We are about to wrap up the first week in free agency and a vast majority of the big names have locked up contracts. It’s now all about the second wave. This is when those teams who normally build through the draft and only supplement in free agency start to make their noise.
Of the big names that have signed, there were some real stinker contracts out there. Let’s take a look at the five-worst contracts handed out to player after the first week of free agency.
Let’s take a look a the five-worst free-agent signings of the 2014 NFL free agency period thus far.
1. Jairus Byrd, Safety, New Orleans Saints (six-years, $54 million)`
Byrd wanted to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL and he got that wish after the Saints doled out $28 million guaranteed and an average of $9 million per season to the three-time Pro Bowl safety. It’s not that Byrd isn’t a good player. He is among the best overall safeties in the NFL. With that said, New Orleans gave up a butt-load of money at a position in the back end of the defense that it already spent a first-round pick on.
While Kenny Vaccaro (SS) and Byrd (FS) will make for one heck of a safety tandem, the long-term flexibility of New Orleans’ salary cap will be called into question here. Just take a look at his salary breakdown per season (via Spotrac).
That’s a whole lot of dough over the next four seasons with ample dead money should the Saints’ relationship with Byrd sour at some point or he not live up to expectations.
As it is, the Saints had to part ways with a ton of key players in order to find room for Jimmy Graham under the franchise tag. Adding Byrd’s contract to the mix at a position that wasn’t necessarily a need might have been a knee-jerk reaction to the start of free agency by this organization.
2. Austin Howard, Offensive Tackle, Oakland Raiders (five-years, $30 million)
Brad Penner, USA Today: Raiders left some more attractive options on the market.
The Raiders have made a few nice moves recently, but the start to their new league year isn’t something to write home about. Coupled with the whole Rodger Saffold saga, this ridiculous contract for a barely above-average tackle made absolutely no sense. Howardstarted 16 games in each of the last two seasons for the New York Jets. Before that, he appeared in just four games in two seasons between the Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Howard graded out 60th among 80 qualified offensive tackles in pass protection last season. Barring the Raiders going after a tackle early in the 2014 NFL draft or trusting Menelik Watson to play left tackle, Howard will be called on to play that all-important position. Oh, and the Raiders gave him $11.8 million guaranteed.
3. Aqib Talib, Cornerback, Denver Broncos (six-years, $57 million)
Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today: Talib received most guaranteed money for CB in history.
Talib received $26 million guaranteed, which is the highest total for a cornerback in the history of the league. In fact, that $26 million represents the total value of Alterraun Verner’s contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There is little doubting Talib’s talent. He is among the best cover corners in the entire league.
However, the veteran doesn’t come without risks.
Starting at the 2008 Rookie symposium where Talib was involved in a fistfight with teammate Cory Boyd and culminating a couple years ago in an aggravated assault charge, Talib’s off-field issues have been aplenty. He was also suspended four games to start the 2012 season for violating NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Giving a player with this past $26 million in guaranteed money is a huge risk. It’s also a risk that the defending AFC champions simply didn’t need to take. Why not go after Verner or another less problematic option?
4. Zane Beadles, Guard, Jacksonville Jaguars (five-years, $30 million)
I guess bottom feeders have to pay a little extra in order to attract free agents, but this is utterly ridiculous. Beadles started 62 of a possible 64 games for the Broncos in four seasons and earned a Pro Bowl trip back in 2012.
He was also among the best overall run-blocking offensive linemen that season. However, Beadles struggled a lot more this past year. He yielded nine quarterback hits and 32 hurries from the guard position. That’s not exactly getting it done from along the interior of the offensive line. Giving him $12.5 million guaranteed with a cap hit of nearly $7.5 million this year wasn’t exactly the Jaguars getting the most out of their money.
5. Ted Ginn Jr, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals (three-years, $9.75 million)
Bob Donnan, USA Today: Ginn wasn’t even a rotational receiver two years ago, now over $5 million guaranteed.
An average of over $3.2 million with $5.3 million guaranteed. Is this some kinda sick joke? Coming off a campaign that saw him catch one pass for two yards with the San Francisco 49ers back in 2012, Ginn bounced back and recorded over 550 receiving yards and five scores for the Carolina Panthers last year.
Still, Ginn has yet to prove he can be a consistent contributor in the passing game and continues to struggle with both route running and dropped passes. For the Cardinals to pay this amount of money to a mediocre No. 3 receiver when the upcoming 2014 NFL draft is filled with at least a dozen starter-caliber receivers makes absolutely no sense.
Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig, USA Today