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Looking ahead -- Free agent running backs

Antowain Smith's asking price went way up after helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl. Brian Bahr/Getty Images

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

This is the second in a series of columns intended to provide Fantasy owners with a heads-up look at possible scenarios surrounding this year's crop of potential NFL free agents. The focus of this installment is on running backs.

One last reminder before we get started: The following players are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents unless they sign new deals with their current teams by Feb. 28. This year's free agent signing period begins March 1.

With that out of the way, feel free to proceed at your leisure. ...

Michael Pittman, Arizona Cardinals: Pittman would like to remain in Arizona, but he'll meet with head coach Dave McGinnis shortly to discuss his future with the club before making a final decision. And if he comes out of that meeting with the belief that McGinnis is ready to install Thomas Jones, the seventh pick overall in the 1999 draft, as his No. 1 halfback, Pittman will certainly consider his options carefully.

Not that the decision is his alone.

After pinning the team's hopes for success on a strong rushing attack last summer, McGinnis had to be disappointed when that attack failed to materialize behind Pittman and Jones. When it was all said and done, Pittman had run for 846 yards on 241 carries while Jones added 380 yards on 112 attempts. Neither man rushed for as much as 100 yards in any one game, and as a team, the Cardinals surpassed the 100-yard mark only three times all season.

While Pittman -- a power rusher with remarkable speed and above average receiving skills -- has proven to be the more effective back over the last two years, he heads into the 2002 season with considerable baggage; in addition to his inability to avoid injury and propensity towards fumbling the ball, the former Fresno State star's highly-publicized off-field problems are bound to raise red flags with potential suitors. And even though he started to come on over the final six weeks of the season, the Cardinals still aren't convinced Jones is ready to handle a featured role.

According to those who follow the team closely, the bottom line is this: Pittman's chances of playing for the Cardinals this year are tied to his willingness to play for slightly less than the $1.15 million he earned in 2001.

Travis Jervey, Atlanta Falcons: After finishing the 2001 season with three carries for six yards, a league rule limiting eligibility for the upcoming expansion draft to players already under contract for the 2002 season is probably the only reason Jervey won't be included in the pool of talent the Texans will choose from on Feb. 18. Not that they'd take him.

Of course, it really doesn't matter where Jervey plays next year; the former Citadel star is likely to continue working almost exclusively as a special teamer for the remainder of his pro career.

Terry Allen and Moe Williams, Baltimore Ravens: Originally signed to help cover for last summer's loss of Jamal Lewis, Allen and Williams had their moments in 2001, but their inability to run outside with any kind of consistency is one of the reasons Baltimore's rushing attack struggled as often as not last year. This probably explains the fact that recent reports out of team headquarters indicate neither man will be re-signed for the 2002 season.

A couple of other notes of interest here. According to Pro Football Weekly, Jason Brookins isn't a lock to remain with the team in 2002. While he definitely had his moments, team officials were disappointed by his failure to finish runs and pick up blitzes in the prescribed manner.

Unless they're re-signed by Feb. 28, Brookins and special teams whiz Alan Ricard both become exclusive rights free agents. No. 2 fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo is eligible to become a restricted free agent. Team officials are likely to make a concerted effort to keep Ayanbadejo, who is currently Baltimore's most dangerous receiving threat out of the backfield.

Chris Hetherington, Carolina Panthers: After losing his starting fullback job to Brad Hoover four weeks into the 2001 season, Hetherington is reportedly looking to get out of Carolina.

James Allen and Daimon Shelton, Chicago Bears: Now that Anthony Thomas has the No. 1 spot nailed down, Allen, who ran for 1,120 yards in 2000, is expected to shop his services around and sign with another team this offseason. Leon Johnson's emergence as the No. 2 man over the last half of the season all eliminates any interest the Bears might have had in bringing Allen back for another season.

Team officials would like to re-sign Shelton, but the fact he heads into the 2002 season with three games remaining on a suspension following a positive drug test means he won't be a priority. While he might not be as effective a lead blocker as the 260-pound Shelton, team officials won't hesitate to go with backup Stanley Pritchett, who is considered a much more versatile player than Shelton.

William Henderson, Green Bay Packers: Despite his diminishing role as a ball handler -- he only touched the ball 27 times in 2001 -- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel beat writer Tom Silverstein recently reported that Packer head coach and GM Mike Sherman is likely to go out of his way to keep Henderson -- a solid lead blocker, capable receiver, dependable special teams player and a true team leader -- from leaving via free agency.

The veteran fullback hasn't been offered the kind of money he's looking for just yet, but the two sides only recently began negotiations and Sullivan predicts the Packers will eventually come up with the cash necessary to keep the soon-to-be 31-year old Henderson in the fold for at least one more year.

Lamar Smith, Miami Dolphins: By all accounts, Smith, who lost five fumbles and averaged a meager 3.1 yards on 313 carries, was one of the biggest disappointments in Miami last season. While inconsistency and injuries along the offensive line were factors in Smith's failure to break the 1,000-yard mark, the bottom line remains unchanged: Smith, who entered the season knowing full well he was playing for a big contract, didn't get the job done. As a result, the Dolphins are looking for an upgrade at tailback this offseason.

In addition to rumors hinting that Miami might be able to trade for an established star like Saints running back Ricky Williams or perhaps Jacksonville's Fred Taylor, team officials are said to be considering a free-agent pickup, with New England's Antowain Smith among the candidates getting prominent mention.

Harold Morrow, Minnesota Vikings: During his introductory press conference, new head coach Mike Tice announced plans to move Jim Kleinsasser from fullback to his original position -- tight end. And even though Tice has yet to make it official, the consensus among team observers seems to indicate that Morrow, a solid blocker with good hands, is the leading candidate to take over as the starting fullback.

Antowain Smith, New England: Even though his 1,157 rushing yards were a major factor in the team's success this year, Smith's future as a Patriot remains up in the air. Those who follow the team closely fully expect Smith to ask for a long-term deal worth the current market rate for upper echelon NFL running backs -- a stance that will force head coach Bill Belichick to decide whether the former first-round draft pick, who will be 30-years old when the 2002 season opens, merits a deal that would essentially make him the team's running back of the future.

Based on the latest reports out of New England in the wake of last Sunday's Super Bowl win, Belichick isn't likely to break the bank to keep Smith, who reportedly earned a cool $1.1 million with incentives in 2001. If he's unable to re-sign Smith, Belichick will reportedly try to find yet another veteran castoff capable via free agency this year.

Greg Comella, New York Giants: According to reports out of Giants headquarters shortly after the season ended, team officials will strongly consider replacing Comella, who finished the 2001 campaign as the only fullback on the roster, with a more dominant blocker. It's worth noting that the Giants recently re-signed RB Sean Bennett, who missed all of 2000 and 2001 with knee and hamstring injuries. The current plan calls for the former fourth-round draft pick to work as a combination fullback/H-back/tight end/running back.

A healthy Bennett, who is a much more dynamic offensive weapon than Comella could ever hope to be, would almost certainly make the former Stanford star that much more expendable.

Brian Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles: Mitchell would reportedly like to remain with the Eagles, but he'll press team officials for a two-year deal. Mitchell no longer ranks among the league's top return men, but his 25.0-yard per return average in 2001 was good enough to keep him in the top 20. The fact that Philadelphia doesn't have anybody waiting in the wings to replace him definitely works in Mitchell's favor.

Robert Holcombe, St. Louis Rams: Last year's move from fullback back to tailback locked him into the No. 3 spot behind Marshall Faulk and Trung Candidate. Thus, it is likely Holcombe will try catch on with another team this offseason. The fact that he finished the 2001 season with only 13 carries doesn't make him an especially attractive prospect.

Derrick Harris, San Diego Chargers: Although his future in San Diego is far from clear, Harris was one of the team's top special teams players after ranking second on the team with 12 special teams tackles in 2001. That said, the veteran fullback's sole offensive contribution was a seven-yard reception, and recent reports out of team headquarters indicate that GM John Butler intends to add a fullback or two to the rosters -- possibly rookie free agents -- prior to the team's first mini-camp which will be held early in May.

Garrison Hearst and Fred Beasley, San Francisco 49ers: Niner officials view both players as essential parts of the team, but it's still not clear whether they'll be able to satisfy both men at the negotiating table this offseason. Not surprisingly, the team's cap situation will be a primary sticking point. In fact, the 49ers have to slash $4 million in order to get under the cap by March 1, at which time they'll still have to figure out how to clear even more space in order to make room for Hearst and Beasley.

Earlier this week, general manager Terry Donahue told reporters: "We are in the process now of talking to some guys who can help us with some restructuring stuff."

A couple of notes of interest here. In an article published Wednesday, the editors at PFW offered the following tidbit: "What’s interesting is you would think Hearst would seem to be the top priority, but it’s Beasley, who was a devastating blocker when healthy."

I can't argue against the contention that Beasley is a devastating blocker, but from a Fantasy perspective, the fact that Hearst scored five touchdowns while racking up 1,206 rushing yards on 252 carries with another 347 yards coming off 41 receptions, makes him slightly more important than Beasley, who finished the 2001 season with a grand total of 39 touches (23 rushes, 16 receptions) and one touchdown.

And finally, Terry Jackson, who not only serves as Beasley's backup at fullback but also lines up as the lone back when the Niners line up in one-back sets, is eligible to test the market as a restricted free agent this year.

Ricky Watters and Mack Strong, Seattle Seahawks: The chances of Watters, who is still recovering from the broken ankle he suffered during Seattle's Dec. 26 win over the Cowboys, returning to Seattle in 2002 lie somewhere between slim and none -- something head coach and GM Mike Holmgren made perfectly clear last week when he told reporters: "He's free to entertain offers from other teams," Holmgren said. "We haven't had the staff meeting with our personnel people yet about how we're going to approach some of those free agents. My thinking is, it's probably time for Shaun [Alexander] to carry the ball."

Asked if he had talked to Watters recently, Holmgren replied: "I've tried to phone him a few times, and I haven't been able to hook up with him. He's a free agent. He's rehabbing his ankle injury. We'll see what happens down the road."

As for Strong, the veteran fullback continued to dominate opponents as a lead blocker in 2001. However, the presence of second-year man-to-be Heath Evans -- who brings superior receiving skills to the table -- probably gives Holmgren the luxury of passing if Strong gets too greedy during negotiations.

Warrick Dunn and Rabih Abdullah, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: While Dunn heads into the offseason as Tampa Bay's most notable free agent-to-be, Friday's decision to pass on Marvin Lewis as the team's new head coach leaves the team in a state of flux that makes it all but impossible to predict potential personnel decisions.

According to reports out of team headquarters Friday afternoon, general manager Rich McKay, the man who conducted the search to find a replacement for Tony Dungy, had recommended Lewis to the team's owners. But after two of the sons of owner Malcolm Glazer, Joel and Ed, met with Lewis for five hours Thursday night in Washington, D.C., they decided he wasn't the right man for the job.

McKay, who twice spoke with Lewis by phone Friday morning with the belief that all systems were go, had to place a third call later in the day to relay inform Lewis that the team was going in a different direction. McKay angrily left his office at One Buc Plaza shortly after making the call to Lewis. It's worth noting that he had already phoned the other candidates, including Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, to inform them they would not be getting the job.

All of which means the Glazers are likely to take over the pursuit of a new head coach -- a development that some league officials believe will lead to a rekindling of their pursuit of Bill Parcells. The 61-year old Parcells had all but agreed to a deal to become the team's coach in January before changing his mind and bailing on the Bucs at the last minute.

Which brings us back to Dunn, Abdullah and my original contention: Until the team hires a new head coach -- and perhaps a new general manager -- your guess is probably just as good as mine.

Skip Hicks, Tennessee Titans: After proving his worth as a solid alternative to Eddie George late last season, Hicks recently told reporters: "This is a great place to play; I’ll listen to what they have to say." Team officials would like nothing better than heading into the 2002 season with the former UCLA star waiting in the wings as an insurance policy should George struggle for a second year in a row.

Unfortunately, the Titans are said to be nearly $16 million over this year's salary cap -- a problem that will make it difficult to reach an agreement with Hicks. That said, Mike Green and Dan Alexander -- the only backs other than George and Hicks on Tennessee's roster -- still have a ways to go before they can be considered viable candidates to replace George should the need arise, makes Hicks' presence that much more vital.

Ki-Jana Carter and Donnell Bennett, Washington: While the Redskins have made no secret of their desire to re-sign Carter, there's no guarantee they'll be able to satisfy that desire. Not after the former Bengal rushed for 308 yards and scored three touchdowns working in relief of starter Stephen Davis last season. The overall lack of talent currently available to NFL teams at the running back position -- not to mention his solid 2001 performance -- are sure to make Carter an attractive prospect come March 1.

Although he performed reasonably well last year, Bennett's future with the team is in question. With 17 Redskins scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the month, the former Chief could easily get caught up in a numbers game. Bryan Johnson's emergence as a legitimate candidate for the starting fullback job won't help Bennett's cause any.

There you have it. ... Remember: This is an early look at possible scenarios surrounding the players in question. It’s safe to assume things will change as the offseason progresses. Keep an eye on this column in the coming weeks to keep up with those changes.

Check back next week for an early look at this year's crop of free agent wide receivers.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications

 

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