Every year the free agent market starts out with so many possibilities. Then teams start signing many of the players that everyone else had penciled into their team's starting lineup. With an already thin free agent market this year because of the no-cap season, all it takes is one or two loops of the pen to put the kibosh on free agent frenzy. Defensive tackle was already a pretty thin position this year, and it's a lot thinner today with the news that the Packers will use the franchise tag on former St. Louis Rams DT Ryan Pickett.
Pickett found his niche as the NT in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense, and becomes the latest NT to have the tag applied following Vince Wilfork, Casey Hampton and Aubrayo Franklin.
It's a pretty thin group now, featuring former Ram Jimmy Kennedy, Corey Redding and Hollis Thomas.
Fortunately, the draft has more to offer in the way of DTs.