Free agency winners, losers

Albert Haynesworth fulfilled his goal of becoming the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. The New England Patriots deemed Matt Cassel worth only a second-round draft pick. The Dallas Cowboys traded a starting cornerback for a backup quarterback and cut their best receiver. A year after flaming out in Oakland, DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson hit the jackpot elsewhere.

And Dan Orlovsky secured a $9.15 million contract.

Yes, the opening week of free agency featured everything from the impressive (the Jets raiding Baltimore’s defense) to the insane (the Washington Redskins‘ financial commitment to three players). Here’s a look at the winners and losers from the free-for-all:

WINNERS

New York Jets

Freed of Brett Favre’s $13 million salary, the Jets and new coach Rex Ryan went to work. They poached the Ravens of linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard and traded for Philadelphia cornerback Lito Sheppard.

The offense remains in question with unknowns at quarterback, but at least the Jets will rank better than 29th in pass defense.

New York Giants

The Giants’ defensive line is the NFL’s best with the additions of tackles Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard. They join ends Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka and tackles Jay Alford, Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins.

Running back Derrick Ward signed with Tampa Bay, and the Giants haven’t publicly pursued any of the free agent receivers. With or without Plaxico Burress, New York is the class of the NFC East.

Interior linemen

On defense, Haynesworth got his big money ($41 million guaranteed) and the Giants gave Canty $17.25 million guaranteed to switch from a 3-4 end to a 4-3 tackle.

On offense, center Jason Brown went to St. Louis for a contract averaging $7 million per year. Center Jake Grove (Miami, $14.5 million guaranteed) and guards Derrick Dockery (Redskins, $8 million) and Brandon Moore (Jets, $10 million) also cashed in.

Kansas City Chiefs

New general manager Scott Pioli got his franchise quarterback (Cassel), and it didn’t even cost him the third overall pick. The Chiefs can build around Cassel and Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry.

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