14 Worst Free-Agent Signings of the 2024 NFL Offseason
The free-agency window offers the first renewed glimmer of hope for NFL teams.
While certain organizations (like the Commanders) opted to completely retool their roster, others (like the Indianapolis Colts) decided to remain rather quiet, re-signing their own.
Of course, there's football still to be played and some additions will indeed falter in their new homes, but we have yet to arrive to the 2024 campaign and thus, a depth chart is all we have before pads start to crack.
Not all free-agency additions moved the needle toward potentially filling an immediate hole or adding key rotational depth for a roster. With past performance, terms of deal and projected role in mind, the following contains a list of teams whose headlining adds this spring currently leave questions unanswered at their respective position.
All contractual figures are courtesy of SpoTrac, unless noted otherwise.
Arizona Cardinals: OT Jonah Williams
1 of 14
A 2019 first-round pick of the Bengals, Jonah Williams failed to live up to expectations in Cincinnati.
While the team attempted to make it work by sliding him over to right tackle last fall (where he began his collegiate career) after three seasons on the left side, the adjustment period left much to be desired, allowing 41 pressures in 17 starts.
For the Cardinals, Williams projects to align back at left tackle to protect quarterback Kyler Murray's blind side, but offensive coordinator Drew Petzing would be wise to assist Williams with tight end help on designated passing situations.
Terms of deal: Two years, $30M
Atlanta Falcons: TE Charlie Woerner
2 of 14
Charlie Woerner is by no means a signing that will sway the pendulum of Atlanta's offensive success. However, with three selections in the third and fourth rounds in this year's NFL draft, GM Terry Fontenot could have opted to add fresh, more dynamic legs in space to play opposite of Kyle Pitts.
While Woerner remained one of the premier in-line blockers available on the market, the days of the run-heavy attack under Arthur Smith are long gone. Now, it's not to say newly hired OC Zac Robinson won't feed the likes of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, but Atlanta paid QB Kirk Cousins handsomely for a reason, and waiting to add spry legs at tight end via the draft could have further expanded the playbook.
Woerner has just three catches in the last two seasons and has yet to reach the end zone since he entered the league in 2020.
Terms of deal: Three years, $12M
Buffalo Bills: WR Curtis Samuel
3 of 14
It's not that Curtis Samuel won't produce or that he's a bad player by any stretch of the imagination, but everything requires context.
With both Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs now gone, it's hard to believe GM Brandon Beane approached free agency with the mindset of just adding the parallel skill set of Samuel to pair with Khalil Shakir, two inside-out, smaller pass-catchers to be Josh Allen's top targets.
Again, I expect both Samuel and Shakir to do well this fall, but making a move for a legitimate 'X' wideout to add to the perimeter in say a Tee Higgins would have made sense for Buffalo.
The departures of Diggs and Davis point all signs toward Buffalo prioritizing a pass-catcher on Day 1 of the draft.
.jpg?w=256 "Bills Jaguars Football")
Carolina Panthers: ED Jadeveon Clowney
4 of 14
There's a ton of boom or bust coiled up in the frame of Jadeveon Clowney.
At times, he can completely overwhelm opposing linemen. Other times, he disappears for weeks on end.
While you could say Clowney is playing the best football of his career with 11 sacks in two of his last three campaigns, he'll take on a new role in Carolina where he's expected to lead a youth-infused group of pass-rushers behind him, something he's never done in his prior five stops.
Although his deal won't break the bank, Clowney, 31, could end performing like a long-in-the-tooth pass-rusher.
Chicago Bears: RB D'Andre Swift
5 of 14
With Khalil Herbert already in town along with Roschon Johnson—whom the team spent early Day 3 draft capital on last spring—there wasn't a glaring need for another running back in Chicago.
While 2023 saw Swift reach the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his career, the dominant Philadelphia Eagles offensive line deserves more credit than Swift does for his ability to create his own lanes and find open grass.
While the expected addition of Caleb Williams under center should lighten the box, ultimately presenting Swift with fewer bodies to maneuver around, it's hard to envision that the 2020 second-round selection would have drastically outproduced that of Herbert or Johnson if the latter were presented a similar workload.
Green Bay Packers: NB Keisean Nixon
6 of 14
In what is an extremely talented class of nickel corners in the upcoming draft, the need to re-up with Keisean Nixon could have remained secondary for Green Bay.
I like Nixon's ability as both a corner and as a returner, but he's not being paid roughly $6 million per year to just return kicks, and ironing out the details in man coverage remains a must in his game.
With 11 overall picks, including four on Day 2, prioritizing a Jarrian Jones (Florida State), Mike Sainristil (Michigan), Andru Phillips (Kentucky) or Max Melton (Rutgers) could have saved money for GM Brian Gutekunst and provided a fundamentally higher level of cover corner at the nickel spot.
The expectation is that Nixon will start at nickel in 2024 after allowing 717 yards as the primary man in coverage, 18th-most of any corner in football.
Terms of deal: Three years, $18 million
Jacksonville Jaguars: IOL Mitch Morse
7 of 14
Jacksonville eyed an upgrade from the spry Luke Fortner, only to make a move for Mitch Morse, whose numbers are similar to those of the Jaguars' 2022 third-rounder in pressures, hurries and QB hits allowed last fall.
While Fortner fails to parallel Morse when it comes to years of experience up front, which does hold weight, Morse had arguably his worst year as a pro in 2023, allowing 28 hurries and 31 pressures, both of which were season highs in his nine-year career.
There doesn't remain a question as to who will start at the pivot for the Jaguars this fall, but prioritizing Morse makes you also ponder the decision that was to ultimately take Fortner with a top-65 pick if a developmental grace period wasn't in the cards.
Signing Lloyd Cushenberry (Titans) or Tyler Biadasz (Commanders) would have qualified as a difference-making move.
Los Angeles Chargers: TE Will Dissly
8 of 14
Will Dissly will block his tail off in the run game and offer a friendly face on 3rd-and-short, but kicking the tires on a more athletic pass-catcher could have reaped a larger reward at a similar price tag.
The team also added Hayden Hurst to work in 12 personnel (one WR/two TEs) alongside the longtime Seahawk in Dissly, but failing to add a legitimate threat up the seam to replace Gerald Everett will allow defenses to remain light in the box with safeties keying on the weapons outside.
Los Angeles Rams: CB Darious Williams
9 of 14
While Darious Williams was paid handsomely to start opposite of Tre'Davious White, there's only so much to expect from an undersized perimeter corner who's allowed nearly 2,000 yards in coverage over the last three seasons.
Although Williams spent his first four seasons of his NFL career with the Rams, the team didn't re-sign him back in 2021 for a reason. And furthermore, expecting the former UDFA out of UAB to evolve into a lockdown perimeter stalwart would be well-wishing considering his age (31).
It wouldn't be a shock if GM Les Snead were to add corner talent early in the NFL draft.
Miami Dolphins: LB Jordyn Brooks
10 of 14
In a day and age where you need linebackers to be as active in coverage as they are when running down ball-carriers, Jordyn Brooks provides a throwback, downhill brand of football at the second level.
While he'll thrive countering the run alongside veteran David Long Jr. and behind what should be a productive front four—despite the loss of Christian Wilkins—Brooks has proved year after year to be a liability in coverage.
It was just two years ago the 2020 first-rounder gave up over 1,000 yards as the primary man in space, and with new DC Anthony Weaver expected to deploy light boxes to maintain coverage versatility, Brooks will be asked to mirror and match many of the league's top flex weapons, a potential recipe for trouble.
Minnesota Vikings: IOL Blake Brandel
11 of 14
If the season began today, Minnesota would start Blake Brandel, who's given up more sacks (8) than he's had starts (5) in his young career.
A sixth-rounder from Oregon State in 2020, it took until Week 14 last fall for Brandel to make his first appearance of the campaign. In three appearances at right guard, Brandel allowed a sack, five hurries and eight pressures in limited work.
The year prior, Brandel seesawed from a rotational piece to starter snaps, yet he yielded seven sacks, five hurries and 13 pressures in just three starts.
A lot can and will change as rosters continue to evolve throughout the spring and summer, but the Vikings have questions to figure out when it comes to who ultimately starts at left guard.
New England Patriots: ED Anfernee Jennings
12 of 14
A 2020 third-round selection of the Patriots, Anfernee Jennings simply has failed to live up to expectations in New England.
While he missed the entirety of the 2021 campaign due to injury, 32 pressures and three sacks the last two seasons shouldn't move the needle if you're HC Jerod Mayo.
Although Mayo saw something in Jennings' tape to extend him past his rookie deal this spring, evolving his skill set into a more nuanced pass-rusher remains a question Jennings may not be able to answer.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IOL Sua Opeta
13 of 14
A key cog along the Eagles offensive line over the past four seasons, Sua Opeta will provide physicality and toughness in the trenches for Tampa Bay. Additionally, his deal is team friendly and if it doesn't work in 2024, GM Jason Licht can move on.
However, 2023 saw him hit a bump in the road as far as production, as he allowed career highs in pressures (25) and hurries (20) in his six starts. While an uptick in snaps at his unfamiliar spot at right guard presented the opportunity to show he deserved a long-term role, 18 pressures allowed in his first five starts forced Eagles GM Howie Roseman to quickly sour on the long-term idea, thus allowing Opeta to enter the open market.
Currently slated to start to the inside shoulder of left tackle Tristan Wirfs, Opeta's ability to quickly working back to the stalwart he was in his first years as an Eagle remains extremely important towards the overall success of Tampa Bay's offense.
Tennessee Titans: LB Kenneth Murray Jr.
14 of 14
Since his rookie season back in 2020, it's been a mixed bag of results from Kenneth Murray Jr.
An athletic second-level defender during his days with the Los Angeles Chargers, Murray enters Tennessee with high expectations under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson.
While Murray's ability as a run defender remains league average, his twitch and movement skills have yet to translate to success in coverage, as he finished sixth-worst in receiving yards allowed (660) by all linebackers last fall.
.jpg?w=480 "Bills Jaguars Football")
