Winners and Losers (NFL Free Agency Period)

As training camps begin to open up, the free agency period is basically over. Lets take a look at who is going into the season looking good and who could have done better.

Winners

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The signing of Nnamdi Asomugha alone could net the Eagles the top winner of free agency. Asomugha is the top cornerback in the league and fits in perfectly with their scheme. Him, Astante Samuel, and another new face Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie gives the Eagles the best secondary in the NFL and maybe the top cornerback group in NFL history. Add in that they added two stellar defensive lineman in Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. And the Eagles defense which was already good, entered the elite category.

2. Houston Texans

Now the Texans additions weren't as flashy as the Eagles but their additions will greatly improve their biggest weakness. Last year the Texans finished 32nd in the league in pass defense. The Texans went out and got Jonathan Joseph who doesn't get the recognition of Nnamdi Asomugha but is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the NFL. This move allows the Texans to move Glover Quinn to free safety where his skills are better suited. Then the Texans signed Daniel Manning who has been the Chicago Bears starting strong safety the past couple of years. It may only be two players but the Texans secondary will improve at three positions and won't be the liability they were last year.

3. Arizona Cardinals

I was very adamant leading up to the draft that the Cardinals wouldn't draft a quarterback and would go after a veteran. Sure enough the Cardinals passed on Blaine Gabbert and instead went ahead and traded for their new franchise quarterback in Kevin Kolb. Sure they gave up a 2nd round pick and a Pro Bowl cornerback in DRC, but if Kevin Kolb turns out to be a franchise quarterback its all worth it. You can always get a high caliber cornerback in the 2nd or 3rd round. But its not that easy to get a high caliber quarterback. Now the Cardinals didn't stop there. They also added Todd Heap who is still one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Now instead of having John Skelton, Max Hall, or Derek Anderson as their QB they'll have Kevin Kolb and he'll be throwing the ball to Larry Fitzgerrald and Todd Heap. Throw in Stewart Bradley as new inside linebacker and you have a much improve Cardinals team.

4. New England Patriots

I don't know why everybody gets so surprised when the Patriots are able to get these high profile players. They do it every year. Whether its Randy Moss, Corey Dillion, Adalius Thomas, or anybody else. They always are able to "rob" teams for these players. They got both Chad Johnson and Albert Haynesworth for late round picks. Haynesworth will be rejuvenated playing for the Patriots and Johnson will give the Patriots the deep threat that they lacked last year.

5. Carolina Panthers

Carolina didn't really go out and sign anybody new but the best thing they did was not let their young players get away. DE Charles Johnson, LB James Anderson, LB Thomas Davis, and RB DeAngelo Williams. Add in that they signed Jeremy Shockey before the lockout began and only gave up a 3rd round pick for TE Greg Olsen and its a pretty good couple of days for the Panthers. Although the Panthers had the worse record in the NFL last year they aren't too far off from being competitive. Olsen and Shockey give the Panthers another couple of weapons to take the pressure off of Steve Smith and give whoever is their quarterback a safety blanket.

Losers

1. Chicago Bears

The Bears were able to sign some players but not the ones that would address any of their biggest needs. Roy Williams gives them a big bodied receiver who had his best year under Mike Martz. Vernon Gholston and Amobi Okoye have the talent but haven't shown it yet. But the Bears are on the losers list because they failed to improve the offensive line which was their biggest weakness last year. How they didn't get a guard baffles me. They invested so much in Jay Cutler but to allow him to take the beating he does and not doing anything about it is ridiculous. I guess they are hoping Chris Williams improves from last year or Frank Omiyale can slide into guard and play better than he did two years ago there.

2. Dallas Cowboys

When the lockout ended the Cowboys were the most active. But it was cutting talent and not bringing it in. They cut Marion Barber, Roy Williams, and Leonard Davis in an effort to free up money to go after premier free agents like Nnamdi Asomugha. However all that they did was give Doug Free a bigger contract that he deserves. Now Free is a quality left tackle, but isn't worth the money that he got. Kinda a disappoint for a team that was so active at the beginning.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Many people expect big things from the Bucs. They have a really talented young team that really surprised people with their strong play last year. And they have a ton of money that they had to spend to get over the salary floor that was agreed upon during the lockout. So with the need for cornerback you would think they would make a big run for Asomugha or Joseph and throw a ton of money their way. But they didn't. They could have also used a running back like Reggie Bush to complement LeGarrett Blount but they missed on him too. Their biggest expenditure was on a punter. Way to go Tampa, give the punter all the money.

4. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins looked to be the team that was going to go after one of the top free agent quarterbacks in an effort to give Chad Henne some competition and hopefully win the job. They looked to have a deal worked out for Kyle Orton, but that fell through. But instead they got Matt Moore. Yes from Orton to Moore. That's going to be one heck of a QB battle. They did trade for Reggie Bush so at least they improved their offense a little bit. But other than that, it wasn't good for the Dolphins.

5. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings were probably the biggest loser of the whole free agency period. They lost their top receiver and a starting defensive end but their top player they brought in was an aging Donovan McNabb. Now McNabb would have been a great pickup a couple of years ago, but he just suffered through a season where he just looked lost. The Vikings have a ton of talent and if they could have kept their guys and brought in some secondary help they could have been right back in the playoff hunt, but now they are looking to be picking in the top 10 next year.

Trade Analysis

This past off season has produced a bunch of trades. Here is a breakdown of some of them.

• Philadelphia Eagles trade DT Brodrick Bunkley to the Denver Broncos for a 2013 draft pick.

This was a little confusing because Bunkley was originally traded to the Browns but now has been traded to the Eagles. Anyways Brunkley was moved because he was expendable since the Eagles signed Cullen Jenkins. For Denver this is huge because they were lacking depth inside since they moved from the 3-4 to the 4-3. Bunkley should step in right away and give Denver an inside presence that they could really use.

• Bears trade TE Greg Olsen to the Carolina Panthers for a 2012 3rd Round Pick.

It was unfortunate that Greg Olsen didn't have the success many thought he would have when he was drafted in the 1st round. The coaches never seemed to know how to get the most out of him and with Mike Martz in town he didn't have any plans on featuring Olsen in the passing game. Both teams feel that they won this trade because the Panthers get a player that will provide a safety blanket for Cam Newton and take some of the pressure off of Steve Smith. The Bears get rid of a player that didn't fit their scheme and get what will probably be a high 3rd round pick.

• Cincinnati Bengals trade WR Chad Johnson to the New England Patriots for a 2012 and 2013 late round pick.

Ever since the end of the season the talk of Chad Johnson leaving was pretty clear. He had voiced his displeasure with the Bengals and talked about wanting to go to the Patriots. However many think it was going to happen. Cincinnati clears room for their new #1 WR in AJ Green and the rest of their young receivers. New England is hoping to have a similar outcome that Randy Moss gave them for his first two seasons with the team. Johnson will help stretch the field and free up room for Hernandez, Gronkowski, and Welker.

• Philadelphia Eagles trade QB Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 2nd round pick.

This is the big move of the free agency. It was pretty clear that Kolb was going to be in a new uniform but it was a matter of who wanted him more. Arizona wanted him pretty bad because they gave up a 2nd round pick and young Pro Bowl corner whose best football is still ahead of him. DRC along with Asante Samuel and newly signed Nnamdi Asomugha give the Eagles possibly the best cornerback group in NFL history. DRC is a very talented cover corner who will help the Eagles play a lot of man to man coverage and blitz from all over the field.

• New Orleans Saints trade RB Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins for a 2012 late round pick.

It was no surprise that Reggie Bush was moved. He hasn't really lived up to any of his college hype and with Mark Ingram being drafted the writing was on the wall. Bush will go to Miami and provide a complement to rookie Daniel Thomas and help the Dolphins in the return game which they haven't had any real game breakers. Both team won here. Bush adds a playmaker to the Dolphins and the Saints were able to get something out of Bush instead of just cutting him.

• Washington Redskins trade Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots for a 2012 5th round pick.

Washington had to get rid of Haynesworth who was eating up a huge salary, wasn't happy, or motivated. Out of the blue Haynesworth is traded and it was to the Patriots who have a habit of taking players who have history of being malcontents and turning them around. Corey Dillion was one and Randy Moss was another. I believe Haynesworth will be another. Washington wanted him to play the NT position in their 3-4 but I've always thought that if Haynesworth was going to play in the 3-4 the DE spot would be the perfect fit. That's where he'll play in New England and I have no worries that Bilicheck will get the most of him. And for a 5th round pick it could be highway robbery.

• Washington Redskins trade Donnavan McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2012 6th round pick and a 2013 conditional 6th round pick.

Very similar to the Haynesworth pick, it was clear after Shanahan threw him under the bus that wasn't going to be in Washington this season. Minnesota was always thought to be a logical placement where he could go for a year or maybe two and bridge the gap to Christian Ponder. McNabb didn't look good last year but a new team and a new outlook might rejuvenate him into a serviceable starter. Washington makes out alright because they get some draft picks out of it instead of nothing if they would have cut him.