NFL Free Agents 2011: Most Overrated Signings of the Offseason

This offseason in the NFL has been like no other in the history of the league. The lockout lasted over four months and an unprecedented free-agency period ensued that has changed the appearance of several teams throughout the league.

You knew that with such a large market for free agents there would be teams who would find value buys, over pay or reach on a guy who will not live up to expectations. This year, the Washington Redskins will gain some company when it comes to adding overrated players to their roster through free agency.

Here is a list of players that have been overrated, over hyped and/or overpaid during this wild west like free-agency period.

Jason Babin

Jason Babin goes into 2011 coming off a career year down in Tennessee. Babin has been the quintessential journeyman throughout his NFL career. He has played for five different teams in his eight year career, playing both linebacker and defensive end.

Babin racked up a total of 44 solo tackles and 12.5 sacks last season during his 16 starts for the Tennessee Titans earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

The problem with Babin is that his previous career high in sacks was five from 2006 with the Houston Texans. His previous high in solo tackles as a defensive end was recorded in 2008 while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.

No doubt players often develop late in their careers. Babin took seven years to fulfill his desired potential. The question that remains to be answered is if last year was a fluke or if his defensive line coach Jim Washburn truly can bring out the best in him once again this season in Philadelphia.

Babin's relentless motor should be a compliment along the defensive line as he lines up opposite Trent Cole this season. For a five-year, $28 million contract, the Philadelphia Eagles are hoping he does compliment their cornerstone at defensive end in Cole.

The biggest obstacle for Babin will be whether he can play at the same level in Philadelphia if he's not starting and is consistently being rotated in and out. Babin must prove he has more than just one stellar year under his belt before he lives up to his contract.

Steve Smith

The former New York Giants wide receiver has created quite the stir up and down the New Jersey turnpike over the past week, prompting Giants PR chief Pat Hanlon to showcase his definitive frustration with Smith's move to their division rival by having a go with fans through his Twitter account.

I guess he forgot to heed to his own media training advice on this one.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been stock piling players all offseason for an all or nothing run at the Super Bowl in 2011. Steve Smith had been given two different time tables for recovery from his micro-knee surgery for the injury he suffered last season.

The New York Giants medical staff and the Philadelphia Eagles medical staff gave the wide receiver two varying time lines for a full recovery. The Eagles obviously felt his recovery would be quick, and he would be worth the risk.

The Eagles front office believes they have put him on the PUP list before the season starts and Smith believes he will be ready to practice by week one when they play the St. Louis Rams.

With Jeremy Maclin out for an undisclosed medical condition, the Eagles front office made a savvy move to add depth with a potentially potent player at the wide receiver position. You could call it Maclin insurance if you wish.

Smith last year played in nine games grabbing 48 receptions for 529 yards and three touchdowns. In 2009, Smith had a Pro Bowl season hauling in 107 receptions for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns.

The problem for the Eagles remains with how he recovers and if he can get back to midseason form in a timely manner.

The signing has bee overrated by frustrated Giants fans and gloat filled Eagles fans alike. Adding to an already pretentious rivalry. Philadelphia more than likely used a bit of gamesmanship on their part as well by taking away one of Eli Manning's favorite targets.

This does not mean the loss to the Giants will prove to be a dooms day scenario, nor will the addition to the Eagles be the piece that puts them over the top. 

The fanfare stems from what has been an active offseason in Philadelphia and a lackluster offseason in New York. Steve smith was the straw that broke the camel's back for Giants fans. The latest high profile acquisition for the Eagles will have a limited role for the first couple months of the season.

The hysteria along the New Jersey turnpike can be toned down a few notches over this move.

Kevin Kolb

The widely publicized trade of Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals has a lot of trust and hope wrapped up in the details.

The Cardinals traded away a second-round draft pick and Pro Bowl cornerback for the word of Andy Reid on his now former quarterback and the potential of their 2011 first-round draft pick Patrick Peterson.

Kevin Kolb had been the planned successor to the Donovan McNabb era in Philadelphia. Then the football gods issued a different verdict by sending Clay Matthews to chase down Kolb.

In his first game as the Philadelphia Eagles franchise quarterback of the future he sustained a concussion after his head was violently driven into the ground. Michael Vick came in as his replacement and never looked back.

The problem I have with the Kevin Kolb deal lies with the Eagles history of sending quarterbacks to new cities around the NFL where they under perform compared to their days in Philadelphia.The Eagles tend to win their trade deals in these situations.

In 2010, Donovan McNabb had been traded to the Washington Redskins for a second, and either a third or fourth round draft picks pending on his performance the following season. In 2004, the Eagles traded A.J. Feeley to the Miami Dolphins for a second-round pick.

You cannot help but wonder if the Eagles swindled yet another quarterback thirsty team by trading Kolb, who has only started seven games, for a premium asking price. Arizona signed the unproven starter for a $63 million contract, $22 million of which was guaranteed.

No doubt a high risk, high reward gamble for a reliable replacement to fill the Kurt Warner sized void at the quarterback position down in the desert.

A second-round pick, Pro Bowl corner, and $22 million gamble will be tough to swallow if Kolb turns out to be another subpar quarterback away from Philadelphia.

Charles Johnson

The Carolina Panthers have quietly made some solid acquisitions and retained key players with new contract offers this offseason. The noteworthy signing for the Panthers under new head coach Ron Rivera was the re-signing of defensive end Charles Johnson.

Johnson notched 11.5 sacks and 51 solo tackles during the 2010 season.

One cannot help but wonder if the newly anointed cash rich player can live up to his new contract after just one stellar year.

The defensive end receives $32 million guaranteed of his new $72 million contract. His 2010 performance of 11.5 sacks surpassed the 10 total sacks from his first three seasons in the league.

Defensive ends tend to take a few seasons to get acclimated into the league, but $72 million seems to be a hefty price tag for only one year of high level performances. He needs to prove himself worthy of his new contract with a second outstanding year in a row.

The Carolina Panthers have clearly made a statement with the deal for their defensive end. They have let their division opponents, whose starting quarterbacks include Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman, know that they will be building around their pass rush on defense.

I question the Panthers reasons for splashing cash on a one-year wonder rather than re-signing Julius Peppers, a proven defensive end, to a long-term deal before letting him sign for the Chicago Bears last offseason.

No matter how you slice it, the Panthers over paid on this one but hope the high expectations will bring out the best from Charles Johnson. We will have to wait and see.

Reggie Bush

Has there been a collegiate player in the past decade that has had higher expectations coming out of college than Reggie Bush?

Whether it was fair or not, Bush has not lived up to what many envisioned he could do in the NFL after his Heisman winning days at USC. Bush spent five years in New Orleans mainly as a specialty back. Never filling the shoes as a feature back in the Big Easy.

Bush had been rumored all offseason to land in a new city once the lockout ended. The New Orleans Saints sent Bush to the city he has garnered two championships in, Miami. Reggie Bush has won a national championship and a Super Bowl in the stadium he now calls home on Sundays.

The problem with that is that the home football team, the Miami Dolphins, have been far from any championship for over a decade.

The Miami Dolphins and Reggie Bush agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal after the Dolphins traded Jonathan Amaya for Bush. The Dolphins wanted to replace their two free agent running backs in Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown with Reggie Bush and second-round draft pick Daniel Thomas out of Kansas State.

For a running back that will be used mainly as a mismatch for linebackers and in specialty plays, $5 million a year seems like a hefty price. Bush has not even played a full 16-game season since his rookie season in 2006 due to re-occuring injuries.

Excluding last season in which Bush suffered a broken leg, the last three seasons, Bush had 390, 404, 581 in rushing yards. A decline that makes you wonder what the Dolphins think they will get in production from Bush.

Miami seems to be putting their faith in yet another former Heisman Trophy winning running back that has been exported out of New Orleans.

Roy Williams

The Chicago Bears are trying to re-ignite an old flame this season by signing Roy Williams from the Dallas Cowboys at wide receiver. WIliams has been re-united with former offensive coordinator Mike Martz from a previous stint the two had together in 2006-2007 with the Detroit Lions.

Roy WIlliams ceased to impress during his stop in Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys made the high profile move for the wide receiver, but the results never came together on the field. Chicago hopes his old coordinator can bring the best out of him once again in the windy city for 2011.

The Bears have been shaping their new look offense around Martz's offensive schemes since his arrival in Chicago. After letting slip away Greg Olsen, a reliable target for Jay Cutler, the Bears may have gotten caught up in Williams' old playing potential.

During the two years in Detroit Williaims had 146 receptions, 2,148 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as a Lion.

The Bears made a small gamble on the wide receiver signing him to a one-year $2.46 million contract for this season. A small price to pay if he has a breakout season for a lackluster Bears wide receiving group.  

The Bears wide receiving corp consists of: Devin Hester, Sam Hurd, and Onrea Jones, and Johnny Knox plus a few rookies. Certainly not a wide receiving group that instills fear into opposing secondaries.

Johnny Knox being the only true matchup headaches for defensive coordinators until Hester learns how to be an every down receiver. Maybe Roy Williams' 6'3", 215-pound frame will prove useful for Chicago in the red zone this season.

Otherwise, the eigth year veteran must go out and prove he can be the receiver he once was. Until then, the Bears might want to focus on a pourous offensive line that allowed a total of nine sacks in their first preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.

If they do not get that patched up, Roy Williams will be standing wide open for all the wrong reasons.

Clint Session

The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone out this offseason wanting to improve their linebacker corp. The Jaguars wasted no time in doing so. The gun sounded for what has proven to be a wild free agency race.

They went out and signed Buffalo Bills unrestricted free agent Paul Pozluszny to a six-year, $42 million contract, with $15 million guaranteed.

Clint Session, the former Indianapolis Colt, joins Pozluszny in the Jaguars new look linebacker corp. Session won a Super Bowl with the Colts and has had a good career thus far. Although, he does come with some baggage.

He has had injury problems in his NFL career so far, including a broken arm during the 2010 season. Session only played five games for the Colts last year.

Session signed a five-year, $30 million contract, $11.5 million guaranteed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars have spent a potential $72 million for two linebacker upgrades.

Do you think they're scared of Adrian Foster and Chris Johnson at all?

Session may only be 26 years old and entering his prime years of his career, but the price paid by the Jaguars for the linebacker seems to be a little generous.

I believe Pro Football Talk stated it best. I'm paraphrasing here, but it was something along the line of: The Jaguars group of linebackers look good on paper, but championships are not built by giving huge signing bonuses to good, not great linebackers that do not rush the passer.

Session did record 94 and 103 combined tackles respectively in 2008 and 2009. However, his contract out pays the kind of play making ability he is capable of.