2012 NFL Free Agency: 15 Free Agents Who Killed Their Stocks in 2011

When a player is playing in their contract year, you'd figure that they would do anything in their absolute power to ensure that they have at least an average season.

The absolute worst scenario is having a putrid season—which many players did this past season.

In that spirit, let's take a sneak peak at the 2012 NFL free agent class and look at the players that killed their stocks in the 2011 season. 

Peyton Hillis

It's either the so-called Madden curse is true, Peyton Hillis was a one-year wonder or he simply had a down-year with the Cleveland Browns—and I'm going to say that he was a one-year wonder.

Hillis was often injured all year long with the Browns—he played in just 10 games this season while compiling 587 yards and scoring just three touchdowns.

It's unclear if Hillis will be back in Cleveland next season, but I can guarantee that he will not receive too much interest during free agency. 

Kirk Morrison

Kirk Morrison had a really good chance to shine with the Buffalo Bills, but he was unable to stay healthy. When he was, he was far from productive. 

Morrison played in 14 games this season with the Bills as he racked up just seven tackles and recorded one lone sack. 

After having a solid season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010 and being very consistent with the Oakland Raiders prior to that, it appears that Morrison could be entering the twilight of his career. 

Chad Henne

I guarantee to you that Chad Henne will not have a chance at a guaranteed starting job in 2012, and he will be lucky to even be considered in a quarterback controversy.

Henne has yet to play a full NFL season—he's often injured and wasn't too productive in the four games that he was healthy last season with the Miami Dolphins.

Henne enters free agency with a 75.7 quarterback rating with 31 touchdowns compared to 37 interceptions. 

Thomas Jones

After Jamaal Charles went down with a torn ACL, Thomas Jones was thrown into the starting role and failed to produce for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jones averaged just 3.1 yards per-carry in 16 games last season while failing to score a single touchdown. Jones finished the year with only 478 yards and really appeared to have hit the wall at the end of his career. 

Donovan McNabb

I think that it's safe to say that Donovan McNabb has come to the end of his NFL career and will likely have no shot at starting at quarterback in 2012.

McNabb was a non-factor in his six games this season with the Minnesota Vikings. The 35-year-old completed 60.3 percent of his passes and threw only four touchdowns.  

Gary Guyton

Linebacker Gary Guyton fell out of a starting role with the New England Patriots this season and was ultimately thrown completely out of the rotation because he was inactive for Super Bowl XLVI. 

Guyton played in just 13 games this season while accumulating 47 tackles. 

Caleb Hanie

Caleb Hanie had the chance of the lifetime to prove that he can be a reliable quarterback at the NFL level. Yet he was unable to do so as Jay Cutler went down with an injury and Hanie struggled tremendously. 

Hanie played in six games for the Chicago Bears in 2011 and was absolutely putrid. He finished with an embarrassing 41.8 quarterback rating while completing only 50 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and a pitiful nine interceptions. 

I highly doubt any teams will invest too much in Hanie this offseason. 

LaDainian Tomlinson

I think that it's safe to say that LaDainian Tomlinson's career has come to an end. He compiled just 280 yards in 14 games this past season with the New York Jets. 

L.T. turns 33 this summer and should receive little to no interest this offseason. 

Vince Young

Vince Young had a legitimate shot to jump in as the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback midway through the season as Michael Vick was sidelined with two broken ribs.

Young played in six games this season and finished with a pitiful 60.8 quarterback rating while completing just 57.9 percent of his passes and throwing four touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. 

Young's stock is likely as low as it's going to get right now. 

Roy Williams

Roy Williams came to Chicago to prove that he can be a  No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL—and he failed to do so.

Williams played in 15 games this past season while snagging 37 balls for just 507 yards and scoring only two touchdowns.

Williams will likely receive little to no interest from teams this offseason: He's far too inconsistent. 

Brandon Meriweather

Brandon Meriweather has been a complete waste of talent ever since he entered the NFL with the New England back in 2007. 

The Patriots released Meriweather prior to the start of the regular season, and he received a shot to start with the Chicago Bears—but he blew it.

Whether it's poor angles, terrible reads or simply not being able to produce at safety, I highly doubt too many teams will want to throw any money Meriweather's way. 

Braylon Edwards

Braylon Edwards had a couple of successful and productive seasons with the New York Jets, but he struggled all season long with the San Francisco 49ers because he was unable to stay healthy.

When Edwards was healthy, he was extremely inconsistent.

Edwards played in nine games while snagging 15 passes for 181 yards and he failed to score a single touchdown. 

Steve Smith

Steve Smith had a pretty terrible season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011.

Smith was placed on injured reserve back in early December with a bone bruise to his left knee which ended an extremely disappointing year. 

Smith played in just nine games in his first season with the Eagles, recorded 11 receptions for 124 yards and scored just one touchdown. 

Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman had a shot to prove to the NFL that he can be a legitimate starting quarterback, but he was absolutely dreadful with the Washington Redskins in 2011.

Grossman appeared in 13 games and turned the ball over a whopping 25 times while completing just 57.9 percent of his passes. He finished with a 72.4 quarterback rating. 

I guarantee you that no team will have any interest in bringing in Grossman as a possible starting quarterback. 

DeSean Jackson

In a contract-year for DeSean Jackson, he really failed to impress in order to receive a nice payday. 

Jackson did have a decent statistical season—he caught 58 passes for 961 yards and caught four touchdowns—but he really developed an attitude problem (see The Philly Post).

By the end of the season, Jackson proved to the NFL that he believes the world revolves around him and ultimately disconnected himself from his team.