Here's some thoughts on some of the recent free agent news:
---I like the move by the San Francisco 49ers to sign receiver Bryant Johnson to a one-year deal. Johnson, who was the third receiver in Arizona, will have a chance to get a lot of playing time with the 49ers. Here's a bet that he plays better than Isaac Bruce, the verteran receiver the 49ers signed last week. It was a big surprise to me that Johnson was still on the market this late. But he can show the league and the 49ers he can be a good second receiver this year and cash in next spring.
---Tampa Bay waited and waited to sign players, even though they had a lot of cap room. They took a lot of heat for that. But they did it the right way. Now they're getting bargains. The latest bargain they landed was New England corner/safety Eugene Wilson. They signed him to a one-year deal that will pay him a reported $1.8 million. Wilson can play both safety and corner, but the Bucs will give him a chance to play corner first. He will compete with Phillip Buchanon for a starting job.
---I am not a big fan of the Cincinnati Bengals signing Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent. The Colts will almost certainly not match the sheet, which they can do, and that means Utecht is on his way to the Bengals. I think he's too soft a player to be a real factor in an offense. He can step in and make some plays now and then, but he isn't tough enough.