Free Agency: Midnight Madness

By Adam Kiefaber

The free agency period begins at midnight.

What the Bengals and Mike Brown will do remains a mystery.

Personally, I expect the team to be unbengal-like and to be active in free agency.

The team will have to be with defensive starters Justin Smith, Madieu Williams and Landon Johnson testing the market.

Other players that will be free agents include wide receiver Tab Perry, offensive lineman Adam Kieft and punter Kyle Larson.

Give Cincinnati some credit for making tender offers to would-be free agents quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Glenn Holt, linebackers Rashad Jeanty and Corey Mays.

Fitzpatrick can still sign with another team and Cincinnati would only receive a seventh-round pick as compensation.

Cincinnati also re-signed defensive lineman Jon Fanene to a three-year deal for a total of $4.5 million.

The best news could be that the team is expected to re-sign linebacker Dhani Jones (above), according to the team’s Web site.

As usually the Bengals will play the “we don’t have any money” card, but for fun, let’s dream.

Here is a short list of players that will be unrestricted free agents in a few hours:

Cornerback Asante Samuel, WR Randy Moss, QB Dante Culpepper, running back Michael Turner, RB Chris Brown, WR Jerry Porter, WR Ernest Wilford, guard Alan Faneca, WR Bernard Berrian, TE Alge Crumpler, RB Julius Jones, WR Donte Stallworth, safety Gibril Wilson, S Eugene Wilson, WR Bryant Johnson, QB Todd Collins, LB Junior Seau, WR Andre Davis, WR D.J. Hackett, WR Marty Booker, LB Lance Briggs, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, kicker Rob Bironas, QB Byron Leftwich, K Josh Brown, RB Derrick Ward, RB Ron Dayne, RB Jesse Chatman, RB T.J. Duckett, LB Calvin Pace

And others that will be restricted free agents:

RB Marion Barber, QB Derek Anderson, QB Trent Green, G Chris Kemoeatu, LB Michael Boley, DE Chris Canty, S Oshiomogho Atogwe, DT Jovan Haye, OT Elton Brown, CB Eric Green, DT Mike Wright, S C.C. Brown, S Matt Giordano

Here is a great link breaking it down by position - Ranking top free agents at each position.