2026 NFL Free Agents Who Signed With the Wrong Team

Most NFL teams have made logical moves in free agency, but there are usually a few signings that leave you scratching your head.

Although it's expected to overpay for veterans on the open market, teams should do so for positions of need or for players who fit into a system, rather than blindly overspending on luxury talent.

Front offices also make the mistake of signing players who possess the same skill set, with only so many snaps to go around at that position. In all likelihood, the team will cut one of them within a year.

Two weeks into free agency, there are five players who signed with the wrong teams because their new clubs made one of the two aforementioned errors in roster building.

In all five cases below, general managers spent too much on a non-premium position or added what they already had on the roster.

RB Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier

In his 2022 rookie season, Tyler Allgeier ran for over 1,000 yards as the Atlanta Falcons' lead ball-carrier. Over the last three terms, he's been an efficient complementary tailback alongside Bijan Robinson. 

Although Allgeier doesn't provide much in the short passing game, he's a reliable chain-mover in short-yardage situations and an underrated finisher near the goal line. Last season, the 25-year-old recorded a career-high eight rushing touchdowns .

The Arizona Cardinals have a crowded running back room. They restructured lead tailback James Conner's contract and re-signed Bam Knight, who started in eight out of 12 games last year. Trey Benson has two more terms left on his deal. 

Unless the Cardinals trade Benson, Allgeier isn't a necessary addition to their backfield. Both are limited in the passing game and handle most of their touches on early downs.

Arizona has a four-man running back platoon, and Allgeier is unlikely to shine with strong competition for snaps.

RB Jerome Ford, Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Washington Commanders running back Jerome Ford

The Washington Commanders didn't tender restricted free agent Chris Rodriguez Jr., allowing him to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Recovering from a torn Achilles, Austin Ekeler is still a free agent.

The Commanders have Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols on the roster. Last ast year, the former handled an early-down workload while the latter contributed to the run-blocking scheme and caught 25 passes for 196 yards.

Washington needed a more productive pass-catching running back, and they signed two: Rachaad White and Jerome Ford.

Of course, teams need depth because of injuries, but White has been twice as productive as Ford over the last four years and will likely be the change-of-pace tailback to complement Croskey-Merritt. 

If that's the case, Ford will be the No. 3 running back and a less reliable blocker than McNichols, which isn't a promising outlook for him in Washington.

In 2023, Ford started in 12 out of 17 games and racked up a career-high 1,132 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns. He's averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The 26-year-old is capable of being a three-down tailback, but Croskey-Merritt, White and McNichols may bury him on the depth chart.

WR John Metchie III, Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Carolina Panthers wide receiver John Metchie III

John Metchie III overcame adversity early in his career. He battled acute promyelocytic leukemia and returned to action with the Houston Texans in 2023. Before the start of the 2025 season, Houston traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles, who then dealt him to the New York Jets that same year.

During Metchie's time with the Jets, he showed glimpses of promise, hauling in 29 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns in nine games (seven starts). 

When the Jets had a decent quarterback play out of Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor, Metchie posted respectable numbers. He scored touchdowns in back-to-back games against the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, but Gang Green started undrafted rookie Brady Cook while Fields and Taylor nursed injuries late in the season, which adversely impacted the team's aerial attack.

Metchie signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. At best, he'll settle into the No. 4 spot on the receiver depth chart behind Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker and 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette in an offense that's most efficient with a strong ground game.

Although Bryce Young is coming off his most productive season, he threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. 

Metchie won't have many opportunities to show why he was a second-round pick out of Alabama a few years ago. He should be on a team that doesn't have a cemented receiver corps, similar to the Jets' situation when Garrett Wilson missed time with an injury. 

Metchie may not play much in three-receiver sets and could struggle to make Carolina's 53-man roster.

DT Khyiris Tonga, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga

The Kansas City Chiefs need pass-rushers. Last season, they tied for 26th in sacks and were in the middle of the pack with a 23.6 percent pressure rate.

This offseason, the Chiefs cut Michael Danna and allowed Charles Omenihu to walk in free agency, two rotational defensive linemen who played 957 snaps combined in the previous campaign. 

Kansas City signed defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga to a three-year, $21 million contract. In 67 games, he's yet to record a full sack. The 6'2", 335-pounder is a run-stopper who's played fewer than 41 percent of the defensive snaps in all five of his seasons.

The Chiefs massively overpaid for a run-stuffer when they needed a pass-rusher. Unless there's a big move for a disruptive defender coming down the pipeline, you can pencil in the best defensive lineman for Kansas City's ninth overall pick in the draft.

CB Nate Hobbs, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Matt Patterson,File

San Francisco 49ers defensive back Nate Hobbs

Last offseason, the Green Bay Packers signed Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million deal, but they miscast him as a boundary defender. He struggled throughout the 2025 season, allowing a 111.1 passer rating (out of a possible 158.3) in coverage.

The Packers cut Hobbs during the legal tampering period, and he quickly found a new home with the San Francisco 49ers, who could make the same mistake Green Bay did.

The 49ers have their slot cornerback in Upton Stout, who recorded 82 tackles, four for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble last season. He didn't give up a touchdown while allowing a 92.1 passer rating in coverage. San Francisco has no reason to move him out of the nickelback spot.

Hobbs had his best games in the slot with the Las Vegas Raiders, which is why he was able to sign a lucrative deal with the Packers. Now, on his third team in three years, the 26-year-old could struggle to find his way if the 49ers don't properly utilize his skill set.

Hobbs should've signed with a team that needed a slot cornerback or joined a situation in which he could compete for the position. Unless the 49ers plan to move him around the secondary, he's in a tough spot to perform at his peak.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.