The third year of any MFN league is one many coaches look forward to because of the flood of free agents into the marketplace. Many players taken in the expansion draft see their initial contracts expire after the second season. If their coach is asleep at the wheel, or didn't budget correctly, it's sayonara when Year 3 begins. Even the coaches who ARE paying attention could wave bye-bye to 20 or more players.
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| Jerry Montalvo, Arizona Wranglers |
I can't tell you exactly how many players changed teams during the USFL/WFL's early free agency period. I do know there were 36 pages of transactions on the league's home page. Here are some that I found particularly interesting.
Show Them The Money
It was 22 years ago that the Arizona Cardinals finally gave wide receiver Rod Tidwell his big contract in the movie
Jerry Maguire. If you think that was showing them the money, another guy in Arizona just blew that deal out of the water. Arizona Wranglers coach Smirt211 committed more than $217.5 million over the next six seasons on THREE players: QB Jerry Montalvo ($82.03 million), WR Cory Robinzine ($89.99 million) and CB James Jones ($45.49 million),
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| Smirt211, Arizona Wranglers |
Jones, we get that. He was an All-Pro with the Memphis Showboats last year, making 87 tackles and intercepting nine passes. Robinzine is a 91/98 default and had 121 catches in his first two pro seasons with the Philadelphia Bell. Montalvo, however, has us scratching our heads. His default rating is 78, just two points better than deposed starter Ralph Trowbridge. Yes, Trowbridge was horrible, throwing only two more TDs (58) than interceptions (56). Montalvo was better with the Cleveland Thunderbolts (25/19), but not exactly Joe Willie Namath (84.82 QBR). But he's going to be paid $13 million to $14 million per season over the life of his contract ... Tom Cruise money.
Bang for the Buck
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| Barry Litchford (20), CB, Florida Blazers |
Nobody spent like Papa Smirt, but eight other players picked up deals of $40 million or more from other teams: TE George Allen (New Orleans to Chicago, $44.2 million), LDE Daryl Barney (Philadelphia to Jacksonville, $43.77), MLB Joseph Carter (Michigan to Jacksonville, $45.39), LT Ronald Davis (Michigan to Detroit, $41.42), QB Ryan Tate (New York to New Orleans $48.3), CB Barry Litchford (re-signed with Florida Blazers, $46.5 for 5 years); QB Fred Murphy (re-signed with Shreveport, $61.4).
Hawaii or Bust
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| Juan Bonnett, Hawaiians |
The Houston Gamblers parted ways with strong safety Juan Bonnett, one of the more legendary busts in the USFL/WFL;s brief history. Bonnett had a potential of 83.5 when the Gamblers took him with the fifth overall pick in the 1975 draft. Today his potential is 70.8 and he is on his way to the Hawaiians, who offered a late third-round pick.
Love Thy Neighbor
The Detroit Wheels took one look at their
offensive line and decided the grass was greener on the other side of
town. The Wheels raided the Michigan Panthers' roster, signing both RG Thomas
Watson (96 default) and LT Ronald Davis (85).
Quarterback Carousel
No data to back this up, but it seems a large number of quarterbacks have changed teams since last season. Among those we haven't yet discussed:
- Ty Fleming and Mario Valencia. They split time under center last year while leading Jacksonville to the playoffs. Now they are both wearing different uniforms, Fleming with the VooDoo and Valencia with the Wheels. The Bulls, meanwhile, have committed to first-round draft pick Charles Evans.
- Cleveland patted itself on the back for not having spent $80 million on Montalvo, then the Thunderbolts went out and picked up Brandon Robertson, who had done a solid job for their division foe, the Michigan Panthers.
- William Trombly, who led the Florida Blazers to an 18-1 record in 1974 and a World Bowl I victory, signed with the Los Angeles Express. Trombly's QBR plummeted from 98.52 to 82.01 last season as the Blazers went through three head coaches.
Go West, Young Man
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| Roger Ruzek, LAX |
It will always seem odd when one of New Jersey's historically renamed stars puts on someone else's uniform. Kicker Roger Ruzek has left the Generals to sign with LAX. Can Herschel Walker be far behind?
