2012 NFL Free Agent Predictions: 10 Players Destined to Fail for New Teams

2012 NFL free agency is about to kick off, and with it comes the inevitable failure some franchises will make when selecting players from the open market. While some teams will land a superstar, other teams will land a dud that doesn’t perform well at all.

There are plenty of these risky players in this year’s free-agent pool, some big names, others not. Some of these players have had amazing careers, and some are riding recent success to a big contract.

It’s always an unfortunate thing to see a team whiff on a free-agent signing, especially for fans of the team. It can be difficult to predict if a player will fail with a new team, but for these 10 players the writing is already on the wall.

Here are 10 players destined to fail for new teams in 2012:

Cedric Benson, Running Back

Cedric Benson ensured he wouldn’t be back with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 after publicly criticizing the direction the offense took last season. That attitude combined with declining skills mean Benson is destined for mediocrity no matter where he lands next season.

Despite the attitude, Benson had a solid season last year rushing for 1,067 yards and six touchdowns. His yards per carry was a questionable 3.9, and that is going to be a major issue moving forward.

Benson isn’t a starting back anymore now that he is approaching 30 years old. He’ll likely be used in a running back by committee system next year wherever he lands, but his issues finding running lanes and converting on short-yardage situations means the end of Benson’s career is rapidly approaching.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Running Back

BenJarvus Green-Ellis is likely to test the open market when free agency opens this week. The Patriots were mostly a committee at the position last season, and Ellis failed to put up good numbers while getting lost in the rotation.

Ellis rushed for 667 yards and 11 touchdowns last year with a 3.7 average. He was battling a toe injury last season, but for someone running behind one of the best lines in all of football and having Tom Brady as his quarterback last year’s numbers just won’t cut it.

Ellis isn’t a workhorse back, he’s a power back that has to be utilized in the correct situations. He won’t put up gaudy numbers with a new team, and he likely won’t have the benefit of running behind a line as good as New England’s.

Marques Colston, Wide Receiver

Marques Colston is the product of playing in the NFL’s most pass-heavy offense with arguably the best quarterback in the league in Drew Brees. He typically only saw man coverage last season as well. Colston won’t be back with the Saints because of their precarious cap situation, and that’s bad news for both parties.

Colston caught 80 passes for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns last year. He averaged 14.3 yards per catch, which is a massive number, but not one likely to be duplicated if Colston leaves New Orleans.

Colston isn’t a bad player; he’s just had the benefit of playing in a great system. He’ll be looking for a lot of money when he hits the open market, and some team will give him whatever he asks for based on his past production.

Mario Manningham, Wide Receiver

Mario Manningham is using his epic catch in the Super Bowl to try and land starting money on the open market this offseason. With that being said, paying Manningham like he is a No. 1 receiver would be a disastrous move.

Manningham grabbed only 39 receptions last year for 523 yards and touchdowns. Those are mediocre numbers for a No. 3 receiver that didn’t see much coverage thanks to Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

Manningham has been inconsistent throughout his career, and has recently mentioned issues about his injured knee. Manningham believes he’s a No. 1 receiver, but he’s a two at best. Some team will overpay him this offseason and regret it for years.

LaRon Landry, Safety

LaRon Landry has all the talent in the world but can’t seem to stay healthy as of late. The Redskins don’t seem very interested in keeping him, which is understandable given the injury history.

Last season Landry appeared in just eight games, recording 48 tackles, a forced fumble and 1.5 sacks. He battled injuries all season, but was a liability in the passing game when he was on the field. 

Several doctors recommended that Landry undergo surgery to repair his Achilles, but he elected to pass on the operation. That is a questionable decision that could come back to haunt him. There have also been rumblings of if Landry can even play safety anymore now that he has bulked up so much recently.

Peyton Manning, Quarterback

Peyton Manning is being hotly pursued by a number of teams, and rightfully so with Manning being one of the greatest players of all time. However, there is still some doubt as to whether Manning’s arm will ever be healthy enough to throw passes again.

NFL.com recently interviewed sources that spoke about Manning’s health, and while they describe his progress as “promising,” this doesn’t sound all that promising:

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“So far, so good,” said a source with one of the many teams that is interested in signing Manning. “The question is still where is it going to stop, but the progress over the past month has been steady and that’s what you’re looking for.”

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The phrase “the question is still where it is going to stop” is sort of a big deal here. So he’s making progress, but that progress could halt well before Manning can comfortably make every NFL throw.

Add to all of this the fact Manning will have to absorb a new offense with new players (even if Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark join him) and Manning faces a major uphill battle in 2012 to get back to form.

Brandon Jacobs, Running Back

The New York Giants recently cut Brandon Jacobs because they were unwilling to pay him more than $1.5 annually, which makes sense because Jacobs has a very limited role as a power back. He’ll find a new home in 2012, but it won’t be a very productive season.

Jacobs rushed for 571 yards and seven scores last season while only carrying the ball 152 times. He’s approaching 30 years old, and for the type of running style he utilizes he’s certainly going to begin to decline soon.

If Jacobs is willing to play for a minimum amount of money next season he could land in a very good situation where he is used properly. He won’t put up eye-popping numbers again but is still an effective threat in short-yardage situations.

Peyton Hillis, Running Back

Peyton Hills has a rough campaign last year, battling injuries and struggling to play well when actually on the field. The Browns and Hillis have a mutual interest in each other's services still, but can’t agree on how much money Hillis is worth.

After a breakout season in 2010, last year Hillis only appeared in 10 games rushing for 587 yards and three touchdowns. Hillis played hurt multiple times, which could be responsible for his lackluster numbers as well.

Hillis is only 26 years old, but his bruising running style does more harm than good for his future. That physical style of running doesn’t typically lead to an extended career, at least not as the feature back handling most of the carries. If Hillis leaves Cleveland, don’t expect another amazing statistical season.

Randy Moss, Wide Receiver

UPDATE: According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Moss has reached an agreement to join the San Francisco 49ers.

The “Randy Moss Tour” has been in full swing for a while now, and Moss has reportedly blown at least one team away with his workout. That’s all well and good, but it’s hard to simply forget how Moss managed to quit on three different teams during the 2010 season.

Moss is 35 years old but reportedly ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at a workout recently (now reports are to the contrary). That’s a huge number for a receiver standing at 6’4” and 210 lbs. That straight line speed is nice, but at this point Moss is really only good for running one kind of route. A 35-year-old one-dimensional player doesn’t really stand a chance in today’s NFL.

Moss’ comeback tour has been admirable, but it's false advertising. Some team will bite, and Moss more than likely won’t even last the entirety of the 2012 season.

At least his entertaining workout tour didn’t include shirtless sit-ups in his driveway while being interview by the media.  

Dallas Clark, Tight End

Dallas Clark was recently released by the Indianapolis Colts as the franchise cleaned house in preparation to begin the rebuilding process. The move wasn’t shocking as Clark is approaching 33 years old and had a horrendous 2011 season.

Clark only caught 34 passes last year for 352 yards and two touchdowns. Granted he wasn’t playing with Peyton Manning, but he habitually dropped passes. On top of that Clark only played in 11 games because he was unable to stay healthy.

The team that lands Manning this offseason will likely be inclined to bring Clark in and give him a shot despite his now-limited tool set. Clark will fail no matter where he lands, and will likely not even be more than training camp fodder.

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