2000 free-agency coverage
Free-agent rankings by position
By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor
As published in print Feb. 2, 2000
Quarterbacks|Running backs|Wide receivers|Tight ends
Centers|Offensive tackles|Offensive guards|Defensive linemen
Linebackers|Cornerbacks|Safeties|Placekickers|Punters
|
| Below are the highest-graded players who were slated to
become free agents on Feb. 11. Players who were re-signed by their own teams before the
official free-agent signing period was to begin were not included. List was compiled as of
Feb. 2. These ratings may differ slightly from Buchsbaum's top-100 free-agent rankings,
which were compiled nearly four weeks after these ratings.
Grade scale: |
5.0 — Perfect grade/franchise player
4.0 — Blue chip/Pro Bowl player
3.0 — Red chip/solid starter
2.0 — Green chip/marginal starter
1.0 — White chip/hasn’t done it or can’t |
| Defensive linemen |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Robert Porcher |
Detroit |
8 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 2. |
Tony Brackens |
Jacksonville |
4 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 3. |
Simeon Rice |
Arizona |
4 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 4. |
Chuck Smith |
Atlanta |
8 |
UFA |
3.5 |
| 5. |
Sam Adams |
Seattle |
6 |
UFA |
3.3 |
| 6. |
Norman Hand |
San Diego |
5 |
UFA |
3.1 |
| 7. |
Rob Burnett |
Baltimore |
10 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 8. |
Marco Coleman |
Washington |
8 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 9. |
Orpheus Roye |
Pittsburgh |
4 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 10. |
Jason Taylor |
Miami |
3 |
RFA |
3.0 |
| 11. |
Phillip Daniels |
Seattle |
4 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 12. |
Junior Bryant |
San Francisco |
5 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 13. |
Jason Ferguson |
N.Y. Jets |
3 |
RFA |
3.0 |
| 14. |
Lester Archambeau |
Atlanta |
10 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 15. |
Keith McKenzie |
Green Bay |
4 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 16. |
Alonzo Spellman |
Dallas |
7 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 17. |
Pat Williams |
Buffalo |
3 |
RFA |
2.9 |
| 18. |
Brandon Mitchell |
New England |
3 |
RFA |
2.8 |
| 19. |
Mark Smith |
Arizona |
3 |
RFA |
2.8 |
| 20. |
Tony Williams |
Minnesota |
3 |
RFA |
2.8 |
| 21. |
John Browning |
Kansas City |
4 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 22. |
Kavika Pittman |
Dallas |
4 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 23. |
Brady Smith |
New Orleans |
4 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 24. |
Larry Webster |
Baltimore |
7 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 25. |
Duane Clemons |
Minnesota |
4 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 26. |
Anthony Cook |
Washington |
5 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 27. |
Ndukwe Kalu |
Washington |
3 |
RFA |
2.6 |
| 28. |
Brad Ottis |
Arizona |
6 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 29. |
Anthony Pleasant |
N.Y. Jets |
10 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 30. |
Jared Tomich |
New Orleans |
3 |
RFA |
2.6 |
| 31. |
Gilbert Brown |
Green Bay |
7 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 32. |
Vaughn Booker |
Green Bay |
6 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 33. |
Stalin Colinet |
Cleveland |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| 34. |
Regan Upshaw |
Jacksonville |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 35. |
Tom Barndt |
Kansas City |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 36. |
Seth Payne |
Jacksonville |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| 37. |
Christian Peter |
N.Y. Giants |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| Linebackers |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Mo Lewis |
N.Y. Jets |
9 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 2. |
Randall Godfrey |
Dallas |
4 |
UFA |
3.7 |
| 3. |
Dexter Coakley |
Dallas |
3 |
RFA |
3.6 |
| 4. |
Hardy Nickerson |
Tampa Bay |
13 |
UFA |
3.5 |
| 5. |
Jamie Sharper |
Baltimore |
3 |
RFA |
3.3 |
| 6. |
Joe Bowden |
Tennessee |
8 |
UFA |
3.1 |
| 7. |
Derek Smith |
Washington |
3 |
RFA |
3.0 |
| 8. |
Greg Biekert |
Oakland |
7 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 9. |
Tedy Bruschi |
New England |
4 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 10. |
Henri Crockett |
Atlanta |
3 |
RFA |
2.9 |
| 11. |
Jessie Tuggle |
Atlanta |
13 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 12. |
Carlos Emmons |
Pittsburgh |
4 |
UFA |
2.8 |
| 13. |
James Darling |
Philadelphia |
3 |
RFA |
2.6 |
| 14. |
Scott Galyon |
N.Y. Giants |
4 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 15. |
Gabe Northern |
Buffalo |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 16. |
Derrick Rodgers |
Miami |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| 17. |
Lonnie Marts |
Jacksonville |
10 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 18. |
Ronald McKinnon |
Arizona |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| Cornerbacks |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Thomas Smith |
Buffalo |
7 |
UFA |
3.8 |
| 2. |
Todd Lyght |
St. Louis |
9 |
UFA |
3.8 |
| 3. |
Marcus Coleman |
N.Y. Jets |
4 |
UFA |
3.7 |
| 4. |
Aaron Beasley |
Jacksonville |
4 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 5. |
Phillippi Sparks |
N.Y. Giants |
8 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 6. |
Ronde Barber |
Tampa Bay |
3 |
RFA |
2.9 |
| 7. |
Terrell Buckley |
Miami |
8 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 8. |
Denard Walker |
Tennessee |
3 |
RFA |
2.8 |
| 9. |
Steve Israel |
New England |
8 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 10. |
Dexter McCleon |
St. Louis |
3 |
RFA |
2.7 |
| 11. |
Ryan McNeil |
Cleveland |
7 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 12. |
Conrad Hamilton |
N.Y. Giants |
4 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 13. |
Tory James |
Denver |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 14. |
DeRon Jenkins |
Baltimore |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 15. |
Floyd Young |
Tampa Bay |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| Safeties |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Lawyer Milloy |
New England |
4 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 2. |
Jerome Woods |
Kansas City |
4 |
UFA |
3.3 |
| 2. |
Reggie Tongue |
Kansas City |
4 |
UFA |
3.2 |
| 3. |
Marcus Robertson |
Tennessee |
9 |
UFA |
3.1 |
| 4. |
Kurt Schulz |
Buffalo |
8 |
UFA |
2.9 |
| 5. |
Shawn Wooden |
Miami |
4 |
UFA |
2.8 |
| 6. |
Percy Ellsworth |
N.Y. Giants |
4 |
UFA |
2.7 |
| 7. |
Billy Jenkins |
St. Louis |
3 |
RFA |
2.7 |
| 8. |
Kim Herring |
Baltimore |
3 |
RFA |
2.6 |
| 9. |
Calvin Jackson |
Miami |
5 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 10. |
George Teague |
Dallas |
7 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 11. |
Matt Stevens |
Washington |
4 |
UFA |
2.55 |
| 12. |
Tommy Bennett |
Arizona |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 13. |
Anthony Dorsett |
Tennessee |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 14. |
Leomont Evans |
Washington |
4 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 15. |
Myron Bell |
Cincinnati |
6 |
UFA |
2.4 |
| 16. |
Chris Hudson |
Chicago |
5 |
UFA |
2.4 |
| Placekickers |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Olindo Mare |
Miami |
3 |
RFA |
3.5 |
| 2. |
Matt Stover |
Baltimore |
10 |
UFA |
3.0 |
| 3. |
John Hall |
N.Y. Jets |
3 |
RFA |
2.9 |
| 4. |
Cary Blanchard |
N.Y. Giants |
7 |
UFA |
2.5 |
| 5. |
Brett Conway |
Washington |
3 |
RFA |
2.5 |
| Punters |
| Rank |
Player |
1999 team |
Yr. |
FA Type |
Grade |
| 1. |
Mitch Berger |
Minnesota |
4 |
UFA |
4.0 |
| 2. |
Darren Bennett |
San Diego |
5 |
UFA |
3.5 |
| 3. |
Tom Rouen |
Denver |
7 |
UFA |
3.1 |
| 4. |
Toby Gowin |
Dallas |
3 |
RFA |
3.0 |
| 5. |
Brad Maynard |
N.Y. Giants |
3 |
RFA |
3.0 |
| 6. |
Mark Royals |
Tampa Bay |
10 |
UFA |
2.8 |
| 7. |
John Jett |
Detroit |
7 |
UFA |
2.6 |
| 8. |
Todd Sauerbrun |
Chicago |
5 |
UFA |
2.4 |
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