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NFC

Sporting News, The, Feb 15, 1999

Arizona

TO-DO LIST: The club must get linebacking help, strengthen the offensive line, perhaps find a starting defensive tackle, find a third receiver (and perhaps a starter depending on what free-agent Rob Moore does), a safety, a big back and a return specialist Linebacking help is at the top of the priority list, particularly in the middle and right side. The dub should consider a proven run-stopper in the middle. Ronald McKinnon, a restricted free agent, has yet to show he can fill a hole and stop the run. Marvcus Patton is more the type of player the club needs, but Patton is getting along in years. The team could roll the dice on Dean Wells, a playmaker who was injured last season. Jeff Brady would be a good fit, as well. The dub wants to use three- and four-wideout sets. It likely will lose free agent Eric Metcalf, its third receiver. It also could lose Moore. Rocket Ismail is on the market but might come with too high a price tag. Five-year veteran Leslie Shepherd would be a good call as the third receiver.

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OUT PATTERN: The club likely will place a franchise tag on Moore or OLB Jamir Miller. Neither will come cheap. Miller wants roughly $6.5 million a year. Moore is looking for about $4 million. LT Lomas Brown likely will be re-signed, but the sticking point will be over whether it's for one year or two. The club prefers one for Brown, 35, but it doesn't need to be in the market for a starling left tackle. S Kwamie Lassiter developed into a competent playmaker after losing the job to rookie Pat Tillman in training camp. The team will try to re-sign him. --Lee Shappell

Atlanta

TO-DO LIST: Even with only two starters whose contracts expire (CB Ronnie Bradford and S William White), the team will be fairly active in free agency. Age and depth are concerns at defensive back, defensive line, receiver and quarterback. The first priority is the secondary, where the cornerback position is thin and S Eugene Robinson, 35, is old. If Bradford isn't re-signed, the team could at least inquire about Bengals free agent Ashley Ambrose, but the team is committed to two expensive comers in Ray Buchanan and Michael Booker, the 12th pick of the 1997 draft. Ambrose could be too expensive, and some scouts believe he is overpriced. Defensive line is the next area of concern. Although the starting group should remain the same (Chuck Smith, Shane Dronett, Travis Hall and Lester Archambeau), there is virtually no depth.

OUT PATTERN: White turns 33 next week, but he played reasonably well and will be considered for a contract. Backup S Devin Bush, the top unrestricted free agent among backups, fell out of favor and is likely to move on. Other free agents who probably won't return are CB Darren Anderson, long snapper Adam Schreiber, WR Todd Kinchen and DT Esera Tuaolo. Reserve RB Harold Green has a year left on his contract, but it will be surprising if he returns. And what about Robinson? He's scheduled to make $1.8 million in '99, with a salary-cap figure of $2.3 million. But age, salary and a fallout from bad publicity are working against him. Fifteen starters, including Jamal Anderson, have contracts expiring after the '99 season. --Tony Fabrizio

Carolina

TO-DO LIST: Coach George Seifert insists that the most important order of business is to re-sign some of the club's free agents, because he believes a decent nucleus remains in place. The two unrestricted free agents likely to draw the most interest from other teams are LT Blake Brockermeyer and WR Rocket Ismail. The team may place the franchise tag on Brockermeyer to lock him up. The Panthers will make only a couple of high-profile additions, possibly at linebacker and on the offensive or defensive lines. Among the possibilities: DT Brentson Buckner of San Francisco, OLB Roman Phifer of St. Louis and any number of offensive linemen, possibly including Jerry Ostroski of the Bills and Zach Wiegert of the Rams. The team also needs a quarterback of the future, but it is more likely to obtain such a prospect via trade or the draft.

OUT PATTERN: The coaching change makes it more likely that Brockermeyer will stick around, and that's important. He played well the latter half of last season and is young enough at age 25 that he should continue to get better. Starting RT Norberto Davidds-Garrido is a restricted free agent who will be allowed to walk if another team makes him a sizable offer. Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell wants to do whatever it takes to keep Ismail in the fold. RG Anthony Redmon is expected to re-sign and could work his way into the starting lineup permanently. Seifert probably will decide to use a 4-3 defensive alignment, which could aid the team's efforts to keep DE Shawn King. At linebacker, a decision needs to be made concerning Jeff Brady, an unrestricted free agent who was productive as an inside linebacker in the 3-4 but lacks the speed to be a consistent big-play guy in a 4-3 system. CB Steve Lofton and OLB Greg Lloyd are unrestricted free agents who likely will not return. Lofton could come back as a reserve, but Lloyd seems gone for sure. --Joe Menzer

NFC

Sporting News, The, Feb 15, 1999

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