ESPN NFL

Updated: October 30, 2003, 3:41 PM ET

Bailey headlines NFC list

The '03 season is only halfway through, but we're only four months away from the start of free agency.

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Pro Football Weekly

Dallas Cowboys
Potential UFAs: C Gennaro DiNapoli, CB Mario Edwards, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, DE Eric Ogbogu.
Potential RFAs: DT Willie Blade, RB Aveion Cason, OT Javiar Collins, RB Troy Hambrick, C Matt Lehr, S Lynn Scott, LB Markus Steele, TE James Whalen, WR Randal Williams.
Analysis: The good news is that there are no must-sign free agents who are expected to command high salaries. The biggest unrestricted free agent is probably Edwards, who is starting while CB Derek Ross works his way back. And with Ross, Donald Mitchell (who is out for the year) and Pete Hunter in tow, Edwards is not a priority; the market will dictate whether he will return. Unless Ekuban makes a huge turnaround in the second half, he likely will be a goner as well. Ogbogu has shown promise, but they certainly are not going to break the bank for him. With promising rookie C Al Johnson the future at the position, it's likely the team will bring back just one between Lehr and DiNapoli. The team probably will tender offers to most of the remaining restricted free agents. The cap situation is fairly strong considering the team's youth and lack of major contracts other than WR Joey Galloway.

New York Giants
Potential UFAs: C Chris Bober, CB Ralph Brown, WR Ron Dixon, QB Jason Garrett, DT Cornelius Griffin, S Johnnie Harris, LB Dhani Jones, CB Kato Serwanga, LB Brandon Short, DE Keith Washington.
Potential RFAs: DT Lance Legree, QB Jesse Palmer, CB Will Peterson, TE Marcellus Rivers.
Analysis: The market for Bober, one of the team's most promising linemen last season, probably increased -- ironically enough -- when he played some at right tackle in emergency duty. Bober is far better at center, his more natural position, and he has struggled at right tackle, but tackles can command more on the open market. After seeing what the losses of ORG Jason Whittle and ORT Mike Rosenthal have done to the team, the Giants most likely will do their best to bring Bober back and surround him with fresh talent. Brown probably is playing for a contract, but he'll never be more than a nickel back in New York. Perhaps some team will like enough of what it sees in Brown, who is filling in indefinitely for the injured Peterson, that it will overpay for him - in which case, the Giants likely would let him walk. Sources close to the team indicate it might like Jones a shade more than Short, but the team would like to keep its two starting linebackers in place. Dixon, Garrett and Palmer likely could be elsewhere next season. Griffin is a tossup, but the team has first-round pick William Joseph in waiting.

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