Money Spent Wisely? NFL Teams with More Work To Do After Big Free-Agent Signings

The free agent market has been open for business for over a week, and a lot of NFL teams have spent a fortune in hopes that their latest acquisition will change the fortunes of their respective organizations.

It's not a foreign concept to anyone. Players are signed to exorbitant contracts, most are grossly overpaid, and when it's all said and done, most teams fail to realize that the job of improving a team is never quite finished.

There's always a hole; there's always an upgrade to be made somewhere. Some are more obvious than others.

But when they're not properly addressed, most teams will find themselves in the same position a year later.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh Is One Solid Addition to a Desperate Team

The Seahawks pursuit for a primary receiver has been going strong since their Super Bowl run. The media circus surrounding Deion Branch's departure from New England did not result in the game-breaking production they expected.

Bobby Engram and Koren Robinson are gone to free agency, leaving Branch and Nate Burleson.

Enter Houshmandzadeh and his phenomenal reception totals over the last three seasons. Housh has caught an average of 98 passes with a 10.6-yard average per reception since 2006.

He's a great possession receiver who enters a Seattle organization with huge question marks on the offensive side of the ball. It is a parallel move for Houshmandzadeh, and an expensive venture for Seattle. 

Matt Hasselbeck's back injury is not the kind that goes away after not playing. He's suffering from a bulging disc, and his legs are hurting from it too.

At 34 years of age, how much of a pounding can he reasonably take behind Seattle's offensive line?

The 30th-ranked defense in 2008 should also garner significant attention.

Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall Break The Redskins' Bank

Haynesworth wanted to be the first $100 million man on defense, and Daniel Snyder complied.

DeAngelo Hall knows hypnosis and has used it to effectively command monster contracts the last two offseasons.

The hope is that Haynesworth's pass-rushing ability will have a positive impact on the pass defense. Unfortunately for the Redskins, Kyle Vanden Bosch does not come as part of the Haynesworth deal.

All that money for someone who is a great player but not an absolute game-changer, who doesn't create points, and will only be as effective as the defensive linemen around him? Not a good business move.

The Redskins already owned one of the top defenses in the NFL without adding Haynesworth.

Washington will eventually be in a situation where they will have to replace players with less-expensive substitutes when the cost of those contracts cripples them.

And don't let any offseason workout issues fool you. Jason Taylor was released for breathing room with Haynesworth's salary. And that's what the Skins will continue to do until they realize he wasn't a worthy investment.

With an aging Clinton Portis and an eventual need for a primary receiver to supplement Santana Moss, expect one of those under-performing acquisitions to be released and back on the market by 2012. 

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?