Free Agency Grades: A.F.C. East

Earlier this week I took a comprehensive look at the free agent signings of the N.F.C. East. Now I’ll move on to their counterparts in the East, the A.F.C. East. What have the Patriots, Bills, Jets, and Dolphins accomplished. The A.F.C. East has two of the top teams in the league, but could also be looking at two of the worst teams in the league in the Dolphins and Bills. Did they do enough in free agency to leap frog some of the other teams around the league?

The Miami Dolphins

Signed
Jason Trusnik, LB from the Browns

Jason Taylor, LB from the Jets

Matt Moore, QB from Carolina

Ronald Fields, OL from Denver

Kevin Burnett, LB, From Chargers

Marc Colombo, T, From the Dallas Cowboys

Resigned

Tony McDaniel, DE

Lost

Ronnie Brown (Eagles)

Ricky Williams (unsigned)

Patrick Cobbs (unsigned)

Tyler Thigpen (Buffalo)

Released: Channing Crowder

Acquired in a trade: Reggie Bush

Grade: C+

I don’t think the Dolphins have done much to improve themselves this off-season. Right after the draft I released an initial 2011 NFL power rankings in which I ranked the Dolphins last in the N.F.L., much to the dismay of Dolphins fans who ripped me, but I’m not coming off that much at all. I think they have addressed needs this off-season, but I don’t love the players they filled the holes with in the draft or free agency. They drafted many of my overrated draft prospects (Pouncey, Thomas, Gates) and only Gates was at a good value.

I thought ILB was a position that was of desperate need as the team has little depth there and they went out and got Kevin Burnett from the Chargers which is a solid, unspectacular move. And then they haven’t really been that active in free agency. All in all a meh off-season for the Dolphins. Maybe no longer the worst team in the N.F.L, but still not great and I expect a losing record.

The move to acquire Reggie Bush was a positive one. Bush is a player fans love to hate on, but he’s a matchup problem and there are so many of those in the N.F.L.

New York Jets (I’m using the NFL Free Agency Tracker at N.F.L. come and it just says “New York” for both the Giants and the Jets, but I believe I got all of the correct signings).

Chris White

Robert Turner

Donald Strickland

Eric Smith

Wayne Hunter

Santonio Holmes

Nick Folk

Antonio Cromartie

Plaxico Burress

Chris Bryan

Mark Brunell

Free Agency: B

The Jets have been busy in the off-season, but most of the signings were their own players, but that’s just as important sometimes as getting guys in free agency. The Jets brought back Antonio Cromartie (after whiffing on Nnadmi Asmougha) and Santonio Holmes. Not the best character guys in the locker room, but talented players who will help the Jets win now.

They, did however, lose a lot on their special teams with the departures of Steve Weatherford and Brad Smith (KR/PR/Wildcat QB/Playmaker). The potential loss of Braylon Edwards could also be damaging. Justifications for a lower grade are outlined here, I’ll stick with a B because I believe the two players they did resign were the right calls. I’m not a huge fan of the Plaxico Burress signing. He wasn’t having a great year with the Giants in 2008 and now it’s three years down the line and he’s been out of football. He came out of prison and immediately slighted Tom Coughlin as a guy he didn’t really want to play for. Has he matured? Not sure. Is he still the same player he was before the “shot heard around the league”? I doubt it. He could be a valuable addition to the Jets, but he could easily be one more distraction for the Jets that they might not need.

New England Patriots

Resigned:

Tracy White, LB

Sammy Morris, RB

Brandon McCgowan

Kyle Arrington, CB

Ben Jarvis Green Ellis/ and Kevin Faulk Running backs

Logan Mankins, G

Matt Light, T

Acquired in a trade:

Albert Haynesworth, DL, Redskins

Chad Ochocinco, WR, Bengals

Lost:

Ty Warren (Broncos)

Jarrad Page (Eagles)

Free Agency Grade: A-

There are some front offices that are just smarter than the rest of us, and one of them is New England. They didn’t go out and get a bunch of players from other teams in free agency, they refortified their offensive line and then picked up a pair of talented veterans. Players that, if motivated, can absolutely change the dynamic of a playoff race or a Superbowl game. Albert Haynesworth has the best pure ability of any defensive linemen in the National Football League (with maybe Suh as his only competition), and BB has a habit of taking talented, but disgruntled players and maximizing their talent. Haynesworth didn’t want to play in Washington’s 34, but if he came out and had a Defensive M.V.P. kind of season along the DL would anyone bat an eye? No.

Chad Ochocinco runs his mouth too much to fit in with the standard New England Patriots player, but he can still ball. Last year on a bad Bengals team he had 67 catches and 831 yards. He could surpass those numbers in New England this year and give the Patriots another weapon on an already productive offense.

They did lose Ty Warren, but being replaced by Fat Albert could be a benefit, if he plays at his top level.

The Patriots did a wonderful job of (re)fortifying their trenches this off-season and should be competing for a playoff spot or Superbowl berth.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills were recently called out for being too cheap in their approach to free agency (again). Let’s take a look at what they have done so far in free agency.

Lost:
Paul Posluszny, LB

Donte Whitner, SS (still unsigned)

Johh McCargo DL (former first round pick, unsigned)

Ashton Youbouty (unsigned)

Resigned:

Garrison Sanborn, Long Snapper

Drayton Florence, CB

Scott Chandler, TE

Signed:

Tyler Thigpen, QB (Dolphins)

Brad Smith, Specialist (Jets)

Lionel Dotson, DL, (Dolphins)

Nick Barnett, LB, (Green Bay)

Free Agency Grade: B-

I wish I could kill the Bills here because they could have done so much more to upgrade their team, but they seem to be sticking to an organization philosophy of building through the draft (effectively for once) under Buddy Nix. The problem is, it’s the same song and dance Bills fans have heard before. They are still one of the teams with the most cap room in the entire league even though they made two moderate purchases in Brad Smith and Nick Barnett.

But that’s just the kind of second tier moves they always make.

The Bills should have done more, I thought they should have thrown their hat in the ring for TE Zach Miller. The Bills have arguably the worst TE situation in the entire league, but overall a pretty effective offense. Zach Miller could have given Fred Jackson, Stevie Johnson, C.J. Spiller, and Lee Evans a nice complement to their passing game and Fitzpatrick a real chance to sneak a few more victories out. What they did do was lose probably their two best defensive players in Donte Whitner and Poz, though they replaced Poz’s 151 tackles last year with Nick Barnett who had a 105 tackles and 4 sacks in his last full year (in 2009). Barnett, though is perhaps a more natural fit for the Bills 34 defense. It’s not a bad move.

The Bills are relying on their defense being much improved from the young players. In the past two years they have spent a lot of picks early on defense (Torrel Troup, Alex Carrington, Marcel Dareus, Aaron Williams, Kelvin Sheppard). If their defense can be even average vs the run it will greatly improve the chances of the Bills in each game. Still their off-season lack pizazz. The Bills though might be right to hold off one more year. They don’t’ yet have their franchise quarterback, and they actuall have drafted pretty well since Buddy Nix took over so they could be positioning themselves well so that they are truly ready to compete in a year or two instead of just looking for quick fixes.

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