Nnamdi Asomugha and 8 NFL Free Agents Who Won't Earn Their Paychecks in 2011

The 2011 free agent class is not exactly the deepest class that the NFL has ever seen after many of the top players were taken off of the market with their team's franchise tag; but there will still be some relatively big names available once the spending does begin.

One player stands above the rest at the moment as the most sought after free agent in the league, but will that player be able to live up to the lofty contract that he will likely receive?

Will aging veteran running backs and overachieving sack artists be able to find success in 2011 after signing for big money?

Find out now, as we take a look at eight NFL free agents who will not earn their big paychecks during the 2011 season.

1. Nnamdi Asomugha

Asomugha is going to be the most sought-after player on the market once free agency begins and because of that he will very likely get the biggest contract of any free agent as well.

Raider fans are hoping that Nnamdi will somehow re-sign with their team and while that looks very unlikely at this point, it would probably be in the top corner's interest to do so.

If Asomugha goes to another team like the Texans or Eagles, he will be facing even more pressure to perform and he will likely see more balls thrown his way.

Asomugha has given up completions at a higher rate than many of the other top corners in the league, but he has not been thrown at nearly as much as the others. I expect Asomugha to still be a very good corner in 2011, but if he is thrown at more often, he may not be seen as the elite player that he currently is.

2. Ray Edwards

Edwards has been linked to the Falcons for some time and I think he'll likely end up going to Atlanta once free agency begins.

The 26-year-old has played well for the Vikings during the past two seasons, recording a total of 16 sacks, but how much of that was due to the rest of the elite talent on the team's defensive line?

We will likely find out the answer to that question this season, and I believe that Edwards' numbers will take a bit of a hit when he does leave Minnesota.

Since Edwards is one of the premier sack artists available, he will likely command a good-sized contract that he may fail to live up to with his new organization.

3. DeAngelo Williams

Williams is coming off of back-to-back seasons in which he missed time due to injury and that is typically not a good sign for a running back.

The Broncos could be a major player in the Williams sweepstakes because of the running back's connection to new Denver head coach John Fox, but the Broncos could regret the decision to bring in the veteran back.

Williams has put up good numbers when healthy over the course of his career but he is now 28-years-old and likely moving towards the down side of his career.

4. James Jones

Jones is coming off of the best season of his career after he caught 50 passes for 679 yards and five touchdowns in 2010.

Jones benefited from playing in one of the league's top passing attacks, where he was the Packers' No. 3 option. If Jones moves on from Green Bay, he will likely be asked to take on a bigger role with his new team and they may not be something the 27-year-old is equipped to do. 

Last season, Jones often disappeared in games, catching three passes or fewer in nine of the 16 contests he played in lat year.

Jones' best move would be to go to a team that has other good options that wouldn't be counting on him to be the top receiving threat.

5. Jason Babin

Babin experienced his breakout season in 2010, recording 12.5 sacks for the Tennessee Titans.

Suitors for Babin's services should be wary however, because last season was the 31-year-old's seventh in the league and he had never come close to last season's sack total in previous years.

In a relatively thin pass-rushing free agent crop, there will likely be a team out there that will overpay for Babin once the spending begins.

6. Ike Taylor

Taylor was the top corner on the Steelers defense last season but he is now 31-years-old and he is likely on the downside of his career at this point.

Taylor has never put up big numbers when it comes to interceptions but he has typically played strong coverage and fit in well on the Steelers tough defense.

It will be interesting to see if Taylor returns this season or if the team will let him walk, which would be a sign that he really is nearing the end of his career.

Taylor should still have a few good years left, but a team may end up overpaying for what will likely amount to a fairly average corner in 2011.

7. Ronnie Brown

Brown is on this list for many of the same reasons that DeAngelo Williams is and that is because he is old and injury-prone.

Brown has missed extensive time in two of his last four seasons and he has played a full 16-game slate just twice during his career.

The problem for Brown (on top of the fact that he is now 29-years-old) is that he has not put up great numbers even when healthy as of late. Brown ran for just 3.7 yards per carry last season and that number could hurt him when it comes to finding a team once free agency begins.

In the end, I expect Brown to find work that will ultimately be short lived.

8. Steve Smith

If it wasn't for his 1,220-yard 2009 season, Smith would be very similar to James Jones in that he has put up fairly mediocre numbers in the slot over the course of his career.

Smith is still just 26-years-old and he has shown big-time ability, but he has also shown that he is susceptible to injury as he missed seven games last season.

Smith will likely be one of the most coveted receivers on the market after Vincent Jackson and Sidney Rice come off of the board; and the team that ends up with the former USC star may regret the amount of money they pay him in 2011.