Don’t discount this “scrap heap six”…

By Lou DiPietro  |   Wednesday, June 10, 2009  |  Comments( 4 )

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It’s now the middle of June, the NFL draft has come and gone, and voluntary offseason training activities are underway. Soon, training camp will be here, and the NFL season will begin in earnest. Yet, just like in every sport, there are still a few premier free agents out there for teams to take fliers on.

Whether they be aging veterans, miscast role players or guys looking for a break, it matters not; there are still a bunch of good players available. This “dirty half-dozen,” however, make up the best available at their positions and could be a linchpin in turning a team around.

Defensive front seven: Derrick Brooks

So he’s a step slower than he used to be; well, he’s still Derrick Brooks.

Statistically, Brooks had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2008 – only 73 tackles and one INT – and even though he made the Pro Bowl, the Buccaneers cut him loose. The 14-year veteran still has some gas left in the tank at 35, and while he may not be an ideal starter, Brooks would be a perfect fit for a team that could use a veteran to backup in the middle or start in a 3-4.

That perfect fit may just be New England. A middle linebacker by trade, Brooks would fit Mike Vrabel’s old role on the inside perfectly. Having lost a step won’t hurt him as much in the Pats’ 3-4 defense, where there’s a second inside linebacker to cover his tracks. Plus, he and Tedy Bruschi would be a nice mentor combination for Jerod Mayo. The Pats have long been a team to take seemingly washed-up veterans – from Bruschi and Vrabel to Corey Dillon to numerous DBs – and put them in a position to flourish. Brooks could be another success story.

Defensive backfield: Chris McAlister

Much like Brooks, McAlister, a stalwart on an oft-impressive defense, had a bad season and was a salary cap casualty. In his case, however, injuries have cost him 18 games over the last two years, which in itself was more than enough motivation for Baltimore to move on without one of the final remaining members of its 2000 Super Bowl team.

But when healthy, McAlister is still a pretty good cover corner who would still be a serviceable starter – and probably the best nickel corner in the league if put in that role.

His most likely destination? Oddly enough, it might be Oakland. Teams don’t throw at Nnamdi Asomugha for a reason – he’s one of the best in the league. But on the flip side, that means that Chris Johnson is going to need to play better than he is to compensate for that. By bringing McAlister aboard, Al Davis would give his squad a capable veteran backup who could step in if Johnson isn’t the guy the Raiders think he is. Plus, he knows how to “just win, baby.”

Quarterback: Rex Grossman

I’ll admit that the remaining QB crop isn’t very impressive. That’s not a knock on Grossman, though.

The Bears finally gave up on him for Kyle Orton – and then went out and got Jay Cutler – but he’s not “bad.” In fact, Grossman is the definition of capable backup. In the one season where he stayed healthy and started all 16 games for the Bears, “Sexy Rexy” threw for almost 3,200 yards and 23 TDs on a team horribly bereft of wide receivers.

He may not be an ideal starter, but for a team looking for a capable backup who can step in for a perhaps injury-prone starter, Grossman's your man. There is a team that fits that mold perfectly, too: Seattle. The Seahawks still have to be wary of Matt Hasselbeck’s balky back, and with Charlie Frye having been released, Seneca Wallace – who until last year’s injury parade saw more reps at receiver than behind center – is the only experienced backup. Grossman could slide right in if Hasselbeck goes down again, because he can certainly get the ball to the track team they’re building in the Pacific Northwest.

Running back: Edgerrin James

Go back, read what I wrote about Derrick Brooks and change the name. That’s James in a nutshell. He’s not done by any stretch of the imagination; sure, he’s no longer able to be the featured back he was early in his career, but the mistreatment James received in Arizona until late last season was borderline criminal.

It’s almost a necessity to have two good running backs these days, as it’s no longer a “committee” as much as it is a rotation. For a team with a shifty, explosive back that needs a between-the-tackles pounder, he’d be a steal.

Sounds like he’d go well with Reggie Bush, no? New Orleans needs to replace the pounding style of recently departed Deuce McAllister, and James might be the perfect complement for the versatile weapon Sean Payton has at his disposal in Bush. Plus, the Saints throw the ball 834 times a game, so he would have a lot of downtime to stay healthy.

Wide receiver/tight end: Marvin Harrison

Here is the perfect “aging veteran” who, given the right situation, can still get one or two good seasons out of his rickety old body.

I don’t have to show you Harrison’s stat sheet. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and when 60 catches for 636 yards and five TDs is a bad season, you know he’s still got it. He’s definitely not a No. 1 receiver anymore, and may not even be a great No. 2 – but much like Jerry Rice late in his career, any team that takes Harrison is going to get a great talent who can be a very capable weapon.

His ideal destination? Chicago. The Bears now have their franchise QB, but their receiving corps outside of Rashied Davis is still made up of untested, unheralded and unknown quantities. Adding a guy like Harrison gives Cutler a target he knows he can trust, and takes the pressure of having to be the Man off a bunch of guys who might not even start elsewhere.

Offensive line: Levi Jones

If it wasn’t for the knock of being injury prone, Jones might still be one of Cincinnati’s starting tackles. But he’s not, and the Bengals' loss could be someone’s huge gain. In Jones, any team that takes him would get a reliable, athletic veteran who could start at either tackle spot and mesh well in almost any offense.

For Jones, St. Louis might be the best destination. Yes, the Rams drafted Jason Smith to be their franchise tackle, but they still do have Alex Barron on the other side and Smith could use a good mentor. Jones can step in if he struggles or Barron falls apart, and would be a big boon to Steven Jackson in the backfield.

Where – or if – these guys go remains to be seen, but that’s the joy of training camp.
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About Lou DiPietro

Lou DiPietro is an accomplished freelance writer who is fascinated with all things sports. In addition to his duties at RealFootball365.com, Lou contributes to TheBleacherReport.com and Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, and has been featured on "The Sports Buffet with Matt West" on 1080-AM ESPN ...
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