All-retread FA team (1 Viewer)

[Portis 26]

I sometimes wonder why teams invest $$$ and years of development in rookies out of college, but don't consider investing a couple of years of coaching and nurturing in turning around veteran guys who still have potential to produce for years to come.

For example, Daunte Culpepper. You know he still has the big arm, the experience, and he's got to be recovered from his injury now. What he needs help with is his confidence and his attitude and I think good coaching could provide that. You invest a year or two in C-Pep, he could produce for you for the next five years.

Is it a risk? Sure, but so is drafting a kid out of college. In fact you could argue that older guys are somewhat more worldly and less likely to make mistakes.

In this spirit, here is my ALL-RETREAD team,FA guys who GMs really ought to take a chance on. This does not include rising stars, more guys who have fallen on hard times but could be resurrected.

QB - C-PEP - see above

QB BYRON LEFTWICH - still think he could work in the right system, has great physical talent and a real slinger, even if he does have a funny throwing motion.

HB JULIUS JONES - had some awesome games his first couple of years in the league, seems to have lost confidence recently. Great speed, could still be a big time back in this league

HB VERNAND MORENCY - very promising college career, I still think he could really produce in the right environment

WR DANTE STALLWORTH - still has the burning speed that made him the top WR in his rookie class, actually played pretty well in limited opportunities for the Eagles and Pats recently

WR KELLEY WASHINGTON - highly touted out of college with big-time size and speed, may have missed the boat or may not have had the right chance?

TE BENNIE JOPPRU - also highly touted out of college but got hurt and got forgotten about

TE BEN TROUPE - what happened to this guy? Could be a top 10 TE if his head is in the right place

T GEORGE FOSTER - high draft choice who started in the wrong system (Denver) and was an afterthought in Detroit

G RICK DeMULLING - solid starter for the Colts who became toast once he left Indy

C JEFF FAINE - top draft choice deserves a career with the Saints

DT JIMMY KENNEDY - another top pick who was arguably in the wrong place at the wrong time

DE JEVON KEARSE - the Freak may have lost it, or he could be resurrected in the right system, injury prone, but still has the burst

OLB BOSS BAILEY - great speed, could turn his career around outside of Motown

MLB LEMAR MARSHALL - nice player who did well for Skins and Bengals

MLB DAN MORGAN - would need to be really adventurous to take a chance on concussion, injury prone guy like this

OLB RAONALL SMITH - another one with great speed

CB JASON WEBSTER - formerly highly touted, now bouncing around

CB/S EUGENE WILSON - what happened? from flavor of the month to out of the door in New England

S ERIK COLEMAN - lost his way with the Jets, still a solid player

S WILL DEMPS - bounced back after injuries, impressed with Texans, deserves another shot

 

[Max Power]

I don't think you know how bad George Foster really is

 

[redman]

Reports are DeMulling is going to stay with the 'Skins as a backup OG.

 

[Mungo Burrows]

It seems a lot of those guys don't fit the description you give at the beginning of someone who has been given up on, but should be given the opportunity to be "coached up" to become better. A lot of them are where they are due to serious injuries and have yet to show they still have the abilities they once posessed, or were at least thought to posess (e.g., Troupe, Morgan, Kearse, Washington).

One thing to keep in mind is that, even if you pay these guys the league minimum and no bonus (good luck signing some of them for that), the veteran minimum is significantly more than the minimums for a player's first few years. So you're paying more for your veteran "project" than you would for a rookie "project".

Also, there are only 53 spots on a team's roster, and even the "project" guys usually have to play a role, often on special teams, and most of these veterans are either unwilling or physically unable to adequately contribute on special teams the way a raw, young, project would.

One more note: Faine just got a deal to be the highest paid center in the league. I don't think they are considering him to be a project that needs a couple years of "nurturing and coaching".

 

[Capella]

Jeff Faine is a retread?

 

[prymetyme25]

I'd really like to see the Texans go after Bailey as they could use more speed on the outside and he could probably help in coverage.