Crazy $pending adds up to big winners, big losers early
So we're in our fourth day of free-agency, and the experts were right: There's a lot of money being spent ... and overspent ... on a few guys. Nate Clements, come on down. You, too, Leonard Davis.
They were among the biggest winners in the first weekend of free-agency. But why stop there? Some people won. Some lost. And some said they just weren't playing.
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| Adalius Thomas signing with New England makes the Patriots winners and the Ravens losers. (AP) |
The winners
Nate Clements: First, Clements should thank the Buffalo Bills. They're the people who last year promised him they wouldn't make him a franchise player again. Second, he can thank 49ers owner John York. He's the guy who signs the paychecks that put $22 million in guaranteed money in Clements' pockets.
Maybe Clements got the word from Jonas Jennings. He's the free-agent tackle who escaped Buffalo when the 49ers offered him a contract that paid $12 million in guaranteed money. The 49ers overpaid then, and they overpaid now. Champ Bailey? Yeah, maybe then I could see it. Nate Clements? No.
"But that is the going rate," one scout told me, "for a top corner these days."
Maybe. I still think they paid too much, which happens when you're desperate to make something happen. Anyway, they needed help at the position and had the cash and the cap room to make a bold move -- and there is none bolder than this one. Clements is a physical cornerback who can cover and tackle; who is 27; who is durable; and who was at or near the top of most free-agent tote boards.
Yes, this makes the 49ers a better club, but at a dreadfully high cost. Someone once told me that you look at it like this: You figure he plays a minimum of three years, right? At least you hope so. So, in essence, this becomes a deal for $7 million and change per year, and that's not all that bad. OK, I feel better already. All I know is that Clements is one lucky camper. Talk about the right place at the right time. The man just hit the NFL lottery.
Denver Broncos: This isn't about Dre' Bly. That was a trade, not a free-agent signing. No, this is about cutting ties with Jake Plummer and patting yourself on the back for the Ashley Lelie deal.
First, let's talk about Plummer. All he did with the Broncos was win, but it wasn't good enough for the fans, the media or the organization, and with Jay Cutler in the saddle, it was time for Jake to go. So the Broncos peddled him to Tampa Bay for a conditional draft pick in 2008. Plummer said he will retire, but it doesn't matter. He's not Denver's concern anymore. Plummer's future in Denver ended the minute Cutler was drafted, and the club was eager to find another home for him. Well, now it has.
On to Lelie. Nothing happened here other than he signed a two-year deal with San Francisco where, presumably, the 49ers will squeeze out of him what Denver and Atlanta did in five seasons -- nothing. The Broncos tired of waiting on him last summer after he refused to report to training camp, and look who's laughing now. Lelie played one season with Atlanta and had no impact. Now he has moved on. The Broncos have a third-rounder this year and a fourth-rounder in 2008. You tell me who won the war.
Jeff Garcia: A week ago he was in trouble. Philadelphia re-signed backup A.J. Feeley, meaning there would be no quarterback controversy between Garcia and Donovan McNabb, and Garcia didn't seem high on anyone's list. Now he has a job with Tampa Bay, where he gets to play for Jon Gruden and gets to compete for the starting job, which wasn't going to happen in Philadelphia. He also gets $5 million this season, which puts him $500,000 behind McNabb. So he leaves a good situation where he fit in beautifully. I don't know how that happened. I just know it happened. I also know that Garcia recovered, with Tampa Bay a better option than Oakland or Houston.
New England Patriots: Two words: Adalius Thomas. He was one of the top two free agents on the board, with San Francisco poised to make a run at him. One problem: The Patriots got to him first, and good for them. Good for Thomas, too. This is a perfect fit. Thomas is a playmaker best suited to a defense that will move him all over the field, which means he's best suited to playing for Bill Belichick.
