NFL Free Agent Busts

[Fonzie]

We've all experienced their horror in FOF, and we've felt their vicious sting when following our favorite "real" teams. I'm talking about none other than the dreaded "free agent busts" - those guys who had performed at a good (or better) level prior to signing a bit fat contract with your team, at which point they proceed to fall apart either physically or functionally or both.

The question I'd pose to the group is this: whom do you think is the biggest FA bust in recent (say since about 1998) NFL history? And why?

I'll start by volunteering this man: as a Packers fan it's hard not to think that 31-year old Joe Johnson has been one of the worst FA signings of late. He got a 6-year, $33 million deal with a $6.5m bonus 2 years ago. What have the Packers gotten in the first two years of this deal (which was in reality a 3-year deal)? They've received 11 games played, 15 solo tackles, two sacks, one season-ending torn triceps and one season-ending torn quadriceps tendon. The latter injury is a tough one to rehab from, and the packers are staring at a big ol' cap hit if they cut him after the season. Part of what makes this a bad decision by Mike Sherman was Johnson's age at the time of the deal (29) and his injury history (he'd missed 22 games for the Saints with a ruptured tendon in his right knee in 1999, back surgery to fix a herniated disc in 1999 and more than one arthroscopic knee operation. He also played almost all of the 2001 season with triceps damage in his left arm) - Sherman should've been much more cautious with this guy (and I felt that way at the time of the signing).

So, who else qualifies as a FA bust? And who do y'all think is the worst?

[damnMikeBrown]

This is the only area of personel/players that I can't trump with "The Bengals".

Ok, so we never actually get a real free agent, but at least we don't get big time busts either!

[Franklinnoble]

David Boston comes to mind...

[Franklinnoble]

Dola...

And Dana Stubblefield. Won Defensive Player of the Year with the 49ers, then signed with Washington, and proceeded to suck for the next few years.

[Masked]

Joe Johnson has clearly been a bust for the Packers on account of his injuries. Johnson was probably the best run defending end in the league and a very good pass rusher when he was in New Orleans, but suffered several injuries his last few years. The Saints tried to keep him, but the Packers offered him an inflated contract to convince to leave. They would not have gotten him otherwise. Obviously the move backfired due to the injuries. Its sad to see a once great player's career come to such a disappointing end (although not an uncommon tale).

A couple others that come to mind.

Albert Connel was signed by the Saints to a fairly large contract and was cut after he got stealing from another player.

Deion Sanders in Washington.

[albionmoonlight]

I was upset when the Saints lost Joe Johnson.

[Masked]

Originally posted by albionmoonlight
I was upset when the Saints lost Joe Johnson.

I was sad he left as well, but when I saw the contract that he got from Green Bay I understood the teams decision to try not to outbid them.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Masked

A couple others that come to mind.

Albert Connel was signed by the Saints to a fairly large contract and was cut after he got stealing from another player.

Deion Sanders in Washington.

I'll agree with Connell, but I think the Saints overpaid for a mediocre receiver that enjoyed the benefit of being a starter in a Norv Turner offense.

Sanders was a stupid signing from the beginning, and I wouldn't call him a bust. His skills were clearly declining when he got there, and he quit after the first year largely due to his inability to play for Marty Schottenheimer.

[3ric]

Did Sean Gilbert go to Washington as a free agent?

[Masked]

I agree with you on both points Franklin. Those two come to mind becauseof how spectacularly and how quickly they were gone from the respective teams.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by 3ric
Did Sean Gilbert go to Washington as a free agent?

The trade to Carolina from Washington could be the worst transaction ever. Carolina gave up 2 first rounders and got shit in return. He was also paid a king's ransom - all after sitting out an entire season. I don't think anyone is going to make that mistake again.

[Fonzie]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
The trade to Carolina from Washington could be the worst transaction ever. Carolina gave up 2 first rounders and got shit in return. He was also paid a king's ransom - all after sitting out an entire season. I don't think anyone is going to make that mistake again.

That was a remarkably bad deal. Does anyone remember who the two first rounders were?

[korme]

Pickens going to Tennessee was the worst career decision he ever made.

[QuikSand]

Wide receiver seem to be a common position for this to happen - there must be more to "chemistry" and "system" than with most other positions, I guess. (Makes sense, since a WR is pretty completely dependent on someone else delivering the ball to be able to do anything)

[Fonzie]

Originally posted by QuikSand
Wide receiver seem to be a common position for this to happen - there must be more to "chemistry" and "system" than with most other positions, I guess. (Makes sense, since a WR is pretty completely dependent on someone else delivering the ball to be able to do anything)

I agree - I'd be remiss if I didn't draw upon my experience as a Packers fan and include the Antonio Freeman deal in this list. Ron Wolf really honked that one.

[HornedFrog Purple]

I can't remember who took Alvin Harper but they are kicking themselves.

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by HornedFrog Purple
I can't remember who took Alvin Harper but they are kicking themselves.

Buccs...

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Fonzie
That was a remarkably bad deal. Does anyone remember who the two first rounders were?

One of them ended up being Ricky Williams, because Washington sent the pick to Ditka for his entire draft. The Redskins selected Champ Bailey that year with the Ditka first rounder.

But, yeah, that trade ranked right up there with Herschel Walker going to Minnesota.

[JeeberD]

Heh, the pick the Rams got for Gilbert when they traded him to the Skins wound up being Lawrence Phillips...

[Leonidas]

How about every WR the Dolphins try to sign. Tony Martin, James McKnight, Derrius Thompson, etc. Every offseason they go after some named free agent WR and every damn time the guy busts. Martin was OK in Miami, but never even close to what he did in Atlanta.

[Tasan]

Originally posted by JeeberD
Heh, the pick the Rams got for Gilbert when they traded him to the Skins wound up being Lawrence Phillips...

I'd say that was a pretty fair deal then.

[Pyser]

elvis grbac comes to mind as a big bust.

a good amount of denver d-lineman come to mind, too. i can never remember their names, but they seem to bring in 3 a year, and spit them back out soon after.

hakim in detroit isnt doing much...schroeder either, for that matter...

dale carter in new orleans was fun for a minute...

duane starks in arizona is on his way (though i suspect he'll rebound if he leaves the team)...

and of course, the entire new york rangers organization. i know its not football, but their track record is simply astounding. not only because so many STARS go there and suck, but even the mid-level guys suck. the best part, of course, has to be watching the players leave and once again find success on another team.

[Havok]

Im a Redskins fan so i refuse to partake in this discussion!

[Samdari]

Yeah, the Reedskins are not getting enough play here. Deion was a disaster, Bruce Smith merely average, and they had two FA tackles starting at once (Stubblefield and Wilkinson) who never played up to their contracts.

So, to qualify these complete busts, we need real numbers Fonzie. The 6 years, 33 million was imaginary, Johnson got 6.5 million. Deion got 13, so he's probably the bigger bust. I remember Connell and Harper, but were either of them HUGE money deals?

And Franklin, I think by this time next season, we will be talking about Boston on this list, but its too early to tell. He's played in 3 games so far, and gotten grads of poor, very good and godlike. There is a chance he won't bust, and its certainly too early to call him that.

[thesloppy]

Even though he was certainly not at the top of his game, and came relatively cheap, I was really impressed by Derrick Alexander's vanishing act for the Vikings last season.

It's obviously still pretty early in this season, but Hugh Douglas isn't really playing as advertised yet.

[Ryche]

Scott Mitchell signing with Detroit has to be pretty high on the list. Damn I'm glad they outbid the Vikings.

[thesloppy]

Originally posted by Ryche
Scott Mitchell signing with Detroit has to be pretty high on the list. Damn I'm glad they outbid the Vikings.

In defense of my lovable Lions, Mitchell was at least partially responsible for the 1995 campaign that resulted in 100-catch seasons for both Perriman and Moore and Perriman, as well as 4000+ yards and 32 TDS for himself.

That said, he also was responsible for the most hair-pulling ever attributed to a single Lions player. Nobody was better at staring down an opposing cornerback for four seconds and then rifling the ball right into his gut.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Samdari
So, to qualify these complete busts, we need real numbers Fonzie. The 6 years, 33 million was imaginary, Johnson got 6.5 million. Deion got 13

Actually, I think Deion got $8 mil as a signing bonus that year, but he had to repay most of it when Marty came to town and he quit. But while we're talking about the Skins, let's also mention Jeff George.

A littany of former Cowboys could make up this list (and some already have). Alvin Harper, Larry Brown (how could no one mention this one? Two passes tossed to him in the Super Bowl by O'Donnell and he gets a $12 million deal from the Raiders), Kavika Pittman to Denver, Jimmy Jones to the Rams, and so forth.

But then again the Cowboys did sign the wondrous Anthony Miller from San Diego...

JAG

[Darkiller]

You probably forgot about him but Gabe Wilkins was a HUGE bust for the 49ers in the late 1990's.

LB Winfred Tubbs had his moments, but was never close to the Pro-Bowl form he had while with the Saints.

[JPhillips]

Michael Westbrook to the Bengals last year was pretty awful even if he didn't make a ton of money.

Was Dan Wilkinson a free agent? Can you be a draft bust and a free agent bust?

[korme]

Originally posted by Samdari
Yeah, the Reedskins are not getting enough play here. Deion was a disaster, Bruce Smith merely average, and they had two FA tackles starting at once (Stubblefield and Wilkinson) who never played up to their contracts.

Smith had a quiet 10 sacks last year......

[Mark]

Looks like it was Gilbert for Champ Bailey and Ahmed Plummer. That's after some wheeling and dealing so it could be wrong. Champ for Gilbert even up is a huge loss for the Panthers.

[wbatl1]

A current but a little lower level bust: This year, the Falcons signed Martay Jenkins to multi million dollars, and he was cut during training camp in favor of Jimmy Farris.

[Blackadar]

Grbac comes to mind, but my fav all time bust has to be Neil O'Donnell.

Goes from a Super Bowl team that offered him $4 mil a year to stay to the Jets (who were 1-15 the year before) who offered him $5 mil. Did nothing and ended up as a backup in Tennessee.

Glad to see that karma is in effect. If you leave a Super Bowl team for the worst team in the league, you deserve to get your ass kicked.

However, the all time worst must have been Larry Brown. Gets a couple of easy picks (against O'Donnell, of all people) and all of a sudden he's All-World. Signs with the Raiders on a 5 year, $12.54 mil contract with a $3.5 mil signing bonus and is out of football within 3 years.

[Glengoyne]

God I remember the Alvin Harper move to the buccs. I don't call that a bust. Harper was never anywhere near as good as the contract they put in front of him. I call that bad player personel management, not a bust. You have to have been great, or at least very good, to be a Free Agent Bust.

OT: In my last FoF season, I signed a fourth year 43/72 tackle who had next to no playing time with the team that drafted him. I signed him, started him, and he soared to a 58/72 guy. Then in the playoffs he blew out his knee, and came back a 19/19 guy. Oh the agony. I wonder if he had a history of injuries. That is one more thing I wish you could look into on FoF.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by Blackadar

However, the all time worst must have been Larry Brown. Gets a couple of easy picks (against O'Donnell, of all people) and all of a sudden he's All-World. Signs with the Raiders on a 5 year, $12.54 mil contract with a $3.5 mil signing bonus and is out of football within 3 years.

I all honesty guys, when the Raiders made this move, did any of you really think he wouldn't bust? This was the bust in waiting everyone except Al Davis knew was going to happen. Quite likely the dumbest move Davis ever made not involving the movement of the entire franchise.

[mckerney]

Derrick Alexander and Lorenzo Bromell.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm in agreement with Larry Brown, but they were stupid for thinking he was going to be great based on one great game (albeit one in which he didn't have to work very hard for his interceptions)

Oops, just saw the above post which basically says the same thing I just said.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Hehe I am friends with Larry Brown, I played in college with him.

Larry had a bad ankle in college which needed screws. After he got healed fully which wasn't until he left college that summer he drove up to Thousand Oaks and tried out for the Cowboys. They didn't even know who he was.

Anyways, his ankle finally gave out on him the year he signed with the Raiders. But the Raiders didnt lose much money because they took out a huge policy on his ankle.

Now I am not saying Larry was a stud or anything but when he had both wheels working he was pretty good. He just ran out of borrowed time.

Larry has a business now and is doing fine.

[Dutch]

God I remember the Alvin Harper move to the buccs. I don't call that a bust. Harper was never anywhere near as good as the contract they put in front of him. I call that bad player personel management, not a bust. You have to have been great, or at least very good, to be a Free Agent Bust.

Well, I give the Bucs credit in at least trying, other than Hardy Nickerson, I'm pretty sure every other "name" player mentioned in the same sentence as the Bucs back then was always "traded away" as in Steve Young, "retired" as in Anthony Munoz, or "indefinately suspended" as in Dexter Manley.

I don't think people remember just how desperate us Bucs fans were back in the day, you talk about "lovable Cubs", hell, our losing percentage over a 15 year period made the Clippers look like world beaters.

We were DESPERATE, and Harper was our only hope!

[Glengoyne]

Originally posted by Leonidas
I all honesty guys, when the Raiders made this move, did any of you really think he wouldn't bust? This was the bust in waiting everyone except Al Davis knew was going to happen. Quite likely the dumbest move Davis ever made not involving the movement of the entire franchise.

I have to put Larry Brown in the same category as Alvin Harper. He wins the superbowl MVP on a two or was it three gimme interceptions. Al Davis says "Super Bowl MVP...hhmmmh....I want another one of those". I doubt he even noticed that the Cowboys took him out of the game when they went to a man to man scheme. Brown was a fine nickel back, but the Raiders wanted him to man up, and cover people. It never happened.

[IMetTrentGreen]

chris boniol

[Abe Sargent]

Bryce Paup to Jax?

-Anxiety

[Ragone]

Anyone Remember

Tony Casillias.. Signed with kc.. whined about being homesick.. retired.. was a cap hit on kc for 2 seasons.. and signed with Dallas the next year?

there is your biggest fa bust