PFW breaks down each team's plan of attack in free agency

Each team's capsule contains a list of players who are scheduled to become free agents on Feb. 28. Unrestricted free agents (UFAs) are players who have accrued four or more NFL seasons and are free to sign with any team unless given a franchise or transition tag. Restricted free agents (RFAs) are players with three accrued seasons. The player's current team has a right of first refusal on offers from other teams. If the team chooses to let a restricted free agent leave by opting not to match an offer, the team will receive draft-choice compensation from the player's new team.

Those who have been designated "franchise" players are required to be paid at least the average of the top five players at their position or a 20-percent raise, whichever is higher. "Transition" players require an offer of the average of the top 10 players at their position or a 20 percent raise, whichever is higher. In both cases, the original team has the right to match, and compensation for signing another team's franchise player is a pair of first-round picks.

Buffalo Bills

	Bills' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: DE Chidi Ahanotu, RB Shawn Bryson, C Billy Conaty, LB Greg Favors, PK Mike Hollis, WR Charles Johnson, LB Keith Newman, WR Peerless Price (franchised), RB Charlie Rogers. RFAs: DT Leif Larsen, RB Sammy Morris, LB Dashon Polk.

Analysis: The top priority for the Bills is WR Peerless Price, and they made that perfectly clear when they franchised him. Price, who had said he wouldn't mind staying in Buffalo if the price was right, wasn't too pleased with the franchise label. Still, Buffalo didn't want his price to get out of control on the open market. General manager Tom Donahoe said the Bills wouldn't break the bank on Price, and the tag allows them to settle on a one-year, $5.01 million deal if they can't reach a long-term deal - that's roughly $2 million less than WR Eric Moulds' per-year average. Re-signing Price, though, could jeopardize their plans to add impact defenders, despite a solid cap situation. Cutting TE Jay Reimersma would create more space, but Buffalo wants to add two stud free agents in the front seven. Keep in mind, Donahoe is a patient shopper and not a big spender and could wait to make moves. A linebacker such as the Bengals' Takeo Spikes would be considered a significant upgrade, but Donahoe won't break the bank there either. He could go after a cheaper alternative, such as Mike Peterson, instead. LB Keith Newman will be allowed to test the market, but DE Chidi Ahanotu, PK Mike Hollis and WR Charles Johnson are coveted to some degree by Buffalo. Backup RB Shawn Bryson's season-ending knee injury could weaken his options, so there shouldn't be a problem retaining him.

Miami Dolphins

	Dolphins' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: DE David Bowens, WR Cris Carter, TE Desmond Clark, OT-OG Mark Dixon, WR Oronde Gadsden, LB Scott Galyon, FB Rob Konrad, CB Paul Miranda, P Mark Royals, OT Brent Smith, OT Marcus Spriggs, TE Jed Weaver. RFAs: SS Arturo Freeman, CB Trent Gamble, CB Ray Green, DE Jermaine Haley.

Analysis: The Dolphins' current plan is to upgrade (in this order) at left offensive tackle, wide receiver, backup quarterback and outside linebacker. Roughly $1.4 million over the salary cap at presstime, Miami has asked OLs Todd Perry and Tim Ruddy and LB Derrick Rodgers to restructure their contracts. They wanted to sign MLB Zach Thomas to a cap-friendly extension (one year remaining on current deal), but that doesn't seem likely this year. The Dolphins want better alternatives than Dixon, Oronde Gadsden, Ray Lucas and Rodgers, but could "settle" if they can't sign anyone. Possible targets at wide receiver are the Giants' Ike Hilliard and the Titans' Kevin Dyson, both of whom provide more speed and across-the-middle ability. Wayne Gandy's name has come up for the OLT spot, but the Steelers' lineman is expected to command quite a high price as one of the top left tackles - possibly out of the Dolphins' reach. Someone Miami could pursue if it doesn't improve at tackle or receiver is Bengals LB Takeo Spikes. Spikes would fit well into the Dolphins' system and is the type of younger free agent the team covets. FB Rob Konrad's price tag might be too high for Miami, but P Mark Royals and TE Jed Weaver should not be too difficult to retain. TE Desmond Clark and OT Marcus Spriggs will be looking for better opportunities elsewhere, and WR Cris Carter's future remains up in the air.

New England Patriots

	Patriots' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: TE Fred Baxter, CB Terrell Buckley, CB Je'Rod Cherry, TE Cam Cleeland, FB Marc Edwards, FS Victor Green, FS Chris Hayes, DE Bernard Holsey, FS Tebucky Jones (franchised), S Rob Kelly, DE Rick Lyle, OL Grey Ruegamer. RFAs: LB Matt Chatham, CB Ben Kelly, RB Patrick Pass, LS Lonnie Paxton.

Analysis: Though New England has claimed it shouldn't be counted out as far as going after big-name free agents, observers believe the team will stay close to the vest again. First, they'll work to renegotiate the contracts of DE-OLB Willie McGinest ($10.3 million salary-cap hit in 2003) and LB Ted Johnson ($6.8 million) and re-sign a few of their own players. Tops on the list are FS Tebucky Jones, FB Marc Edwards and FS Victor Green. Jones, the starting free safety and a solid special-teamer, is priority No. 1 and was given the club's franchise tag. Edwards, though not a star fullback, will be a re-signing target to avoid the dropoff to backup Patrick Pass, who should be retained as a restricted free agent. If the Pats lose Edwards, they could go after Miami's Rob Konrad or the Jets' Richie Anderson. New England was satisfied with the job Green did, but he is not expected to command major attention on the market. Two possible UFA targets are Bears LB Rosevelt Colvin and Chiefs LB Mike Maslowski. Colvin would supply much-needed pass-rush ability, and it's worth noting that the Pats signed Maslowski to an offer sheet last year (when he was a restricted free agent, but the Chiefs matched the offer and retained him). The Patriots have released WR Donald Hayes, who signed in 2002 but wasn't a good fit.

New York Jets

	Jets' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: FB Richie Anderson, LB James Darling, OT Jumbo Elliott, PK John Hall, RB Jerald Sowell, OG Randy Thomas, DT Larry Webster. RFAs: WR Laveranues Coles, SS Nick Ferguson, RB-RS Chad Morton.

Analysis: After losing two offensive linemen and OL coach Bill Muir last year, expect the Jets to push to retain OG Randy Thomas. If they can't sign him, they reportedly could have an interest in OG Mo Collins out of Oakland. After a slow start by the new offensive line in 2002, the Jets might stress stability over anything even though they'd like to get another nasty mauler up front, something Thomas really is not. Expect OL Jumbo Elliott to hit the market. RFA Laveranues Coles will get a high tender and a long-term deal by training camp, the Jets hope. FB Richie Anderson should be back, but New York needs a more physical blocking fullback for short-yardage situations. The Jets want to get faster in the LB corps and secondary and could release a few veterans to create salary-cap space to sign some speedier players. S Damien Robinson was the first to be cut. LB Mo Lewis will be asked to take a pay cut, and if he balks at that and is released, James Darling's stock with the team will rise. Bucs LB Shelton Quarles is among the rumored targets to upgrade defense. The Jets could replace PK John Hall with a youngster.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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