I loved the recent free agent signing by the Baltimore Ravens of former Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons, as well as hometown native, CB Domonique Foxworth. However, the price we paid suggests that he was one of the top free agent CB's on the market. With a four year career spanning 60 games, he only started 25 of them and had only one interception last season and has only four for his entire career.
While there weren't too many top FA corners out there, there were a couple on the trading block since the start of free agency, and they were dealt over the past day or so at a much cheaper price than the Ravens paid for Foxworth. Why didn't the Ravens get in on one of those deals and still get the starting CB position filled without spending the big, guaranteed bucks?
The Dallas Cowboys traded CB Anthony Henry to the Detroit Lions for aging QB Jon Kitna, whom everyone knew was not in the Lions plans for 2009. Kitna was probably going to be released if he wasn't traded, while Henry could start in the secondary for most NFL teams. Henry had one interception last season and 29 in his career. The acquisition of Kitna as Tony Romo's backup meant the end of the possibility of former Raven Kyle Boller going to Dallas in that same position. Perhaps the reasoning for the Ravens not looking at Henry was that at 32 years old, he is not much younger than Samari Rolle.
The New York Jets acquired Philadelphia Eagles CB Lito Sheppard in return for two undisclosed draft picks, rumored to be a fourth round draft pick this year and a conditional one next year. Sheppard is only 27 years old but was expendable with last season's free agent signing of Asante Samuel. Sheppard also had one interception last year but already has 18 for his NFL career. Now the Jets have picked up Sheppard and will reportedly be signing free agent and former Raven CB Corey Ivy to their defensive secondary. Wow, that Corey Ivy signing will undoubtedly put the Jets over the top. Now all they need to do to help us even more is to grab little used safety and special teamer, but notable for the stupid personal foul penalty at the end of the AFC Championship Game loss to Pittsburgh, Darren Stone.
Overall, I'm thrilled with the signing of Foxworth, but just wondering if the price we paid for him might preclude us form targeting another player that one of the more affordable options listed above might have allowed us. Only time will tell and if Foxworth goes on to have a shutdown season at CB and the Ravens go deep into the post season to a possible Super Bowl title (hopefully w/ Ray Lewis manning the middle of the defense), then all hats off to him!