NFL Free Agents: 10 Biggest Winners of Free-Agent Madness

With the madness that has been the condensed offseason process, many players and teams have been winners and losers.

Some of the biggest surprises are still unfolding, and the changes to the landscape of the NFL are an ever evolving work in progress. While the losers will struggle again in this NFL season, many teams took big chances and they hope can pay off with a Super Bowl title.

As successful as the teams were, certain players cashed in with some of the richest contracts that the players might not have deserved.

This is the list of the 10 biggest winners in the post-lockout frenzy, and the impact they’ll have on the league. Enjoy!

Check back for more on the NFL world as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Football Page to get your fill of the NFL.

Donald Wood is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist and Syndicated Writer. Follow Donald Wood on Twitter

10. Albert Haynesworth

The New England Patriots are one of the best teams in the NFL already, but they have been known to take chances on high risk players past their prime like Corey Dillon and Randy Moss.

Now with just a fifth-round pick at stake, the Patriots took a huge risk by trading for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and his plethora of on and off field issues.

Haynesworth can be one of the greatest tackles in the game, but the biggest question will be his motivation. Let’s see if Bill Belichick can get out of Fat Albert what overrated coach Mike Shanahan couldn’t.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

One of the biggest winners of the wild free agent period has been the Jacksonville Jaguars, and more importantly, their defense.

By going out of their way to sign stellar defenders Paul Posluszny, Dawan Landry and Clint Session, the Jaguars have put their stamp on the AFC South an look to shock the division.

If the Jaguars offense can manage to just get enough points to make it a competition, Jacksonville’s defense is strong enough to keep them in all of their games this season.

8. Chad Ochocinco

As if the rebuilding process of Albert Haynesworth wasn’t enough for the New England Patriots to stomach this season, they decided to take another risk and trade for former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.

Ochocinco was one of the best wide receivers in the league before the Cincinnati Bengals team went to garbage over the last few seasons, but the Patriots look to resurrect his fading career.

If New England head coach Bill Belichick can turn Randy Moss back into a star after his stay in Oakland, Ochocinco should expect the best statistical season of his career.

7. Atlanta Falcons

The biggest problem for the Atlanta Falcons was on defense, but the Falcons decided to make a wild move by trading many picks to move up into the No. 6 spot in the NFL draft.

While Alabama alumnus Julio Jones is a great addition, he can’t help the team with their dreadful pass rush and take pressure off the secondary.

Atlanta made one of the smartest signings of the free agency period by signing stellar defensive end Ray Edwards to compliment fellow end John Abraham and improve the non-existent line presence.

6. Nnamdi Asomugha

After all of the rumors, the New York Jets finally signed…wait…the best cornerback in the league and the most-highly touted free agent on the market Nnamdi Asomugha has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Not only did he shock the NFL by signing with the Eagles, who weren’t in the middle of any of the rumors, but Asomugha signed for $2 million less a year than he was making with the Oakland Raiders.

While the deal is worth $60 million, with $25 million guaranteed, and is by no means small, but the fact that he took a serious pay cut to join a championship contending team shows his true class.

5. Eric Weddle

If you didn’t know, Eric Weddle will be the richest safety in the NFL you couldn’t pick out of a prison lineup, and the San Diego Chargers overpaid to keep their defensive linchpin intact.

Weddle cashed in with a five-year, $40 million deal that includes $19 million in guaranteed money, and that makes him one of the richest safeties in NFL history.

The Chargers could have made a much better deal, but the fact that they didn’t want to lose what they think is one of their best defensive players made the decision mush easier.

4. St. Louis Rams

In one of the worst divisions in the NFL, the St. Louis Rams will have a chance to steal the NFC West and make the playoffs with the free agency moves they have made.

By signing safety Quintin Mikell, wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker and offensive guard Harvey Dahl, the St. Louis Rams have addressed the biggest issues the team was facing this offseason.

In a wide open NFC West division, the moves the Rams have made, as well as the further development of young quarterback Sam Bradford, will make them the favorite to steal that division. 

3. Kevin Kolb

Kolb gained a plethora of knowledge learning under the stellar coaching of Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg, as well as Mike Vick and Donovan McNabb.

Now that he has been traded to the Arizona Cardinals, he will be able to show how much talent he has, and cash in on the Aaron Rodgers-type hype with a huge five-year, $63 million deal with more than $22 million guaranteed.

Kolb showed in his limited action that he can be a top tier quarterback at the NFL level, and the new start could create the second coming of Kurt Warner in Arizona.

2. Charles Johnson

In what was clearly a move to get to the salary cap minimum, the Carolina Panthers signed 25-year-old defensive end Charles Johnson for $76 million, and that includes a $30 million signing bonus and $32 million in guaranteed money.

While Johnson is one of the best young players in the game, he was even taken aback by the rich offer from the team, and this was a matter of keeping their star and making the cap floor.

The Panthers will have some serious growing pains this year with a new quarterback in Cam Newton, but one place they have long-term security now is on the defensive edge.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

There has been no franchise that dove in head first to the new CBA’s first free agency period like the Philadelphia Eagles, and it looks like the hype around the team will grow to epic proportions.

So far, the Eagles have signed cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive end Jason Babin, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, quarterback Vince Young, tight end Donald Lee and wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins, as well as the trade that sent Kevin Kolb to Arizona for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

If the Philadelphia coaching staff can get all of these heads on the same page, the Eagles will be the favorites to take the Super Bowl this season. It’s amazing what a year can due to the look of a team, especially when it’s condensed into two weeks.