2012 NFL Free Agents: 11 Players Who Will Be Disappointed by Testing the Market

The 2012 NFL free agency period, which promises to be one of the wildest and most eventful in recent memory, is set to officially start on Tuesday afternoon.

While many eyes are on the Peyton Manning lottery, there are plenty of other NFL free agents who will hit the market with high hopes of making a big splash.

Some of those hopefuls will certainly hit pay dirt, but many of them will find that they don’t generate the interest (and associated paycheck) they feel they deserve.

Who is destined to be disappointed by testing the free-agent market? Keep clicking to find out.

Kyle Orton

Orton may be one of the 32 best quarterbacks available in the league, but that doesn’t make him deserving of a big payday as a free agent.

After demonstrating his inconsistency for four teams since 2005, there can be no hoping that Orton will improve with time or the right situation.  

He is, at best, a stopgap solution for a team that still hasn’t found the right guy at quarterback. That will definitely impact his asking price in free agency.

Peyton Hillis

The Cleveland Browns reportedly want to bring Peyton Hillis back, but before they commit they want to make sure they’re paying him what he’s worth.

That’s why Hillis will test the free-agent waters.

Since his 2012 paycheck comes down to what other teams would be willing to pay for him, Hillis is in a risky situation.

He has potential, but his production for the last four years has been inconsistent at best. That’s not the type of history that teams who are shopping around for a star running back are looking for and his worth in free agency will reflect that.

Plaxico Burress

Even though he took a self-inflicted shot to the leg and wound up in prison for three years, Plaxico Burress has proved that he’s still a pretty good wide receiver.

His problem is that he wants to play for the wrong team.

He doesn’t seem to care as much about the paycheck as he does about playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. If that’s his heart’s truest desire, he’s bound to be disappointed. The Eagles have plenty of talent at wide receiver, which means that their interest in yet another troubled addition to their team is probably nil.

Jeremy Shockey

Jeremy Shockey has been on a slow decline over the past five years, although his catches and yardage are still respectable for the tight end position. That may work in his favor since tight end is one of the thinner positions on this year’s market.

The Panthers probably won’t elect to renew his contract, which means that Shockey will hit the ground running.

His age may work against him, though. At 31 years old and clearly in the twilight of his career, Shockey may find that he won’t command quite the same cash prize that he’s accustomed to.

Visanthe Shiancoe

The Minnesota Vikings are unlikely to resign veteran tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, so he will join Jeremy Shockey on the free-agent market.

Shiancoe has a shakier history than Shockey in terms of production, but he has been much more consistent in recent years. That may help his case as a free agent, but his age (31), like Shockey, is also working against him.

Albert Haynesworth

Albert Haynesworth has been passed around the NFL over the past several years and each time he has found a taker.

He might be disappointed by this year’s market because, quite frankly, there may not be one for him. There are few teams that will pay what Haynesworth believes he is worth for the questionable services of an aging veteran.

Terrell Thomas

After experiencing a second torn ACL and the long associated rehabilitation, Terrell Thomas hopes to get a second chance at his dream of playing in the NFL by selling his services to the highest bidder.

An unrestricted free agent, Thomas will have the freedom to test the market. He may be disappointed at the offers that come his way.

It is rare for teams to take big chances on players who are as injury-prone as Thomas has proved to be. He’s done a decent job with the time he has been able to spend on the field, but there’s no guarantee that he will ever be the player he believes he can be.

Update: Terrell Thomas has re-signed with the Giants.

Scott Wells

A good center is hard to find in the NFL and Scott Wells has certainly made his mark as a good center.

The Packers elected not to use their franchise tag on Wells, which will give him the freedom to explore his worth in free agency. He might generate some interest, but perhaps not as much as he believes he deserves.

The problem with Wells is that his strengths tend to play into the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line scheme in a way that makes up for his small stature. Other teams may not be quite so forgiving of those faults that Wells cannot control.

Pierre Garcon

It has become evident that Pierre Garcon and the Indianapolis Colts are not going to see eye to eye regarding a new contract. That means Garcon will be testing the free-agent market to offer his services elsewhere.

Garcon has really grown as a wide receiver, putting together a career year despite the upheaval in Indianapolis.

That might actually be his problem.

Garcon really profited off of the tumult in Indianapolis in general and, in particular, off of the trouble that Reggie Wayne had adjusting to the string of new quarterbacks.

Statistics do not back up his ability to achieve the level of play required of a number one receiver, particularly on a team that lacks a second viable receiving threat to relieve the pressure on Garcon.

In a free-agent market replete with wide receiver talent, Garcon won’t stand out enough to get a good deal.

Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne has become another casualty of the changing regime in Indianapolis, although he faces a much different situation as a free agent than former teammate Pierre Garcon.

Wayne has spent his long, incredibly prolific career wearing blue and white and receiving passes thrown by Peyton Manning. When Peyton was unable to play in 2011, Wayne’s numbers reflected the loss by dropping dramatically.

There may still be plenty left in the tank for Wayne. But if he cannot function with a quarterback other than Manning throwing to him, then he is a liability for any team to bring on. Since age is a factor with Wayne, he might be a liability even if he does come as a package deal with Manning.

One thing is certain: Wherever Reggie Wayne goes, he will almost certainly relinquish his starting spot—and the salary that goes along with it.

Ryan Grant

Ryan Grant’s career is still young, but the promise that he showed in his second and third season seems to be nothing more than a distant memory.

After sitting out basically the entire 2010 season due to injury, Grant was unable to bounce back in 2011. He found himself starting in name only as the ball was handed off to youngster James Starks.

Grant may not be happy with his reduced role with the Packers, but he may be disappointed when he tests out the free-agent market. He’s not the best running back available, so he won’t receive the type of hype that would generate a big payday.