Ten Free Agents Your Team Should('ve) Stay(ed) Away From

1. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seattle Seahawks -- Houshmadzadeh left Cincinnati amidst conflicting reports about whether or not he'd be re-signing.

Clearly, he didn't. And Seattle made one giant blunder. Despite their 4-12 mark, no team can claim injuries as an excuse like Seattle can this past season. Their offensive line, by year's end, didn't have a single player from the original starting line-up. At one point they had six injured wide receivers, and for a time moved Seneca Wallace over to receiver (before, go figure he got hurt). They lost their starting quarterback for a large portion of the season, their starting tailback, and had had injuries and suspensions plague their defensive lines.

It's definitely a year to forget. Once Seattle gets healthy, they'll be a competitive team again. There's just one problem: they splurged on a player who will be 32 by the end of September. He may have put up decent numbers in 2008 with Ryan Fitzpatrick as his quarterback, but his 9.8 yards per catch is a big red light for me. Especially because it was only 10.2 the year before that with Carson Palmer as his quarterback.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this at all. Especially when you consider the differences in systems, climate, and personnel I think this is possibly one of the worst decisions of the off-season.


2. Derrick Ward, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- He played behind the best offensive line in the NFL with a power back and a scat back to steal carries from him. He's got at best one good season in him outside of New York. And Tampa Bay certainly didn't break the bank for him, but I can't see the reasoning behind adding him. What does he do that Earnest Graham doesn't do? Maybe it's an age thing, but if Tampa Bay wanted a new running back, there were better options. Draft one of the good looking first day scat backs and pair him with Earnest Graham as a replacement for Warrick Dunn. Ward is not that guy. I don't like what Tampa Bay has done this off-season so far, at all.


3. Laveranues Coles, WR, Cincinnati Bengals -- Compared with Houshmandzadeh, this was practically a steal. While Coles still got a contract worth seven million a year, it's a year shorter, and he'll be playing with a fully healthy Carson Palmer across from a hopefully motivated Chad Johnson. Coles' race has been run. He has had chronic lower body injuries over the past few years, and has at least one concussion to show for his time in New York, and the first concussion always makes the second one that much easier.

It's not that I don't like Coles as a solid replacement for Houshmandzadeh, it's that his baggage doesn't help Cincinnati out all that much. I don't think they gave Coles all that money to be a slot receiver, but he might be better off in the slot with Chris Henry at flanker. I won't go so far as to say this one is going to be a total bust like I feel #1 is going to be, or a partial bust like #2 could be, but this one reeks of injury bust.


4. Brian Dawkins, S, Denver Broncos

It feels weird saying it. Brian Dawkins is on the Denver Broncos. Say it to yourself. It's like seeing Favre in green and white. It's a strange twist to a Hall of Fame career. Dawkins contract is not a problem. It basically pays out like a 2-year 9 million dollar contract (officially it's a 5-year 27 million dollar deal) that protects the Broncos in case Dawkins runs out of gas.

Good thing to, because he's going to. He's 35, he's been in the same system for ten years, and he's about to join a team going through yet another defensive transition. He'll be starting from square one with the entire defense. There will not be anyone to cover for him (literally and figuratively) if he can't pick up the slack. Dawkins has kept himself in great shape for a 35-year old, but any player at that age has physical flaws, and they will come out in a totally new defense where almost the entire team is learning it.

It doesn't help either that Denver has one of the oldest defenses in the league. I don't know how they're expecting to stop the run this year. Well, at least they have that great offense. Broncos fans should just pray that Cutler doesn't get dealt and that Brandon Marshall doesn't get suspended for more then three games next year.


5. Chris Kemoeatu, OG, Pittsburgh Steelers

This one still doesn't make any sense to me. The Jets preferred Kemoeatu to Brandon Moore, and Pittsburgh valued him enough to extend his contract. What world are we living in where a player like Chris Kemoeatu is valued more then Brandon Moore?

What's insane is that not only is Kemoeatu's deal bigger, but that none of the guards broke the bank. I expected, if any of them, that it would be Moore. Dockery went back to Washington for a pretty tame price, and Kemoeatu and Moore each got deals averaging four million dollars a deal. That's why he's not higher on this list. He's being paid like an above average starter. At best, he's an average one. Still, as clearly seen, there were moves far worse then this one.


6. Dewayne Robertson, DT, Unsigned

Say it with me now. Dewayne Robertson is not a good football player. Rinse and repeat 1000 times before it sinks into your head NFL. He's a mediocre penetrator and just an absolutely god-awful run stopper. He can't take on or shed blocks at all. He's got arthritic knees that could basically go at any time. I doubt he's going to get any big money, but teams still want to give him legitimate playing time. Tennessee and Carolina are both visiting with him, seriously considering using this one dimensional bust in a rotation. Rotations won't work with Robertson. His best year (which was mediocre to a tee) came with John Abraham, Jason Ferguson, and Shaun Ellis all in the primes of their respected careers on the same defensive line. Since then, Robertson has never done anything remotely worth while. Avoid like the plague. THE PLAGUE.


7. Kwame Harris, OT, Unsigned

Released by the 49ers for a complete and total inability to pass block. Released by the Raiders after signing a large deal (which they structured smartly, making it more like a one year tryout) after being benched for Mario Henderson eleven games into the season. Without a single suitor so far this off-season.

Whatever the higher power in this world is, I thank him. If I could just not ever have to watch him start another game in my lifetime I'd be thrilled. The Kwame Harris train has left. It might have left in college. I'm not sure. Just pray your favorite team isn't the one that signs him.


8. Roy Williams, S, Unsigned

Williams was just recently released and he easily jumps his way onto the list. For now I'm listing him at safety, but he should be playing linebacker in the NFL. It's quite simple--if you can't cover in the NFL, you can't play defensive back. It took the Cowboys far too long to realize this. Mr. Horse Collar has not had any suitors yet, though he was just recently released. It will be very interesting to see what position he plays if he makes a roster next year, but if he plays safety, he's going to get toasted. Again. And again. And again. And again. Get the idea?


9. Kerry Collins, QB, Tennessee Titans

This guy wanted more money then Kurt Warner. Kurt Warner was a viable MVP candidate last season. Kerry Collins was a care-taker, a game manager. He did the bare minimum, and yet wanted more then what Warner got. Obviously at his age, with his declining arm strength, and based on his career and recent body of work he had no chance. He realized this quickly and capitalized on a two-year 15 million dollar deal. I am ready to guarantee that Collins loses his starting job halfway (at the latest) through the season. Nor do I see the Titans making the playoffs. They just lost their best defensive playmaker and their offense is as one-dimensional as ever. This is not a recipe for success in Tennessee.


10a. Michael Boley, LB, New York Giants

Note to self: become a professional athlete and hire Michael Boley's (or DeAngelo Hall's) agent. Boley got himself benched last season in Mike Smith's defense (and it wasn't an impressive defense to begin with) and still got a 5-year 25 million dollar deal. But there's a reason this is 10a. Because there's a good chance that this deal won't backfire. It's just astounding that he's getting what he did after three years of mediocrity, and one spectacular season (which wasn't even in the contract year). He fits the Giants aggressive defense far better then he did Atlanta's "read and react," but it still could be a disaster for Boley, who will be starting at weak side linebacker. The Giants defensive line is going to do most of the talking though. With Osi Umenyiora fully healthy and Justin Tuck and Chris Canty roaming the defensive line, the Giants defense could be a force. As long as Canty doesn't struggle with the transition to 4-3 DT, the Giants line could open up great things for Michael Boley.

10b. DeAngelo Hall, CB, Washington Redskins

He signed a 7-year 70 million dollar contract with Oakland. It was terminated after eight games. He signed for the veteran minimum in Washington for the rest of the year. After getting torched in Oakland's man-to-man dominant scheme, he played well enough in Washington, but enough to earn himself a 6-year 55 million dollar contract with 23 million guaranteed? Hello? Is there anybody in there Mr. Snyder? You're paying him a hair short of what Asante Samuel got. You've got to be kidding me.

Sure he could be successful in Washington, even though the second half of the year he was playing for a contract (again). Hall could have a good year, no question. Washington's a lot closer to Atlanta in scheme then Oakland is. He still won't be worth that kind of money. On the flip side, he gets to play with yet another good young cornerback in Carlos Rogers. The only problem is that Rogers can't stay healthy. His best run came in 2007, where Rogers (who can't catch a cold) was basically a shutdown corner (yes that term no one wants to use anymore) until he got hurt. Half a season of brilliant potential. I know it's in him if he can stay healthy.


I'm not guaranteeing that these guys will fail (well on Dewayne Robertson and Kwame Harris I am), but I am sure that every single player on this list will not be worth the money they got. The only player I'm not sure on is Michael Boley, but he's 10a. He doesn't get to share that spot on his own because he's right on the border. We'll see who is right next season.