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

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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.

Chicago Bears

	Bears' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: LB Rosevelt Colvin, TE John Davis, OL Kevin Dogins, RB Leon Johnson, DT Christian Peter, RB Stanley Pritchett, S Larry Whigham. RFAs: CB Reggie Austin, PK Paul Edinger, S Mike Green, CB Todd McMillon, QB Cory Sauter, WR Dez White.

Analysis: The NFL majority will spend the first few days of free agency acting out their designed plans to keep their own free agents. The Bears will wave goodbye to their top free-agent talent, OLB Rosevelt Colvin, who has 21 total sacks in his last two season but wants around $4 million per year in his new pact. General manager Jerry Angelo said his top priority in the open market is bringing in a new quarterback, and names such as Jake Plummer, Kordell Stewart and Jake Delhomme have been bandied about. Should the Bears find a quarterback to their liking, it may cost last year's starter, Jim Miller, his job. At the least, it figures to force Miller into restructuring his existing five-year, $12-million, incentive-laden deal. Since Colvin is almost certain to fly the coop, the Bears will look for a price-efficient pass rusher. That could mean nothing more than a situational guy, a need that could also be addressed via the draft. Head coach Dick Jauron said he would like to keep utility RB Leon Johnson around and likes S Larry Whigham for his leadership and special-teams prowess. The team will make minimal to mid-level tender offers to all of its restricted free agents with the exception of QB Cory Sauter and CB Reggie Austin, who isn't likely to be healthy by training camp.

Detroit Lions

	Lions' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: OL Kerlin Blaise, OG Ray Brown, LB Chris Claiborne, CB Eric Davis, DE Jared DeVries, CB Donovan Greer, LB Richard Jordan, DT Travis Kirschke, LB Clint Kriewaldt, CB Todd Lyght, DT Kelvin Pritchett, S Bracey Walker, RB Lamont Warren, LB Brian Williams. RFAs: WR Larry Foster, DE James Hall, CB Jimmy Wyrick.

Analysis: The Lions were working diligently to further pad the approximately $7 million of cap room they have by restructuring the contracts of DE Robert Porcher ($7 million against the cap) and DT Luther Elliss. Detroit is in considerably good shape when you factor in the $8 million in "dead money" they'll pay Charlie Batch and Herman Moore this season. New head coach Steve Mariucci is working to convince president and CEO Matt Millen to upgrade at cornerback, safety and linebacker on defense while paying attention to wide receiver -- unless they do the unlikely and pick up the $2 million option on Germane Crowell -- offensive line and perhaps running back on the other side of the ball. The Lions are undecided on whether or not to re-sign 24-year-old MLB Chris Claiborne, who led the team in tackles each of the last two years. In a deep free-agent LB class, the Lions would like to offer Claiborne a short-term deal (one or two years) but aren't likely to break the bank to keep him. They would, however, like ORG Ray Brown, DE Jared DeVries, special-teams ace Bracey Walker and RB Lamont Warren back at the right price. Warren could be expendable because RB Luke Staley is on schedule to participate in offseason conditioning after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2002 preseason.

Green Bay Packers

	Packers' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: DT Gilbert Brown, RB Tony Carter, TE Tyrone Davis, OL Earl Dotson, DE Vonnie Holliday, DT Cletidus Hunt (transitioned), DT Billy Lyon, CB Tod McBride, DE Keith McKenzie, LB Hardy Nickerson, QB Doug Pederson, CB Bryant Westbrook. RFAs: WR Karsten Bailey, P Josh Bidwill, OL Jeff Blackshear, S Matt Bowen, LB Na'il Diggs, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, OL Jerry Wisne.

Analysis: The Packers were less than $1 million over the cap as of Feb. 23, when they began to talk about slashing money off the top of the salaries of QB Brett Favre and FS Darren Sharper to gain enough relief to make offers to their top two in-house targets -- DE Vonnie Holliday and DT Cletidus Hunt. Holliday wants to stay in Green Bay, but the lure of big money elsewhere could be too great to ignore. The Packers want to keep Holliday, but have RFA Kabeer-Gbaja Biamila for depth and will have to pay "KGB" at this time next year. That could make Hunt the team's priority. His movement was restricted when he was tagged as the team's "transition" player. A big question for the Packers is what to do with CB Tyrone Williams, who is due a $4 million bonus March 1. The Packers will keep Williams only at a discount, but Williams believes he can get starter's money elsewhere and might be right. That will force the Packers to turn to reserve CBs Bryant Westbrook and Tod McBride, who might have a chance to start elsewhere. With Bhawoh Jue returning to compete for a starting spot opposite Mike McKenzie, the Packers figure to focus on the cost-friendly and productive Westbrook. Restricted LB Na'il Diggs can expect a reasonably high tender and unrestricted OT Earl Dotson could return for the minimum ($755,000).

Minnesota Vikings

	Vikings' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: PK Gary Anderson, S Ronnie Bradford, TE Hunter Goodwin, LB Lemanski Hall, DT Darius Holland, DE Lance Johnstone, TE Jim Kleinsasser (franchised), OL Corbin Lacina, LB Jim Nelson, P Kyle Richardson, DE Talance Sawyer, WR Chris Walsh, RB Moe Williams. RFAs: CB Tyrone Carter, RB Doug Chapman, LB Antonio Wilson, C Cory Withrow.

Analysis: It isn't a question of resources for the Vikings, who had more room beneath the $74.4 million cap than every team except for the Cardinals and Ravens as of presstime. The Vikings want to be aggressive, but owner Red McCombs will have to believe in the investment before signing checks this spring as he has the team up for sale. Head coach Mike Tice said that TE Jim Kleinsasser will be back one way or another, and he backed it up by giving him the franchise tag, ensuring the team keeps what it feels is a valuable part of its two-TE base offense. Beyond that, the Vikings have wants, not needs, on their own roster. RB Moe Williams, DE Lance Johnstone and WR Chris Walsh will receive offers, but none will be blown away by McCombs' generosity. From there, the team hopes to address needs for a pass rusher, defensive tackle, cornerback, safety and offensive guard, either in free agency or the draft, where they'd like to add a pick or two by trading C Cory Withrow and RB Doug Chapman. The team doesn't want to overpay at any position but will be interested in the right players. Rams CB Dré Bly could fill two needs, as a cover corner and punt returner, and he should be expected to at least visit the team. Bears LB Rosevelt Colvin may get a look because of his pass-rushing skills. When the dust settles, don't be surprised if the Vikings have a lot of money left and sign QB Daunte Culpepper to a long-term deal.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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