Top 15 Worst Free Agent Signings in NFL History

5. Javon Walker – WR

Team: Oakland Raiders (2008)

Contract: 6-yr/$55M ($16M guaranteed)

Javon Walker made a name for himself while with the Green Bay Packers and improved upon that name while with the Denver Broncos. The Oakland Raiders were laughing their asses off at the Jacksonville Jaguars for throwing $30 million at Jerry Porter as they thought they had locked up a true superstar in Javon Walker. I believe the phrase is you’ve got some egg on your face Oakland. Walker battled injuries and ended up only playing 11 games for the Raiders which ultimately cost Al Davis $21 million.

4. David Boston – TE
Team: San Diego Chargers (2003)
Contract: 7-yr/$42M ($12M guaranteed)

While with the Cardinals, David Boston managed to stand out and look like one of the better tight ends in the NFL. The Chargers wanted him to re-energize their offense and handed him a seven-year, $42 million contract in 2003 that saw the Chargers give Boston $12 million in guaranteed money. After an impressive first season with the Chargers, Boston became impossible to deal with, fighting with his coaches on his way to becoming a locker room cancer. He was traded to the Miami Dolphins in his second season and we then found out why he was so aggressive: Roid Rage.

3. Adam Archuleta – S
Team:  Washington Redskins (2006)
Contract: 7-yr/$35M ($10M guaranteed)

I’m going to spoil this right now: the top 3 worst free agent signings in our list are otherwise known as The Honorary Dan Snyder Top 3 because they’re all moves made by your favorite bafoon Daniel Snyder. The first of our three contractual abortions belongs to Adam Archuleta, who used a few really solid years in St. Louis to get a $35 million contract from Snyder in Washington. Archuleta played only a single season with the Redskins before being benched and eventually allowed to leave for the Chicago Bears. The kicker in all this, Snyder shredded $10 million in the contract, as that was the amount of guaranteed money he forked over to Archuleta as soon as he came to Washington.

2. Deion Sanders – CB
Team: Washington Redskins (2000)
Contract: 7-yr/$53M

Deion Sanders was one of a kind and he managed to be both a football and baseball player in his career. He also successfully became both one of the greatest and worst free agent  signees of all-time. Sanders took the 49ers and Cowboys to the next level when he signed with them in the 90s but this move has more to do with Daniel Synder being irresponsible with his money than it does with Sanders’ talent. At the ripe age of 33, Sanders was handed a $53 million contract by the Redskins, and while he had been contemplating retirement, he wasn’t about to pass that deal up. Sanders did retire after one year with the Redskins only to return to play for the Ravens. But if you thought that contract as bad, it’s got nothing on No. 1….