Catching my breath on free agency

This is the point at which we all second guess the signings. This is how I categorize them:

Awesome
Darius Butler

Gosder Cherilus

Great
Donald Thomas
Greg Toler
LaRon Landry

Okay, they must know something
Ricky Jean-Francois
Lawrence Sidbury

WTF?
Erik Walden

I put Butler at the top not because he's an outstanding player, though he quite a good one, but because of how the team handled his signing. They took him off the scarp heap, allowed him to play his game, and he excelled. His reward was a contract, but it was tempered by the fact that he signed under the understanding that he would be the team's third corner. Considering the egos corners have, that's impressive.

You'll hear lots of "good riddance" and "you got swindled" by sour grapes-spewing Lions fans in reference to the Cherilus signing. Take it for what it is. Cherilus was the last first-round pick of the much-reviled Matt Millen, and he struggled as a rook, then was hit by injury. But Cherilus isn't to blame for who drafted him, nor his injuries. And although like many a tackle (look at Duane Brown, for example) who may look disastrous as a rook, he found himself later on.

I watch a lot of the Lions because of where I live, family connections to the city and because I like Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson, and I can tell you that Cherilus has made himself one of the best right tackles in the league, stalemating guys like his old rival Jared Allen.

Thomas was seen as a talent who could never put it together until he got to New England. Great, thanks for coaching him up, guys. He steps in as by far and away the most talent guard the team has had in years.

My feeling on Toler vis-à-vis Jerraud Powers are unchanged. They have similar talent levels, but Toler gets the edge because he is more physical.

I've never been a huge Landry fan because I think he's one of those guys who concentrates more on the big hit than consistently strong safety play, but, with that said, he gets the job done.

RJF? I get that he plays all three line positions, but does he do any of them particularly well?

Sidbury's a boom-or-bust guy. Full of excellent physical attributes, for sure, but the Falcons must have benched him for a reason.

Walden, Walden, Walden. I gotta say it again. They must know something I don't.