Each team's capsule contains a list of players who are scheduled to become free agents on March 1. Unrestricted free agents (UFAs) are players who have accrued four or more NFL seasons and are free to sign with any team unless given a franchise or transition tag. Restricted free agents (RFAs) are players with three accrued seasons. The player's current team has a right of first refusal on offers from other teams. If the team chooses to let a restricted free agent leave by opting to not match an offer, the team will receive draft-choice compensation from the player's new team. Exclusive-rights free agents are players who have fewer than three accrued seasons. They do not have the right to change teams if they are offered a contract from their current club.

Chicago Bears

	Bears' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: RB James Allen, C Olin Kreutz, CB Walt Harris, OT Jimmy Herndon, LB Greg Jones, QB Jim Miller, S Tony Parrish, DE Carl Powell, FB Daimon Shelton, TE Kaseem Sinceno, CB Frankie Smith. RFAs: WR D'Wayne Bates, WR Marty Booker, LB Rosevelt Colvin, RB Autry Denson, LB Warrick Holdman, OG Rex Tucker. EFAs: RB Brian Edwards, DT Jerome King, CB Todd McMillon, DT Robert Newkirk, WR Sulecio Sanford.

Analysis: The Bears are in an unusual situation. Most of their key free agents are of the restricted variety, so they probably will have to part ways with some unrestricted free agents to sign the restricted ones to long-term deals. Among those likely casualties will be Harris and Parrish and possibly Kreutz, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth this past season. There's a 50-50 chance that Kreutz returns. Chicago's key restricted free agents include Bates, Booker, Colvin, Holdman and Tucker. Of the group, only Bates wasn't a regular starter last season, but he came on strong late. The Bears likely will give all five the highest tender available. The most intriguing situation is that of Miller, who is 13-5 as a starter in his Bears career. The team won't pay Miller like a top starter because no one else in the league considers him as such. His return could depend on which other quarterbacks become available, via free agency or trade. Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe has been rumored as a possible trade target, and Trent Dilfer, who quarterbacked the Buccaneers under Bears general manager Jerry Angelo, is available in free agency. Elsewhere, if Allen doesn't find much interest on the open market, he could return at a bargain rate. Sinceno's return could depend on his recovery from a season-ending knee injury. The Bears would like to re-sign Shelton.

Detroit Lions

Lions' 2001 free agents

UFAs: LB Allen Aldridge, OG Kerlin Blaise, S Marty Carter, S Lamar Campbell, WR Germane Crowell, WR Bert Emanuel, OT Matt Joyce, DT Travis Kirschke, LB Scott Kowalkowski, S Ray McElroy, DT Kelvin Pritchett, OG Tony Semple, TE David Sloan, CB Bryant Westbrook, LB Brian Williams. RFAs: DL Jared DeVries, RB Sedrick Irvin, LB Clint Kriewaldt, LB Khari Samuel, S Kywin Supernaw. EFAs: RB Aveion Cason, RB Reuben Droughns, WR Larry Foster, DE James Hall, DE Anthony Herron, CB Chidi Iwuoma, CB Jimmy Wyrick.

Analysis: The Lions don't anticipate any problems with the salary cap, but they might try to restructure running back James Stewart's contract to create more room. He has a $5.3 million cap value for 2002. The Lions already plan to release quarterback Charlie Batch on June 1, and safety Kurt Schulz is a potential cap casualty. Defensive end Tracy Scroggins spoke of retiring last summer and might follow through this offseason. The Lions would like to re-sign Westbrook and Crowell, two of the team's top talents, but president Matt Millen said he would allow both to test the free-agent waters. Because both are coming off injuries and have injury histories, Millen doesn't anticipate them drawing a great deal of interest. The team won't break the bank on them either. Sloan, Emanuel, Campbell and Williams are in Detroit's plans, as well as Blaise, Joyce and Semple. Aldridge probably won't return. The Lions have an abundance of needs, especially on defense, a unit that was devastated by injuries last season. A pass-rushing end is a top need, and that might be followed by linebacker and safety considering middle linebacker Stephen Boyd (back) and strong safety Ron Rice (neck) are coming off season-ending injuries. Offensively, the Lions need help at wide receiver, another position that was obliterated by injuries last season.

Green Bay Packers

	Packers' 2002 free agents
	UFAs: WR Corey Bradford, DT Gilbert Brown, TE Tyrone Davis, OT Earl Dotson, DT Jim Flanigan, S Scott Frost, FB William Henderson, LB Rob Holmberg, S Billy Jenkins, QB Doug Pederson, CB Allen Rossum, WR Bill Schroeder, OL Barry Stokes, OG Mike Wahle. RFAs: WR Donald Driver, DT Cletidus Hunt, CB Tod McBride, LB K.D. Williams. EFAs: None.

Analysis: This offseason marks Mike Sherman's first foray into free agency as the Packers' general manager. He doesn't have much room to work with under the salary cap, but the Packers are working to make room. Running back Dorsey Levens (one year left on his contract) and defensive end John Thierry (two years) probably will be cut to save some cash. Both have $500,000 roster bonuses due March 1. Center Frank Winters doesn't have a bonus coming, but he's scheduled to make a base salary of $1.5 million next season. He might have to take a pay cut or be released. The position with the most activity could be wide receiver, where both Bradford and Schroeder are unrestricted free agents. The Packers have begun efforts to re-sign Bradford, but as of presstime, they hadn't done anything with Schroeder, who struggled catching the ball down the stretch last season. Green Bay would like wide receiver Antonio Freeman to rework his contract, which jumps from $1.7 million in base salary last season to $4.3 million next season. The Packers want to pay Freeman $1.5 million or less in base salary, but Freeman has told the team he believes he can make more elsewhere. Henderson hadn't been contacted yet, but he'd like to return. The Packers don't have a quality return man other than Rossum, but he missed about 10 full games last season. Wahle might be able to sign for more money elsewhere. Green Bay's top needs are at wide receiver and backup quarterback.

Minnesota Vikings

	Vikings' 2001 free agents
	UFAs: PK Gary Anderson, CB Dale Carter, WR Cris Carter, TE Byron Chamberlain, OL Calvin Collins, WR Nate Jacquet, P Lee Johnson, TE Andrew Jordan, LB Pete Monty, RB Harold Morrow, WR Jake Reed, LB Kailee Wong. RFAs: LB Jim Nelson, DE Talance Sawyer, CB Kenny Wright. EFAs: C Cory Withrow.

Analysis: The Vikings have identified their top four players they'd like to re-sign -- Dale Carter, Chamberlain, Wong and S Robert Griffith, who will become a free agent once he exercises his option March 1 -- and they're working to make room under the salary cap to lock them up. Those efforts included cutting long-time Vikings Ed McDaniel and Orlando Thomas, as well as several more players. Others will be asked to take pay cuts. Offensive guard Corbin Lacina, offensive guard David Dixon and cornerback Robert Tate likely will agree, but offensive tackle Brad Badger, wide receiver Chris Walsh and punter Mitch Berger balked, and it cost Berger his job. Berger signed a five-year, $5 million contract in 2000, but he refused to accept the veteran minimum of $650,000. The Vikings won't take a huge dip into the market and plan to spend a majority of their available money on re-signing the aforementioned foursome. Griffith is perhaps the defense's most valuable player; Chamberlain is coming off a career year; Carter became the team's best cornerback; and Wong still has potential. Minnesota views its first-round draft pick (No. 7) more importantly in terms of acquiring an impact player. That said, the Vikings likely will examine the defensive line, offensive line and linebacker markets. They re-signed right tackle Chris Liwienski, who was a pleasant surprise last season. Cris Carter is looking to catch on elsewhere.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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