More than a quarter of the former Gators that suited up for NFL squads
last season saw their contracts expire when the clock struck midnight
Friday. Two of the 10 have already resigned with their clubs, one left
a long-time home and headed north. The other seven are making the
rounds on radio station and media interviews, trying to convince
general managers that they’re a piece of a championship
puzzle.

Here’s a look at the 10 free agents that played a full season in the
league in 2008 (half-year guys like Chad Jackson are left out):

Channing Crowder: Agreed to a three-year deal with Miami just before
the kickoff of free agency. Crowder was the Dolphins’ second-leading
tackler last season (113) and was considered to be one of the top
linebackers in the available crop.

Max Starks: Super Bowl champ Pittsburgh surprised many, including
Starks, when it made him its franchise player not long after the team’s
win in Tampa. With the designated non-exclusive franchise tag, Starks
can sign a one-year deal for last year’s average salary of the top-five
highest paid tackles, or 120 percent of his 2008 wages, whichever is
more.

He’s still allowed to negotiate with other teams, but if he signs an
offer sheet somewhere else and the Steelers decline to match, that
team must give up two first-round picks as compensation.

In other words, Starks will remain a Steeler.

Fred Taylor: After visits with New England and Buffalo, Taylor decided
to go with the best chance for a ring and signed Friday with the
Patriots.

I’m sure it helped that his new team has a home date with his old team next season.

Rex Grossman: The former Gator passer made the radio and television
rounds in recent days. He told Sirius Satellite’s NFL Radio earlier in
the week that he’d like to play in Detroit, adding that “the situation
there isn’t as bad as people think.”

In other words, it’s one of the few teams that Grossman would have a
shot at starting for. The added bonus is that he’d get to play his
former team, Chicago, twice a year.

If Grossman is brought in by the winless Lions, it would be strictly as
a backup, as the team is likely to nab Georgia quarterback Matt
Stafford with the first pick in April’s draft.

Grossman has told his agent that he’s willing to go to any team, as long as he has a shot at competing for the starting role.

During the Sirius interview, Dallas and the New York Jets were also mentioned as possible interested teams.

Chicago has already said that Kyle Orton is its starter going forward.

Jabar Gaffney: After Donte Stallworth was exiled after the 2007 season,
Gaffney solidified himself as the No. 3 receiver in New England’s pass-happy attack. He grabbed 38 passes in 50 targets for 486 yard and two
touchdowns.

He’ll get some interest in the open market after top receivers like Cincinnati’s T.J. Houshmandzadeh are settled.

Marquand Manuel: After recording 83 tackles last season for Denver, his
seventh year in the league, Manuel was cut by the Broncos in a
cost-cutting move.

He had no reported visits lined up as of Friday morning.

Reynaldo Hill: An injury-plagued season limited Hill to just three
tackles in five games for the Titans last year. He was placed on
injured reserve Nov. 22 with a hamstring injury.

Darrell Jackson: Gone are the days when Jackson was one of the league’s
top receivers. He grabbed 34 touchdowns from 2000-2004 and then was
traded from Seattle after knee injuries.

The knee never seemed to fully heal and Jackson was limited to one
touchdown in his 12 receptions and 190 yards with Denver last season.

Jackson still has a league reputation for inconsistent hands, and with
the knee troubles, many teams aren’t going to look his way this early
in free agency.

Ben Troupe: Ankle troubles have kept Troupe from building on his early
success with Tennessee. Last year in Oakland, he grabbed five balls for
47 yards, but was placed on injured reserve and eventually cut on Nov.
17.

The interest he receives in free agency will depend upon how the ankle responds in workouts and medical tests.

Keiwan Ratliff: In 13 games at safety for Indianapolis in 2008, Ratliff
logged 32 tackles and grabbed two interceptions. The tackle total is
greater than his past three seasons combined, and the interceptions
nearly match his career total (three, all in 2005) entering the season.

He stepped up in a wild-card loss to San Diego, recording six tackles (five solo) and defending a pass.

Ratliff may not be the starter that many envisioned
when he was drafted high by the Bengals five years ago, but he’s a
quality backup that should get a few calls in the coming months.