Deal or no deal around the NFL?

ShareThis

With NFL checkbooks set to burst open with the start of free agency, we interrupt that program with a little public service announcement.Think one.As in one free agent for a one-year contract for $1 million.That was the New York Giants' entire foray into free agency this past season. They signed linebacker Kawika Mitchell long after the dust had settled for one year, $1 million.That's it. Then they overcame a pile of injuries with their homegrown depth, overcame a difficult start with a team that had grown up together and defeated a previously undefeated team to win the Super Bowl.Opinions -- and budgets -- vary around the NFL about what that all means. But the Giants' work in 2007 should be worth at least some pause in the face of the impending financial flurry.Jerry Reese spent four years as the Giants' director of player personnel before becoming the team's general manager in 2007. Twenty-three of the team's draft picks in those five seasons were on the roster in the Super Bowl.Certainly, the Giants might not be able to turn that kind of roster construction each and every year, especially with patience running a close second to franchise quarterback on the list of things that are most difficult to find in the league.But it is certainly another compelling argument for team building instead of star collecting."The template is different every year -- sometimes you hit more than you miss," Reese said at the scouting combine last week. "Last year, we hit more than we missed. You're not going to get them all right, you just want to get more right than you get wrong. Last year, we didn't get a lot done in free agency, so it was kind of overexaggerated a little bit -- the rookies had to play. The coaches got them ready to play and they did a nice job. . . ."You try to do what's best for your team each year. If you think you can get the thing done through free agency, you try to get it done. If not, you know you're going to get draft picks and you try to do the best with the draft. It's different every year."For the Giants, that meant rookies like cornerback Aaron Ross, wide receiver Steve Smith, tight end Kevin Boss, running back Ahmad Bradshaw and defensive tackle Jay Alford all had significant roles in the team's championship run.Ross and Boss even started the Super Bowl.Much is made over who visits and why and where in the opening week of free agency. And there is at least one school of thought that some in the league are simply more comfortable in free agency because, for the most part, they are dealing with veteran, proven players rather than dealing with the inevitable growing pains that can come with youth.Some general managers will also privately concede, with job security always a difficult thing to actually secure, it's far easier to portray yourself as actively doing something to improve your lot in NFL life when you participate in the high-end shopping that goes on.NFL people often sell splash in hopes the tickets follow.Some others, however, can never be swayed.Always count Colts general manager Bill Polian in the build- from-within camp. The Colts will indeed throw bags of money at players -- they currently have several players, including tight end Dallas Clark, who signed this past week, who were the highest-paid players at their positions when they signed their deals -- they just choose to toss it at their own former draft picks.As the season came down the stretch, despite the fact the Colts had lost more games to starters than any other team in the league, they still were playing 22 starters who had not played for any other NFL team.And asked what he would be doing as free agency opened this week, Polian said: "We'll just watch and keep track, that's all. We're not players. We put all our chips on the guys we have."Asked why he felt is was more important to sign Clark to his deal and guard Ryan Lilja to a $20 million deal only days before instead of using the money to stroll the aisles of free agency, he added: "The cost of missing is just greater, and I'm not a gambler. I don't even like to play bingo. I'd rather put my money in the envelope on Sunday. It's just a much bigger gamble on free agency."It is a much bigger gamble, one teams have been willing to take in the past, one some will be willing to take in the present and one some will always take down the road.But take too many risks, look past too many problems, try to ram too many square pegs into round holes and free agency isn't a tool, it becomes little more than big money spent on what can become costly mistakes.(Contact Jeff Legwold of the Rocky Mountain News at www.rockymountainnews.com.)