Atlanta Falcons: 6 Biggest Free Agency and Trade Missteps Since 2000

Atlants Falcons fans are up in arms this year over the team didn't make any huge trades or signings. Though, as of now, they shouldn't fret. Since 2008, the Falcons have made some bad moves, but nothing compared to the moves made since 2000.

The Falcons have plenty of bad moves in that time frame, but we'll only highlight the worst six moves and how the Falcons could have improved on them.

Honorable Mentions

Ben Hartsock: 4 year, $10 million deal

Hartsock was only with the Falcons for one year but was solid in that year. He was only cut due to the Falcons bringing in future Hall Of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez.

Jason Elam: 4 year, $10 million deal

The Falcons got Elam, a top kicker of all time, late in his career. He started fading halfway through the 2009 season and then was cut for Matt Bryant.

Chris Crocker: 4th-round pick (OG Isaac Sowells)

A fourth-round pick that seemed very high at the time still seems steep, considering the Browns only got Sowells, who played only 17 games over three years there and is now out of the league.

6. Von Hutchins

Contract: 4 years, $9.0 million.

Stats: Cut in training camp.

Projection when signed: Compete for a starting job across from Chris Houston at the left corner spot and, worst case, win the nickel job.

Recap: The Falcons signed him to be a nickel corner and a contributor to the team; however, he did not even come close to the expectations after being cut in training camp.

5. Ashley Lelie for T.J. Duckett Trade

Cost: T.J. Duckett for only Ashley Lelie in return.

Stats: 1 year, 28 catches, 430 yards, 1 touchdown.

Projection when traded for: Lelie was expected to come in and start for many years, as the Falcons traded their top touchdown making running back for him.

Recap: The Falcons got very little production out of a guy they had expected to be the next big option for Michael Vick. They found out in 2007 just how moot this trade was with the Broncos and Redskins, as both Lelie and Duckett wound up being rentals.

4. Jason Webster

Contract: 6 years, $18 million.

Stats: 3 years, 33 games, 29 starts, 168 tackles, 4 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 16 pass deflections.

Projection when signed: He was supposed to be the long term complement at right corner to first-round pick DeAngelo Hall.

Recap: He wound up giving three years of very below average play. He had high tackle numbers but was always allowing receivers to get over 100 yards towards his side. He also missed a lot of games due to injury and could only finish three years of a six-year contract.

3. Joe Horn

Contract: 4 years, $19 million.

Stats: 1 year, 27 catches for 243 yards and 1 touchdown.

Projection when signed: Horn was supposed to come in and be the No. 1 WR in Atlanta for at least two years.

Recap: Horn never lived up to his projection. He was the No. 3 option to an emerging Roddy White and long time TE Alge Crumpler. Horn was nothing more than a mentor for a year and then got cut to allow the Falcons to finally have a starting pair of Michael Jenkins and Roddy White.

2. Edgerton Hartwell

Contract: 6 years, $26.25 million.

Stats: 2 years, 13 games, 11 started, 63 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble forced, 1 pass deflection.

Projection when signed: Hartwell was supposed to be the thumping middle linebacker and a true leader for the defense.

Recap: Hartwell was an injury prone player who didn't contribute to anything but the base defenses and wound up on injured reserve each year. Hartwell was out of the league after the Falcons let him go after the 2006 season.

1. Peerless Price

Cost: 1st-Round Pick (Willis McGahee).

Contract: 7 years, $37.5 million.

Stats: 2 years, 32 games, 30 starts, 1413 yards, 6 TD's.

Projection when signed: Peerless Price was coming off of a breakout year and the team wanted him to be the top receiving option for Michael Vick on a long-term scenario.

Recap: When your best performance with a team is when the starting quarterback is out, you are probably not going to be the best pairing for that quarterback. Price not only cost the Falcons too much money, but also a first-round pick that they could have used on WR Anquan Boldin, who would have been a good fit for that need.