Anthony Collins Cut by Buccaneers: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

There perhaps wasn't a worse contract handed out to a free agent before the 2014 season than the five-year, $30 million deal the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to with offensive tackle Anthony Collins.

The Bucs have rectified that poor decision, however, cutting Collins on Tuesday, per Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. 

The Bucs will still take a cap hit for Collins this season, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.

"The team will still owe Collins $3 million in guaranteed money, which will count as $3 million in dead money under the cap," Alper wrote.

Just one year into his big deal, Collins was exposed as a liability in the passing game and probably is better served playing guard moving forward. The 29-year-old appeared in just 10 games last season and perhaps proved once and for all that he simply isn't a starting-caliber tackle in the NFL.

His 10 starts last season were the most in his career during a season, and he's started seven or more games in a season just three times in his seven-year career.

In an offseason with a lot of very intriguing free agents available, Collins is a reminder that signing players to big contracts via free agency rather than building through the draft can be a costly decision—both literally and figuratively. 

The Bucs certainly learned the hard way. Their fans will be hoping the lesson carries over into this offseason.