NFL Free Agent Signings 2011: 5 Players Poised to Disappoint New Teams

With the 2011 NFL Free Agency period well under way, a number of teams have addressed their glaring needs already. Hundreds of players have been signed, re-signed, cut, and traded over the past few days.

There are a number of guys who look to make an immediate, positive impact on their teams. Players like Johnathan Joseph and Nnamdi Asomugha are two cant-miss signings who immediate upgrade the CB position on their new teams. They received big money deals but have played consistently throughout their careers and are at the top of the NFL class.

After these two guys, the talent level tapers off a bit, but players like Sidney Rice and Paul Posluszny have been solid for their former teams and should continue to play at a high level for their new squads. They are relatively safe signings and they should only get better as they gain more experience in the National Football League.

A few of signings that have been made recently have been absolute head-scratchers. These guys simply are too flawed, too old, or have some other issues that will cause them to be disappointments for the team that signed them.

Every year a handful of free agents are just straight up busts so let’s take a look at five guys who will stink for their new teams next season. 

5. Roy Williams

Roy Williams was Detroit's No. 7 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, back when the Lions were prone to taking a receiver in the top ten every single year. 

Williams strung together a few solid to above average seasons for them and the Dallas Cowboys took notice. Bombastic owner Jerry Jones decided to make a play to bring Williams over to his team.

The Cowboys traded a 1st, 3rd, and 6th round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft to get Williams, and then promptly re-did his contract, guaranteeing him $26 million out of the $45 over five years. 

Williams inked his deal then promptly proceeded to play absolutely terribly. Combined with the emergence of Miles Austin, Williams awful play led to the Cowboys to cut him this offseason.

The Chicago Bears are now going to take a chance on Roy Williams. The team was in desperate need of a big receiver who could be a potential No. 1 option, and feel that he could excel in Mike Martz' offense like he did in 2006. 

This won't happen. Williams got paid too much money and is too inconsistent. He is a bust and his career is close to over. Williams will see playing time and maybe even catch a few balls this season, but I don't foresee Chicago being happy with his play and he will most likely be back in free agency at the end of next season.  

4. David Akers

David Akers signed a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers after declining a transition tag from the Eagles.

The Eagles felt it was time to part ways with the five-time Pro Bowl kicker and go with Nebraska rookie Alex Henery. This is not a solid endorsement of a player who is nearing 37 years old.

Akers last game with the Eagles involved him missing two field goals, which would have been the difference in a five point loss to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers.

Akers was dealing with personal stress at the time, having his daughter diagnosed with cancer, which is awful and understandably hard. This does not mean that the aging Akers still has enough left in the tank to continue to be an elite NFL kicker.

Joe Nedney retired this year and San Francisco decided to offer Akers a contract that will most likely lead him into retirement as well. 

The apparent reason Akers was looking for a multi-year deal is that he lost a great deal of money in an investment scheme. Akers would most likely have played out whatever was left of his career in Philly but he needs financially security to comfortably retire. 

The 49ers offered this to him but he simply does not have the skills to be a good kicker in this league anymore. He will be automatic for most kicks under 40 yards but kickoffs and long field goals will be a struggle for the team now.

3. Nate Clements

Nate Clements was once thought of as one of the top defensive backs in the National Football League.

Clements was drafted in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and played five solid seasons with the team. He made his first and only Pro Bowl after the 2004 season and became a free agent after the 2006 season. 

Nate expressed a desire to become the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. This was thought by many to be ridiculous. Apparently, the San Francisco 49ers front office did not adhere to that school of thought and decided to give him an 8-year $80 million dollar deal with $22 guaranteed. 

Clements had an unspectacular three seasons with San Francisco and never lived up to the hype or contract he was given. He was expected to be one of the top defensive players in the league since he was paid like one, but was simply average.

The Cincinnati Bengals, who just lost top-flight corner Johnathan Joseph in free agency to the Houston Texans, are looking to rebuild their secondary. They have decided to pick up Clements and give him a shot to return to 2004 form with their squad. 

That just isn't going to happen. While the 49ers obviously could not keep him for financial reasons, Clements just simply isn't that good. He is an average corner who probably will be an upgrade over some of the current DB's on their roster, but he won't boost the secondary in any meaningful way. 

Clements was cut for a reason, and he won't magically improve with a team who is worse off than the 49ers. 

2. Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress was signed today by the New York Jets. The team got him on a 1-year deal worth a guaranteed $3 million. 

Plaxico also just came off a two-year deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office playing ball at Oneida Correctional Facility. 

He has not played real organized football since 2008 and is not in football shape whatsoever. He worked out while in jail but has not been able to run routes with a real QB hitting him in stride or practiced juking NFL quality defenders. 

Plaxico is thought by some fans to fill the hole that Braylon Edwards will leave since the Jets are not going to re-sign him. He is a big receiver who used to be a No. 1 option but it won't happen.

Plaxico might be a decent third or fourth option on the team but he simply has been away from the game too long and is too old to consistently contribute at a high level for the Jets. 

He still has his size but may have lost his explosiveness and leaping ability. Without these attributes, Plaxico is not that good and will not be successful next season with the Jets. 

1. Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck may have signed the most ridiculous deal of the 2011 NFL offseason. The Tennessee Titans gave him a three-year, $21 million deal. 

This is absolutely crazy because Hasselbeck is 36 years old and has not played a full season since 2007. Last season he started 14 games and threw 12 touchdowns compared to 17 interceptions. Why reward this production with a massive, multi-year contract? It simply does not make sense.

Maybe the Titans were desperate to find a starting QB after dealing with Vince Young and Kerry Collins over the past few seasons, who are meant to be career backups. 

Maybe they thought Hasselbeck could get them to the playoffs like he did the Seahawks. The thing is that the Seahawks play in the atrocious NFC West and managed to get there by winning just seven games. That is a joke. They shocked the world by beating the Saints but were promptly defeated in the next round. 

The Titans play in the AFC South and have to face up and coming Houston twice and the perennially contending Colts as well. The team will have to win a lot more than seven games to make the playoffs.

This is easily the dumbest signing of the offseason and Matt Hasselbeck will be out of the league before he plays this deal out.