 years.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and right tackle, Tony Pashos. The Jag's also re-signed their kicker Josh Scobee for a 5-year deal.

The New England Patriots have released runningback Corey Dillon at his request. Dillon originally said that he was considering retirement, but I don't think anyone really bought that. I believe that he just wants one more shot at starting before he calls it a career. The Pat's are more than comfortable with handing the reins to rookie standout, Laurence Maroney.

"On behalf of the New England Patriots organization, we respect and appreciate Corey Dillon's significant contributions to our team," coach Bill Belichick said in a statement issued by the team. "Those contributions extend beyond his individual on-field achievements and his integral role in a championship season. They also include three years of veteran leadership and positive relationships throughout the team."

I assure you, there is more to come as more deals are in the works. Such as the Patriots are seeing what they can do about signing Adalius Thomas.

Free-Agency is now open.

Top 15 unrestricted free-agents

1. Nate Clements CB (BUF)

Clements is widely regarded as the top FA this year. This is one of the few times a top corner in his prime hits the free-agent market and you can bet that a lot of teams are going to be looking to add him.

Projected: Tennessee
Darkhorse: Cleveland

2. Adalius Thomas OLB (BAL)

The best hybrid linebacker in the NFL, he can played nearly every position on the 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. He has averaged 9.3 sacks over the past 3 season including 11 sacks in 2006. He is a superior athlete with, size, speed and power.

Projected: San Francisco
Darkhorse: Miami

3. Eric Steinbach OG (CIN)

He is a very durable linemen who has only missed 1 game in the last 4 seasons. Some teams believe he could be a standout tackle and several teams have said they feel he could be a Pro-Bowl center. Being only 26, Steinbach still has room to improve and could develop in to a top player at multiple positions on the line.

Projected: Cleveland
Darkhorse: none

4. Kris Dielman OG (SD)

An undrafted rookie that didn't play that much in his first two years, but over the past two seasons he has really developed into a great inside lineman. He is very strong, young and has great size standing at 6'4" 310 pounds.

Projected: Seattle
Darkhorse: Miami

5. Cato June OLB (IND)

He was a safety at the University of Michigan but switched to outside linebacker with the Colts. He is a bit undersized and has an issue with broken and missed tackles. But he is very good in the cover 2 scheme and is capable of covering most receivers.

Projected: Carolina
Darkhorse: Detroit

6. Leonard Davis OT (ARI)

He hasn't really played up to his potential after being the 2nd overall pick in 2001 but if he can tap into his potential he is easily one of the best left tackles in the NFL. He is versatile, playing every position on the line except center and is absolutely huge, 6'6" 365 pounds.

Projected: Miami
Darkhorse: Washington

7. Daniel Graham TE (NE)

Although he hasn't had more than 38 receptions in a season, he is an extremely talented pass catcher as well as a blocker. He has been overshadowed in New England's two tight end system and could easily be a Pro-Bowl type tight end on most teams.

Projected: Denver
Darkhorse: Seattle

8. London Fletcher-Baker OLB (BUF)

Although he is 31 years old, he is still a high energy tackling beast that is great at stopping the run in between the tackles. He will also provide instant veteran leadership to whatever team he lands with.

Projected: Washington
Darkhorse: none

9. Donte' Stallworth WR (PHI)

He is a speed receiver that can stretch the field and has good hands. He has been riddled by injuries and inconsistent play for majority of his short career. With that said, you can not over look his big play potential or the fact that he averaged a touchdown every 8th reception. He is expected to get a lot of intention this off-season.

Projected: Houston
Darkhorse: San Francisco

10. Ken Hamlin SS (SEA)

Hamlin overcame a serious head injury last season and returned to form making 96 tackles and 3 interceptions. He is fantastic against the run and is a big hitter that is most effective playing close to the line. He's a player that I like a lot and would really like it if the Bengals made a run at him.

Projected: Houston
Darkhorse: Carolina

11. Dewayne White DE (TB)

White is a very good pass rusher and some say he is capable of being a double-digit sacker if he gets to be a full-time starter. Expect him to get paid well from someone and should pay off if he is in the right situation. I think it would be wise for teams to try and pick this guy up, he just seems like he is ready to explode on the scene, watch out for Dwayne White in 2007.

Projected: Detroit
Darkhorse: Cleveland

12. Deon Grant FS (JAX)

Although he isn't a huge hitter, he is a veteran and has 18 career interceptions. He is still young, being only 27 years old and he is very reliable playing in all 16 games in his 7 year career. A lot of teams will show interest in signing him and whoever invest in him should get what they payed for, a solid safety that has a knack for being around the ball who is very durable.

Projected: Dallas
Darkhorse: New Orleans

13. Patrick Kerney DE (ATL)

He is very powerful and always seems to get to the quarterback, evidence to his 58 career sacks. He tore his pectoral muscle and missed majority of the year last season but this shouldn't discourage teams from attempting to sign him because he is well ahead of schedule in rehabilitation.

Projected: Minnesota
Darkhorse: Denver

14. Nick Harper CB (IND)

For years he has been the Colts' most reliable corner that plays the run well and has 15 career interceptions. He defends the pass very well and is often tested by opposing quarterbacks, but has came out well as evidence to his 42 pass deflections.

Projected: Arizona
Darkhorse: Minnesota

15. Kevin Curtis WR (STL)

Although he has been the slot receiver for his entire career in St.Louis he is easily a top 2 receiver on most teams. He has great speed and has a lot of teams drooling at his big play potential. He runs routes very well and has good hands to boot. A reunion is expected with Mike Martz in which he should flourish in his pass first schemes.

Projected: Detroit
Darkhorse: none

On the outside looking in:

Jeff Garcia QB (PHI) - Denver or Oakland
Derrick Dockery OG (WAS) - Miami
Drew Bennett WR (TEN)- Tennessee
Jamal Lewis RB (BAL) - Baltimore
Napoleon Harris ILB (MIN) - Minnesota

Recent NFL Cuts:

Joey Porter OLB (PITT) - Miami or San Francisco(depends on who gets Thomas)
Joe Horn WR (NO) - Atlanta???
Fred Smoot CB (MIN) - Washington
Donnie Edwards ILB (SD) - New Orleans
Antonio Bryant WR (SF) - Kansas City(they need a receiver...bad)
Erron Kinney TE (TENN) - Seattle
Jay Feeley K (NYG) - Dallas

My off-season wishlist

After reading Davey's latest post on which free-agents he would like to see in South Beach, that got me thinking, which free-agents/draft picks would I like my Bengals to go after. Well here they are, the future members of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Free-Agents:

Adalius Thomas, OLB, BAL

He will surely be one of the most sought after free-agents this offseason. That is unless the Ravens are able to re-sign him. It's been no secret how bad Cincy's defense has been this year. It's very simple, if you can't stop the run, then you won't win. I actually like our line-backing core for the most part, with Landon Johnson, Caleb Miller and the possibility of the return of David Pollack. But Adailius Thomas would surely improve our defense, he could replace Brian Simmons who missed 6 games last year and only accumulated 61 tackles in the ten games he did play in and he will be 32 when the 2007 season starts.

Eric Johnson, TE, SF

Besides DT, this is one of our biggest needs this offseason. We don't have a good TE to take some pressure off of our big three(Chad, TJ, Booking #35-524-8634). I'd prefer looking at getting Zach Miller or Greg Olsen in the draft but if we can get Johnson, I wouldn't complain. Two years ago, Johnson had a 85 catch season and will definitely be leaving San Fran due to Vernon Davis. Chicago could show interest in him aswell.

Michael Lewis, S, PHI/Gibril Wilson, S, NYG/Tony Parrish, S, SF

We need saftey help. Plain and simple. Madieu Williams is very good, but he can't do it by himself. Kevin Kaesvirharn is good, but he's one of those off the bench/nickle type players, he gets alot of playing time, but i'm not sure if he's a starter and Dexter Jackson is a quick fix. Out of all of those guys, Michael Lewis is probably the best, but Gibril Wilson is younger and he looks like he's going to be a special player. I'd settle for either one.

Players we need to re-sign:

Justin Smith, DE

He has been one of the most consistent players on our defense, he puts up pro-bowl like numbers and he is a leader in the locker room. He could command big money on the market, that is why we must try and lock him up as soon as possible.

Eric Steinbach,OG

He is one of the best offensive guards in the AFC right now and he's only 26. When healthy he completes probably the best overall offensive lines in football. Hopefully we re-sign him with no trouble, i'm sure Carson Palmer will thank him.

Draft Needs:

DT, TE, S, RB

Defensive Tackle:

Alan Branch is someone I would love to get, but I am about 99% sure he will not last till #18. So he's out. Another person to look at is DeMarcus Tyler. He's part of that great defensive line of NC State that produced the #1 overall pick last year, Mario Williams and other 1st round picks, Manny Lawson and John McCargo. He's big, strong and can stop the run. I'm in love. One more guy to look at is Amobi Okoye of Louisville. He's actually bigger than Tyler but i'm not sure if he's quite the play maker that Tyler is, but he's alot younger and can also stuff the run.

Tight End:

Not alot to choose from but it's all about quality, not quantity. The two big names right now are Zach Miller of Arizona State and Greg Olsen of Miami(FL). Also a couple guys that are good but not as good as the others are Joe Newton of Oregon State and Matt Spaeth of Minnesota. I'd prefer the first two. I'd prefer to use our first round pick on a DT and our second round pick on say Olsen or Newton.

Saftey:

There are alot of good safeties to choose from but at best we're probably looking at using our third round pick or later on a saftey. Some guys to look at are Aaron Rouse of THE VIRGINIA TECH (wink, wink), Eric Weedle of Utah and Brandon Meriweather of The "U" and Josh Gattis of Wake Forest. As much as I hate to admit it, Eric Weedle is probably the best, right now and Brandon Meriweather has the most potential. But Weedle will probably be a 2nd round pick so it looks like our guy might be Meriweather or Rouse.(what do ya know, a Hokie and a Cane).

Runningback:

Now this is one of the those "would be nice to have another one, but not a necessity". Obviously we're not looking for a starter, Rudi has that title locked up pretty tight. But we could use a speed guy for a back up. Chris Perry would be great, if he could stay healthy(which he can't) and Kenny Watson is good for returns and third down type plays but I would just like to see an upgrade over him and if Perry can't stay healthy this year, than just cut/trade him. Some guys to look at for the later rounds are Garrett Wolfe and Lorenzo Booker. At a time Booker was one of the highest rated runnigbacks when he first went to Florida State but his stock has dropped drastically. I could see him being available around 5th-6th round and he is fast, can catch the ball. Garrett Wolfe could turn out to be kind of like a Brian Westbrook type player. After leading the nation in rushing this year he would fit in nicely in our system. He's probably a late first day or an early second day pick just because of his size. (5'7" 177 lbs)