NFL 2008 Free Agents - Quarterbacks

It is just about free agent time in the NFL. In this league of great parity, free agency is a very important part of what goes on in this sport. Just think about the outcome that free agency had on the sport's biggest stage, the Superbowl. Without the acquisition of Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker, the likelihood of the New England Patriots having the best offense in the history of the NFL is- well, it's unlikely. Then of course, there was the franchise tagging of Asante Samuel, a move that kept him as the team's best cornerback and kept him away from the other scavengers that would have loved a crack at them. And if the Superbowl Champion New York Giants don't sign Kawika Mitchell this past off-season, who knows how vulnerable they are in the running game, especially when you consider how he almost single-handedly stopped Lawrence Maroney in the Superbowl.

But enough about them, onto the quarterbacks of this year's free agent pool. There will be some key decisions made on these players, and one can be assured that some of them will be starting next season. Where? Well, that's anyone's guess.

Derek Anderson, RFA, Cleveland Browns - You all saw the season the year that Derek Anderson had in 2007. And at the age of 24, he has many more years to continue to perfect his craft. He threw for 29 passing touchdowns last year, and he had 3 on the ground as well. But it was more than just his stats that he contributed last year. He helped turn around an organization with his leadership and approach to the game. That's why the Browns are probably going to have to give Anderson the league's top tender ranking for restricted free agents, and while that means only a little bit more money this year, it will mean big bucks in 2009.

Daunte Culpepper, UFA, Oakland Raiders - Don't knock the hustle on him. He acts as his own agent, and he has a little bit to go off of this off-season. He had a QB rating of 78 and threw for 5 touchdowns in 2008 in limited time. And while those aren't glaring stats, you can definitely tell that his leg is just about healthy again, and he can bring some veteran stability to a team that really needs help at the QB position. I could really see Culpepper being a good fit in Baltimore if they surround him with a solid offensive line.

Rex Grossman, UFA, Chicago Bears - Chances are he is done in Chicago (although, I'm not sure what other option the Bears have). However, there is still upside to Grossman, despite his highly critiqued past two seasons. He has big play ability, and if someone can conjure up an offense or a way to teach this man to avoid the mistakes, I really do believe he could engineer a high-powered offense. And at the very least, I think he would fit well in a Mike Martz system, where deep throws and touchdowns are plentiful, and interceptions are welcomed as long as TDs come with them.

Quinn Gray, UFA, Jacksonville Jaguars - He showed that he had the poise of an NFL quarterback during his service as the fill-in at the Jags' quarterback position. While he doesn't have the greatest of arms, he does make good decisions. You could see that, as he threw 10 touchdowns in just 144 passes, and only had 5 interceptions with a QB rating of 85.6 while filling in for David Garrard.