The Baltimore Ravens continue to feel the pain that comes with winning the Super Bowl with players that are headed into free agency. So far, the Ravens have already lost their two most coveted free agents, Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger, and they were forced to trade veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin to the 49ers. And although Baltimore has freed up some cap space that it desperately needs, it also created huge holes to fill in doing so.
The Miami Dolphins, on the other hand, are clearly buyers this offseason. With the team looking for a spark and a GM on the hot seat, Miami signed former Steeler Mike Wallace and Ravens' middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on Tuesday. Wallace was generally considered to be the top free agent available this offseason and Miami inked him to a deal that will be in the neighborhood of $13 million per season.
To compensate for the loss of Mike Wallace, the Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed back Plaxico Burress, although few expect that his production will rival that of Wallace. But that is the way business gets done in the NFL. With the salary cap and the league's commitment to maintaining a competitive balance, teams that draft well and win are usually unable to hold on to their best players when they reach free agency. The fans don't necessarily like it, but it's the best possible scenario for the owners and, to a lesser extent, the players. So far, it appears the Miami Dolphins have made the biggest impact in free agency, but things are just getting started.
The Miami Dolphins, on the other hand, are clearly buyers this offseason. With the team looking for a spark and a GM on the hot seat, Miami signed former Steeler Mike Wallace and Ravens' middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on Tuesday. Wallace was generally considered to be the top free agent available this offseason and Miami inked him to a deal that will be in the neighborhood of $13 million per season.
To compensate for the loss of Mike Wallace, the Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed back Plaxico Burress, although few expect that his production will rival that of Wallace. But that is the way business gets done in the NFL. With the salary cap and the league's commitment to maintaining a competitive balance, teams that draft well and win are usually unable to hold on to their best players when they reach free agency. The fans don't necessarily like it, but it's the best possible scenario for the owners and, to a lesser extent, the players. So far, it appears the Miami Dolphins have made the biggest impact in free agency, but things are just getting started.
