2006 Offseason Spending Spree? What Spending Spree?

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

It's obviously a little too early to know what kinds of contracts are going to be doled out to free agents, but it looks like things are going to get crazy. Offensive guards are historically among the lowest paid players on teams; only TEs, FBs, and safeties are paid less. This offseason, however, it looks like guards such as Dielman, Dockery, and Steinbach are going to get signing bonuses of anywhere from $12-$15M. So, my question is, did our 2006 "spending spree" really amount to a "spending spree" or a last minute attempt to sign free agents at what are now relatively cheap contracts?

Granted, Archuleta was a bust, but the other guys' contracts don't look so crazy right now. DE Andre Carter got a $10M signing bonus, but DEs are among the highest paid players in the league, particularly DEs with goodpass-rushing abilities. WRs ARE and Lloyd were each paid $10M signing bonuses on backloaded contracts that average about $5M per year. That seemed like a lot for #2/3 caliber wideouts, but who knows what FA WR contracts will look like in the near future.

Maybe these crazy contracts will never materialize, but if they do, maybe when I look back in the rearview mirror at the 2006 offseason "spending spree," it won't look so foolish.