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NFL News, Opinion, Top PostsThe Bears, Julius Peppers and a review of the 2009 free agent class
EDDIE LEE
NFLPosts.com Editor
Some words of caution to the euphoric Chicago Bears, who shut out the competition in the Julius Peppers sweepstakes on Friday, the first day of NFL free agency in 2010. Remember the Redskins.
More importantly for the embattled duo of Bears GM Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith, they should note that both Redskins VP of football operations Vinny Cerrato and coach Jim Zorn were fired before the end of the season after signing the plum of the 2009 draft class, DT Albert Haynesworth, to a 7-year, $100 million contract.
With Haynesworth and CB Angelo Hall (re-signed for $54 million/6 years/$22.5 million guaranteed) the Redskins defense actually got worse across the board statistically. From 6th overall in 2008 to 18th in 2009, 4th in yards to 10th, 7th to 9th against the pass and 8th to 16th against the run.
Was Haynesworth to blame for the decline?
No, when he played, he still commanded the double teams he saw in Tennessee but he didn’t exactly put the unit over the top either.
Such are the vagaries of free agency.
Winners in March rarely continue to roll past Christmas.
Of the 2009 NFL free agent class and the hundreds of millions of dollars promised, only LB Bart Scott ($48 million/6 years) made a significant impact on his new team, the Jets.
CB Jabari Greer’s new team won the Super Bowl but he was more of an accessory ($23 million/4 years) to the accomplishment.
The others?
T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Seattle – $40 million/5 years), C Jason Brown (St. Louis – $37.5 million/5 years, DE Antonio Smith (Houston – $35 million/5 years) and RB Derrick Ward (Tampa Bay – $17 million/4 years) point to the disappointing nature of veteran players in new surroundings.
That’s not to say the Bears, who also signed RB Chester Taylor and TE Brandon Manumaleuna, flushed their money down the drain.
Devoid of a 1st round draft pick in 2010 (11th overall) thanks to the Jay Cutler deal, the Bears spent part of what they would have otherwise spent on a youngster.
With the 11th choice in 2009, the Buffalo Bills selected DE Aaron Maybin, watched him holdout through training camp for a 5-year, $25 million deal, and then struggle to find playing time. His return on the investment in the first year: 18 tackles, 0 sacks and 1 forced fumble.
Now, Maybin will improve, while it’s likely that Peppers best days are behind him.
That’s not a knock on the 6-6, 283 lbs. Peppers, who remains an elite pass-rushing force at the age of 30.
But with a 6-year, $91.5 million deal that’s comparable to Haynesworth’s, there’s a good chance that Peppers won’t see the end of the contract in Chicago. It’s just the way nature works when it’s devoid of performance enhancers.
Peppers does give the Bears the best speed rusher they’ve had since Richard Dent, capable of turning a game in an instant with a sack and a forced fumble.
How much those abilities can lift a defense that gave up more than 2,000 rushing yards and a QB-lovin’ 92.3 passer rating throughout a 16-game season remains to be seen.
As we’ve seen in previous years, it’s doubtful Peppers will be able to mask the many flaws that free-agent seeking teams crave.
But the hype and the expectations still lead many to expect surreal accomplishments, expectations that more often than not turn to disappointment and wholesale changes in a front office.
And therein lies the genesis of Smith’s voyage to Carolina to personally escort Peppers to Chicago.
Mssrs. Angelo and Smith are likely down to their last at bat in the Windy City.
Why not go down swinging?
Ravens trade for WR Anquan Boldin
Bears sign free agent DE Julius Peppers
Lions sign first free agents: Burleson, Vanden Bosch
Panthers release QB Jake Delhomme, make way for Matt Moore
