With NFL free agency in full swing, it’s important for teams to reflect upon historical busts that weren’t worth the price tag. Here are 5 of the worst free agent signings of the modern era.
Let’s face it: we all knew this was coming. Cleveland banked their future on a quarterback with a checkered past while the rest of their offense had some serious holes to fill. It’s not just about the ethics of the signing, but the price tag. Five years. $230 million guaranteed. Good Lord.
Watson was a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback during his time in Houston. The talent was there, then the off field issues reared their ugly head. Watson was also growing frustrated with Texans’ management; apparently the embattled quarterback wasn’t apart of their 2020 search for a new general manager. He requested a trade and sat out the entire 2021 season before being shipped to Cleveland. Where the results have been…less than satisfactory.
Watson’s tenure in Cleveland can be described in two words: extreme regression. A slew of injuries have hampered his performance and an Achilles rupture in 2024 and suffered a re-tear in 2025. Watson’s statline in Cleveland reads as such: in three years, Watson’s thrown 17 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and under 4000 yards. What happened to that other quarterback Cleveland had? Oh. Right. He’s having a career resurgence in Tampa Bay.
This one often gets overlooked, but if you played Madden 08, you know what I’m talking about.
Ahman Green was a stud in Green Bay. Five 1000 yard seasons, four Pro Bowls and a catalyst for the early-2000s Green Bay offense. Houston offered him a four-year $23 million deal to bolster their offense. Instead, they paid $23 million for a 30-year old running back past his prime.
Green rushed for 500 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons with Houston. Injuries and a questionable Texans’ O-line sent Green back to Wisconsin in 2009, where he became Green Bay’s all time rushing leader.
Ultimately, it ended well for both parties. Houston became fairly consistent AFC South contenders in the early 2010s. Green’s tenure put him at the top of Green Bay’s Mount Rushmore (pun intended).
On the heels of a Super Bowl victory in 2018 and a deep playoff push in 2019, Nick Foles was a hot commodity in the 2019 Free Agency sweepstakes. Jacksonville was looking for a replacement for Blake Bortles and Foles’ pedigree matched what they were trying to build: a culture of consistent contenders.
Foles’ tenure in Philly warranted a four-year $88 million signing with $50 million guaranteed. His time in Jacksonville started with a broken clavicle in Week One and an eight-week stint on Injured Reserve. The good news? We got to see the emergence of Uncle Rico (Gardner Minshew) for a brief time.
Foles’ last three games in Jacksonville were unspectacular, all of them losses where he underperformed. Two touchdowns and two picks. Foles managed to throw for 661 yards combined but it wasn’t enough to earn the starting job back from Minshew. Foles was traded to Chicago for a fourth round pick in 2020 before retiring in 2022.
The speedster from Missisippi spent four seasons in Pittsburgh as a dynamic deep threat for Ben Roethlisberger. His time in Pittsburgh was impressive. Two 1000 yard seasons, a Super Bowl appearance and a Pro Bowl selection. In 2013, Miami was in desperate need of a feature wide receiver after losing Brandon Marshall to Chicago in 2011. What better way to establish second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill as the next franchise quarterback?
The problem was the price tag, tenure and scheme fit. Wallace was productive in Miami, tying a career season-high of 10 touchdowns with Miami in 2014. But his average yard-per-target dropped from 10.5 yards in Pittsburgh to 6.5 and 7.5 yards. Miami wasn’t throwing the ball deep enough. Wallace publically criticized the Miami offense, saying “We didn’t do nothing. Our offense was [expletive].”
Head Coach Joe Philbin allegedly benched Wallace in the 2014 season finale against the New York Jets. Miami ultimately traded Wallace to the Vikings for a fifth round pick. Wallace wasn’t worth the 5-year, $60 million contract, but it wasn’t entirely his fault.
4 years. $180 million. All for a 36-year-old Kirk Cousins past his prime.
This, coupled with the puzzling decision to draft Michael Penix Jr. in 2024, has led to more disarray in the Atlanta offense. The concept of letting a rookie quarterback learn under a veteran is good on paper. But Atlanta was paying $180 million for a mentor and bridge quarterback.
Cousins’ time in Atlanta started off promising. Through nine games, Cousins passed for 17 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and over 3000 yards.
Then December came and the wheels fell off. One touchdown. Seven interceptions. He was benched in favor of Penix and served as a backup until his release on March 11, where another team might pay him another $180 million.
Looking at you, New York Jets.
In truth, there’ve been more than five bad free agency signings over the course of two decades. Hopefully 32 NFL teams have learned the painful lessons others have taught them.
Then again, it’s only a matter of time before a big contract gets dished out for small production.
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