Oh the Marshall trade! I thought long and hard about rejecting it so I could sign Mario Williams. But then there sits Biggie and others who have accepted the trade AND sign Williams. And even though they may be left with too many holes to fill from over cutting,
I have to compete with the media FRENZY that would occur from grabbing both Marshall & Williams. Sooooo
I accept the Marshall trade and lose $9.4 million in cap space along with the 2 third round picks.
Cap Space before trade: $20.51m
minus Marshall -$9.4mCap Space Remaining: $11.11m
My Strategy: This team finished 8-8, but was on its way to an 11-5 season before the Jonny Knox turf incident lead to a total collapse of the season. In the 5 games before the Cutler injury, the line was playing great and had given up less than a handful of sacks. So my strategy in FA is to fill gaps and add depth - what this team was sorely lacking. I would have loved the big signing in Mario Williams, but that would have left me weak at several positions and lacking starters that I would not be able to find in the draft.
Positions needed heading into FA:
Starters: WR, DE, CB
Reserve: TE, OT, CB, QB
That said....
My official signings:
DE Mark Anderson $2.65M
He's not Mario Williams, but I'm still bringing in someone who can put the heat on opposing QBs. Anderson brings double digit sacks opposite Peppers. I still need an every down DE. Anderson isn't it. I'll use him as my situational pass rusher with speed opposite Julius Peppers and get my every down DE in the draft. Lovie won't make the same mistake trying to force him to be an every down player. The result? Pressure on the edges!
"Anderson showed that he can play with double-digit sacks in limited playing time and 2 sacks in the Super Bowl."
Scouting Report: Anderson has been a mix-in starter for the past six years, but his primary role has been as a situational backup defensive end. He shows good initial quickness as well as acceleration off the edge, but can struggle once blockers engage. He can struggle to hold his ground at the point of attack and is more effective when playing in space. He shows good athleticism and agility when in space but will struggle when trying to hold up at the point of attack. Anderson understands angles and how to leverage his way to the ball, but needs to play on the edges rather than in a two-gap system.
WR-Eddie Royal $2.35m 
We're getting the gang back together! Cutler, Marshall & Royal is PROVEN! (91 catches for 980 yards as a ROOKIE) Don't listen to the Nay sayers (Chewie). Cutler can hit Royal and Royal has shown he can be the deep threat for Cutler. The last two years under McDumbskull and then Tebow are thrown out the window. When Knox is healthy, he will compete, but for now? Hail, Hail, the gangs all here!
Scouting Report: Royal is a slightly undersized receiver with excellent initial quickness and good route-running skills. He can drop his hips to get in and out of his breaks with a burst and has the speed to turn a short catch into a long touchdown with a missed tackle. He is very elusive and shows jitterbug-type quickness and agility. He will body trap some passes. He can struggle when in a crowd and going up against bigger defenders.
LB-LaRon Landry $1.55 million 
Yes you read that right. I'm signing Landry to a long term incentive laden escalating contract and moving his HGH iron pumping guns to outside line backer. I think he's bulked up too much to play safety in Lovie's cover 2, but he has enough speed (and God knows he has the bulk) to move to outside LB and challenge Roach. If he can still cover at safety, then we have extra safety depth.
Scouting Report: He is an active player who makes a lot of plays on the ball. He is a versatile strong safety who can play in the box or in space. He can play in halves or the deep third of the field. He is excellent in run support and runs the alleys well. He is a better hitter than tackler; he will occasionally drop his head and miss tackles in space. He shows a lot of range in coverage. His instincts are getting better in coverage and he makes a lot of plays on the ball. Landry is an active playmaker for Washington but it remains to be seen how well he can bounce back from such a serious injury.
RB-BenJarvis Green-Ellis $1.155 m
Solid backup for Forte and insurance against a holdout. Can't beat the production for the price.
Scouting Report: He is a good combination of size, strength and athleticism. Green-Ellis is a tough, physical north-south runner who is aggressive and runs hard. He shows good balance and run instincts between the tackles. He doesn't have great speed or burst, but possesses deceptive quickness and agility to find creases and pick up chunks of yards. He runs with attitude and power to move the pile on contact. He has solid receiving skills out of the backfield, but again, isn't explosive with the ball in his hands. Green-Ellis is a good player who has the tools to continue to be productive for the Patriots, but may never be an impact runner in the league.
TE-Visanthe Shiancoe $1.0 million
At 6'4" 251lbs, Shiancoe add another big target for Cutler while also providing depth at the tight end spot behind Kellen Davis. Despite his age, he's still productive cathcing 36 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Scouting Report: Shaincoe is a good receiver and is consistent in terms of walling off defenders to set the edge. He is an undersized athlete who is a good fit at tight end, and can be a good red zone threat. He has good speed, quickness and agility in his routes. He does a nice job stretching interior seams and is an effective short and intermediate route runner. He has good hands and can make the tough grab away from his body.
CB Kelvin Hayen $1.0 m
The Bears targeted him a before because he is an excellent cover-two corner. At 6', 195lbs I get some size back at CB and don't mind that I let Jennings & Bowman go. Back in the system he's comfortable in, he can compete for time with Corey Graham and whatever CB I grab in the draft.
Scouting Report: Hayden has size and good quickness, agility and body control along with adequate downfield speed. He is a good tackler both in space and coming forward in run support. He has fluid hips that allow him to open and run with receivers but lacks a second gear and will lose some ground to faster receivers on deep routes. He is quick in transition and shows a decent burst to close on the ball in front of him. He shows good route awareness and the ability to read the quarterback's eyes. He is more effective in off or zone coverage.
QB-Chris Redman $1,000,000
We don’t need starter quality to back up Cutler. We need capable backup game manager. If we had even that, we’d be taking the Giants place right now. Bringing in Orton feels good, but its overkill and money that’s better spent elsewhere.
Scouting Report: Redman is a quality backup quarterback that understands the game and is a quick learner. He knows how to read coverages and go through his progressions and can be an accurate thrower when given time. He has shown the ability to step in and start the occasional game when Matt Ryan was injured and while he can manage a team he is not going to carry the team over the long haul. He has enough of an arm to make the short to intermediate outs and hit small windows at pretty much every level. He lacks the powerful arm needed to attack secondaries deep, especially by the boundaries.
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With these pickups in FA, I've positioned myself to take the best Available Player in Rounds 1 & 2 of the draft and then likely go for an athletic LB or backup swing OT in round 3.
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Cap Space $20.51
Marshall Trade -$9.4
FA Costs: -$10.705Remaining Cap Space: $405,000
Positions needed before free agency:
Starters: WR, DE, CB
Reserve: OT, CB, QB, TE, RB
Addressed in Free Agency: DE, WR, CB, RB, LB, TE, QB
To be addressed in the draft: OT, CB
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