With the NFL about to be resurrected from the dead, free agency is imminent. This one is particularly special too. Not only because it is the first football related activity since the draft but, never in the history of modern free agency has it taken place after the draft.
Normally teams go into free agency addressing needs, expecting these players to come in and make an impact. Whatever they miss out on, teams address those holes in the draft, knowing full well most of their draft class won’t make an impact until their sophomore season. The tables have turned this year; general managers able to address long-term needs first and now have the cash to come in look at what the market has to offer.
Of course, even when GMs try and put on their best swami hat they often fail at predicting the future. A dangerous game when millions of dollars are on the line. However, there seem too be a few trends GMs can look out for when trying to find out who to throw cash at. Yesterday, Bill Barnwell highlighted four types of free agents general managers will probably meet in football purgatory while paying for their fumbling on the job. The veteran running back seems to be the obvious one that GMs just can’t seem to stay away from but Barnwell also hits on second/third wide receivers in an effective passing offense, defensive ends coming off a big year and veteran Steelers defenders.
Give it a read. It’s not quite as long as some of the other sprawling pieces on Grantland and Barnwell backs up his argument pretty well with recent flops.
Free Agents You Meet in Hell > Bill Barnwell > Grantland.com
