New England Patriots: The 11 Worst Signings of the Bill Belichick Era

"In Bill We Trust."

You hear it all the time in sandwich shops and on street corners throughout New England. Since arriving as head coach (and holding final say in all player personnel decisions) in 2000, the Patriots have appeared in four Super Bowls while winning three of them. Two of those championships came in consecutive years and the Patriots completed a perfect regular season in 2007, going 16-0.

He is universally and unconditionally loved throughout New England as he has turned around troubled players such as Corey Dillon and Randy Moss and has rescued underused players like Mike Vrabel. To many fans, he can do no wrong.

Despite his terrific record of success on the field and in the front office, Belichick has at times proved himself to be human. Let's take a look at the 11 worst signings the New England Patriots have made under Belichick's watch. 

11. Joey Galloway

Joey Galloway was once a top-tier talent at the wide receiver position. Sadly, by the time he arrived in New England, he was far too old and seemingly far less interested than he had been in previous stops with Seattle and Dallas.

A former first-round draft pick (eighth overall), Galloway was cut midway through the 2009 season after being a healthy scratch in the three preceding games. He reportedly had trouble grasping the playbook, and had only seven catches in his time in Foxboro. 

10. Monty Beisel

Beisel, a known smart guy (he was twice named Academic All-Big 12 at Kansas State), seemed like a perfect fit with Belichick's propensity for heady players and complex schemes. Beginning the 2005 season as the team's starting inside linebacker, Beisel would be cut before the next season began.

Tedy Bruschi's in-season return from a stroke depleted Beisel's playing time, and he is widely remembered for a yelling match with a reporter, as Boston sports talk radio behemoth WEEI played the clip ad nauseam. 

9. Chad Brown

Like Beisel, Brown began the 2005 season as starting inside linebacker. The Patriots were in dire straits after Ted Johnson abruptly retired and Tedy Bruschi had suffered an offseason stroke.

A very productive defender for a long time, Brown never hit his stride with the Patriots. Compiling only 54 tackles in 15 games, Brown lost his starting position midway through the 2005 season and signed with the Steelers in 2006. When brought back for a second tour of duty in 2007, he was shown the door after just two games that season. 

8. David Terrell

Out of college, Patriots fans wanted the Michigan receiver badly. Instead, the Patriots drafted Richard Seymour, and their respective careers proved the Patriots right.

A wildly talented college player (and teammate of Tom Brady), Terrell was selected by the Chicago Bears with the eighth overall pick. He was scooped up by New England as a member of that notorious 2005 free-agent class, and was cut before the season began.  

7. J.J. Stokes

It's hard to remember Stokes in a Patriots uniform—so hard in fact, that there are hardly any images available of him in anything but a San Francisco uniform. Stokes' stay in New England was entirely forgettable as he only posted two catches in two games.

The man once labeled by Football Outsiders as "the league's least valuable receiver in football" was released to make room for veteran FB Larry Centers.

6. Reche Caldwell

This one may seem like a head-scratcher. Caldwell started 14 games for the Patriots in 2006, and posted above-average numbers with 61 catches for 760 yards and four touchdowns.

Ask any Patriot fan what they remember about Caldwell, however, and they'll undoubtedly recall the two titanic drops he committed in the 2006 AFC Championship Game against the Colts. The Patriots lost the game 38-34 and Caldwell would be released prior to the start of the 2007 season.

It is widely agreed that the Patriots traded for Randy Moss in 2007 to make up for the lack of talent at the WR position during that ill-fated 2006 campaign. 

5. Donald Hayes

Considered an emerging, physical young receiver, Hayes signed on with New England following four productive seasons with the Carolina Panthers. As an unrestricted free agent, Hayes drew considerable interest, and the Patriots won the Hayes sweepstakes by awarding him a two-year deal worth $4 million.

After catching only 12 balls in 12 games, the Patriots asked Hayes to take a pay cut, which he declined to do. He was shown the door for his refusal, and never played in the NFL again. 

4. Tank Williams

Williams was once a second-round pick out of Stanford and a cornerstone for a very good Tennessee Titans team in 2002 and 2003. A promising defensive player, his career was then hampered by injury. A knee injury effectively ended his tenure with Tennessee and after a stop in Minnesota, the Patriots hoped that he could stay healthy and return to his former ability.

Again, his knee was the culprit and he never saw his way out of training camp, landing on injured reserve. The Patriots tried once more, re-signing him in 2009, but he was cut in August and never played a game for New England. 

3. Rosevelt Colvin

Colvin was supposed to make a splash in New England after they signed him away from the Chicago Bears where he formed a fearsome tandem with LB Brian Urlacher. Though he could often show flashes of brilliance, Colvin was hampered with injuries and never lived up to his pricey contract of nearly $30 million.

His ability to rush the passer was at times a boon, and it was underscored when he was unable to stay healthy. He was finally released as a salary cap casualty when he was scheduled to count for $7.6 million against it. He wasn't terrible, but he certainly wasn't worth his big-ticket price tag. 

2. Shawn Springs

Springs was for a time one of the elite cornerbacks in the National Football League. Once a third overall draft pick, Springs was acquired to fill the spot vacated by Asante Samuel. Springs signed a sizable deal, one that could have been worth as much as $13 million, but he never found his groove.

He only started the first and last four games of the season, and missed time due to a knee injury, though he was listed as probable every week in the interim. He was released the following year, and like Galloway, is a dubious member of a disappointing 2009 free-agent class. 

1. Adalius Thomas

Thomas is undeniably Bill Belichick's biggest failure as a free-agent acquisition. His time in New England began with promise and ended with turmoil, and not a single Patriot player spoke up in his departure, a telling sign. 

Thomas was the highest-priced free-agent acquisition in team history, signing a five-year, $35 million contract in 2007, and left under a dark cloud of controversy regarding verbal sparring in the media with Coach Belichick. Thomas was one of four players sent home after being late for a team meeting that occurred during a snowstorm.

When asked if Belichick may have used the tactic as motivation, Thomas responded:

"

"Motivation is for kindergarteners. I'm not a kindergartener. Sending somebody home, that's like, 'He's expelled, come back and make good grades.' Get that [expletive] out of here. That's ridiculous. Motivation?" 

"

Thomas played in 39 regular-season games for the Patriots, with 35 starts, totaling 148 tackles and 14.5 sacks. Thomas had previously thrived in Baltimore under then-defensive coordinator Rex Ryan's system where he was used primarily as a pass-rusher. He wasn't utilized the same way in New England and seemed to grow more frustrated as time wore on.