NFL’S biggest free agent busts
While free agency is often a good way to supplement a roster, it’s also historically served buyer-beware lessons – especially to teams that tend to be overly reliant on quick-fix approaches. Here are 17 free agent busts over the years who might just give GMS pause before they dole out that next mega-contract:
17. C Lecharles Bentley, Browns: A two-time Pro Bowler with the Saints, he signed a six-year, $36 million contract in 2006 to join his hometown Browns. But he tore a patellar tendon on the first play of training camp, suffered a brutal staph infection and never played in the league again.
16. QB Nick Foles, Jaguars: A Super Bowl MVP with a 4-2 playoff record by the time he arrived in Jacksonville in 2019 on a four-year, $88 million contract, he lost all four of his starts in one injuryriddled season.
15. CB Trumaine Johnson, Jets: He never made a Pro Bowl. But for some reason, the Rams put the franchise tag on him ... twice. And for some reason, the Jets signed him to a five-year, $72.5 million contract in 2018. He was gone after two terrible seasons.
14. WR David Boston, Chargers: He led the NFL with 1,598 receiving yards for Arizona in 2001, a performance that helped him land a seven-year, $47 million deal from San Diego in 2003. But a bad attitude and injuries quickly led to Boston’s NFL demise.
13. CB Dale Carter, Broncos: Despite battling personal demons, he was a fourtime Pro Bowler with the Chiefs in the 1990s. That résumé netted him a fouryear, $22.8 million goldmine from Denver in 1999. But Carter was suspended the entire 2000 season after a fourth substance abuse violation and released
in 2001.
12. DT Chester Mcglockton, Chiefs: He and fellow D-lineman Sean Gilbert were the last players to switch teams while on the franchise tag, both in 1998. A four-time Pro Bowler for the Raiders, Mcglockton never made another one after he arrived in Kansas City – where he lasted just three seasons.
11. RB Demarco Murray, Eagles: He parlayed an NFL rushing title (1,845 yards) in 2014 while with Dallas into a five-year, $42 million pact from Philadelphia. Turned out Murray wasn’t nearly as good without the Cowboys O-line, rushing for 702 yards and 3.6-yard per carry average for the Eagles.
10. QB Neil O’donnell, Jets: After leading the Steelers to Super Bowl 30, where Larry Brown picked him off twice, O’donnell took a five-year $25 million offer to resurrect the NYJ in 1996. He lost all six starts that season before suffering
a shoulder injury. Bill Parcells let O’donnell go following the 1997 season.
9. S Adam Archuleta, Washington: Archuleta signed a six-year, $30 million contract in 2006 that made him the highest-paid safety in league history at the time. He ended that season as a backup before finishing out his career with the Bears in 2007.
8. RB Le’veon Bell, Jets: He didn’t want to play on the franchise tag for Pittsburgh in 2018. Didn’t seem he wanted to play much for the Jets, either, despite signing a four-year, $52.5 million deal in 2019. He averaged just 4.1 yards per touch in 17 games before being released midway through the 2020 season.
7. QB Jeff Garcia, Browns: A threetime Pro Bowler after succeeding Steve Young in San Francisco, the former CFL star went to Cleveland in 2004 on a fouryear, $25 million deal. He was gone by 2005, losing seven of his 10 starts for the Browns.
6. RB Ahman Green, Texans: He had a distinguished career with the Packers, but Houston still gave the 30-year-old a four-year, $23 million deal in 2007. Green rushed for 554 yards and five TDS over parts of two seasons before going back to Green Bay to end his career.
5. WR Alvin Harper, Buccaneers: He led the NFL with 24.9 yards per catch in 1994, helping him command a four-year $10.7 million bounty from the Bucs. But Harper proved he was a much better Robin than Batman after two hugely disappointing seasons in Tampa.
4. CB Larry Brown, Raiders: He leveraged a Super Bowl MVP performance into a five-year, $12.5 million windfall in Oakland. But Brown was a malcontent who rarely started during two years with the Raiders.
3. WR Javon Walker, Raiders: After a terrible 2007 season in Denver, Oakland signed Walker to a six-year, $55 million deal in 2008. Playing on a bad wheel, he gave the Silver and Black just 15 catches and one TD in two seasons.
2. CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Eagles: Asomugha, a two-time All-pro with the Raiders, was never a fit in Philly and didn’t remotely live up to his five-year, $60 million contract.
1. DT Albert Haynesworth, Washington: Considered the prize of the 2009 market, he was reeled in by a seven-year, $100 million offer. Haynesworth was a disaster from the start, skipping offseason workouts and then infamously failing conditioning tests during his first training camp. He didn’t like Washington’s 3-4 scheme, clashed with coaches and was ultimately suspended for detrimental conduct. He lasted only two seasons, finishing with 6½ sacks in 20 games for the Burgundy and Gold.