Free Agency, Day Ten

With about ten days of the free agency period behind us, we should be settled in with the majority of signings being finalized. But before we get to that, let’s look at today’s signings.

Bears sign RB Michael Bush

The Bears signed running back Michael Bush to a four-year deal worth $14 million dollars including $7 million in guarantees.

I’m hesitant to say this was a great move, but I like it in principle. The Bears are not sure that they’ll be able to work out a contract with Matt Forte long-term so they grabbed one of the best available running backs as insurance. Additionally, Bush can be worked into a rotation with Forte to help keep both players fresh. The question is whether or not they can trust Bush to be a full-time starter should Forte walk following next season. If not, then this move could blow up in their face.

Patriots re-sign WR Deion Branch

The Patriots re-signed wide receiver Deion Branch to a one-year deal.

This signing makes a lot of sense from both sides. Branch is one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets and has been very productive for the Patriots. He also has experienced his greatest success with the Patriots, showing that not every team knows how to utilize his talents properly. For a team that has so many holes at wide receiver, they simply couldn’t afford to not re-sign him when there was no other team pushing that hard for him. This was a good signing.

49ers re-sign WR Ted Ginn Jr., sign QB Josh Johnson

The 49ers have re-signed wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year deal. They also signed quarterback Josh Johnson to a two-year deal.

The 49ers really needed to get Ted Ginn back, whether they want to admit it or not. Ginn was a multi-purpose weapon on offense and a dangerous return man on special teams. While they could have found ways to replace his production on offense, they would have had a harder time finding someone to replacement in special teams. They did a good job in getting him back.

I like the Josh Johnson signing, but that just comes from me liking Johnson as a player. He hasn’t proven too much on the field, but has the ability to be a quality backup in my mind. So I think they made a good signing.

Broncos re-sign LB Wesley Woodyard, sign CB Tracy Porter

The Broncos re-signed linebacker Wesley Woodyard to an undisclosed contract. They also signed corner back Tracy Porter to a one-year deal worth $4 million dollars.

I’m not a big fan of Woodyard, but he’s played well in the John Fox defensive scheme so re-signing him was a smart move. He’ll likely continue as a starter on the outside.

I really like the Tracy Porter signing, though I think they could have given him more than a year. Porter has proven to be a good starting cornerback and should prove to be a slight upgrade over Andre Goodman. The Broncos need to get younger in the secondary and Porter has the potential to the beginnings of that youth movement. Signing him was a smart move.

Bengals re-sign CB Adam Jones

The Bengals have re-signed cornerback Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones to an undisclosed contract.

The Bengals needed to re-sign at least one of their free agent cornerbacks, and they decided on Pacman. The simple fact is that this team had three of their cornerbacks becoming free agents and their top corner, Leon Hall, is recovering from a torn ACL. Had they allowed all of the free agents to leave, they would have spent years trying to recover. While I wouldn’t have put Jones at the top of the list, he’s experienced and has been a relatively good citizen in Cincinnati. This was a necessary, though not great signing.

Panthers sign OG Mike Pollak

The Panthers have signed offensive guard Mike Pollak to an undisclosed contract.

The Panthers needed to find someone to replace cut offensive guard Travelle Wharton. Pollak might not have carried the best track record in his time with the Colts, but he comes in with starting experience and should compete for the starting job.

Lions re-sign TE Will Heller, sign DE Everette Brown

The Lions have re-signed tight end Will Heller and signed defensive end Everette Brown. Both were signed to one year deals.

The Heller signing makes sense. While Heller is far from the most physically gifted of tight ends, he’s developed a good relationship with quarterback Matthew Stafford. For a third tight end, he gets a lot of opportunities to make plays and has played well when given the opportunity because of injuries to either Brandon Pettigrew or Tony Scheffler. This was good decision.

The Brown signing fits into what the Lions have been doing for the past couple of years. They’ve found players that other teams gave up on and helping them find a role on their team. Brown may not work out, but he’s at least being given the chance. This was a nice signing.

Rams sign OT Quinn Ojinnaka

The Rams signed offensive tackle Quin Ojinnaka to a one-year deal.

Quinnaka brings a nasty attitude and some starting experience with him, though his main role on this team will likely be as a depth tackle.

Cardinals re-sign OT D’Anthony Batiste

The Cardinals re-signed offensive tackle D’Anthony Batiste. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Batiste will basically be used in the same way as Ojinnaka will, though he’ll have a better chance to earn a starting left tackle spot, assuming the Cardinals don’t draft a left tackle.

Buccaneers sign OT Jamon Meredith

The Buccaneers signed offensive tackle Jamon Meredith to a two-year deal.

Basically the same as the last two signings I mentioned above. Meredith is almost purely a depth player along the offensive line.