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.

Buffalo Bills

	Bills' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: PK Steve Christie, CB Donovan Greer, WR Eric Moulds, OG Jamie Nails, DT Shawn Price, OT Marcus Spriggs, QB Alex Van Pelt, DE Marcellus Wiley. RFAs: OG Victor Allotey, C Bill Conaty, OT Robert Hicks, CB Ray Hill, RB Jonathan Linton, CB Daryl Porter. EFAs: S Keion Carpenter, WR Jeremy McDaniel.

Analysis: New Bills general manager Tom Donahoe enters a situation in which he will have his hands partially tied. The Bills are approximately $10 million over the projected salary cap for 2001, and they have two big-name UFAs to re-sign. Moulds is clearly their top priority. If Moulds re-signs with the team, it would force Wiley into the open market. The Bills can't afford to sign both and stay under the cap. If Moulds signs elsewhere, the Bills would pursue Wiley. Christie likely will be back, but he isn't a sure thing. His age is a concern, and his kickoffs aren't as deep as the Bills would like. But he has been accurate in the clutch, so they'd like to have him back. The Bills will pursue Greer because they already are thin in the secondary, and it could get worse if the team decides to release cornerback Ken Irvin as a salary-cap casualty. Carpenter impressed the Bills, and they want him back to be the starting free safety. Porter and Hill should return as well. The free agents on the offensive line are a bit uncertain. Many Bills' observers believe that several of the players have ability, but they suffered this past year because of poor coaching. Nails and Spriggs showed flashes early, but their performance tailed off a bit. Linton could be the odd man out in the backfield, where the Bills could create some cap room. Price and Van Pelt also could be playing elsewhere next season.

Indianapolis Colts

Colts' 2001 free agents

UFAs: S Jason Belser, QB Billy Joe Hobert, LB Dwight Hollier, TE Marcus Pollard, DT Bernard Whittington. RFAs: CB Tony Blevins, DT Larry Chester, WR E.G. Green, OG Waverly Jackson, OG Steve McKinney, OG Larry Moore, LB Ratcliff Thomas. EFAs: C Phil Armour, S Billy Austin, DE Lionel Barnes, FB Jim Finn, LB Phil Glover, RB Lennox Gordon, TE Josh Keur, PK Danny Kight, DT Brandon Miller, C Jeff Saturday, RB Paul Shields, LB Justin Snow, LB Sam Sword.

Analysis: The Colts' game plan is to focus on re-signing some of their starters and shoring up the defense via free agency and the draft. On the offensive line, the Colts will focus on keeping McKinney and Saturday. Jackson is a versatile backup who would be beneficial to the Colts. They'd like to keep the entire group for the sake of continuity. The Colts like Gordon and should have no trouble keeping him since he is an exclusive-rights free agent. At tight end, the Colts have to make a decision. They already have a lot of money sunk into Ken Dilger, so Marcus Pollard makes for an interesting predicament. Pollard is versatile and works very well in the offense, but as a UFA, he may be too expensive for the Colts. Green's future could hinge on the interest other teams show him. The Colts like his abilities when he's healthy, but they won't match a steep price for him because he is injury prone. Chester is the biggest guy on the defensive front, and he's the only legitimate run-stopper in the middle, but the Colts will look at his price first. Whittington is a huge contributor in the locker room, and he's a starter in the middle, but he didn't play exceedingly well and is of average size for a defensive tackle. The Colts could let him go if the price is not right for them. The linebacking corps could take a hit in free agency. Thomas is the Colts' best all-around special-teams player, and he'll probably be retained. Hollier is a unrestricted free agent who probably will be brought back in case Rob Morris doesn't fully recover from the knee injury he suffered in Week 8. Hollier played well in Morris' place, but the Colts are still looking to Morris to be their middle linebacker. The other linebackers aren't high priorities to be re-signed, but they could return to the team because of a lack of interest on the market. Belser is the highest-profile free agent in the secondary, but the Colts may go without him. The Colts want to upgrade the unit, and while Belser played fairly decent, the team believes he may have lost half a step.

Miami Dolphins

Dolphins' 2001 free agents

UFAs: DE Trace Armstrong, OG John Bock, OG Kevin Donnalley, WR Bert Emanuel, LB Larry Izzo, PK Olindo Mare, S Brock Marion, DE Rich Owens, TE Ed Perry, QB Mike Quinn, LB Derrick Rodgers, LB Twan Russell, CB Terrance Shaw, WR Leslie Shepherd, DE Jason Taylor, WR Lamar Thomas, OT Richmond Webb, CB Jerry Wilson. RFAs: DE Lorenzo Bromell, TE Alonzo Mayes, WR Jeff Ogden. EFAs: OG Anthony Cesario, RB Autry Denson, TE-LS Brody Heffner-Liddiard.

Analysis: The Dolphins have a little room to work with against the projected cap but not a ton, so they will have to work their salaries wisely. Bock could be back, but he's not of the quality or reliability for which the Dolphins would pay highly. Webb will be allowed to test the market and probably garner more than the Dolphins would offer, so he likely won't be back. The same goes for Donnalley, another veteran who had a pretty solid year. Ogden is very valuable in the punt-return game and is a favorite of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, so the Dolphins will tender him an offer. The Dolphins want Shepherd back, but he might demand too much money after a solid year. Miami likes the upside and athleticism of Mayes and will tender him an offer, but Perry should be allowed to test the market. As kickers go, Mare could get a huge deal in the free-agent market if the Dolphins allow him to test it. Since Mare's family lives in South Florida, the Dolphins might take their chances. Armstrong will be allowed to test the market, but Miami could get him back at a nice price if no team is interested in a pass-rush specialist with age concerns. Owens is not happy in Miami and is pretty much set on leaving. Bromell will be tendered an offer to take Owens' place. Taylor and the Dolphins were working on a contract at press time. Taylor will be labeled with the franchise tag if the two sides can't agree on an extension. Rodgers is a high priority for Miami to re-sign after a solid season in which he impressed Dolphins coaches. Shaw will probably not be brought back because of concerns with his knee. He played well when he was healthy, but he wasn't healthy enough. Marion's stock is so high that his price tag could get well out of Miami's reach.

New England Patriots

	Patriots' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: OT Bruce Armstrong, RB Antonio Carter, DT Chad Eaton, QB John Friesz, DE Brandon Mitchell, S Matt Stevens. RFAs: RB Harold Shaw, DE Greg Spires. EFAs: LB Antico Dalton, WR Shockmain Davis, TE Chris Eitzmann, LB John Eskridge, DE Reggie Grimes, DT Garrett Johnson, RB Patrick Pass, LS Lonie Paxton, CB Kato Serwanga, TE Jermaine Wiggins.

Analysis: The Patriots' key move this offseason will be restructuring the contract of quarterback Drew Bledsoe in order to save some salary-cap space. Bledsoe is scheduled to count roughly $9.8 million toward the cap on a team that's approximately $3 million over. Friesz, who has been Bledsoe's backup for two years, is on his way out unless he also goes through a major contract restructuring. Armstrong likely won't be pursued much by the Patriots. He retired before the 2000 season but was asked to return after top-pick Adrian Klemm was injured in training camp. The Patriots would like to re-sign Eaton, who played very well last season. Eaton had said earlier that he wouldn't return to the Patriots because he wants to make the big money that he believes he deserves. But since midseason, he hasn't ruled out returning to New England. He'll test the market before deciding whether to re-sign with the Patriots. Pass should get a minimum tender offer from the Patriots. The Patriots will try to bring back Davis, Wiggins and Eitzmann for as little as possible. Spires is a situational pass-rusher whom the team will try to keep at a minimal price. Mitchell was effective but a bit inconsistent last season and could be on his way out. In the secondary, Serwanga will return, but Stevens, a late-season signee, will test the market.

New York Jets

	Jets' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: TE-LS Bradford Banta, PK Brett Conway, DT Jason Ferguson, S Chris Hayes, RB Leon Johnson, DE Rick Lyle, WR Dwight Stone, WR Dedric Ward. RFAs: OT Jason Fabini, S Scott Frost, OG Kerry Jenkins, QB Ray Lucas, DE Eric Ogbogu. EFAs: DT Maurice Anderson, RB Marlion Jackson, LB Courtney Ledyard, OT Greg Lotysz, C J.P. Machado, TE Jake Moreland, OT Ryan Young.

Analysis: The Jets locked up two of their top free agents in January, linebackers Mo Lewis and Bryan Cox, though Cox's contract needs to be restructured. Cox is due a roster bonus March 1, and strangely enough, he could be cut if the contract is not reworked. Tops on the Jets' list of free agents is Ferguson, who expressed in December his desire to leave the team because of disagreements with former head coach Al Groh. Groh's departure opens up the possibility for Ferguson's return. On the offensive line, the Jets have three starters they want back, Fabini, Jenkins and Young. Johnson is a "Parcells guy" whom the new coaching staff will take a hard look at. Lucas has said he would like to come back, but it will be an issue of what kind of tender the Jets offer him and what his price might be on the market. Ward and Stone likely will test the market. The Jets want to get bigger at the position, and Ward and Stone don't fit that mold. Conway should be back to take over the kicking duties from John Hall, who was inconsistent last season. But that is a decision the new coaching staff has yet to make. The Jets want Ledyard back in a bigger role, especially if Cox leaves or is released. Either Frost or Hayes could stay, but both likely will test the market.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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