Sign 'em up

Restricted free agents Buckhalter, Moreno are worth the asking price

San Diego linebacker Zeke Moreno flew under the radar to record 96 tackles last season. Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Three weeks into the free-agent period and Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter and Chargers linebacker Zeke Moreno remain restricted free agents. Hello, is anyone paying attention? Buckhalter isn't some wannabe like Thomas Jones, who signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Bears. And Moreno isn't a never-will-be, a la Steve Foley, who signed a three-year, $3.6-million deal with the Chargers.

Buckhalter holds the promise of being a go-to back. He bounced back from knee surgery last year to post two 100-yard games and he had a 90-plus effort in another. There is a history of injuries, but Philly's three-back rotation limited his wear and tear last season, when he topped 20 carries only once.

In 30 career games, Buckhalter has averaged 8.5 carries, 4.4 yards per carry and a touchdown once every 25.5 carries. Multiplied across a 16-game season with 25 carries per game, the numbers may be surprising: 1,760 yards and about 20 TDs. Now imagine getting that kind of production by giving up only a fourth-round draft pick, which is what Buckhalter will cost a team that succeeds in getting his name on the dotted line of a deal the Eagles are not willing to match.

Consider the backup running backs that have been dangled as possible trade bait this offseason, including the Giants' Ron Dayne and K.C.'s Larry Johnson. Those two would garner more than a fourth-round pick, while Buckhalter can be had right now for a choice between Nos. 96 and 127. Oakland, which would be a near perfect fit, is sitting at No. 98. The Jets also make sense with the 107th pick. Ditto the Patriots at No. 112 and Broncos at 116.

Moreno had 96 tackles last season, the same total as Baltimore's Edgerton Hartwell and more than Denver's Al Wilson (87) and Indianapolis' Marcus Washington (81). A restricted free agent, Hartwell will cost a team a No. 1 pick. Wilson recently re-upped with the Broncos for seven years at $42 million, while Washington joined the ever-growing D.C. millionaires club, signing a six-year, $24 million deal with the Redskins.

San Diego, holding the right of first refusal, decided Moreno is worth only a fifth-round pick. If Moreno signs with another team, the Chargers can match the deal -- or let Moreno sign and receive a fifth-rounder in return. How many fifth-round linebackers are going to be of his caliber? Here's a hint: not many, if any. As for available linebackers, take your pick: Moreno or the likes of Brian Allen (available for a third-rounder), Torrance Marshall (3rd), Markus Steele (4th) and Matt Stewart (4th).

The Colts, who lost Washington to the Redskins, have six picks. Indy's fifth-round choice is No. 156, which is fourth from last in the round -- basically a sixth-rounder. With Warren Sapp and John Lynch now off the market, Indy head coach Tony Dungy should get Moreno's John Hancock ASAP.

While draft picks are considered cheap labor by many front-office types, rolling the dice with a second-day draft choice is not prudent when a team is on the cusp of competing for division or conference titles -- or the Super Bowl, in Indianapolis' case. Teams should give up the draft pick in the quest of improving now, especially when we're talking about young players with above-average talent.

So in case some personnel-types didn't get the memo: Offer sheets may be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on April 16 -- and the clock is ticking.

B. Duane Cross is a senior producer for SI.com.