Free agency begins at 12:01 AM Friday

NFL free agency begins at 12:01 tonight (or....tomorrow morning.) Some players are going to finally be able to feed their families.

Among those players should be Steelers CB Bryant McFadden and WR Nate Washington. Rumor has it that McFadden may really get paid as this year's crop of top tier of free agent CB's is a little thin. McFadden didn't become a "top-tier" corner until the second half of the 2008 season, but it was enough to land him a deal that will likely pay him between 7 and 8 million dollars per season.

Nate Washington is also a free agent and may look to sign a deal that will make him a #2 or #3 receiver. Nate was a good receiver for the Steelers and at times was a serious deep threat. However, the presence of Limas Sweed will allow the Steelers to close the door on Washington.

OT Max Starks, who was slated for free agency, was given the franchise tag and the team is currently working on a long-term deal. The other notable free agent is RFA Willie Colon. The Steelers are expected to place a 1st round tender on Colon for the amount of nearly 2.2 million. Another team could sign Colon for that amount, but they would have to give Pittsburgh their first round draft pick.

Ironically, most teams would not give a pair of shoulder pads for Colon.