2001 free-agency coverage
PFW ranks the best players expected to hit the open market
By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor
Updated April 4, 2000
1-25 | 26-50 | 51-75
| 76-101
|
| 26. |
DE Trace Armstrong |
|
Miami Dolphins |
|
Unrestricted |
|
For somebody who is supposed to be too old and too small, Armstrong gets
an awful lot of sacks. However, he is simply a pass rusher, not a four-down player. |
| 27. |
TE Marcus Pollard |
|
Indianapolis Colts |
|
Designated as Colts' franchise player Feb. 22. |
|
Very athletic with good speed and hands. Can block when he wants to.
Desire is the biggest concern. Will he stay hungry when he gets a big contract? |
| 28. |
OG Jeff Hartings |
|
Detroit Lions |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Lions’ best offensive lineman. Solid guard who may make an even
better center. Lacks great size. |
| 29. |
C Olin Kreutz |
|
Chicago Bears |
|
Restricted |
|
Has a chance to be a Pro Bowl player for years to come, but injuries set
him back in 2000. |
| 30. |
OG-OT Will Shields |
|
Kansas City Chiefs |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Overrated as a perennial Pro Bowl guard but showed he could play left
tackle last season. |
| 31. |
OG Pete Kendall |
|
Seattle Seahawks |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Supersmart and competitive but an average athlete who wants to be paid
like a tackle with his ability would be paid. |
| 32. |
RB Ahman Green |
|
Green Bay Packers |
|
Restricted |
|
Came on like gangbusters over the second half of last season and took some
pressure off of Brett Favre. Note that Green averaged 4.5 yards per carry, and Dorsey
Levens did not even average 3.0 yards per tote. |
| 33. |
RB Charlie Garner |
|
San Francisco 49ers |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Quick, tough little back. Stayed a lot healthier with the 49ers than he
did while he was with the Eagles. He is more quick than fast. However, he’s not quite
good enough to be a true featured back. |
| 34. |
PK Olindo Mare |
|
Miami Dolphins |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Very accurate and reliable with above-average leg strength. |
| 35. |
OG Benji Olson |
|
Tennessee Titans |
|
Restricted |
|
Has not stepped up to the Pro Bowl level many scouts believed he would.
Superstrong. |
| 36. |
CB Ronde Barber |
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Very alert and a good playmaker. Must go to a team that plays a lot of
zone coverage and does not ask him to run with the fly boys. Right now, Barber is in the
ideal defense for his skills. |
| 37. |
CB Denard Walker |
|
Tennessee Titans |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Stepped it up a notch last year. Is a big corner with speed. |
| 38. |
PK Jeff Wilkins |
|
St. Louis Rams |
|
Unrestricted |
|
When healthy, he rarely misses, but he has had a lot of bad luck with
injuries. |
| 39. |
PK Ryan Longwell |
|
Green Bay Packers |
|
Re-signed with Packers Feb. 20. |
|
Has kicked well in bad weather. Bounces back from bad kicks well. Mentally
tough. |
| 40. |
OG Steve McKinney |
|
Indianapolis Colts |
|
Restricted |
|
Seems to have leveled off after showing so much promise as a rookie. |
| 41. |
OG Ross Verba |
|
Green Bay Packers |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Can also play left tackle, which he thinks is his best position — it
isn’t. |
| 42. |
S Lance Schulters |
|
San Francisco 49ers |
|
Restricted |
|
Had a big sophomore year but tailed off last season, in large part because
of injuries. A real tough guy. |
| 43. |
OLB Shawn Barber |
|
Washington Redskins |
|
Restricted |
|
Has great speed and really seemed to improve a lot last season. |
| 44. |
CB Walt Harris |
|
Chicago Bears |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Gets beaten too much. Some believe he should play inside. |
| 45. |
TE Rickey Dudley |
|
Oakland Raiders |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Is he going to be a perennial tease and coach killer or live up to his
potential? Dudley is actually bigger and faster than Tony Gonzalez. |
| 46. |
DL Chad Eaton |
|
New England Patriots |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Has yet to put really good years back-to-back. He played well last season. |
| 47. |
OLB John Mobley |
|
Denver Broncos |
|
Unrestricted |
|
With total focus, he still could become a Pro Bowl player. |
| 48. |
MLB London Fletcher |
|
St. Louis Rams |
|
Restricted |
|
If he did not have such a huge ego and love himself so much, he could be
another Sam Mills. Fletcher is undisciplined because he is always gambling and guessing.
Needs to grow up. |
| 49. |
C-OG Mike Compton |
|
Detroit Lions |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Solid player at any of the three inside positions. |
| 50. |
C-OG Jeff Mitchell |
|
Baltimore Ravens |
|
Unrestricted |
|
Very similar to Compton, but younger and not quite as savvy. |
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On to 51-75 |
|
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