Joel Buchsbaum ranks the free agents ... regardless of
position
By JOEL BUCHSBAUM, Contributing editor
Updated Aug. 27, 1999
|
| Below are the highest-graded players who officially became free agents on
Feb. 12. Players who were re-signed by their own teams before the official free-agent
signing period began were not included. The majority of the grades are as of the start of
free-agency, although a few grades have been changed based on additional film study.
Players signing with new teams may see their grades change by the start of the season
based on the role they will be asked to play and how it suits their talents. Grade
scale:
5.0 — Franchise player/super blue chip/best in the business
4.0 — Pro Bowl-caliber player/blue chip
3.0 — Solid starter/red chip
2.5 — Average starter/good backup
2.0 — Below-average starter/adequate backup
1.5 — Marginal player
1.0 — Must earn keep on special teams/not good enough at this position |
REGARDLESS OF
POSITION |
| RANK |
POSITION/PLAYER |
’98 TEAM |
’99 TEAM |
GRADE |
NOTES |
| 1. |
WR Antonio Freeman |
Green Bay |
Green Bay |
4.15 |
Franchise |
| 2. |
WR Carl Pickens |
Cincinnati |
|
3.99 |
Franchise |
| 3. |
WR Terrell Owens |
San Francisco |
San Francisco |
3.91 |
Franchise, restricted |
| 4. |
CB Dale Carter |
Kansas City |
Denver |
3.75 |
|
| 5. |
WR Rob Moore |
Arizona |
|
3.65 |
Franchise |
| 6. |
S Carnell Lake |
Pittsburgh |
Jacksonville |
3.55 |
2.71 as CB |
| 7. |
OG Bruce Matthews |
Tennessee |
Tennessee |
3.49 |
|
| 8. |
OLB Jamir Miller |
Arizona |
Cleveland |
3.45 |
|
| 9. |
OT Richmond Webb |
Miami |
|
3.45 |
Franchise |
| 10. |
OT Jon Runyan |
Tennessee |
Tennessee |
3.15 |
Restricted |
| 11. |
OT Lomas Brown |
Arizona |
Cleveland |
3.15 |
Age (35) |
| 12. |
C Mark Stepnoski |
Tennessee |
Dallas |
3.15 |
|
| 13. |
RS David Palmer |
Minnesota |
Minnesota |
3.15 |
|
| 14. |
RS Darrien Gordon |
Denver |
Oakland |
3.15 |
2.58 as CB |
| 15. |
C Wally Williams |
Baltimore |
New Orleans |
3.12 |
Also plays guard |
| 16. |
WR Charles Johnson |
Pittsburgh |
Philadelphia |
3.11 |
|
| 17. |
WR Raghib Ismail |
Carolina |
Dallas |
3.11 |
Kick returner |
| 18. |
WR J.J. Stokes |
San Francisco |
San Francisco |
3.11 |
|
| 19. |
OT Orlando Brown |
Baltimore |
Cleveland |
3.09 |
|
| 20. |
DE Chidi Ahanotu |
Tampa Bay |
Tampa Bay |
3.05 |
Franchise |
| 21. |
P Chris Gardocki |
Indianapolis |
Cleveland |
3.05 |
|
| 22. |
RS Roell Preston |
Green Bay |
|
3.02 |
|
| 23. |
OT Roman Oben |
N.Y. Giants |
N.Y. Giants |
3.01 |
Restricted |
| 24. |
DT Santana Dotson |
Green Bay |
Green Bay |
3.01 |
|
| 25. |
MLB Ed McDaniel |
Minnesota |
Minnesota |
3.01 |
Major knee injury |
| 26. |
WR Bobby Engram |
Chicago |
Chicago |
3.01 |
Restricted |
| 27. |
MLB Zach Thomas |
Miami |
Miami |
3.00 |
|
| 28. |
DE Chad Bratzke |
N.Y. Giants |
Indianapolis |
3.00 |
|
| 29. |
PK Adam Vinatieri |
New England |
New England |
3.00 |
Restricted |
| 30. |
PK Norm Johnson |
Pittsburgh |
Philadelphia |
3.00 |
|
| 31. |
C Dave Wohlabaugh |
New England |
Cleveland |
2.99 |
|
| 32. |
OG Adam Timmerman |
Green Bay |
St. Louis |
2.99 |
|
| 33. |
QB Rich Gannon |
Kansas City |
Oakland |
2.99 |
|
| 34. |
TE Christian Fauria |
Seattle |
Seattle |
2.95 |
|
| 35. |
OLB Robert Jones |
Miami |
Miami |
2.95 |
Only for Jimmy Johnson |
| 36. |
DT Henry Thomas |
New England |
New England |
2.91 |
|
| 37. |
DE Derrick Alexander |
Minnesota |
Cleveland |
2.85 |
|
| 38. |
OT Blake Brockermeyer |
Carolina |
Chicago |
2.85 |
|
| 39. |
OLB Todd Collins |
New England |
St. Louis |
2.85 |
|
| 40. |
DE Marco Coleman |
San Diego |
Washington |
2.85 |
|
| 41. |
OLB George Koonce |
Green Bay |
Green Bay |
2.85 |
|
| 42. |
DT James Jones |
Baltimore |
Detroit |
2.82 |
|
| 43. |
TE Eric Green |
Baltimore |
N.Y. Jets |
2.80 |
|
| 44. |
S Sam Shade |
Cincinnati |
Washington |
2.79 |
|
| 45. |
DT Gary Walker |
Tennessee |
Jacksonville |
2.75 |
|
| 46. |
S Orlando Thomas |
Minnesota |
Minnesota |
2.75 |
|
| 47. |
OLB Sean Harris |
Chicago |
Chicago |
2.75 |
|
| 48. |
P Tom Tupa |
New England |
N.Y. Jets |
2.75 |
QB |
| 49. |
DE Dan Footman |
Indianapolis |
|
2.75 |
Injured in ’98 |
| 50. |
OG Chris Villarrial |
Chicago |
Chicago |
2.75 |
|
| 51. |
DE Shawn Lee |
Chicago |
|
2.75 |
|
| 52. |
CB Ken Irvin |
Buffalo |
Buffalo |
2.73 |
|
| 53. |
S Darren Perry |
Pittsburgh |
San Diego |
2.73 |
|
| 54. |
WR Leslie Shepherd |
Washington |
Cleveland |
2.72 |
|
| 55. |
CB Ashley Ambrose |
Cincinnati |
New Orleans |
2.71 |
|
| 56. |
WR Torrance Small |
Indianapolis |
Philadelphia |
2.71 |
|
| 57. |
OLB Anthony Davis |
Kansas City |
Green Bay |
2.71 |
|
| 58. |
TE Kyle Brady |
N.Y. Jets |
Jacksonville |
2.70 |
Transition |
| 59. |
S Chris Hudson |
Jacksonville |
Chicago |
2.70 |
|
| 60. |
TE David Sloan |
Detroit |
Detroit |
2.70 |
|
| 61. |
MLB Dean Wells |
Seattle |
Carolina |
2.69 |
|
| 62. |
OLB Eddie Robinson |
Tennessee |
Tennessee |
2.68 |
Best in Jeff Fisher’s D |
| 63. |
CB Ryan McNeil |
St. Louis |
Cleveland |
2.68 |
|
| 64. |
DT Jerry Ball |
Minnesota |
Cleveland |
2.68 |
|
| 65. |
CB Marquez Pope |
San Francisco |
Cleveland |
2.68 |
|
| 66. |
MLB Bryan Schwartz |
Jacksonville |
Jacksonville |
2.68 |
|
| 67. |
OG Matt O’Dwyer |
N.Y. Jets |
Cincinnati |
2.65 |
|
| 68. |
OT Wayne Gandy |
St. Louis |
Pittsburgh |
2.65 |
’98 a down year |
| 69. |
DE Rich Owens |
Washington |
Miami |
2.65 |
Injured in ’98 |
| 70. |
FB William Henderson |
Green Bay |
Green Bay |
2.65 |
|
| 71. |
QB Jeff George |
Oakland |
Minnesota |
2.65 |
|
| 72. |
WR Sean Dawkins |
New Orleans |
Seattle |
2.65 |
|
| 73. |
MLB Kurt Gouveia |
San Diego |
|
2.65 |
|
| 74. |
P Sean Landeta |
Green Bay |
Philadelphia |
2.65 |
|
| 75. |
OG Ian Beckles |
Philadelphia |
N.Y. Jets |
2.64 |
Durability |
| 76. |
MLB Corey Widmer |
N.Y. Giants |
N.Y. Giants |
2.62 |
|
| 77. |
DT Oliver Gibson |
Pittsburgh |
Cincinnati |
2.62 |
|
| 78. |
DT Kelvin Pritchett |
Jacksonville |
Detroit |
2.62 |
|
| 79. |
CB Corey Fuller |
Minnesota |
Cleveland |
2.61 |
|
| 80. |
RS Steve Broussard |
Seattle |
Baltimore |
2.61 |
|
| 81. |
TE Jamie Asher |
Washington |
Philadelphia |
2.61 |
Receiver |
| 82. |
QB Trent Green |
Washington |
St. Louis |
2.60 |
|
| 83. |
OG Brian DeMarco |
Jacksonville |
Cincinnati |
2.59 |
|
| 84. |
OG Zach Wiegert |
St. Louis |
Jacksonville |
2.58 |
|
| 85. |
QB Warren Moon |
Seattle |
Kansas City |
2.58 |
|
| 86. |
CB Ronnie Bradford |
Atlanta |
Atlanta |
2.58 |
|
| 87. |
P Tommy Barnhardt |
Tampa Bay |
New Orleans |
2.58 |
|
| 88. |
QB Gus Frerotte |
Washington |
Detroit |
2.57 |
|
| 89. |
MLB Dwayne Gordon |
N.Y. Jets |
N.Y. Jets |
2.55 |
Better as role player |
| 90. |
OT Harry Swayne |
Denver |
Baltimore |
2.55 |
|
| 91. |
RB Terry Kirby |
San Francisco |
Cleveland |
2.55 |
|
| 92. |
S Kwamie Lassiter |
Arizona |
Arizona |
2.55 |
|
| 93. |
S Lethon Flowers |
Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh |
2.55 |
|
| 94. |
DT John Jurkovic |
Jacksonville |
Cleveland |
2.55 |
|
| 95. |
FB Charles Evans |
Minnesota |
Baltimore |
2.55 |
|
| 96. |
WR Amani Toomer |
N.Y. Giants |
N.Y. Giants |
2.55 |
Kick returner |
| 97. |
S Devin Bush |
Atlanta |
St. Louis |
2.55 |
|
| 98. |
MLB Marvcus Patton |
Washington |
Kansas City |
2.55 |
|
| 99. |
PK Todd Peterson |
Seattle |
Seattle |
2.55 |
|
| 100. |
TE Pete Mitchell |
Jacksonville |
N.Y. Giants |
2.55 |
|
|
| Back to more free-agency
coverage |
|
 |
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