2011 NFL Free Agents: 20 Players That Teams Should Avoid Signing
There are four weeks remaining in the NFL season. With the end of the season comes a lot of uncertainty for America's most popular sport.
There is a lingering labor dispute that is going to affect the way that everything is done this offseason. Teams are not going to offer the franchise tag, there won't be any trades made and free agents will not sign until there is a new collective bargaining agreement.
With that said, there is no harm in looking at the upcoming free agent class to see who would make a good fit with a new team.
There will be a number of big name free agents this offseason, including some that still have contracts but could be salary cap casualties.
For this particular list, we are going to look at the players that teams will take an interest in, but ultimately should avoid signing them. There could be any number of reasons for that, like they are a well-known name but failed to live up to expectations, they had a career year, etc.
We have narrowed the list down to 20 free agents that teams should avoid signing this offseason.
Randy Moss, WR
1 of 20
This year showed who Randy Moss really is. He talked his way out of New England. He was traded to Minnesota and released a few weeks later. Tennessee grabbed him off waivers and he was never heard from again.
He still has the name recognition so some team could take a chance on him. But buyer beware, you never know what you are going to get.
Marcus Spears, DE
2 of 20
Spears is only 27 years old and a former first round draft pick, so someone is likely to give him a chance. He has been a bust in Dallas, recording only eight sacks in six years.
He could make a decent back up for a team, but teams shouldn’t sign him to be a starter.
Pierre Thomas, RB
3 of 20
There are a lot of good things that Pierre Thomas does. He is a good runner, he catches passes as well as any back in football and is really good in run blocking. He was a key contributor on the Saints Super Bowl championship team in 2009.
In his four years in the league, he has never played in all 16 games. He has never carried the ball more than 150 times in a season. He has never run for 1,000 yards in a season. He is productive, but he’s not a feature back.
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Joseph Addai, RB
4 of 20
The Colts drafted Joesph Addai in 2006 with the hope that he would be the next Edgerrin James. He showed some promise in his first two seasons, running for over 2,100 yards and 19 touchdowns combined in 2006 and 2007.
He has fallen off in the last three years. He has missed significant time this year, only playing in eight games. When he did play, he wasn’t all that effective. He hasn’t learned how to become an NFL running back.
Roman Harper, DB
5 of 20
In the four years that Roman Harper has been a starter with New Orleans, he never registered less than 89 tackles. He has been a solid producer for the Saints in his time with them.
It’s always rough to make assessments based off of one game, but if you saw the Saints vs. Seahawks playoff game, Harper got exposed. He is not a coverage safety. He can make tackles and be effective against the run, but don’t sign him if you are looking for a guy who can help in pass coverage.
Cedric Benson, RB
6 of 20
Cedric Benson was drafted by the Bears with the fourth overall pick in 2005. He fizzled out in three years with them and was picked up by the Bengals in 2008.
In his first year with the Bengals, he averaged 3.5 yards per carry. In 2009, he was terrific, running for over 1,200 yards and six touchdowns. That appeared to be an aberration, because in 2010 he was back to normal, averaging 3.5 yards per carry.
Also, this was the first season in which Benson has played in all 16 games, so there is significant injury risk with him.
Terrell Owens, WR
7 of 20
It’s tough to say who the most volatile receiver on the open market is going to be: Owens or Randy Moss. Either way, teams should avoid both of them. Owens was at least productive in 2010, catching 72 passes and nine touchdowns.
He is 37 years old and has sabotaged every organization that he has played for. There is no reason for any team to sign him.
Ronnie Brown, RB
8 of 20
Say this about Ronnie Brown in 2010, at least he stayed healthy the whole season. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2005 has never lived up to the hype.
His production has usually been good, but he can’t stay healthy. This year he was able to stay healthy, but his production didn’t match previous years. He averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry.
Braylon Edwards, WR
9 of 20
Braylon Edwards has the size and speed to be a very good wide receiver in the NFL. He is a prime target in the red zone because of his size. The problem is that his production doesn’t match the talent.
He has only caught 60 passes twice in his career (2006-07). He has only had over 1,000 yards receiving one time (2007).
In 2010 his yards per catch were the highest of his career (17.1). But this is another case of buyer beware, because he has a habit of dropping easy catches.
Antonio Cromartie, CB
10 of 20
Antonio Cromartie has put his name into the headlines this week with his very choice words of affection for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
There is no question that Cromartie has the speed to be a great cornerback in the NFL. The problem is his technique. When the Chargers switched from man coverage to a zone defense, Cromartie struggled and he became expendable.
The Jets picked him up, and he has worked out so far for them. He needs to play in a system where he is matched up with a receiver one-on-one. If he goes to a team that runs a Tampa-2 scheme or something of that nature, he will fail.
DeAngelo Williams, RB
11 of 20
The Panthers had some expectations going into the year, and part of that was because they have such a great tandem at running back with Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. Unfortunately, things fell apart for the team and Williams in 2010.
Williams only played in six games this year. Even when he did play, his overall numbers were the lowest of his career. He was averaging 4.1 yards per carry, a respectable number, but a yard below his career average.
He has missed time the last two years, which could be a sign of his body wearing down.
Michael Vick, QB
12 of 20
For all the good that Michael Vick did in 2010, there are still a lot of questions surrounding him. He is going to get a big contract from someone, likely Philadelphia (who could franchise tag him and only pay him for one year).
Vick missed four games last season. He started to show some cracks in the armor late in the season. Plus, he had a career year at age 30. Beware a player who has a career year past their “prime” playing ages 26-28.
Reggie Bush, RB
13 of 20
Reggie Bush’s contract with the Saints doesn’t expire after the season. However, he is due to make $11 million in 2011. That’s a lot of money for a player who can be electrifying, but has been largely a disappointment since being the No. 2 pick in 2006.
Bush has the speed that everyone falls in love with, but his ability as a runner is not very good. He can be effective on special teams and a decoy in the backfield, but he is not a feature player.
Matt Hasselbeck, QB
14 of 20
What Matt Hasselbeck was able to do against New Orleans in the playoff game was remarkable. He hadn’t thrown three touchdown passes in a game this season, and he threw four in the playoff game.
But teams can’t pay based on one playoff game. Hasselbeck is 35 years old, has battled injuries the last three years and hasn’t been very productive when he has played.
He is at the stage now where he should be a backup for a team with a young quarterback who needs a mentor to help develop him.
Cadillac Williams, RB
15 of 20
The Buccaneers found a great running back this season in undrafted rookie LeGarrette Blount. Cadillac Williams, who has been a disappointment since his impressive rookie season in 2005, will find himself looking for work as a result.
Playing primarily a backup role in 2010, Williams tied a career low with 3.5 yards per carry. His 125 carries were the fewest that he has had in a season in which he was healthy for at least 14 games.
Champ Bailey, CB
16 of 20
Maybe it was just the fact that the Denver Broncos were so bad in 2010, but Champ Bailey started to show his age. That’s not to say that he had a bad year. He was still very good.
With that said, he is going to be 33 and didn’t have the same explosiveness and coverage skills that he once did. If a team really needs a cornerback, it could do a lot worse than Champ Bailey. However, a long-term contract with a lot of money is out of the question.
Mike Tolbert, RB
17 of 20
When Ryan Mathews went down with an injury this season, Mike Tolbert stepped in and was quite good for the Chargers. However, when you dig deeper and look at his numbers, you see that what he did wasn’t all that great.
He ran for 100 yards three different times, against Indianapolis, Arizona and Denver. Those three teams ranked 25th, 30th and 31st against the run, respectively. His next two best games were against Jacksonville and Tennessee, those teams ranked 20th and 22nd respectively.
Don’t give a big money contract to someone who is ineffective against better defenses.
Mathias Kiwanuka, DE
18 of 20
The Giants have had one of the best defensive lines in football for a number of years. It seems like anyone they put on that line is productive. Mathias Kiwanuka has some talent, but don’t let the aura of the Giants defensive line fool you.
In five years as a professional, he has only registered more than five sacks in a season one time. He has missed significant time in two of his five years, including 13 games in 2010.
Ricky Williams, RB
19 of 20
When Ricky Williams came back after retiring, the question was whether he could acclimate himself back into the NFL. He has come back and been a productive runner for Miami, averaging at least 4.1 yards per carry in the three full seasons since his return.
The problem is his age. Running backs generally hit a wall in their early 30’s. Williams is 33 and will be 34 by the time next season rolls around. So while he has maintained a good level of production, don’t count on him staying at that level much longer.
Owen Daniels, TE
20 of 20
The Houston Texans have had one of the most prolific offenses in football the last three years. Part of the reason for that is because of Owen Daniels. When Daniels is healthy, he is one of the best tight ends in all of football.
The problem has been keeping Daniels on the field. He has missed a lot of games in each of the last two seasons, and has shown himself to be very injury-prone and a dangerous risk for a team to take on.
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