Each team's capsule contains a list of players who are scheduled to become free agents on March 2. Unrestricted free agents (UFAs) are players who have accrued four or more NFL seasons and are free to sign with any team unless given a franchise or transition tag. Restricted free agents (RFAs) are players with three accrued seasons. The player's current team has a right of first refusal on offers from other teams. If the team chooses to let a restricted free agent leave by opting to not match an offer, the team will receive draft-choice compensation from the player's new team. Exclusive-rights free agents are players who have fewer than three accrued seasons. They do not have the right to change teams if they are offered a contract from their current club.

Baltimore Ravens

Ravens' 2001 free agents

UFAs: OG Orlando Bobo, LB O.J. Brigance, LB Cornell Brown, TE Ben Coates, LB Anthony Davis, QB Trent Dilfer, FB Charles Evans, FB Sam Gash, S Kim Herring, RB Priest Holmes, C John Hudson, C Jeff Mitchell, LB Jamie Sharper, TE Frank Wainright. RFAs: DT Lional Dalton, OG Mike Flynn, WR Pat Johnson, WR Marcus Nash, P Kyle Richardson, OT Sammy Williams. EFAs: FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, TE Pedro Edison, LB Brad Jackson, TE John Jones, CB Clarence Love, LB Anthony Mitchell, S Anthony Poindexter, WR Germany Thompson, LB Calvin Wilkinson.

Analysis: Ravens owner Art Modell, whose team had the second-highest payroll last season behind only Washington, says the Super Bowl champions will again "spend a fortune" if necessary. But with five starters (Sharper, Jeff Mitchell, Herring, Dilfer and Gash) among the team's 14 UFAs and a limited amount of money to spend under the projected salary cap, at least a few key players are expected to move on. Head coach Brian Billick says the team will be able to re-sign more free agents than the general public has been led to believe, but that remains to be seen, especially if the Ravens are serious about going after Redskins quarterback Brad Johnson. If the Ravens do indeed make a pitch for Johnson, Dilfer is definitely expected to test the market, although he says he is extremely happy in Baltimore. Top re-signing priorities appear to be Sharper, who had a great all-around season; Mitchell, whose departure would weaken the Ravens' already inconsistent offensive line; and Herring, who might be expendable considering how effective Corey Harris was as the starting strong safety when Herring was injured late in the season. The key question regarding Sharper: Can the Ravens afford three linebackers the caliber of Sharper, Ray Lewis and Peter Boulware? Both Lewis and Boulware will be looking for contract extensions in the not-too-distant future.

Cincinnati Bengals

	Bengals' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: DE Michael Bankston, C Rich Braham, RB Steve Bush, RB Corey Dillon, LB Billy Granville, QB Scott Mitchell, OG Matt O'Dwyer. RFAs: CB Artrell Hawkins, LB Adrian Ross. EFAs: LB JoJuan Armour, RB Michael Basnight, RB Brandon Bennett, CB Rodney Heath, P Daniel Pope.

Analysis: At the top of the Bengals' extensive list of offseason priorities is the obvious need to re-sign Dillon and get some much-needed help rushing the passer. The Bengals have a lot of holes to fill, the lowest salary-cap commitment in the NFL and a promise to their fans stemming from their new stadium, so all signs would be pointing to a lot of activity in free agency. Ideally, the Bengals would love to get the Dillon situation resolved so they can concentrate on improving the defensive line and adding a veteran cornerback and wide receiver. Cincinnati doesn't have much behind Braham, and with the trouble the team has had passing the ball in recent years, it's likely the Bengals will go after him hard. They also would like to bring Mitchell back. They may get him at a bargain price because his numbers in 2000 probably won't warrant many offers, and Cincinnati is intent on having plenty of quarterback competition in training camp.

Cleveland Browns

	Browns' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: OL James Brown, DT Stalin Colinet, FB Marc Edwards, QB Tony Graziani, LB Michael Hamilton, WR David Patten, LB Tarek Saleh, TE O.J. Santiago, DT Mike Thompson. RFAs: OL Jim Bundren. EFAs: WR Bobby Brown, LB Chester Burnett, PK Phil Dawson, CB Todd Franz, DE Arnold Miller, LB Tyrone Rogers, RB Nick Sudano, LB Ryan Taylor, OL Steve Zahursky.

Analysis: The Browns' new head coach Butch Davis is still evaluating the roster, so the team's free-agent plans aren't totally known. Cleveland is in outstanding salary-cap shape, and the franchise intends to be aggressive in its efforts to upgrade the roster. Look for the Browns to make a hard push for running back Corey Dillon. New offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has said that the Browns definitely need a running back who can stay on the field every down, and now that Robert Smith has retired, the only top-notch runner who fits the bill is Dillon. Word has it that when Smith retired, folks around Browns camp were terribly disappointed because they knew the competition for Dillon would increase, as would his asking price. Other needs include a veteran wide receiver, an outside linebacker, an offensive tackle and a guard. You can also count on the Browns going after a pair of big defensive tackles, as they want to bulk up the interior of their defensive line. Vice president/director of football operations Dwight Clark has said the Browns will have to get those defensive tackles one way or another, whether it be through free agency, the draft or a trade.

Jacksonville Jaguars

	Jaguars' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: P Bryan Barker, OT Todd Fordham, RB Anthony Johnson, S Mike Logan, FB Daimon Shelton, C Jeff Smith. RFAs: RB Jermaine Williams. EFAs: CB Shadwick Criss, OL Aaron Koch, RB Stacey Mack, OL Reggie Nelson, TE Ryan Neufeld, LB Zenret Pelshak, OL Gannon Shepherd, WR Emanuel Smith, DE Paul Spicer, LB Erik Storz, LB Edward Thomas.

Analysis: At press time, the Jaguars were in the worst salary-cap shape of any NFL team. The team needed to clear more than $33 million from the books just to get under the salary cap. The plan calls for the Jaguars to restructure the deals of just about everyone who is slated to earn significant money, in addition to releasing several veterans. The most pressing issue is quarterback Mark Brunell, who has a 2001 cap figure in excess of $13 million. The Jaguars have been in negotiations to extend his deal, in hopes of getting his cap figure below $9 million for next season. Linebacker Kevin Hardy and wide receiver Keenan McCardell will also be presented with extension proposals, and offensive tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Jimmy Smith, defensive tackle Gary Walker, offensive lineman Zach Wiegert, and linebackers Hardy Nickerson and Lonnie Marts also will be targeted for renegotiations. (Nickerson and Marts could potentially then be released after June 1 for further cap savings.) Expected to be released outright are offensive tackle Leon Searcy, safety Carnell Lake, center Quentin Neujahr, wide receiver Reggie Barlow, defensive end Joel Smeenge and linebacker Brant Boyer. After the team finally gets under the cap, there will be very little money to re-sign its own unrestricted free agents, most of whom will move on to other teams. If enough money is cleared to allow one re-signing, it is likely the team would try to bring back Fordham, who had developed into a solid offensive tackle by the end of the season. Expect the team to fill most of the holes on the roster after the cap purge through the draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers

	Steelers' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: RB Jerome Bettis, WR Will Blackwell, WR Courtney Hawkins, OT Shar Pourdanesh, LB Mike Vrabel. RFAs: OL Chris Conrad, LB John Fiala, RB Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala, WR Bobby Shaw, CB Jason Simmons, DE Jeremy Staat, CB Deshea Townsend, WR Hines Ward. EFAs: LS Mike Schneck.

Analysis: The Steelers' top goal this offseason is to re-sign Bettis before he hits the open market, where his price tag would be driven up. Bettis wants to stay in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers want -- and need -- him to be their lead back. But the Steelers are not massively below the projected 2001 salary cap and probably can't afford a huge demand from Bettis. After Bettis, many of the Steelers' free agents are somewhat expendable. Conrad suffered a neck injury that probably will put an end to his career. Pourdanesh probably won't get a high-priority look from the Steelers. Fuamatu Ma'afala puts Pittsburgh in an interesting position. If Bettis signs, the team will have Bettis and Richard Huntley under big contracts for the next few years, so Fuamatu Ma'afala could leave. With the exception of Ward, the wide receiving corps won't draw a lot of interest from the Steelers. They'll re-sign players if the price is right but won't bend over backward to do so. Ward has emerged as a solid receiver and a mentor to the younger receivers. Pittsburgh probably will offer him the highest tender as an restricted free agent. Blackwell could be expendable because of the emergence of Hank Poteat in the return game. Staat likely will get an offer because head coach Bill Cowher is high on him. Staat was a second-round pick in the '98 draft. The Steelers also will try to keep their free agents in the linebacking corps and the secondary to solidify their depth. But they won't bend over backward for these players either.

Tennessee Titans

	Titans' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: CB Michael Booker, DE Kenny Holmes, WR Derrick Mason, OT Scott Sanderson, CB Denard Walker. RFAs: TE Larry Brown, OG Gennaro Dinapoli, LB Greg Favors, C Kevin Long, CB George McCullough, OG Benji Olson, S Perry Phenix, CB Samari Rolle, DT Joe Salave'a, CB Dainon Sidney. EFAs: WR Chris Coleman, LB Keith Embray, WR Chris Jackson, TE Mike Leach, DT Rod Walker.

Analysis: The Titans' biggest objective is to re-sign Holmes, Mason and Denard Walker. All three are coming off fine seasons and should demand big bucks on the open market. The Titans will try to convince them that it's in their best interest to stay put. Tennessee's top need is at wide receiver, but given its recent free-agent failures (Yancey Thigpen and Carl Pickens), don't expect the team to chase a veteran pass catcher. The big question is this: How will the Titans address their kicking game considering the way Al Del Greco finished the season? Tennessee always has held veteran kickers in a high regard because of their ability to handle pressure situations. The team made punter Craig Hentrich the first millionaire punter. With some experienced kicker available, will the Titans ditch Del Greco and go in a different direction? Elsewhere, Tennessee might make a change on the offensive line by shifting Bruce Matthews to center, thus giving Dinapoli a shot at a starting offensive guard spot. Long would move to a backup role. Olson should return, but as far as signing a long-term contract goes, he's second in line among the team's restricted free agents behind Rolle. Sidney finished the season in the coaches' doghouse, but the Titans haven't given up on him. Sanderson, however, is likely finished. Salave'a should return after performing well as a pass-rushing tackle. Favors also should receive a tender, but the team would like to see 2000 first-round pick Keith Bulluck unseat him at left linebacker.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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