Free agency, Day Five

                After the flurry of the first few days of free agency, the signings should settle into a nice steady pace. There are still some big signings to be had.

Patriots sign DE Trevor Scott, WRs Anthony Gonzalez and Brandon Lloyd

The Patriots sign defensive end Trevor Scott to a one-year deal. He is expected to pay as an outside linebacker with the Patriots. The Pats also signed wide receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd’s contract is for three-years and worth $12 million dollars.

The Patriots are finally addressing some of their key issues. I like Scott as a pass rusher, and his thinner frame would help him transition to the 3-4 outside linebacker spot fairly well. Gonzalez has talent when he can stay healthy, but it’s doubtful the Patriots are counting on him to be a star. Lloyd is the big catch and his ability to make big plays deep (at least over the last two years) would greatly help the Patriots passing game open up more and free up more space for the running game. I like all of these signings.

Lions re-sign OT Jeff Backus, QB Shaun Hill

The Lions re-signed offensive tackle Jeff Backus to a two-year contract worth $10 million dollars and backup quarterback Shaun Hill to a similar contract.

Both of these moves made sense from both perspectives. There wasn’t a lot of demand in the market for either Bakus or Hill and they would never have gotten the money for other teams that they are getting with the Lions. The Lions needed both players back. Backus solidifies the offensive line to protect Matthew Stafford’s blindside while Hill is great insurance in case Stafford gets hurt.

Rams sign DT Kendall Langford

The Rams signed defensive tackle Kendall Langford to a four-year contract worth $24 million dollars including $12 million in guarantees.

I like Kendall Langford as a player so I would normally say that thiswas a good signing. However, I do have to question the move that needs to be made here for Langford to be successful. Langford has spent his entire career as a 3-4 defensive end, but he’s going to be moved to the defensive tackle spot in the Rams 4-3. How well he transitions from one position to the other will determine how good a signing this was.

The Bengals sign OG Travelle Wharton, CB Jason Allen

The Bengals signed recently released offensive guard Travelle Wharton to a three-year contract worth $10 million deal. They also signed cornerback Jason Allen to a two-year, $8.2 million dollar contract.

I like these moves. The Bengals needed to replace the lost Nate Livings and clearly felt like they needed a veteran presence to do so. Wharton was cut by the Panthers not because he’s a bad player, but because he’s on the back half of his career and had a big cap number. He should help that offensive line tremendously. Allen is a decent cover corner, though a lot of people wouldn’t know it when they look at his early career with the Dolphins. He should help that defensive secondary in nickel packages and if Leon Hall doesn’t recover well from his knee injury.

49ers sign WR Mario Manningham

The 49ers signed wide receiver Mario Manningham to a two-contract.

This was a nice deal for the 49ers. Manningham has under-rated explosiveness as a receiver and has shown the ability to take short catches and turn them into big plays. That’s a talent the 49ers have to covet considering the way that Jim Harbaugh calls plays. He has also been inconsistent which is why he’s had a harder time settling down, but I expect that he’ll be used to his fullest potential in San Francisco.

Chiefs sign OT Eric Winston, QB Brady Quinn

The Chiefs signed offensive tackle Eric Winston and quarterback Brady Quinn to undisclosed deals.

Any questions that existed about the right side of the Chiefs line have just been answered. Winston is the best right tackle in football and the only reason he was a free agent was because the Texans, his former team, needed cap space. The Chiefs made a great signing, regardless of the terms of the contracts.

Quinn is a backup quarterback through and through, but he should be an upgrade over Tyler Palko. So that was a decent enough signing.

Seahawks sign DL Jason Jones

The Seahawks have agreed to terms with defensive lineman Jason Jones on a one-deal.

I like this signing, though I’m not exactly sure how the Seahawks pan to use him on the defensive line. Jones, while he played end last year, is more natural defensive tackle. The Seahawks have a solid, if not great, defensive tackle in Brandon Mebane. I can’t imagine them using Jones to replace him on passing downs and Alan Branch on the other side is a space eater. However, Branch tires easily and works better in a rotation with a guy like Jones coming in on obvious passing downs. I could see them using him in a rotation with Branch and maybe Red Bryant, but not as starter. Still, I like the player and the signing.

Eagles re-sign OG Evan Mathis

The Eagles signed offensive guard Evan Mathis to a five-year contract worth $25 million dollars including $7 million in guarantees.

Much like the majority of the Eagles decision this year, I really like this move. Mathis had a great yea with Philadelphia and was likely going to demand a pretty penny no matter where he went. The Eagles made the right choice bringing him back for the long-term and not letting a disappointing season mess with their offense too much. This was a great decision.

Redskins re-sign QB Rex Grossman

The Redskins re-signed quarterback Rex Grossman to a one-year deal.

I guess this deal made sense, though I think the Redskins could have gone elsewhere with this signing. Mike Shanahan likes Grossman, in spite of how up and down (mostly down) he has been as a quarterback. The Redskins are going to need a veteran to help (presumed) second overall pick Robert Griffin IIII transition into the Shanahan offense. Grossman has plenty of experience in the system and could easily slide into the starters role again should RGIII get hurt or need a year of seasoning before playing.

Chargers re-sign TE Randy McMichael

The Chargers re-signed tight end Randy McMichael to a two-year deal.

This deal made sense. McMichael has starter experience as well as starter athleticism. While in San Diego, he’s had to defer to Antonio Gates as being the superior playmaker at the position and therefore the starter. But even with the fewer targets, he’s been relatively productive and is comfortable in Norv Turner’s system. He’s slides right back in behind Gates and will still be productive even if he doesn’t put up starters numbers.

Vikings re-sign DT Fred Evans

The Vikings re-signed defensive tackle Fred Evans to a two-year contract.

Evans has been with the Vikings for a while and has shown the ability to press the pocket in spurts. He still has had off-the-field issues in the past and could face suspensions in the future if he doesn’t stay out of the trouble. Also, he’s not great as a starter at the under tackle spot. He really works better as a rotational player, which is where the Vikings are likely to use him. This was a sensible signing.

Ravens re-sign LB Chavis Williams

The Ravens re-signed linebacker Chavis Williams to an undisclosed contract.

Williams is mostly a special teamer and bottom-of the roster linebacker. He’s a coin flip to be on the team following training camp.