The Facts: There's a good chance Longwell will make it to the free-agent market next week, but what happens after that could be determined by how the Patriots, Colts and 49ers act in the coming week. None of the four teams mentioned used a franchise or transition tag to protect its kicker from becoming an unrestricted free agent, which means Longwell could face stiff competition for top dollar in the open market.

Diehards Line:Barring any contract agreements reached before next Friday, Longwell will join Adam Vinatieri, Mike Vanderjagt and Joe Nedney in seeking lucrative deals. The Packers remain interested in re-signing Longwell, but like the other three teams, they decided it wasn't worth committing $2 million to $2.4 million to restrict movement through the use of a franchise or transition tag.