Free Agency Mid-Term Report Card

Some good information for all the AFL enthusiasts! The Arena Football League’s free agency signing period is a little over a month old and some teams have already cashed in with key additions. Here’s a look at the top five teams in terms of free agent signings (as of Nov. 8; AFL free agents and does not include rookie agents): 5.) Utah Blaze – Head coach Danny White has been active this off-season, inking a total of seven AFL free agents, including five linemen. With input from new line coach Ron James, who was head coach of the Las Vegas Gladiators last season, the Blaze signed Chris Janek (Columbus), Bruce Blue (New York) and Steve Konopka (Las Vegas). With James coaching up the big guys in the trenches, look for better play up front on both sides of the ball for Utah this season. The Blaze also signed former University of Utah DB Clarence Lawson from Arizona. Lawson is an experienced field corner entering his ninth season in the League. The biggest addition to the Blaze offense is the signing of All-Rookie WR/LB Aaron Boone. Boone, a Utah native who attended Snow College (Ephraim, Utah) and Millard High School (Fillmore, Utah) burst onto the scene with Kansas City last season (after being traded from Philadelphia), catching 66 passes for 748 yards and 19 TDs in just seven games. Boone will team with WR Siaha Burley to form a nice 1-2 punch for the Utah offense 4.) Tampa Bay Storm – The Storm got off to a slow start in the free agency game but it has been full speed ahead ever since. Tampa Bay has been the most active team in free agency, signing a total of nine players, including OL/DL Tom Briggs (Austin) and WR Terrill Shaw (Dallas). Shaw, who ranked third in the AFL with 37 receiving TDs and fourth with 1,498 receiving yards with Dallas last season, will take over as the top offensive threat replacing departed WR Freddie Solomon. Briggs will bring veteran savvy to the line and can still get after the quarterback. Tampa Bay also inked 15-year veteran WR/DB Barry Wagner (San Jose), giving the Storm one of the most tenured rosters in the League. The Storm currently has five players on their training camp roster with 10 or more years of experience – the most of any team in the League (Wagner-15; Briggs-10; QB John Kaleo-13; WR/LB Lawrence Samuels-13; and FB/LB Leroy Thompson-13). 3.) New Orleans VooDoo – The re-born VooDoo will return to the League in ’07 after a one-year hiatus because of Hurricane Katrina. Head Coach Mike Neu’s first order of business was to bring in a veteran quarterback and did that by signing Andy Kelly who had the opportunity to return to New Orleans this season after playing 2006 in Kansas City and Utah. Neu also beefed up the receiving corps with up-and-coming WR/LB Anthony Hines (Grand Rapids) and veteran WR/DB Tyronne Jones (Georgia). Hines has posted solid numbers over the last two seasons with the Rampage, including career-high 124 receptions for 1,329 yards and 25 scores last year. The VooDoo also added FB/LB Henry Bryant (Austin), who is a solid two-way player that should contribute right away on both sides of the ball. But, the biggest free agent signing for New Orleans was OL/DL Henry Taylor from Orlando. Taylor can get after the quarterback (8.0 sacks for Orlando last year) and will anchor the OL/DL for New Orleans. 2.) Dallas Desperados – The rich got a little richer this off-season in Dallas. Already armed with one of the most prolific offenses in the AFL, the Desperados added another star WR to the lineup with the signing of free agent Marcus Nash (Las Vegas). Nash joins QB Clint Dolezel, WR Dialleo Burks and WR/DB Will Pettis to form the most talented skill position units in the League. Nash and Dolezel played together with the Gladiators from 2004-05 and formed a unique bond. Nash caught 154 passes for 1,771 yards and a career-high 46 TDs in 2004 and was named the AFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. Last season in Vegas, he hauled in 122 receptions for 1,281 yards and 28 scores and has a total of 139 career TD catches in four seasons. The Desperados lost WR Terrill Shaw to free agency but shouldn’t miss a beat with Nash in the lineup. Dallas also added depth with the signing of WR/LB CoCo Blalock, also from Las Vegas. Blalock grabbed 35 passes for 374 yards and four TDs last season for the Gladiators. 1.) Orlando Predators - Orlando has signed just three players in free agency so far, but none was more important than QB Shane Stafford (Tampa Bay). Stafford was the most sought-after free agent on the board, and head coach Jay Gruden was able to convince the five-year signal-caller to jump from the Storm to Southern Division rival Orlando this off-season. Gruden knows the AFL is a quarterback driven League and although he was happy at times with the play of former Preds QB Joe Hamilton, he had his sights on Stafford from day one. “We considered Shane to be a franchise-type player and the top-available free agent on the market,” Gruden said when he signed Stafford. “Whenever you have a chance to upgrade your team, you have to do it.” Last year, Stafford set Storm single season records for attempts (650), completions (408), yards (4,795) and TD passes (86), and led the League in total offense (303.2 yards per game) and pass completions (408), while ranking third in total TDs (96) and TD passes (86). Over the last two years, he has been one of the most prolific passers in the Arena Football League, throwing for 9,317 yards and 169 TDs. Stafford holds Tampa Bay career records for passing yards (15,672) and passing TDs (289) to go with 29 career rushing scores and has 19 career 300-yard passing games to his credit. Orlando also re-signed backup QB Jake Eaton and inked DB Chris Pointer (Kansas City). Eaton knows the Predators offensive system and Pointer joins a secondary with veteran DB Kahlil Carter. Top Free Agents Still Available