The 50 Biggest Losers from Early NFL Free-Agency Signings
Every action has a somewhat equal and sometimes opposite reaction in the NFL offseason. We'll call it Newton's fourth law of thermodynamics.
The offseason is young, and we are just over a week into free agency, but there have been dozens of moves made—and some withheld—that have created voids or gluts around the league.
Let's dive deep and take a look at 50 of the biggest losers from the offseason. Whether it's a team or unit for a general inability to sign or retain talent or players who will see reduced playing time, there are many losers, big and small, from the early signing period.
The bigger the loss, the higher the rank.
50. Austin Davis
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Not that he had the starting job in hand with Sam Bradford getting healthy again, but Austin Davis stood a chance to fight for it. He had his moments in 2014, after all, and Bradford wasn't exactly a picture of health.
He may well still have that chance, but odds are it's Nick Foles' job to lose after the St. Louis Rams traded away their injury-prone quarterback for a less injury-prone quarterback.
Perhaps Davis will get his shot after all, but that trade was a loss for the fourth-year quarterback.
49. Brian Hartline
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Brian Hartline was living the life, playing with quarterback Ryan Tannehill in South Florida on a $30 million contract. Then reality came calling.
The Miami Dolphins decided his 39 receptions for 474 receiving yards and two touchdowns weren't enough to merit retaining his services, so they cut him.
Hartline would wind up signing with the Cleveland Browns in his home state, where he figures to have a shot at starting. But he got just $6 million for two years, and his quarterback situation has gotten significantly worse.
48. Anthony Fasano
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The Chiefs cut Anthony Fasano well before free agency hit, but the past month hasn't been kind to the former Kansas City starter.
He may not bring much pizzazz to the football field, but Fasano has been known to be a reliable blocker who made the occasional big catch. He got little action on the market until Ruston Webster came calling.
He went from mediocre to worse when the Tennessee Titans signed him as part of their plan to be the most boring offense in 2015.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
47. Lorenzo Taliaferro
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For a few days in the new league year, it looked like Lorenzo Taliaferro might have the run of the place in the Baltimore Ravens backfield. Then the dream collapsed.
The Ravens re-signed Justin Forsett—their surprisingly effective starter from a year ago—to a three-year deal. It's not starter money, per se, at $9 million total, but it does mean Taliaferro will be splitting time in his second year instead of taking over.
46. Michael Johnson
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Just a year after signing a huge deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, defensive end Michael Johnson found himself looking for a job again. The Buccaneers let him go after an awful first year, punting on the five-year, $43.75 million deal they inked him to last year.
Johnson is lucky there wasn't any offset language in the original deal. He will be paid $7 million by the Bucs this season in addition to his salary from the Bengals, per NFL.com's Dan Hanzus.
All in all, getting cut just one year after finally hitting it big on the market has to sting.
45. Christine Michael
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A year ago, running back Marshawn Lynch was in the throes of a contract dispute, eventually holding out and even threatening to retire before the Seattle Seahawks relented and gave him a bit of a pay raise.
Christine Michael, meanwhile, was coming off a quiet rookie season after he had made some noise in the preseason. Perhaps in another universe, Lynch retired and Michael became a star.
Alas, Lynch returned and bumped Michael almost all the way out of the picture for another year.
Fast-forward to this offseason, when questions arose about whether the Seahawks would let Lynch go or if he might actually retire. Hope for Michael was rekindled. His fantasy stock was alive!
Then Seattle gave Lynch $24 million for another two years, and Michael was never heard from again. Or so the fable goes.
44. Devin McCourty
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One thing broke right for the New England Patriots when stud safety Devin McCourty re-signed for less money than he was being offered elsewhere. At the time, it gave hope that the Patriots might be able to keep the whole band together.
Unfortunately, Darrelle Revis flew to the New York Jets for a massive contract, and McCourty was left holding the bag.
He is still getting paid handsomely, and he should still be a focal point for that defense. But it turns out he took less money to not play with Revis, or with Brandon Browner, putting him back where he was a couple of years ago.
43. Stevie Johnson
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Would you believe Stevie Johnson was once lined up to be one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league this season?
It's no wonder the San Francisco 49ers cut ties with him once he refused to take a pay cut, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.
He wound up landing on his feet just a few hundred miles south in San Diego, where the Chargers gave him $10.5 million over three years. That's a far cry from the $6 million he was slated to make in 2014 alone.
42. Peyton Manning
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Future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning seemed to be fighting Father Time at the end of last season, and now he will be doing battle with a bit of a depleted arsenal.
Tight end Julius Thomas took his 24 touchdowns from the past two seasons to Jacksonville, and Wes Welker is still languishing in free agency.
The latter may be well past his prime, but losing a big weapon like Thomas is going to hurt. The Broncos picked up Owen Daniels as a replacement, but it's difficult to see him being nearly as valuable.
41. John DeFilippo
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The Cleveland Browns aren't typically spendy in free agency, but when your top offensive acquisitions are Brian Hartline and Thaddeus Lewis...well, life isn't great in the Dawg Pound.
New offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was already going to have a tough time dealing with that quarterback situation and star receiver Josh Gordon's yearlong suspension. With zero real offensive upgrades to date, it doesn't seem like we'll see much progress on that side of the ball in Cleveland.
Perhaps the draft will breathe life into DeFilippo's unit.
40. Rashad Jennings
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The New York Giants signed Shane Vereen away from the New England Patriots—a nice signing on the surface.
One man who may not think as highly of it is Rashad Jennings, the would-be lead back if he could stay healthy. That was the case last season, with Andre Williams barely getting any run while Jennings was active.
Vereen brings his pass-catching abilities over from the Patriots, which will surely cut into Jennings' playing time. After all, part of the latter's appeal over Williams was his ability to catch the ball.
39. Shane Vereen
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Rashad Jennings isn't the only loser in that Giants backfield.
Shane Vereen might be a nice addition for the Giants, but what will his role be in New York? It's certainly a muddled situation there, where Jennings and Andre Williams will figure heavily into the mix.
Worse, Vereen will be out of Bill Belichick's system, where he thrived when he was healthy in previous years. How will he fare in Ben McAdoo's offense?
38. Minnesota's Locker Room
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The Minnesota Vikings were already sitting on a powder keg with Adrian Peterson back from suspension.
Assuming they don't trade him away, Peterson will be the subject of scrutiny for the foreseeable future thanks to his alleged parental decisions. He very well could keep things clean off the field, but that much press can wear on a team.
Add Mike Wallace to the mix and you have a rather volatile mixture.
The former Miami Dolphin has a history of grousing, and it didn't change when he signed a $60 million contract two years ago. It might be sunshine and rainbows at first—as is any new relationship—but one or two games with an unsatisfactory number of targets might be enough to light the fuse.
37. Seattle Seahawks Secondary
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The Legion of Boom lost a key member this offseason.
Byron Maxwell got a massive deal from the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving a hole opposite All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman. This comes a year after Walter Thurmond left for greener pastures.
Of course, the Seahawks nabbed Cary Williams—formerly of the Eagles—to replace Maxwell, but that may be a tall order for the oft-burned former Philadelphia starter.
It was no secret the right side of the defense was a sieve when Maxwell was out with an injury last season.
36. Greg Hardy
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It's difficult to call Greg Hardy a loser in free agency after some of the ugly allegations for which he was originally convicted. But it is somewhat amazing to see NFL teams shy away from him left and right.
Hardy is a fantastic defensive end, but his domestic abuse case was poisonous to his free-agent value. He got some interest, but it took time before one team would warm to signing him. Of course, it was Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.
The move certainly created outcry, especially when details emerged that Hardy could make $13.1 million, as broken down by ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer.
For his part, Jones knew what he was getting into. Here is what his official statement says on DallasCowboys.com:
"Obviously a great deal of our study was dedicated to the issue of domestic violence, and the recent events that associated Greg with that issue. We know that Greg’s status remains under review by the National Football League.
Our organization understands the very serious nature of domestic violence in our society and in our league. We know that Greg has a firm understanding of those issues as well.
"
If Hardy somehow hits all his contract escalators, the Cowboys will have an $11 million cap hit for a guy who might be playing for another team in 2016. Of course, they might be thrilled with his production if that's the case.
At any rate, Hardy hardly got a great deal—he will make just over $2 million regardless, but he missed out on a massive payday because of his off-field issues.
35. Joe Flacco
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The Ravens didn't exactly have an embarrassment of riches in receiving options. Now the situation is almost embarrassing.
They lost No. 1 wideout Torrey Smith to the San Francisco 49ers after cutting Jacoby Jones.
With Dennis Pitta potentially retiring, quarterback Joe Flacco may have Steve Smith and a tomato can to target next season.
34. Trent Richardson
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The jig is up for Trent Richardson.
The Indianapolis Colts cut the former No. 3 overall draft pick after a disappointing—boy, what an understatement—tenure after they traded a first-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for his services.
A star running back at Alabama, Richardson has regressed into a guy who can barely average three yards per carry. The Colts finally realize their sunk cost after almost two seasons.
Somehow, Richardson landed on his feet with the Oakland Raiders—a two-year, $3.9 million deal laden with incentives—but what are the odds he touches the ball 75 times this season? Will Oakland be stubborn like the Browns and Colts were, pounding Richardson into the line to define insanity?
33. Dwayne Bowe
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Once Jeremy Maclin signed for $11 million a year in Kansas City, Dwayne Bowe's days were numbered with the Chiefs.
That number was two, as his cap number was just too high.
Bowe now finds himself adrift in free agency, his first stop the Cleveland Browns, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport (via NFL.com's Dan Hanzus). At least Bowe is drawing some early attention, which is more than can be said about some of his peers.
32. Terrance Knighton
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What happened to Pot Roast?
Terrance Knighton transformed himself from abject disappointment to defensive force in the middle of the Denver Broncos line after a failed tenure in Jacksonville. He should have been in demand as a free agent, right?
Apparently not.
Knighton drew some interest but ultimately signed a meager one-year, $4 million deal with Washington. It was a steal of a deal by the squad in D.C., but Knighton has to wonder where his market went during free agency.
31. Oakland Raiders Running Game
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Sure, Latavius Murray makes for an interesting option in Oakland, a young running back with immense upside, as he showed when he averaged 28 yards per carry and scored a pair of touchdowns against the Chiefs last year.
Of course, injury concerns could derail a promising career.
Then there is the fact that the Raiders were heavily interested in DeMarco Murray before he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com's Marc Sessler).
How does Trent Richardson sound as a consolation prize?
The plodding running back is the newest member of that Raiders backfield—a sour note after the promise of sweet victory should Murray have chosen to go west instead of east.
30. Brandon Marshall's Fantasy Stock
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Much like with Jimmy Graham, getting traded put a major drag on receiver Brandon Marshall's fantasy stock.
The 6'4", 230-pound wideout should see plenty of action in New York, but it's hard to argue he is in a better position to score fantasy points. For starters, as maligned as he is, Jay Cutler is a better quarterback than anything the Jets currently have on their roster.
Marshall won't have the benefit of playing with Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and even Martellus Bennett either, all of whom surely commanded plenty of attention from opposing defenses. Eric Decker is a fine player, but he is not quite on Jeffery's level.
29. Cam Newton
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The Carolina Panthers were sorely lacking at receiver and along the offensive line last season—outside of rookie Kelvin Benjamin, at any rate.
This was the offseason to fix those problems, but there hasn't been much to say about general manager David Gettleman's moves to date.
Carolina did pick up offensive tackle Michael Oher, but he has been one of the worst offensive linemen in the league for years, according to Pro Football Focus. It's difficult to imagine someone being worse than Byron Bell was last season, but Oher is a marginal improvement at best.
Then there is the receiver position, which Gettleman bolstered by bringing back return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. There's not much Ginn adds to the passing game.
There hasn't been much to love about this offseason for quarterback Cam Newton.
28. Jason Garrett
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Last season was almost a miracle in Dallas.
The Cowboys hadn't done much to change the roster, and head coach Jason Garrett had taken his team to an 8-8 record in each of the previous three seasons. It didn't look like much improvement was on the horizon.
Instead, Dallas came within an overturned play of the NFC Championship Game. Too bad that success might be so short-lived.
There have been some big roster changes this offseason, and they haven't been particularly good ones. The Cowboys couldn't match the division rival Philadelphia Eagles when they came calling for league-leading rusher DeMarco Murray.
The Cowboys also lost defensive tackle Henry Melton, kick return ace Dwayne Harris and linebackers Bruce Carter and Justin Durant to free agency.
Can Garrett survive that kind of personnel turnover? We'll find out soon enough.
27. Greg Jennings
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Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise for Greg Jennings, but it's hard to argue that getting cut in the middle of a $45 million contract is a good thing.
The Minnesota Vikings traded for Mike Wallace, who is due nearly $10 million this year alone. That made Jennings too expensive to keep—at least at his $8.9 million price—so he was jettisoned soon after the trade.
The silver lining is he might get back to prominence if he picks a team with the right quarterback, though Teddy Bridgewater would have been that man for him going forward. Jennings originally chose quarterback purgatory—over heaven in Green Bay—which was a contributing factor to his results in Minnesota.
After all, it's tough to produce when you have a sad quarterback carousel throwing you the ball.
26. Tennessee Titans Offense
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What are the Tennessee Titans doing, exactly?
The defense theoretically improved by adding outside linebacker Brian Orakpo—if he can manage to stay healthy—and safety Da'Norris Searcy, but the offense has seen diddly.
The biggest news out of Tennessee was the report that the Titans might be kicking the tires of former Indy dud Trent Richardson, but that running back ship has sailed. It's too bad—the Titans could've added another plodder to that backfield.
With Jake Locker retiring—admittedly no big loss—the Titans are a rudderless ship at quarterback. That is unless you think Zach Mettenberger is the answer there. Perhaps Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston is indeed in the cards with the No. 2 overall pick.
The offensive line wasn't good, and the team cut offensive tackle Michael Oher loose after the sizable contract he signed just a year ago.
25. Arizona Cardinals Defense
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The Arizona Cardinals were one of the biggest surprises of the 2014 season, and they had their defense to thank for most of their success. Unfortunately, that unit might take a step or two back in 2015.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie took off, reunited with Darrelle Revis in New York, leaving a big hole in the secondary. The Cardinals also lost defensive tackle Dan Williams after cutting fellow defensive lineman Darnell Dockett.
That's a lot of quality personnel out the door. Not to mention the biggest loss—defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
24. Percy Harvin
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Percy Harvin signed a massive contract when the Seattle Seahawks traded for him two years ago. Even after he was exiled to the New York Jets, he was due to make $10.5 million this season. Then he was cut.
Of course, that move was predictable—Harvin was worth nowhere near that kind of cash as an injury-prone locker room powder keg who hasn't lived up to his potential.
The Buffalo Bills threw him a lifeline pretty quickly, but Harvin is making less than half the money he was due this year, and it's essentially a "prove it" deal.
23. Green Bay Packers Secondary
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General manager Ted Thompson is notoriously frugal in free agency.
Sure, he spends money when he has to in order to keep his own players—just look at receiver Randall Cobb—but he has a propensity to let them walk when they ask for too much money.
Hence, it should be no surprise that cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Davon House left for greener pastures.
They may have been on different career arcs—with Williams on the verge of descent and House on the rise—but both were quality players in an inconsistent secondary. How will it fare without them?
Thompson probably has something up his sleeve, but for now, the Packers defense doesn't seem to be a big winner through the first couple of weeks of free agency.
22. Donte Moncrief
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With longtime Colt Reggie Wayne likely on his way out to pasture in Indianapolis, second-year receiver Donte Moncrief was in line for a promotion.
Then Andre Johnson came free.
The Houston Texans cut their former star, and the Colts pounced on the opportunity to sign the big receiver away from a rival. Johnson is the new No. 1, with T.Y. Hilton likely starting on the opposite end.
That job could have been Moncrief's.
21. Jim Tomsula
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What is in the water in Santa Clara?
A strong Super Bowl contender not too long ago, the San Francisco 49ers seem to be in a death spiral. Some of it isn't their fault—who could have predicted linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland would retire out of the blue?—but it has been a rough offseason in the Bay Area.
New head coach Jim Tomsula already had massive khakis to fill when he took over for Jim Harbaugh, the most successful 49ers head coach since George Seifert, with apologies to Steve Mariucci, who inherited his success. Tomsula now has to do it without Willis and Borland, not to mention running back Frank Gore and offensive guard Mike Iupati.
20. Drew Brees
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Poor Saints fans. Poor Drew Brees.
Not only did he lose his favorite target of the past several years when New Orleans dealt big-time tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle, but he lost his up-and-coming No. 1 receiver in Kenny Stills to a trade as well.
That leaves Brees with an aging Marques Colston, Brandin Cooks and a bag of potato chips to throw to. Well, Nick Toon might do some damage, and C.J. Spiller could catch 100 passes out of the backfield if healthy, but Brees and that passing offense took a major hit with the exodus of talent.
19. Nick Foles
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Anytime you go from Chip Kelly to Jeff Fisher, you lose.
All right, so the jury is still out on Kelly as an NFL coach, but Fisher is the most overrated coach in the league. His offenses—regardless of the coordinator—have been abysmal for much of the past decade.
Just ask Sam Bradford.
18. Nick Fairley
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It should have been no surprise that Ndamukong Suh commanded the richest defensive contract in NFL history. The fact that his partner along that defensive line hardly got a nibble in free agency, however, was practically a shock.
Fairley wasn't nearly as dominant as Suh in Detroit, but he was a good player nonetheless. Hence, his one-year, $5 million deal with the St. Louis Rams seems like a steal.
The big defensive tackle joins an already great defensive line that could be elite if everyone stays healthy.
17. Tom Brady
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This week has been a bit of a nightmare for the Patriots, though they probably don't see it that way.
How could they? The AFC East has been trying to get better for eons, and the Patriots have warded off almost all challengers this millennium. So what if they lost a few players, right?
History may not be able to save them this time, however, as the rest of the division improved in a big way during the first week of free agency.
The Dolphins landed Ndamukong Suh and generally improved the roster, the Jets brought together an elite secondary and the Bills improved the offense in multiple spots. Tom Brady has six games against those teams to look forward to.
16. Ryan Mathews
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For one day, it seemed like Ryan Mathews had hit the motherload. However, it turned out to be fool's gold.
The former San Diego Charger agreed to a three-year deal with the Eagles, and it looked like he was going to be the main man in a Chip Kelly backfield. Then reality hit—the Eagles signed rushing champion DeMarco Murray.
Just like that, Mathews went from bell cow to playing cowbell in that backfield band.
15. Philadelphia Eagles Offense
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It's hard to call a Chip Kelly offense a loser, but it has been a rough offseason from a personnel standpoint in Philadelphia.
Kelly banished LeSean McCoy to the NFL's Siberia when he traded the dynamic running back to Buffalo for linebacker Kiko Alonso and a song. Then he watched Jeremy Maclin sign a huge contract with the Chiefs, the second consecutive season he's lost his leading receiver.
Of course, the coup de grace—or coup d'etat, depending on how you look at it—was Kelly's trade for Sam Bradford, a dangerous gambit that will define his NFL career.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
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Sure, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is locked down for ostensibly the rest of his career, but that's about all she wrote in Pittsburgh thus far this offseason.
The other news of note out of Steelers headquarters is the shocking retirement of 27-year-old outside linebacker Jason Worilds, who may not have been back with the team anyway. The loss opens up another hole in a Swiss cheese defense.
The Steelers did sign 31-year-old oft-injured DeAngelo Williams to back up Le'Veon Bell, who might be suspended for up to four games to start the season due to a drug charge stemming from last year.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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What happened in Tampa from last year to now?
The Buccaneers spent like trust-fund babies at Brookstone last season, signing a bunch of free agents to big contracts. Many—including yours truly—praised their free-agent efforts. Unfortunately, their free agents didn't seem to make much effort on the field.
General manager Jason Licht and head coach Lovie Smith cut ties with a couple of their prized signings from a year ago in defensive end Michael Johnson and offensive tackle Anthony Collins, both of whom were bitter disappointments in their short tenures with the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers have signed some intriguing players, like defensive tackle Henry Melton, but it has been a brutal offseason in Tampa Bay nonetheless.
12. Buffalo's Offensive Line
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The Bills have done a lot to improve the offense this offseason, trading for stud running back LeSean McCoy and signing receiver Percy Harvin and tight end Charles Clay to diversify their attack.
There may be a small problem, however—the offensive line.
Buffalo's big uglies haven't exactly been pretty on the field, rated among the worst in the league by both Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders. So one might think the team would make that a priority.
Not so.
The Bills have done nothing in that area, which could be problematic. Perhaps the new regime will whip it into shape, but the unit certainly seems to need an infusion of talent.
11. Jermaine Gresham
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It's tough enough being a marginal starter in free agency, but finding out you need back surgery might be deadly to your career.
That's what is happening to tight end Jermaine Gresham, who hasn't seen much beyond a few nibbles in free agency. News broke this week—as reported by NFL.com's Ian Rapoport—that he would require an operation on his back, which obviously won't help him land a new contract anywhere.
Gresham should be ready for training camp, but his already low earning power took a nosedive with the latest news.
10. Jimmy Graham's Fantasy Stock
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In one of the most shocking moves of the offseason, the Saints traded Jimmy Graham away in a severe cost-cutting move nobody expected.
The Seattle Seahawks were the beneficiaries of the move—at a pretty good cost, to be sure—bolstering an oft-anemic offense with a big-time target for quarterback Russell Wilson. It should do wonders for that offense, but the move is going to do the opposite for Graham's fantasy stock.
That's because the Seahawks offense isn't going to be nearly as pass-heavy as the Saints offense has been for years. New Orleans attempted the second-most passes last season. Seattle was dead last in passing attempts.
Perhaps the Seahawks will throw a bit more with Graham in the fold, but a dramatic drop in passing attempts will mean fewer targets for the big tight end, and that means fewer opportunities to score fantasy points.
9. Houston Texans Offense
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Round and round it goes, and where it stops, nobody knows.
The Texans have done a lot to upgrade their defense in recent years, including signing defensive tackle Vince Wilfork to create one of the most fearsome defensive fronts in all of football on paper. But what of the offense?
The quarterback carousel turned again this offseason, as the Texans signed Brian Hoyer and brought back Ryan Mallett to compete for the starting gig. Does this sound like a recipe for success?
That is not to mention the loss of longtime No. 1 receiver Andre Johnson, who landed with division rival Indianapolis.
8. Michael Crabtree
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It wasn't that long ago that Michael Crabtree was the future at wide receiver for the 49ers. A ruptured Achilles and an ill-fitting offense went a long way toward derailing that dream.
Unfortunately for Crabtree, becoming a free agent hasn't been freeing. With rumors and speculation flying about dozens of other players on the market, it's a wonder we've heard nary a peep about Crabtree's potential suitors.
Well, we've heard one peep—the Dolphins finally afforded him a visit this week, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport (via NFL.com's Chris Wesseling), and it's possible they could sign him to a contract given that they need some help at the position.
He will land somewhere, but what once seemed like a year where he'd earn a big contract looks like it will be a big bust for the former first-round pick.
7. Marcedes Lewis
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Marcedes Lewis doesn't stand a chance, not with Julius Thomas in town.
It's a wonder the Jaguars didn't cut Lewis immediately given that he is owed $6.65 million for 2015. His roster spot was guaranteed at least until training camp, according to ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. But why would the Jaguars keep their disappointing tight end at that price after signing Thomas to the richest tight end contract in NFL history?
If, by some miracle, he sticks on the roster, Lewis will certainly see a reduced role in that offense.
6. Reggie Wayne
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It will be a shame if Reggie Wayne doesn't make it back to the Colts.
The stalwart starter is within reach of a couple of team receiving records, needing just 33 receptions and 236 yards to pass all-time great Marvin Harrison. Alas, Wayne may have to settle for No. 2 all around.
There was certainly a chance he could be back, but that door all but slammed shut when Andre Johnson signed with the team soon after the Texans cut him. He and T.Y. Hilton will start, with second-year man Donte Moncrief likely serving as the No. 3 receiver.
Maybe the Colts will bring Wayne back out of sentimentality and throw him out there enough to catch Harrison, but it seems doubtful he would see much playing time if he does return.
Without the chance of return, it doesn't seem Wayne has much hope for a contract anywhere else either. The 36-year-old hasn't gotten any noted interest yet on the open market, and there are plenty of younger receivers in a similar boat.
5. San Diego Chargers Fans
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The San Diego Chargers had a healthy amount of cap space entering free agency, and they were reportedly interested in several big-name free agents.
They came away with Orlando Franklin and a bag of disappointment.
Sure, the Chargers signed Stevie Johnson to take Eddie Royal's place, but plenty of big-name free agents seemed uninterested in the overtures from San Diego brass.
Worse, quarterback Philip Rivers seemed to waver on his long-term commitment to the organization, according to NFL.com's Chris Wesseling, after the team threatened to move to Los Angeles in a joint statement with division rival Oakland.
It just hasn't been a nice offseason in San Diego.
4. San Francisco 49ers Linebacker Corps
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No defensive group in the league has taken a harder hit this offseason than the San Francisco 49ers linebackers.
Once a position of strength—and growing stronger with NaVorro Bowman coming back from injury—the linebacker corps in the Bay Area has been decimated. It started when Patrick Willis shocked the football world by announcing his retirement.
Losing a great player like that might have been mitigated by up-and-coming second-year man Chris Borland, who had a nice rookie season in lieu of Bowman. But the sophomore dropped a bomb of his own when he announced his retirement at 24 years of age.
Combined with Dan Skuta's departure, the 49ers are looking at starting a potentially compromised Bowman and a bunch of unknowns right now.
3. New England Patriots Defense
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Getting safety Devin McCourty to sign a below-market deal to stick around was a boon for the Patriots, but there hasn't been much good news otherwise for that defense.
There is no getting around losing Darrelle Revis, one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He was a key cog in a championship defense—one that was good, not great, last season—and a guy Bill Belichick could put on an island with confidence.
Exacerbating the loss is Brandon Browner's departure after the Patriots deemed him too expensive. The Pats cut longtime defensive tackle Vince Wilfork for similar reasons; he landed with the Texans, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of that defensive line.
Landing outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard and cornerback Bradley Fletcher barely salves the wounds on that defensive unit.
2. Dee Milliner
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The Jets completed an epic makeover in the secondary. So what happens to Dee Milliner?
The talented second-year man was their top cornerback last season when healthy, though that was the rub—Milliner hurt his Achilles near the end of the season, threatening to short-circuit his early rise.
So the Jets signed Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, which kicked Milliner down to the bottom of the depth chart.
It will be nice for the Jets to have that kind of backup, but Milliner may not get a chance to play with Revis if the reports that teams are looking to trade for the former first-round pick come true.
Here is what Manish Mehta of the Daily News had to say about Milliner:
"Although the Jets aren't actively shopping Milliner, it’s fair to wonder whether [general manager Mike] Maccagnan would part ways with a player betrayed by his body at such a young age if the price is right. For now, the Jets are content waiting for the third-year player to get healthy to properly evaluate him as he competes for the No. 4 cornerback spot. A trade down the road, however, has not been ruled out, according to sources.
"
Of course, a trade would probably be the only way he would see the field consistently in 2015.
1. Detroit Lions Defense
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Slowly but surely, the Lions defense became one of the better defenses in the league. Buoyed by all-world defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and his underrated running mate Nick Fairley, the Lions boasted the top run defense in the league last season.
Both are gone.
The Lions made a too-little, too-late effort to retain their big star and seemingly made no effort to keep Fairley, who managed a meager one-year deal with the Rams. They traded for Haloti Ngata to mitigate the damage, but the 31-year-old is in the final year of his contract, and it's hard to believe he will come close to replacing Suh.
Heck, he might not even be an analogous replacement for Fairley.
All contract and signing information courtesy of OvertheCap.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
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.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")