ProFootballWeekly.com asked
contributing editor Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the latest free-agents signings and
other hot topics around the NFL. 
Grbac signs with Ravens
Buchsbaum: He allows Brian Billick to run his real offense, the offense he ran in the
Minnesota. He’s a downfield thrower with a strong arm; he’s a system
quarterback. Basically, he is not as smart or as disciplined as Brad Johnson, but he’s
got better physical ability, a strong arm and is younger. Also, like Johnson, he plays
best in a very disciplined system where he can do things by the numbers. Billick will give
(Grbac) that type of system.
Nedney signs with Titans
Buchsbaum: If he can kick the way he kicked last year, he’ll be a tremendous
addition to them. In every one of their losses, Al Del Greco played a negative role.
Williams signs with Bengals
Buchsbaum: Williams is a decent tackle and good enough to start in the league. He’s
very quick, he can be disruptive, he’s got adequate strength versus the run and he’s
a one-game lineman, which means the Bengals will definitely be a 4-3 team this year.
Molden signs with Chargers; Flutie appears next
Buchsbaum: The Chargers remember him from his college days when he was rated the top
cornerback in the draft. He never panned out in the New Orleans, but he still has good
physical tools, and a change of scenery should help him. Plus, he’ll be going with
Ryan McNeil at cornerback, which gives the team a double upgrade at the position. Throw in
Marcellus Wiley, and the Chargers have filled a great many of their defensive needs in
free agency. It also looks like they will sign Doug Flutie. Flutie will start until
Michael Vick is ready. Flutie’s arm tends to lose strength as the year goes along,
but the loss of arm strength in San Diego will be less of a handicap than it was in
Buffalo considering the weather and throwing conditions. He’s scrappy, he’s
gutty, he’s a winner. Next on the Chargers’ agenda is probably going to be
getting a running back that they can count on to be No. 1, either through the draft, trade
or some other means.
Will Simeon Rice land in New York?
Buchsbaum: The year Rice came out, the Giants really wanted him. They had a wish list
of Kevin Hardy, Jon Ogden, Simeon Rice and Keyshawn Johnson. They had the fifth pick in
that year’s draft, and (the four players) went one to four. With the fifth pick, they
took defensive end Cedric Jones, who’s been pretty much a major disappointment. Rice
would replace him. The connection here is Denny Marcin, the Giants’ defensive line
coach, coached Rice at Illinois, and Rice likes him a lot, and he knows Marcin will give
him the freedom to rush the passer. He’s be a tremendous upgrade to a Giants line,
which could be maybe the best defensive line in football if Michael Strahan continues to
play at the level he played at the end of last year, if Keith Hamilton plays like he
played all last year and if (Cornelius) Griffin, the rookie from Alabama, continues to
develop. Jones probably would be a salary-cap casualty unless he’d agree to take a
pay cut if they signed him.
Izzo signs with Patriots
Buchsbaum: One of the very best special-teams players in football. He brings an
attitude to a team that Bill Belichick wants. He’s a tough, gutty overachiever who
hates to lose. You-pay-him-to-practice, he’ll-play-for-free type guy, a throwback.
Bucs trade Zeier to Falcons
Buchsbaum: He’ll be the veteran backup to Chris Chandler. The question is: Are
they going to just go with Zeier as the backup and Doug Johnson as the third, or will they
look to upgrade at quarterback.
Barber re-signs with Giants
Buchsbaum: He was their offensive MVP last year, he’s the catalyst, he’s sort
of a poor man’s Marshall Faulk.
Faulk still troubled by knee
Buchsbaum: Marshall Faulk’s knee is still giving him trouble. On March 11, they’re
going to go in and scope it, and obviously the Rams have got to have their fingers crossed
because he, in effect, is the franchise — or at least as close to it as anyone. |
