NFL Free Agency: 1 Team Each of Top 30 Free Agents Should Have Picked but Didn't

When it comes to sports, second-guessing may be America's No. 1 pastime.

Too many of us fans and media members think we're smarter than the coaches, more savvy than the GMs and cooler under pressure than the players. We can't help but question the play-calling, the subs, the trades, the signings and the decisions to throw that pass, take that shot or go for that extra base.

When we're not second-guessing the grown-ups who get paid to play, we're telling high school kids where to go to college, and college kids when to go pro, and pros young and old how to spend their money. It's like we're wired to act like parents to people we don't even know.

Thus, the last two weeks of frenetic NFL trades and free-agent signings have been a second-guesser's playground.

Look at Nnamdi Asomugha, for example. As soon as the All-Pro cornerback—the biggest free agent on the market who wasn't a lock to re-sign with his old team—decided to ink a five-year, $60 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, know-it-all critics pounced from every angle.

Whether it was questioning Asomugha's choice of team, the team's choice of him or picking apart the methods of the other teams that wanted Asomugha but missed out on him (49ers, Cowboys, Jets, etc.), there was a contingent of second-guessers for every decision that was made by every party throughout the process.

Using the conveniently perfect vision that comes with hindsight, we can look at each of the NFL's top 30 free agents to sign this offseason and find one team that may have been a better option for them. Because, of course, we know what's best.

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB

Signed with: Philadelphia

Should have signed with: Dallas

If he lives up to the money the Eagles are paying him, Asomugha could go down in history as one of the greatest cornerbacks the NFL has ever seen. Had he done it for the Cowboys, he could've gone down as the greatest cornerback of all time. The Cowboys have that kind of clout, like the Yankees or the Celtics.

Asomugha can be a superstar in Philly. He could be a celebrity in Dallas. For an aspiring actor who already has Friday Night Lights, Leverage and The Game on his IMDb page, Dallas would have provided the biggest stage for him to perform.

Jason Babin, DE

Signed with: Philadelphia

Should have signed with: Tennessee

In seven years as a pro, Babin has already played for five teams. (This will be his second go-round with the Eagles.) Re-signing with the Titans would not only have kept him in the same place where he's had his most professional success by far, but it also would have simply kept him in the same place for a while. That kind of stability can be priceless.

Champ Bailey, CB

Signed with: Denver

Should have signed with: Philadelphia

Bailey jumped at the chance to re-sign with the Broncos back in February, when the impending lockout had a lot of players unsure about the future. Had he waited until July, would he have landed somewhere else?

Even though he's 33 years old and not far from that inevitable shift to free safety, Bailey is still one of the best cornerbacks in the league. The win-now Eagles could definitely have seen him as a less expensive, just-as-talented version of Nnamdi Asomugha, and Bailey wouldn't be stuck on a rebuilding Denver squad.

Cedric Benson, RB

Signed with: Cincinnati

Should have signed with: Carolina

The Panthers signed DeAngelo Williams to a five-year, $43 million contract. The Bengals signed Cedric Benson to a one-year, $3 million deal. In his last full season (2009), Williams rushed for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns and made 29 receptions. In his last full season (2010), Benson rushed for 1,111 yards and seven touchdowns and made 28 receptions. Both players are 28 years old.

It's not Benson's fault that Carolina didn't seem interested in a Pro Bowl-caliber talent who was available a fraction of the price of their guy, but you have to wonder how much his agent did or didn't bark up the Panthers' tree.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB

Signed with: New York Giants

Should have signed with: Cincinnati

Bradshaw has been sharing carries and sharing the spotlight in New York for his entire career. In a place like Cincinnati, especially with the departures of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, he could have been the focal point of the offense.

Plaxico Burress, WR

Signed with: New York Jets

Should have signed with: Pittsburgh

Bottom line? The Steelers are better than the Jets right now and closer to winning a championship, and Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than Mark Sanchez. For a 33-year-old receiver looking to recapture the form that made him a Super Bowl MVP, playing for a Super Bowl contender and with a Pro Bowl QB seems the fastest way to get from Point A to Point B.

Tyson Clabo, OT

Went with: Atlanta

Should have went with: Arizona

The Falcons need Clabo. The Cardinals really need Clabo. After trading for QB Kevin Kolb and handing him the keys to the franchise, Arizona then went about fixing the holes on its punctured offensive line and probably would have been willing to pay a lot for a Pro Bowl right tackle.

Ray Edwards, DE

Signed with: Atlanta

Should have signed with: Cleveland

The book on Edwards is that he's a solid young pass rusher who has been fortunate enough to share the same D-line with Jared Allen. Not much is going to change when he's got John Abraham helping him look good in Atlanta.

By going to the Browns, Edwards could have been able to show what he can do when he is the one the offensive line is thinking about. Last season's sack leader for the Browns was backup LB/DE Marcus Benard, who had 7.5 sacks. No one else on the team had more than 3.5 sacks.

Tamba Hali, LB

Signed with: Kansas City

Should have signed with: New York Jets

There was little doubt that Hali was going to re-sign with the Chiefs, and it became official yesterday when he agreed to a five-year, $60 million contract. While it's tough to question the decision of a guy to make that kind of money as the defensive MVP of an up-and-coming playoff team, the grass has to be greener somewhere for Hali.

How about with the Jets? Hali settled in New Jersey as a kid after his family escaped war-torn Liberia, and he played high school ball in Jersey. The Jets also run a 3-4 defense, the same kind in which Hali's career has flourished as an outside rush linebacker. He would be a star right away on the Jets defense and be that much closer to winning a championship.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB

Signed with: Tennessee

Should have signed with: Miami

He wouldn't be the first bald guy with aching bones to move to Florida to retire. Rather than holding a seat warm and mentoring Jake Locker in Tennessee, Hasselbeck could earn a starting job in Miami and actually hold it for a while.

It's not like Hasselbeck is washed-up. The last time he was on the field, he threw three touchdown passes and no interceptions in snowy Chicago in a playoff game.

Santonio Holmes, WR

Signed with: New York Jets

Should have signed with: New York Giants

All the limelight and excitement of NYC that Santonio would get with the Jets, but with a Super Bowl-winning QB throwing him the ball and a coach who isn't interested in upstaging his players. Holmes might have gotten fewer catches thanks to the Giants' stronger receiving corps, but he'd still be playing for a contender.

Tarvaris Jackson, QB

Signed with: Seattle

Should have signed with: Washington

Before the signing period began, Jackson wouldn't have made anybody's list of the top 30 free agents. But after taking the reins at quarterback for a defending division champion, Jackson is a major free-agent factor by default.

In all honesty, there wasn't a better pick for Jackson than Seattle. He knows the playbook, he has a long history with the offensive coordinator and he's even bringing one of his Minnesota receivers with him. And there's no chance of Brett Favre sauntering into town and taking his job.

If you had to pick an alternative, though, Washington makes the most sense. Compared to a team like Jacksonville, Tennessee or Carolina, where he'd be keeping the seat warm for a young franchise QB, Jackson would have a real chance to win and keep the QB job for the Redskins. Expectations are relatively low in D.C. right now, so there's a grace period as well.

Vincent Jackson, WR

Signed with: San Diego

Should have signed with: Washington

If Jackson wants a long-term deal worth a lot of money, Daniel Snyder would be the one to make it happen without worrying about any controversy. Plus, Jackson would be the headliner in Washington. Something tells me he could get behind that idea.

Charles Johnson, DE

Signed with: Carolina

Should have signed with: Atlanta

The Panthers didn't really give anybody a chance to pursue Johnson, locking him up with a big-time contract ($76 million) almost as soon as possible. Had he tested the market a little longer, Johnson would have to have liked what he saw from the Falcons. It's his home state, and the team is ready to win now rather than rebuild like the Panthers.

Johnathan Joseph, CB

Signed with: Houston

Should have signed with: New York Jets

Joseph made his pro reputation as half of a marquee cornerback tandem with Leon Hall, so the prospect of teaming up with Darrelle Revis and helping the Jets lock down receivers for the foreseeable future seems like it would have been right up Joseph's alley.

But maybe that was the problem. Maybe Joseph wants to make a name for himself, by himself, as his team's unquestioned No. 1 corner. In that case, San Francisco would have made just as much sense as Houston.

Vonta Leach, FB

Signed with: Baltimore

Should have signed with: Dallas

The Cowboys are trying to win now, and having the best fullback in the NFL paving the way for Felix Jones would have made their offense truly dangerous. And if there's one franchise with which a fullback can get his proper recognition, it's Dallas. All Leach would have needed is a cool nickname. "Moose" is taken. But I think "Pooh Bear" is due for another run.

Matt Light, OT

Signed with: New England

Should have signed with: Minnesota

Light is being set up. The three-time Pro Bowl left tackle and three-time Super Bowl champ was brought back to the Patriots to protect Tom Brady's blind side just until rookie first-round pick Nate Solder is ready for the job.

If Light wanted to get a starting job that he could keep for more than a year, he could have signed with the Vikings. They just cut starting LT Bryant McKinnie, who showed up to camp looking like Minnesota Twins.

Logan Mankins, OG

Signed with: New England

Should have signed with: Kansas City

After releasing veteran Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters, the Chiefs' O-line has a hole that Mankins could have filled. He would only be the latest in a string of Patriots to migrate to Kansas City, following the likes of Matt Cassel, Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli.

Peyton Manning, QB

Signed with: Indianapolis

Should have signed with: New York Jets

Not many legit Super Bowl contenders have a job opening at quarterback, but the Jets might be the closest. Mark Sanchez has been good, but not exactly untouchable-level good.

But let's be real: Peyton Manning never was going anywhere. His free agency was only a matter of the dollar amount the Colts would put on his contract. Maybe if he was still looking for his first championship and saw the window closing, Manning would move on. But he's got his ring. It's fun to think about No. 18 in another jersey, but he's set.

Quintin Mikell, SS

Signed with: St. Louis

Should have signed with: Houston

Mikell chose to go with one of his former defensive coaches (Steve Spagnuolo in St. Louis) over another (Sean McDermott in Carolina). But had he wanted another option, the Texans needed help in their defensive backfield and are a team that's a few players away from making a real move in the AFC South.

Santana Moss, WR

Signed with: Washington

Should have signed with: Chicago

Instead of playing out his remaining good years for a mess of an organization with subpar quarterbacks and no real shot at going anywhere for a while, Moss could have been the missing piece to put Chicago over the top. A lot of people might not like Jay Cutler, but wide receivers love a guy with a rocket arm that can get them the ball almost anywhere on the field.

Carl Nicks, OG

Signed with: New Orleans

Should have signed with: New England

Nicks, a Pro Bowler last season, is significantly less expensive than Logan Mankins and not significantly worse on the field. That's why the Patriots should have wanted him. Nicks should have wanted the Pats because they're a Super Bowl contender.

Sidney Rice, WR

Signed with: Seattle

Should have signed with: St. Louis

Yes, Rice is very familiar with the new quarterback and the new offensive coordinator in Seattle, and he'll step right in as the Seahawks' top deep threat. But the Rams have a good young QB in Sam Bradford who has a cannon attached to his shoulder, and they would have needed Rice's playmaking ability just as badly. The Rams also have a more proven running back (Steven Jackson) to keep defenses honest.

Richard Seymour, DL

Signed with: Oakland

Should have signed with: Atlanta

Seymour is another vet who, like Champ Bailey, chose the security of re-signing before the lockout. Had he hit the market later, the Falcons probably would have made a strong play for him. At 31 years old, he still has a lot left in the tank and would bolster a defense (near his old college stomping grounds) that could very well find itself contending for a Super Bowl this year—or at least sooner than the Raiders.

Stephen Tulloch, LB

Signed with: Detroit

Should have signed with: Cleveland

No team in need of a middle linebacker could offer Tulloch the kind of protection the Lions have in defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley.

The Browns are switching to a 4-3 next season, though, and Tulloch could have been brought in as the centerpiece for a team on the rise. Only injury-prone MLB D'Qwell Jackson would be standing in his way.

Eric Weddle, FS

Signed with: San Diego

Should have signed with: Indianapolis

You can't find much fault in Weddle's decision to re-sign with the Chargers. He's staying in his home state, competing for a playoff spot on a good team in a warm-weather location and signed the second-biggest contract for a safety in NFL history.

But if you had to find an attractive alternative, it would be Indianapolis. The Colts are a title contender, they play in a division with where ball-hawking safeties will get to pick on young QBs Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert for a while and Weddle would be keeping Peyton Manning on his side instead of against him.

Eric Weems, WR/KR

Signed with: Atlanta

Should have signed with: Tennessee

Last season's NFC Pro Bowl kick return specialist is no different than any other return man: He wants more chances to play as an every-down player at his "other" position. For Weems, getting a lot of action at receiver in Atlanta will be tough as long as Roddy White and Julio Jones are around.

The Titans are one of a few teams that are short on quality receivers and could use the kind of X-factor home-run threat that Weems brings to the table.

DeAngelo Williams, RB

Signed with: Carolina

Should have signed with: New York Giants

The Panthers paid him a bunch, more than any other team would have. But Williams could have made some of that money back through the endorsement opportunities that come with not just playing in New York, but playing for a winner in New York.

Vince Young, QB

Signed with: Philadelphia

Should have signed with: Cincinnati

Despite what Merril Hoge says, Vince Young is a good NFL quarterback who can lead a playoff team. He's done it before, and he can do it again. Young wore out his welcome in Tennessee, and I get that he wants to win, but I think he settled for a backup spot in Philly when he could have at least competed for a starting job elsewhere.

By signing with a team like the Bengals, Young would likely be the Opening Day starter over rookie Andy Dalton. Unlike his one-year deal with Philly, where he'll sit behind Michael Vick so long as Vick is healthy, Young would at least have a decent sample size to showcase his skills in Cincinnati before hitting the free-agent market next summer.

O.J. Atogwe, FS

Signed with: Washington

Should have signed with: Washington

Atogwe is a playmaker. From his free safety position he's collected 22 interceptions, eight fumble recoveries, five sacks and 16 forced fumbles in his six-year stint with the Rams. A lot of teams would be an ideal fit for Atogwe, and Atogwe would be an ideal fit for a lot of teams that are better than the Redskins.

So I was going to pick a better team for O.J., but then he said God pointed him toward the Redskins. Who is anybody to second-guess that?