Free Agents Not Worth Their Price Tag in 2015 Offseason

With free agency looming just around the corner, NFL teams will be seeking a quick fix to their team-building problems and look to catapult themselves into Super Bowl contention. We saw this play out in 2014 with the Denver Broncos.

However, free agency should not be looked at as a way to build a roster.

The key is to find role players at the right price because even if you land an amazing talent, you can reach a point where his cap hit overshadows his ability on a football field. We see this happen every year right around this time.

Here are some free agents who are in the most danger of becoming well overpriced in 2015.

Byron Maxwell, CB, Seahawks

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Average salary per year with last contract: $538,363

Byron Maxwell is preparing for his second NFL contract, which should mean a big payday. He has been a consistent and reliable starter in one of the best defenses in NFL history. He has played in the last two Super Bowls and is still young at 27 years old. So how could he possibly make this list?

Well, if we're being honest, a part of me wants to put him in here just for looking so stupid in his uniform with that ridiculous No. 41, the baggy, long sleeves and the unaltered team-issued socks. Luckily, I did my best to see past all of that. (I hope.)

The cornerback class in this year's free-agent market appears to be on the thin side compared to other positions, so the demand for quality will be through the roof. This alone suggests a scenario where teams will get caught in a bidding war for his services and ultimately overpay for him.

On the other end of this, I can’t help but suggest the radical notion that Maxwell was the beneficiary of a lot of help from talented players around him and a fantastic defensive scheme. With Richard Sherman locking down the other side of the field, Maxwell could play with confidence, knowing that the safeties would be turning his way for help on nearly every play. Sherman’s dominance allowed the coverage to slant toward Maxwell’s direction, which made his job easier.

This is not to suggest that Maxwell isn’t a quality corner, but rather to illustrate how he will likely get paid as an elite corner. However, there's a slim chance the team that lands him will ever see that level of production.

Darnell Dockett, DL, Cardinals

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Average salary per year with last contract: $8,825,000

Darnell Dockett’s 11-year run in the desert is now over. The Cardinals deemed that the 33-year-old’s production simply doesn’t match his price tag.

Last summer the three-time Pro Bowler suffered a devastating ACL injury before the regular season even began, and he had to sit out the whole year. 

There’s no question that the veteran can still contribute to a team. The problem is the amount of money teams will likely have to pay for his services. So, at what point does it cost too much for Dockett?

Dockett’s value should average less than $3 million per year. Anything more than that is overkill.

Even in 2013, before his ACL injury, he was showing signs of aging. He simply wasn’t the dominant player he had been in past years. Pro Football Focus ranked him 30th out of 45 3-4 defensive ends during that year.    

Frank Gore, RB, 49ers

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Average salary per year with last contract: $6,404,183

This May, Frank Gore will turn 32 years old, which makes him the running backs version of Methuselah. At this stage in his career, there is no way he can give a team more production than a basement-bargain late-round rookie.

It’s safe to assume Gore will only demand a fraction of what he is used to earning, but even that will likely be more than he is worth. We've seen this happen with guys like Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, LaDainian Tomlinson and Maurice Jones-Drew.

There is the potential value in bringing in a veteran for leadership, but Gore has never been a vocal leader. His way of leading is through actions on the field. Considering this, we can assume his role in 2015 will only be as a backup or spot player. This should nullify most of his actionable leadership.

Besides, how much is leadership worth when the alternative is a cheaper, younger athlete with more upside?

Recently, history has proved that impact RBs are available in every round of the draft and beyond. It’s time to utilize this resource and avoid overpaying for a worn-down veteran.

LaRon Landry, S, Colts

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Average salary per year with last contract: $6 million

We can all agree that today’s NFL is a pass-first league. So, when the primary objective is to shut down an opponent’s passing game, it wouldn’t be wise to invest in a box safety who can’t cover a slice of bread with a knife full of peanut butter.

Landry shouldn't even be on this list because he really isn't a good enough player, but his last contract paid him $6 million per year. I would have never thought he would get that kind of money the last few years, so here we are.

Last year, Landry failed to record an interception or forced fumble in any of the 11 games he played in for the Colts. He also only had 45 tackles (the second lowest of his career). He missed time in 2014 to serve a four-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug violation.

Increasing the size of his biceps just won’t help this problem.

No team will pay Landry anywhere near the type of money he is used to; furthermore, he really doesn’t have much of a role as a starter in any defense at this stage in his career. His best-case scenario is to see limited time in a few packages.

This type of role for a 30-year-old shouldn’t cost much more than the veteran minimum, if that. There’s a chance that teams are smart enough to realize this before it’s too late; if not, they can suffer the consequences.

Wes Welker, WR, Broncos

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Average salary per year with last contract: $6 million

Wes Welker’s strength lies in his quickness. Unfortunately, once you get into your mid-30s, your quickness is the first thing that goes. This depleted asset began to show itself last year, as Welker had his worst season since 2005. If this isn’t enough to make you cautious about him this offseason, consider his concerning history with concussions. He has had three concussions in the last two years.

Welker has had a storied career with nearly 10,000 yards receiving. But now his best years are behind him, and any substantial contract at this point will just weigh down an organization.

This does not mean Welker is beyond providing depth to a receiving corps, but it does mean he will most likely be overpaid while doing so. Teams must avoid paying him for what he’s done in the past and try to price him based on what he can bring to the present, which appears limited at this point.

Mike Iupati, OG, 49ers

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Average salary per year with last contract: $3,022,125

Not too long ago I would have said Mike Iupati was the best guard in the NFL. However, after several injuries that appear to have slowed him down, he has become a liability in pass protection. Pro Football Focus ranked him 55 out of 78 guards in pass blocking last year. In addition, he can’t seem to string together a 16-game season without getting nicked up.

Come March, Iupati will likely be the most sought-after offensive lineman in the league. The former All-Pro is just 27 years old and should be entering the prime of his career. The question is, has his bruising style of play prematurely aged him?

Don’t get me wrong, this guy will be an impact player for whoever signs him. The big concern will be his inflated price tag. Iupati will probably be one of the highest-paid interior linemen in the league, with a salary around $10 million per year, and at that price it just doesn't pay to sacrifice blocking in the passing game.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Packers

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Average salary per year with last contract: $3,533,333

I could never understand the fascination the Packers had with A.J. Hawk over the years when they repeatedly brought him back. He has barely been able to achieve the status of an average starting linebacker by all accounts.

I’d even go as far as to say Hawk has been a below-average starter over the past five years. Over that time, his average position ranking on Pro Football Focus was 39th. In fact, he ranked in the bottom half of inside linebackers four out of the last five years and near the bottom in the last two years.

It’s hard to say how much money he will get this offseason, but it will almost certainly be too much. Coaches seem to have a strong bias toward this guy, and I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because he comes across as someone who knows what he’s doing?

Note: All contract numbers came courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player who writes for Bleacher Report.