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These are the NFL’s 10 worst current contracts

By Mike Phillips

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 29: David Johnson #31 of the Arizona Cardinals before playing the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 29: David Johnson #31 of the Arizona Cardinals before playing the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

7. NFL’s worst contracts: RB David Johnson (3 years, $39 million with $24.6 million guaranteed)

The overall dollar figures on this contract appear to be low, but it is proof that investing in running backs is not a great strategy in the modern NFL. The short shelf life of backs makes it more economical for teams to platoon them and find values in the draft rather than pay up for an established star.

The Arizona Cardinals appeared to succeed at the first part of that equation with Johnson, who they took in the third round of the 2015 draft. Johnson emerged at the end of that year as the Cardinals’ starter and emerged as a star in 2016, making the Pro Bowl after racking up over 2,100 scrimmage yards.

2017 was a lost year for Johnson, who dislocated his wrist in the first game and was lost for the season after just 11 carries. The Cardinals regarded the injury as a fluke, inking Johnson to this heavily guaranteed extension only to watch it backfire as he became a shell of himself over the next two years.

Johnson eventually lost his job to Kenyan Drake, leaving Arizona in a pickle since the vast majority of Johnsons’ remaining money was guaranteed. Bill O’Brien bailed out the Cardinals, however, trading for Johnson in a deal that not only cleared the contract off of Arizona’s books but added Hopkins to boot.

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