Seven on Seven drills: Tackling NFL Free Agency

With free agency set to begin late this evening, here are seven questions, along, with seven sleepers, to ponder as you watch your team engage in the high-priced, high-stakes world of talent evaluation, pro style...

How much is Haynes-worth?

Quite a bit, if the pocket collapsing tackle plays at the extremely high level he did with the Titans, who are still in the mix for their defensive stalwart, though they have some questions of their own. Of course, there is also a fear that like many a high-priced free agent, the big man’s play will dip once those guaranteed dollars, projected to be around $30 million of a rumored $100 million deal, come pouring in. Don’t count the 32 NFL teams among the concerned as they all are rumored to have contacted Haynesworth’s agent.

It will be interesting to see if Haynesworth simply takes the biggest offer on the table or factors in a legitimate chance to compete over the next few years. The Redskins are rumored to be the early favorite to land Haynesworth, but even with a talented core of players, the burgundy and gold fail to deliver more often than not and there cap situation appears murky at best. The Bucs cleared out a large swath of cap space yesterday, but they are now clearly in rebuilding mode while the Lions have major work to do just to get to the Bucs level. Of course, he could stay with the Titans, who were after all the top seed in the AFC last season and are likely his best shot to reach the Super Bowl among these options.

Though I do not know how he will do it, look for Dan Snyder, the Houdini of the salary cap, to land the top prize of the free agent season. He usually gets who he wants, money, cap space and roster depth be dammed and he is going for it.

Defensive lineman sleeper - With the entire buzz surrounding Haynesworth, even prized talents like DE Chris Canty and DE/DT Igor Olshansky, seemed undervalued by comparison. Demetric Evans will not garner near the attention of those three, but the versatile lineman was the top run-stuffing end last season for the Redskins, who seem hell bent on keeping the ancient Jason Taylor over him..

Will Ray-Ray stay-stay in Charm City?

It is hard to argue that there has been a more important or influential player on his team over the last decade than Ray Lewis with the Ravens. He knows this, ownership knows this and right now, it appears that a serious game of chicken is taking place over this very issue. The 34-year old linebacker is saying he will not give the Ravens a hometown discount, but he has to realize that staying put is his best chance at reaching the Super Bowl.

For their part, the Ravens are still trying to lock up Lewis, fellow inside backer Bart Scott and center Jason Brown after already having franchised Terrell Suggs. They will likely only be able to keep two of the remaining three at best, with Brown almost assuredly drawing the short stick, but GM Ozzie Newsome is doing all he can to keep the talent at home. Scott is the younger and likely less expensive option, but Lewis is the heart and soul of the franchise. The Jets and Cowboys are in the mix, but in the end, I say the Lewis stays in the Maryland with Scott hoping for the same.

Ravens sleeper - There is now doubt that the Ravens are doing all they can to keep their studly defensive unit in tact, but they would love to keep Jason Brown off the free agent market. If not, he will be the top offensive lineman on the board and the Dolphins are said to be hot and heavy for his services.

Assuming Kurt Warner stays in the desert, are their any worthy quarterbacks available?

In a word, no, unless we turn back the clock a decade or so. Teams seeking immediate help will liklely look at trades involving Matt Cassel and Derek Anderson rather than pony up big follars for this mediocre crew. Kerry Collins is saying he will test the free agent waters, but when he finds them to be chilly, he likely returns to the Titans. Jeff Garcia was not the reason the Bucs collapsed last season though he wears out his welcome quickly. There just does not appear to be many teams looking to give a 30-year old, playoff-tested signal caller a shot to start and that list got smaller now that Vikings are set to acquire Texans backup Sage Rosenfels. The Jets could be his bet, but Garcia may once again have to settle for a backup role, though he could move the depth chart quickly with teams like the Bears and Panthers.

Byron Leftwich is the best of the rest and deserves a shot to compete for a starting spot. Chris Simms is an intriguing option, though unlikely to be handed a starting job while J.P. Losman and the soon-to-released Gus Frerotte will have to settle for backup type roles for now, but both make for solid middle reliever/instant offense type plays.

Quarterback sleeper - As crazy as it sounds, I am not done with Rex Grossman. Yes, his history of turnovers and horrible decision-making are legendary, but he did quarterback the Bears to the Super Bowl and maturity combined with his skill set should eventually work wonders. Backup material for now, but I think he will be a starter again down the line.

The demand for Housh, the Housh, the Housh is on fire, but can he be the difference maker for a Super Bowl contender?

Now that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is being exiled from the Bengals, he has a myriad of choices, including contenders like the Eagles (I’m sure Donovan McNabb is pleading with management to get this done) and the Giants (they are not counting on Plaxico to return). Born on the west coast, “Housh” could look at the Seahawks and Niners as potential landing spots. I am not convinced he is a flat out number one receiver and at 31, he likely is on the downside of his career. However, with his ability to keep the chains moving and lined up opposite a speedy receiver, say DeSean Jackson, Houshmandzadeh could help put a team like the Eagles over the top, but not carry them there.

(Update: The National Football Post is reporting that there is a "70-percent chance Houshmandzadeh returns to Cincinnati" following ongoing contract negotiations. That is significant turnaround from where things were rumored to be and nothing has been signed, but this would be a huge move for the Bengals to keep their most productive offensive player in the fold)

Receiver sleeper under the age of 30 - Nate Washington figures to generate the most immediate interest and restricted free agent Lance More should be right on his heels, but teams would be smart to take a flyer on D.J. Hackett. He never caught on with the Panthers, but he was highly productive with the Seahawks when he was healthy enough to stay on the field. Consider him a cheap alternative with upside potential.

Which other 30+ year old wide receivers not named T.J. Houshmandzadeh have the most gas left in the tank?

The market is suddenly flooded with them with Marvin Harrison the biggest name out there, but his best days are behind him and it is hard to see him latching on anywhere as a starter. Maybe his hometown Eagles throw him a bone if they miss out on Housh. On the other hand, Laveranues Coles, waived by the Jets this week, can still produce as a possession receiver, though his explosive days are behind him. He may be delusional in terms of his worth on the street, but Coles could still turn in a 65-700-6 season for teams like the Titans, Niners and Bucs and let us not forget his pal Chad Pennington could use another target in South Beach.

Injury prone Bobby Engram can still be a viable number three receiver while Amani Toomer and Joey Galloway likely will be waiting a long, long time before someone dials them up.

Receiver sleeper over the age of 30 - Technically Ronald Curry, who was wasted in the Raiders non-existent passing game, will not turn 30 until May, but he could be the surprise of this second-tier group if he lands in the right system.

With Nnamdi Asomugha and Kelvin Hayden off the market, how is the depth at corner looking?

Not to bad actually, though there are no “shutdown” (with the current passing rules so favoring the offense, we need to eliminate that term from the fan lexicon since they are as rare as VHS players or planned baseball doubleheaders) corners in the group. Depending on the system, DeAngelo Hall, Leigh Bodden, Bryant McFadden, Ronald Bartell and Domonique Foxworth are the top names and the players likely to receive the most interest initially. The Redskins have said they want to keep Hall, the top playmaker among this bunch, but they could put him on hold until the Haynesworth situation is settled, leaving the door open for a team like the Patriots to swoop in.

Former Ravens veteran Chris McAlister is long in the tooth, but probably has another viable year or two left in him while Chris Carr and Justin Miller are more returners that happen to play corner, but will not embarrass you in nickel roles. Then there is one Adam “Pacman” Jones. It is hard to imagine anyone calling him at the stroke of midnight tonight, or any time soon for that matter. Of course, desperate times call for desperate measures and when those initial training camp injuries start to crop up…

Cornerback sleeper - After looking like a bust early on his career, Philip Buchanon found new life with the Bucs and has all the requisite skills to stand out on that proverbial island.

Besides Derrick Ward, are there any running backs teams should be rushing to acquire?

Unless said teams are looking primarily for depth, not really. Ward is clearly the top prize among this shallow pool of free agent running backs, but do not expect a Michael Turner like impact. The Browns, who need young legs to run with Jamal Lewis, and the Bengals, especially if Cedric Benson does not wise up soon and lower his demands, are logical landing spots for the all-around back.

Fred Taylor is said to be talking with the Patriots. Makes sense for a short two-year window. Benson was surprisingly spry with the Bengals last season, but not many teams will be looking to invest in a player with his rap sheet. Maurice Morris is a two-back rotation/jack-of-all trade types while Correll Buckhalter could do the same in a purely backup role and Warrick Dunn has some third down magic left in him.

Running back sleeper - Not sure why LaMont Jordan was never able to stick as a starter for very long, but he has all the talent to be a breakout star if he ever gets another chance. No longer able to carry an offense, he would make a good option for a team looking to incorporate the in-vogue two-back system.