The 20 Worst NFL Free Agency Signings in Recent Memory
Every offseason, NFL teams come looking to make the big free agent splash that will send them down a road to success. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out that way. These are the worst NFL free agency signings in recent memory.
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Around this time last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars were looking for a way to reverse their fortunes following yet another disappointing season (they finished with a 3-13 record). The Jags wound up taking two huge swings for the fences in the free agent market, signing defensive end Calais Campbell and cornerback A.J. Bouye.
The Campbell deal, worth $60 million over four years, was knocked by many analysts who felt that, at 30, he was past his prime. Bouye’s five-year, $67.5 million contract was also deemed a risk, because the Jaguars were banking on just one good year out of the Tucker, Georgia native. Despite all the questions surrounding the signings, both players had exceptional years in their first season with the Jags, helping them reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2000.
Every year, NFL teams come into the free agency period hoping to emulate the magic of last year’s Jaguars. Unfortunately, most wind up missing the mark. Because for every Bouye, there will be a Deion Sanders, and for every Campbell, there will be an Albert Haynesworth. Most GMs looking to find that lightning in a bottle to turn their franchise around quickly find out that their role is a mix of skill and luck, and if both don’t match up perfectly, the results can be damaging to the organization.
Money is a terrible thing to waste, but if these organizations want to raise that Lombardi Trophy one day, they have to take some chances—chances that sometimes become regrettable within a year or two, and make both sides wish they had a do-over. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember the last 18 years of disappointing acquisitions. Here are the 20 worst NFL free agency signings in recent memory.
Albert Haynesworth
Team: Washington Redskins
Year: 2009
NFL free agent busts don’t get any bigger than Albert Haynesworth. Prior to joining the Washington Redskins, Albert Haynesworth put up a career-best 41 tackles and 8.5 sacks with the Tennessee Titans. At 27, Haynesworth appeared to be headed towards his prime with his best years ahead of him. Or so that’s what the Redskins thought when they signed him to a seven-year, $100 million contract with $41 million guaranteed.
From the moment Haynesworth signed the deal, the Redskins got limited effort out of their supposed cornerstone defensive player. In his first year, Haynesworth had four sacks and 29 tackles. The following year, he had 2.5 sacks and 13 tackles. After two disappointing seasons, Washington traded him to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round pick. After four months with the Pats, Haynesworth was placed on waivers.
DeMarco Murray
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Year: 2015
If DeMarco Murray could have one do-over in life, he probably would’ve never left the Dallas Cowboys for the Philadelphia Eagles. But Murray chased the money, taking a five-year, $40 million deal with the Eagles. Little did he realize at the time that he would struggle to fit into Chip Kelly’s offense. In his lone season with Philly, DeMarco rushed for 702 yards on 3.6 yards per carry—nowhere near his previous season with the Cowboys, when he put up 1,845 rushing yards.
Nnamdi Asomugha
Team: Philadelhpia Eagles
Year: 2011
Nnamdi Asomugha is living proof that the NFL will never be like Madden, where you can plug in the best player at a position, and your team will instantly get better. In 2011, the Eagles signed Asomugha to a five-year, $60 million deal with at least $25 million guaranteed, hoping that he would shore up their secondary.
Unfortunately, the Eagles didn’t consider Asomugha’s playing style. Before coming to Philadelphia, Asomugha was a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, because he succeeded in playing man-to-man defense. At the time, the Eagles ran a scheme that relied upon their corners playing primarily zone coverage. Asomugha was never able to get acclimated to the difference, and he never looked like the same player. He was gone after two seasons.
Brock Osweiler
Team: Houston Texans
Year: 2016
The legend of Brock Osweiler came from a series of solid games with his previous team, the Denver Broncos. Osweiler showed flashes of solid play under center, and the Houston Texans bit hard, signing him to a four-year, $72 million contract.
His single season with the Texans was marred by mediocrity. He threw 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. It only took 15 games for the Texans to cut bait on the Osweiler Era, in favor of equally unproven quarterback Tom Savage. Texans fans were so through with Osweiler that one person started a GoFundMe with the hopes of collecting enough money to help the organization pay to ship him out of town. Ouch.
Matt Flynn
Team: Seattle Seahawks
Year: 2012
All it took was one game for Matt Flynn to receive a huge payday. In Aaron Rodgers’ absence, Flynn threw for 480 yards and set a Packers record with six touchdowns. Three months later, Flynn received a $26 million deal from the Seattle Seahawks. Before the start of the regular season, he was replaced by some quarterback named Russell Wilson.
Javon Walker
Team: Oakland Raiders
Year: 2008
After signing a six-year, $55 million contract (with $16 million guaranteed) with the Oakland Raiders, Javon Walker fell into a black hole and his talent disappeared for the rest of his career. In his first year with the Raiders, Walker battled knee problems and amassed just 15 catches for 196 yards and one touchdown in eight games.
He contemplated retirement that offseason, but was talked out of it by owner Al Davis. Walker responded to Davis’s support by playing in three games and hailing in zero catches.
Joe Johnson
Team: Green Bay Packers
Year: 2002
The Green Bay Packers have never been known to make big plays in free agency, opting instead to lean on developing their existing talent. How does a team become so cautious? Joe Johnson may have had something to do with it. After signing a six-year, $33 million deal, Johnson gave Green Bay just two sacks in 11 games.
Fred Smoot
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Year: 2005
The Minnesota Vikings took a big swing when they inked Fred Smoot to a $34 million deal over six years. Smoot spent just two years with the Vikings, where he only recorded three interceptions. Smoot’s unfortunate claim to fame with the Vikings was his role in the Love Boat scandal—he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and being a public nuisance on a watercraft.
Peerless Price
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Year: 2003
Peerless Price had the prototypical contract year in his last season with the Buffalo Bills. After putting up 94 catches, 1,252 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, Price signed a seven-year, $37.5 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The following year, the wideout amassed a respectable 838 receiving yards. Every year after that, his numbers got exponentially worse.
Albert Connell
Team: New Orleans Saints
Year: 2001
When the New Orleans Saints paid $13 million over five years for Albert Connell, they thought it would be a worthwhile investment. Little did they know that they were actually getting robbed—in more ways than one. In 12 games with the Saints, Connell had 12 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
His departure from the team had nothing to do with his performance on the field, though. Connell admitted to stealing $4,363 from teammate Deuce McAllister’s locker and car. He swore it was all a prank, but the Saints decided to send him packing.
Drew Bennett
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Year: 2007
Billed as the replacement for the legendary Isaac Bruce, Drew Bennett was paid handsomely by the Los Angeles Rams; $30 million, to be exact. In his first year with the Rams, Bennett had 375 receiving yards—and then he completely fell off the face of the earth.
Jared Gaither
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Year: 2012
The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t heed the warning signs concerning Jared Gaither’s injury history and attitude problems, and signed him to a four-year, $24.6 million contract. Unsurprisingly, Gaither was never able to live up to the deal. The straw that broke the Chargers’ back came when Gaither gave up back-to-back sacks on a crucial possession in a pivotal game.
Antwaan Randle El
Team: Washington Redskins
Year: 2006
When the Washington Redskins signed Antwaan Randle El to a seven-year, $31 million contract, it left people scratching their heads, and rightfully so. Randle El was never a game-changing wide receiver, so the Redskins really got what they paid for. His highest yardage year came in 2007, when he put up 728 receiving yards. If Washington wanted to pay big for mediocre talent, then Randle El was a success.
Jeff Garcia
Team: Cleveland Browns
Year: 2004
Following three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, Jeff Garcia experienced a misstep in his final year with the San Francisco 49ers which ultimately led to his release. The Cleveland Browns signed Garcia to a four-year, $25 million deal with the hopes that he could regain some of his old magic. After just one season, Garcia was out.
Aaron Brooks
Team: Oakland Raiders
Year: 2006
The Oakland Raiders were stuck with the decision of pursuing Aaron Brooks or Drew Brees in the 2006 offseason. After missing out on Brees, they extended a two-year, $9 million offer to Brooks, who could never get it going in silver and black. After an 0-8 start under Brooks, Oakland decided to go in a different direction to in an attempt t resurrect their franchise. The following offseason, the Raiders went with JaMarcus Russell—that didn’t go well, either.
David Boston
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Year: 2003
From a statistical standpoint, David Boston’s only season with the Los Angeles Chargers was a success, with 880 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The Chargers’ seven-year, $47 million investment already appeared to be paying off. However, issues within the organization ultimately led San Diego to part ways with Boston after one year.
Ahman Green
Team: Houston Texans
Year: 2007
Ahman Green was a pillar of stability throughout his time with the Green Bay Packers, rushing for at least 1,000 yards in six of his last seven years with the team. In 2007, the Houston Texans swooped in and signed Green to a four-year, $23 million deal. In two seasons with the Texans, he rushed for just 554 yards with five touchdowns.
Daryl Gardener
Team: Denver Broncos
Year: 2003
The Denver Broncos were hoping to make a splash when they signed defensive tackle Daryl Gardener. But it didn’t take long for the team to regret the seven-year deal, worth nearly $35 million. Before he ever got a chance to suit up for the Broncos, Gardener was involved in an altercation outside a pancake house, and he sustained torn ligaments in his right wrist.
Gardener was twice suspended by the Broncos for conduct detrimental to the team, and was cut after his first season.
Jerry Porter
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Year: 2008
After two good seasons in his first eight years, Porter entered free agency and received an unnecessary six-year contract from the Jacksonville Jaguars worth $30 million, with $10 million guaranteed. Almost immediately after inking the deal, Porter needed to undergo hamstring surgery, which forced him to miss the first three games of the season. He was never able to get it going in his lone year with the Jaguars, finishing with 11 catches, 181 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
Deion Sanders
Team: Washington Redskins
Year: 2000
It may be surprising to see Deion Sanders’ name pop up on this list, but the blame for this inexplicably costly acquisition falls squarely on the shoulders of the Washington Redskins. In 2000, the Redskins offered Sanders an eight-year, $56 million deal. Prime Time was 33 years old, and surely about to hit the decline of his NFL career. As expected, he was a shell of his former self, and retired after one season in Washington.